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The official manga adaptation of the Pokémon Scarlet and Violet video games, Pokémon Adventures, will be delayed due to the poor health of the artist.

In a statement released on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), Pokémon Adventures will go on a month-long hiatus. Satoshi Yamamoto, the manga artist behind the series, is currently in poor health and will need time to rest and recover. Chapter 8 of the Scarlet and Violet storyline was delayed from its intended March 21 release in CoroCoro Ichiban -- a younger-skewing monthly manga magazine that regularly features Pokémon and Doraemon.

Related Nearly 27-Inch Pikachu Plush Toy Returns to the Pokmon Center Pikachu is one of the most popular Pokmon when it comes to adorable merch, but the Pokmon Center's latest exclusive is as huge as it is huggable. The “Pocket Monsters Specialâ€. manga will be taking the month off due to artist Satoshi Yamamoto’s health.

CASETiFY's new tech accessory collection sees the Doraemon anime series bridge space and time in an exclusive release that's sure to appeal to fans of both retro franchises and futuristic robot cats alike.

CASETiFY opened its waitlist for its first full range of Doraemon tech accessories on March 21, 2024, combining key elements of the anime series with technology for the latest gadgets. The items, seen below, include the Anywhere Door Case -- a 3D silicone case replicating the iconic motif in the series for $72 -- and the $98 Doraemon Collectible AirPods Case, which comes equipped with a detachable 'Hopter' and exchangeable eyes to convey Doraemon’s many expressions. In addition to those special collectibles, Doraemon fans can customize accessories for AirPods, laptop cases, iPads and more, with the collection starting from $48. People can also sign up for priority access ahead of the official launch on March 27 via the CASETiFY Co-Lab app and website.

The official website for Mobile Suit Gundam Seed Freedom , the feature film sequel from the Mobile Suit Gundam Seed franchise, confirmed the latest film has earned 4,000,124,620 yen (26.82 million Usd) on 2,372,164 admissions in 52 days since its release in Japan on January 26. The film ranked ninth in its eighth weekend in the Japanese weekend box office, continuing to break the Gundam series' film box office records. The movie already surpassed 2.3 billion yen (15.42 million Usd) marked by Mobile Suit Gundam: Encounters in Space released in 1982 and 2.23 billion yen (14.96 million Usd) by Mobile Suit Gundam: Hathaway in 2021. Related: Gundam Seed Freedom Film Shares Stunning Collab Visual with Dune: Part Two In its third weekend of release, Doraemon: Nobita's Earth Symphony held the same second-place spot it did last weekend . The Doraemon anime franchise's latest 43rd feature film earned 353 million yen (2.37 million Usd) on 288,000 admissions, and its cumulative total revenue has surpassed 1.7 billion yen (11.4 million...

In its fourth weekend of release, Haikyu!! The Dumpster Battle , the first part of the Haikyu!! Final duology anime films, earned 843 million yen (5.74 million Usd) on 574,000 admissions, according to Kogyo Tsushinsha . The number was 160.5 percent of the film's previous third weekend gross of 525 million yen (3.58 million Usd) and was enough to bring it back to first place in the weekend ranking again. The 85-minute film's cumulative total domestic revenue has reached 6.2 billion yen (42.25 million Usd) on 4.38 million admissions. It has reached the six billion yen mark, following Spy x Family Code: White , which reached the mark in 59 days . Related: Haikyu!! The Dumpster Battle Anime Film Slams Past 6 Billion Yen in Japan Coming in second was last weekend's No.1 film , Doraemon: Nobita's Earth Symphony . The Doraemon anime franchise's latest 43rd feature film earned 502 million yen (3.42 million Usd) on 409,000 admissions in its second weekend, bringing its total to 1.2 billion yen (8.18 million Usd) on 1.04 million admissions.

The Doraemon anime franchise's latest 43rd feature film, Doraemon: Nobita's Earth Symphony, opened in 382 theaters across Japan on March 1. In its first three-day weekend of March 1-3, the 115-minute film earned 656 million yen (4.37 million Usd) on 538,000 admissions according to Kogyo Tsushinsha , making its #1 debut in Japan's weekend box office ranking. The first-weekend revenue was equal to that of the previous 42nd film, Doraemon: Nobita's Sky Utopia , released in March 2023 which earned 4.34 billion yen (28.85 million Usd) from its total domestic run. The film ranked #4 in Filmarks' first-day satisfaction ranking with an average rating of 3.75/5.0 based on 686 reviews. Related: Aoi Yuki and Amatsuki Join the Cast of Latest Doraemon Anime Film After spending two weeks in first place following its release, the first of the two-part anime film Haikyu!! Final fell to second place in its third weekend. The film made 525 million yen (3.49 million Usd) on 380,000 admissions, which was 47 percent of its second weekend gross,...

