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The popularity of anime as well as manga as an art form has touched mainstream at the crossroads of media consumption, be it in smaller reels or with the availability of streaming services, as well as stacks of tankobons available in prestige bookshops for fans of sequential art form. But exposure to the art form brings forth revelations of the unglamorous lives of the mangakas (manga artists), their hectic work schedules, etc.

Look Back seeks to shed a light on the love of art as well as the emotional toll caused by the creation of said art. Art pushes the two protagonists—Fujino and Kiyomoto—to compete with each other. It occurs more so with Fujino once she sees the much more advanced art style of Kiyomoto that pushes Fujino to obsessively work on her art and push herself. Until two years pass and she is beckoned with a realisation...

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba is one of the biggest anime franchises in history, and fans are eagerly waiting to see what’s next for Tanjiro and company!

Following the final episode of Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Hashira Training Arc in Japan (also known as Season 4 on Netflix), the series’ official accounts revealed that a Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle movie trilogy will be released instead, adapting the final arc of the popular manga series into anime.

Keep reading to find out more…

There will not be a Season 5 in the TV show, but rather a trilogy of theatrical movies to conclude the series.

Crunchyroll and Sony Pictures Entertainment have acquired the trilogy of movies for a global theatrical release, excluding select Asian territories and Japan.

No release date has been confirmed yet. However, an official trailer for Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle was released on June 30!

As Games Radar notes,...

Featuring "nina" by Maaya Sakamoto ( Arte Op) and "Hoshi no Dengon" by Nao Toyama ( Sugar Apple Fairy Tale Ed), respectively, creditless versions of the Nina the Starry Bride anime's opening and ending song sequences are now available to watch below. Nina the Starry Bride Opening Video Nina the Starry Bride Ending Video Related: Nina the Starry Bride English Dub Reveals Early Release, Cast & Crew Based on the manga by Rikachi, Kenichiro Komaya ( Kizuna no Allele ) directs Nina the Starry Bridge at studio Signal.MD, with series composition by Yuka Yamada ( Saint Cecilia & Pastor Lawrence ), character designs by Kyoko Taketani ( Yuuna and the Haunted Hot Springs ) and music by Natsumi Tabuchi ( My Wife Has No Emotion ). Crunchyroll is simulcasting the anime in both sub and English dub, describes the story like so: Nina, a girl living as an orphan in the Fortna Castle Town, happens to have eyes of the same deep...

Before the start of broadcast in Japan today on October 5, the official website for the TV anime adaptation of Uoto's historical manga Orb: On the Movements of the Earth confirmed that the anime will run for two consecutive cours with a total of 25 episodes. The site also released a key visual featuring the protagonist Rafal observing the stars, and Badeni, Jolenta, and Oczy looking up at the same star-filled sky. The site describes it: "They are all from different backgrounds, ages, genders, and occupations. The visual expresses the grand and passionate story of this work, in which people who are fascinated by the beauty of the geocentric theory and who put their lives and beliefs on the line to prove it." Key visual Related: Orb: On the Movements of the Earth Anime Releases Main Trailer The TV anime Orb: On the Movements of the Earth is set to premiere in Japan,...

Welcome to Cozy Anime Corner , your go-to place for finding the perfect anime to brighten your day! Every month I’ll highlight a comfy series with low stakes, calm vibes and characters I wish I knew in real life. Satisfy your sweet tooth with this month’s pick, Deaimon: Recipe for Happiness ! Ryokushou is a warm and inviting shop in Kyoto that sells traditional Japanese sweets, called wagashi. Inside you’ll find dazzling seasonal assortments of wagashi that pair perfectly with a steaming cup of tea. You’ll also meet the store’s staff, each with their own quirks and charming personalities, who often go above and beyond for their customers. Related: Cozy Anime Corner: Catch a Break with Diary of Our Days at the Breakwater! If this sounds like your ideal place to spend an autumn afternoon, you’re going to love staying cozy with Deaimon: Recipe for Happiness . Opening Number "Sumire,...

