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Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle Worldwide Box Office Updates! ( Photo Credit – Instagram )

What a dream run Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle is witnessing at the worldwide box office. It is close to inching the $200 million mark in Japan, and at the worldwide box office? It’s a force to reckon with! The Ufotable production has emerged as the 7th highest-grossing anime film ever. Scroll below for a detailed report!

Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle Worldwide Box Office Update!

As per Luiz Fernando, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba: Infinity Castle has crossed the $250 million mark at the global box office. It grossed $8.4 million during its sixth weekend in Japan, accumulating $190.7 million (¥28.09B) in total!

Before Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Infinity Castleenters Western theaters, the film has already been dethroned one of the best anime films of the mid-2010s. Your Name, by Makoto Shinkai, has lost its spot as Japan’s highest-grossing film of all time to the latest Demon Slayer film, thus setting the stage for what's to come once the film arrives in theaters this September.

When Your Name came out in 2016, the feature generated ¥25.17 billion, making it the second-largest gross for a domestic film in the country, behind Studio Ghibli's Spirited Away. But that changed when Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba the Movie: Mugen Train came out...

Top 10 Highest-Grossing Films At Japan Box Office (Photo Credit – Instagram/Netflix)

Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle is on track to beat with The Mugen Train, the #1 film in Japan. Haruo Sotozaki’s directorial is currently the 12th highest grosser at the domestic box office. How much does it need to enter the top 10 highest-grossing films? Scroll below for a detailed analysis!

Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle at the Japan Box Office

Despite multiple competitors like Kokuho and The Fantastic Four: First Steps, Infinity Castle is still the #1 audience choice. In 16 days, it has accumulated ¥16.81 billion ($112.8 million). In a single day, it crossed Detective Conan: The Million-dollar Pentagram (¥15.8 billion), Avatar (¥15.9 billion), and The First Slam Dunk (¥16.48 billion) to become the #12 grosser in the domestic market.

Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle will soon enter the top 10 highest-grossing films in Japan

Infinity Castle needs only ¥540 million in its kitty to beat Bayside Shakedown 2 (¥17.35 billion) and...

Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle Box Office Collection Day 16 (Japan) (Photo Credit – Instagram)

Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle is unstoppable at the Japanese box office. It surpassed the lifetime collections of Ponyo yesterday. And now, in only 24 hours, it has knocked down Avatar and two others to emerge as the 12th highest-grossing film domestically. Scroll below for a detailed day 16 box office report!

Infinity Castle Box Office Collection Day 16

As per Luiz Fernando, Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle minted $6.8 million on day 16. It witnessed an impressive 79% jump in the last 24 hours as $3.8 million was added to the kitty the previous day. The overall box office collection in Japan surges to ¥16.81 billion ($112.8 million).

The first part of the Infinity Castle trilogy, Akaza Returns, has also become the 16th most-watched film in the history of Japan, securing 12.1 million+ admissions. It has left behind Tom Cruise‘s The Last Samurai, which had registered 12.1 million admissions in its lifetime.

Have webtoons become the new source for anime adaptations? Following the success of Solo Leveling, plus several new releases that have been announced, it's no secret that the industry has found a new trend. And it continues with Eleceed, a 2018 webtoon by Jeho Son (Noblesse) and Zhena, which will be given an anime adaptation and is set to release next year.

A teaser video was published on the Eleceed YouTube channel, featuring the show's characters and some action-packed scenes straight from the webtoon. It also introduces the show's main characters: Kayden, a secret agent who's lying low as a cat, and Jiwoo Seo, an independent awakener who teams up with Kayden. The show will be animated by Dandelion Animation Studio (The First Slam Dunk), directed by Hiroshi Nishikiori, and written by Yousuke Kuroda (My Hero Academia).

Eleceed's plot reads, "Jiwoo is a kind-hearted young man who harnesses the lightning-quick reflexes...

Webtoon Entertainment’s Line Digital Frontier has greenlit an anime adaptation of the popular webcomic “Eleceed,” tapping Oscar-nominated DandeLion Animation Studio to bring the action series to screens.

The adaptation marks another major move in Webtoon’s aggressive push into animation, with the company developing 20 anime titles slated for 2025. “Eleceed,” created by Jeho Son and Zhena, has racked up over 1.4 billion global views on the platform and is published in 10 languages, making it one of Webtoon’s top-performing action titles worldwide.

The series follows Jiwoo Seo, a kind-hearted teenager with hidden powers, and Kayden, a powerful being who takes refuge in the form of a stray cat after being injured. Their unlikely partnership leads them through battles against formidable enemies and deep-rooted conspiracies.

Hiroshi Nishikiori, known for “Idolish7 Movie” and “Honey Lemon Soda,” will direct the adaptation, with “My Hero Academia” scribe Yousuke Kuroda handling series composition and script. Character...

