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In a moment fans did not know they were waiting for, Godzilla and Kaiju No. 8 have finally collided, at least in art form. An epic collaboration illustration by legendary animator and director Masahiro Maeda has unveiled a clash between Godzilla and Kafka Hibino’s monstrous alter ego, Kaiju No. 8. The dream matchup instantly lit up social media, and it’s easy to see why.

The image shared by @KaijuNo8_O on X is not just a promotional stunt, it is a symbolic meeting of two kaiju generations. Godzilla, the king of monsters who defined the genre, now stares down the face of the modern era's rising star. While it’s not an official crossover anime yet, the visual feels like a long-overdue passing of the radioactive torch.

Godzilla and Kaiju No. 8 Collide in a Visual Standoff When Old-School Destruction Meets Modern Monster Mayhem ◤　　ã...

When “The Family Game” premiered in Japan, it didn’t just mark a breakthrough for the then up-and-coming director Yoshimitsu Morita, it shook the cinematic establishment with its sharp satire, formal audacity, and pitch-black humor. Though it missed out on the Japan Academy Prize for Best Picture to “The Ballad of Narayama”, Morita’s postmodern skewering of the Japanese nuclear family was nonetheless awarded Best Japanese Film of the Year by both Kinema Junpo and the British Film Institute, and would go on to earn a rare kind of longevity, along with a series of local accolades. In 2009, Kinema Junpo named it the 10th greatest Japanese movie of all time, and in 2018, the best Japanese movie of the 1980s. “The Family Game” was produced by the Art Theatre Guild in collaboration with New Century and Nikkatsu. Lastly, the movie’s influence on Takashi Miike’s “Visitor Q” seems more than evident.

Over 20 years after making its debut, a fan-favorite franchise has just proven that it's still the visual novel game to beat.

The official 2024 Moe Game Awards has crowned Jun Maeda’s tearjerker Clannad as 'Best Bishoujo Game of All Time,' outshining over 1,000 other titles throughout roughly 40 years of bishoujo gaming history. During the same awards ceremony, Clannad's Nagisa Furukawa also earned 'Best Character' honors, putting the franchise truly front and center for fans.

Clannad Takes the Crown as #1 Bishoujo Game of All Time With Official Award Image via Key

For anime enthusiasts, Maeda is best known as the original creator and scriptwriter behind Angel Beats, but his visual novel career is certainly nothing to sniff at. As one of the co-founders of Key -- the studio responsible for major visual novels like Clannad, Air and Kanon -- Maeda is also just as well known among gaming fans with a penchant for bishoujo titles.

Based on the novel “Kirishima, Bukatsu Yamerutteyo” by Ryo Asai, “The Kirishima Thing” established Daihachi Yoshida as one of the most competent contemporary directors of the country. The movie won five awards from the Japan Academy, including Picture and Director of the Year for Yoshida, Best Editor for Mototaka Kusakabe, and Best Newcomers for Masahiro Higashide and Ai Hashimoto, both of whom ended up becoming superstars later on.

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The original story is an omnibus telling the stories of numerous characters, although Yoshida’s movie focuses mostly on two of them, Ryoya Maeda and Hiroki Kikuchi. The titular student, however, Kirishima, the captain of the volleyball team, a good student and boyfriend to one of the most popular girls in the school, Risa, shines through his absence. One day, out of the blue, he stops coming to school, and the rumors circulating...

The journey of Monkey D. Luffy is set to continue with his strife with the World Government intensifying even further when One Piece returns from its hiatus on April 5. The anime's return will see it air the next part of its Egghead Arc. While the anime continues to thrive, the Netflix live-action adaptation also continues to perform, as the audiences eagerly await the premiere of its second season, which has already wrapped filming. The entirety of the One Piece franchise is built on the works of the manga's creator, Eiichiro Oda, and while there is still alot of One Piece to go, Oda has already figured out how it all ends.

Fans of the franchise will already know Oda to be meticulous with how he plans, and with One Piece in its final saga, it is not surprising that the creator has some strategies in place. The sensei himself has...

Looks like you can’t stay King of the Pirates forever. After being at the helm of the hit Netflix live adaptation of the popular manga and anime series “One Piece,” executive producer and co-showrunner Matt Owens announced in an Instagram post on Friday, March 21, that he would be leaving the series in order to address personal issues he’s currently facing.

“The 6 years working on the live action ‘One Piece’ has been a life changing journey. A dream come true. It’s also been A Lot,” Owens wrote in his post. “So I’m stepping off the Going Merry to take a break and focus on myself and my mental health.”

Development on the show began in 2017, with Netflix purchasing it in 2020 and bringing on Steven Maeda as showrunner in 2021. Owens was serving as head writer and executive producer on the project at the time, but given the title...

Matt Owens, who has guided Netflix’s live-action One Piece series through its first two seasons, has announced he’s leaving the show.

