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We’ve seen that the Overwatch 2 community is filled with impressive ideas, ranging from concept art to different unique artworks, and a recent post on X is just another example of that. The initial idea started in 2023 after revealing concept art of a fan-made electricity-based Dps character, dubbed Strike. Even though it’s a concept, the custom model and its abilities sent shivers down my spine.

Judging from the information, it’s evident that the concept Hero excels in the dive role with his electrifying abilities. And just like Tracer, it’s expected to be a high-risk, high-reward Hero. Honestly, a whole lot of Dive Heroes are already messing with my sleep, and as a Support main in Overwatch 2, I don’t want another one to ruin my day.

Overwatch 2 doesn’t need another Dive Hero

Everyone seems to like the idea of Striker, especially the key art from @Yuli_GameArt,...

At first glance, “ Draw Me” is a linear and straightforward short film, but it is certainly not another teen movie filled with the usual high school drama. The title, ‘Draw Me’, is a direct reference to the short’s exploration of the deception of appearance and how one gets lost in the social narrative. Narrated by a teenage Japanese high schooler, the film delves into the complexities of perception and reality.

Koyori Edogawa has just won her award from a manga competition for teens. Not everyone is thrilled about her win. As she is discouraged by the harsh words of her classmates and school authorities, she meets an unexpected stranger. Kiriko Asai is from the same school but lives in a different world. She is tall, pretty, polite, the captain of the school tennis club, a champion, and most importantly, loved by all. In their first meeting, miss-perfect leaves a strong impression on the protagonist.

The community has finally reached its breaking point with what appears to be blatant developer favoritism in Marvel Rivals. While Luna Snow continues receiving buffs that make her even more dominant, other Strategists are being systematically weakened into irrelevance.

What started as reasonable balance adjustments has evolved into something that feels less like game design and more like playing favorites.

In fact, the disparity has become so obvious that players are questioning whether NetEase Games actually wants roster diversity or just wants everyone playing their golden child.

Season 0 Mantis was the stuff of legends

Remember when Mantis could actually compete with Duelists for elimination counts? Those were the days when her movement speed passive made her nearly untouchable, zipping around battlefields like a caffeinated squirrel with a healing gun. She wasn’t just a support—she was a legitimate threat that could even out-damage half the roster while keeping teammates alive.

Movies about taxi drivers in Asian cinema have produced a number of quality entries, some of which have achieved cult status. It is very uncommon, however, for the protagonist in such stories to be a woman. Nevertheless, this is exactly what Shunichi Nagasaki attempts with “Stranger,” a low-budget thriller that screened at the International Film Festival Rotterdam in 1992 as part of a tribute to the director.

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Kiriko, a former bank teller, was caught embezzling money with her boyfriend and ended up in prison. Upon release, unable to find a regular job, she becomes one of the very few female taxi drivers in Tokyo, always working the night shift. She lives alone, minds her own business, and tries to make as much money as possible to appease her constantly complaining boss.

Her troubles begin one night when a passenger pays her with...

Osamu Tezuka's classic medical manga Black Jack will receive a musical adaptation in the summer of 2025. The musical will tour to Niigata, Nagoya, Hamamatsu, Sapporo, and Hyogo, beginning with performances at Imm Theater in Tokyo from June 28 to July 13. Tezuka's original manga was serialized in Akita Shoten's Weekly Shonen Champion magazine from 1973 to 1978. The story follows the activities of Kuroo Hazama, aka Black Jack, a genius surgeon but without a medical license. Even after his death in 1989, it has been adapted into anime, live-action, and stage plays many times. Tamiya Kuriyama, who has won many awards including the Kinokuniya Theatre Award Individual Award and the Yomiuri Theatre Grand Prize for Best Director, will serve as director. 53-year-old Masayuki Sakamoto, a former member of Johnny & Associates' boy idol group V6, is cast as the title character, Black Jack. The other cast members include Nako Yabuki as Pinoko, Ryosuke Mikata as Dr.

Marvel Rivals has proven itself to be a massive success for NetEase Games. The free-to-play title uses one of the most popular IPs in the pop culture scene as a way to get players in the door and offers more than 30 characters to suit their playstyle. It’s a fun game that players simply can’t get enough of.

Rivals is absolutely dominating the hero-shooter genre. (Image via NetEase Games)

The NetEase title has taken over the hero-shooter genre by storm and has no plans of slowing down. It’s hurting Blizzard’s Overwatch 2 so badly that the game is losing players every minute. However, if Blizzard can bring one of the most revolutionary support ultimates in Overwatch 2, it won’t be long before it surpasses Marvel’s Rivals.

It’s time for a new support ultimate in Overwatch 2

There’s no denying the fact that support characters in Overwatch...

English actress Florence Pugh has been at the peak of her career for quite some time now. From portraying Amy March in Little Women to playing Jean Tatlock in Oppenheimer, Pugh has gained a lot of love and support from fans and has become one of the greatest actors in Hollywood. However, what many fans don’t know is that Pugh has also dipped her toes into the anime world.