Eleceed , a webtoon series created by Jeho Son (story) and Zhena (illustration), will receive a TV anime adaptation in 2026. The TV anime's official website and X (formerly Twitter) opened today, releasing a teaser trailer and key visual. Eleceed Anime Teaser Trailer Key Visual Hiroshi Nishikiori serves as the director of Eleceed at DandeLion Animation Studio ( The First Slam Dunk ), alongside series composition and script writer Yousuke Kuroda ( My Hero Academia ) and character designer Minami Sakura ( Gridman Universe ). Kazuhiro Nishikawa, President of DandeLion Animation Studio, will appear at Anime Expo in Los Angeles on July 6 to share behind-the-scenes insights into the production of the Eleceed anime. To commemorate the anime adaptation announcement, original creator Jeho Son and illustrator Zhena released a special congratulatory message and illustration: From Jeho Son: “It feels like a dream to finally share the news that Eleceed is getting an anime adaptation! This is all thanks to...

The One Piece franchise is showing zero signs of slowing down. The franchise continues to churn out more beloved manga volumes even as the anime is currently in its 21st season. Netflix will be releasing the second season of its live-action series in 2026, and a spin-off series, Koisuru One Piece(aka, One Piece in Love), will be coming out this year. It is, simply put, a great time to be a fan of the world built by creator Eiichiro Oda. And the franchise keeps churning out more content. In 2024, Netflix announced an anime TV remake titled The One Piece, which will form part of a growing collection of Straw Hats stories on the streamer.

Netflix's upcoming anime series will seek to remake the entire series, which is in its 21st season and still going strong. Not much has been revealed in the months since its announcement. However, Kyoji Asano, the...

The One Piece anime TV remake set for Netflix is still alive and well. However, the latest update to the highly anticipated Shonen Jump project isn't exactly what fans were hoping for.

Kyoji Asano, the character designer for The One Piece, confirmed that progress was still being made on the new Netflix series, despite the lack of news since One Piece Day 2024. According to the Chinese social media blog Weibo (H/T @/pewpiece on X), Asano was recently working on some cuts for the new One Piece anime. However, progress on the remake has been pretty slow.

Progress on Netflix’s The One Piece Is Still Limited Over 1 Year Since Its Official Announcement

On Dec. 17, 2023, Netflix made the shocking announcement that it was developing a new One Piece anime TV series, which would remake the entire series, despite the current series by Toei Animation continuing to air. Wit Studio, the...

Takehiko Inue’s Slam Dunk manga will be released in digital format for the first time ever on June 2, 2025, the author announced on his official X account.

He not only confirmed the digital release date but also shared personal insight into how the manga was created and how he believes fans can best experience it in digital form.

“The original manuscripts were drawn on B4-sized Kent paper. For two-page spreads, I used B3-sized paper turned sideways. Since print was the only medium during the original serialization, the panels were laid out in two-page spreads. Viewing it on a larger tablet in the spread format might resemble the original manuscript the most and be easier to read,” he tweeted.

He also highlighted the advantage of reading the manga in the digital version, as digital formatting solves a long-standing issue with bound print volumes, allowing readers to clearly see artwork...

A.I., or artificial intelligence, is once again sparking debates within the anime world. At a recent animation festival in Japan, Iizuka Naomichi -- the director behind Japan's "first AI anime" to be broadcast nationally, Twins Hinahima -- countered arguments against AI by stating that, instead of taking jobs, it will result in new "opportunities" for Japan's animators.

As reported by Pia, Naomichi recently co-hosted a symposium at Niigata's 3rd Animation Festival in Niigata City, Japan. At "The Future of AI-Driven Animation Expression," Naomichi was joined by fellow anime director Makoto Tezuka (Tezuka Productions) and several other prominent industry figures to discuss AI's potential uses for animation. While fielding questions from attendees, Naomichi addressed the topic of AI removing coveted animation positions, such as directing, from the industry. "I never even thought of entrusting directing to AI," Naomichi stated. "I thought it would be pointless to let AI do the interesting parts of video production.

Pioneering Beijing-based distributor Road Pictures has snapped up China theatrical rights to the hit Japanese anime feature Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX: Beginning. The company plans to release the film in China sometime in April. The news was released Tuesday at Hong Kong’s Filmart content market.

Among anime fandom, Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX: Beginning is an exciting creative hybrid. It’s the first major collaboration between Japan’s studio Khara, the anime banner behind the cult Evangelion series, and Sunrise, the historic studio home of the Mobile Suit Gundam animated works. The film was released in Japan in January and has earned over $25 million. Gkids gave it a limited release in North American theaters on Feb. 28, bringing in $1.2 million.

Road Pictures has carved out a powerful niche in China’s theatrical market as the go-to distributor of Japanese anime, a category that’s begun to out-perform many of Hollywood’s biggest releases in the country.

Takehiko Inoue’s heartfelt and intense sports drama The First Slam Dunk is releasing on Zavvi-exclusive Limited Edition 4K Uhd + Blu-ray Steelbook, and Collector’s Edition 4K Uhd + Blu-ray, Blu-ray, and DVD from 24th March 2025, to celebrate we are giving away a Blu-Ray copy of the film!