In an Instagram post Friday, Owens wrote that he is leaving the show to “focus on myself and my mental health.” One Piece recently finished filming its second season.

“The last six years of working on the live action One Piece have been a life changing journey. A dream come true,” Owens wrote. “It’s also been A Lot. So I’m stepping off the Going Merry. … Thank you so much to Oda, Shueisha, Tomorrow Studios, Netflix, and the entire cast and crew for your trust, partnership, and hard work.”

Owens has been with the live-action adaptation of the long-running manga (which has also spawned a number of anime series) by Eiichiro Oda from the start. He developed a long-term plan for the series and served as...

Another of the main creative forces behind Netflix's One Piece live-action adaptation is jumping off the Going Merry after Season 2 wrapped production. Matt Owens, who originally co-created and served as co-showrunner on the series with Steven Maeda has decided to step back to focus on his mental health. With his decision announced on Instagram, the main creative duo who spearheaded the effort at Netflix to adapt Eiichirô Oda's long-running manga is no longer involved, or, at the very least, is no longer calling the shots. Only Percy Jackson and the Olympians writer and co-executive producer Joe Tracz remains as showrunner for post-production after he took over for Maeda last April.

Owens has arguably been the mastermind behind One Piece, not only shaping the first two seasons but also laying out how the future would look for the show as it continued to adapt more of the manga. He's...

Matt Owens, co-showrunner of Netflix’s live-action adaptation of the megapopular manga “One Piece,” has left the series, citing a need to “focus on [his] mental health” and “do some therapy.” Season 1 of “One Piece” debuted in 2023, while Season 2 recently wrapped production.

The news came in an Instagram post on Owens’ personal page.

“The last 6 years working on the live action One Piece have been a life changing journey,” he wrote. “A dream come true. It’s also been A Lot. So I’m stepping off the Going Merry to take a break and focus on myself and my mental health. Thank you so much to Oda, Shueisha, Tomorrow Studios, Netflix, and the entire cast and crew for your trust, partnership, and hard work. For now I’m gonna take a breath, do some therapy, try and rank up in Marvel Rivals, and come back refreshed for the new adventures that await.

Dragon Ballis a 40-year-running franchise by the late Akira Toriyama. Because of its popularity and the number of years it's been running, there have been quite a few TV specials based on the series. These range from action-packed adventures featuring Goku and others to informative safety PSAs for children to take to heart.

Many of these TV specials are one-offs that have no effect on the canon or plot, but some frequently do. While a lot isn't available in the West or online to view, there's still a lot even the most dedicated fan can learn from studying. For example, some may not even be aware of this, but Vegeta has a secret younger brother.

"Dragon Ball: The Return of Son Goku and Friends!" is a Canon Dragon Ball Ova "Dragon Ball: The Return of Son Goku and Friends!" Was The First Animated Dragon Ball Special in Nearly a Decade...

Fans of Jun Maeda -- the original creator of franchises that have been turned into hit anime series, such as Angel Beats and Clannad -- are in for a treat this February, with one of his trademark shows being newly added to a major streaming platform in North America.

The anime series Charlotte, by famed Angel Beats creator Jun Maeda, will become available on Netflix on Feb. 15 for streaming. The divisive 13-episode series originally aired in the Summer 2015 anime season and has been available primarily through Crunchyroll since. Now, after nearly 10 years, the anime is finding its way onto Netflix in the U.S. and Canada.

RelatedFebruary 6 Will Be a Good Day for Golden Kamuy Fans

Fans of the well-received Golden Kamuy live-action movie adaptation can finally check out the TV show sequel when it comes to Netflix next month.

Jun Maeda's Charlotte Is One of His Most Divisive Anime...

The official YouTube channel for voice actor Kaori Maeda is now streaming a music video for her new song, "Kyun-Appeal." The pop tune is featured as the ending theme for the winter 2025 TV anime Medaka Kuroiwa is Impervious to My Charms , in which she is also cast as one of the main characters, Minami Shirahama. Kaori Maeda "Kyun-Appeal" Music Video Medaka Kuroiwa is Impervious to My Charms Creditless Ending Video She sent the following message about the song to the anime's official website: The song “Kyun-Appeal” is a new attempt for Kaori Maeda as an artist, and I sang it with Mona-chan's feelings in mind, aiming to make it a cute and catchy song. I hope you will enjoy listening to the song, as there are some “cuddly” tricks woven into it as well! I will do my best to make Medakawa exciting as both Minami Shirahama and Kaori Maeda,...

As Angel Beats! approaches its 15th anniversary, Jun Maeda, the creator behind the anime, recently admitted that he still doesn’t understand why the series became such a hit.

In a recent interview with Comic Natalie, Maeda discussed the ongoing collaboration between Angel Beats! and his current project, the RPG Heaven Burns Red.

When asked about his current view on Angel Beats!, he admitted that the series holds a different place in his heart compared to fans.

