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The phantom thief stands apart as a special class of criminal, one so elusive and mysterious that he’s able to steal his target and sneak away long before the victim even knows what happened. Phantom thieves tend to crop up fairly routinely in anime, thanks to their charm, elegance and sophistication. And while there isn’t a single set of rules needed for defining a phantom thief, they do intend to have some common characteristics, such as sending a calling card before the heist, having a strict code of honor and conducting their heists with a bit of gentlemanly flair.

Their wit, audacity and self-made rules make these iconic characters fan-favorites, with many different anime series incorporating them in some capacity. From Tuxedo Mask in Sailor Moon to Kaito Kid in Case Closed, these phantom thieves stand apart as the best thieves the anime world has to offer.

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For over 23 years, anime voice actor Masako Nozawa has provided the voice for Son Goku from Akira Toriyama's beloved shonen franchise, Dragon Ball. Recently, Japanese audiences demonstrated their appreciation for Nozawa's iconic role by granting her the title of "Japan's top female voice actress."

NetLab, a popular Japan-based entertainment site, collaborated with "Voice Note" to hold a survey asking viewers to state who they believe to be "the best female voice actor in Japan." This particular poll, targeted toward audiences in their 50s and 60s, allowed participants to choose performers from not just anime but also video games, TV commercials and VAs for foreign-made films. In a landslide vote, roughly 24.4% of voters chose Nozawa. The second place winner, with 11.3% of the vote, was Nobuyo Oyama, who voices the titular robot cat from Shin-Ei Animation's Doraemon anime. The top 13 winners are listed below.

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In the world of anime and manga, One Piece's Roronoa Zoro is widely considered to be one of the most adept swordsmen of all time. However, a recent Japanese survey indicates that audiences favor a swordmaster from a certain classic anime franchise over the famous Pirate Hunter.

Per PR Times, Digital Research group Nexer Co, Ltd. and Japan-based sword company Eirakudo conducted a poll asking 1,000 men and women who they deemed to be the "strongest swordsman character" from anime and manga. The overwhelming majority of participants, who were all under the age of 50, chose Goemon Ishikawa from Lupin III -- a popular comedic action franchise created by Monkey Punch. While Zoro landed the second-place spot, Goemon's win was certainly not by a small margin, as the latter swordsman received 177 votes while Zoro only received 72. The third place spot belonged to Himura Kenshin, the iconic red-headed ronin from Nobuhiro Watsuki's Rurouni Kenshin.

Eiko Masuyama, who voiced Fujiko Mine in the Lupin the Third series initially in 1969 and then would star in the role from 1977 to 2012 in a range of capers that includes Hayao Miyazaki's The Castle of Cagliostro film and the Case Closed crossover special, passed away on May 20, 2024 at the age of 89 due to pneumonia. The announcement was made on Masuyama's agency Aoni Production's official website , as well as the official Lupin the Third anime series Twitter account . Aoni Production also noted that a private funeral was held with her family in accordance to her wishes. Masuyama was also known for playing Honey Kisaragi in the original Cutie Honey anime series and Snow Princess Kaguya in Sailor Moon S: The Movie - Hearts in Ice . Our condolences go out to Masuyama's family, and we want to thank her for her contributions to the anime industry. Source: Aoni Production , Lupin...

Anime voice actor Eiko Masuyama has passed away, as recently formally announced by her talent agency, Aoni Production. Matsuyama was best known for playing the role of the first Fujiko Mine in the Lupin III anime franchise, beginning with 1969s Lupin the Third: Pilot Film.

Aoni Production revealed that Matsuyama died on May 20, 2024, due to pneumonia. The company stated that the voice actor had been undergoing treatment for some time, and that at her familys request, her wake and funeral ceremony were attended only by close relatives.

Masuyama was born in Tokyo in 1936 and had been professionally involved in the anime industry since the 1960s, with her first roles as the characters Lucia and Kipiah in one of the earliest televised anime in history, Astro Boy (Mighty Atom). This was followed by some of the most well-known early titles in anime history, including the adaptation of Osamu Tezukas Kimba the White Lion,...

The Castle Of Cagliostro

Stars: Yasuo Yamada, Eiko Masuyama, Gorô Naya, Sumi Shimamoto, Tarô Ishida | Written by Hayao Miyazaki, Haruya Yamazaki | Directed by Hayao Miyazaki

Most of us are familiar with Japanese animation powerhouse Studio Ghibli, who have for 30 years been bringing the world beautifully told stories of magical worlds and extraordinary characters, from Porco Rosso to Spirited Away. But many might not know Ghibli director and co-founder Hayao Miyazaki’s first film, without which that 30-year legacy likely wouldn’t exist: The Castle of Cagliostro.

Miyazaki has always had something of an affinity for Italy and his films don’t shy away from this influence, from Porco Rosso’s Mediterranean dogfights to even his studio’s name (many Italian WWII planes were given the name Ghibli), and Cagliostro is no different, taking place in a hyperactive stylised version of Northern Italy.

The story picks up on a pair of happy-go-lucky thieves,...