News

Popular perception of Japanese horror, or J-horror, might be limited to "Ringu" and "Ju-on: The Grudge," but there's more to this thematically rich genre. The enduring image of Sadako crawling out of a television screen is preceded by decades worth of macabre folk tales, supernatural myths, and horror aspects drawn from traditional Kabuki theater. One of the earliest examples of J-horror is Kaneto Shindo's 1964 film "Onibaba," a tale of dread and betrayal set against the backdrop of civil war. At other times, these horror stories dive into deeply surreal waters, such as Nobuhiko Obayashi's "Hausu" aka "House," which has gained cult status over the years due to its inventive imagery.

Fast forward to a post-"Ringu" world, Takashi Miike made "One Missed Call," which features a straightforward horror plot revolving around strange cell phone messages. For those unfamiliar with Miike's brand of filmmaking, the "Audition" and "Ichi the Killer...

Fresh off the thrills and spills of the first movie, director/co-writer Taweewat and gang return with another installment of gross-out scares influenced by the great maestro of the macabre, Sam Raimi. This time, the mood is darker, grittier and more action-packed, echoing the same sentiments of the “Evil Dead” series that became a cult classic throughout the years.

Click on the image below to follow our Tribute to Netflix

The hauntings start in 1854, in a field of death and decay playing host to a grueling battle where a soldier, Puang (Yasaka Chaisorn) lies dying minutes before death in the form a bayonet swings towards his throat. Strangely enough, his life is saved by a hideous witch-like creature that emerges from the ground like Sadako (Manita Chobchue in a dedicated makeup-heavy role), and she promises to absolve him if he allows her to place her severed tongue into his throat...

When it comes to the topic of "masterpiece" anime, the answer to what anime fits into this category truly depends on who is asked. For example, fans of the shonen anime genre might say that action-packed anime such as Demon Slayer or Attack on Titan are worthy of the masterpiece title. Meanwhile, fans of the romance genre often consider Fruits Basket or Clannad to be the best anime they have ever seen.

On Netflix, a good number of different anime are constantly being added for fans of various genres. Some of these anime are brand-new and even exclusive to the platform, while others are classics that Netflix users are now able to watch again. No matter when some of these anime first debuted, several anime on Netflix are considered life-changing masterpieces.

Related30 Best Swordsmen In Anime, Ranked

From Guts and Ichigo to Kirito and Ryuko, the best anime swordsmen are...

By now everyone should know The Ring (2002) is a remake of Ring (1998). Less known is the fact that Hideo Nakata’s momentous film was not the first on-screen appearance of the vengeful Japanese ghost who spreads her curse by video — in 1995, Fuji Television aired its own take on Sadako Yamamura’s story. Of course, this made-for-tv version has since been overshadowed and, in some circles, dismissed. Yet for all its many odd decisions, Chisui Takigawa and Jōji Iida’s collaboration still follows its source material a good deal more closely than subsequent films, particularly where its spectral antagonist is concerned.

Those new to Ring ’95 (also known as Ring: Kanzenban or Ring: The Complete Edition on home video) will immediately notice its protagonist is not a female divorcée and single mother, but rather a married man. Indeed, like in Kōji Suzuki’s ‘91 novel, the main character here is a male reporter named Kazuyuki Asakawa.

Shojo's are known for their pretty and eye-catching art, which is filled with pretty flowers and sparkles. With their attractive leading cast and side characters, fans will swoon over just how pretty these characters can get.

With how pretty most shojo heroines are, it's hard to rank them since each one holds their own beauty, but there are some timeless classics that every shojo fan will agree are one of the prettiest among the bunch.

Related 10 New Shojo Anime Just as Good as the Classics

Shojo classics tend to balance magical world with relatable characters and some of the newer anime releases are just well produced.

Sawako Kuronuma's Personality Clashes With Her Appearance Anime: From Me to You

From Me To You's Sawako Kuronuma is one of the kindest heroines in the shojo genre. Despite being alienated from her peers, Sawako keeps her empathy and desire to want to connect with others,...

The Ring, Gore Verbinski's supernatural horror spectacle of 2002, will stream soon on Peacock, proving that horror doesn't always take a break during the beginning of the year. Starting Jan. 1, Peacock subscribers will be able to stream the film about the cursed video starring Naomi Watts.

In The Ring, Watts plays Rachel Keller, a journalist who attends her niece's funeral and realizes Katie's death is not related to natural causes. Katie's mom asks Rachel to investigate, and during the funeral, the journalist finds out that the teenager isn't the only victim. A few of her friends also died in mysterious circumstances after watching a cursed videotape. When Rachel investigates the mysterious tape, she also sees the cryptic video. Seconds after it ends, she receives an ominous phone call from someone who just whispers, "Seven days."

Rachel grabs the tape and runs off. She contacts her ex-husband, who's a video specialist,...

