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It's been almost six months since the first installment of Mononoke came to Western screens, and even though fans of the franchise knew that the sequel was bound to be announced at some point, they've had to hold their breath for a while until it finally became official. But now we can start counting down: Netflix announced today that Mononoke The Movie: Chapter II — The Ashes of Rage is debuting on the platform on August 14.

Mononokewill continue to follow the Medicine Seller (voiced by Hiroshi Kamiya) as he uses his detective and fighting skills to help a community get rid of an evil spirit. If in the first movie it felt like the protagonist was pushed to his limit in order to fight a massive foe, this time around it looks like he'll have to pull off something similar to come out the other side. Mononoke The Movie: Chapter II...

It's the weekend once again, so the Bam Smack Pow team is here with the biggest anime news of the past week. This week, we're focusing on some recent announcements of new releases coming up in the next few months — and an update on the second season of one of the biggest anime hits of the past year. Then, we've got another anime recommendation, and this one is going to be appeal to fitness buffs.

Crunchyroll to distribute Jujutsu Kaisen movie internationally © Gege Akutami/Shueisha, Jujutsu Kaisen Project

During the ongoing Annecy International Animation Film Festival, Crunchyroll has announced that it will be handling the global distribution of the Jujutsu Kaisen feature-length theatrical release Jujutsu Kaisen: Hidden Inventory / Premature Death – The Movie later this summer. Specific dates were not announced in Crunchyroll's announcement at Annecy, but the streaming service did confirm that the upcoming movie will be released...

Dance-centric sports anime Wandance is filling out its ranks today with five new cast members, comprising the dance club at the center of the new series. The news comes with five sets of character art, showing off how the characters will look onscreen. Joining the cast are: On Miyao voiced by Ayaka Suwa (Chris in Konosuba ) Iori Itsukushima voiced by Toshiki Masuda (Eijiro in My Hero Academia ) Related: Wandance Anime Adaptation Announced for 2025 Gaku Kabeya voiced by Yuma Uchida (Reo Mikage in Blue Lock ) Usen Takumi voiced by Yuu Hayashi (Mikey in Tokyo Revengers ) Assay voiced by Chikahiro Kobayashi (Saichi Sugimoto in Golden Kamuy ) Related: Wandance Anime Reveals Main Cast, October 2025 Release The series will stream internationally on Disney+ when it premieres this October. Studios Madhouse ( Frieren: Beyond Journey's End ) and Cyclone Graphics are producing the animation, with Michiya Kato ( Bubble visual effects supervisor) serving as director and K-Pop choreographer Riehata as dance producer.

The official website of Golden Kamuy announced that the anime is returning with a new Ova episode and a bonus mini-episode, both set to release on Oct 17, 2025, as part of a limited Blu-ray bundle accompanying the franchise’s first official spinoff novel.

Ova is based on the Lightning Thief and Viper Ogin arc from the original manga, while the mini episode is titled Shimaenaga.

Both stories are being animated by Brain’s Base, with Shizutaka Sugahara serving as chief director.

The spin-off novel is written by Amon Ibuki, and is titled Tsurumi Tokushirou No Shukugan. This marks the franchise’s first full-length side story outside of Satoru Noda’s original manga.

It will explore events during the Russo-Japanese War, focusing on Lieutenant Tsurumi and the 7th Division.

The Blu-ray bundle is available for preorder until Aug 18, 2025. It is priced at 5,368 yen.

Moreover, a new key visual for the Ova was...

While we await the final season of Golden Kamuy , an anime Ova will be released later this year bundled with the first-ever spin-off novel for the series. The Ova adapts chapter 102 of Satoru Noda's original manga, The Lightning Thief and Viper Ogin , which focuses on the backstory of fan-favorite characters Ogin and Keiichiro Sakamoto. A visual featuring the pair was released. Golden Kamuy Anime The Lightning Thief and Viper Ogin Ova Visual The Ova is paired with the special edition of the first novel in the series, penned by mystery writer Amon Ibuki. The novel follows surprising incidents that Lieutenant Tsurumi and the members of the 7th Division encounter during the Russo-Japanese War. Both the regular edition and the special edition, which comes with the Ova, will be released in Japan on October 17. Pre-orders for the special edition close on August 18. Related: Golden Kamuy Anime Teams up With Noboribetsu...

Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End has left its mark on the global anime community like no other anime in recent times. In fact, it’s even hard to find any shortcomings that the series might have, unless you’re a straight-up critic. Now, although the series is already excellent as it is, there’s one thing that the anime could’ve done differently if the author had considered it.

Well, you can’t deny that the Japanese anime we’ve all grown up watching probably has the most diverse array of stories to tell. Throughout the years, it has inspired several other movies and series while maintaining the same level of quality even to this day. But now, if you look into it, you’d notice that we don’t really have a renowned “Treasure Hunt” series to talk about.

There is a clear lack of good Treasure Hunt anime within...