Eiga Doraemon: Nobita no Chikyuu Symphony (“Doraemon the Movie: Nobita's Earth Symphony”), the 43rd entry in the long-running series of children's anime films based on the original manga by Fujiko F. Fujio, has published a special video clip from the film (below) and also revealed a pair of new cast additions who play guest roles in the movie. Eiga Doraemon: Nobita no Chikyuu Symphony opened in Japanese theaters on March 1, 2024. In Eiga Doraemon: Nobita no Chikyuu Symphony voice actor Aoi Yuki plays two roles as Paroparo, a large dog, and as the music teacher at Nobita's school. Musician Amatsuki also plays two roles as a cat and as a radio DJ. Kazuaki Imai directs the film, while Teruko Utsumi writes the script. Eiga Doraemon: Nobita no Chikyuu Symphony key visual Related: 43rd Doraemon Anime Film Pulls at the Strings With Special Vaundy Trailer Based around the theme of “music”, the...

The official YouTube channel for singer-songwriter Vaundy has started streaming a music video for his latest song "Time Paradox," which will be featured as the theme song for the Doraemon anime franchise's next 43rd feature film, Doraemon: Nobita's Earth Symphony . The song released digitally on January 7, and its CD single will be available on February 28. The clip was directed by himself for the first time in one year since "Mabuta" (21st digital single) in January 2023. Actor Shota Sometani (the protagonist Shinichi Izumi in the Parasyte live-action films) plays the lead role in the clip, which tells a story about interfering in the past through a 'time runner'. The theme is "a story about changing your present self to help your past self". Vaundy "Time Paradox" music video Vaundy artist photo As reported , Vaundy also makes his voice acting debut. In the film, he plays the vocalist of a band performing on the street.

Originating in Japan and still primarily focused on the Japanese market, anime as a medium has been steadily gaining popularity all across the globe, and its international influences are now more prominent than ever. In the United States, anime started picking up steam in the '90s, firmly establishing itself in pop culture and influencing the formation of a dedicated niche of die hard fans in the West. Nowadays, with the rise of information accessibility and legal streaming platforms, anime is more popular in America than it’s ever been.

Anime is still mostly widespread in Japan, and this reality greatly influences which shows get traction elsewhere in the world. Yet, the anime that make it big in the West and the medium’s country of origin aren’t always the same. Just like Japan has plenty of incredibly popular anime that Western viewers have little interest in such as Doraemon and Sazae-san,...

A world-famous Mattel-owned game has partnered with the Naruto franchise for a special card set.

Several retailers are now selling the Naruto Shippuden Uno card game, which features 112 cards and characters including Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura, Sai, Team Ino-Shika-Cho, Team Guy, Team Kurenai, Kakashi, Tsunade, Jiraiya, Obito, Gaara, Itachi, Kaguya, Madara and Minato. The set costs around $10.25, with Ensky and Tower Online both shipping worldwide through the WorldShopping service. Readers can check out images of Naruto Shippuden Uno below.

Related Naruto Studio Director: Banks Can Sell Off Certain Anime IP if Pierrot Defaults on Loans Naruto studio director Keirou Itsumi reveals that the bank could have sold off some of its most iconic series had Pierrot defaulted on its loans. Close みなさん、こんにちは☁ NARUTOのUNOが発売になったので、早速、手に入ã...

Dragon Ball's new college varsity jacket collaboration is sure to impress fans, with a range fit for a Saiyan's pride (and then some).

Perfect World Tokyo has announced a collection of college varsity jackets in collaboration with the Dragon Ball franchise. The collection, seen below, comes in three variants, featuring Piccolo, Frieza and Shenron, teased: "This time, we would like to introduce fashion items with the motif of Dragon Ball, featuring characters that have been loved for many years by people all over the world, from children to adults. Finally, this is a masterpiece product that is a fusion of Japanese Pop culture and Japanese fashion culture, so don't miss it." The jackets are part of Perfect World Tokyo's Winter 2024 collection, and all retail for 22,000 yen (around US$147). Preorders are currently open ahead of a May release, with Perfect World Tokyo shipping worldwide through the Buyee service.

