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Picture this: You’re old. If that sounds about right, then you were probably cognizant enough to be anticipating upcoming fall season anime way back when Sega Dreamcast launched on September 9, 1999. Commercial history may paint the company’s console as a flop at this point, but that famed 9/9/99 date was a big one for video games. As it turns out, it was also a big one for anime! While anime may not typically launch in early September, this time 26 years ago had fans in the shadow of some real giants, and a few now-neglected gems, of the art form. Here are nine anime we were waiting for while standing in...

Look, we’ve all got one. An anime crush you have to fight for your bloody life to defend. The kind you confess and suddenly it’s crickets followed by a stunned, “How? How would that even be anatomically possible?” or the classic, “What is wrong with you?” Everyone has that character crush, that “hear me out” met with immediate judgment, concern, and maybe a sprinkle of intrigue. “Hm… would I?” No other medium encourages those side-eye-inducing crushes quite like anime. Anime leans into the chaotic, the unexpected. Fans live for the memeable record-scratch moments, like Marcille‘s iconic “Whoa hey!” in Delicious in Dungeon when Chimera Falin rips her shirt open, or for my tentacle-loving sapiosexuals, Assassination Classroom’s goofy genius octopus, Koro-sensei, is perfect crush material. Related: Your Top Anime Crushes of 2024 Revealed! Anime’s anything-goes attitude creates the perfect breeding ground for unhinged, wildly unconventional crushes. Its...

Lazarus director Shinichiro Watanabe has revealed that the anime faced a difficult production, taking years to finally wrap. However, Cartoon Network allowed the Lazarus creative team to work at their own pace, affording them the time to navigate its various production hurdles.

One of the largest publishers in Japan, Kadokawa Bunko, released a Q&a between Watanabe and Masaaki Osumi, whom the director regards as a mentor. Coinciding with the launch of The Worlds of Watanabe Shinichiro: From 'Cowboy Bebop' to 'Lazarus', Watanabe goes into detail about the recent production of the latter anime series."It was sponsored and fully funded by Cartoon Network, but the size of the market is different, so we were able to have a large budget. Also, we were able to take our time to make it, rather than making it in a hurry to meet the broadcast date," he said.

Cowboy Bebop...

For the better part of 15 years, Periphery have been pushing the sound of metal to new domains. From popularizing a sound which has come to be known as “djent” (which according to the title of their fifth album is not a genre) to touring the world playing some of the proggiest riffs you’ve ever heard, it is not a stretch to say that they are responsible for the sound of metal today. Which means that, in a transitive property chain unlike any other, anime is responsible for the way metal sounds today. That’s because guitarist Misha Mansoor has been watching anime since he was a kid, across languages and genres. I spoke with Mansoor about how anime and music speak to the larger way he loves art. Tell me a little bit about your anime origins. Misha Mansoor : So I'm just gonna caveat this right now, I...

For over 30 years, Yu Yu Hakusho has been hailed as both an acclaimed manga and a popular anime series that fans still love today. Created by Yoshihiro Togashi, the series tells the story of Yusuke Uramishi, a high school delinquent turned Spirit Detective who investigates and fights all manner of humans, demons and monsters with his allies Kazuma Kuwabara, Kurama and Hiei. Related: Yu Yu Hakusho's Genre Defying Story was Ahead of Its Time If you’ve never seen it, I wholeheartedly recommend it. That said, if you have seen it, you probably haven’t gotten enough of it. It’s just That good. However, since there isn’t a Yu Yu Hakusho 2: Kuwabara’s Big Adventure or whatever, you’re just gonna have to watch some other anime to get your fix. Not to worry, as we have 10 anime suggestions to scratch that Spirit Gun into. While...

Anime, like any other medium, often relies on familiar tropes, some of which can be polarizing. From over-the-top fan service to questionable depictions of race and culture, these elements are often brushed off as part of the genre’s charm. However, there are moments when these tropes cross a line, pushing boundaries to the point of controversy — or even censorship. Whether it’s cultural insensitivity, excessive violence or legal hurdles, some anime episodes have sparked outrage or outright bans, leaving a mark on their legacy.