Related:

Toxic Comments From Fans Forced Jun Maeda To Quit Writing

“To me, Angel Beats! is nothing more than a past hit, made possible with the support of those around me,” he shared. “I think its success was exactly as the producers at the time envisioned. Since I was on the receiving end of their production efforts, even now, I don’t know why it became such a hit.”

While Maeda professed little...

Angel Beats premiered in 2010 and quickly became renowned among anime fans, who fell in love with the story, characters, and beautiful animation. The narrative was deeply emotional and memorable, and paired with snarky comedy, the anime solidified its place as a modern classic. Yet, the series creator, Jun Maeda, recently admitted that he still doesn’t understand how the anime became such a hit.

As Angel Beats approaches its 15th anniversary, the series is stepping back into the spotlight once again, but with a surprising twist. As Maeda introduces Angel Beats to a whole new audience, longtime fans get the chance to see their favorite beloved characters again in a different medium. The cast's return is thrilling, and fans are raving over the opportunity to revisit them.

Angel Beats Became a Massive Hit That Shocked Jun Maeda Fans Have Been Drawn to Angel Beats for Its Heartfelt Narrative and Memorable...

Angel Beats is a 2010 anime created by Jun Maeda, which has become one of the most popular series to date. It has a high rank on My Anime List, and fans swear by its plot and twists. The tearjerker ending also has its own audience base.

Angel Beats | Credits: P.A. Works

In a way, Angel Beats has become a fan favorite series with the plot set in a unique place, the purgatory. The anime deals with protagonists who are already dead and wage a war against an unseen God. Teenage angst and some heartbreaking scenes together made a series that the audience from its era could completely relate to.

Angel Beats‘ collaboration with Heaven Burns Red Angel Beats | Credits: P.A. Works

Heaven Burns Red is a free-to-play mobile action game by Wfs, inc. and Key. Jun Maeda, the creator of Angel Beats, served as the main scenario writer.

In 2010, Jun Maeda introduced the anime community to Angel Beats -- a poignant drama about a group of deceased high school students who feel cheated by God and stage a symbolic rebellion in the afterlife. Over 15 years later, Maeda is revisiting the world of Angel Beats in a new collaboration with his latest video game project, Heaven Burns Red.

In the world of anime and gaming, Angel Beats is just one of several famous tearjerkers written by Maeda, the co-founder of the iconic visual novel game company, Key. Per Comic Natalie, Heaven Burns Red is a mobile RPG featuring an original concept and scenarios written by Maeda and co-developed by Key and Light Flyer Studio. Since the game's initial release in February 2022, Maeda has created two additional collaboration events featuring characters and story elements from his 2010 classic. Recently, Comic Natalie conducted an interview with Maeda during which he unveiled new...

Sizuk , a music project by composer Shunryu , digitally released a self-cover version of its latest 12th digital single "Only," which is now featured as the ending theme for the TV anime The Healer Who Was Banished From His Party, Is, in Fact, the Strongest . While the original version featured singer Kotoha , this cover version is sung by voice actor Kaori Maeda as the anime's main heroine character, Narsena. This is the first character song sung by Narsena. "I really, really like the lyrics... I sang this song with the feelings of a dedicated Narsena, filled with feelings for Raust-san," said Maeda on the anime's official website . "I hope this song will cheer you up by its positive attitude, which is typical of Narsena! The music video is also very nice, and I watched it over and over again. Narsena is a cheerful person, but on the other hand she is brave and makes me cry.

Akira Toriyama created Dragon Ball, the one series that has reigned the hearts of every otaku since childhood. And a lifetime achievement franchise like Dragon Ball isn’t created easily. It involves a long process of creating, scrapping, editing, and more, and everything needs to be perfect before it is showcased to manga readers and anime watchers.

Dragon Ball has received several movies and series, most of which have received positive reviews. Akira Toriyama also kept his eyes on the movie production process. For Dragon Ball Super: Broly Toriyama wrote the story and screenplay as well as supervised the character designs.

Toriyama Redrew Female Characters for Dragon Ball Super: Broly Movie Goku and Vegeta in Dragon Ball Super: Broly | Credits: Toei Animation

Akira Toriyama personally supervised Dragon Ball movies, and Dragon Ball Super: Broly is no different. Naohiro Shintani, a famous Japanese animator for Toei Animation, was the animation supervisor of the film.

The second season of Gyeongseong Creature might have diluted the interesting premise of the period piece monster fiction of the first season into a generic sci-fi storyline; it has also spread out a number of plot threads, some of which remain unresolved after the end of the season. The story arcs of new characters introduced in this season, especially Seung-Jo, hint at a continuation that will, following the tradition of the series, be quite different compared to the previous installments. Aside from that, a crucial plot point from the first season could find its way to shape up the future of the series, that too with the help of Seung-Jo’s machinations, as is foreshadowed through the narrative.

