ANN's Most Read News and Interest Articles of 2021

2021 was a strange year as we all continue to navigate the changing landscape of the pandemic. Cons were back, albeit briefly, before the Omicron surge changed expectations once again. In the anime world, not all the surprises were negative. Somehow, against all odds, a deal was brokered to get Macross into the western world after its decades-long absence and Netflix finally got into the simultaneous streaming game. We also said goodbye to one of the most influential manga creators of all time, Berserk's Kentarou Miura.

On the interest side, readers turned out for everything from fan art, VTubers, and anime production crises. China's shifting climate towards entertainment and friction over Taiwan bled into the VTuber landscape. VTuber characters appearing in anime were removed when the series made its way to China. Controversy over the more illicit elements in Mushoku Tensei also became a popular discussion point, like with the manga artist of So I'm a Spider So What?.

Because this feature was absent in 2020, we've also included the top articles from that year below.

Any headline followed by a (**) was published in 2020 or earlier but was still read widely in 2021.

ANN's Most Read News Articles of 2021

1. I Became a Kuro-Gyaru so I F***ed My Best Friend' Manga Gets ComicFesta TV Anime
2. Actress, Singer Sayaka Kanda Passes Away at 35
3. Attack on Titan Creator Completes Manga Finale, as Kodansha Takes Actions Against Illegal Uploads
4. The Misfit of Demon King Academy Manga Canceled Due to Artist's Illness
5. KONOSUBA - God's Blessing on This Wonderful World! Light Novel Gets New Anime
6. Black Clover TV Anime to End on March 30 With 'Important Announcement'
7. Voice Actress Haruka Nagashima Passes Away at 33
8. Berserk Manga Creator Kentarou Miura Passes Away at 54
9. Top-Selling Manga in Japan by Series: 2020
10. Madoka Magica Gets New Anime Film as Sequel to 2013 Rebellion Film
11. JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Part 6: Stone Ocean Manga Gets Anime Starring Ai Fairouz
12. Singer LiSA, Voice Actor Tatsuhisa Suzuki Go on Hiatuses
13. World's End Harem Anime's Full Promo Video Unveils Theme Songs, More Staff, October Debut
14. Live-Action Tokyo Revengers Film Earns Over 3.5 Billion Yen at Box Office
15. Live-Action Tokyo Revengers Film Opens at #1 in Japan Box Office
16. Showtime! Manga About TV Idol's Prohibited Romance Gets ComicFesta Anime
17. ALI Band Goes on Indefinite Hiatus After Drummer's Arrest Last Month
18. Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir Animated Series Gets Manga
19. Kakegurui Writer Homura Kawamoto's Isekai Revenge Manga Canceled After 1 Chapter
20. Square Enix Announces New RPG from NieR Director Yoko Taro
21. Top-Selling Manga in Japan by Series: 2021 (First Half)
22. That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime Smartphone Game Gets English Release This Year
23. JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Part 6: Stone Ocean Anime Reveals Promo Video, Cast, Staff, December Debut on Netflix Worldwide
24. My Hero Academia Gets New Stage Play in Spring 2022
25. One Piece Manga Creator Eiichiro Oda: Story is in its Final Stage

ANN's Most Read Interest Articles of 2021

1. My Hero Academia Manga Assistant Draws Mirko Like Megan Thee Stallion
2. Crunchyroll Reveals Most Watched Anime of 2020 by Region
3. Kingdom Hearts, Evangelion Singer Hikaru Utada Comes Out as Non-Binary
4. U.S. Troop Withdrawal from Afghanistan Leaves Pokémon GO Digital Remains
5. So I'm a Spider, So What?' CG Assistant Addresses Production Issues Around Delayed Finale
6. Results Are In For Persona 5's 5th Anniversary Character Popularity Poll
7. Funimation Launches Figure of My Hero Academia's Invisible Girl
8. hololive's Momosuzu Nene Makes Surprise Voice Appearance in The World's Finest Assassin Anime—Except in Mainland China
9. Japanese Company Offers Paid Leave for Employees Grieving Over Their Favorite Idol's Retirement
10. Yoshiyuki Tomino: "Japan Is No Longer a Leader in Animation"
11. Peach Boy Riverside Anime Airing Out of Chronological Order
12. Kung Fu Tea to Serve Limited-Time Fruits Basket Bubble Tea in U.S.
13. How NOT to Summon a Demon Lord Omega Production Committee Apologizes for Usada Pekora Lookalike Character
14. So I'm a Spider, So What?' Manga Artist Praises the 'Vulgarity' of Mushoku Tensei's Setting
15. Hunter x Hunter Announces New Escape Room for 2021
16. Remembering the U.S. Censorship of Electric Tales of Pikachu Over 20 Years Later
17. Mushoku Tensei Author Addresses Criticism about Perverted Protagonist
18. AFP: Mamoru Hosoda Criticizes Depiction of Women in Hayao Miyazaki Anime
19. BL Manhwa Artist Haesin Young Threatens Legal Action Against Manga Piracy Site Mangago**
20. Playboard: World's Biggest Superchat Earner is Virtual YouTuber Kiryu Coco**
21. Attack on Titan Voice Actress Yui Ishikawa Announces Marriage
22. Tokyo Ghoul, Rent-A-Girlfriend Creators Draw Attack on Titan Fanart to Celebrate Final Chapter
23. Creators Offer Condolences for Berserk Creator Kentarou Miura's Passing
24. Lyricist Neko Oikawa Shares How She Was Scammed Out of Her Evangelion Royalty Money
25. Animator Ippei Ichii Says Netflix Anime Produced at MAPPA Paid Bottom Rates

