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How to watch Classroom of the Elite Season 3 Classroom of the EliteClassroom of the Elite Season 3 is finally here, and for those who are eager to catch up on the action, here is everything you need to know and how to watch. Classroom of the Elite revolves around Tokyo Koudo Ikusei Senior High School’s students, who hold many dark secrets. The main protagonist, Ayanokouji, is also a complex character whose true motives are yet to be revealed in the series. The second season hinted that we are close to discovering what he is up to and why he chose to be in Class D despite being one of the most intelligent students in the entire school. Well, the first episode of Classroom of the Elite Season 3 is approaching our screens with the answers we have been waiting for so long. So, let’s delve deeper into the article to determine how to watch the highly anticipated episode. Classroom of the Elite Season 3 Episode where to watch Classroom of the Elite was released on Wednesday, January 3, 2024, at 10:30 pm JST on the AT-X channel in Japan. The other networks, such as Tokyo MX, SUN TV, and KBS, simultaneously telecasted the episode for the Japanese viewers. Following its release, Classroom of the Elite Season 3 has also been available on Crunchyroll. What happened in Classroom of the Elite Season 2 finale? Classroom of the Elite Season 2’s final episode created a base for the third season. Initially, Ayanokouji and Ryuen get involved in a conflict, though not physically. It was a mental battle that the former won. Ashamed of the defeat, Ryuen planned to leave the school, but Ayanokouji stopped him as he had different plans for him. Ayanokouji played smartly and made Ryuen a pawn. He then asks his new puppet to help him get Kushida out of the school. As the story moved forward, we saw that Ryuen wasn’t the only pawn of Ayanokouji – in fact, his biggest puppet was Karuizawa. Later, Arisu Sakanayagi showed up and claimed that she had known Ayanokouji for a long time, but the latter said he didn’t remember meeting her. The two conversed in such a manner that made us believe we would see a clash between these two characters in the upcoming season, alongside the other significant events. You can check out our other anime coverage here.

How to watch Crunchyroll’s Halloween Anime Collection for free CrunchyrollCrunchyroll is sharing 20 free anime shows for the Halloween season on October 1, which anybody can watch completely free, here’s how. As of October 1, anime fans are able to watch 20 anime shows completely free on the streaming service as part of their Crunchyroll Halloween Anime Collection. The anime streaming giant has specially selected shows that are supernatural and horror-themed ready for the spooky season. The handpicked shows range from classics such as Hellsing and Higurashi When They Cry, to newly released hit releases of Zombie Land Saga and Hell’s Paradise. Here’s how you can watch them completely free and the full breakdown of all the anime shows within the collection. How to watch Crunchyroll’s Halloween Anime Collection for free To watch all the Crunchyroll anime shows for free, you will just need to have registered for a Crunchyroll account, which you can do for free and will only take a few minutes via their website. You will not need to pay for any subscription memberships, and as long as you have a free user account registered, you will be able to log in and access the anime completely free. The only downside is that a few adverts will be displayed while watching, whereas paid memberships feature no adverts. All 20 Crunchyroll Halloween Anime Collection shows See below the full list of all 20 anime shows you can access for free on October 1st (availability may vary by region): Blood Blockade Battlefront – Blue Exorcist – Corpse Princess: Shikabane Hime – Deadman Wonderland – Ghost Hunt – Hell’s Paradise – Hellsing – Hellsing Ultimate – Higurashi: When They Cry – GOU – How to Keep a Mummy – Is this a Zombie? – Junji Ito Collection – Kemono Jihen – Mieruko-chan – The Case Study of Vanitas – The Vampire Dies in No Time – Toilet-bound Hanako-kun – Tokyo Ghoul – Trinity Blood – ZOMBIE LAND SAGA – With 20 spooky anime shows being released, you should have more than enough Halloween anime to get stuck into. You can check out our other anime coverage here.

How many Yu Yu Hakusho live-action episodes are there? NetflixYu Yu Hakusho live-action is all set to premiere on Netflix on December 14, 2023, and here, we discuss the episode count of the anticipated Japanese drama. The live-action of Yu Yu Hakusho was announced in 2020, and since then, every fan of the classic series has been waiting to witness how the anime-to-screen adaptation would turn out. After seeing the first trailer, it would be safe to say that every fan must keep their hopes high for this. Moreover, it’s also worth noting that Yu Yu Hakusho comes from Robot Communications. The same company gave us the successful series Alice in Borderland and the recently released sci-fi movie Godzilla Minus One. As the Netflix series will come out in a couple of hours, here, we disclose the number of episodes it will feature. Yu Yu Hakusho live-action episode count Yu Yu Hakusho manga released the first chapter in April 1991, and it ended with the 175th chapter in December 1994. The entire manga was then adapted into an anime released in October 1992 with 112 episodes. So, the fandom was expecting that the first season of the live-action film would come with at least eight episodes, which would make its length similar to One Piece. However, Netflix confirmed that the first season of the series will be with us for only five episodes. That being said, if the series performs well and can win the hearts of the community, we will indeed get the news of its renewal for a second season. The fandom is going crazy after seeing the trailer for Yu Yu Hakusho Yu Yu Hakusho’s live-action trailer featured a brilliant VFX. Besides that, the character design also caught the communities’ attention, especially the demons. In fact, Netflix confirmed that as the series showcases the demon and spirit world co-existing with the human world, the creators had to make several demons from scratch that weren’t part of the original series. The most significant element that is being praised by the fandom is the fluidity in the martial arts sequences. So, it’s no surprise that everyone is eager to see the complete picture when the live-action finally arrives. You can check out our other anime coverage here. Please note that if you click on a product link on this page we may earn a small affiliate commission.

How much of One Piece is filler? Toei AnimationAs a long-running series, One Piece has its fair share of filler episodes – but among the 1000+ episodes, how many of them are fillers? One Piece is a popular anime and manga series that follows the adventures of Monkey D. Luffy and his crew. Luffy aspires to become the Pirate King and gathers a crew before setting off to the Grand Line in an incredible journey. The manga debuted in 1997 and was soon adapted into an anime show in 1999. The story is still ongoing, with the crew finally entering the Final Saga. As one of the longest-running series ever, One Piece has over 1000 episodes and 1100 manga chapters. However, the story is still far from over. Nonetheless, even after all these years, One Piece sagas contain significantly fewer fillers compared to other long-running series such as Bleach, Naruto, or Detective Conan. However, that doesn’t mean you need to watch all the One Piece filler episodes. How many One Piece filler episodes are there? As of now, One Piece has just 9% filler. One Piece is the only series among the Shonen Big Three to have so few fillers. The series is currently ongoing episodes, with just 94 serving as filler. Compared to Naruto, with nearly 41% filler episodes, and Bleach, with 45% fillers, One Piece is considerably impressive. Fillers are usually unrelated to the plot and don’t have any impact on the overall story. The plot of these episodes doesn’t come from the source material. They usually merely act as a space hog, which might be seen as the creation of brand-new episodes for a whole franchise to simply lengthen a story. One Piece generally adapts one or one-and-a-half manga chapters every episode, allowing viewers to keep up with the manga. Aside from the slow pace, the animation studio airs recap episodes every few weeks to eliminate redundant fillers. The recaps help them have enough material to adapt in the long run and avoid fillers altogether. Although One Piece has been airing continuously since 1999, it has way fewer fillers compared to other long-running series. Additionally, among the 91% canon episodes, 21 episodes of filler are anime canon, which are still worth watching even though they don’t cover content from the manga. With so many episodes, it’s hard to tell which are fillers. Our comprehensive guide to One Piece filler episodes, lists all the ones you can skip watching. Otherwise, check out our One Piece villains and One Piece saddest backstories lists to find out more about the Straw Hats!