English Actress Florence Pugh | Credit: Instagram@florencepugh

Pugh has played the role of Kiriko, one of the elderly maids who work at Natsuko’s estate in The Boy and The Heron. In fact, The Boy and The Heron is Pugh’s highest-rated movie on Rotten Tomatoes, crossing Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer. In a way, The Boy and The Heron became her biggest movie for the year 2023.

The high rating of The Boy and The Heron hints that in many ways,...

Florence Pugh is one of the most popular young actresses in Hollywood, with no sign of slowing down. She’s been in several big movies recently, including Oppenheimer (2023), where she played Jean Tatlock, and The Boy and the Heron (2023), where she voiced the character Kiriko. She also stars as Princess Irulan in Dune: Part Two (2024) and has a role in the upcoming Thunderbolts (2025) as Yelena Belova, the new Black Widow in the MCU.

Despite her success, Pugh has faced online criticism, particularly regarding her body, which she has spoken out about in the past.

The actress recently shared how tiring it is for women in Hollywood to always face stereotypes and be judged for not fitting in. She pointed out that women are often criticized if they don’t follow the usual expectations, but she has always been encouraged to speak up and be herself. Pugh made it clear that...

Florence Pugh is currently one of the most popular young actresses in Hollywood. She keeps lining up big roles with no end or stopping in sight. The actress appeared in several blockbusters in the last two years In ‘Oppenheimer’ (2023), she portrayed Jean Tatlock.

She provided the voice for the character Kiriko in the English dub of ‘The Boy and the Heron’ (2023). In ‘Dune: Part Two’ (2024), she portrayed Princess Irulan. Her latest release is ‘We Live In Time,’ with MCU’s ‘Thunderbolts*’ yet to be released next year where she will reprise her role as Yelena Belova aka MCU’s new Black Widow.

Even though Pugh is lining up roles, she is not immune to online criticism. This is something that the actress commented on in the past, especially in the context of her body.

Florence Pugh again recently expressed how exhausting it is for women in Hollywood to constantly face...

After years of delays and a controversial development cycle, Blizzard replaced its competitive 6v6 hero-based shooter, Overwatch, with its sequel back in 2022. Despite the switch to a 5v5 formula, the developers promised that the sequel would be a significant upgrade over the original game and bring us all new PvE content, heroes, maps, and game types to dig into.

The 6v6 hero shooter’s sequel is a massive bust. (Image via Blizzard)

After two years, it’s clear that Overwatch 2 has failed to live up to expectations. Blizzard’s decision to axe certain parts of the sequel hasn’t gone down well among gamers, and when you add predatory monetization tactics to the mix, things get even worse. The company ruined many great things about the first Overwatch, including the animated shorts, which were essential to the Fps experience.

Overwatch 2 Animated Shorts are Horrendous

While the Overwatch franchise doesn’t feature in-game cut scenes,...

Kenji Komiya, father of two and homeowner already at 39, looks like he has it all. On his way to enjoy a day trip with his family, he gets lost while driving in the forest, ending up in a mysterious amusement park. Enticed by the free-entry policy, he walks in only to understand that all visitors have been trapped in some sort of twisted game run by Mr. Bunny, the masked host of the venue. Forced to ride the deadly attractions, only those who will show their guts (literally) will escape death. But as the truth about his wife and kids unfolds, the foundations of Kenji’s existence are shattered.

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Known for his gory style and stories where the ordinary turns into nightmare, often involving high schoolers such as in “Creature!” and “Kiriko,” mangaka Shingo Honda here broadens his narrative focus to embrace a whole family,...

Overwatch 2's new My Hero Academia collaboration is actually exceeding fan expectations in one area, but there's still a lot of contention surrounding the release and other recent Overwatch 2 decisions. The game has been divisive ever since its launch, with gameplay overhauls and a new monetization model losing some fans loyal to the original Overwatch experience while bringing in a share of newcomers. A promised PvE campaign being canceled earlier in 2024 put the final nail in the coffin of the sequel's original vision, but the classic PvP focus continues to receive ongoing updates.

Following the November 15 launch of Overwatch 2 Season 15, the My Hero Academia collab is now live, and a Reddit post from RaidenXYae notes that the full bundle of items costs 5700 Overwatch Coins in total. The price is essentially equivalent to $49.99, as an Overwatch Coin purchase of that sum grants 5,000 coins by direct conversion and a 700 coin bonus.

The...

The publisher’s latest release under its Ablaze Manga imprint was created by Shingo Honda and is set in an extreme amusement park where nothing is as it seems and depicts the horror that lies in store for an unsuspecting family that visits the park.

Happyland, Vol. 1, story and art by Shingo Honda

Srp: $12.99 180 Pages Isbn: 9781684973040

Available November 26th

Welcome to Happyland, an extreme amusement park! The Komiya family is not unusual is any way, two parents love each other and their two children, who are healthy, happy, and accomplished at school and with extracurriculars. In appearance, they’re an ideal family that has everything going for them!

At least… That’s what they believed until the father decided to take them to spend a day at Happyland Park. In this park with its extreme attractions, the most shameful secrets will emerge in the most literally explosive way possible! A...