The state of the action-adventure genre is currently in a state of flux. Harrison Ford donned the hat one last time for The Dial of Destiny, and that was a massive disappointment. Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom was almost unwatchable. Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Amongst Thieves was fine, but it did flop at the box office for reasons I don’t really know. Meanwhile, in the Ott space, the genre is flourishing. Golden Kamuy was a massive hit. Bandidos was really popular amongst fans of puzzle-solving and heists. Time Bandits was quite fun. And then, of course, there was the live-action iteration of One Piece, which took the world by storm. So, what does that exactly mean? That people are not okay with two-hour-plus globe-trotting adventures but are comfortable with watching the same in an episodic fashion? That they are okay with witnessing exotic locales from the comfort of their...

MangaDex, the popular online repository for fan-translated manga, has been subjected to a sweeping wave of DMCA (Digital Millennium Copyright Act) takedown notices throughout May, leading to the removal of thousands of chapters across an estimated 700 manga titles.

The actions, initiated by a consortium of Japanese and Korean publishers, have been described by a site moderator to MangaAlerts as the first time a takedown happened on this scale.

While an official comprehensive list is not yet available, titles compiled by fans and reported to be affected include well-known works such as 20th Century Boys, Akira, Azumanga Daioh, Claymore, Dragon Ball (and related content), Frieren, Golden Kamuy, Hajime No Ippo, JoJolion, Jujutsu Kaisen, Kaiji, Kuroko no Basket, Mushishi, Nana, One Piece, Oyasumi Punpun, Solo Leveling, Spy x Family, The Apothecary Diaries (both series), and Vinland Saga, among hundreds of others.

The chapters have now been replaced with links to the official...

The winners of this year’s 29th Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize were announced today . Top honors went to the semi-autobiographical manga 1-Byo 24-Koma no Boku no Jinsei (My Life at 24 Frames per Second) by famed anime director Rintaro, best known for directing Metropolis , the Galaxy Express 999 film, X/1999, and many more. The Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize began to commemorate manga pioneer Osamu Tezuka and is awarded to manga that promotes the progress of the medium. Previous winners include Naoki Urasawa for Monster , Uoto for Chi: On the Movements of the Earth and Satoru Noda for Golden Kamuy . Alongside the Grand Prize, Shiho Kido won the New Creator Prize for their work When the Chameleon Flowers Bloom and Shunji Enomoto won the Short Work Prize for The Kinks . Rintaro will get a bronze statue and 2 million yen for the Grand Prize, while Kido and Enomoto receive a bronze statue and 1 million yen.

The official website for Studio 4℃'s new original anime movie ChaO released a teaser trailer and visual today, announcing the movie will theatrically release August 15, 2025 in Japan. ChaO Teaser Trailer Teaser Visual The site also announced the film's two leading voice cast members — Ouji Suzuka as the human protagonist, Stefan, and Anna Yamada as ChaO, a princess from the mermaid kingdom. Suzuka has appeared in high-profile live-action series such as the TV drama silent and the Netflix drama Kimi ni Todoke . He is also an exclusive model for Japanese men's fashion magazine Men's Non-no. He previously voiced the protagonist character Kaoru Touno in the 2022 anime film The Tunnel to Summer, the Exit of Goodbyes . Yamada is known as the main heroine Asirpa in the Golden Kamuy live-action series. While she made a guest voice appearance in the 2012 film Detective Conan: The Eleventh Striker in the past, this is the first...

At the same time as the stage event at AnimeJapan 2025 today, the official X (formerly Twitter) for the upcoming TV anime The Stunned Hero and the Assassin Princesses announced that the anime is set to premiere in July 2025. Related: The Stunned Hero and the Assassin Princesses Anime Adaptation Announced for 2025 The original manga series created by created by Norishiro-chan (story) and Yukiji Setsuda (arts) has been serialized in Akita Shoten's Weekly Shonen Champion magazine since October 2022, releasing ten tankobon volumes to date. Noriaki Akitaya directs The Stunned Hero and the Assassin Princesses at studio Connect, with series composition by Michiko Yokote ( Campfire Cooking in Another World with My Absurd Skill ), character designs by Takao Sano ( Restaurant to Another World ) and music by Shun Narita ( The Unwanted Undead Adventurer ). Main voice cast members include: Toto voiced by Shunsuke Takeuchi (Harumi in My Senpai Is Annoying ) Ciel voiced by Iori Saeki...

Netflix’s Golden Kamuy series begins from where it left off at the end of its prequel, which happened to be a film that was released in 2024. This is one of those rare times when the makers have converted the sequel of a film into an entire 9-episode series, and I couldn’t help but ask why they had to do that. I believe the popularity of the manga series on which it is based might have been the reason behind this decision. If I made a list of series or films in recent times that tested my patience, then Golden Kamuy would show up for sure. With absurd humor, unnecessary subplots that stretched the story way beyond its potential, a predictable narrative, and some caricaturish characters, the series was an unbearable watch. That said, let’s go through the events that took place in part 2 and see if we...

When it comes to adaptations of manga, comic books, or novels, literary fans always make it seem like it’s mandatory to be familiar with the original text to enjoy its live-action or animated counterpart. But I beg to differ. In my opinion, any good-to-decent piece of art can be enjoyed independently. You don’t have to be aware of every little detail, fan theory, and retcon in order to appreciate the work that has gone into transforming a few words or images on a page into a feature film or TV show. I can say that because I had no idea that something called Golden Kamuy existed until Shigeaki Kubo’s incredibly ambitious project landed on Netflix. I was in awe of its storytelling. The action was genuinely jaw-dropping. The VFX and CGI were flawless. The production design, the cinematography, and the editing were top-notch. And the performances from...