How old is Ash Ketchum in Pokemon? Prime VideoAsh and his Pokemon pals have been a staple in a lot of people’s childhoods. He’s graced our screens for so long it makes us wonder how old Ash Ketchum really is in Pokemon. Protagonist of the Pokemon anime series, Ash Ketchum is an enthusiastic trainer. Armed with his loyal Pikachu and the dream of becoming world champion, he’s had an incredible journey over the years. As the central character of one of the most-viewed anime for beginners, he is known to practically everyone. Beginning his adventures in 1997, Ash has made many new friends, competed in various matches to win gym badges, and collected lots of new Pokemon. However, it wasn’t until 2022 that Ash finally managed to become world champion. Thanks to Ash’s very consistent appearance throughout numerous seasons of the anime series, it can be hard to be sure of his age. So, here’s the answer to how old Ash Ketchum is in Pokemon to clear up the matter. How old is Ash Ketchum in Pokemon? Ash Ketchum is 10 years old in Pokemon, from the start of the show to the end. Like many animated shows, the character does not age. He starts the anime and his journey as a Pokemon trainer at 10-years-old, and remains so for every following season. At the beginning of the anime series, Ash gets his first Pokemon and start his journey to become a master Pokemon trainer from Pallet Town at age 10. With Pikachu as his constant companion, he goes through seven different anime series of the franchise as the protagonist. In the long-running anime series with a grand total of 1,232 episodes, Ash’s age remains unchanged. His aging is only addressed in flashbacks where he appeared as a 6-year-old child. Ash’s time as a kid is shown once again in a flashback in Pokemon the Series: XY. The flashback shows him at Professor Oak’s camp where he met Serena and helped her after she got injured. Other than that, Ash Ketchum is always shown as a 10 year old. That doesn’t change even when he finally wins the world championship and becomes the new Monarch and World Champion of the Pokémon World Coronation Series in Pokemon Journeys: The Series. With that resolved, it’s time to try other anime like these upcoming romance anime series or fantasy anime series. Or, find out how to defeat Giovanni in Pokemon Go, how you can beat Sierra, how to counter Cliff, and how you can get the better of Arlo.

How old is Nezuko in Demon Slayer? CrunchyrollNezuko is a beloved character who charms fans in both her childhood and teenage forms. As a demon, there is some confusion among fans about how old Nezuko is in Demon Slayer, though. Nezuko Kamado is one of the main characters in Demon Slayer and is the deuteragonist of the series. Nezuko is transformed into a demon when Muzan attacks the Kamado family in the first episode of the show — the best anime, so don’t waste any time getting into the action! Despite becoming a demon, Nezuko is unique in the sense that she gets her energy from sleeping instead of ingesting human flesh like other demons. Her brother’s main purpose is to turn her back to humans. Nezuko’s status as a demon sometimes makes it difficult to tell her real age, especially depending on when each season of Demon Slayer takes place. Find out exactly how old Nezuko is in Demon Slayer to clear all confusion. Warning: the following section contains spoilers from the manga. How old is Nezuko in Demon Slayer? Canonically, Nezuko is 14 years old in Demon Slayer. However, since she doesn’t age after being turned into a demon, she’s physically still 12 years old. She often turns into a child, especially when she has to get in the box for Tanjiro to carry, but that’s solely due to her demon powers. When Muzan Kibutsuji attacked the Kamado family on that fateful day, Nezuko was 12 years old. She is the second oldest of the Kamado siblings, only a year younger than her brother, Tanjiro. Turning into a demon has prevented her from aging, keeping her biologically 12 until her status changes later in the series. After turning into a demon and finally recognizing her brother, Nezuko spent two years sleeping while Tanjiro trained to become a demon slayer under Urokodaki. This means that, in the present timeline of the anime, she is technically 14 years old, even though her body remains unchanged. Nezuko finally begins to age once she returns to being a human again during the Infinity Castle Arc. After she becomes the first demon to withstand the sunlight, she takes a medicine made by Tamayo that will change her back to human. In lieu of the final battle, Nezuko lives her life as a normal human and eventually lives a long life. Check out the release schedule of Demon Slayer Season 4 so you won’t miss out on an episode. If you want to know more about the characters, check out the powers of every living Hashira and our list of the saddest Demon Slayer backstories.

How to watch all of My Hero Academia season one for free on Xbox & PC FunimationMy Hero Academia season one is available to watch for free in its entirety for PC and Xbox One users for a limited time – here’s how you can get your hands on it. My Hero Academia has seen wild success since its anime adaptation in 2016. It follows the story of Izuku Midoriya as he struggles with being born “quirkless” (without a power) in a world saturated by superheroes. Then, his savior comes along in the form of Number #1 hero All Might, and the budding pro’s dreams come true. Season one of the show received phenomenal praise from reviewers, and boasts a 91% critic score and a 100% audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes, making it one of the top anime series of all time. Now, Xbox and PC users can own and watch it for free for a limited time, thanks to the Microsoft Store. How to get MHA season one for free In order to claim the free season, users will need to head to the Microsoft Store. Once there, find the “Games & Entertainment” category, and then the “Movies & TV” section. You should see a banner at the top that reads “Anime Month weekend flash sale” with a picture of the Dragon Ball Z and MHA logos. Upon clicking, it’ll take you to another section, in which you need to click “Weekend flash sale” and then either “My Hero Academia (Simuldub)” or “My Hero Academia (Original Japanese Version)” depending on your subbed or dubbed preference. Read More: MHA Season 5 announcement could come soon – The price should have a giant slash through it and will instead be completely free to “buy,” saving you $16.99. The deal is only available for three days though, ending on February 3, so be swift if you’d like to grab the crazy deal. Season one of Dragon Ball Z and Black Clover are also free until the same time, so also make sure to claim those too while you can if you feel like going on a super anime binge this weekend. While not free, other shows and films are on sale, such as the MHA movie Two Heroes for $0.99 and Hunter x Hunter: Phantom Rouge for $4.99.

How many episodes of Naruto are there? CrunchyrollNaruto is one of the biggest and most influential anime of all time. Even years after it ended, it remains popular and is regarded a must-see for anime enthusiasts. Anyone new to the franchise is probably wondering how many episodes of Naruto there are before they start getting into the series. Naruto is one of Studio Pierrot’s biggest projects. Ever since its debut in 2002, it earned a massive following and quickly became one of the best anime of its generation. The original Naruto anime ended in 2007 and came back as Naruto Shippuden in the same year. The sequel surpassed the original in both popularity and episode count and ran for 10 years before concluding in 2017. With so many years in running, it’s obvious that there are quite a few episodes in Naruto — including some filler episodes that you can actually skip — but how many in total exactly? We’ve got the answer right here. How many episodes of Naruto are there? Naruto, the original anime which can be considered the first part of the story, has 220 episodes. The sequel, titled Naruto Shippuden, has a staggering number of 500 episodes. So, to sum it up, Naruto has a total of 720 episodes. Naruto, however, is notorious for the amount of filler episodes, as we mentioned before. The original anime has 90 filler episodes which is around 41% of the total number for the standard Naruto arcs. The sequel, similarly, has a filler percentage of around 41% with 203 filler episodes out of 500 episodes. A brief look at the Naruto timeline When watching the episodes, Naruto comes first, then Naruto Shippuden. There is also a movie, Naruto the Last, that is considered canon. The original Naruto starts with the titular protagonist, Naruto Uzumaki who is hated by the whole village for being the vessel of the Nine-tailed Fox. The series follows him as he sets out to fulfil his goal of becoming the Hokage. Naruto Shippuden picks up two years after the events of the prequel. Naruto is back from his training with Jiraiya and is determined to bring Sasuke back. As he chases after his wayward friend, the danger of Akatsuki looms closer. There are also several movies of both series but only one of them is considered canon. The final movie, titled Naruto the Last, is written by Masashi Kishimoto himself. It shows the Shinobi world three years after the war and focuses on the love story between Naruto and Hinata. The story of Naruto Uzumaki can be considered to be complete with Naruto the Last as the mantle of the protagonist is taken by his son instead. The following movie and the anime series focus on the next generation with Boruto as the protagonist. Fans can catch Naruto on multiple streaming platforms like Crunchyroll, Funimation, Netflix, and Prime Video. New viewers should definitely try this classic, and old viewers can give it another rewatch, just for fun. For more from the anime world, here are our picks for the best anime of winter 2024, and 5 best anime you’ve never heard of. You can also check out all the best TV shows streaming this month, and the new movies streaming this month.