Overwatch 2 is returning to the world of anime with a crossover event themed around the beloved My Hero Academia franchise. As a part of the competitive shooter's attempt to better engage with its audience, Overwatch 2 has begun dipping its toes into the world of IP collaboration, a move that has resulted in some fun character designs but has also managed to irk the player base. Much like the Cowboy Bebop crossover, the My Hero Academia skins can only be purchased with premium currency, alienating the free-to-play community.

Per an official trailer on YouTube, Overwatch 2 announced that five legendary skins based on characters from My Hero Academia will be available from October 17 to October 30.

The transformed characters included Reaper as Tomura Shigaraki, Juno as Uravity, Tracer as Deku, Reinhardt as All Might, and Kiriko as Himiko Toga. All of the skins are locked behind a premium paywall but players who aren't...

The worlds of Overwatch 2 and My Hero Academia are about to collide in a new collaboration. The limited event is set to run from October 17-30, and will feature exclusive legendary skins based on heroes and villains from Kohei Horikoshi's series. The collab has Tracer taking on Deku, Juno as Uravity and Reinhardt as All Might. On the villain side, Kiriko gets decked out like Himiko Toga and Reaper becomes Tomura Shigaraki. All of the skins can be collected in one fell swoop with the Overwatch 2 x My Hero Academia Mega Bundle , which includes the five skins and additional cosmetics. Overwatch 2 x My Hero Academia Trailer Related: My Hero Academia Season 7 Anime Adds Hiroshi Kamiya to Cast Here's a closer look at the legendary skins that will be exclusive to the event: You can stream all of the My Hero Academia anime on Crunchyroll, which describes the series like...

Florence Pugh is currently one of Hollywood’s most in-demand young actresses, consistently landing major roles with no signs of slowing down. In the past two years, she has starred in several blockbusters.

In Oppenheimer (2023), she portrayed Jean Tatlock, and lent her voice to the character Kiriko in the English dub of The Boy and the Heron (2023). She takes on the role of Princess Irulan in Dune: Part Two (2024). Her latest film is We Live in Time, with the MCU’s Thunderbolts set for release next year, where she will reprise her role as Yelena Belova.

Understandably exhausted, the actress recently revealed to British Vogue that, for the first time in her career, she had to take a break from acting.

For the first time ever in my career when I’ve actually asked for a summer break. I’m an absolute work maniac, [but] I can see I’m exhausted.

Florence Pugh is currently one of the most popular young actresses in Hollywood. She keeps lining up big roles with no end or stopping in sight. The actress appeared in several blockbusters in the last two years In ‘Oppenheimer’ (2023), she portrayed Jean Tatlock.

She provided the voice for the character Kiriko in the English dub of ‘The Boy and the Heron’ (2023). In ‘Dune: Part Two’ (2024), she portrayed Princess Irulan. Her latest release is ‘We Live In Time,’ with MCU’s ‘Thunderbolts*’ yet to be released next year where she will reprise her role as Yelena Belova.

Naturally, the actress is exhausted and she recently opened up to British Vogue explaining that for the first time ever she was forced to take a break from acting:

For the first time ever in my career when I’ve actually asked for a summer break. I’m an absolute work maniac, [but] I can see I’m exhausted.

The roster for Marvel Rivals continues to grow. The most recent release of Jeff the Land Shark has overturned the balance for the support/strategist role with a kit that still needs balancing.

There’s a ton of heroes in the game already. From Iron Man to Spider-Man to the Black Panther, some of Marvel’s most iconic characters are here and accounted for. However, NetEase will keep adding new Marvel Rivals characters to spice up the meta.

The likes of Captain America and Mr. Fantastic are absent from the current roster. One character fans are eyeing after watching Deadpool & Wolverine is one you would least expect.

Marvel Rivals Concept For Deadpool & Wolverine Character

While NetEase are very likely to add Wolverine and Deadpool to the game, a shining star of the 2024 film has been conceptualized for the game’s roster. It’s not one of the many cameos or...

Last year, Studio Ghibli's The Boy and the Heron premiered in Japan, introducing the nation's moviegoers to another one-of-a-kind viewing experience from the mind of critically-acclaimed filmmaker, Hayao Miyazaki. Now, the Oscar Award-winning feature is finally heading to Max for its official U.S. streaming debut.

As detailed in a recent press release, The Boy and the Heron will join Max's Ghibli film collection starting Friday, Sept. 6, 2024. Like several of the studio's past releases, the film's story is entirely Miyazaki's creation, with inspiration drawn from the harrowing wartime experiences of his childhood. Since its debut, The Boy and the Heron has received numerous awards, including a Japan Academy Prize, two Golden Globes and an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. The latter earned it a renewed theatrical run in North America on March 22.

Related Chainsaw Man Creator's New Anime Catches the Attention of Studio Ghibli President

The head of...

Acclaimed Japanese animator and filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki came out of retirement last year with the release of his mega fantasy project The Boy and the Heron. As the film now reaches the digital frontiers in 2024, it is a good time to look back on the convoluted and metaphorical tale of Mahito Maki, the 11-year-old protagonist. The plot follows Mahito’s journey into a world between the living and the dead in an effort to save his stepmother and also solve the mystery of a strange heron that keeps appearing to him. While The Boy and the Heron might not be for everyone’s taste, there is still a lot to unpack in the film, as it turns out to be Miyazaki’s most personal work to date.