Related...

Some anime soundtracks are perfect to listen to while studying because their mellow instrumentals and soothing themes promote focus. Doraemon's extensive soundtrack and movies offer diverse songs perfect for studying. "Stand By Me 2" has standout tracks for study sessions. Chihayafuru's soundtrack, resembling a quiet autumn, features high-tension instrumentals and light opening and ending themes.

The best anime soundtracks to listen to while studying will provide a variety of vibes, from creating zone-in rhythms to soothing instrumentals. Furthermore, the comprehensive soundtracks will provide songs that are fit for all types of study, as different students work best under different situations, such as one who can’t focus when listening to lyrics, or one who thrives with upbeat tempos.

For the most part, slow, mellow, but focused music is what works best for students. When considering which series or studios fit this model best, one name comes to the forefront: Studio Ghibli.

Big-name anime and manga creators throughout Japan are adorning their social media pages with stunning celebratory illustrations to usher in the year 2024.

2023 has come and gone, marking the end of the year of the rabbit and the start of the year of the (wood) dragon. To welcome the new year, a plethora of renowned Japanese studios and artists have used their respective X (formerly Twitter) pages to spotlight special commemorative illustrations. The represented franchises are in the hundreds but include the likes of My Hero Academia, Demon Slayer, Frieren: Beyond Journey's End, Bleach, Sword Art Online, Oshi no Ko, Classroom of the Elite, Lupin III and Doraemon, to name only a few.

Related The Verdict Is in for the One Piece Anime's New Egghead Art Style The verdict is in regarding the latest One Piece anime preview trailer for Episode 1089, which reveals the revamped art style for the Egghead arc.

Studio Ghibli's president and co-founder Toshio Suzuki has discreetly created a series of digital icons featuring his studio's beloved mascot, Totoro.

On Line, Japan's #1 social media and messaging mobile app, stamps function like emojis, allowing users to convey various expressions. In anticipation of the new year, when stamp usage peaks on the site, Line has launched a massive collection of over 1,700 stamps inspired by various franchises, including Pokémon, Charlie Brown, Doraemon, Moomin Valley and many others. Among these are 40 different stamps featuring Totoro and his companions. According to SoraNews24, the collection was accompanied by a handwritten message from Suzuki, which reads, "Toshio Suzuki drew these. It's a secret from (Hayao) Miyazaki. Please don't spread this on social media." Line currently sells the entire set for $1.99.

Related Ghibli Releases a Collectible Model of Howl's Moving Castle That Actually Walks In honor of Hayao Miyazaki's classic film, Ghibli is...

Ideas.Lego.com is a site that allows Lego fans to pitch Lego set ideas to The Lego Group. These Ideas start out as just concepts for potential sets, but if the Ideas receive at least 10,000 community supporters, they have a chance to become real Lego sets that can be purchased in stores. The best thing about the site is that anyone can cast their vote for the Ideas they enjoy. Whether The Lego Group ultimately approves the community's Ideas is always uncertain, but the community's votes show The Lego Group how many potential customers there could be.

If the Idea set uses a third party Intellectual Property, like the classic anime Doraemon, for example, then the design must also be approved by the rights holders. Many Ideas are based on original concepts or are new sets for old set themes but there are several Ideas based on popular anime.

Anime is a wildly diverse storytelling medium where anything is possible, whether it’s fantastical stories about giant robots, magical girls, or terrifying psychological horror. Audiences watch anime for a multitude of reasons, but the medium is largely viewed as a means of escape, which naturally lends itself to light-hearted comedies. Laughter is inherently human and the genre’s subjective nature means that comedy can come from extremes.

There is no shortage of anime that express their comedy in heightened ways that gleefully break the fourth wall or cram in as many absurdist gags as possible. Many anime fans love this delirious style of laughter that’s as confounding as it is comical.

Related 10 Weirdest Gag Humor Anime Anime cover a broad range of genres, but there are some especially outrageous gag comedy series that push the limits of laughter! Panty & Stocking With Garter Belt Has Animation That's As Crude...