Over the past decade or so, the gaming industry has settled on a (quite inflexible) formula for any titles that are based on celebrated horror flicks. No matter the licence in question — be it a feted great like The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, a cult B-movie on the level of Killer Klowns From Outer Space, or even the straight-to-video Puppet Master series— it seems that the default model for these adaptations nowadays always has to be asymmetrical multiplayer.

In a best-case scenario (ala Friday the 13th), this approach can work wonders and feels like the most appropriate way of bringing the given source material to life. Other times, however, it can be oddly restrictive, and you end up with very singular IPs being contorted out of shape and robbed of their idiosyncrasies. All in service of a trend that’s at ever-increasing risk of getting stale.

Such is the case,...

What is Dandadan’s Opening Lyrics About? Creepy Nuts’ Otonoke Explained - Main Image

Dan Da Dan’s opening theme, "Otonoke," is a song that's easy to get stuck in your head, and many would agree. This catchy track by Creepy Nuts perfectly captures the anime's chaotic energy with its lively hip-hop beat, upbeat melody, and smooth transitions.

But it’s not just the sound that has people calling it this season’s best opening, its clever lyrics are also a major reason fans can’t stop talking about it.

Creepy Nuts packed the song with references that occult enthusiasts will especially appreciate! In this breakdown, we’ll discuss the true meaning of the opening theme and the cultural and supernatural elements hidden in its lyrics.

What is the Meaning Behind the Lyrics of Dandadan's Opening Theme "Otonoke"?

Before creating their more popular hits like Mashle’s Season 2 opening, "Bling Bang Bang,...

Dandadan‘s recent anime adaptation has taken the community by storm with its blend of comedy, action, and supernatural chaos. Apart from the theme, what truly sets it apart is its masterful storytelling of Yukinobu Tatsu, which seamlessly incorporates humor into bone-chilling scenarios — a formula that resonates deeply with fans of both horror and comedy. But of course, without Science Saru, the visual feast that we’re witnessing wouldn’t have been possible.

Okarun from Dandadan | Credit: Science Saru

Similarly, an example of Science Saru’s creative genius shines through how they crafted the opening and ending sequences of Dandadan. The opening theme of Dandadan, titled “Otonoke“, displays the series’ identity, packing in countless references to occult lore and horror media. For fans who thrive on decoding hidden messages and diving into urban legends, the opening is nothing but a goldmine.

Dandadan‘s Opening Song: A Tribute to Yukinobu Tatsu...

Dandadan‘s popularity is soaring high with each passing episode and the anime has undeniably become the highlight of this fall anime season. Yukinobu Tatsu’s million-selling oddball manga may have only just begun its anime adaptation, but it’s already making a major splash.

Acrobatic Silky’s final dance before death in Dandadan. [Credit: Science Saru]

Each new episode of the anime raises the bar, with the latest episode leaving viewers questioning their previous disdain for the yokai creatures initially presented as villains. Not to mention, Episode 7 dealt with disturbing themes of graphic violence, prostitution, and even suicide, leaving a lasting impression on the audience. Dandadan‘s massive success might surprise fans unaware that the author faced significant struggles, drawing unexpected inspiration from a classic horror movie.

How a Horror Classic Sparked Dandadan‘s Breakthrough

With the release of Episode 7, Studio Science Saru delivers an unapologetically weird, stylish, and anarchic...

Dan Da Dan has become one of the most popular animes of Fall 2024 thanks to its chaotic and vibrant atmosphere blended with a slow-burn romance and strange phenomena. While the combination of these topics may sound bizarre, Yukinobu Tatsu's story has a creative way of tackling occult themes that is different from any other shnen anime. The reason behind this was that Dan Da Dan's inspiration was a niche horror movie.

Although it's apparent in the series character design, it was confirmed that one of the biggest influences of Dan Da Dan is Ultra Man, the classic Japanese hero. However, an interview with the author revealed the shocking true inspiration behind Dan Da Dan's excitingly weird premise: an absurdly amusing yet scary movie featuring a clash between two of the greatest representatives of Japanese horror and two of the most iconic mangas of all time.

Dan Da Dans Author...

Robert Eggers has already made it clear that the Lily-Rose Depp you see onscreen in “Nosferatu” is all real: No CGI was used to enhance how physically and psychically mad she goes under the spell of demon-lover vampire Count Orlok (Bill Skårsgard).

But the writer/director revealed more details about her unhinged performance as Ellen Hutter in a Q&a for Academy members in New York over the weekend, moderated by “Tàr” and “Little Children” director Todd Field. Lily-Rose Depp, who already showed a willingness to stretch her bounds in terms of choreography on HBO’s glitteringly messy series maudit “The Idol,” helps turn this 19th century gothic “Nosferatu” into a story of female possession — which, as Eggers pointed out, was central to F.W. Murnau’s original film and Werner Herzog’s 1979 take, “Nosferatu the Vampyre,” which featured “Possession” star Isabelle Adjani (yet another movie this one will inevitably draw...