Written and directed by the beloved manga’s original creator Takehiko Inoue, The First Slam Dunk follows the underdog Shohoku High School’s basketball team through the eyes of point guard Ryota Miyagi as they face stunning rivals in the final of the National High School Tournament in a narrative that simultaneously explores the tumultuous past of its players.

“A masterful sports drama” according to Yahoo Movies, The First Slam Dunk was celebrated by critics and films alike, earning a certified 100% Fresh critics rating and a 99% Popcornmeter audience score at Rotten Tomatoes. The film was celebrated for its cutting edge 3D-2D hybrid...

It would be a total crime to not include Takehiko Inoue when we talk about iconic Shonen manga. His opus Slam Dunk stands as a cult classic in the sports genre for various reasons. Accuracy, charisma, and camaraderie are some of them. However, we often overlook his underappreciated work.

Musashi Miyamoto in a still from the manga | Credit: Kodansha

Although unpopular, Vagabond is stellar in its unique way. It’s a rendition of Eiji Yoshikawa’s novel and deserves all the praise. However, the hiatus bothered fans for a long time until Inoue revealed his plans for the manga. The break seems promising for the series

Takehiko Inoue reveals plans for Vagabond

Most Slam Dunk fans are aware of Takehiko Inoue’s love for basketball. So much so that he worked on two other manga Real and Buzzer Beater. The serialized works are less popular than his opus, yet they...

Fans of Slam Dunk know this better than anyone: it wasn't exactly easy to locate the anime movieThe First Slam Dunk when it slammed into theaters. The movie premiered in U.S. theaters in July 2023, but only found a streaming home in June 2024, almost one year later. Since no streaming title is permanent in any catalog, fans will be happy to know that soon they will be able to own The First Slam Dunk in the best quality possible: Anime Limited announced this week that the movie is getting a Steelbook with 4K Uhd and Blu-ray editions on March 24 in the UK (meaning that those outside the UK will need a region-free Blu-ray player).

Almost 20 years after its debut in Shueisha's Weekly Young Jump magazine, Yasuhisa Hara's incredibly popular Kingdom finally has an English release date on the horizon.

Barnes & Noble appears to have inadvertently leaked Viz's license for the popular Kingdom manga, with the first release slated for Dec. 16, 2025. While the listing has since been deleted, the series oddly starts with a 192-page Volume 2; Volume 1 was nowhere to be found. Per MangaAlerts on X (formerly Twitter), these types of unofficial listings often include details that have not yet been finalized. Viz will confirm a new batch of license announcements on Jan. 31, with Kingdom expected to be among them. The One Piece spinoff Law's Story was among the first batch.

Related 'It's Significant': Weekly Shonen Jump Publisher Cracks Down on Illegal Manga Translator

Weekly Shonen Jump publisher Shueisha secures a fine against a man found guilty of translating manga into English before its release date.

It's no secret that the anime industry has experienced a boom in recent times. Coming off a record-breaking year which saw the industry generate nearly 20 billion dollars in revenue, 2024 swung for the fences with new releases from some of the biggest franchises around. Now, a new report has surfaced which lists the highest-grossing IPs of the past year, and a few of the names might just take fans by surprise.

The report, which shares the sales totals from physical media releases in 2024, features both predictable franchises and a few unexpected titles as well. Whether certain IPs were simply dormant throughout the year, or might have even taken a long tumble down the popularity rankings, it's notable that some heavy-hitter franchises are surprisingly absent from the top 30. In a year that featured several popular releases from acclaimed titles, only a few can stand above the rest in earnings.

Big Releases Led...

Toei Animation's beloved One Piece anime received multiple major updates at Jump Festa, revealing ambitions for upcoming projects like movies and the return date for the TV series, which has been on hiatus since October.

While Jump Festa 2025's Super Stage Red was an emotional affair for fans, the adventures will always continue in line with One Piece's themes. The voice actor for Franky, Kazuki Yao, graduated from his role and was replaced by Subaru Kimura. Kimura is known for many iconic roles, including Hanamichi Sakuragi in The First Slam Dunk and Aoi Todo in Jujutsu Kaisen. Yao had served as Franky for nearly 20 years. One Piece was also revealed to be returning on April 6, 2025. Readers can check out the One Piece return broadcast announcement trailer and Oda's statement below.

Related One Piece Announces New NBA Collaboration With Los Angeles Lakers in Epic First Look

Eiichiro Oda...

Jump Festa 2025 has been filled with big announcements, and a definite highlight for One Piece fans was the announcement of Franky's new Japanese voice actor. One Piece fans were shocked when Franky's Japanese voice actor, Kazuki Yao, announced his retirement. Though the beloved actor's interpretation of Franky will certainly be missed, the new actor chosen is pitch-perfect casting.