Spoiler Alert

What is the film about?

Set sometime during the devastating World War II, The Boy and the Heron begins with the young protagonist,...

Tasokare Hotel Anime Unveils January 2025 Release: When Will the Mobile Game’s Adaptation Premiere? - Main Image

The popular mobile game Tasokare Hotel has announced its anime adaptation with a release date window reveal.

This should delight anime fans, as the series promises to be a captivating watch that combines mystery, supernatural occurrences, and drama this coming winter.

Tasokare Hotel Mobile Game Gets Anime Adaptation with Winter 2025 Premiere

Many games have been receiving anime adaptations recently, such as Hiro Mashima’s Farmagia and ArcSys’ Guilty Gear Strive.

Joining this trend is the Japanese mobile game Tasokare Hotel, which announced its TV anime adaptation with a visual and teaser trailer.

The anime is set to be released in January 2025, joining a packed winter anime lineup that includes Sakamoto Days and Honey Lemon Soda.

While the series is confirmed to premiere in January 2025, the exact release date has not yet been revealed,...

Portland, Or – Comics and graphic novel publisher Ablaze expands its Ablaze Manga imprint this summer with the September advance solicitation for Happyland, the manga series by creator Shingo Honda about an extreme amusement park where nothing is as it seems and the horror that lies in store for an unsuspecting family that visits the park.

Happyland will be published in-print and digitally. Ablaze titles are distributed in-print worldwide by Diamond Comic and Diamond Book Distributors. Digital versions of Ablaze titles are available via most major digital platforms.

Happyland, Vol. 1, story and art by Shingo Honda ∙ Srp: $12.99 ∙ 180 Pages ∙ Isbn: 9781684973040 ∙ Available September 11th

Welcome to Happyland, an extreme amusement park! The Komiya family is not unusual is any way, two parents love each other and their two children, who are healthy, happy, and accomplished at school and with extracurriculars. In appearance, they're an ideal family that has everything going for them!

At least…...

Florence Pugh has been on a roll for the past few years. Since her breakthrough in 2019, Pugh has been nominated for an Academy Award, featured in a Marvel film, has worked with acclaimed directors such as Christopher Nolan, Greta Gerwig, and Denis Villeneuve, and has gained international stardom for her performances.

While Hollywood may be obsessed with actresses such as Zendaya, who co-starred with Pugh on Dune: Part Two, and Sydney Sweeney, who was last seen in Immaculate and Madame Web, Florence Pugh’s filmography boasts of stellar movies that have won critical and commercial acclaim.

Florence Pugh’s Last Four Films Have Received Great Scores Florence Pugh in Midsommar

Florence Pugh began her career as a child actress in the film The Falling and then went on to portray multiple supporting roles. She gained acclaim for her role in the biographical sports drama Fighting with My Family and for the daylight horror film Midsommar.

Su Yu Chun is a graduate of Tokyo University of the Arts. “It's Not that Pig's Problem” was awarded in Pia Film Festival in 2021. After shooting the short “Down the Road”, he came up with her debut feature, “Inch Forward”, which is her graduation project.

On the occasion of Inch Forward screening at Osaka International Film Festival, we speak with her about films-about-films, the inspiration behind the film and the development of the script, the reason so many Japanese movies have scenes at the sea, Nobuhiro Suwa appearing in the movie and other topics.

The film-about-films category has become quite popular lately. What do you like particularly in this style of movie and why did you choose to shoot one?

I probably prefer the film set to the film. I like metafictional films and I wanted to make a metafictional film from the first planning stage.

Is the story autobiographical?...

Studio Ghibli movies can only be described as a warm cozy blanket of pure love and nostalgia. It’s no wonder they’ve captured millions of hearts over the years, drawing immense popularity globally. And thus, being associated with one such film might be a dream come true for many actors.

Believe it or not, to get their slice of the pie, many Oscar-nominated Hollywood actors jumped to lend their voices to the English version of these movies when given the opportunity, including Matt Damon and Christian Bale. Thus, here is a list of some actors who have ventured over into the Ghibli universe, and you’d definitely be surprised to see some of the names in here!

1. Christian Bale

Christian Bale as Wizard Howl in Howl’s Moving Castle

Yes, one of the biggest Hollywood actors, Christian Bale found himself falling head over heels for the magical world of Studio Ghibli after watching Spirited Away.

Films about films have been coming in abundance from the Japanese movie industry lately, with the particular meta approach forming something of a trend but also circumventing the difficulties script-writing always presents. Su Yu Chun tries her hand in the category through a film that takes a rather realistic view on indie filmmaking.

Inch Forward is screening at Osaka Asian Film Festival

The story follows Kiriko, a young indie filmmaker who is struggling to make a road movie that ends on a beach, which, considering how much of a cliche both have become in the Japanese movie industry, emerges as hilariously ironic. However, the problems come one after the other, while her producer, Takimoto, is not exactly eager to give her a break. Location scouting proves a disaster, also financially, the actress Kiriko and Takimoto had in mind to play the leading role is nowhere to be found, the latter...