How many episodes of One Piece are there? CrunchyrollLuffy and the Straw Hats have been sailing the high seas for years now, but how many Once Piece episodes are there and how long would it take you to watch the whole anime show, plus the movies? One Piece is an anime show based on Eiichiro Oda’s beloved shonen manga. First published in 1997, the series evolved into a media behemoth, spawning one of the most successful and best anime ever made. What started as teenage pirate Monkey D. Luffy trying to find the mythical, titular One Piece has become one of the highest-grossing media franchises of all time. The numerous One Piece sagas (and requisite One Piece filler) have spawned all sorts of lore that’s enraptured fans for generations now, with no signs of slowing down. If you’re thinking of setting sail yourself, you might be wondering – just how many episodes of One Piece have been made so far, and how long would it take to watch them all? How many episodes of One Piece are there? As of April 2024, One Piece has a total of 1,102 episodes. The first episode of One Piece aired on October 20, 1999. Since then, there have been 21 seasons with varying numbers of episodes. So far, the shortest season is the fifth, with 13 episodes, with the longest being the 20th, with a whopping 197 episodes. We’ll let you know if Season 21 takes that record! How many episodes of One Piece are on Netflix? 515 episodes of One Piece are available on Netflix, amounting to 20 Arcs. Season 21 is currently being released on Netflix UK. The release plan so far has been sporadic, but you can expect more episodes to arrive on the service in due course. How many One Piece movies are there? There are a total of 15 One Piece movies at the time of writing. Generally speaking, we get a new anime movie in franchise every couple of years, with the last being One Piece Film: Red. Every One Piece movie, listed in release order: One Piece – 2000 – Clockwork Island Adventure – 2001 – Chopper’s Kingdom on the Island of Strange Animals – 2002 – Dead End Adventure – 2003 – The Cursed Holy Sword – 2004 – Baron Omatsuri and the Secret Island – 2005 – Giant Mecha Soldier of Karakuri Castle – 2006 – The Desert Princess and the Pirates: Adventures in Alabasta – 2007 – Episode of Chopper Plus: Bloom in the Winter, Miracle Sakura – 2008 – One Piece Film: Strong World – 2009 – Straw Hat Chase – 2011 – One Piece Film: Z – 2012 – One Piece Film: Gold – 2017 – One Piece: Stampede – 2019 – One Piece Film: Red – 2022 – While it’s tempting to assume that the movies are unnecessary spinoffs of the anime, they all take place within the show’s canon – so, if you want to watch the whole thing, don’t think you can skip them! How long would it take to watch all of One Piece? Right now, it would take nearly 442 hours to watch One Piece – that’s 18-and-a-half days’ worth of anime without a single break. Including their opening and closing themes, and factoring in credits, each episode of One Piece is between 22-24 minutes long. For easiness sake, let’s just say each episode is 24 minutes. Multiply that by 1,102, divide by 60, and you have 440.8 hours. If you add all of their runtimes up, the 15 movies amount to another 22.1 hours, which equals 441.7 hours. You may love One Piece, but you can’t watch TV for more than 18 days straight. So, let’s plan it out: if you spent nine hours watching the anime each day, it would take just over 49 days. What if you didn’t have that sort of time to spare? What if you’re a working person who just wants to squeeze in two hours before going to bed? Well, you’re in it for the long haul: with just two hours of One Piece each day, it would take nearly 221 days – that’s more than seven months of dedicated viewing. If you’d prefer something easier to manage, we have a short anime list, and check out our guides to Solo Leveling Season 2 and Tower of God Season 2 for shows that are only just starting.

How many episodes will Spy X Family Season 2 have? CrunchyrollSpy X Family Season 2 marked the return of the Forger family to our screens last weekend. And since the anticipated season is here, fans wonder how long the anime will stick with us. Spy X Family arrived with its first season with two cours in 2022 and became a huge name among the community. The first cour of the anime season was released in April 2022 and ran until June 2022, while the second cour aired in October 2022 and ended in December 2022. The first season created a base for the narrative as well as the quirky characters. We were introduced to an undercover spy, Loid, who had no choice but to build a fake family so that he does not come into the sight of the enemies. Hence, he adopts the adorable Anya with telepathic powers and arranges a fake wife named Yor, an assassin. After blessing us with an action-packed first season, the creators promise to provide us with even more intriguing elements than we have witnessed before. Spy X Family Season 2 episode count revealed Spy X Family will have 12 episodes, making it a single-cour anime. That’s no good news for the community as the first season delivered 25 exciting episodes, and fans believed the new season will have an equal number. Moreover, fans are disappointed with the episode count of the new season because the first one successfully covered eight arcs from the manga to their entity and the first three chapters from the ninth arc, i.e., Imperial Scholars Mixer Arc. So, it will be a challenging thing to get these many arcs in the latest season. To be precise, we can expect to see the adaptation of 20 chapters in total from the Imperial Scholars Mixer Arc and Cruise Adventure Arc in Spy X Family Season 2. The creators haven’t yet disclosed the exact reason for the season’s shortened length. However, it would be safe to say that Wit Studio will be coming up with the Spy X Family movie later this year, so there are chances the studios did not want to compromise the quality, and that’s why they decided to keep the second season short. Besides that, the series yet has plenty of source material, so we will surely get a third season quickly, and It will probably have as many episodes as season 1. How to watch Crunchyroll from outside your location in 2023 Crunchyroll is the world’s best hub for streaming anime, whether it’s One Piece, Attack on Titan, or Jujutsu Kaisen – and thanks to ExpressVPN, you can access the platform’s full library even if you’re outside the US. If you’re abroad, here’s what you need to do to access Crunchyroll’s full selection – and it really is this simple: Sign up for ExpressVPN, which has ultra-fast servers and offers a secure, private connection wherever you are in the world – Connect to a location anywhere in the US; Express VPN allows you to choose from 24 different spots, from New Jersey to Santa Monica – Visit Crunchyroll online and start streaming all of your favorite animes – and perhaps some you’ve never watched – Accessing Crunchyroll’s US roster makes a difference; for example, Hong Kong users only have access to less than 100 titles, while the US has nearly 1,000 movies and TV shows. You can also stream anime on Crunchyroll for free with an ad-supported plan, or you can pay for a subscription – there’s even a 14-day free trial if you can’t quite make up your mind. You can check out our other anime coverage here. Please note that if you click on a product link on this page we may earn a small affiliate commission.

How many Mob Psycho 100 episodes are there? Crunchyroll release schedule CrunchyrollMob Psycho 100 is releasing its final season on Crunchyroll, but what is the release schedule, and how many episodes are left? Mob Psycho 100 is finally back for Season 3, after years of anticipation. The action-packed and marvelously animated anime series is considered to be one of the greats, and it’s a shame that this will be its final season. The series is described by Crunchyroll as follows: “Kageyama Shigeo, a.k.a. “Mob,” is a boy who has trouble expressing himself, but who happens to be a powerful esper. Mob is determined to live a normal life and keeps his ESP suppressed, but when his emotions surge to a level of 100%, something terrible happens to him!” Crunchyroll is also the streaming platform that is dropping each new episode of Mob Psycho 100 Season 3, but what is the release schedule, and how many episodes are left? Let us explain… How many Mob Psycho 100 Season 3 episodes will there be? For Season 3, there will be 12 episodes of Mob Psycho 100. That means we are over halfway through the season right now, so it’s time to catch up! This will also bring the ultimate episode count of Mob Psycho 100 up to 37, with Season 1 having 12 episodes and Season 2 having 13. What day and time do Mob Psycho 100 episodes come out? Regarding the anime’s release schedule, here’s when you can watch each new episode of Mob Psycho: Episode 1: Thursday, October 6 – Episode 2: Thursday, October 13 – Episode 3: Thursday, October 20 – Episode 4: Thursday, October 27 – Episode 5: Thursday, November 3 – Episode 6: Thursday, November 10 – Episode 7: Thursday, November 17 – Episode 8: Thursday, November 24 – Episode 9: Thursday, December 1 – Episode 10: Thursday, December 8 – Episode 11: Thursday, December 15 – Episode 12: Thursday, December 22 – The episodes will be releasing at midnight on Japan Standard Time, meaning the release time will differ based on your time zone. For many countries, this means that the episode will drop on a Wednesday rather than a Thursday. 9am PDT (Wednesday) – 12pm EDT (Wednesday) – 2pm Brazil (Wednesday) – 5pm UK (Wednesday) – 6pm Central European Summer Time (Wednesday) – 10:30pm India Standard Time (Wednesday) – 4am Australia – 6am New Zealand – Mob Psycho Episodes 1-8 are available to stream on Crunchyroll now.