Nina the Starry Bride , an upcoming TV anime based on the fantasy manga, has revealed three new cast members for the series. The series will broadcast in Japan beginning on October 10, 2024. Crunchyroll will also stream the series as part of the fall 2024 anime simulcast lineup. The new cast members include: Yor voiced by Seiichiro Yamashita (Ashran Highroll in Why Does Nobody Remember Me in This World? ) Yor character art Bidault voiced by Kaito Ishikawa (Haga in Quality Assurance in Another World ) Bidault character art Thoth voiced by Shun Horie (Migi in Migi&Dali ) Thoth character art Kodansha serializes the original Nina the Starry Bride manga by Rikachi in their Be Love josei manga magazine. Kodansha USA also publishes an English language version of the series. Kenichiro Komaya directs the TV anime at animation studio Signal.MD. Yuka Yamada provides the series composition, Kyoko Taketani provides the character designs, and Natsumi Tabuchi provides the music.

The official website for the upcoming TV anime adaptation of Uoto's historical manga Orb: On the Movements of the Earth today released a main trailer to announce its premiere date in Japan, October 5, 2024. The anime's first two episodes will broadcast consecutively on Nhk General TV in Japan on the premiere day. And after each episode airs, it will also stream worldwide on Netflix. The clip also features the anime's opening theme song "Kaiju" by Sakanaction and the ending theme song "Aporia" by Yorushika , as well as soundtrack music by Kensuke Ushio ( Chainsaw Man ). In addition to the previously announced Maaya Sakamoto as the protagonist Rafal, Kenjiro Tsuda as Nobak, and Show Hayami as Hubert, three more voice cast members have also been announced — Katsuyuki Konishi (Tengen Uzui in Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba ), Yuichi Nakamura (Tatsuya Shiba in The Irregular at Magic High School ), and Saya Hitomi . Konishi will play the role of Oczy,...

The official website for voice actor and singer Maaya Sakamoto has announced that her next 35th single "nina" is set to release on November 6, 2024. The title track will be featured as the opening theme for the fall 2024 TV anime Nina the Starry Bride . "nina" is composed and arranged by Yusuke Shirato , known for his works for The Idolm@Ster series. This is his first collaboration with Sakamoto. The single also contains a coupling song, "Sekai no Himitsu" ("The Secret of the World"), written by Tomimi Uchimura (la la larks) and composed, arranged by Swedish sound creator Rasmus Faber . It has been nine years since Sakamoto and Faber's previous collaboration "Waiting for the rain" ( The Asterisk War ending theme) in 2015. Maaya Sakamoto "nina" Music Video (Short Ver.) First press limited edition CD jacket Regular edition CD jacket The TV anime adaptation of Rikachi's fantasy manga, Nina the Starry Bride , is...

What's next for fans watching the currently airing Monogatari Series: Off & Monster Season anime? A brand-new trailer released today sheds some (moon)light on the incoming Wazamonogatari arc and Maaya Sakamoto as Princess Acerola! Related: Monogatari Series: Off & Monster Season Anime Teases Nademonogatari Arc in New Trailer Midori Yoshizawa ( Magia Record: Puella Magi Madoka Magica Side Story ) is directing Monogatari Series: Off & Monster Season at studio Shaft under the supervision of Akiyuki Shinbo, who serves as chief director as well as co-series composer with writer Fuyashi Tou. Akio Watanabe also returns as character designer and chief animation director. Crunchyroll is simulcasting the series and describes the story: Spring break, an interval of time between the second and third year of high school. Koyomi Araragi encounters a blood-chillingly beautiful woman. The iron-blooded, hot-blooded, cold-blooded Vampire, she calls herself “Kiss-shot Acerola-orion Heart-under-blade.” On the brink of death after losing her four limbs,...

One of the key aspects of parties in Sword Art Online: Fractured Daydream is the mage role, which Administrator fits into nicely. Bandai Namco shared a new trailer for the multiplayer-centric entry this week, taking the better part of a minute to focus on the Maaya Sakamoto-voiced character.  Sword Art Online: Fractured Daydream Administrator Trailer Related: Sword Art Online: Fractured Daydream Global Release Set for October Sword Art Online: Fractured Daydream hits PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch and PC via Steam on October 4, 2024. Here's how Bandai Namco describes the original story: In Sword Art Online Fractured Daydream, a new system is added to the world of Alfheim Online, but a malfunction causes all worlds and timelines to collide, creating a unique setting and challenging environment for Kirito and other players. All lost in uncharted territory, enemies become allies, departed characters are back and unlikely...