The 67th edition of the Blue Ribbon Awards, presented by the Association of Tokyo Film Journalists, has announced its winners on January 28, 2025. The nominees and winners are selected from movies released in 2024 by members of the Association who are film reporters from seven sports newspapers in Tokyo. Indie movie “A Samurai in Time” was the surprise hit last year and has picked up a double win for Best Film and Best Actor. Likewise for Yu Irie‘s “A Girl Named Ann” bagging the Best Director and Best Actress awards.

Best Film

A Girl Named Ann

Abudeka Is Back

Let’s Go Karaoke!

52-Hertz Whales

A Samurai in Time

11 Rebels

Faceless

All the Long Nights

Last Mile

Look Back

Best Director

Yu Irie – A Girl Named Ann

Kazuya Shiraishi – 11 Rebels, Bushido

Ayuko Tsukahara – Last Mile, La Grande Maison Paris

Michihito Fujii – Faceless, 18×2 Beyond Youthful Days

Junichi Yasuda – A Samurai in Time

Best...

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 Motion Picture Producers Association of Japan (Mppa) — an industry organization comprised of the four major motion picture production and distribution companies including Shochiku, Toho, Toei and Kadokawa Pictures — held a New Year's press conference in Tokyo on January 29 to announce the Japanese box office data for fiscal year 2024. According to the data published on Mppa's official website , 1,190 films (685 Japanese and 505 foreign films) were released in Japan in 2024. The number of admissions was 144.44 million, down 11.09 million from the previous year. Japanese films earned a record 155.8 billion yen (1.04 billion Usd), while foreign films fell to 51.1 billion yen (329 million Usd), down 69.8 percent from the previous year. In total, the overall annual box-office gross was 206.983 billion yen (1.33 billion Usd), which was down 6.7 percent from the previous year and the 11th-highest record since 2000. Related : 12 Anime Films Which Surpassed One Billion Yen Box Office Revenue in 2023 The number of Japanese films with box-office revenues...

Japan’s box office fell 6.5% to $1.33bn (¥207bn) in 2024 due to a large drop in takings for US features, despite strong earnings for local titles.

Overall admissions were 7.1% down to 144.4 million, according to data published by the Motion Picture Producers Association of Japan (Eiren). The figures remain some distance from pre-pandemic 2019, when the gross box office was $1.55bn (¥242bn) from 195 million admissions.

Scroll down for the top 30 titles

It was a positive picture for Japanese films, which took $1bn (¥156bn) at the local box office, up 5.1% year-on-year and comprising 75% of total takings. Topping the chart was anime Detective Conan: The Million-dollar Pentagram,...

Golden Kamuy is one of the most successful seinen anime and manga franchises in the past decade, with the series standing out thanks to its realistic historical setting. Now, a new adaptation of the story is headed to Netflix next month.

Golden Kamuy -The Hunt of Prisoners in Hokkaido is a new live-action series based on the original Satoru Noda manga. Continuing the story of a previous adaptation, the show's trailer has now been released online. Showcasing the new characters joining the mix, it gives fans a glimpse of the latest take on the story ahead of its release on Netflix on Feb. 6, 2025.

Related Today Is a Good Day for Hajime no Ippo Fans

Hajime no Ippo, one of the greatest and most influential sports anime of all time, returns to streaming platform Netflix with additional episodes.

The Newest Golden Kamuy Series Streams on Netflix This February

Golden Kamuy -The Hunt of Prisoners in Hokkaido...

The Netflix February 2025 originals, movies and TV series have been revealed and can be viewed below. The streaming service has also announced the list of movies and TV series leaving next month.

The Netflix February 2025 schedule includes such titles as Apple Cider Vinegar, Cassandra, Celebrity Bear Hunt, Cobra Kai Season 6: Part 3, Full Swing Season 3, Gabby’s Dollhouse Season 11 and Kinda Pregnant.

Cobra Kai Season 6: Part 3

Also coming are La Dolce Villa, Love Is Blind Season 8, Pokémon Horizons Season 2, Running Point, Sakamoto Days, Surviving Black Hawk Down, Sweet Magnolias Season 4, The Witcher: Sirens of the Deep and Zero Day.

The February schedule includes the comedy specials Felipe Esparza: Raging Fool and Rosebud Baker: The Mother Lode.

Netflix February 2025 Schedule

February Tba

A Copenhagen Love Story (Dk) — Netflix Film

After author Mia finds love with single father Emil, their happiness is put to the test as they undergo fertility treatments to have kids of their own.

The 48th annual Japan Academy Film Prizes, also known as Japan Academy Awards, has revealed its nominees for Excellent Animation Award on Jan 21, 2025, with Look Back, Haikyu!! The Dumpster Battle, and 3 other anime films among the contenders.

The nominated anime films are:

Mobile Suit Gundam Seed Freedom Haikyu!! The Dumpster Battle Case Closed: The Million-dollar Pentagram Look Back Give It All

In addition to the animated categories, Asuka Saito, Anna Yamada, and Rihito Itagaki, known for their roles in the live-action adaptations of Oshi No Ko, Golden Kamuy, and Cells At Work! respectively, are all nominated for the Best New Actor category.