Nominations voting is from January 11–16, 2024, with official Oscar nominations announced on January 23, 2024. Final voting is February 22–27, 2024. And finally, the 96th Oscars telecast will be broadcast on Sunday, March 10, and air live on ABC at 8 p.m. Et/ 5 p.m. Pt. We update predictions throughout awards season, so keep checking IndieWire for all our 2024 Oscar picks.

The State of the Race

Sony’s Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” solidified its standing as the Oscar favorite after dominating Asifa-Hollywood’s 51st Annie Awards on February 17 at UCLA’s Royce Hall. The acclaimed sequel from producers Phil Lord and Chris Miller grabbed seven awards, including best animated feature. It also won FX, character design, direction, music, production design, and editorial.

Its closest Oscar competitor, Hayao Miyazaki’s “The Boy and the Heron“ (Studio Ghibli-GKids), took home two Annies for Takeshi Honda’s character animation and Miyazaki’s storyboarding. However, “The Boy and the Heron...

The recent The Boy and the Heron documentary on Studio Ghibli and Hayao Miyazaki, 2399 Days with Hayao Miyazaki & Studio Ghibli, garnered controversy this week after many people knowledgeable of Ghibli's affairs considered it an exaggerated and even false account.

Given the title, many fans who expected the Nhk documentary to dive into The Boy and the Heron's long production were disappointed with what appeared to be a dramatized account of Miyazaki himself. Masakatsu Ishizone, who was a director's assistant in Ghibli's Princess Mononoke and My Neighbors the Yamadas, noted his disappointment, saying, "I'm watching the Nhk Hayao Miyazaki special feature, but this is truly presenting a 'false history,' isn't it? It connects his statements intermittently and crosses the wires between episodes and anecdotes. You have to watch it very carefully and objectively. It's not about whether it's accurate or inaccurate. I can't comprehend the mentality behind making something like this.

English dubs for anime are a contentious thing. For many otakus, subbing out Japanese original audio for an English translation is defilement. Yet as anime has become more mainstream in America, the quality of dubs has shot up as well, and it's honestly not hard to find good ones these days (the English version of "Cowboy Bebop" is rightfully legendary).

Some of those quality dubs have been done for the films of anime's greatest genius: Hayao Miyazaki, founder of Studio Ghibli. When you're handling the work of a master, the incentive to do it right is all the more present. Not every single Ghibli picture is a Miyazaki joint, to be clear, but the director and studio remain pretty synonymous.

First, some history of Ghibli's English dubs. Miyazaki's earlier works in the 1980s and early '90s were mostly dubbed by the now-defunct Streamline Pictures. After Disney brokered a licensing...

Plot: After his mother dies during WW2, a young Japanese boy, Mahito Maki (Soma Santoki), is sent to live with his Aunt, Natsuko (Yoshino Kimura), with whom his munitions factory owner father is trying to start a new family. Traumatized by the death of his mother and struggling to accept his circumstances, Mahito finds himself lured into a fantasy world out of time and space by an antagonistic grey Heron (Masaki Suda). As Mahito struggles to make sense of the new macrocosm, he ends a vicious cycle of generational trauma, ultimately making peace with his new surroundings by accepting the winds of change.

Review: As an animation enthusiast, few cinematic pleasures are more anticipated than experiencing another potential masterpiece from the “Godfather of Anime,” Hayao Miyazaki. The co-founder of Studio Ghibli is responsible for some of animation’s greatest treasures, including Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke, My Neighbor Totoro, Howl’s Moving Castle,...

Studio Ghibli has revealed its first round of official merchandise for The Boy and the Heron, the latest film directed by Hayao Miyazaki soon set to debut in U.S. theaters.

Released domestically as How Do You Live?, Miyazaki's The Boy and the Heron premiered in Japan earlier this year and is rapidly approaching its North American theatrical debut on Dec. 8. Studio Ghibli's official online shop, Donguri Sora, now offers a wide variety of items based on the film, with the collection including books, plush toys, statues, mini-figures, keychains, puzzles and coin purses. The site is also selling The Boy and the Heron's soundtrack, which features tracks by Joe Hisaishi and Kenshi Yonezu. Purchased individually, the prices range from 660 yen (about Usd $4.50) to 19,800 yen (approximately $134).

Related Studio Ghibli's Hayao Miyazaki and Toshio Suzuki Branch Out Into "Totoro Whisky" Founders of the legendary Japanese animation studio Studio Ghibli team up...

When Hayao Miyazaki pitched “The Boy and the Heron” to Studio Ghibli co-founder/producer Toshio Suzuki in 2016, he asked permission to make the story about himself. This took Suzuki — his friend of nearly 40 years at the time — by surprise; the legendary anime director isn’t known for getting so personal. And yet this aligned perfectly with the notion that Ghibli films are devoted to reliving memories.