The official website and accounts for the upcoming Nina the Starry Bride anime today announced an October 10 premiere for the fantasy romance series, while also releasing a brand-new trailer, visual, cast and theme song details. As previewed below, Nao Toyama performs "Hoshi no Dengo" for the ending song and Maaya Sakamoto performs "nina" for the opening song. Key Visual The newly announced cast members are as follows (character romanizations unconfirmed): Muhulum voiced by Nao Toyama Daitus voiced by Tatsuya Tomizawa Muhulum Daitus Related: Nina the Starry Bride Anime Unveils Star-Crossed Teaser Visual Based on the manga by Rikachi, Kenichiro Komaya ( Kizuna no Allele ) directs the Nina the Starry Bridge anime at studio Signal.MD, with series composition by Yuka Yamada ( Saint Cecilia & Pastor Lawrence ), character designs by Kyoko Taketani ( Yuuna and the Haunted Hot Springs ) and music by Natsumi Tabuchi ( My Wife Has No Emotion ). Kodansha USA publishes an official...

Fans of the supernatural anime series “Black Butler” have reason to celebrate as a fifth season has been officially announced. The news, revealed at the Anime Expo 2024, confirms that the show will adapt the Emerald Witch Arc from Yana Toboso’s original manga.

According to information shared by MangaMoguraRE on social media, the new season is expected to air in 2025. This relatively quick turnaround comes on the heels of the well-received fourth season, which ended its run just weeks ago after a decade-long hiatus.

A teaser trailer for the upcoming season has been released on Crunchyroll’s official YouTube channel, giving viewers a glimpse of what’s to come. The new arc will see the show’s protagonists, young earl Ciel Phantomhive and his demonic butler Sebastian Michaelis, travel to a forest in Southern Germany to investigate a series of mysterious deaths.

"Black Butler – Emerald Witch Arc" Anime Officially Announced

Air Date: 2025pic.

Image from Black Butler -Public School Arc- It’s time to brush up on your German as we head into the next Black Butler arc! During the Black Butler panel at Anime Expo 2024, Crunchyroll announced it will stream the newly revealed Black Butler -Emerald Witch Arc- anime, scheduled to premiere in 2025. Check out the first eerie teaser trailer below. Black Butler -Emerald Witch Arc- Teaser Trailer Kenjiro Okada will return to direct Black Butler -Emerald Witch Arc- at animation studio CloverWorks. Maaya Sakamoto and Daisuke Ono will also reprise their roles as Ciel Phantomhive and Sebastian Michaelis respectively. Related: Black Butler Quiz: Are You One Hell of a Butler? The original Black Butler manga by Yana Toboso began in 2006 in Square Enix's G Monthly GFantasy manga magazine. An English language version is also available from Yen Press. You can stream all seasons, OVAs, and the Book of the Atlantic film here on Crunchyroll.

Ahead of Off & Monster Season 's premiere next month and subsequent simulcast on Crunchyroll , the Monogatari anime series continued its run of character trailers with a brand-new spotlight for Shinobu Oshino, the eternally young vampire with a sweet fang for donuts voiced by Maaya Sakamoto. Related: Cross Paths with Meme Oshino in Latest Monogatari Series Character Trailer Midori Yoshizawa ( Magia Record: Puella Magi Madoka Magica Side Story ) is directing Monogatari Series Off & Monster Season at studio Shaft under the supervision of Akiyuki Shinbo, who serves as chief director as well as co-series composer with writer Fuyashi Tou. Akio Watanabe also returns as character designer and chief animation director. The series will begin on July 6 with the Orokamonogatari storyline. Crunchyroll streams the previous Monogatari TV anime series' multiple seasons, describing the first TV anime, Bakemonogatari , as such: “Bakemonogatari” (translated “Ghost Story”) was written by Nisioisin, one of the most popular writers in Japan,...

Popular Manhwa The Girl Downstairs Unveils Japanese Dub Release Date: All You Need to Know - Main Image

After its initial release last year, The Girl Downstairs is finally getting a Japanese dub with a release date set for July.

This is an interesting show for romance fans, and not just for its story. The series is not exactly an anime. Instead, it’s a Chinese donghua based on a popular South Korean manhwa.

With the show’s Japanese dub release, this may indicate that English-speaking fans will finally be able to watch the series with English subtitles, that is if a streaming platform picks it up in summer 2024.