How many My Hero Academia movies are there? Kohei Horikoshi/BonesMy Hero Academia has several anime movies in its ever-growing franchise. But the number and order of the movies can be confusing. So, let’s find out how many My Hero Academia movies there are now. Kohei Horikoshi’s beloved manga My Hero Academia is one of the most prominent titles of new-gen shonen. Having debuted in 2014, the series has won the hearts of millions over the last decade. Its popularity rose even more in 2016 when it was turned into a superhero anime. The series is currently in a bit of a golden period. The manga has wrapped up its Final War Arc in Chapter 423 and entered the epilogue in Chapter 424. From the anime front, My Hero Academia Season 7 is currently streaming with five episodes released so far. On top of these, the franchise is also all set to add another anime movie to its collection. But before watching the new film, let’s figure out how many My Hero Academia movies there are and how to watch them in the right order. How many My Hero Academia movies are there? Currently, My Hero Academia has four movies. They are as follows: My Hero Academia: Two Heroes, My Hero Academia: Heroes Rising, My Hero Academia: World Heroes’ Mission, and My Hero Academia: You’re Next. Out of these four, the first three have already been released and My Hero Academia: You’re Next is one of the upcoming anime movies in 2024. The movie will be released on August 2, 2024, in Japan. But its global release dates haven’t been announced yet. The first My Hero Academia movie is Two Heroes. It was released in 2018, following the third season of the anime show. The plot of the film follows Class 1-A students as they go to a superhero festival on I-Island during their summer vacation. Up next is Heroes Rising which was released in 2019. Chronologically, this movie is set between two parts of Season 4. The events take place after Class 1-A students get their Provisional Hero Licenses and before the Eri and Overhaul incident. The film shows the aspiring heroes sent to Nabu Island as a part of a training where they act like Pro Heroes without their teacher’s supervision. As they help the citizens with their idyllic lives, a terrifying villain is on their way to the island. The third one is World Heroes’ Mission. It came out in 2021 and currently is the highest grossing movie of the franchise. It takes place in the middle of Season 5 and shows a cult trying to destroy the superhuman society and Deku on the run for murder. The fourth, and as of now, last movie of the franchise is You’re Next. It’s set during the Dark Hero Arc i.e., the last half of Season 6. The trailer shows Deku and his friends having to fight a new villain who looks like an evil version of All Might. How to watch My Hero Academia movies? The first three My Hero Academia movies are streaming on Crunchyroll and Netflix. You can watch the fourth movie in Japanese theatres from August 2, 2024. Though some of the movies are streaming, they are not available in every region. In that case, you can use ExpressVPN. It allows you to access the platform’s full library even if you’re outside the US. You can access Crunchyroll’s full selection very easily with ExpressVPN, even if you’re abroad. With ExpressVPN, which has ultra-fast servers and offers a secure, private connection wherever you are in the world, you can connect to a location anywhere in the US. Express VPN allows you to choose from 24 different spots, from New Jersey to Santa Monica. Visit Crunchyroll online and start streaming all of your favorite anime – and perhaps some you’ve never watched. Accessing the streaming service‘s US roster makes a difference. For example, Hong Kong users only have access to less than 100 titles, while the US has nearly 1,000 movies and TV shows. You can also stream anime on Crunchyroll for free with an ad-supported plan. Or you can pay for a subscription – there’s even a 14-day free trial if you can’t quite make up your mind. Are My Hero Academia movies canon? Contrary to popular belief, My Hero Academia movies are actually considered canon. Though none of the film plots ever intersect with the main storyline, some characters from the films appear in the manga, mostly during the Final War Arc. The first movie’s Melissa Shield, second movie’s Mahora and Katsuma Shimano, and third movie’s Rody Soul are seen watching the broadcast of the war in Chapter 384. Before them, Heroes Rising’s villain Nine makes a cameo appearance in Chapter 222. Though none of them or their stories have any impact on the main plot of My Hero Academia, their appearance in the manga still make them part of the canon. For more on these heroes, check out our guides on My Hero Academia Season 7 release schedule and the last My Hero Academia chapter. You might also like our takes on Deku’s biggest change and Deku’s new Quirk. Please note that if you click on a product link on this page, we may earn a small affiliate commission.

How many One Piece movies are there? CrunchyrollOne Piece’s beautiful storytelling isn’t simply limited to its weekly episodes, as there are several films that explore new adventures. Here’s a list of all the One Piece movies. One Piece is a popular Shonen anime and manga series that follows Luffy in his adventures as he strives to become the Pirate King. The manga started in 1997 and was adapted into an anime two years after its debut. Since then, there are several side stories that feature new adventures of Luffy and his crew. Movies, in addition to manga chapters and anime adaptations, are a significant part of the One Piece franchise. Toei Animation produces and distributes the One Piece movies. It is the same studio as the weekly anime series. The majority of the movies follow the adventures of Monkey D. Luffy and his pirate crew, the Straw Hat Pirates. These standalone movies are non-canon, with little to no influence from Eiichiro Oda, the author and illustrator of the One Piece manga. Delve deeper to find out about the One Piece movies. All One Piece movies in chronological order There are a total of 15 movies, and among them, Eiichiro Oda is active in the production and contributes to these four movies: One Piece Film: Strong World, One Piece Film: Z, One Piece Film: Gold, and One Piece Film: Red. Here are all the film titles, along with MyAnimeList ratings. One Piece: The Movie (7.09/10) – Clockwork Island Adventure (7.10/10) – Chopper’s Kingdom on the Island of Strange Animals (6.87/10) – One Piece: Dead End (7.53/10) – The Cursed Holy Sword (7.13/10) – Baron Omatsuri and the Secret Island (7.74/10) – The Giant Mechanical Soldier of Karakuri Castle (7.20/10) – The Episode of Arabasta – The Desert Princess and the Pirates (7.32/10) – The Episode of Chopper Plus – Bloom in Winter, Miracle Sakura (7.45/10) – One Piece Film: Strong World (8.08/10) – Straw Hat Chase (6.94/10) – One Piece Film: Z (8.14/10) – One Piece Film: Gold (7.90/10) – Stampede (8.22/10) – One Piece Film: Red (7.86/10) – One Piece can currently be streamed on Crunchyroll. In the meantime, check out our other anime coverage below: Gorosei shadows in One Piece | Demon Slayer Season 3 finale | One Piece Reverie flashback | One Piece Void Century | Naruto Will of Fire | Naruto Wood Jutsu | Demon Slayer Mark characters | One Piece Mera Mera no Mi | One Piece God’s Knights Commander | One Piece Kozuki Momonosuke | Demon Slayer Hantengu Forms | One Piece Roger’s legacy | Naruto Uchiha Clan stone tablet | One Piece live-action trailer | Demon Slayer Corps