In the Outstanding Supporting Actress category, Mana Ashida has earned a nomination for her role as Niko Urushizaki in the live-action adaptation of Cells at Work!.

Go Ayano has been nominated for Outstanding Actor for his role as Kyouji Narita in the live-action film adaptation of Yama Wayama’s Let’s Go Karaoke!

The TV anime adaptation of Eterouji Shiono's Ubel Blatt manga made its debut today, and with the premiere comes the announcement of nine new cast members. Gen Sato, Kaori Maeda and more are among the latest additions, and you can see the full list below. Additional cast includes: Zeffi voiced by Gen Sato (Chrome in Dr. Stone ) Rozen voiced by Kenji Hamada (Erald Grimwald in That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime ) Ichfeis voiced by Tomohiro Ono (Makoto Shibe in Tomodachi Game ) Elsaria voiced by Kaori Maeda (Nice Nature in Umamusume: Pretty Derby ) Schemlie voiced by Shiori Sugiura (Ririka Kenzaki in Liz and the Blue Bird ) Krentz voiced by Mitsuki Nakamura (Galixon Tazaki in Yu-Gi-Oh! Sevens ) Eltzen voiced by Yukari Shimotsuki Dariste voiced by Kenji Nomura (Tatsuma Ushiyama in Golden Kamuy ) Kalkris voiced by Shinnosuke Tokudome (Takayan in Bikkurimen ) Related: Ubel Blatt TV Anime Unveils New Trailer and Key...

If your name is Henry Walton "Indiana" Jones Jr., look away now. As for the rest of you, we wish you a Happy New Year! And so do many of our favorite anime titles, among others, who've provided a hiss-toric number of Year of the Snake-themed artwork and depictions of characters keeping warm, visiting shrines and eating mochi to kick off 2025. Related: Roundup: Scale Up Your 2024 Celebrations with Over 100 Anime New Year's Visuals and Illustrations 9-nine- Ruler's Crown via official X (formerly Twitter) A Couple of Cuckoos via author's X (formerly Twitter) A Journey Through Another World: Raising Kids While Adventuring via author's X (formerly Twitter) A Sign of Affection via author's X (formerly Twitter) A Terrified Teacher at Ghoul School! via author's X (formerly Twitter) Actas Animation via official X (formerly Twitter) Aggretsuko via official X (formerly Twitter) Alya Sometimes Hides Her Feelings in Russian via official X...

Oshi no Ko's new live-action drama series has made history with its latest achievement, breaking the Amazon Prime Video 30-day streaming viewership record in Japan for any Amazon-original series.

Via Ann, the Oshi no Ko live-action website revealed that 30 days after its premiere, the series racked up the highest domestic viewership of any Amazon original series. Oshi no Ko premiered on the platform on Nov. 28 and ended earlier this month on Dec. 5. As previously announced, the live-action will conclude as a film sequel, with Toei distributing it in theaters in Japan starting on Dec. 20.

Related "If She Were Still Alive": Oshi no Ko Creator Reveals Ai Hoshino's Would-Be Future Career

A major fashion magazine reveals a cover design featuring Oshi no Ko's Ai, with series creator Mengo Yokoyari opening up about would-be future career.

Oshi no Ko Makes History With New Amazon Prime Video Streaming Record

Despite the series' success,...

The live-action film adaptation of Akane Shimizu's manga series Cells at Work! kept its first-place position in the Japan Top 10 box-office for two consecutive weekends now, according to Kogyo Tsushinsha . The movie recorded earnings of 532 million yen (3.38 million Usd) on 386,000 admissions in its second weekend, a 37% week-on-week drop from its opening weekend , The film's official X (formerly Twitter) also reported that the cumulative total gross since releasing on December 13 now stands at 1.75 billion yen (11.13 million Usd) earned from 1.28 million ticket sales, making it the third highest-grossing Japanese live-action film adaptation of popular manga in 2024, behind Kingdom: Return of the Great General ( 8.03 billion yen ) and Golden Kamuy (3 billion yen). Gekijoban Nintama Rantaro Dokutake Ninja-tai Saikyou no Gunshi (translated to Nintama Rantaro the Movie: The Strongest Strategist of the Dokutake Ninja Squad ), the first theatrical film from the long-running Nintama Rantaro anime series in 13 years, opened in 328 theaters across Japan on...

After four years off the air, Fire Force Season 3 is coming in hot on Crunchyroll in Spring 2025, with the streaming platform revealing the anime series' exciting new main trailer, teaser visual, and staff at Ccxp.

The highly awaited Fire Force Season 3 revealed a new trailer at Ccxp in Brazil. Via a press release, Crunchyroll announced its simulcast acquisition; the first cour will air in April 2025, followed by its second in January 2026. Season 3 will be the final season of the anime. Readers can check out the new trailer, visual and staff information below.

Related Attack on Titan: The Last Attack Gets Major Update With Worldwide Theatrical Reveal

Mappa's highly anticipated Attack on Titan: The Last Attack omnibus anime film gets a release window across several territories globally.

Fire Force Season 3 Gets New Trailer Ahead of April 2025 Crunchyroll Release

Director Tatsuma Minamikawa returns to direct Fire Force Season 3 after taking over...