Spoilers Ahead

Why Did Seung-Jo Kill Lady Maede?

The Najin Crisis turns out to be the root of all evil in the second season as well, as the breeding ground of diabolical monstrosities—a destroyed Onseong hospital,...

And just when I thought that Gyeongseong Creature had finally ended, the second season dropped another end credits scene, therefore suggesting the possibility of a third season. However, before I jump into my nerdy theories, a small disclaimer for the fans: there hasn’t been an official confirmation yet, and the high tables at Netflix have yet to green-light the renewal of the show. [Spoiler Alert] Coming back to the narrative, the mid-credits scene revealed that Akiko’s son, Seung-jo, has taken over Jeonseong Biotech, founded by none other than Shin Ji-oh, the descendant of Dr. Ichiro, the man responsible for all the inhumane experimentation in Onseong Hospital in 1945. The show had previously established the fact that Lady Maeda had some sinister goal in mind, which she believed would trigger a major leap forward in human evolution. On her orders, Captain Kuroko and Ji-oh had been preparing a vast reserve of the Najin Parasite,...

Gyeongseong Creature season 2 was a mediocre continuation of the exciting story of a bioweapon in Japanese-occupied Korea. The new season set in the modern day plays a bit of hopscotch with its plot and ends quite randomly. Sure, there’s the great downfall of Maeda, but it doesn’t deliver the impactful blow that it’s supposed to; her character simply fizzles out without any kind of arc, which is a bit lame for such an important villain. There are a lot of questions left unanswered at the end of the second season, and obviously good hasn’t prevailed, but hey, we got the message, love conquers all, yeah? In season 2, we get introduced to Akiko’s son, Seung-Jo, who has been raised as Maeda’s son because the Najin from Akiko was inherited by Seung-Jo when she died. We already knew he’d have powers, as implied at the end of the first season,...

If you know me (I’ll admit most of you don’t), you know that I love every kind of K-drama under the sun, and I will root for anything Han So-Hee is in. But honestly, I’m just a bit tired of K-dramas trying to take the multi-season route instead of sticking to what they do best, making 16 consecutive full-length features. With that out of the way, I didn’t particularly enjoy the first season of Gyeongseong Creature either. Sure, there was chemistry, there was a decent enough plot, but it didn’t feel fresh or as fantastical as it was made out to be. Plus, the creatures just don’t work, in my opinion. However, I didn’t find myself bored in the middle of watching it. I was looking forward to what was coming next; it was only in retrospect that I noticed that I had some icks about the show,...

Gyeongseong Creature season 2’s ending reveals a shocking twist for fans of the popular K-drama. [Spoiler Alert] There’s going to be another season, and there’s an after-credit scene. But I think what the makers of the show have done is simply push all the actual details of this season right to the end so that we have to sit through a whole season of boring “what’s it going to be” plot twists right until the end. In this season of Gyeongseong Creature, we’ve moved on to the modern world, and Jang Ho-Jae spends half the season not knowing who he really is. It’s when he accidentally meets Yoon Chae-Ok, the love of his life, that he starts to realize there’s something off about him. It seems the man was in an accident a year earlier, and so he’s lost all of his memories; whatever he...

The official website for voice actor Kaori Maeda announced today that her second photo book titled "Koi no Kaori" (literally means "Scent of Love") is set to release from Japanese publisher Akita Shoten on October 24, 2024. It will have been three years since the photo sessions for her first photo book "Otona no Kaori" released in March 2022. Focusing on the original charms of Maeda — her “beautiful looks” and “friendly and penetratingly cheerful personality" —, all of the shooting sessions were held in in Okayama Prefecture, where many hidden Japanese original landscapes remained. The book is composed of situations in which Maeda, who is said to be the “No. 1 voice actor you want to have as a girlfriend,” and the reader (you) feel as if you are in a romantic movie. And for the first time, her swimsuit and nightwear photos are also included, which are rarely seen in her usual activities. "The...

Prominent Japanese publisher Kadokawa has created a breathtaking tribute to one of its decade-old animated hits. In collaboration with acclaimed Japanese artisan Motoharu Asaka, Kadokawa recently released a stunning Ukiyo-e style woodblock print for the beloved -- yet tragic -- 2010 action-drama series, Angel Beats.

Ukiyo-e is an ancient Japanese art style that involves carving and painting images onto woodblocks and pressing them onto handmade sheets of paper called hosho. Kadokawa's "Angel Under Cherry Blossoms" ukiyo-e print features Kanade Tachibana as an elegant, kimono-clad heroine. Per PR Times, this piece is extremely limited, with only 100 total copies having been produced. Accordingly, Kadokawa's online store, which offers international shipping via its affiliated WorldShopping service, is selling strictly on a first-come, first-serve basis. Additionally, prospective buyers will be required to pay a whopping 71,500 yen (US$454.98) to have the privilege of displaying this breathtaking artwork in their homes.