The Boy and the Heron to open Toronto Film Festival Studio GhibliThe Boy and the Heron – which was released under the title How Do You Live? in Japan – will now open the Toronto International Film Festival in September. Hayao Miyazaki’s new film How Do You Live? opened in Japan earlier this month, to rave reviews. And huge box office numbers. GKIDS Films announced plans for a U.S. release under a new title – The Boy and the Heron. And while Studio Ghibli fans patiently wait for news of a specific date, festival-goers in Canada will be able to see the movie in just a few weeks. That’s because The Boy and the Heron will open the Toronto International Film Festival on September 7. Making it the first animated film to fill such a prestigious slot. The rest of the film’s current release plans can be found below… Is How Do You Live on streaming? No, Hayao Miyazaki’s new film How Do You Live? will not be streaming this week. Instead, the film is playing exclusively in cinemas, via the following formats: IMAX, Dolby Atmos, Dolby Cinema, and DTS:X. The film hits those screens on Friday (July 14, 2023). But you will need to be in Japan to watch the movie, as How Do You Live? is currently only screening there. UPDATE: We now know that the film will also be releasing in American cinemas sometime this year. GKID Films made the announcement on Twitter via the following statement: “GKIDS is honored to announce the acquisition of North American rights to THE BOY AND THE HERON, the new film from Hayao Miyazaki & Studio Ghibli. Debuting in Japan as #君たちはどう生きるか (translated as How Do You Live), THE BOY AND THE HERON opens in N. American theatres 2023.” We’ll update this article when we have an exact date. How Do You Live? plot – What’s it about? How Do You Live? is currently shrouded in mystery, with Studio Ghibli and distributor Toho deciding to release no stills, trailers, or synopses for the film aside from an official poster. With the idea that audiences will enter the cinema with no preconceived notions. Though Miyazaki recently admitted he’s worried about that lack of promotion. What is known however, is that How Do You Live? is loosely based on the 1937 book of the same name, by Genzaburo Yoshino. Here’s the book’s official synopsis: “The streets of Tokyo swarm below fifteen year-old Copper as he gazes out into the city of his childhood. Struck by the thought of the infinite people whose lives play out alongside his own, he begins to wonder, how do you live? “Considering life’s biggest questions for the first time, Copper turns to his dear uncle for heart-warming wisdom. As the old man guides the boy on a journey of philosophical discovery, a timeless tale unfolds, offering a poignant reflection on what it means to be human.” For more Studio Ghibli coverage, head here, and for out Top 10 Ghibli movies, click here.

How Dragon Ball creator’s death is affecting the future of One Piece CrunchyrollDragon Ball creator Akira Toriyama’s death has shocked the entire industry, including One Piece creator Eiichiro Oda. Here’s how it’s affecting the future of the series. Dragon Ball is one of the most popular anime and manga franchises in the world, with several spin-offs and movies under its belt. Toriyama originally published Dragon Ball in 1985 and has been actively working on it for over four decades. Earlier this month, his death due to acute subdural hematoma shocked the entire world. It’s worth mentioning that he was one of the most influential figures in the anime and manga industry, thanks to the global popularity of Dragon Ball. His work inspired many popular series, even the ones as popular as Naruto and One Piece, which are still known as the Shonon Big Three. Apart from the statements shared by One Piece creator Eiichiro Oda and Naruto creator Masashi Kishimoto, several other artists and actors have paid tribute to Akira Toriyama. One Piece is an ongoing series which is currently featuring the Egghead Arc of the Final Saga. However, news about the manga hiatus was confirmed this week. After One Piece Chapter 1111, the manga will go on a three-week hiatus and again a one-week hiatus after Chapter 1113. Eiichiro Oda finally broke his silence on the hiatus in a handwritten note. According to the English translation by an X/Twitter user, the creator wrote: “I’m taking a break!! And it’s a total of three weeks. I know people will get excessively worried because of the latest events with Toriyama-sensei, but it’s about my body. “Think of it as some sort of maintenance. I’m also taking this break to think about what is actually the One Piece. I’m a really busy guy, after all! Also, maybe many of you don’t know about the correlations between many characters of this Egghead Arc. All of you can read their past connections in free volumes for a limited time, all available on Jump+ and Zebrack! There’s also the live-action series on Netflix and the recent adaptation of ‘Monsters,’ one of my oldest works. Please make sure to check them out!” “And there’s even more, since ‘ANYTIME ONE PIECE’ is broadcasting all episodes from the series on YouTube to commemorate the latest anniversary of the series! It’ll also be available on TikTok from March 23rd! With all that said, see you again in three weeks in Jump!” Akira Toriyama and Eiichiro Oda have admired each other’s works for decades. Mangakas are often in poor health due to their busy schedule. Hence, soon after Toriyama’s death, Oda decides to take a long break before resuming the manga. Additionally, Netflix’s One Piece Season 2 filming will also keep the mangaka busy for the rest of the year.

How many arcs are in Demon Slayer? CrunchyrollIt’s no secret Demon Slayer is one of the most prolific shonen manga and anime in recent years, with a huge fan following of both old, dedicated fans and new ones who are only just starting to get into the series. Naturally, new fans must be wondering how many Demon Slayer arcs there are before they dedicate themselves to the series. The anime adaptation of Koyoharu Gotoge’s Demon Slayer debuted in 2019. The first season was widely acclaimed, resulting in a record-breaking sequel movie and two successful seasons after that. The anime is due its fourth season which will be released in May 2024. Every season and movie of Demon Slayer adapts separate arcs. While the first season is listed to have adapted one single arc, it technically contains six arcs under the umbrella of the Unwavering Resolve Arc. In the following section, let’s discuss exactly how many arcs there are in Demon Slayer. How many arcs are in Demon Slayer? Demon Slayer has a total of six arcs from beginning to end. However, as mentioned above, there are six smaller arcs within the first arc. There are also two smaller arcs within the final arc of the series, the Final Battle Arc. The first arc of Demon Slayer shows the origin of Tanjiro’s story and his drive to kill Muzan and turn his sister Nezuko back to human. In this same arc, he meets his companions and the other main characters of the series, Zenitsu and Inosuke. The Unwavering Resolve Arc also expands the world of Demon Slayers and introduces the nine Hashira. The next arc, the Mugen Train Arc, was adapted into a movie and focused on the Flame Hashira, Rengoku. In the following arc, the Entertainment District Arc, has Tanjiro and his companions helping the Sound Hashira in infiltrating Yoshiwara. The fourth Demon Slayer arc is the Swordsmith Village Arc, which features not one but two Hashira as main characters. In this arc, Tanjiro visits the hidden Swordsmith Village and meets the Mist Hashira Muichiro and the Love Hashira Mitsuru. Demon Slayer season 4 will adapt the fifth arc of the series: the Hashira Training Arc. We’ll see Tanjiro and his fellow demon slayers going through grueling training under the Hashira. The sixth and final arc of the series is the Final Battle Arc. This is broken into two smaller arcs: the Infinity Castle Arc and the Sunrise Countdown Arc. As the name suggests, it’s the conclusion of the story and is deemed as one of the best arcs of all. For more great stories, check out our list of the best anime in winter 2024, the best anime for beginners, and anime you should watch if you love Demon Slayer. You may also be keen to know who the strongest Demon Slayer is, or how to watch the Hashira Training arc.