The Girl Downstairs Japanese Dub Release Date Announced

The Girl Downstairs started as a manhwa that ran from July 2019 to July 2022 in Naver Webtoon. Thanks to its popularity, the series was also released in English via Line Webtoon.

As is the case with many popular manhwa,...

Ready to meet the heroines of Chinese donghua The Girl Downstairs and its upcoming Japanese dub? A spotlight trailer centered on Mio Katsuragi, voiced by Maaya Sakamoto, was released today as the first of three weekly videos in the leadup to the series' July 3 debut on Japanese television, giving us a charming introduction to the devilish ex-idol. Related: The Girl Downstairs Donghua Japanese Dub Reveals Premiere Date, Visual and Trailer First streamed on bilibili in April 2023 and currently spanning 22 episodes, The Girl Downstairs donghua was produced at Red Dog Culture House with direction from Dong Yi. Min Songa's original comic is available on Webtoon , which descibes the story: on Webtoon , which descibes the story: When Joon moves into his new apartment on his first day of college, he wasn't expecting beautiful ex-celebrity Doona (Duna) to be living downstairs. Joon tries to avoid her at first, but finds himself growing...

The Japanese-dubbed version of the Chinese donghua adapting Korean webcomic The Girl Downstairs revealed a brand-new trailer and key visual today, previewing opening theme song "Might Just" by Sweet Revenge and announcing a July 3 at 25:35 Jst (effectively July 4 at 1:25) premiere on Fuji TV's B8station. Using translated names, Maaya Sakamoto (Ciel in Black Butler ) and Keisuke Komoto (Haruichi in Kaiju No. 8 ) star as Mio Kisaragi and Yo Sugiura, respectively, alongside Rumi Okubo as Makoto Momoi and Manami Numakura as Sara Mikuni. Nornis perform "Yo ga Akeru made" for the series' ending theme song. The visual's taglines read, "They're interested in a younger man" and "Near or far, I want to tell you my true feelings." Key Visual Related: Heaven Official’s Blessing and the Popularity of Donghua First streamed on bilibili in April 2023 and currently spanning 22 episodes, The Girl Downstairs donghua was produced at Red Dog Culture House...

The time has finally almost come for the Black Butler -Public School Arc- anime ! Mark your calendar for the official release date and exact time of the series, coming to you as part of the Crunchyroll Spring 2024 Season . The anime adaptation of Yana Toboso's acclaimed manga arc continues when Black Butler -Public School Arc- releases on Crunchyroll on April 13, 2024 at 9:00 a.m. Pacific Time . Find out everything you need to know about the new series, from the release date to trailers, characters, cast, studio, plot, key visuals and even how to watch the previous seasons right here on Crunchyroll! In this article: Release Date Where to Watch Watch Previous Seasons Official Trailers Characters and Cast Anime Staff Anime Key Visuals Plot Black Butler -Public School Arc- Release Date and Time: When Does it Come Out? English Sub Release Date: April 13, 2024 at 9:00am Pacific Time Territories: North America,...

Most proper anime fans will know about Black Butler. The ongoing manga by Yana Toboso has been around since 2006 and currently has 33 volumes to its name. This dark fantasy series never became a mainstream hit, but it gathered a solid fandom and the series is undoubtedly one of the better-known titles in the world of manga and anime. Several anime adaptations have been produced so far, with the most recent one – Black Butler: Public School Arc – premiering on April 13, 2024. Ahead of the release, a main trailer has been revealed.

The first season of Black Butler aired from October 3, 2008, to March 27, 2009, and consisted of a total of 24 episodes. It was immediately followed by a 12-episode second season, which aired from July 2 to September 17, 2010. Seven Ova episodes were released as part of these two seasons. Several years later, a third season titled Black Butler: Book of Circus was also released, consisting of...

The upcoming episode of Mr. Villain's Day Off will be bringing with it a pair of new cast members, as well as the return of someone we haven't seen for a few episodes. It was announced today that episode 11 will include another appearance of the cherry blossom fairy girl (voiced by Maaya Sakamoto) seen in episode 4. In this new episode, Natsumi Fujiwara (Damian Desmond in Spy x Family ) will guest start as a young boy by an oak tree who falls in love with the fairy. Related: Mr. Villain's Day Off Anime Shares a Snacktime Collab Visual with Pui Pui Molcar In the same episode, we'll meet C018, a cat-shaped robot that has been discarded as defective. Naturally, the General grows attached. C018 will be voiced by Kaori Nazuka (Nunnally in Code Geass ). Related: Shumatsu Train Doko e Iku? Anime Reveals Reimi Kuga Character Video You can watch new episodes of Mr.