Related Seiko Releases Its Gorgeously Detailed...

The upcoming One Piece Season 2 has received a major production update from Netflix. This comes after nearly a year since the live-action series debuted its 8-episode first season.

Posted on YouTube, Netflix has unveiled a brand-new One Piece video featuring the main cast, including Iaki Godoy, Mackenyu, Emily Rudd, Jacob Romero Gibson, and Taz Skyler as they finally reunite in South Africa for the official production start of the popular shows next installment. Godoy, Mackenyu, Rudd, Gibson and Skyler are reprising their fan-favorite roles as Luffy, Zoro, Nami, Usopp and Sanji, respectively. In Season 2, the Straw Hats will be expanding their team with the long-awaited addition of Tony Tony Chopper, who, just like in the manga and anime, is expected to become the crews official ship doctor.

Related Netflix's Live-Action One Piece Series to Introduce 'Pretty Cool Powers' in Season 2

As they leave the East Blue Saga behind, One Piece...

Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga has become the first overseas feature to open at the top of the Japanese box office in 2024 and surpassed the opening for 2015’s Mad Max: Fury Road.

Despite a soft opening and declining figures for the Warner Bros. action feature elsewhere in the world, Furiosa scored a strong start for an international film in Japan, where audiences are increasingly turning toward local productions.

The film took $2.05m (¥318m) during its three-day opening weekend in Japan, recording 199,163 admissions from May 31 to June 2.

This exceeded figures for the opening weekend of Mad Max: Fury Road in Japan,...

The "One Piece" live-action adaptation is fantastic, setting a new standard for live-action adaptations of anime and manga. The show takes Eiichiro Oda's beloved and iconic manga and translates it to the screen in a way that is faithful, but also changes things when it makes for a better story — like bringing in Garp earlier and making him an overarching villain for the season. A key element to the adaptation is the cast, which is absolutely perfect and encapsulates why people fell in love with the story in the first place, bringing to life the tale of Monkey D. Luffy and his quest to get a pirate crew that will join him across perilous waters in search of the mythical treasure, One Piece.

Of course, adapting over 90 chapters into a single 8-hour season is bound to leave many things behind, and unfortunately one of those was a beloved character...

One of Japan’s most celebrated creatives, Mahiro Maeda, will be releasing his first-ever collection of works later this year, tentatively titled “Maeda Mahiro Zatsu Gashu (Masahiro Maeda’s Miscellaneous Art Collection).” Maeda is best known as a concept artist and director on multiple iterations of Evangelion , concepts on Mad Max: Fury Road , Kill Bill , Shin Godzilla , Shin Ultraman , and monster designs on Ssss.Gridman and Kaiju No. 8 . He is currently affiliated with Khara after starting Gonzo and being part of early Gainax. The book will cover over 100 previously released and unreleased materials from Maeda’s storied production history including the aforementioned works as well as Gunbuster , Gankutsuou and many more. Alongside the materials, which include large-scale drawings, concept art and more, will be historical anime commentary, background information and interviews with the people who worked alongside Maeda on these productions. Related: Photos: Evangelion Crossing Expo Uncovers Series' Merch History The...

George Miller has been the mastermind of the Mad Max franchise, dating back to the first film in 1979. The franchise has evolved in terms of his look and visual style in presenting a post-apocalyptic/dystopian desert wasteland where people and factions fight for resources. The director created history with 2015’s Mad Max: Fury Road nabbing 6 Oscars.

Tom Hardy as Max Rockatansky in Mad Max: Fury Road

Miller had already created a complete script for an original story for Imperator Furiosa which Charlize Theron played in Fury Road before shooting the film. After shooting Fury Road, the director planned to turn the origin story into an anime. However, those plans fell apart, but one of its concept arts from the script made its way into the upcoming Furiosa film starring Anya Taylor-Joy.

George Miller Managed to Bring Elements From His Cancelled Mad Max Anime Into Furiosa

Chris Hemsowrth’s Dementus in...

"Mad Max: Fury Road" is one of the best movies of all time — according to /Film — a masterpiece of action cinema and a masterclass in visual storytelling. It is also a bit of a live-action cartoon. Like the best live-action directors, George Miller pulls inspiration from "Looney Tunes" as much as he does live-action movies in making his post-apocalyptic epic, with a sense of logic, physics, pacing, and fun that feels more outlandish than grounded.

But before the movie came out and became a big hit and an Oscar winner, it went through development hell for literal decades, only to go through actual hell during filming. Development took so long and suffered so many setbacks that Miller looked at alternatives to "Fury Road," including telling a completely different story in animated form. Indeed, we know that in 2009 — between two "Happy Feet" movies — Miller considered making an R-rated 3D "Mad Max" anime instead,...

Netflix might be targeting a summer 2024 production start for the highly-anticipated One Piece Season 2. The live-action fantasy adventure series is based on Eiichiro Odas long-running manga of the same name.