How many Chainsaw Man episodes are there? Crunchyroll release schedule CrunchyrollChainsaw Man is one of the biggest animes out there right now, and with more episodes coming out each week, where can you find them? Chainsaw Man has been one of the most hyped-up anime in recent years, and it’s finally arrived on the streaming platform Crunchyroll, where many other anime shows can be found. The plot is described as Crunchyroll as: “Denji is a teenage boy living with a Chainsaw Devil named Pochita. Due to the debt his father left behind, he has been living a rock-bottom life while repaying his debt by harvesting devil corpses with Pochita. One day, Denji is betrayed and killed. As his consciousness fades, he makes a contract with Pochita and gets revived as ‘Chainsaw Man’– a man with a devil’s heart.” But if you’re someone looking to get into the series now, you may be wondering: how many Chainsaw Man episodes are there, and when are they coming to Crunchyroll? How many Chainsaw Man episodes will there be? For Season 1, there will be 12 episodes of Chainsaw Man. That means we are over half way through the first season right now, so it’s time to catch up! What day and time do Chainsaw Man episodes come out? Regarding the anime’s release schedule, here’s when you can watch each new episode of Chainsaw Man: Episode 1: Wednesday, October 12 – Episode 2: Wednesday, October 19 – Episode 3: Wednesday, October 26 – Episode 4: Wednesday, November 2 – Episode 5: Wednesday, November 9 – Episode 6: Wednesday, November 16 – Episode 7: Wednesday, November 23 – Episode 8: Wednesday, November 30 – Episode 9: Wednesday, December 7 – Episode 10: Wednesday, December 14 – Episode 11: Wednesday, December 21 – Episode 12: Wednesday, December 28 – The episodes will be releasing at midnight on Japan Standard Time, meaning the release time will differ based on your time zone. For many countries, this means that the episode will drop on a Tuesday rather than a Wednesday: 9am PDT (Tuesday) – 12pm EDT (Tuesday) – 2pm Brazil (Tuesday) – 5pm UK (Tuesday) – 6pm Central European Summer Time (Tuesday) – 10:30pm India Standard Time (Tuesday) – 4am Australia – 6am New Zealand – Chainsaw Man Episodes 1-12 are available to stream on Crunchyroll now.

How many episodes of Boruto are there? CrunchyrollThe recent popularity of the Boruto sequel manga has made the anime a must-watch for anime fans. Here are how many episodes there are in the Boruto anime series. The anime adaptation of Boruto hit the screens in 2017, following the events of Naruto Shippuden. Adapted from Boruto manga by Masashi Kishimoto, Ukyou Kodachi, and Mikio Ikemoto, the anime is officially titled Boruto: Naruto Next Generations. The series is animated by Studio Pierrot, the studio behind Naruto and Naruto Shippuden which are considered among the best anime of all time. The story follows the titular protagonist Boruto Uzumaki who is the son of Naruto and Hinata. As new threats from the Otsutsuki emerge in the world, Boruto has to step out of his father’s shadow to protect his loved ones. However, with the arrival of Kawaki, he discovers things are going to get more complicated than he ever could have imagined. Despite the initial backlash, Boruto has garnered quite the fan following for itself. After the release of Boruto Two Blue Vortex manga, many anime fans are tuning in to watch the series. So, it’s high time to clarify how many episodes there are in the Boruto anime. How many Boruto episodes are there? There are 293 Boruto episodes in total in the anime series. Boruto began in 2017 and went on for six years before ending in 2023. Like its predecessors, Naruto and Naruto Shippuden, the anime was aired continuously without any break between seasons. Because of this, the episode number is higher than most of its contemporaries. Rather, the count is closer to Naruto episodes. The episodes of Boruto are an amalgamation of many sources. While the anime mostly adapts the Boruto manga, there are also episodes adapting the side stories of Naruto. For example, there are anime adaptations of Naruto Gaiden and Sasuke Gaiden included in Boruto episode count. All episodes of Boruto anime are available on streaming services such as Crunchyroll and Netflix. These platforms have both subbed and dubbed versions of the anime available for fans. How many fillers are there in Boruto episodes? Out of the 293 episodes, 33 episodes are completely fillers. That means around 11% of Boruto’s episode count is fillers. While Naruto filler list quite extensive, Boruto kept it in control with a low percentage of 11. Since Boruto adapts from many sources, the perimeters of which are to be considered as fillers can be tricky. The anime adapts from the Gaiden side stories to the original anime-only canons to the Boruto manga. Thanks to its multiple sources, plenty of Boruto episodes are a mixture of canon and fillers. Out of the 293 episodes and aside from the 33 fillers, 12 episodes are a mixture of canon and filler. That means unlike the filler episodes, these 12 cannot be entirely avoided by viewers. With the fillers and the mixed fillers out of the way, there are a total of 248 canon episodes left. Out of these, 88 episodes are completely adapted from the Boruto manga and multiple one-shot manga. The remaining episodes are all anime canon, meaning they might not be taken from the manga but will be considered part of the canon storyline from then on. Canon arcs in Boruto There are 26 story arcs in the Boruto anime. However, not all of them are considered canon. Out of the 26, six arcs are completely made of filler episodes. The remaining 20 arcs are all canon arcs. However, in these 20, there are some arcs which are anime canon and a few that are adapted from the manga. The ones taken directly from the manga are the most important and best arcs of the series as they provide the greatest contribution to the plot. Seven out of the 20 arcs are manga canon, adapted from Naruto Gaiden, Sasuke Gaiden, and Boruto manga. The rest are anime canons. The seven manga canon arcs of Boruto are the Sarada Uchiha Arc, Chunin Exams Arc, Mujina Bandits Arc, Vessel Arc, Kawaki Arc: Kara Clash, Kawaki Arc: Otsutsuki Awakening, and Code Invasion Arc. These seven arcs comprise 88 episodes of Boruto anime. Will there be a Boruto Season 2? Boruto Season 2 is confirmed to return sometime in the future. The creators made it clear the anime series will return and continue the story of the manga. However, there has been no further details regarding the second season ever since. Despite the mass demand, Studio Pierrot hasn’t released any statement on the matter. Still, given the popularity and demand of the series, the anime is guaranteed to come back in the future. The last episode of Boruto anime is also the conclusion of Boruto Part 1. The second season will adapt Boruto Part 2, titled Boruto Two Blue Vortex. Since the monthly manga only just started serialization in August 2023, there is still a long way to go before it has enough episodes for an anime adaptation. That means while Boruto Season 2 is confirmed to return, there is still a long time before it gets its debut. The second season will feature the incidents after the Boruto timeskip. According to a recent statement by the president of Studio Pierrot, Season 2 will be aired as a seasonal anime. Boruto Season 2 may take a long time to come but this also gives fans enough time to catch up with the Naruto and Boruto universe. There are plenty to discover, like who is stronger between Boruto vs. Kawaki, what happened to Naruto during the timeskip, and how Kurama comes back in Boruto.