The beloved manga series Doraemon is returning with a new volume, Doraemon+, which includes 20 previously unseen stories. The new volume coincides with the 50-year anniversary of Tentomushi Comics and celebrates the birthday of its author, Hiroshi Fujimoto. This unique volume showcases early works of Doraemon, introduces new characters, and sheds light on the franchise's evolution over the years.

The acclaimed manga series Doraemon is returning to print with a new volume of Doraemon+ (Plus), which releases in early December. The last volume came out in 2014, marking a 9-year gap between releases. Conveniently, the new collection of stories arrives in time to celebrate a number of anniversaries in connection to the beloved time-traveling, cat robot.

Doraemon+ consists of additional stories that did not appear in the original 45 volumes of Doraemon. The new volume, coming December 1, will include 20 stories not seen before in an official collection. Its release date celebrates the anniversary...

Urusei Yatsura has released a hilarious new teaser for its upcoming second half.

Featured on the series' official website, the video is narrated by series lead Ataru Moroboshi and showcases the lineup of female characters that will star alongside Lum in future episodes. Ataru also reluctantly introduces several men who serve as his romantic rivals, referring to them simply as "others." The wandering Buddhist monk Cherry and Lum's baby cousin, Ten, also make brief appearances. Urusei Yatsura's second half, which consists of two cours (or parts), is currently slated to premiere on Fuji TV's Noitanima programming block in January 2024.

Related: Rent-a-Girlfriend's Season 1 Confession, Explained

Recently, Urusei Yatsura also announced three new voice actors that are joining the cast for Part 2. The role of Asuka Mizunokoji will be portrayed by M.A.O., who is known for their role as Shion in the popular isekai That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime.

Frieren: Beyond Journey's End and Firefighter Daigo: Rescuer in Orange are the most popular anime to debut in Japan this autumn season.

Per Anime News Network, a report from Japanese marketing research company Video Research revealed Frieren and Firefighter Daigo were the most-watched series to debut during the week of Sept. 25 to Oct. 1. The data was gathered from Japan's Kanto region, which formed an estimated viewer count based on a survey of households in the area. Firefighter Daigo drew in approximately 3.8 percent of all Japanese households, narrowly beating out the long-running One Piece and Doraemon series for fifth place on the charts. The two-hour-long Frieren special was notably met with even more success, with an estimated 6.8 percent of all Japanese households tuning in to put it at a close third--right behind Detective Conan and Sazae-san, which stood at 6.9 percent and 7.9 percent, respectively.

Related: Crunchyroll Unveils Its Autumn 2023 Anime Lineup

Frieren...

Japan’s Studio Bones is partnering with streamer giant Netflix to bring Time Patrol Bon to the screen in anime form.

The original manga by Fujiko F. Fujio ran from 1978 to 1986 and was published in Monthly Shōnen World. It had five volumes and received a TV special in 1989. As reported by Doraemon Channel, Studio Bones’ Team A will be in charge of the anime adaptation. Studio Bones is broken down into five individual teams, each with its own projects, and Team A has produced works such as Noragami. Some of the other teams have been responsible for highly successful anime including both versions of Fullmetal Alchemist, My Hero Academia and Soul Eater. The anime adaptation of Time Patrol Bon will be directed by Masahiro Ando, who previously helped work on Ghost in the Shell, Neon Genesis Evangelion and Cowboy Bebop: The Movie.

Related: Shueisha's Manga Plus Announces New Subscription...

Teasing Master Takagi-san's live-action adaptation is coming to Netflix next March.

According to Anime News Network, the upcoming live-action remake of Soichiro Yamamoto's hit series will debut worldwide on Netflix in March 2024, with new episodes premiering on the platform every Tuesday. Following its Netflix debut, TBS (Tokyo Broadcasting System) will air the show on its "Drama Stream" programming block for viewers throughout Japan. In addition to Takagi-san's release window, the showrunners have also revealed more details about the staff and cast, including who will be portraying the lead roles of Takagi-san and Nishikata.

Related: Teasing Master Takagi-san: Season 3's Biggest Teases Pay Off in the Finale

Rui Tsukishima, a popular model for Shueisha's Seventeen magazine, will star as Takagi-san. Her previous acting roles include a guest appearance for Episodes 11-12 of Kamen Rider Geats. The role of Nishikata will be portrayed by Soya Kurokawa, who previously appeared in...