“I agree that it is Miyazaki’s most personal film because he actually told me,” Suzuki told IndieWire over Zoom through an interpreter. Not only is “The Boy and the Heron” inspired by Miyazaki’s childhood (he endured the firebombing of Japan during World War II and his father was director of the family’s aircraft manufacturing factory), but also his career at Ghibli with his two closest friends: the late studio co-founder/director Isao Takahata (“Grave of the Fireflies”) and Suzuki.

“Miyazaki is...

Monarch: Legacy of Monsters features a diverse cast of human characters, including actors of Japanese descent, connecting it to Godzilla's origins and adding to the ensemble's diversity. Kurt Russell and his son Wyatt Russell both have prominent roles in the series, with Wyatt playing a younger version of Kurt's character. The show incorporates flashback scenes that reference Godzilla's rampage in San Francisco, offering more context to the events leading up to his battles with other monsters.

Monarch: Legacy of Monsters boasts a diverse cast in the roles of its human characters, some of whom are played by multiple actors at different points in time. A direct sequel to 2014’s Godzilla and part of Legendary Pictures’ larger MonsterVerse franchise, the Apple TV+ original series features not just the thermonuclear lizard but also numerous other creatures from its creator Toho’s roster. Monarch: Legacy of Monsters also balances human drama with...

Gkids has announced the English dub cast for Studio Ghibli's The Boy and the Heron, directed by Hayao Miyazaki, which will feature an impressive lineup of well-known Hollywood actors.

Gkids revealed the voice cast more than three months after the film's theatrical release in Japan. Per the announcement, the voice cast for its English-language release will have Christian Bale as Shoichi Maki, the father of the film's protagonist Mahito Maki, who is played by Luca Padovan. Padovan's previous acting credits include reprising roles in TV's Are You Afraid of the Dark and The Rocketeer. The Creator's Gemma Chan will be the voice of Natsuko, Mahito's aunt and "human" guardian early on in the film.

Related: Studio Ghibli Highlights Several Iconic Works With Gorgeous Watercolor Greeting Card Set

Granduncle will be voiced by Mark Hamill, who has also been cast as a dub actor in two previous Studio Ghibli films...

If you ever want to stir up a heated debate among anime lovers, then there’s no quicker way than a very simple three-word question: “Subs or dubs?” Purists tend to swear by subtitles, whilst mainstream moviegoers often appreciate the convenience and accessibility of a solid English-language dub. Anything that gets more people watching Japanese animation can surely only be a good thing – and frankly, when you see the star-studded English-language voice cast assembled for :a[Studio Ghibli]{href='https://www.empireonline.com/movies/features/studio-ghibli-every-movie-ranked/' target='blank' rel='noreferrer noopener'}’s upcoming :a[The Boy And The Heron]{href='https://www.empireonline.com/movies/news/the-boy-and-the-heron-first-trailer-for-hayao-miyazakis-new-studio-ghibli-film/' target='blank' rel='noreferrer noopener'}, you’ll want to check the dub out, whichever side of the fence you sit on.

Announced by North American distributor Gkids yesterday, the occasion of Hayao Miyazaki’s latest – :a[and potentially last]{href='https://www.empireonline.com...

Indie producer and distributor Gkids has revealed the English voice cast for Hayao Miyazaki’s anticipated hand-drawn animated feature The Boy and the Heron.

The cast includes Christian Bale (Shoichi Maki), Dave Bautista (the Parakeet King), Gemma Chan (Natsuko), Willem Dafoe (Noble Pelican), Karen Fukuhara (Lady Himi), Mark Hamill (Grand Uncle), Robert Pattinson (The Grey Heron) and Florence Pugh (Kiriko). Luca Padovan joins the cast as protagonist Mahito Maki, with Mamoudou Athie, Tony Revolori and Dan Stevens featured as the Parakeets.

Gkids handled casting and produced the English version in close consultation with Miyazaki’s Studio Ghibli. Slated for a North American release Dec. 8 in both the original Japanese and English-language versions, the film is an original semi-autobiographical story and Oscar winner Miyazaki’s first feature film in a decade.

The Boy and the Heron was a hit when it opened July 14 in Japan. It made its international premiere as...

Hayao Miyazaki’s “The Boy and the Heron” is getting an A-list cast for the English release.

After premiering at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival, the Studio Ghibli animated film opens in the U.S. December 8. The English-language dubbed version of the film will feature the voices of Willem Dafoe, Christian Bale, Florence Pugh, and Robert Pattinson, among other stars.

The film follows a young boy (Luca Padovan) who struggles with the loss of his mother while his father (Bale) remarries. A mystical Gray Heron (Pattinson) gives the boy spiritual guidance with his grief.

The official cast list has Bale voicing Shoichi Maki; Gemma Chan as stepmother Natsuko; Willem Dafoe as the Noble Pelican; Mark Hamill as Granduncle; Florence Pugh as Kiriko; Karen Fukuara as Lady Himi; and Dave Bautista as The Parakeet King.

Mamoudou Athie, Tony Revolori, and Dan Stevens are also featured as the Parakeets.

“The Boy and the Heron...