ANN's Most Read News Articles of 2020

1. List of Shows, Films, Manga, Games Affected by COVID-19
2. Sword Art Online: Alicization - War of Underworld Anime's 2nd Part Delayed to July
3. Voice Actress Tamaki Nakanishi Passes Away at 44
4. Voice Actor Kirby Morrow Passes Away at 47
5. Inuyasha Spinoff Anime Yashahime: Princess Half-Demon's 1st Trailer Reveals Cast, October 3 Debut
6. Bleach Creator Kubo Tite's New Work to Be Unveiled at AnimeJapan 2020
7. Funimation Removes Interspecies Reviewers Anime as it 'Falls Outside' Company's Standards
8. One Piece Anime's English Dub to Return With Episode 575
9. The Titan's Bride Boys-Love Isekai Manga Gets Anime
10. BEASTARS Anime Reveals English Dub Cast
11. Top-Selling Manga in Japan by Series: 2019**
12. Shonen Jump Teases One Piece Manga is Headed Toward 'Upcoming Final Saga'
13. Inuyasha Anime Gets Yashahime: Princess Half-Demon TV Spinoff This Fall
14. Shueisha Cancels Publication of act-age Manga (Updated)
15. Voice Actor Keiji Fujiwara Passes Away at 55 Due to Cancer
16. List of Current Anime With Completed Productions
17. Log Horizon TV Anime Gets 3rd Season in October
18. Yu Yu Hakusho Manga Gets Live-Action Series on Netflix
19. 3 New Manga Launch in Shonen Jump This Spring
20. My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU Anime's 3rd Season Delayed
21. Crunchyroll Unveils 7 'Crunchyroll Originals' Works Including Tower of God, Noblesse, God of High School
22. NHK: act-age Story Writer Tatsuya Matsuki Arrested on Suspicion of Committing Indecent Act with Minor (Update 2)
23. Tanishi Kawano's Firefighter Romance Manga Gets Anime**
24. Konosuba Light Novel Series' 17th Volume Listed as Final One in May
25. The Titan's Bride Boys-Love Isekai Anime Reveals More Cast, Staff, July 5 TV Debut

ANN's Most Read Interest Articles of 2020

1. Korean Game Accused of Plagiarizing Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Ends Service 5 Days After Launch
2. Playboard: World's Biggest Superchat Earner is Virtual YouTuber Kiryu Coco
3. Hirohiko Araki Hides JoJo References in Paralympic Games Poster
4. My Hero Academia Character Gets Name Change Following Controversy
5. BL Manhwa Artist Haesin Young Threatens Legal Action Against Manga Piracy Site Mangago (Updated)
6. Anime Fans Pick the Most Heart-Pounding Yuri Anime**
7. Jump Editor-in-Chief Explains What's Unusual About Demon Slayer's Success
8. Domestic Girlfriend Creator Comments on Backlash From Overseas Fans
9. Voice Actress Yurina Hase Shares Her Experience With 'Casting Couch' at Sunrise
10. John Oliver's Last Week Tonight Sneaks in My Hero Academia Reference
11. My Hero Academia Manga, Anime Removed from Chinese Digital Platforms
12. Funimation Reveals Results of 'Decade of Anime' Fan Polls
13. Jojo's Bizarre Adventure Creator Hirohiko Araki Shares His Philosophy on Writing Villains
14. Voice Actor Nobuhiko Okamoto Confirms Marriage With Voice Actress Asuka Ōgame, Apologizes for 'Unthinking Actions' (Updated)
15. Singer LiSA, Voice Actor Tatsuhisa Suzuki Get Married
16. Florida Congressional Candidate Warns of Internet 'Anime Porn' Like 'Dragon Ball Z'
17. Here's 32 Shōjo Manga You Need to Read**
18. Persona 5 Royal's Western Release Changes Gay Characters' Depiction
19. Mystery Man Identifying as Kimetsu no Yaiba Character Donates 100 Masks to Nursing School
20. Shueisha Issues Formal Apology for My Hero Academia Character's Name
21. hololive Virtual YouTuber Mano Aloe Retires 2 Weeks After Debut
22. Idolm@ster Voice Actor Shiki Aoki Comes Out as Transgender Man
23. Discover Your Anime Birthday Twin With a Handy Website**
24. Attack on Titan Producers Discuss Reason Behind Studio Change to MAPPA
25. Eiichiro Oda Updates on Work on One Piece Manga, Anime