Dcu head James Gunn asserted he's not a big fan of Asian movie remakes. However, 2002's The Ring, a U.S. horror adaptation of 1998's Ringu, is one exception he's willing to make.

James Gunn shared his favorite remake films in a lively conversation on Threads. His list is dominated by Western horror films like The Thing, The Fly, It, and Invasion of the Body Snatchers; it also included 2006's The Departed, a remake of the 2002 Hong Kong crime thriller Infernal Affairs. One Threads user commented that film is better than Martin Scorsese's take; Gunn chimed in and named The Ring as his all-time favorite Asian film remake. "I'd actually say the best remake of an Asian film (they're almost never good) is The Ring," he wrote. Gunn is now known for his string of Marvel and DC superhero movies, but his breakout feature was 2006's Slither, a body...

“I think I will die tomorrow,” says Irma (Niké Kurta), a cryptic figure, on the verge of giving birth. She feels isolated and insecure, residing in the rural house where her mother took her own life many years ago. Yet some deep, inner turmoil has compelled her to return. While her husband Kornél (Zalán Makranczi) is away in Paris on a business trip, Irma impulsively invites her younger brother Marci (Márton Kerekes) and her best friend, Stefi (Emöke Piti), a photographer, to join her – a perfect pretext to reconnect with long-estranged loved ones. An eerie idyll, threaded with phantom sounds, seems to conspire with an unseen force, as if the lyrical subject itself is guiding Irma towards an unknown morrow.

The film’s most captivating character is a young girl adorned with a mauve wreath. Resembling a charming, albeit eerie, Sadako, she flits across the frame. She is an ethereal.

Yukinobu Tatsu’s Dandadan manga had received enough positive responses from otakus for it to receive an anime. Now that it has reached a bigger audience, the series’ popularity is shooting sky-high. Part of the reason behind its popularity is its dynamic characters.

From Momo and Okarun all the way to Aira and Joji, Dandadan‘s main characters don’t fall into the usual prototype of Shonen heroes. Yet, this weird team makes it work. But would you believe that it was because of these characters that Tatsu’s manga was almost shot down?

Yukinobu Tatsu’s Idea for Dandadan Kept Getting Rejected Momo Ayase in Dandadan | Credits: Viz Media

Dandadan has two protagonists, Okarun and Momo Ayase. While having two protagonists isn’t unheard of, one of them being a female is rare. Especially since Momo’s personality overpowers Okarun’s in many aspects, but it is because of...

John Hsu's Dead Talents Society is a cutesy and buoyant Taiwanese horror-comedy guaranteed to put a smile on your face. It's far funnier than frightening, with shades of Monsters, Inc., Beetlejuice, and The Influencer. John Hsu and Kun-Lin Tsai write the afterlife as a corporatized competition for virality, where your soul's worth is tied to its profit-grossing scare tactics. J-Horror influences inspire scare sequences, but the film is more interested in finding humor behind the scenes as "professionals" carefully architect each haunt's logistics. Imagine Sadako vs. Kayako but as a Christopher Guest sports comedy. Hsu values lighthearted entertainment over frights in a soulful way, which might not work for everyone, but ends with a climactic showdown event that brings everything together.

Gingle Wang stars as Cho Hsiao-lei, a novice spirit who is afraid of “glitching” into oblivion. If your living relatives forget your existence, you disappear like a bad...

In 2019, Adult Swim teamed up with Production I.G. USA to create a four-episode series adaptation of Uzumaki -- one of horror master Junji Ito's most popular manga stories. However, production was delayed several times by what members of the animation team now describe as the "curse" of the spiral.

In Ito's original manga, Uzumaki tells the story of a small town plagued by a series of strange incidents involving spiral patterns that appear in the sky, the clouds, the rivers and, ultimately, on people's bodies. As detailed by Vulture, Uzumaki executive producer and Adult Swim senior vice-president of anime and action series Jason DeMarco and his staff paced themselves during the pre-production phase to ensure that their project would live up to the manga's legacy. However, the 2020 outbreak of Covid-19 abruptly halted work on the project. "The pandemic completely stopped production on the show for close to a year,...

In August 1998, horror manga creator Junji Ito published Uzumaki, a bizarrely creepy tale that would go on to become one of the artist's most iconic creations. Now, Toonami's Adult Swim is teaming up with Production I.G. (USA) to produce a new Uzumaki anime, which is set to premiere later this month.

Adult Swim recently highlighted the upcoming series on its official X (formerly Twitter) page, inviting viewers to "enter the spiral" for the show's broadcast premiere on Sept. 28, 2024, at 12:30 a.m. Max, the streaming destination for Adult Swim's original programming, will begin hosting Episode 1 the following day, on Sept. 29. Adult Swim also unveiled the anime's first official trailer, which showcases the series' disturbing premise and unique manga-esque art style. Cbr readers can check it out below.