Few can deny the kind of mark anime has left on the medium of animation as a whole. Over the years, anime's unique style, storytelling, and visuals have left an impact that has even shaped Western animation, resulting in certain projects trying to look and feel like actual anime. The same can be said for the reverse too.

Some anime attribute cartoons from the West as influences, while others happen to give off the same vibes. Regardless of whether it was inspiration or coincidence, there are still a good number of anime that feel like animated projects from the West.

Related: 10 Best Western Cartoons For Anime Fans

Doraemon

The Doraemon franchise has definitely stood the test of time through multiple incarnations, making it iconic and easily recognizable among its young viewers. Given the episodic nature of Doraemon and Nobi's adventures, where just about anything can happen, the series does...

The popular slice-of-life rom-com manga Teasing Master Takagi-San is set to conclude this fall.

According to Anime News Network, the September 2023 issue of Monthly Shonen Sunday announced that Soichiro Yamamoto's manga Teasing Master Takagi-San would conclude in the publication's November issue, which launches on Oct. 12. Currently, 19 volumes of the manga have been released in Japan. Yen Press, which publishes the series' English version, released the manga's 17th volume on April 18, 2023. Vol. 18 is scheduled to release on Jan. 23 of next year.

Related: 10 Things You Didn't Know About Natsuki Takaya, The Creator Of Fruits Basket

What Is Teasing Master Takagi-San?

Yamamoto's popular manga launched in Gessan mini, a companion booklet for Monthly Shonen Sunday magazine, in June 2013. The story revolves around the titular Takagi, who spends her days devising pranks to play on her weary classmate Nishikata. Fed up with her antics, he eventually tries to get revenge, only to...

One of the anime industry's biggest problems is its lack of media preservation. Although some anime series and films were lost to circumstances beyond the animators' and studios' control, most of them were buried or deliberately made inaccessible by executives who didn't value the artistic value of anime.

Unfortunately, even anime that were pivotal to the medium's history or just really well-loved were not safe from being lost. Some anime were lucky to be released on video or streaming once and never again, while others never got a release. These anime have become "legendary" among anime archivists and collectors of physical media.

Related: 10 Anime That Would Never Work in Live-Action

Zoids: Chaotic Century

Zoids: Chaotic Century was its franchise's most beloved entry, and one of the rare toy tie-in anime that was actually good. Despite the enduring love for it among older anime fans, Chaotic Century only had one video...

The Dangers in My Heart's star voice actor regrets not being able to greet fans at Anime Expo.

Shun Horie, who voices protagonist Kyotaro Ichikawa In the anime, recently expressed remorse about missing the convention on their personal Twitter. Using Google Translate, they shared this message with both their Japanese-speaking followers and their English-speaking followers. "Hello dear people! It's frustrating that most Japanese voice actors are overseas now, so I'm tweeting because I want to feel like I'm in LA even a little...I am sad. good-bye..."

Related: The Eminence in Shadow Season 2 Set for Simulcast on Hidive

Hello dear people！ It's frustrating that most Japanese voice actors are overseas now, so I'm tweeting because I want to feel like I'm in LA even a little.This English sentence uses Google translation. I used to be good at English, but not now. I am sad. good bye... — 堀江瞬（ほりえしゅん） (@holy...

Simran Kaur, who is the voice behind the famous cartoon character Nobita from the animated series ‘Doraemon’, said after she gave her voice to Nobita, the show became ‘Number 1’. Simran Kaur gave her voice to Nobita at the age of nine.

Sharing her journey of becoming the voice of Nobita, she said: “It was very simple for me. I auditioned for the voice of Nobita and I became Nobita’s voice. When I went to the audition, I was the only child present there. I was 9 that time. I had thought only I was asked to come to audition. But, later we (she and her parents) came to know that lakhs and lakhs of children from various parts of India were auditioned for the same. But I was the lucky one to be chosen.”

She continued: “Initially we did not know that it was a big deal. My parents and...

“Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” grabbed top place at the mainland China box office over the weekend with an opening $17.2 million (RMB122 million) score.

Giant screen company, Imax reports that $2.7 million, or more than 16% of the film’s China total, came from its Middle Kingdom venues.

Chinese online ticketing agency Maoyan forecasts that “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” will earn a total of RMB241 million or $34 million at current exchange rates.