Per Whats On Netflix, Netflix is reportedly planning to begin the production on One Piece Season 2 around mid-June 2024, which would last up to seven months until late January 2025. Just like the first installment, the cast and crew will be returning to South Africa to film the next season. This comes after over six months since the writers room for Season 2 officially opened, following the end of last years WGA strike. Until now, the streamer has yet to provide any official announcements regarding the shows new cast members and current release window.

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Related One Piece Live-Action Star Reveals How Long Hes Willing to Play Luffy Iaki Godoy, who portrays the role of Luffy in Netflixs One Piece, shares how long...

Netflix set the bar for live-action adaptations, and with One Piece, the streaming giant managed to raise the bar even higher. The show has been winning acclaim from all quarters, mainly due to its storytelling, and how faithful it has been to the manga.

Given the success of the first season, Netflix immediately greenlit a second season. With the show set to return soon, the platform has made one addition that could change the game. Joe Tracz is set to join the series as a co-showrunner.

The Netflix show will have a new co-showrunner (Source: One Piece)

Netflix adds Joe Tracz as the new co-showrunner for the second season of One Piece

One Piece is adapted from Eiichiro Oda’s manga of the same name. Matt Owens and Steven Maeda developed the live-action for the streaming platform, and it was a massive success. And now, with the stakes being much higher,...

Netflix’s One Piece may be the show that proves live-action anime can work, but creatives behind the scenes have still decided to shake things up for Season 2. According to Variety, Joe Tracz will replace Steven Maeda as the co-showrunner for the sophomore season of the fantasy series. Maeda developed the series with fellow showrunner Matt Owens but will step down to a less creative role. He will continue to serve as an executive producer while Tracz takes over his new duties. Variety did not report why Maeda had decided to step away from a series he helped steer, but Owens supported his new partner.

The “One Piece” live-action series at Netflix is bringing in Joe Tracz to serve as its new co-showrunner for Season 2.

Tracz will helm the popular series based on the Eiichiro Oda manga of the same name alongside Season 1 co-showrunner, writer, and executive producer Matt Owens. Steven Maeda, who developed the series with Owens and was co-showrunner on Season 1, will step down but continue to serve as an executive producer on the series.

“Joe has brought a wealth of enthusiasm and experience into our second season that will help take ‘One Piece’ to new heights,” Owens said. “We’re incredibly lucky to have him as a co-captain of this ship. The best crew on the seas grows larger!”

Tracz most recently worked as a writer and co-executive producer on the Disney+ series adaptation of “Percy Jackson and the Olympians.” He previously created the Netflix series “Dash & Lily” in addition to serving as showrunner.

Percy Jackson and the Olympians co-executive producer Joe Tracz has been confirmed as writer, executive producer and co-showrunner on the upcoming second season of Netflix’s breakout hit One Piece.

On the live-action adaptation of Eiichiro Oda’s beloved manga, he is working alongside returning Season 1 writer, executive producer and co-showrunner Matt Owens. Steve Maeda, who developed the series with Owens and served as Season 1 co-showrunner, remains an executive producer. Filming on Season 2 is expected to start in June for a 2025 premiere, sources said.

This marks a return to Netflix for Tracz who served as a writer-producer on the streamer’s A Series Of Unfortunate Events, based on the book series of the same name by Lemony Snicket, and as co-creator-executive producer on Dash & Lily, based on the YA books.

In his statement about joining One Piece, Tracz references his recent string of literary adaptations, and references’ Straw Hat...

Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga was first conceived as an anime project and has been ready for 15 years from a story-completion point of view. The Mad Max prequel producers, Doug Mitchell, and filmmaker George Miller, confirmed they had already cracked the story before shooting the acclaimed franchise entry, Fury Road.

Per GamesRadar, Mitchell made the disclosure to Total Film, "So Furiosa was ready, in a story sense, 15 years ago," he said. "And it's been percolating, the way things do in George's brain, ever since." Miller confirmed that it was indeed the case, stating "We had finished the script of Furiosa before we shot Fury Road." The producers first envisioned Furiosa as an anime project, previously titled The Peach, with Mahiro Maeda set to helm the film. Maeda has an extensive resume in the genre, having worked on numerous other projects, including the classic Neon Genesis Evangelion and one of the short films in The Animatrix.

Warner Bros. Japan announced on April 2, 2024, that Tsubasa Yamaguchi’s Blue Period manga will be getting a live-action film adaptation, with Gordon Maeda taking on the lead role. The film is scheduled to release on Aug 9, 2024.

A teaser trailer and visual were revealed to commemorate the announcement.

Cast includes:

Gordon Maeda as Yatora Yaguchi Fumiya Takahashi as Ryuji Ayukawa Rihito Itagaki as Yotasuke Takahashi Hiyori Sakurada as Maru Mori

Blue Period live-action film will be directed by Kentaro Hagiwara, who is known for his work on the Tokyo Ghoul film. Reiko Yoshida, who penned the screenplay for the Blue Period anime, will handle the screenplay for the film.