The live-action adaptation of Golden Kamuy is set to continue with a sequel film.

The announcement was made following the airing of the final episode of the Wowow drama series Golden Kamuy: Hokkaido Irezumi Shuzin Soudatsu-hen on Dec 1.

A teaser has been revealed to commemorate the announcement.

The first live-action film premiered in Japanese theaters on Jan 19, 2024. The sequel drama series aired on Wowow on Oct 6.

The creative team behind the drama included directors Kenji Katagiri, Ken Ochiai, and Yosuke Sato, who joined Shigeaki Kubo, the film’s director.

The series also featured music by Yoshiaki Dewa, who collaborated with Yutaka Yamada, the composer of the film.

Golden Kamuy is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Satoru Noda. It was serialized in Shueisha’s seinen manga magazine Weekly Young Jump from August 2014 to April 2022, with its chapters collected in thirty-one tankōbon volumes.

An anime television series adaptation produced...

More live-action Golden Kamuy is on the way, because a sequel to the 2024 Golden Kamuy live-action film has been announced. At the time of this reporting, few details about the new film production have yet been revealed, although it has been confirmed that the main cast from the film and the subsequent 2024 Wowow TV drama will reprise their roles. Additionally, it has been confirmed that the second film will pick up the story where the TV drama leaves off. Golden Kamuy Sequel Film Announcement Teaser Related: So You Want to Get Into Japanese Historical Anime? Here's What to Watch! Shueisha serialized the original Golden Kamuy manga by Satoru Noda from August 2014 - April 2022 in their Weekly Young Jump seinen manga magazine. Viz Media also publishes an English language version. Shigeaki Kubo directs the live-action film adaptation, and Kento Yamazaki and Anna Yamada star as Sugimoto and Asirpa, respectively. Netflix currently streams the live-action film.

Being a Canadian born in the Maritime province of New Brunswick and raised on the edge of rural Ontario, hockey was an inescapable, all-consuming passion seemingly anywhere I went. But as a nerdy child who drifted toward anime and manga, I was outside the gravitational pull of my nation's favorite pastime, content instead with reading about everything from Go players to seinen dark fantasy. With Dogsred's surprising introduction, I finally got to embrace the best of both worlds, with the manga speaking to me on a near-spiritual level as a Canadian, seeing hockey through the eyes of Satoru Noda.

Satoru Noda launched Dogsred on July 27, 2023, in the seinen Weekly Young Jump magazine following the best-selling success of Golden Kamuy, with Dogsred itself being a remake of Supinamarada! The manga showcases Noda's obvious adoration for the sport popularized and perfected by generations of the Great White North. However, it's also an...

With Oshi no Ko releasing its final chapter this week, eagle-eyed fans were quick to spot glimpses at a new fantasy manga teased coming in Spring 2025. As spotted on an announcement page for Shueisha's Weekly Young Jump and shared by Manga Mogura of X (formerly Twitter) Aka Akasaka is reportedly set to work with Ajichika, the four-person art team behind Record of Ragnarok, on a new fairytale adventure. Given Ajichika's excellent action and character designs and Akasaka's penchant for cerebral storytelling and adding depth and intrigue to the saccharine visual, Weekly Young Jump may have a new hit coming.

Weekly Young Jump is the Shueisha seinen periodical known for releasing long-running hits such as Kingdom, Golden Kamuy, Tokyo Ghoul, Real, and many more, with Akasaka being a regular contributor to their serials at this point. With Oshi no Ko, Kaguya-sama: Love Is War, and Renai Daik all published by Akasaka in Weekly Young Jump,...

As Shogun was bathing in the glory of its record 18 wins at the Emmy Awards ceremony at Los Angeles’ Peacock Theater in September, Japanese director Takeshi Fukunaga was caked in mud and sweat in a small village on Hokkaido. He was there with a tiny crew to shoot a bear ritual of the indigenous Ainu people of Japan’s northernmost islands that was being performed for the first time in decades.

Fukunaga plans to use the footage for a follow-up to his documentary Ainu Puri, which translates as “Ainu ways” in English, that is screening at this year’s Tokyo International Film Festival. Both the current doc and the new project are far removed from the huge budgets and large-scale productions he experienced on FX’s Shogun and Max’s Tokyo Vice as the only Japan-born director to helm episodes on both acclaimed series. Fukunaga seems to move largely frictionless between the two worlds,...

Kowloon Generic Romance , a mystery romance manga series by Jun Mayuzuki ( After the Rain ), will be adapted into a TV anime and live-action movie in 2025. The official website for the adaptation project is also open today, with a trailer introducing the main cast members of both the anime and live-action. The manga has been serialized in Shueisha's Weekly Young Jump since November 2019, releasing nine tankoboon volumes to date. Yen Press, which has published the manga's English edition since August 2022, describes the synopsis: Struck by a reality they didn’t wish for, some ask, “Do I not exist in this world?” They can confirm their own presence, and Kowloon’s, and they can even smell and taste...In this town filled with secrets, Kujirai doubts her own existence. Each day is painful, but will it be different if Kudou is by her side? In the TV anime, Haruka Shiraishi (Asirpa...