“Fast X,” which had driven off with the spoils for the past two weekends, was overtaken on its third lap and achieved $7.7 million in second place, according to data from consultancy firm Artisan Gateway. After 17 days in Chinese cinemas, “Fast X” has accumulated $124 million, making it the highest-grossing imported titled released this year in China ahead of Japanese animation “Suzume.”

Maoyan has revised its forecast for “Fast X” yet again. It is now predicting a lifetime score of RMB932 million ($132 million...

The world of Japanese anime is broad and rich, featuring shows for any demographic out there. This industry has hard sci-fi shows for fans of Star Trek, for example, or hilarious comedy series for any viewer who wants a laugh. Plenty of anime series are fun for the whole family, such as My Hero Academia or Komi Can't Communicate.

Related: 10 Most Problematic Anime Series

Other anime series, though, are simply not suitable for younger viewers. Certain series have too much R-rated material for youngsters, such as graphic violence, strong language, use of drugs/alcohol, or even sexual content, so it's best to keep the kids away when watching those series. Other anime shows might be too complex for younger viewers to comprehend or enjoy.

Update on May 20th, 2023, by Louis Kemner: by now, anime fans are familiar with even more top-rated series that are excellent entertainment for adults, but not so much for kids.

Stars: Seo In-Guk, Dong-Yoon Jang, Choi Gwi-hwa, Dong-il Sung, Park Ho-San, Moon-Sung Jung, Jung So-Min, Jang Young-Nam | Written and Directed by Hongsun Kim

Project Wolf Hunting begins with a mass return of Korean criminals captured in the Philippines. As they’re being led through Seoul airport somebody with a grudge against one of them detonates a suicide bomb killing himself, his target, and everyone else in the vicinity. To avoid a repeat of this, the next group is to be transported on the Frontier Titan, a specially fitted out cargo ship and delivered to a pier in Busan harbour to which the public doesn’t have access. I guess simply flying them into a military base never crossed anyone’s mind.

The Frontier Titan leaves Manilla with forty-seven criminals, twenty guards, two medics, and the ship’s crew. At least that’s what they think they’re leaving with because...

Local productions were hit hardest, grossing a combined $2.15bn (RMB14.8bn), for a 47.5% market share.

China’s box office decreased by 2.7% to $4.5bn (RMB31.17bn) in the first half of 2019, according to figures from Chinese industry website Mtime, as a range of issues, including tightening censorship and the recent tax clampdown, started to take their toll on an unpredictable market.

The decline marks the first time since 2011 in which box office has not shown positive growth in the first half of the year, a period that includes the most lucrative box office season, Chinese New Year (late January or early...

The enduringly popular Japanese cartoon franchise “Crayon Shin-chan” has inspired a new animated TV series, “Super Shiro.” “Crayon Shin-chan” has been on air since 1992 and inspired 26 feature films.

“Super Shiro” is a fast-paced chase series, for kids, based on original IP by Yoshito Usui and scripted by on Kimiko Ueno. The series is to be directed by Tomohisa Shimoyama, with Masaaki Yuasa as executive director.

It will be produced by Shin-ei Animation, known for both “Doraemon” and “Crayon Shin Chan,” and Science Saru, a Tokyo-based animation studio.The series is backed by Turner Asia Pacific and TV Asahi. Their partnership was announced last week at the Kidscreen Summit conference in Miami. The agreement includes broadcast rights across Asia Pacific (ex-China). This is the first regional deal between the two parties and includes “a sizeable investment” from Turner.

It will be delivered as 48-parts each of 5.5 minutes. It is expected to...

Su Lun’s feature debut has become the latest box office hit by a woman director.

Driven by Children’s Day on Jun 1, Japanese animation Doraemon The Movie: Nobita’s Treasure Island stole the weekend crown while local comedy How Long Will I Love U retained the weekly No.1 in the period of May 28-Jun 3.

Xu Zheng-produced How Long Will I Love U stayed top for two straight weeks, adding $31.1m for $118m after 17 days. Currently the seventh highest grossing local film in 2018, Su Lun’s feature debut has become the latest box office hit by a woman director.

Japanese cartoon, “Doraemon The Movie 2018: Nobita’s Treasure Island” opened on top of the Chinese box office over the weekend. It was helped by the Children’s Day holiday on Friday.