The adorable adventures of the kitten Chi and her friends will continue in a newly announced 3Dcg anime entitled Koneko no Chi Ponponra Natsuyasumi (“Chi the Kitten Ponponra Summer Vacation”) . The release date for the new series has not yet been revealed. The cast from previous Chi anime will continue in their respective roles, including: Chi voiced by Satomi Korogi Yohei voiced by Ryoko Shiraishi Mother voiced by Maaya Sakamoto Father voiced by Makoto Yasumura Kocchi voiced by Motoko Kumai Kuroino voiced by Rikiya Koyama Koneko no Chi Ponponra Natsuyasumi teaser visual Related: Feature: 5 Heartwarming Kawaii Anime You Can Zone Out To The original Chi's Sweet Home manga by Konami Kanata was serialized from 2004 – 2015 in Kodansha's Weekly Morning manga magazine, and an English language version is available from Vertical Inc.. Kiminori Kusano directs the Koneko no Chi Ponponra Natsuyasumi anime at animation studio Marza Animation Planet, while Misuzu Chiba provides...

The official website of the upcoming Black Butler: Public School Arc revealed a new promo video on Feb 16, 2024. The video reveals that the anime will start airing on April 13, 2024.

Moreover, the cast members voicing P4, prefects of the four dormitories of Weston College, were also revealed. Check them out below:

Toshiki Watanabe as Edgar Redmond

Junya Enoki as Lawrence Bluewer

Shunsuke Takeuchi as Herman Greenhill

Tatsumaru Tachibana as Gregory Violet

Daisuke Ono and Maaya Sakamoto will be reprising their roles to voice Sebastian Michaelis and Ciel Phantomhive respectively.

Staff includes:

Director: Kenjiro Okada Series Composition: Hiroyuki Yoshino Character Designer: Yumi Shimizu Music: Ryo Kawasaki

Aniplex describes the plot of the series as:

Butler Sebastian Michaelis works with his 13-year-old master, the earl Ciel Phantomhive, to do the dirty work of “the Queen’s guard dog” in nineteenth century England’s gritty underworld.

One day, Ciel receives a letter from Queen Victoria...

The official YouTube channel for voice actor/singer Maaya Sakamoto has started streaming a short version music video for her 34th single song "Dakishimete" ( Hold Me ). The ballad song is now featured as the ending theme for the second season of the TV anime The Fire Hunter , in which she has also played one of its main characters, Akira. "Mada Tooku ni Iru" ( You are still far away ), one of the two songs in her previous double A-side 33rd single, was used as the ending theme for the anime's first season. The lyrics and music for "Dakishimete" were written by Senri Oe, who created a sensation as a singer-songwriter in the 80s and 90s and is now active a jazz pianist based in New York. This is the first time he and Sakamoto have worked together. Maays Sakamoto "Dakishimete" music video The Fire Hunter season 2 creditless ending movie The CD...

Monsters: 103 Mercies Dragon Damnation Review ( Photo Credit – IMDb )

Monsters: 103 Mercies Dragon Damnation Review: Star Rating:

Cast: Yoshimasa Hosoya, Maaya Sakamoto, Hochu Otsuka, Yoshitsugo Matsuoka, and Takuma Terashima

Creator: Eiichiro Oda

Director: Sunghoo Park

Streaming On: Netflix

Language: Japanese (with subtitles)

Runtime: One episode, around 25 minutes

Monsters: 103 Mercies Dragon Damnation Review ( Photo Credit – Netflix Anime / YouTube ) Monsters 103 Mercies Dragon Damnation Review: What’s It About:

Netflix seems to be all in the One Piece business, as recently they managed to have a massive hit with the One Piece live-action, renewing it for a second season, and also this year announcing that the new arc of the One Piece anime, the Egghead Island arc is going to release brand-new episodes each week on Netflix. To keep following this pattern, Netflix has chosen to adapt a one-shot created by Eiichiro Oda before he began writing One Piece, and goes...