Japan is looking to preserve its largest cultural export -- anime and manga -- and is now in talks with some of the industry's most prolific creators to explore how to achieve just that. The Agency for Cultural Affairs recently sat down with Hideaki Anno, the famed creator of Neon Genesis Evangelion, to find a path forward to preservation.

While post-war Japan became known for its cost-effective automobiles and innovative technology, its contemporary image has been shaped by anime and manga. While not the first of its kind, the global success of Osamu Tezukas Astro Boy (also known as Mighty Atom) set off a chain of events that culminated in former U.S. president Barack Obama thanking then-Prime Minister of Japan Shinzo Abe for the countrys cultural contributions. This also aided in shaping what many current anime fans view as the common '90s American childhood experience.

Related Evangelion's...

Singer-songwriter Sayuri passed away on September 20 at the age of 28. Her husband Amaarashi announced the news on her official X (formerly Twitter) on September 27. The funeral service was conducted only by relatives and related persons in accordance with the wishes of the bereaved family. The statement reads: "We would like to express our sincere gratitude for the kindness shown to Sayuri in her lifetime, and offer our heartfelt condolences with all of you. We respectfully ask that the media refrain from interviewing any of the people involved, out of respect for the deep grief of the family and relatives of Sayuri." Amaarashi also wrote on his own official X : "Even until the end of her life, when she was battling with a chronic illness, she was truly devoted to music. There is not much I can tell you, but this is an undeniable truth. Please accept the love that Sayuri-san gave birth to,...

The Bat-Family flies into action in the latest character clip released today for the upcoming Batman Ninja vs. Yakuza League . The sequel to the Batman Ninja film is currently in production, but there's plenty more to see — and more still if you plan to attend next month's New York Comic-Con! Check out the new character clip, showing Batman, Robin, Nightwing and the rest: Related: Batman Ninja vs. Yakuza League Anime Film Trailer Revealed Confirmed cast to appear in the film now include: Batman/Bruce Wayne: Koichi Yamadera (Spike Spiegel in Cowboy Bebop ) Robin: Yuuki Kaji (Eren Yeager in Attack on Titan ) Red Robin: Kengo Kawanishi (Soshiro Hoshina in Kaiju No. 8 ) Nightwing: Daisuke Ono (Sebastian Michaelis in Black Butler ) Red Hood: Akira Ishida (Kaworu Nagisa in Neon Genesis Evangelion ) Alfred: Hochu Otsuka (Jiraiya in Naruto ) Commissioner Gordon: Masaki Terasoma (Kiroranke in Golden Kamuy ) Related: Batman Ninja vs. Yakuza League Anime Film...

In the 2000s, Studio Bones twice transmuted Hiromu Arakawa's manga "Fullmetal Alchemist" into anime. The second series, "Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood," is more faithful to the source material (it helps when you have the whole story to adapt). That said, it makes changes too. Much more subtle changes than the 2003 "Fullmetal Alchemist" series, but changes nonetheless, from creating new villains to condensing the story. In particular, "Brotherhood" crams volume 15 of the manga — one of its most impactful arcs — into episode 30: "The Ishvalan War of Extermination."

"Fullmetal Alchemist" is set in a steampunk version of 1900s Europe where alchemy is a real science. The main setting is Amestris, an expansive imperial state at war on all sides and ruled by a military dictatorship from within. Alchemists can become State Alchemists ("dogs of the military") to receive grant funding in exchange for answering a call to arms when requested.

The flashback...

Twin Engine, an animation planning and production company, and Straight Edge, an IP production and writer management company, will hold a publicly solicited literary award, "Anime de Sekai he! Novel Award" (Aniseka Novel Award for short). The winning work is guaranteed to be published in book form and get its anime adaptation. Twin Engine has planned and produced many anime works such as Golden Kamuy and My Deer Friend Nokotan , and some of the most popular light novels produced by Straight Edge include Reki Kawahara's Sword Art Online and Tsutomu Sato's The Irregular at Magic High School . The project's website states that the goal of the project is "to meet outstanding talents, work with them to realize anime adaptation, and send it to the world." In addition to anime adaptation, a variety of multimedia development, such as comicalization or game adaptation, are also planned. There are no restrictions on genre,...

Satoru Noda created Golden Kamuy, one of the best treasure hunt stories in existence. Of course, another huge competitor is Eiichiro Oda’s One Piece, one of the Shonen Big 3. However, it would be wrong to say Golden Kamuy is any less just because it is not as popular as One Piece.

Golden Kamuy has been one of the best all-encompassing genre anime in recent times. The story has tragedy, drama, comedy, dark humor, gore, and everything you could ask for. The only missing element is the opportunity to let the readers get bored.

Satoru Noda Prizes Character Building in Golden Kamuy Saichi Sugimoto in Golden Kamuy | Credits: Viz Media

In an interview with Satoru Noda and Yukimura Makoto, the author of Golden Kamuy discussed the ins and outs of a treasure-hunting story. Golden Kamuy is not just a simple story of a treasure chase. Rather than the same old plot cliches,...