How Demon Slayer became a global anime phenomenon IMDBDemon Slayer captured the world’s imagination during the pandemic. Three years on, the franchise is still a global phenomenon. Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba is one of the most popular anime series right now. With rave reviews, a hit box-office movie, and multiple-awards, it’s clear to see that Demon Slayer transcends borders into pop culture. With typical Hollywood TV shows and movies growing stale (*cough* Marvel *cough*), and audiences desperate for something fresh and immersive, it’s no wonder that they turned to anime. But what set Demon Slayer apart from the rest? From its unique plot to its award-winning animation, here’s how Ufotable’s Demon Slayer boosted anime onto the main stage as a global phenomenon. What is Demon Slayer about? Demon Slayer takes place during an alternate version of early 20th-century in Japan (Taisho era), where humans and demons have been engaged in war for centuries. Demons are former humans who possess supernatural abilities, and humans are – of course – just humans. The story revolves around a young man called Tanjiro Kamado, who lives in a remote mountain village. One day, he returns home to find that his family has been slaughtered by a demon, other than his sister Nezuko. However, things aren’t as they seem: Nezuko has been turned into a demon. Season 1 begins with Tanjiro’s quest to avenge his family and return Nezuko to her human state, by becoming a demon slayer. Four seasons and two movies later, his journey has continued to grip fans for over four years. What makes Demon Slayer so special? The Demon Slayer series has won multiple awards, including the 4th Crunchyroll Anime Awards (2020) for Anime of the Year and the Japan Academy Prize for Animation of the Year (2021). In fact, at the time of writing this article, it has 14 to its name, which is more than other hit anime series Attack on Titan and Jujutsu Kaisen. But it’s more than the awards which make it so special. So, what does? Many fans would agree that one of the best things about Demon Slayer is Ufotable’s incredible animation. The show predominantly uses a traditional animation style. However, many action sequences – for example, the elemental Breathing Technique attacks – appear as though they were made using watercolors. This is visually striking in the manga – but these elements become even more captivating in the anime format, elevating Demon Slayer into a visual spectacle that stands out among other anime currently airing. But no matter how good the animation is, it still requires relatable characters that fans can root for and a gripping storyline. Fortunately for Demon Slayer, it has both of these. Demon Slayer kicks off with the transformation of Tanjiro’s sister, Nezuko, into a demon, and their sibling bond remains a driving force throughout the series. However, the other main characters are also a big draw for fans. Tanjiro’s unwavering determination to protect his family, his friend Inosuke’s drive to prove himself, and Zenitsu’s ability to overcome crushing anxiety all create the perfect formula for the series to dominate at the box office and become one of the best-selling anime and manga of all time. The Taisho era Set in Japan’s Taisho era (1912-1925), Demon Slayer depicts a unique period where the country was almost split into two worlds. In the first world, cities rapidly grew, embracing cutting-edge technologies such as cars, electricity, and radio, seamlessly blending Western attire with traditional Japanese robes. On the other hand, the second world clung to the past, relying on candles for light, fires for cooking and warmth, and walking as the primary mode of transportation. This dualistic setting allows the anime to traverse two distinct worlds simultaneously, offering Tanjiro (and viewers) a plethora of vibrant locations to explore. Demon Slayer arrived at just the right time Although first released in 2019, Demon Slayer really picked up in 2020. Why? Well, in part thanks to the global pandemic. With everyone stuck at home with nothing to do, this brand-new anime series with its captivating visuals, compelling plot, and endearing characters provided a welcomed escape from the uncertain realities of the world. As well as this, with the series becoming available on platforms like Netflix and Crunchyroll, and the vast majority of the world now with a little too much free time, there was a surge in the use of streaming services worldwide. In other words, Demon Slayer found itself in the right place at the right time. During the pandemic, many people could relate to the series overarching themes of loneliness, friendship and unwavering determination to reach an almost impossible goal. Neatly packaged with traditional Japanese folklore and gorgeous visuals, the series landed at exactly the right time to offer some much-needed escapism. No wonder it achieved such extraordinary success and introduced many non-anime fans into the world of Japanese animation. Now with Netflix, Amazon Prime and other huge platforms jumping onto the anime train, many fans can thank Demon Slayer’s early success for anime’s new found place in pop culture. The Demon Slayer franchise has transcended anime and introduced a global audience into this vibrant world. So, whether it achieved its success through relatable themes, striking visuals or compelling characters, as the series continues to dominate on the global stage, Demon Slayer stands as a testament to the power of the ever-evolving landscape of anime. How to watch Crunchyroll from outside your location in 2023 Crunchyroll is the world’s best hub for streaming anime, whether it’s One Piece, Attack on Titan, or Jujutsu Kaisen – and thanks to ExpressVPN, you can access the platform’s full library even if you’re outside the US. If you’re abroad, here’s what you need to do to access Crunchyroll’s full selection – and it really is this simple: Sign up for ExpressVPN, which has ultra-fast servers and offers a secure, private connection wherever you are in the world – Connect to a location anywhere in the US; Express VPN allows you to choose from 24 different spots, from New Jersey to Santa Monica – Visit Crunchyroll online and start streaming all of your favorite animes – and perhaps some you’ve never watched – Accessing Crunchyroll’s US roster makes a difference; for example, Hong Kong users only have access to less than 100 titles, while the US has nearly 1,000 movies and TV shows. You can also stream anime on Crunchyroll for free with an ad-supported plan, or you can pay for a subscription – there’s even a 14-day free trial if you can’t quite make up your mind. While you wait for Demon Slayer’s next arc, you can check out some of out other anime coverage below: Top 5 mangas getting anime adaptations in 2024 – One Punch Man Season 3: Everything we know – 10 anime to watch if you like One Punch Man – Top 5 best anime podcasts – Please note that if you click on a product link on this page we may earn a small affiliate commission.

One Punch Man: How did Saitama get so strong? CrunchyrollSaitama is perhaps the strongest – and most baffling – anime hero of all time. But what’s the true source of his immeasurable power? One Punch Man’s Saitama is stronger than everyone’s wildest dreams. With just one punch, he’s capable of dispatching anyone who dares to face him, leaving fans and heroes alike wondering how he became so strong. Although the true origins of his power are shrouded in mystery, there are enough morsels of information in the anime and manga to give rise to several fan theories. So, from radioactive bananas to a monster of a different kind, here are our favorite fan theories behind Saitama’s incredible feats. One Punch Man: How Saitama thinks he got so strong According to Saitama, the only way to get as strong as him is to train so hard your hair falls out. When Genos, a human cyborg and Saitama’s protégé, asks how he became so strong, the explanation offered is too simple to believe: 100 push-ups, 100 sit-ups, 100 squats, and a 10km run every single day for over a year, until his hair fell out and he became stronger than every living creature in their universe. To most people, the workout routine sounds ridiculous. After all, who has the time or the drive to exercise that much every single day? But to Genos and the mad scientists from the House of Evolution, this explanation is as absurd as it is incorrect, as even the most dedicated athletes can’t come close to Saitama’s power. Besides, Saitama has other abilities that can’t be explained by exercise alone. For example, he is capable of moving faster than the eye can see, he has survived fireballs and he can launch himself into outer space. So, what really happened? Let’s take a look at the top 3 theories ranked from least to most likely. 3. One Punch Man’s Saitama: Man or monster? One popular theory is that Saitama isn’t a human at all, but a monster. After all, how else would he be able to walk away from creatures like Elder Centipede unscathed? Obsessive training will never be enough to make you the most overpowered anime hero of perhaps all time – and neither will a love of bananas. This has led some fans to speculate that Saitama could in fact be a monster. In the One Punch Man universe, many heroes initially start as regular folks who’ve committed themselves to surpassing human limits. For instance, Blackluster attains superhuman strength through rigorous training, while Speed-o’-Sound Sonic, a ninja and assassin, consistently hones his strength, speed, and combat skills. Additionally, humans can become monsters if they ingest – intentionally or not – monster cells. Throughout the series, it’s apparent that Saitama’s appearance has drastically changed since he first began training. With no other monster, human or alien coming close to matching Saitama’s extraordinary feats, could it be possible that Saitama is the ultimate human monster? 2. Blast is Saitama’s father/brother A popular fan theory out there is that Blast, the highest-ranked S-class hero, is Saitama’s father or at least a close relative of some kind. That would explain Saitama’s extreme strength, although it still wouldn’t explain Blast’s. Very little about Saitama’s past has been revealed in the manga or anime, leading fans to speculate whether his parents could also have extreme powers. So, could they be related? Clues in the manga, such as similar personalities and Blast’s wise counsel akin to Saitama’s unintentional wisdom, fuel this fan speculation. Plus like Saitama, Blast is a part-time hero who fights for fun, sporting a costume remarkably similar to our beloved One Punch Man. Additionally, Blast’s notable absence in One-Punch Man season 2 suggests that he could play a much greater role in season 3 than any other S-class hero (besides Genos). 3. Saitama removed his Limiter The final fan theory, that Saitama removed his limiter makes the most sense (and is backed by the manga). So, what is a limiter and how did Saitama remove his? In the manga, Dr. Genus from the House of Evolution explains that every creature has a growth limit, referred to as a limiter. If this limit is breached, the creature risks transforming into a mindless, rampaging monster. Therefore, it makes sense that Saitama became so powerful simply because he managed to remove his limiter. Does this mean that Saitama is a monster? The true answer to this is complicated. According to Dr. Genus, human transformation into monsters results from cellular anomalies triggered by environmental factors like bad habits, pollution, or intense rage. In the manga, humans can surpass their limiters through near-death experiences, as seen in Garou’s battle-induced brush with death. Dr. Genus speculates that Saitama therefore managed to remove his limiter through an extreme training regimen bordering on death, with the only visible change being the loss of his hair. These three fan theories offer intriguing speculations about the origins of Saitama’s unparalleled strength, but they merely scratch the surface of the possibilities imagined by fans. From hilarious notions like Saitama’s love of bananas triggering some kind of superhuman transformation to an encounter with a mysterious divine cube, the possibilities are as boundless as the One Punch Man’s power itself. So, while the truth about Saitama’s source of strength will probably remain unknown for a long time, which is your favorite theory? How to watch Crunchyroll from outside your location in 2023 Crunchyroll is the world’s best hub for streaming anime, whether it’s One Piece, Attack on Titan, or Jujutsu Kaisen – and thanks to ExpressVPN, you can access the platform’s full library even if you’re outside the US. If you’re abroad, here’s what you need to do to access Crunchyroll’s full selection – and it really is this simple: Sign up for ExpressVPN, which has ultra-fast servers and offers a secure, private connection wherever you are in the world. – Connect to a location anywhere in the US. Express VPN allows you to choose from 24 different spots, from New Jersey to Santa Monica. – Visit Crunchyroll online and start streaming all of your favorite animes – and perhaps some you’ve never watched. – Accessing Crunchyroll’s US roster makes a difference. For example, Hong Kong users only have access to less than 100 titles, while the US has nearly 1,000 movies and TV shows. You can also stream anime on Crunchyroll for free with an ad-supported plan. Or you can pay for a subscription – there’s even a 14-day free trial if you can’t quite make up your mind. You can check out our other anime coverage here. Please note that if you click on a product link on this page we may earn a small affiliate commission.