Related Japanese Master of Horror Junji Ito Recommends a New Shonen Comedy Series

Uzumaki creator Junji Ito urges his readers to check...

While the My Little Pony brand is a Western franchise, that hasn't stopped it from becoming popular on an international scale. Now, a new statue showcases one of the most iconic ponies from the series, reimagined as an anime-style human girl.

One of multiple statues by Sideshow and Kotobukiya, the upcoming Bishojo-line Fluttershy statue gives a much more human look at the bashful character from My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. Perfectly translating her into moe human form, the figurine is perfect for fans of anime, pink-haired characters or Mlp enthusiasts. Available now for pre-order, it's the ultimate way to showcase the alluring face of kindness itself.

Related Horror Icon Sadako Becomes a Hauntingly Beautiful Anime Girl in New Kotobukiya Release

Revealed at Anime Expo 2024, the upcoming Sadako Bishoujo statue by Kotobukiya gives an all-new look at the horror icon from The Ring franchise.

The New Bishojo My Little Pony...

The Ring franchise, which includes 14 films, began with the 1995 TV film Ringu, and its popularity has influenced the horror genre. The franchise offers two different ways to watch the films: in order of release date or in chronological order of events. Each film in the franchise contributes to the overarching storyline and expands on the lore of the curse, introducing new characters and plot twists.

The critically acclaimed horror franchise The Ring movies, in order, consists of several timelines, remakes, and sequels, making it hard to keep track of its fourteen films' order by release date and chronology. While there have been several remakes of the franchise, The Ring movies' popularity began with its 1998 feature-length film Ringu. The film became a pioneer for the J-horror genre and earned worldwide critical acclaim thanks to its achievements in visuals, sound design, and cinematography. The Ring's chilling supernatural tale has become a major influence on the horror genre.

I’ve been fascinated with cursed objects ever since my mom first scared me with stories about those paintings of crying children that would supposedly survive raging fires while the house around them burned. Despite later learning that most of these yarns are nothing more than urban legends, I still find myself oddly attracted to tales about evil taking on a more abstract shape.

And in honor of Damian Mc Carthy’s Oddity taking the idea of cursed objects to the next level as the film unleashes horrors from its protagonist’s cabinet of curiosities, we’ve decided to come up with a list celebrating six of the spookiest cursed objects in horror media.

For the purposes of this list, we’ll be avoiding haunted dolls like Chucky and Annabelle, as I think the article will be much more entertaining if we focus on non-humanoid objects that pose more of an abstract threat.

Karuho Shiina's enduring manga Kimi ni Todoke - From Me to You is moving in leaps and bounds this summer—both because of the new season of the anime and thanks to a new collab with Under Armour! The ABC Mart store chain is collaborating with the beloved manga to promote two of Under Armour's most popular sneakers: The UA Charged Surge 4 and the UA Hovr Turbulence 2 Rs. The event is part of the store's 45th anniversary. The collab, titled "You gave me the courage to take a step forward," features brand new art by Shiina of the manga's protagonists sporting these shoes. This new art, plus original art from the manga, features in a new video for the collab: Related: Undead Unluck Anime 1-Hour Special Announced for Winter 2025 Related: From Me to You: Kimi ni Todoke Season 3 Anime Releases Creditless Opening, Ending Videos Crunchyroll currently streams the...

In the world of horror manga, one of Japan's biggest icons by far is Junji Ito, the creator of popular stories like The Hanging Balloons, Uzumaki, Tomie and countless others. Recently, Shonen Sunday magazine launched a new supernatural comedy manga that earned Ito's appreciation, prompting him to recommend it to his own followers.

The manga in question is titled The Ghost Doesn't Show Up (Utsuranain desu), the serialization debut of author and illustrator Ruka Konoshimaru. As detailed on X (formerly Twitter) by @MangaMoguraRE, this new work is also receiving similar support from other high-profile artists in the industry, such as One-Punch Man artist Yusuke Murata. Recently, Junji Ito took to his official X page to promote Volume 1 of The Ghost Doesn't Show Up while showcasing a personalized illustration gifted to him by Konoshimaru. Readers can check out the original post below.

Related Supernatural Horror Anime Mononoke Gets Stunning Seiko...

Japanese filmmaker Kôji Shiraishi knows his way around a haunt, having established a reputation for scare crafting with documentary-style horror movies Noroi: The Curse, Occult, and A Record of Sweet Murder. The director occasionally showcased his sense of humor, dialing up the camp factor in commercial films like Sadako vs. Kayako. Kôji Shiraishi’s latest, House of Sayuri, splits the difference between serious scares and irreverent horror-comedy. A vengeful ghost doles out shocking violence in this haunted house, with a comically combative grandma standing in its way, making for a tonally disjointed effort as bizarre as that setup suggests.

After a cold open that establishes the haunting’s inciting event, House of Sayuri cuts to the present to introduce the Kamiki family, a tight-knit and cheerful group of seven who’ve just moved into the home, blissfully unaware of its history. The new home comes after years of blood, sweat,...