Mangaka Tsubasa Yamaguchi expressed her excitement on the film, stating, “After watching the film, I was deeply impressed by the things that couldn’t be expressed in the manga, such as the scenery I couldn’t see when I was drawing, the...

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Gyeongseong Creature season 2 shifts to modern-day Seoul, raising a lot of questions and mysteries. Both Han So-hee and Park Seo-joon will be in the new season. Gyeongseong Creature season 2 will have to explain a lot of things, including how Chae-ok can still be alive in 2024, and who "Ho-jae" really is.

Gyeongseong Creature season 2 has a lot of questions it needs to answer now that the K-drama starring Park Seo-joon and Han So-hee will take place in modern-day Seoul. Even though season 1, part 2 concluded in January, Gyeongseong Creature season 2 is part of Netflix’s K-content slate for 2024. Therefore, it will not take too long before the show solves some of the biggest mysteries created by the first season, particularly the post-credits scene set in 2024.

Gyeongseong Creature season 1’s finale left a lot of loose ends, the most important of which was the flashforward to 79 years into the future. It has since...

Based on the novel “Lost Care” by Aki Hamamaka, which won the 16th Japan Mystery Literature Award for Best Newcomer. “Do Unto Others” is a crime movie with a very interesting premise, which eventually becomes a pondering on the concept of euthanasia.

Do Unto Others is screening at Japan Foundation Touring Film Programme

Munenori Shiba works for a caretaking company and seems to be the most diligent employee, always going out of his way to help the elderly, and never actually complaining, in an overall attitude that has earned him respect from his colleagues, and even something more from a newcomer in the company, Yuki. The latter is also the one who discovers one day two dead bodies in a house the company is working at, one being the head of the company, Haru and the other the elderly man living there. Prosecutor Hidemi Otomo starts investigating the case with the help of her assistant,...

The titular character of Gyeongseong Creature is a repugnant monster created as a bioweapon by the Japanese military conducting their experiments on Korean nationals. Loosely based on the Unit 731 experiments, the show takes fictional liberties to personify the horrifying atrocities that took place during that period. It is those with the toughest minds that get the most pain inflicted on them. When Seishin drinks the Najin, she’s calm like the eye of a storm, despite the massive pain she’s enduring. The other woman in her position can’t control the fight with the Najin and ends up harming herself, desperately removing it from her body. Seishin is thick-skinned; even in the hospital, she looks after other people too. Maybe this is why the anthrax serum has such an effect on her, enhancing her strengths and making her massive in size.

Seishin’s story begins with Seong-Sim. While we...

The year’s only begun, and we’ve got a fantastic K-drama to scream about already. While Gyeongseong Creature retreads familiar territory when it comes to the plot and morals, it’s also a historical drama with an emotional impact on us viewers. As it is with K-dramas, we always get a little bit of it all: romance, thriller, family drama, comedy, sci-fi, fantasy—you name the genre, and chances are it’s included somehow. Gyeongseong Creature is one of those shows that you know, deep down, in the back of your mind, is going to end up sad in more than one way. It’s a historical drama, meaning war and death, of course. Yet, somehow, the end of this show will leave you more hopeful than you could’ve imagined. The show follows Tae-Sang, a self-made man who slowly learns that he can’t afford to be ignorant...

Warning: This article contains Spoilers for Gyeongseong Creature Part 2.

Lady Maeda, the main villain in Gyeongseong Creature, is revealed to have no remorse over her actions and uses the hospital experiment as a way to deal with her enemies. Lady Maeda's ultimate goal may have been to have her own private army, consolidating her power in Gyeongseong regardless of the war's outcome. Lady Maeda survives the explosion in the finale, possibly due to having the Najin inside her bloodstream or being saved by Kato, and is now living under his supervision.

Lady Maeda, Claudia Kim’s character in Gyeongseong Creature, was revealed to be the main villain behind it all. Although Gyeongseong Creature featured some of the tropes of the monster genre, the series focused more on the human drama than on the creature. The monster and the people who were infected were never the show’s scariest antagonists, as...

One could say Gyeongseong Creature is Korea’s answer to Stranger Things. While there are many similarities between the two sci-fi shows, they are, of course, based in different eras and play with our emotional heartstrings in unique ways. Gyeongseong Creature follows the owner of a pawnshop in Joseon-era Gyeongseong (present-day Seoul), a little bit before they got independence from the Japanese. The show follows Tae-Sang’s journey from a simple bystander to someone who cares for his people because of the atrocities he sees. It’s a simple story that poses the question, who is the real monster? As it goes with historical fiction, there will be deaths on both sides. So, while we wait patiently for the announcement of a second season, let’s look back at all the important characters that died in season 1.