At Jump Festa 2025, it was revealed that Kimura Subaru will replace Yao as Franky. The announcement started with a highlight reel of Fraanky's greatest moments throughout One Piece before revealing that Blank will take on the role in all future One Piece projects. Subaru stepped out onto the stage to hug Yao in a touching moment of a veteran actor passing on the torch. Yao himself was full of energy throughout the early portions of One Piece's panel during Jump Festa 2025, wearing matching vacation attire alongside the other Straw Hat pirate voice actors.

10 Anime Shows That Desperately Need A Reboot - Main Image

As times change, some anime from earlier generations could reach a broader audience with a reboot. Many have great concepts, but their outdated art and animation may not appeal to modern viewers.

Then, there are those that didn’t get a faithful adaptation or left fans hanging with abrupt endings. Fruits Basket and Shaman King, for example, both had original versions reimagined and received massive acclaim afterward.

There are many more classic anime titles that could use an overhaul, so here are 10 of them.

Record of Lodoss War

Considered the grandfather of fantasy anime, Record of Lodoss War tells the story of medieval knights, dwarves, and elves battling the forces of evil. The most notable thing about it is that the story is a retelling of the creator’s own Dungeons and Dragons campaign, with some original lore added in.

The official English cast for Dragon Ball Daima has finally been revealed. Ever since Dragon Ball Daima was first announced, a major question has been who would voice the characters. Naturally, the new characters would all need voice actors, but with all the returning characters being turned into children, that invited the possibility of a new cast replacing the old ones, despite their years of history with the franchise.

For Dragon Ball Daimas Japanese dub, theres a new cast of voice actors for both the new characters and the (Mini) versions of the old ones, save for Goku (Mini), who is still voiced by Masako Nozawa. For the English dub, with the first three episodes currently playing in theaters, most of the principal English voice cast for Dragon Ball Daima has finally been revealed ahead of its official release. Naturally, most of the cast is new to Dragon Ball and voice acting,...

Studio Durian's Look Back, widely considered one of 2024's most heartbreaking movie releases, has become just one of a very select few anime films to ever achieve a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Via the popular review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, Look Back debuted with a perfect 100% on the Tomatometer, comprised of 19 approved critics, and a 99% score on the Popcornmeter (audience score), comprised of over 250 ratings. Comments generally highlighted the film's beauty, tragedy and how the animation complemented the storytelling, with one by Dominick S reading, "Beautiful movie. Heartbreaking, but still a must-see. It provokes deep thought about the fragility of life."

Related A Silent Voice Returns to U.S. Theaters Next Month

One of the most critically acclaimed and emotional anime tales of the last decade, A Silent Voice, gets a theatrical re-release courtesy of Gkids.

'Look Back' Becomes One of Only a Handful of Anime With 100% Rotten...

If there's one thing Netflix has been good at since the streamer began producing original titles, it's going viral. The company isn't great at making lasting works of fiction that people cherish after many years, but they've proven able to occasionally release something that everyone on the planet talks about for a couple of weeks before moving on (unless Netflix keeps the conversation going through things like sequels or merch).

Perhaps the biggest hit Netflix has ever had in terms of worldwide reach is "Squid Game," the Korean thriller TV series created by Hwang Dong-hyuk about contestants engaging in a deadly competition where they have a chance to win big money as long as they survive increasingly sadistic high stakes versions of children's games. It makes sense, then, that Netflix is going all in on the "Squid Game" universe, with a (very misguided) reality game show, a second season, and...

Japan’s animation industry generated $22bn (¥3.3tn) in 2023, the highest number on record and a 14% increase on 2022, according to the Association of Japanese Animations (Aja).

The industry group, which has been releasing annual anime industry reports since 2009, revealed the results of its latest survey at the Tiffcom market in Tokyo today (October 31).

Aja’s findings also revealed that overseas anime revenues surpassed those of the domestic market in 2023, with overseas revenues making up 51.5%, or $11.25bn(¥1.72tn), and domestic 49.5%, or $10.6 billion (¥1.62 trillion). It marks the second time overseas topped domestic, the first being in 2020. With anime’s popularity continuing to expand...

Independent Chinese film distributor Road Pictures has already tasted success with a succession of imported Japanese animation films. But the company says that China’s youth market is best accessed through a vastly broader strategy that embraces IP, fandom, events, retail and merchandizing.

“Our aim is to be a Chinese Disney – not in scale. But in terms of being a integrated service,” said Cai Gongming, the company’s entrepreneur founder and CEO. He was speaking Wednesday in Tokyo at a seminar organized by Tiffcom, the rights market that is allied with the Tokyo International Film Festival.

Many in the audience were his suppliers, purveyors of Japanese content, who have witnessed Cai’s China box office success with titles including “Suzume,” “The First Slam Dunk” and “Spy x Family Code: White.”

In a market where imported films were last year squeezed down to a less than 15% share, Japanese film have held up well.