6 Romance Animes to Binge(Photo Credit –Instagram/YouTube)

Kimi ni Todoke: From Me To You, finally dropped its third season on August 1st! The show taught us the power of friendship, which turned shy girls into crazy romantics.

Set in Hokkaido, Kimi ni Todake is all about a high-school student named Sawako who looks a lot like Sadako from The Ring. But don’t let that fool you! She’s a sweetheart who just needs a little help. Kazehaya, the cool kid who likes her as she is, steps in and helps her grow.

With Season 3 hitting screens, fans are excited to unveil the magic of this show. If you’re a die-hard fan craving more, we’ve got you covered with top 6 shows similar to the romantic love story of Sawako that will keep you swooning!

Trending Top 14 Episodes Of Grey’s Anatomy To Watch If You Miss Mark & Lexie...

Japanese singer-songwriter imase released his new digital single song "etc" on August 2 and simultaneously posted the song's music video on his official YouTube channel . The song, which he says he created while reminiscing about his own school days, is featured as the third season of the From Me to You: Kimi ni Todoke anime series. The long-awaited new season started streaming on Netflix on August 1. imase "etc" Music Video From Me to You: Kimi ni Todoke Season 3 Creditless Opening Video imase made his major label debut in December 2021 on Virgin Music, a subsidiary of Universal Music. He composes all the music and writes all the lyrics himself. "etc" is his second anime theme song work, following "Utopia," t he theme song for Sand Land in 2023. He introduces "etc" on X (formerly Twitter) as "The work carefully depicts romance, friendship, and growth in high school life, so I tried to express it with falsetto,...

Netflix’s animated series, From Me to You, is a beautiful high school drama that will surely make you nostalgic of all those high school crushes, first loves, and heartbreaks. I personally related to the journey of all these lead characters portrayed in the anime series. There was something unexplainable about their innocence and how they tried to come out of their shells to become a better person. Nevertheless, we will be talking about those complex feelings in our recap of the first two seasons, so without further ado, let’s dive straight into it.

How did Sawako make friends?

Sawako Kuronuma is a shy girl who was treated like an outsider because of her “weird” personality. Many people thought Sawako knew black magic, while others believed Sawako was some kind of sorcerer. They even said that looking at her for more than three minutes would cause her to haunt...

It's like they never left. Following the much-anticipated release of Season 3 on Netflix today, the official accounts for the From Me to You: Kimi ni Todoke anime released creditless versions of the new opening and ending sequences, which feature "Et cetera" by imase and "First Song Kimi ni Todoke!" by Goro Ito, respectively. From Me to You: Kimi ni Todoke Season 3 Opening Video From Me to You: Kimi ni Todoke Season 3 Ending Video Related: Alya Sometimes Hides Her Feelings in Russian Anime Gets Everyone Dancing with Latest Creditless Ending Video Based on the manga by Karuho Shiina, From Me to You: Kimi ni Todoke Season 3 is directed by Kenichi Matsuzawa at studio Production I.G, with series composition by Tomoko Konparu, character designs by Keiko Ota and Yuka Shibata and music by S.E.N.S Project. Viz Media publishes an official English version of the manga. Crunchyroll also streams the...

A medicine seller travels the land in search of mononoke , or spirits. It is his duty to slay them with his sword of exorcism. First, though, he must learn the form, truth and reason of the mononoke. Only then will the sword permit itself to be drawn. That is Mononoke , which despite its simple premise, is one of the most idiosyncratic anime series ever to air on television. Mononoke ’s primary strength is overpowering aesthetics. The show takes place in a past Japan of brightly colored doors and screens. These doors and screens form countless moving layers that misdirect the audience, isolate the characters and suggest hidden meanings. The camera zooms back and forth between these layers at dizzying speed. Characters move frame-by-frame, like juddering puppets, only to explode into fluid animation when pushed to their breaking point. Related: Mononoke Anime Film Sets Summer 2024 Release with New Visual, Trailer The...

2024 has been absolutely fantastic for anime fans, with series such as Demon Slayer and One Piece continuing their routine of producing great episodes. While the former has released its fourth season and announced three feature films for the final arc, the latter has recently dropped the highest-rated (IMDb) anime episode of the year, "Clash! Shanks vs. Eustass Kid."

While it's natural that One Piece would break its own records, the year has seen so many other incredible anime releases. In the past month alone, several exciting series have been released, including Oshi no Ko and Fairy Tail: 100 Years Quest. However, the following month will be more anticipated and equally surprising. With that in mind, here are the anime series that will be released in August 2024.

Kimi ni Todoke Season 3 Streaming on Netflix on August 1 Your browser does not support the video tag.

Over a decade has passed since Kimi ni Todoke,...

Anime Expo 2024 revealed several upcoming figures, figurines and collectibles for anime fans. One of these was an anime-inspired redux of a horror movie and novel icon.