Since its debut in 1998, the Hunter x Hunter franchise has become one of the most beloved in the entire anime medium. Gon Freecss and his friends in the Hunter Association are a staple of shonen anime, and during their journey, they travel far and wide, encountering a wide variety of characters and creatures across the world.

While most of the characters in Hunter x Hunter are fairly amicable, there are a few particularly scary monsters scattered throughout the series. These creatures aren't always significant to the show's narrative, but regardless of their importance, they're all frightening in their own unique way.

Related: 10 Best Killua Quotes In Hunter x Hunter

Kiriko

Whereas most Magical Beasts in Hunter x Hunter merely imitate elements of human life, Kiriko's mannerisms, speech, and lifestyles are almost completely indistinguishable from humans. However, when they're not using their abilities to look like a human, they take up a frightening foxlike form.

Late in the freewheeling action of The Boy and the Heron (Kimitachi wa Do Ikiruka), the director’s young stand-in returns to the realm of the living after encountering an ancestor who gives him a handful of stones, instructing him to build a tower with them every three days to create a world of beauty and balance, free from malice. That’s as apt a summation as any of what 82-year-old anime master Hayao Miyazaki has been doing throughout his celebrated six-decade career as a consummate artist and a storyteller of unfettered imagination.

Miyazaki’s first feature in 10 years follows 2013’s The Wind Rises, a project that was announced at the time as the legendary animator’s farewell. That film’s elegiac tone and inspiring themes of molding dreams into reality and choosing creation over violence and destruction made it a fitting swan song.

But Miyazaki clearly was not done weaving his phantasmagorical worlds.

When Guillermo de Toro reminded the world that animation isn’t merely “a genre for kids but a medium for art” in his Oscars and BAFTA acceptance speeches as he won awards for his “Pinocchio” last year, he probably wasn’t thinking only of his own animated movie, or that of a specific filmmaker. But it’s a spot-on assertion for any Hayao Miyazaki picture — most recently, his beautiful, mournful and ultimately hope-filled “The Boy and The Heron.”

This is the Japanese master’s first feature film in 10 years — his last was 2013’s elegiac “The Wind Rises,” a title that was supposed to be Miyazaki’s official retirement from filmmaking. But you can’t stop an artist’s natural craving for making art any more than you can halt your instinctual need for air.

Thus, we’re graced with the existence of “The Boy and The Heron,” a kaleidoscopic and reflective rumination on life,...

Following its official premiere in Japan, Hayao Miyazaki’s final film, How Do You Live?, has revealed not only its official cast and staff but confirmation of an English release with a new title. While 2013’s The Wind Rises was marketed as Miyazaki’s final film, in 2016, it was announced that Miyazaki had begun working on a new film which would now serve as his last film, How Do You Live? What’s especially interesting is that according to Anime News Network, Studio Ghibli has deliberately decided to release it without any marketing, so people don’t feel spoiled before even seeing it, with not even the basic story being made public at any point.

All of that has changed following How Do You Live?’s premiere, however, and a lot of information about its production and international release has been revealed. Not only has the cast, staff, and actual story finally been revealed,...

Overwatch 2 Season 4 is fast approaching, but as players are counting down the days, they may wish to satiate their curiosity about the game's brand-new support hero, Lifeweaver. Because the competitive Fps game adopted an alternating content schedule upon its release in 2022, the community has not seen a new character since the addition of Ramattra in Season 2, with Season 3 only bringing the Antarctic Peninsula map to the table. Thankfully, as Season 4 launches on April 11, it will not only come with a fresh battle pass and a slew of balance changes, but also with Overwatch 2's newest hero, Lifeweaver.

Since the introduction of Kiriko, Junker Queen, Soujourn, and Ramattra, Overwatch 2's hero roster has expanded significantly from that of its predecessor, but Blizzard has repeatedly shared its concern over the support role nonetheless. As opposed to tank or damage classes, support players have quite a limited collection of characters to select from,...

Overwatch 2’s newest hero Ramattra has officially been announced at the Overwatch League Grand Finals, with players able to unlock him at the beginning of Overwatch 2’s second season on December 6th. As the latest addition to the game’s growing roster of Tank heroes, Ramattra reportedly sits between Overwatch 2’s damage-oriented tanks and defense-oriented tanks, with an ability that allows him to switch between two different forms. Although a complete list of his abilities has yet to be revealed, each form will have various other abilities and attacks, likely making him a true challenge to master. However, with the launch of Overwatch 2, newly introduced heroes will no longer be immediately available to all players, with both free-to-play and premium players able to unlock them via the battle pass.

Unlike Kiriko, Overwatch 2’s newest Support hero, who was made available for free to anyone who’d played the original Overwatch,...

Since the launch of Overwatch 2, several heroes have been removed from the game for various bugs - but its most broken character, Sojourn, has actually remained unchanged since day one. Her kit doesn't include any game-breaking glitches per se, but her abilities are so powerful that they have been almost single-handedly dictating the pace and meta of the game. With Sojourn being omitted from the recent hero adjustments, however, it appears as though players' cries for help have fallen upon deaf ears.