If Japanese historical anime have no fans, then I am dead. Jokes aside, am I the only one who believes this subgenre is underappreciated? I’m no historian, but I took a few courses on Japanese history during my university days, so recognizing the time periods, historical events and famous figures helped me understand each of these shows' stories, worlds and characters. Whether it’s your first time with Japanese historical anime or you’re looking for one you haven’t seen yet, here are a few that I feel you should start watching. In This Guide Historical Realism Historical Fantasy Historical Realism The following Japanese historical anime depict specific time periods, events and famous figures with little to no fantasy elements. While not all characters are based on real people and certain actions are exaggerated, these shows, in my opinion, would fall under realism. 1. The Elusive Samurai The newest...

The official YouTube channel for voice actor Tasuku Hatanaka has started streaming a short version music video for his upcoming ninth CD single song "It's time to fly!." The theme of his first self-produced single is “Journey,” and it is filled with what Hatanaka, who turns 30 this year, is feeling now and the music he wants to challenge himself with. In addition, Hatanaka himself wrote the lyrics for the title track, “It's time to fly!." The CD single is set to release in Japan on July 17, 2024. Tasuku Hatanaka " It's time to fly!" music video short ver. Additionally, a special event to celebrate his 30th birthday and the release of his ninth CD single, titled "Tasuku Hatanaka 30th Birthday & 9th Single Release Party -It’s time to fly!-,” is set to be held at Zepp Yokohama on August 18. The first half is a variety segment with guests, while the...

The Irregular at Magic High School Season 3 English Dub Release Date and Cast - All You Need to Know - Main Image

It may have taken a bit longer than expected, but finally, Crunchyroll announced the English dub release date and cast of The Irregular at Magic High School season 3.

The show premiered on the platform on April 5, and while many English dubs of anime are released around two or three weeks after the Japanese version's premiere, this series has taken a bit longer.

Still, this should be great news for fans who were waiting for the dub, especially as the previous cast members have returned.

Meet The Irregular at Magic High School Season 3's English Dub Cast

Even though it has been over three years since the second season aired, The Irregular at Magic High School’s Japanese and English voice cast members returned to voice their respective characters...

Golden Kamuy Streaming Release Date: How and When to Watch the Live-Action Film Adaptation of the Manga Series ( Photo Credit – YouTube )

After impressing Japanese audiences, Golden Kamuy, the live-action adaptation of the manga series by the same name, is headed for a global release on Netflix. Akin to the manga, the film is set in the early 20th century and follows a Russo-Japanese War hero who sets on a quest to find a treasure hidden in the Hokkaido region of Japan.

The film hit the Japan theaters on January 19th, 2024, opening at the first spot at the box office. Ever since, worldwide audiences have been waiting for its release in the international markets. The wait is almost over, as Golden Kamuy will be streaming on Netflix soon.

Golden Kamuy Streaming Release Date

Golden Kamuy is going to premiere on Netflix on Sunday, May 19th, 2024, exactly four months after its Japanese release.

In the noble, vast land of Hokkaido in the north of Japan, in the tumultous early 20th century …

Saichi Sugimoto is a Russo-Japanese War hero who earned the epithet “immortal” for the otherworldy combat skills he demonstrated on many battlefields, including the bloodiest of them all: 203 Meter Hill. Hoping to find a huge sum of money for a certain purpose, he begins searching for gold in Hokkaido.

There, Sugimoto learns about a large trove of gold that was stolen from an Ainu tribe. The man who stole it, Noppera-Bo, hid it just before being captured. He gave 24 of his fellow inmates tattoos that, when combined, make up a single code that reveals the location of the gold, and then helped the prisoners escape.

Around that time, Sugimoto is attacked by a wild brown bear and saved by an Ainu girl named Asirpa, whose father was killed by the man who stole the gold.

The official YouTube channel of Netflix Asia started streaming a brand new trailer for Golden Kamuy live-action film on April 24, 2024, ahead of its worldwide release.

The trailer revealed that the live-action film will be available to stream on Netflix worldwide starting May 19, 2024.

Related:

‘Icicles Formed In Our Ears’: Golden Kamuy Live-Action Film Actors Share Harsh Filming Conditions

Golden Kamuy live-action film released on Jan 19, 2024.

Cast members include:

Kento Yamazaki as Saichi Sugimoto Anna Yamada as Asirpa Gordon Maeda as Hyakunosuke Ogata Yuma Yamoto as Yoshitake Shiraishi Asuka Kudo as Hajime Tsukishima Shuntarō Yanagi as Yōhei/Kōhei Nikaido Ryōhei Ōtani as Genjirō Tanigaki Katsuya as Tatsuma Ushiyama Katsumi Kiba as Shinpachi Nagakura Hisako Okata as Huci Makita Sports as Takechiyo Goto Debo Akibe as Asirpa’s great uncle Hiroshi Tamaki as Tokushiro Tsurumi Hiroshi Tachi as Toshizo Hijikata Mitsuki Takahata as Umeko Yuki Izumisawa as Toraji

Credeus was in charge of the film’s production.

On Jan. 19, 2024, the live-action movie adaptation of Golden Kamuy was released in theaters in Japan. A few months after its domestic release, the mature-rated historical action series will soon be available worldwide on Netflix.

In a new trailer uploaded by Netflix Asia, the live-action Golden Kamuy movie will make its international premiere on Netflix on May 19, four months after its initial Japanese release. The film is based on the Weekly Young Jump series by Japanese manga artist Satoru Noda. Shigeaki Kubo is the live-action film director, with Tsutomu Kuroiwa in the writer's chair and Yutaka Yamada as the movie composer. Hiroshi Nakagawa and Deko Akibe are credited for the film's Ainu supervision, while Credeus is listed as the production company. The new trailer can be seen below, along with stills from the movie.