Speaking at a Tiffcom seminar, Cai Gongming, founder of Chinese distributor Road Pictures, explained how his company has built up Japanese anime to be one of the strongest film import categories in the mainland China market. And although Chinese audiences remain focused on local, Chinese-language movies, he also said that Hollywood has been making a slow comeback in the market this year.

Road Pictures scored major hits in 2023 with Japanese anime titles Suzume, which grossed $117M, and The First Slam Dunk, which took around $84M. As a result, the total box office of this category in the China market increased by 90% year-on-year.

This year, Cai said the combined box office of Japanese anime movies is on the same level as 2023, although the per picture average is lower as twice as many titles have been released. Road Pictures’ biggest hits have included Spy x Family Code: White, with around $40M, and...

The 2023 box office had never seen such a slam dunk before when The First Slam Dunk film created waves of cinematic greatness, touching the hearts of millions worldwide. This animated masterpiece, born from the iconic manga of Takehiko Inoue, was phenomenal in Japan and moved the rest of the globe capturing its position among the greatest works ever for modern times.

Ryota Miyagi from The First Slam Dunk | Credits: Toei Animation and DandeLion Animation Studio

Interestingly, South Korea proved to be an excellent ground for the unparalleled success of the movie. It was trending in Korean theaters for a record time: a whole year straight!

The First Slam Dunk cemented itself as the longest continuously screened film in South Korea. One year after the movie’s release in Korean theaters, Cine21 news channel got the exclusive privilege to peek at the creative mind behind this huge cinematic achievement of creator Takehiko Inoue.

Anime is bigger than ever. With each passing year, the industry continues to make a huge impact not only on television but also in movie theaters. From Slam Dunk to Hajime no Ippo, sports anime like Haikyuu! and Blue Lock offer intense rivalries, engaging characters, and stunning animations.

With so many fan-favorite titles, it becomes increasingly difficult to determine which deserves the top spot; however, Slam Dunk and Haikyuu!, undeniably remain the most influential and popular sports anime in the industry.

A Still From The First Slam Dunk | Credit: Toei Animation

Not to forget, Japan carried on Haikyuu‘s legacy and represented the fan-favorite sports anime on a bigger stage, the Olympics 2024. On the other hand, Slam Dunk is arguably the greatest sports anime in existence, as it created the foundation of the entire genre back in 1993. Interestingly, The First Slam Dunk‘s director, the film that topped the Japanese...

Slam Dunk is widely acknowledged to be one of the most influential sports series in anime and manga, period. But sooner or later, its impact left the industry and entered into the real world of sports. In fact, many of the current Japanese national basketball team players grew up reading Slam Dunk.

Slam Dunk manga | Credits: Viz Media

Ace Japanese basketball player Yuta Watanabe said the phrases from the manga, such as “If you give up, that’s the end of the game” and “Having experienced defeat will someday become a great asset,” have become ingrained as a mentality for many players when they compete. Another player, Yudai Baba, admitted that basketball wouldn’t be this popular in Japan today if it wasn’t for Slam Dunk, and thinks all the national team players have a desire to do their best for Inoue-sensei.

The reason for Slam Dunk‘s author...

The cinematic triumph of The First Slam Dunk movie crossed all the borders and created waves in the 2023 box office, snatching the hearts of millions. It certainly grabbed slam-dunk levels of success, both at home in Japan and worldwide.

However, South Korea responded to it somewhat exceptionally, and the movie rocked the Korean fans, driving it onto a historical, year-long streak of screening. It cemented the record of the longest continuous screening ever in Korean history. While the outside world changed with the seasons, inside the theatres, the movie silently accompanied its audiences from one winter to another.

Shohoku High School team from The First Slam Dunk | Credits: Toei Animation and DandeLion Animation Studio

While commemorating its 1st anniversary in Korean theatres, the creator, Takehiko Inoue, gave a special interview wherein he presented a further glimpse into the mind behind this masterpiece that had the world under its spell.

Would...

The year 2023 was an embarrassment of riches when it came to animation. Movies like “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” became massive commercial successes and crossed the billion-dollar mark at the box office, while movies like “Nimona” and “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem” hit big with audiences and critics. There were films that boasted wildly different aesthetics and showed the power of the animation medium, like “Blue Giant” and “The First Slam Dunk.” We also saw the return of legendary animator Hayao Miyazaki, who gave us his most personal film to date with “The Boy and the Heron.”

That’s a lot for 2024 to live up to — luckily, it seems the year will bring with it a healthy mix of big studio franchises and more grown-up animated fare. There are still big and highly anticipated animated movies slated to be released in 2024. “Inside Out 2,” Pixar’s mega-blockbuster Oscar favorite,...