The reasons behind these bans vary widely. Sometimes, it’s a matter of cultural clashes, where international audiences find certain content offensive or inappropriate. Other times, it’s the result of creators deliberately pushing limits, testing how far they can go before facing consequences. In the streaming era, where global distribution is key, these controversies highlight the delicate balance between creative freedom and cultural sensitivity — a balance that,...

A popular fantasy anime action series will soon resume its TV release schedule following a sudden hiatus caused by serious production issues. DanMachi, also known as Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon?, will soon return to finish airing the remaining Season 5 episodes.

According to promotional material attached to a related light novel series, Season 5 of Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? will return on Feb. 8, 2025, on the Abema Premium TV service. A social media user named @/Miaka3939 shared the information on X (formerly Twitter). The news was found on an obi attached to Sword Oratoria Volume 15. Sword Oratoria is a spinoff series that revolves around Ais Wallenstein of the Loki Familia.

Related There's More Great News for Castlevania Fans

A brand-new Castlevania: Nocturne trailer teases the heart-pounding action fans can expect from Season 2 when it premieres on Netflix this January.

The brand-new anime series Dan Da Dan is a wacky and action-packed new shonen adventure that has already become a real standout of the Fall 2024 anime season. This creative anime blends science fiction, fantasy, comedy and high school romance into a colorful and memorable package, which may help signal the end of the "dark shōnen" trend that recently took hold. Shōnen fans definitely needed a "back to basics" anime that puts fun and adventure before heavy drama and horror.

Anyone who's already caught up on Dan Da Dan and wants more zany anime action is encouraged to check out a variety of similar titles while they wait for new episodes of Dan Da Dan to hit the airwaves. These other titles all have a thing or two in common with Dan Da Dan. From the concept of ordinary people stumbling upon monsters and aliens to the trademark blend of action...

Alice Hirsch/ @h.irsch Jesus Piece combines heavy metal with a love of all things anime and it really shows their work. Aaron Heard spoke with Crunchyroll News about his tattoos, love of the Samurai Champloo sword, and which anime he's been keeping up with. This interview has been edited for clarity. You put out one of the albums of the year last year with “...So Unknown.” Congrats on that and I love seeing how it’s taken the band to new heights! Aaron Heard: Oh, man, it's been awesome. Really just breathed new life into everything. You know, once you've been playing the same songs for a long time, it gets a little redundant, you know? Now that we have some new tracks to play, it’s just like a new fire. Seeing the “Gates of Horn” video is actually what inspired me to reach out. I saw it...

Who Was Adv Films? Get to Know Ghost Stories’ Dub Producer - Main Image

Ghost Stories, also known as Ghosts at School, had a fascinating shift that defied convention before finding a voice with Adv Films. It is now regarded as a cult classic, but who exactly was Adv Films, Ghost Stories' English dub producer?

Who Was Adv Films? Ghost Stories’ Dub Producer

Adv Films, frequently abbreviated as A.D. Vision Films, was once a prominent American anime distribution company that held a significant position in bringing Japanese animation to Western audiences during the late 20 and early 21 centuries.

It was based in Houston, Texas, and was founded by John Ledford in 1992. Since then, it has evolved into a multidimensional company that creates dubs, acquires licenses, and distributes many anime titles across multiple genres, catering to the diverse tastes of Western audiences.

Through savvy licensing arrangements with Japanese studios, Adv Films...

The birth of DVDs led to a home media revolution. The increased storage space of the medium combined with its low production cost and ease of shipping meant that many more shows could get widespread releases. This was doubly true for anime, as the arrival of DVDs led to many more series getting released in America.