The franchise feature, starring a big blue cat who is well-known from comics and TV series, opened on Friday and earned $24.3 million in three days. More than half of that total came on Friday, when it scored $13.0 million.

By Sunday, “Doraemon” had been edged into second place and overtaken by holdover “How Long Will I Love U.” The Chinese fantasy romance earned $15.9 million over three days for a cumulative of $110 million in 17 days.

Disney’s “Avengers: Infinity Way” took third place with $13.9 million. After 24 days on release, it has earned $354 million.

Chinese animation, “Happy Little Submarine: 20000 Leagues Under The Sea” and “Magic Mirror 2” were local beneficiaries from the Children’s Day weekend. “Submarine” earned $9.11 million in three days for fourth place.

Disney helped bring American animation to the world, and now it's bringing one of Asia's most iconic cartoons to America. The Mouse House will air 26 episodes of “Doraemon,” a manga-turned-anime from Japan about a robot-like cat from the future, on its cable channel Disney Xd this summer. Also read: America's ‘Frozen’ Obsession Continues, Leading to Disney Store Lotteries and Disneyland Craziness The original announcement about the deal came in the Japanese newspaper Nikkei, and has since been confirmed to the WSJ by Disney publicists in Japan. The series was launched as a manga in 1969 by Hiroshi Fujimoto and Motoo Abiko,...

For most children aged between 3-12 in Japan and other parts of Asia, there is no manga/anime character more enduringly beloved and recognizable than Doraemon, the futuristic robotic cat who travels back in time to aid the young boy Nobita Nobi overcome his many shortcomings.  Created by the mangaka duo, Fujiko Fujio in the 70s, the long running sci-fi comedy manga went on to spawn an anime series and multiple films released annually via Toho.This summer will mark the first CG/3D animated take on the popular franchise in Stand by Me Doraemon from the director duo, Takashi Yamazaki (Always: Sunset on Third Street, Space Battleship Yamato) and Ryuichi Yagi (Friends: Naki on Monster Island) with a script by Yamazaki. The story is based on the...

[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...

Now this is a piece of news that brings a tear to an eye (and not ironically, sarcastically or in any bad way speaking) – the Japanese government announced anime director Hayao Miyazaki as one of this year’s 15 winners of the Person of Cultural Merit honor on Tuesday.

Hayao Miyazaki is best known for his animated films produced under Studio Ghibli, such as Princess Mononoke, Howl’s Moving Castle, and Ponyo. He is now deep in production of his latest work, an anime “with lots of airplanes” and a projected 2013 release date.

The Japanese government awards the cultural honor every November to people who contributed to Japanese culture for many years (something similar to an Award for lifetime achievement). The winners of The Order of Cultural Merit, highest order, are decorated by the Emperor himself in the Imperial Palace on November 3 — a national holiday called Cultural Day. This year’s...

Created by Fujiko F. Fujio in 1969, Doraemon is a Japanese manga and anime series that tell the story of a robotic cat called Doraemon that is sent back from the future to the present day to help a young boy named Nobita. The sender is in fact Nobita's great-great grandson who wants to help improve fortunes of the family.Since its creation, Doraemon has become a cultural phenomenon and an icon of Japanese culture. It became Japan's first official anime ambassador in 2008.In a series of Japanese car advertisements, Jean Reno (star of one of my all-time favorite films Leon The Professional) plays Doraemon. The latest ad is embedded below, while the rest could be viewed via Anime News Network. ...

Film: 'Doraemon in Nobita and the Steel Troops: The New Age'; Director: Yukiyo Teramoto; Voiceovers: Masaharu Fukuyama, Yumi Kakazu, Koji Kato, Subaru Kimura; Rating: ** - a disappointing fare.

There's an old tradition of treating children's content with lightness. The usual justification given for making bad children's films is that put anything moving in front of kids, and they will like it (by that logic, there's no need for any specialised content for kids).

And it is this same malady that 'Doraemon...' suffers from, with a substandard story and execution. And it's a greater.

New Delhi, Sep 15: Here's some good news for children - Walt Disney's animated film 'Doremon In Nobita and the Steel Troops: The New Age' will hit Indian screens Oct 6.

Directed by Teramoto Yukiyo, about an earless robotic cat named Doraemon who travels back in time from the 22nd century to aid a schoolboy, Nobita Nobi.