The Colors Within (known as Kimi no Iro in Japan), an original theatrical anime film directed by Naoko Yamada ( Liz and the Blue Bird ), ranked #7 in its opening weekend of August 30-Spetember 1 according to Kogyo Tsushinsha . After the world premiere at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival in June, the 100-minute film produced by Science Saru opened in 273 theaters across Japan on August 30. The movie also ranked third in Filmarks' first-day satisfaction ranking with an average rating of 3.92/5.0 based on 2,023 reviews. Related: The Colors Within Director Naoko Yamada on Blending Sound and Color in Her Latest Movie Eiga: Crayon Shin-chan: Oratachi no Kyoryu Nikki ( Crayon Shin-chan The Movie: Our Dinosaurs Diary ), the 31st feature film from the Crayon Shin-chan anime franchise earned 173 million yen (1.18 million Usd) on 148,000 admissions in its fourth weekend, staying at the same third spot from last weekend . The movie now has a cumulative of 2.1 billion yen...

Each week we highlight the noteworthy titles that have recently hit streaming platforms in the United States. Check out this week’s selections below and past round-ups here.

Crossing (Levan Akin)

There’s no description of Levan Akin’s Crossing that won’t make it sound like the kind of feel-good dramedy which would have taken Sundance by storm in 2006. It has all the key ingredients: an inter-generational friendship forged between a curmudgeonly retired teacher and a young burnout desperate to escape his hometown; an epic road trip where they come to understand each other more; and the older of the two confronting her internal bigotry as they search for her transgender niece. Above all, any description makes this sound like the worst kind of LGBTQ story, which we finally seem to have moved past as a culture––the story of queer people aimed firmly at a straight audience. It...

Kingdom: Daishougun no Kikan ( Return of The Great General) ranked fifth in its seventh weekend in the Japan box office of August 23-25, one position down from last weekend . Its total accumulative gross is now 7.1 billion yen (49.15 million Usd) from 4.85 million ticket sales according to Kogyo Tsushinsha . The official X (formerly Twitter) for the Kingdom live-action film series previously announced before the weekend on August 23 that the fourth installment already earned a cumulative total of 7 billion yen (48.46 million Usd) on over 4.77 million admissions in 43 days since debuting in Japanese theaters on July 12. The fourth film already became the top-grossing release in the live-action Kingdom film series , and its total box office gross has earned 123 percent of that of the first film — previously the most successful film in the series. Kingdom live-action film series box office records (Figures are from the annual reports of the Motion Picture Producers Association of Japan...

The saddest and most harrowing movie Studio Ghibli has ever made is coming to Netflix, making it widely available to traumatize an entirely new generation of people. Directed by Isao Takahata, the other half of Ghibli's creative genius, "Grave of the Fireflies" is based on the 1967 short story of the same name by Akiyuki Nosaka and follows two siblings and war orphans in their struggle to survive in the final months of WWII.

"Grave of the Fireflies" is widely considered to be a masterpiece. It's one of only two perfect war movies and just four perfect anime movies, according to Rotten Tomatoes. It's also one of those movies everyone should watch once, but only once (much like "The Deer Hunter") because of how sad it is. Now, you can show it to kids when it joins Netflix on September 16, 2024.

Part of the appeal of "Grave of the Fireflies" is that...

Netflix has picked up streaming rights to Studio Ghibli’s Grave of the Fireflies, which will be available from September 16 in over 190 countries, excluding Japan.

Grave of the Fireflies joins Netflix’s current library of 22 Studio Ghibli films, which are available globally, excluding the U.S. and Japan.

Ghibli titles available on the streamer include Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke, Howl’s Moving Castle, Kiki’s Delivery Service, My Neighbor Totoro and Porco Rosso, among others.

The streamer also added other Japanese animated films like Makoto Shinkai’s Suzume and Takehiko Inoue’s The First Slam Dunk earlier this year.

Based on Akiyuki Nosaka’s Naoki Prize-winning short story, Grave of the Fireflies is set in Kobe near the end of World War Two and depicts the tragic fate of war orphan siblings and the horrors of this period.

Grave of the Fireflies first premiered in 1988 and was directed by the late Isao Takahata,...

Two anime movies returned to the Japan box office top 10 in the weekend of August 16-18 thanks to revival screenings — Haikyu!! The Dumpster Battle and The First Slam Dunk , according to Kogyo Tsushinsha . Haikyu!! The Dumpster Battle , the first part of the Haikyu!! Final duology anime films, held a special one-day-only event titled "The Dumpster Battle Last Match" at the Toho Cinemas Hibiya theater in Tokyo on August 18, with the event was live-streamed in theaters across Japan. Thanks to the event including the stage event by the voice actors and the revival screening, the movie ranked sixth in the weekend box office ranking for the first time since the weekend of June 14-16 . The movie now earned a total 11.5 billion yen (78.39 million Usd) from 8.06 million ticket sales, first debuting in Japanese theaters on February 16, 2024. It is also now the 35th top-grossing film of all time ever released in Japan. One...

Slam Dunk is a legendary manga by Takehiko Inoue, and its fame has spread far and wide. It also has a beloved anime that has adapted the entire manga, other than the most important final match of Shohoku. This led fans to grieve the cliffhanger for almost three decades until Toei decided to release the final match as a movie, The First Slam Dunk.