Related Crunchyroll Announces International Releases for Three Hotly-Anticipated Anime Films Crunchyroll announces U.S. release dates forHAIKYU!

Golden Kamuy , a live-action film based on the historical adventure manga of the same name, has revealed a trailer for international audiences (below). The film begins streaming on Netflix in worldwide markets on May 19, 2024. The original Golden Kamuy manga by Satoru Noda was serialized from August 2014 - April 2022 by Shueisha in their Weekly Young Jump seinen manga magazine, and an English language version is available from Viz Media. Shigeaki Kubo directs the live-action film adaptation, and Kento Yamazaki and Anna Yamada star as Sugimoto and Asirpa, respectively. Crunchyroll currently streams the Golden Kamuy TV anime. Related: 10 Anime to Watch If You Like Fallout Viz Media describes Golden Kamuy : In the early twentieth century, Russo-Japanese War veteran Saichi “Immortal” Sugimoto scratches out a meager existence during the postwar gold rush in the wilderness of Hokkaido. When he stumbles across a map to a fortune in hidden Ainu gold, he sets...

For fans of video games, blowing up stuff in the desert, or both, Fallout has been a recent treat. It mixes a post-apocalyptic setting, a misfit gang of weirdos, and a Looney Tunes approach to violence into a potent cocktail of madness, and its audience is already primed for a Season 2. However, that probably won’t come for a while because, ya know, they have to make it and all. But that’s not a problem, because if that venn diagram from above also includes enjoying anime, I have 10 series for you that might capture some of those Fallout vibes and keep you traveling the wasteland for more. 1. Train to the End of the World This spring 2024 release is the newest entry on this list but it’s already making a name for itself thanks to its sci-fi/comedy/horror approach to the life that goes on after the end of everything.

At long last, Rimuru Tempest has returned, and the adventures of the That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime anime can continue apace. Following the act of episode 48.5 on March 30, the adaptation is officially back with a new season on Crunchyroll today, and there's… a lot of ground to cover! The cast list alone is enough to chew on for the entire Spring 2024 anime season , so let's get started with our full overview below. Watch That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime Season 3 on Crunchyroll! In This Guide Release Date Characters and Voice Cast Anime Staff Official Trailers Anime Art & Key Visuals Anime Synopsis Additional Information When Does the That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime Season 3 Anime Come Out? That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime Season 3 officially comes to Crunchyroll with new episodes starting April 5, 2024 at 8:30 a.m. Pt . Where can I watch?...

Rudeus and the rest of the cast are almost back for more Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation ! The second part of season 2 officially releases on April 7, 2024 at 8:30 a.m. Pt , so there's no better time than right now to see what it's all about. Dive into our guide below to know the release date and exact time, how to watch, the voice cast and staff, trailers, anime visuals and more! Watch Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation on Crunchyroll! In This Guide Release Date and Exact Time Characters and Voice Cast Anime Staff Official Trailers Anime Art & Key Visuals Anime Synopsis Additional Information When Does Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation Season 2 Part 2 Come Out? The official release date and exact time for Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation Season 2 Cour 2 is April 7, 2024 at 8:30 a.m. Pt . Where can I watch? On Crunchyroll Territories: North America, Central America, South America, Europe, Africa, Oceania, the Middle East,...

In one of the best puns to come out of Golden Kamuy , the Koito family will make their Children’s Day debut as Koinobori (carp streamers) at the Tokyo Skytree and in the family’s hometown of Kagoshima at the Sengan-en Garden this month. Alongside the streamers, a pop-up shop will be held in both places with games based on the series. The designs of the Koito Koinobori The top Koinobori is based on the father, Heiji Koito, and flies at 4 meters long. The next two are based on the mother of the family, Yuki Koito, and the older brother Heinojo Koito, flying 3 meters long. Finally, the most well-known Koito and younger brother, Otonoshin is 2 meters long. At Tokyo Skytree, the Koinobori will fly as part of the Tokyo Skytree Town Koinobori Festival 2024 from April 12 to May 6, 2024, with the pop-up shop held in Tree Village from April 26 to May 17. At Sengan-en Garden in Kagoshima,...

Golden Kamuy is one of the shows that could be lost amid big titles, but it’s actually a spectacular watch. Some people would refer to the series as a hidden gem and I’m here to make it less hidden. Mesmerizing action, dark humor, striking animation, well-written characters, moving movies — it's all about Golden Kamuy . Let's dive into the reasons you should watch Golden Kamuy on Crunchyroll. A Unique Comedy Sit tight and prepare yourself for the most ironic, hilarious and surrealistic journey with a historical setting. Golden Kamuy is indeed a striking parody of life and its craziness in the Meiji era. Tragedy, drama, action and comedy rejoice in one symbiosis and deliver a unique watching experience. You laugh, cry and fear that your heart may stop because of what is happening to the main characters, especially to Sugimoto, Asirpa and Shiraishi. Related: Golden Kamuy is the Best Harem Anime in Years!