When Overwatch 2's mid-season patch notes were delayed, some fans were understandably disappointed. The notes were to contain small, yet decisive tweaks which aimed to make the game feel more balanced in what could only be described as a stifling meta. When they finally released two days after their intended date, many players were relieved to see heroes such as Zarya, D.Va, and Sombra receiving much needed...

Some crafty Overwatch 2 players have found a loophole that allows them to transfer World of Warcraft's digital gold into the currently costly OW2 coins. Overwatch 2's multiplayer hit a few road bumps in the month since its release. With loot boxes no longer in the picture with the new free-to-play model, players must slowly earn or buy Overwatch coins to unlock character skins and other cosmetics. Certain players have found a way to use their World of Warcraft skills to earn Overwatch 2 coins without grinding through OW2 challenges.

Blizzard allows World of Warcraft players to use their in-game gold to buy tokens which can be converted into Battle.net currency. That currency can then be used to purchase Blizzard games or other in-game currencies like Overwatch coins. This means WoW players who know about gold farming or have hoarded loads of the shiny currency over the years can use...

The new Overwatch 2 hero has been unveiled to be a tank with multiple forms, the Omnic resistance leader Ramattra. With the free-to-play game's first season ending in a few weeks, Team 4 at Blizzard has teased a new tank hero arriving for the game's second season that begins December 6th. At the exciting conclusion of the Overwatch League's Grand Finals tournament, developers treated fans to the newest playable hero's reveal, and Ramattra seems like a game changer.

The hulking new hero Ramattra will be a helpful tank that teammates will be able to rely upon for protection and an enemy that opponents will want to stay clear from. While the developers have yet to reveal Overwatch 2's next playable character's health and specific abilities, they did share a few clues with Screen Rant and other press before Friday night's reveal. When asked if Ramattra will be an offensive tank like Wrecking...

Activision Blizzard is currently under investigation following accusations of harassment, discrimination, and fostering a hostile work environment. You can read more about the investigation here.

The launch of Overwatch 2 has been tumultuous, to say the least. Players have encountered bugs, slogged their way through tutorials, and felt burned over monetization. So what better way to forget all that than with some free Overwatch League skins? Of course, wanting those skins and actually unlocking them is quickly proving to be separate things.

While Overwatch 2 is still going through some growing pains, its competitive spirit remains as strong as ever thanks to the Overwatch League. 20 teams are going head to head for a chance at a 2.55 million pot. However, the top 12 squads won’t be the only Overwatch League winners since viewers can tune in to earn rewards. According to the official Overwatch League site, viewers can acquire League tokens, skins for every hero,...

Overwatch 2's first seasonal event Halloween Terror is now live, but the event itself feels less like a graveyard smash and more like an uninspired offering. Since Overwatch underwent a massive content drought during the production of its sequel, many had high expectations for this event. Unfortunately, it still leaves much to be desired, and its borderline counterintuitive design may even signify a struggle with player retention down the line.

Seasonal events were a huge driving force behind the initial Overwatch's success and popularity. Although Overwatch's legacy is already being erased, veteran players will likely forever cherish the limited-time game modes, festive maps, and unlockable cosmetics that these events had to offer. But if all future events follow the example of Halloween Terror 2022, they will have nowhere near the same effect. Although it's somewhat familiar in structure to those seen previously, Overwatch 2's first seasonal event barely distinguishes itself from...

Quick Links Wrath Of The Bride, Taking The Plunge, Here Comes The Bride & Love Conquers All Challenges Four Brave Heroes Challenge Fury Of The Heroes Challenge No Spark Challenge Re-Tired Challenge Council Of The Bride Challenge The Automaton Transformed Challenge Knock, Knock… Challenge Ominous Portent Challenge Photozomb Challenge Witch’s Brew Challenge Lantern Lit Challenge The Wanderers Of Old Challenge The Endless Night Began Challenge Unfinished Business, Spooky, Speedy, Terrifying Trio, Get Ready For A Shock!, Volatile And Vile & Costume Party Challenges Wedding Planner Werewolf Winston Witch Kiriko, Executioner Junker Queen and Bride Sombra

Overwatch 2 finally seems to be picking up some momentum, with the game’s Halloween Terror 2022 event now live, introducing new skins, challenges, and rewards for players to unlock. During this Halloween event, Overwatch 2 players will be able to play through Junkenstein’s Revenge: Wrath of the Bride, a sequel chapter to the Junkenstein’s Revenge PvE mode from the original Overwatch.

Overwatch 2 has been out for almost a month, and as the meta settles slightly, it’s becoming clear that playing a support character is still a difficult task. With most players Overwatch 2 players flocking to the Damage class or even Tank, the pressure is on for support players to fill very important gaps in team composition. Even the sequel’s new role queue doesn’t seem to have solved anything.

When Overwatch first released in 2016, there were four hero categories: Offense, Defense, Tank and Support. Eventually, Defense was merged with Offense to become Damage, and this system remains in the sequel. At this point, there are 10 tanks, 17 Damage characters, and eight support heroes, with one of each category being introduced as part of Overwatch 2’s launch. It’s clear that Damage is heavily favored role, with so many options compared to its counterparts. Some Damage characters are also glitched, with...