Just as expected, the theatrical release brought tears to the eyes of Slam Dunk fans as they finally received a beautifully animated conclusion. And if this doesn’t convince you to watch the movie, the accolades it has received might.

The First Slam Dunk is the Sixth Highest-Grossing Movie in Japan A Still From The First Slam Dunk | Credit: Toei Animation

The First Slam Dunk movie featured the adrenaline-pumping match between Shohoku, a no-name high school from Kanegawa and Sannoh, the defending national champion basketball team.

Netflix is all set to add The First Slam Dunk anime film to its platform, as revealed by its official X account. The film will be available for streaming in 75 countries, including the United States, starting on Aug 25, 2024.

According to Netflix, the decision to bring The First Slam Dunk to the platform is part of the streaming giant’s ongoing efforts to expand its anime offerings for its global audience.

In Japan, the film already started streaming exclusively on the platform on June 10.

The First Slam Dunk movie released in Japanese theatres on Dec 3, 2022.

The opening theme song was performed by The Birthday, while 10-feet performed the ending theme song “Zero Sensation”.

The First Slam Dunk movie was directed and scripted by Mangaka Takahiko Inoue himself at Toei Animation.

Among the listed staff members are character designer/animation director Yasuyuki Ebara (Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress) and technical directors Katsuhiko Kitada (Attack on Titan episodes,...

Major U.S. streamer Netflix has announced a release date for the critically acclaimed The First Slam Dunk -- one of the highest-grossing anime films in the history of the medium.

Via its official X (formerly Twitter) account, Toei Animation and DandeLion Animation Studio's box office sensation The First Slam Dunk was revealed to be heading to Netflix on Aug. 25, 2024. "It's game time," the post reads. "The First Slam Dunk is coming to Netflix in the US on August 25!" Readers can check out the poster and more information on the film below.

Related Netflix's 'The One Piece' Anime Remake Reveals First-Look Concept Artwork in Major Production Update

One Piece Day '24 reveals the staff and a first look at concept art for the Wit Studio's highly anticipated One Piece anime remake, 'The One Piece.'

The First Slam Dunk Arrives on Streaming in August for U.

One Piece Day '24 has revealed the list of staff and a first look at a slew of new concept art for Wit Studio's highly anticipated One Piece anime remake, The One Piece.

Via the One Piece Day '24 live stream on Aug. 11, 2024, it was revealed that Wit Studio's One Piece remake, The One Piece, will be directed by Attack on Titan's Masashi Koizuka, with Jujutsu Kaisen's Hideaki Abe serving as assistant director. They're joined by Haikyu!!'s Taku Kishimoto for series composition, the character designer and chief animation directors Kyoji Asano (Spy x Family) and Takatoshi Honda (The First Slam Dunk), and action animators Ken Imaizumi (Boruto) and Shuhei Fukuda (Call of the Night).

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The One Piece anime series is teaming up with Sony for an exclusive line of anime-themed headsets featuring Monkey D.

Rotten Tomatoes does not measure the quality of a movie, no matter what your favorite YouTuber says. What it does measure is the percentage of critics who think a movie is at least decent. The higher the Rotten Tomatoes score, the firmer the consensus is that a movie is at least "good," rather than, say, an exact quality score of the title.

Still, even if it doesn't exactly measure quality, a Rotten Tomatoes score is quite useful to get an idea of whether a movie has a wide appeal or if it's polarizing (meaning different people have vastly different opinions on the title). When it comes to anime, even if the genre is becoming more and more accessible, more mainstream, and more accepted, there are only four anime movies with a 100% certified fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

What's curious is how different, yet very similar, the titles are. That's because,...

Local animated features led Japanese box office in the first half of 2024 as just two Hollywood titles broke the top 10.

Of the 20 highest-grossing films released so far this year, 15 were produced in Japan. Six out of the top 10 titles are anime features.

Dominating the first half of 2024 was Detective Conan: The Million-Dollar Pentagram, the 27th annual entry in a series of films about a high school detective who has been shrunk to child-like proportions. The film has earned $94.4m (¥15.19bn) – a record for the long-running franchise. By comparison, 2023’s top-grossing film, animation The First Slam Dunk, took $98.6m (¥15.87bn) over...

Feelgood local movie “Moments We Shared” ran off to a dominant win at the mainland China box office, despite releasing only on Saturday.

If ever there was need of further evidence of Hollywood’s diminished power with Chinese audiences, this weekend provided it. “Moments’” win came at the expense of two U.S. films – Pixar animation “Inside Out 2” and action franchise “Bad Boys 4” – that have performed well in other markets.

“Inside Out 2” got a head start and opened conventionally on Friday with a decent $2.32 million that temporarily put it in first place. Its Saturday total increased to $4.3 million and retreated slightly to $3.44 million on Sunday for a weekend total of $10.3 million. Imax reported that $1.1 million of that total came from its screens in China.