Spoilers Ahead

Choi Yeong-Gwan

In part one of Gyeongseong Creature, we see some...

Despite its sci-fi-monster exterior, Gyeongseong Creature is simply a show about human endurance at the end of the day. A fictional account of Japan-occupied Korea, the show, starring Park Seo-Jun and Han Seo-Hee in leading roles, was split into two parts, one released at the end of 2023 and the second part released on January 5, 2024. While the first part of the series is all about the violence, the second, which is only 3 episodes long, is all about the feelings. Despite having a melancholic last episode, the end brings many unimaginable surprises, leaving us with the expectation of a second season. Let’s quickly dive into everything that happens in Gyeongseong Creature final episode.

Spoilers Ahead

What Happens To Chae-Ok After Killing Ichiro?

At the end of Episode 9 of Gyeongseong Creature, Chae-Ok decides to kill Ichiro to put an end to all the madness happening in Onseong Hospital. Naive notion, if you ask me.

The eighth episode of Gyeongseong Creature reveals the motives of Lady Maeda. There are multiple plot twists that this episode brings to the forefront. Now, there is not just one monster that the experiment has created, but another monster has been created as a result of an accident. The way Tang-sang manages to save himself from the hospital and then save Mr. Gu from the clutches of the Japanese officials has been highlighted. There are multiple events that have been shed light on in this episode to ensure that there is an in-depth plot development. Let’s find out what course of events this episode unveils!

Spoilers Ahead

What Was Lady Maeda Up To?

Lady Maeda was the one who got Myeong-ja kidnapped, and it was revealed that she was the main source to have funded the experiments in the hospital. Later, Lady Maeda came to visit Seishin to see...

Gyeongseong Creature was one of the most highly anticipated Korean series of the year. The show, which stars Park Seo-Joon and Han Seo-Hee in lead roles, has garnered a lot of attention for its horror-thriller-drama plotline and leading couple. Although the overall messaging of the show is quite on the nose, it’s littered with many gripping subplots to keep us entertained. One of them is the story of the courtesan Myeong-Ja. The show is set in 1945, when Japan occupied Korea. Set in the capital city of Gyeongseong, the show follows Tae-Sang, one of the wealthiest men in the city, who is tasked by Police Commissioner Ishikawa to find Myeong-Ja, his concubine. She’s pregnant with his child, and he wants her back alive and well. If Tae-Sang is unable to find her, he loses all his assets, everything that made him the reliable man that everyone in Gyeongseong adores.

The dystopian world that has been portrayed in Gyeongseong Creature, can be compared to the one in the other Korean series, Sweet Home. The experiments had given rise to a dangerous monster that was causing the deaths of many people. The horror series focuses on the fact that by going against the laws of nature, humans have only been harming themselves in the long run. There are several secrets that are to be revealed in the second episode, regarding the real identity of Sachimoto and the revelation of the secrets behind Chae-Ok’s mother’s disappearance. Will Chae-Ok be able to find her mother and Myeong-Ja? Will Tae-sang be able to find Sachimoto’s secret for helping out Chae-ok? Let’s find out!

Spoilers Ahead

What Was Sachimoto’s Up To At The Ongseong Hospital?

The Ongseong Hospital in Gyeongseong had decided to appoint Sachimoto Ryu, a student of the Tokyo University of Arts,...

Anime has the incredible ability to tackle the impossible where nothing is off limits, whether it’s fantastical adventures, giant robot mayhem, or even a deconstruction of popular sports and recreational pastimes. Anime embraces every sport imaginable, no matter how niche, but there’s been a surprising amount of series that explore the highs and lows of boxing.

Boxing is in the middle of a cinematic renaissance after movies like Creed III, Big George Foreman, and Prizefighter. Anime has respected this demanding activity for decades and it’s fascinating to look back on the medium’s diverse history with the sport, as well as which boxing anime deserve to be crowned heavyweight champions.

Updated by Sage Ashford on November 30th 2023: This list has been updated to offer more information on the best boxing anime.

Related 10 Best Sports Anime That Aren't About Mainstream Games Many of the best sports anime...

One Piece's success as a live-action anime adaptation can be attributed to capturing the scale and emotional character development of the source material. The involvement of creator Eiichiro Oda throughout development and production played a crucial role in maintaining faithfulness to the original story. One Piece set a precedent for future live-action adaptations by staying true to its source material, contrasting with the polarizing and deviation-heavy approaches of Cowboy Bebop and Death Note.

Following the show's successful debut run on the streamer, showrunner Steven Maeda weighs in on why Netflix's One Piece broke the live-action anime curse. Chronicling the adventures of aspiring King of the Pirates Monkey D. Luffy and his crew the Straw Hat Pirates, the Netflix show marked the latest live-action adaptation from the streaming platform following 2017's Death Note movie and the 2021 Cowboy Bebop show. Unlike these other efforts, One Piece garnered rave reviews from...