Kotobukiya is known for its statues and other forms of merchandise based on both true anime franchises as well as anime takes on other popular properties. One of these is now The Ring, which is known in both the East and West as a chilling horror series. An upcoming Sadako bishojo character statue will frighten collectors with terror that will fit right on their shelves.

Related Zoids Action Figures Become Moe Anime Girls With Kotobukiya's New Bishojo Model Kits

Takara has revealed new entries in the Zoids toy franchise -- namely, two upcoming figures that reimagine the animalistic mecha as beautiful women.

The Ring's Sadako Is the Latest Horror Icon to Get a Bishoujo Reimagining Horror pic.twitter.com/6E1lowxMx5 (@ShunyaYamashita) July 5, 2024

The...

Kimi ni Todoke – From Me to You Season 3, the returning anime adaptation based on the romantic comedy manga by Karuho Shiina, is heading to Netflix on August 1, 2024, and now the series has released a new trailer (below) previewing the opening theme song, “Et cetera”, which imase performs. Shueisha serialized the original Kimi ni Todoke – From Me to You manga from December 2005 – December 2017 in their Bessatsu Margaret shojo manga magazine. Viz Media also publishes an English language version. Kenichi Matsuzawa directs Season 3 at animation studio Production I.G. Tomoko Konparu provides the series composition, Tomoko Konparu and Michiko Yokote provide the scripts, Keiko Ota and Yuka Shibata provide the character designs, and S.E.N.S. Project provides the music. Kimi ni Todoke – From Me to You key art Related: Kimi ni Todoke Season 3 Anime Unveils 1st Trailer, New Visual, August 2024 Premiere Crunchyroll currently streams the previous two seasons of the series and describes...

“May December” is a drama movie directed by Todd Haynes starring Natalie Portman and Julianne Moore.

“May December” is a cinematic gem that impresses critics and movie enthusiasts alike with brilliant performances from two of the industry’s leading actresses, a complex screenplay, stunning cinematography, a talented supporting cast, and a director who knows how to weave all elements into a special masterpiece. Rooted in the realms of discontent and deconstructed characters, the film explores the art of acting and self-discovery through the creation of a character.

Elisabeth, portrayed by Natalie Portman, is a well-known television actress preparing to play Gracie, a character played by Julianne Moore, a woman who ends up in jail for having an affair with a thirteen-year-old boy, Joe Yoo. Years after being released from prison, Joe and Gracie have a son and lead a serene life in Savannah.

The film pays homage to the cult...

This article contains mild spoilers for "The Imaginary."

Animation and horror is a peculiar and difficult combination. Although the West has seen kids' animated movies descend into pure horror plenty of times before, it is trickier with anime, where more often than not horror is boiled down to simply a metric ton of blood or body horror. Still, even when the atmosphere of horror doesn't work in an animated movie, chances are it will still provide a horrifying monster or villain. This has been true since the early days of feature animation in the U.S., when "Snow White" gave countless kids nightmares with the Evil Queen.

That tradition has mostly gone away, as cartoons inspired by horror are becoming increasingly rare each year. This only makes the movies that do remember the power of horror in a kid-friendly setting all the more powerful. So is the case of "The Imaginary,...

The box office is finally seeing signs of life — once again, animation saves Hollywood — but that doesn't mean there aren't still reasons to stay at home and watch things on streaming. With the summer ramping up, and movies like "Despicable Me 4," "Twisters," and "Deadpool & Wolverine" giving us hope that the theatrical experience will remain a popular choice in the next month, we feel slightly less bad about recommending things to watch from the comfort of home.

Indeed, after a couple of slower months, Netflix is gearing up for one big summer, releasing some very highly anticipated titles, some surprising sequels, and also adding some modern classics with timely ties to movies still in theaters. With so many titles releasing on streaming every month and so little effort done by these platforms in advertising their own product, we're here to tell you what you should prioritize on Netflix in July.

The Imaginary Image: Netflix Let’s address the big Totoro in the room right up front, shall we? The Imaginary, a new animated feature heading soon to Netflix, is not a Studio Ghibli film, though it looks and sounds an awful lot like one. There’s a good reason for...

The ImaginaryImage: Netflix

Let’s address the big Totoro in the room right up front, shall we? The Imaginary, a new animated feature heading soon to Netflix, is not a Studio Ghibli film, though it looks and sounds an awful lot like one. There’s a good reason for that:...

Hideo Nakata's 1998 J-horror sensation "Ring" ("Ringu") revolves around images, mainly the distortion of photographs that denote Sadako's (Rie Inō) marked victims, and the eerie, anxiety-inducing cursed tape that comes alive in grotesque ways. Even Gore Verbinski's 2002 remake employs this photographic distortion — smudged and blurred faces that hint at the tragedy that befell the ones photographed, as if their very souls were smudged out of the frame.