Nevertheless, the animated U.S. title was swept away by the Saturday-released “Moments.” It topped the chart on both Saturday and Sunday and earned $19.4 million over two days.

Over the last decade, it seems like sports anime has scored more points in the anime fandom, quickly rising through the leaderboards and becoming more popular. While tracking how much a fandom "likes" something is difficult through social media, one metric can help show how popular an anime is: box office takings. Two of the latest sports anime films in Japanese theaters, The First Slam Dunk and Haikyu!! The Dumpster Battle , have done huge numbers and currently rank as the 13th and 35th highest-grossing films of all time in Japan (not just anime), respectively. While both were already generational-defining series getting long-awaited canon sequels with huge built-in audiences, these are the first sports anime films to pass 10 billion yen in Japanese theaters ever. And that's partially by design. The First Slam Dunk and Haikyu!! The Dumpster Battle both were massively helped by the anime films that preceded their releases. In...

From jazzy anime to an unfilmable sci-fi epic, a poignant film without dialogue and the silliest LGBTQ+ movie you’ll ever see

Blue Giant is a wonderful anime film following three young men trying to break into the dying modern Tokyo jazz underground. I saw this on a whim with a friend of mine. We were both struck by the film’s invigorating power and enormous fun. It’ll have you listening to its soundtrack by Hiromi for weeks afterwards. Sax riffs, piano solos, and drum breaks aplenty. People who liked last year’s The First Slam Dunk will recognise the newer, and perhaps controversial, 3D animation used. It isn’t about cutting corners but opening new avenues for the medium. The film hasn’t had the love it deserves so I will gush about it to anyone. Tim Roger, Surrey...

Japanese animation film “Haikyuu!! The Dumpster Battle” took a clear lead at the mainland China weekend box office – despite only being available for two of three days.

Data from consultancy firm Artisan Gateway showed the film scoring $9.8 million (RMB69.4 million) in China, more than double that of second placed film “Be My Friend.” The win came despite “Haikyu!!” only being released on Saturday and measuring up against other tiles available throughout the whole of the Friday-Sunday period.

“Haikyu!!” is the third Japanese film so far this year to lead the mainland Chinese box office, following “The Boy and the Heron” and “Doraemon the Movie: Nobita’s Earth Symphony.”

It was produced by Production Ig, Toho Animation and Sony Music Entertainment Japan and released by Crunchyroll in multiple territories. In China, the release was backed by China Film Corp and Road Pictures, the indie which previously handled “The First Slam Dunk” and “Suzume.

Usually the case for anime movies deriving from series, is that they are essentially prolonged episodes with better production values. This practice, on occasion, has led to truly impressive productions, with “Jujutsu Kaisen 0”, “One Piece Red” and “The First Slam Dunk” being some of the most recent samples. “Saga of Tanya The Evil: The Movie” definitely falls under this category.

on Crunchyroll

by clicking on the image below

The story continues the one from the television anime. In 1926, Tanya and her battalion return home from their last skirmish with the Republic's army. Although hoping from some break, they almost immediately find themselves back to the front once more, as reports about a massive mobilization near the border with the Russy Federation have reached the Empire. Meanwhile, an international volunteer army spearheaded by the Commonwealth sets foot in Federation territory. As they say, the enemy of an enemy is your friend.

Anime producer Studio Bones announced their new Gachiakuta anime series project on June 13, 2024, based on the unique and captivating Kodansha manga.

With a target release set for 2025, the studio has unveiled a teaser visual and promotional video that hints at how they plan to bring the bold art styles of manga artist Kei Urana and graffiti artist Hideyoshi Andou to life.

Both Studio Bones and Kodansha will be at the Anime Expo in July to talk more about the upcoming series.

Check the Pv here:

About Gachiakuta:

A battle against conformity, authority and discrimination! Rudo lives in the slums of a floating town, where the poor scrape by under the shadow of the rich who live a sumptuous life, simply casting their garbage off the side, into the abyss.

Then one day, he’s falsely accused of murder, and his wrongful conviction leads to an unimaginable punishment—exile off the...

Weekly Shonen Magazine's manga series Gachiakuta, written and illustrated by Kei Urana, will be receiving an anime television series in 2025. The news was announced via the anime's official website, which also revealed the adaptation's first teaser trailer and visual.

The anime series, produced by studio Bones, will be an especially exciting release for fans of iconic shonen works, as Gachiakuta is well-known for its blend of dark fantasy action and visual artistry. The official anime website's debut teaser trailer and artwork, drawn by creator Kei Urana, can be viewed below, along with the chief staff slated to work on the upcoming show.

Related Jujutsu Kaisen Creator Gives New Shonen Jump Hit Series His Seal of Approval

Jujutsu Kaisen creator Gege Akutami showers praise on Shonen Jump's new hit series Super Psychic Policeman Gojo, which debuted earlier this year.

Set to direct the Gachiakuta anime series is Fumihiko Suganuma, who previously...