The increased storage space of DVDs also led to extra features becoming commonplace. Most DVD releases, no matter how niche, would include some bonuses on the disc for fans to enjoy. Often, this would merely be the show's trailer or interviews with the cast and director, but some releases would take this to the next level, including many extra things for fans to enjoy. This often included hidden Easter Eggs that could only be found by pressing button combinations at specific moments or finding secret menu options. While many of these Easter Eggs are fun,...

Anime is extremely versatile when it comes to its subject matter and these series can tackle grandiose fight sequences in something like Dragon Ball Z or tell fantastical tales of empowered females in magical girl anime like Sailor Moon. Anime is also no stranger to controversy and the limitless nature of this medium means that many series push boundaries or expose their audience to uncomfortable themes and characters.

These bold ideas can catch fans by surprise and there are certain anime that quickly get discarded due to their initial controversies but are still worthy of attention. Controversy can also be very connected to the social climate in which these series are released and what was once incendiary is now quite pedestrian. Not every controversial anime should be banned forever and there are promising series that rise above their darker ideas.

Related: 10 Most Controversial Shonen Anime Series

Death Note

Death Note...

There's an endless debate about the separate merits of anime and manga series, which makes it particularly interesting when an anime adaptation strays away from its complementary source material. By and large, anime adaptations use the original manga as a guided framework on how to tell their story. However, there's no hardened rule that anime must faithfully adapt their corresponding manga.

This schism can irritate the series' established fandom, but there are also plenty of instances where anime actively improve upon their manga through bold changes and revised ideas. A wildly different anime adaptation doesn't mean that the original manga should be forgotten, but sometimes a truly unique approach works so well that it becomes hard to complain.

Related: 10 Anime Adaptations That Don't Do The Manga Justice

Neon Genesis Evangelion 26 Episodes

Neon Genesis Evangelion is largely heralded as one of anime's greatest series and much of its strength comes from...

Anime is a versatile medium that's able to effortlessly tackle different genres, whether that's romance, action, horror, or even wild comedic tangents. Plenty of anime are full of comedic moments and even some of the medium's more serious series like Cowboy Bebop and Neon Genesis Evangelion still indulge in big laughs. However, there is also a special breed of comedic anime that delight in pushing boundaries and breaking reality to better service outrageous gags at an overwhelming pace.

Gag anime prioritize jokes above everything else, which often results in humor that must be seen to be believed. Gag comedy anime can be an acquired taste, but there are some wonderful and weird examples to check out.

Related: 10 Shonen Anime Jokes Fans Can't Believe Are Real

Pop Team Epic 26 Episodes

There’s a strong relationship between gag anime and the concept of “trolling” and Pop Team Epic is one of the...

Anime is one of the most limitless storytelling mediums, and it's truly impressive to look at the many formative series that fill it. Each new year introduces plenty of ambitious and inventive anime, but it's sometimes difficult to tell if a modern classic will last the test of time or if it's the subject of some variety of recent bias.

Related: 10 Best Anime Series We're Glad Are Over

There are decades of compelling anime content to pull from, many of which are series that are even more popular today than when they first made their debuts. Audiences who are interested in evergreen anime hits that are never going to go out of fashion should look no further than these groundbreaking series that have only gotten better with age.

Neon Genesis Evangelion 26 Episodes, 7 Movies

Hideaki Anno and Gainax's Neon Genesis Evangelion is one of the most important anime series of...

The definition of someone who appreciates anime and manga has changed a lot over time. Anime is more accessible than ever before, and there are such diverse series out there that cater to all ages and interests. Anime and manga continue to reach greater heights, making it unfortunate when the reputation surrounding enthusiastic fandom can be a deterrent rather than something that feeds into excitement.

Related: 10 Things About Being An Anime Fan That No One Talks About

Passionate and vocal fans are present in every medium of entertainment, and anime has a deeply welcoming and accepting community. That being said, certain stereotypes still occasionally arise where intense fandom doesn't do anime any favors.

Updated June 3, 2023 by Daniel Kurland: Audiences continue to turn to anime and manga as a way to express their passions and personalities. However, this bastion of creativity can also come across as scrutinizing rather than a...