The official website for the A Condition Called Love TV anime revealed four new voice cast members today, complete with character art for each new addition. The series is set to kick off in Japan in April 2024, so let's take a look at who's voicing who in the latest update. Hibiki Asami, Aka Kyo-chan voiced by Yurika Kubo (Kikyo Kushida in Classroom of the Elite ) Tsukiha Shibamura, Aka Shibamu voiced by Maaya Sakamoto (Ciel Phantomhive in Black Butler ) Sohei Yao, Aka Yao-kun voiced by Ryohei Kimura (Kotaro Bokuto in Haikyu!! ) Keigo Kurata voiced by Ryota Osaka (Marco Bodt in Attack on Titan ) Related: A Condition Called Love TV Anime Releases First Teaser Trailer The new cast members join previously revealed leads Kana Hanazawa (Hotaru Hinase) and Chiaki Kobayashi (Saki Hananoi). Based on the manga by Megumi Morino, A Condition Called Love is being directed by Tomoe Makino ( Aharen-san wa Hakarenai ) at East Fish Studio,...

"Super Crooks", starring Kenjiro Tsuda, Maaya Sakamoto and Yasushi Kimura is the anime adaptation of writer Mark Millar and illustrator Leinil Francis Yu’s Marvel Comics series, now streaming on Netflix:

"...small-time crook 'Johnny Bolt' strings together one big heist to help the world’s most beloved 'supercrook' out of a gambling jam.

"Bolt forms a team of supervillains traveling to Spain and attempting to rob one of the most infamous supervillains of all time..."

Click the images to enlarge...

Spend enough time in anime fandom and you hear a common refrain: "They don't make shows like they used to anymore." Do they? There's plenty of great anime still being made: Fall 2022 alone brought an incredible bumper crop of anime series across multiple genres. Some may prefer the masterpieces of the past, but those masterpieces were exceptional even then. Even so, it is indisputable that certain kinds of anime are simply not made anymore. Original anime series are scarce. Modern shows rarely last beyond 12 or 13 episodes. Robots drawn in traditional 2D animation, outside of specialist studios like Trigger or Sunrise, are rare. Even the newest "Gundam" series, usually the industry standard for 2D giant robot shows, struggled weekly to maintain the standard of its mechanical animation. To find series like the long-running psychological thriller "Monster," or the slice-of-life mystery "Haibane Renmei," you have to go back 20 or 30 years in the medium's history.

"Super Crooks", the Japanese-produced original anime TV series adapting the Millarworld comic book series of the same name, is directed by Dai Sato ("Cowboy Bebop"), starring Kenjiro Tsuda and Maaya Sakamoto streaming November 25, 2021 on Netflix:

"...'Johnny Bolt' recruits a group of ragtag supervillains for one last heist. Their target: A ruthless super-powered crime boss. What could possibly go wrong?..." 

Click the images to enlarge... ...

It is always a pleasure to revisit great titles of the past and the recent, impressive ultimate edition of “Wolf’s Rain” by Anime Limited proved a great opportunity to do so for a title that seems to have been almost completely forgotten.

According to an old legend, when the end of the world comes, a place known as Paradise will appear. However, only wolves will know how to find it. Although wolves are believed to have been hunted to extinction nearly two hundred years ago, they still exist, surviving by casting illusions over themselves to appear human. Freeze City is a northern city in a world where the majority of people live in poverty and hardship. Kiba, a lone wolf in search of the Lunar Flower, which is the key to open Paradise, arrives in the city, and after many trials and tribulations, ends up with three other wolf-humans,...

It’s a Herculean effort to take a multi-volume manga like author Akihito Tsukushi’s “Made in Abyss,” adapt it into a popular anime television series, and then compress the show into a coherent feature, but the folks at Sentai Filmworks have done just that. Part one, “Made in Abyss: Journey’s Dawn,” will screen around the U.S. in its original Japanese on March 20 and in an English dub on March 25, to be followed at a later date by “Wandering Twilight,” which opened in Japan in January.

While the first half of director Masayuki Kojima’s cinematic cut-down hits more ebbs than flows, its character-driven escapades and colorful fantasy landscape are captivating enough to engage the uninitiated. Give or take a few tweaks to the material, this catchy premise about an adventurous tween girl and her amnesiac robot-boy companion exploring a mysterious chasm in her city adapts decently well...