The idea that photographs capture the essence of our souls is not recent, nor is its relation to spirit photography far-fetched, as the shadows and aberrations captured are often considered proof of something amiss. When Nakata was asked about this concept in an interview with Offscreen, the director affirmed that the idea for the smudged photos was inspired by a real-life woman who could allegedly manipulate objects with her clairvoyance, just like Sadako's influence manipulated the photographs:

"Mister Takahashi, who wrote the script with me,...

Tatsuki Fujimoto has always had an eye for talent, such could be easily seen with his former editors Tatsuya Endo and Yuji Kaku. Both of them now stand big in the world of shonen manga with Spy x Family and Hell’s Paradise. The former has already been ruling the hearts of the fans while the latter made its way to the top three of the dark shonen trio. Alongside Jujutsu Kaisen and Chainsaw Man stands Kaku’s Hell’s Paradise.

Hell’s Paradise | Credit: Mappa

Each and every author has their own unique story when finding their calling for getting into their professions. From Akira Toriyama to Gege Akutami, everyone finds their calling with time. Yuji Kaku already had an interest in mangas when growing up. However, it was the genre that surprised many.

Yuji Kaku Bought Mangas Instead of Snacks

Yuki Kaku, during an interview with Crunchyroll, talked about how...

Quick Links Who Does Hiroyuki Sanada Play in Ringu (1998)? Ryuji Takayama Was Very Important to the Ring Franchise Ryuji Takayama Became Sadako's Ghoulish Counterpoint In the Ring Franchise How Ringu Helped Launch Hiroyuki Sanada's Hollywood Career

The following article contains spoilers for Shgun. It also contains a mention of suicide.

Hiroyuki Sanada is one of the most talked-about Japanese actors in Hollywood. It's all due to FX's Shgun being a period drama and a masterpiece at the same time. In the series, Sanada plays Yoshii Toranaga, a feudal-era Lord of Edo, who works to ensure corrupt politicians and villains like Lord Ishido didn't govern Japan and take the throne.

Many have praised Shgun for its authenticity and Sanada's intimidating presence. Though Sanada delivers one of the best performances of his career as the titular shgun, he also may not have gotten there if not for another equally memorable...

Koji Suzuki's novel "Ring" was first published in 1991, and no one could have guessed that the simple, tech-based ghost story would spawn a decades-long, worldwide media franchise that incorporates multiple movies, crossovers, comics, audio dramas, and video games. If one does a deep dive into the entire "Ring" series, one will uncover a massively complicated mythos that repeatedly peels back layers of reality to reveal an onion-like media metafiction that Marshall McLuhan would be proud of.

The premise of "Ring" is wicked and fun, and would have been all the more terrifying in 1991 when VHS was still in vogue. In the book, an investigative reporter named Asakawa finds a cursed video cassette of a surreal, 20-minute short film. At the end of the video, a captain informs him that he has seven days to live. Asakawa takes the threat seriously, as several teenage girls who watched the video have already died.

Nakata Hideo’s Dark Water is a more muted study in melancholy than Ring, which four years earlier had brought the director fame and ushered in the J-horror film invasion. Where the earlier film’s most indelible image is a lank-haired ghost girl emerging from a television set, Dark Water largely keeps its most spectral imagery in the background and slightly out of focus, evoking the slow-burn technique of John Carpenter’s Halloween.

In the midst of a difficult divorce, Matsubura Yoshimi (Kuroki Hitomi) is forced to move into rather dilapidated digs with her young daughter, Ikuko (Kanno Rio). During the course of a divorce-related interview, it’s revealed that Yoshimi spent some time in a mental facility before her marriage, owing to overwork as a proofreader of “brutal and sadistic” literature. This of course opens up the possibility that subsequent experiences of a supernatural kind may be attributable to her unstable personality,...

is a horror film directed by Alberto Corredor starring Freya Allan and Jeremy Irvine.

“Baghead” is one of those gothic horror movies with witches and legend stories reaching out to the characters from a bygone era. It might be that the effects do not work, the actors do not fully believe the script, or simply, we have seen similar stories too many times before. Simply put, a horror movie that fails to scare or fully develop.

Plot

A girl inherits an old pub from her deceased father that, coincidentally, comes with an extra: in the basement, there’s a witch that allows to communicate with the dead. The girl discovers that it’s she who controls the witch and she starts to unveil the ancient history of the witch.

Baghead About the movie

A movie that’s based on a short film by the same director, Alberto Corredor, proposes a...

Fans of the romance genre eagerly awaiting the highly anticipated From Me to You Season 3 can now rejoice. Netflix has officially announced the worldwide release of this long-awaited installment, scheduled for August 2024.

From Me to You is based on the manga of the same name, written and illustrated by the popular manga artist Karuho Shiina.

Shota Kazehaya in From Me to You (Credits: Netflix)

The original manga was serialized in Shueisha’s Bessatsu Margaret magazine from 2005 to 2017, spanning an impressive 123 chapters that were compiled into 30 tankōbon volumes.

