News

Sanrio's beloved Hello Kitty and Friends have gained numerous official crossovers since their inception, with just some of the most recent being Jujutsu Kaisen, Hatsune Miku, Junji Ito's horror story Tomie and even the Care Bears. Now, a brand-new crossover has been introduced with Riyoko Ikeda's landmark shojo franchise, The Rose of Versailles.

The new crossover between Sanrio and Rose of Versailles marks a celebration of the latter's return to anime, with a new movie on the way by Mappa, the acclaimed studio behind the likes of Attack on Titan, Chainsaw Man, Yuri on Ice and Jujutsu Kaisen. With the Rose of Versailles film slated for release sometime in early 2025, the production team recently unveiled artwork in collaboration with Sanrio, featuring the characters Hello Kitty, My Melody, Dear Daniel and Pocchaco reimagined as the main movie cast, as seen below.

Related Hello Kitty & Sanrio's New Most Popular...

Image via Nhk Voice actor Noriko Ohara, best known for voicing Nobita Nobi in the long running Doraemon anime from 1979 to 2004, has passed away at 88. In the announcement on talent agency 81 Produce’s website , Ohara had an ongoing medical condition that wasn’t responding to treatment, and passed away on July 12. A funeral attended by close family members was already held. Ohara, whose real name is Noriko Tobe, was born in Tokyo on October 2, 1935. From a young age, Ohara was exposed to Japanese and Western art by way of both of her parents, as she described in a children's magazine interview in 2011 . Noriko Ohara’s profile photo (via 81 Produce ) As a child, Ohara appeared in Nhk children’s programs and on the stage, taking a break during high school, where she was part of the drama club, and returning to the entertainment industry after finishing school, as described in...

So many iconic protagonists made shojo anime what it is today. Some are silly and clumsy, and some are sweet derederes who wear their heart on their sleeves. Classic shojo protagonists have a reputation for being weak and act like doormats, but there are plenty of strong shojo protagonists who are the pillars of the demographic.

Not only are the best shojo heroes strong and nuanced characters, they push the envelope even by today's standards. Lady Oscar of The Rose of Versailles and Utena of Revolutionary Girl Utena are complex characters who examine gender roles and social norms. Even characters who have some classic shojo pitfalls, like Usagi from Sailor Moon and Tohru from Fruits Basket, who are rather clumsy and naive, still have amazing and dynamic character arcs.

Related 10 Most Overrated Shojo Protagonists From Fruits Basket's Tohru Honda to Usagi Tsukino from Sailor Moon, some shojo heroes get...

In 1973, a young Hayao Miyazaki moved to Nippon Animation where he would work as an animator on such projects as “World Masterpiece Theater.” Five years later, in 1978,he got a chance to direct a small TV animation known as “Future Boy Conan.” This was the beginning of Miyazaki as we know him today. While the show was received poorly, with time it grew in popularity, both in Japan and abroad. And now, some forty years after its release, more are being drawn to the series, garnering “Future Boy Conan” something of a cult following.

Future Boy Conan is screening at Nippon Connection

The story of “Future Boy Conan” is set in a post-apocalyptic future, with the titular Conan living peacefully on an island oasis with his adoptive grandfather, ignorant of any life beyond their private community. One day, Conan returns from a shark hunt, only to find a stranger, a...