Netflix is going all in on anime as they add the eagerly anticipated Godzilla movie and 12 other projects to their slate of upcoming programming. Deadline says in addition to the series the network is also overseeing the development of Cannon Busters, Devilman Crybaby, B: The Beginning, and Knights Of The Zodiac: Saint Seiya just to name a few.

The Godzilla and Saint Seiya grabs really show that Netflix is working to grab their Western audience who loves anime, but with competitors like Crunchyroll and Funimation (who was recently bought by Sony) in the mix, who knows if they'll be able to compete on that front. Time will tell, but the addition of so many projects seems promising for the future of anime on the platform.

Below you'll find details photos and some trailer for the anime projects that Netflix has picked up!

Cannon Busters

Created, directed and executive produced...

Stars: Yû Aoi, Jessica Boone, Ayano Fukuda, Arata Furuta, Adam Gibbs, Kiyoshi Kobayashi, David Matranga, Haruma Miura, Toshiyuki Morikawa, Rob Mungle, Emily Neves, Shun Oguri, Chikao Ohtsuka, Maaya Sakamoto, Miyuki Sawashiro | Written by Harutoshi Fukui, Kiyoto Takeuchi | Directed by Shinji Aramaki

2977: Forced to flee a ravaged Earth, humans have now depleted the corners of the galaxy to which they fled. Earth has become the most valued and precious resource of all, controlled by the corrupt Gaia Coalition which governs the human race across the different galaxies. One man, along with his pirate crew, stand against the Coalition, determined to keep it from controlling the universe.

Space Pirates, guys! Come on, what more do I have to say? This review basically writes itself. Pirates. In space. If that’s what you want, this is the film for you. You want dramatic space battles, rather crazy non-stop action and the intense...

Ever since it first appeared on the manga scene back in 1989, Ghost in the Shell has gradually accrued a reputation for being one of the most respected anime series in the business. Heck, the IP is now beginning to makes waves in the west thanks to a live-action adaptation of the post-cyberpunk title, which recently cast Lucy star Scarlett Johnasson in the lead role.

And now, hot on the heels of that announcement, it looks as though Motoko Kusanagi is gearing up for another adventure in the anime scene after the studio revealed an enticing new promo for a brand new series in the GitS lore — one which has been billed as an “evolution” to the story. Thankfully, Animated News Network translated the text within the trailer, which reads as so:

The legendary science-fiction work that caused a revolution around the world.

Original Work [by] Masamune Shirow

A work in celebration...

A couple of days ago it was officially announced that Scarlett Johansson would take on the lead role in the live-action adaptation of Ghost in the Shell. There were a lot of mixed reactions from fans regarding the casting, but hopefully the movie turns out better than we expect. Luckily for hardcore fans, this isn't the only new Ghost in the Shell film coming. Later this year we will get a new anime movie, and today we bring you the first teaser trailer for it! 

We don't have any story details for you yet, but the film does feature the voice cast from Ghost In The Shell: Arise, which consists of Maaya Sakamoto, Ikkyuu Juku, Kenichirou Matsuda, Tarusuke Shingaki, Shunsuke Sakuya, Takurou Nakakuni, Youji Ueda, Kazuya Nakai, and Miyuki Sawashiro.

Kazuchika Kise (Ghost in the Shell Arise chief director) will serve as chief director at Project I.G., and will also design the characters.

We had heard that we'd be getting a brand new Ghost In The Shell movie in 2015, and now AnimeNewsNetwork.com have débuted the very first teaser trailer. We don't have any story details, but it does feature the voice cast from Ghost In The Shell: Arise (Maaya Sakamoto, Ikkyuu Juku, Kenichirou Matsuda, Tarusuke Shingaki, Shunsuke Sakuya, Takurou Nakakuni, Youji Ueda, Kazuya Nakai, and Miyuki Sawashiro) though no character names are specified. Here is the text translation: "The legendary science-fiction work that caused a revolution around the world. – Original Work – Masamune Shirow – A work in celebration of 25 years – The awakened ghost whispers… – Ghost in the Shell: The New Movie – Opens in early summer 2015."...