After a Decade in the Making, From Me to You Season 3 Finally Arrives

While shows like Black Butler are making a comeback after 10 years, the excitement surrounding this beloved series has been waiting for even longer.

After 13 years we’re finally getting a sequel and they are staying faithful to the old animation style

— ℗ (@Pulisicko10) April 3, 2024

We are so back pic.twitter.com...

1. Documentary Review: Until I Fly (2024) by Kanishka Sonthalia and Siddesh Shetty

At the same time though, and if one looks at the story in a wider prism, the issues with emigration and the racism that results from it are highlighted quite eloquently, along with a comment that problems like that become even more significant in small societies, where one can definitely not ‘hide in the crowd'. As such, the movie is induced with a more universal essence, which definitely helps raise the quality of its context.

2. Interview: Kanishka Sonthalia and Siddesh Shetty 3. Queer Japan (2019) by Graham Kolbeins

Choosing the protagonist wisely, “Queer Japan” gives space to a good sample of voices to be listened to. Butoh dancers, drag queens, club founders and owners, author of gay manga featuring bear gays, erotic drawing artist, politician. Gay, lesbian, bi, trans men, trans women, non-binary people, pansexuals, all kinds of various fetishes lovers and many many others.

As we have mentioned in the past, documentaries seem to offer much more opportunities for artistic experimentation in the last few years, through the concepts of the experimentalism and the mockumentary. Bo Wang moves a step beyond by combining the two, in a 37-minute hybrid film that has won a number of awards in festivals all over the world.

An Asian Ghost Story is screening at Thessaloniki Documentary Festival

The story unfolds through various types of cinematic elements, with the narration by the incarnate ghost of a deceased real hair donor providing the connection. A tour guide in Hong Kong, both of the present and of the past, news footage from the 60s and later on, and a dramatization of sorts where a teacher shares a story with her students (?) are just parts of the initial elements. In distinct experimental style, image and sound (narration if you prefer) do not always fit,...

Beloved shojo manga Kimi ni Todoke first hit the pages of Bessatsu Margaret in 2006 and ran until 2017, leaving such a lasting impact that a third season of the anime adaptation is due out later this year . But there's another reason that 2024 is Karuho Shiina's year, since it was just announced that the magazine will host a new series debut titled Toppu to Beat , her first since we met Sawako and Shota eighteen years ago, with the first chapter releasing March 13 . The story is set in a small seaside town in Hokkaido and follows a soul-searching high school girl named Nike and a boy often absent from school called Nemo. Toppu to Beat official art Related: Akira Amano Exhibition Packs 53 Iconic Characters into Official Visual Crunchyroll streams the 2009 anime adaptation of Kimi ni Todoke from Production I.G, describing the story as such: Sawako Kuronuma has had a difficult time fitting in.

Quick Links Jennifer Unleashes Her Inner Demon Helicopter Mom Beverly Sutphin Creepy Killer Rose the Hat Rose Is a Chamber Of Horrors Angela Has a Deadly Secret Murder Doll Tiffany Valentine Do Not Forsake Asami Pearl Before Swine The Enduring Curse of Sadako Pamela Voorhees Is the Mutha of All Female Killers

Traditionally, movie killers, especially slashers and horror, have been men, starting with Norman Bates in Psycho. Even though Norman did a lot of his killing dressed like his mother, he was still a man in the clothes of his dead mother. The All-Boys Slasher Club, however, has had credible challenges from some truly frightening female killers.

Upsetting the patriarchy of Leatherface and Freddy Kruger, these ground (and skull) breaking women have slaughtered gender stereotypes, as well as untold innocents, to rise to the top of the slasher body count heap. Long before empowering hashtags, these movie pioneers were...

Horror crossovers are a common tactic when franchises are running out of steam. The history of monster crossovers dates back to the Universal cycle, with the best ones focusing on a fun fight. "Freddy vs. Jason" effectively concludes both franchises that had already exhausted their creative options.

Horror loves crossovers, especially when a given franchise (or two) is running out of gas. When the genre's various boogeymen run out of normal victims to eviscerate, the next logical step is to pit them against each other. Superheroes used the same trick in the comics from time immemorial, and the principle remains the same. The roots in horror movies go back to the Universal Monster days, and have included a number of memorable (if not always brilliant) match-ups.

2003's Freddy vs. Jason is an underrated member of their ranks. It understands the formula much better than most other monster mash-ups, and while...

Many on-screen horror stories are inspired by real-life events or legends, such as The Town That Dreaded Sundown and The Watcher. But what is arguably one of the most influential origin stories is the one behind The Ring, which has seen multiple books and films surrounding the creepy VHS tape of a young girl with long, black hair. While the ghost story that inspired this classic horror film and its subsequent sequels is not about a cursed videotape, it does mirror the young girl, Sadako/Samara's (Daveigh Chase), tragic backstory.