'Doraemon' is a Japanese comic series created by Fujiko F. Fujio.

In the film, Nobita is jealous of his friend Suneo's new robot and asks Doraemon to build him an even better one..

Created by Fujiko F. Fujio in 1969, Doraemon is a Japanese manga and anime series that tell the story of a robotic cat called Doraemon that is sent back from the future to the present day to help a young boy named Nobita. The sender is in fact Nobita's great-great grandson who wants to help improve fortunes of the family. Since its creation, Doraemon has become a cultural phenomenon and an icon of Japanese culture. It became Japan's first official anime ambassador in 2008. I have always been particularly fond of Doraemon, as it was one of the first animes I ever had the joy of watching; and as a child, I often wished I had access to Doraemon's pocket with all those special gadgets. Doraemon:...

HONG KONG -- A comic trio formed by a poor workman, his son and his alien pet drive the story of CJ7, a hyperactive, wishful-thinking special effects fantasy suitable for family outings. It is the long-awaited brainchild of Stephen Chow, the comedian-writer-director who pioneered the unique Hong Kong genre of mo lei tau (nonsensical) comedy in the early 1990s.

Despite Chow's self-professed desire to salute E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial and oblique borrowings from Japanese anime Doraemon, the sci-fi classic Invasion of the Body Snatchers springs foremost to mind as Chow's one-of-a-kind magnetic screen persona seems to have been abducted by aliens, who replaced him with a pod spouting moral platitudes and CGI-enhanced emotions.

A joint effort by Chow's Star Overseas and Columbia Pictures Film Production Asia, "CJ7" has worldwide release ambitions; it bows stateside Friday. Even with Chow's trademark smart-ass Cantonese neologisms and Hong Kong's ineffable local color filtered out while proficiently rendered visual effects stand in for gags, Chow's strong Asian fan base is still flocking to the theaters. Convincing a North American audience more familiar with Jackie Chan and Jet Li and more likely to prefer Chow's more exotic and action-packed Shaolin Soccer and Kung Fu Hustle won't be so easy, though.

This is Chow's first directorial work shot entirely in China, but geographic and cultural character look fuzzy. He plays Ti, a construction laborer who pays through the nose to send his only son Dicky (Xu Jiao) to an elite school. Dicky's street urchin looks make him a target for bullying. Only his teacher, Miss Yuen (Kitty Zhang), shows some kindness.

Dicky wants his classmate's cyber toy CJ1, but the impoverished Chow finds him a scrap-yard substitute that he names CJ7. The florescent green blob morphs into a creature with a fluffy mane and a bouncy, squishy torso. Dicky dreams of impressing his classmates with alien high-tech gizmos but ends up thoroughly humiliated. However, when an accident happens, CJ7 reveals its hidden powers.

The first half-hour depicts father-son relations with a mischievous charm reminiscent of Chow's early films. Xu, a girl who impersonates the boy Dicky, is the one who holds the film together. A natural in front of the camera, she has a wealth of facial expressions even in solo scenes with a computer-generated figure. Zhang, who wears a cheongsam tight enough to moonlight in a hostess bar, never stirs as a love interest.

"CJ7" revels in a cartoon-like depiction of abject poverty with a priceless scene where cockroach swatting is an alternative to PlayStation. However, such social issues as education, employment and inequality of wealth are glossed over by slogan-like mottos of being poor but virtuous. The storybook ending is artificial and offers no antidote to Ti and Dicky's problems.

CJ7

Sony Pictures Classics

Columbia Pictures Film Production Asia/the Star Overseas/China Film Group

Credits:

Director: Stephen Chow

Screenwriters: Stephen Chow, Vincent Kok, Tsang Kan-cheong, Lam Fung, Sandy Shaw, Fung Chih-chiang

Producers: Stephen Chow, Chui Po-chu, Han Sanping

Director of photography: Poon Hang-sang

Production designer: Oliver Wong

Music: Raymond Wong

Co-producers Vincent Kok, Connie Wong

Costume designer: Dora Ng

Editor: Angie Lam

Cast:

Ti: Stephen Chow

Dicky: Xu Jiao

Miss Yuen: Kitty Zhang

Mr. Cao: Lee Shing-cheung

Building Site Foreman: Lam Tze-chung

Running time -- 88 minutes

MPAA rating: PG...