Look out for the ship … with the giant ramming skull! I’ve never actually heard of “Space Pirate Captain Harlock”, but then again, I’ve never heard of a lot of things. It looks pretty cool, though. So what is Space Pirate Captain Harlock, anyway? We’re told that it’s about the titular Captain Harlock, who “rebels against Earth’s inept government and fights for humanity with his crew of 40 aboard the invincible space battleship Arcadia”. Apparently it started life as a Japanese manga in the late ’70s, became an animated TV series about the same time, and even inspired some big-screen movies. The trailer that you see below is for a new “Captain Harlock” CG movie directed by Shinji Aramaki and written by Harutoshi Fukui. Starring Yuu Aoi, Arata Furuta, Ayano Fukuda, Toshiyuki Morikawa, Maaya Sakamoto, Miyuki Sawashiro, Kiyoshi Kobayashi, and Chikao Ohtsuka, “Space Pirate Captain Harlock” is...

The ad campaign for the upcoming theatrical release of Anno Hideaki‘s Evangelion 3.0: You Can (Not) Redo – the third in the four-film retelling of the Neon Genesis Evangelion series – has been… curious, to say the least.

With the film hitting Japanese screens next month we’ve shown, if I remember correctly, a trailer that was shown on some wall screening at some festival (I’m terrible at remembering things lately… I’m accepting donations for a smartphone, to serve as my storage and planning brain part hahaah), right?

This new teaser has actual footage from the movie. It’s short, though, but take a look below nevertheless:

It is one of the greatest anime series ever created and one of the highest achievements in international science fiction, as well as one of the origin-questioningly-and-philosophically deepest animes ever – period. And fans of Neon Genesis Evangelion have had a long wait for the latest installment.

While the last film sucked and the TV series was good though short-lived, thanks to Japan we haven't seen the last of Blade as he's returning to the Far East in anime form.

Below you'll find the first trailer for the new Blade anime tale directed by Yuki Hikaru Hara Masu, whose cast includes:

Blade: Ootsuka Akio

Makoto: Maaya Sakamoto

Deacon Frost: Isobe Tsutomu

Noah Van Helsing: Osamu, Osaka

Comics Alliance shared the plot details: "Shoddy online translations of the site's Japanese text make it pretty clear that Blade will be teaming up with a young vampire hunter from Japan, plus Noah Van Helsing (of the Helsings!) and his awesome dog Razor, against the evil Deacon Frost and his minions in Asia."

Blade debuts in Japan this July.

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Oh, how I’ve missed that goofy grin on a wanted poster. The wildly popular anime Trigun is getting the big screen treatment. FUNimation Entertainment and Eleven Arts are bringing the feature length film Trigun: Badlands Rumble to America this summer! Trigun: Badlands Rumble is a followup to the 1998 anime series that ran 26 episodes. Check out some production stills below as well as the official press release that tells you all about the movie.

[Click the Images to Blow Sh!t Up!]

Trigun: Badlands Rumble Blasts Into North American Box Offices in Summer 2011!

Eleven Arts and FUNimation Entertainment are bringing the feature length followup film to the popular “Trigun” anime series, Trigun: Badlands Rumble, to the big screen in theaters across North America in Summer 2011.

Eleven Arts is the company that has brought you such celebrated Japanese films as Memories Of Tomorrow starring Ken Watanabe and Yoji Yamada’s Love And Honor. FUNimation Entertainment...

The official website for Takashi Kubota’s Kimi to Boku has been updated with a YouTube embed of the film’s full trailer.

The film is a 45-minute live-action adaptation of Shigeto Yamagara’s autobiographical flash animation of the same name, which has racked up over 4.8 million views since 2001. Aoi Nakamura stars as a young aspiring manga artist who’s able to deal with loneliness and separation from his family through the companionship of an American Shorthair cat named Gin-o-gou (voice-over by Maaya Sakamoto).

Arc Films will be releasing “Kimi to Boku” in Tokyo on May 14, 2011 with a nation-wide release to follow.

Watch »...

The official website for Takashi Kubota’s Kimi to Boku has been updated with a YouTube embed of the film’s first teaser trailer.

The film is a 45-minute live-action adaptation of Shigeto Yamagara’s autobiographical flash animation of the same name, which has racked up over 4.8 million views since 2001. Aoi Nakamura stars as a young aspiring manga artist who’s able to deal with loneliness and separation from his family through the companionship of an American Shorthair cat named Gin-o-gou (voice-over by Maaya Sakamoto).

Arc Films will be releasing “Kimi to Boku” in Tokyo on May 14, 2011 with a nation-wide release to follow.

Watch »...