The Boy and the Heron opens to massive numbers at Chinese box office Studio GhibliThe Boy and the Hero soared at the Chinese box office over the weekend, opening to a massive $73 million. UPDATE: Hayao Miyazaki The Boy and the Heron has been a huge hit in his homeland Japan, where it earned over $60 million. And in the US, where the film grossed nearly $50 million. But the movie has now made even more than those totals in China. The Studio Ghibli production opened over the Qingming holiday – aka Tomb Sweeping Day – which has become a big weekend for moviegoing in the country. And The Boy and the Heron didn’t disappoint, knocking Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire off the top spot with that whopping $73 million haul. Which means that Miyazaki’s latest will doubtless gross over $100 million in China, on its way to becoming one of the most successful anime movies of all time. Original story follows… Legendary filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki ended his retirement this year with How Do You Live?, the writer-director’s first film in a decade. The animated movie hit Japanese screens last Friday, though we know that it will also release in the US this year under a new title – The Boy and His Heron. While anticipation has been sky-high for the movie, there was no trailer, images, or even a synopsis, so promotion was thin on the ground. But Miyazaki needn’t have worried, as the movie is a bona fide blockbuster. How Do You Live? box office – How much has The Boy and the Heron made? How Do You Live’s profit is currently at $26 million in Japan. The film grossed $13.2 million (1.83 billion yen) over its first weekend, resulting in the biggest ever debut for a Studio Ghibli movie. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the movie also set an IMAX record by grossing $1.7 million in those first three days. The outlet adds that Japan can be a slow-burning market, especially when it comes to Studio Ghibli. Howl’s Moving Castle opened with a similar figure to How Do You Live? and ended up grossing nearly $200 million over more than 400 days. So expect this one to run-and-run. Especially as reactions have universally positive, with barely a dissenting voice in our review round-up. What is How Do You Live? / The Boy and the Heron about? Although the release of How Do You Live?/The Boy and the Heron has been shrouded in secrecy, here’s an overview of the plot, from a review by the AnimeNewsNetwork. Though obviously, SPOILERS AHEAD… “Our hero, Mahito, is a good kid – obedient and polite. But while he’s respectful to his aunt and the numerous elderly people she takes care of, he is self-destructing on the inside. What he wants is the old life he had in Tokyo with his father and mother – not this one in a new place where he knows no one and his father is already making a new family with his aunt. “At first, he lashes out at himself – getting in a fight after school and then causing himself a gushing head wound so he doesn’t have to go back. Then, he moves on to lash out at something that can’t fight back – the blue heron living in a neighboring pond. The message here is clear. These are obvious outward signs of a troubled kid – both then and now. Pain and grief are universal things – and only by recognizing the signs can we help those in need. “The film, for all its fantastical trappings, is the story of Mahito coming to accept what he still has – and fighting to make sure nothing more is taken away from him.” For more Ghibli click here. While for our ranking of the studio’s movies, head here.

What is the plot of How Do You Live? Studio GhibliHow Do You Live? is the new movie from the dream team of Studio Ghibli and Hayao Miyazaki. But the film’s plot has been shrouded in mystery. Until now… How Do You Live? released in Japanese cinemas today without an official synopsis, or trailer, or stills. All we knew about the movie came from the plot of the book on which it’s loosely based: “The streets of Tokyo swarm below fifteen year-old Copper as he gazes out into the city of his childhood. Struck by the thought of the infinite people whose lives play out alongside his own, he begins to wonder, how do you live? Considering life’s biggest questions for the first time, Copper turns to his dear uncle for heart-warming wisdom. As the old man guides the boy on a journey of philosophical discovery, a timeless tale unfolds, offering a poignant reflection on what it means to be human.” Now people have seen the film, however, meaning the specific storyline has emerged. So read on for How Do You Live? SPOILERS to follow! What is the plot of How Do You Live? With reviews appearing online, we now have a better sense of what How Do You Live? is about. Here’s a description of the plot from AnimeNewsNetwork: “Our hero, Mahito, is a good kid – obedient and polite. But while he’s respectful to his aunt and the numerous elderly people she takes care of, he is self-destructing on the inside. What he wants is the old life he had in Tokyo with his father and mother – not this one in a new place where he knows no one and his father is already making a new family with his aunt. “At first, he lashes out at himself – getting in a fight after school and then causing himself a gushing head wound so he doesn’t have to go back. Then, he moves on to lash out at something that can’t fight back – the blue heron living in a neighboring pond. The message here is clear. These are obvious outward signs of a troubled kid – both then and now. Pain and grief are universal things – and only by recognizing the signs can we help those in need. “The film, for all its fantastical trappings, is the story of Mahito coming to accept what he still has – and fighting to make sure nothing more is taken away from him.” While this is how UnseenJapan describes the storyline: “An adolescent boy, Mahito, leaves war-ravaged Tokyo for the countryside alongside his father. “Mahito, suffering through his own trauma, finds himself haunted by a blue stork inhabiting a nearby pond. A tower of mysterious origin within the local forests also beckons to him. When a reason to venture into this dark, uninviting building arises, he bravely enters the tower. A world beyond his imaging resides therein.” How Do You Live? is in Japanese cinemas now – to read what the critics think of the film, head here.

How Do You Live? review roundup Studio GhibliHow Do You Live? – the new movie from Studio Ghibli and Hayao Miyazaki – is in Japanese cinemas now, so here’s what the critics are saying in reviews. Rumors of Hayao Miyazaki retirement proved to be unfounded. The animation master said The Wind Rises was his last movie a decade ago. But seems he had one more masterpiece in him. How Do You Live? has arrived with much hype, but little detail. Those who made the movie decided to release Miyazaki’s new feature without a trailer, stills, or synopsis. So audiences could enjoy the movie without preconceived notions. The movie is also only releasing in Japanese cinemas at present. With that in mind, click away now if you don’t want to know anything about the film, as we’re going to delve into early opinions. How Do You Live? review roundup The following is a roundup of How Do You Live? reviews. Though if you don’t want to read them before seeing Miyazaki’s new movie, rest assured, the news is good. With praise nearly universal. AnimeNewsNetwork had this to say: “How do You Live? succeeds at what it’s trying to be – a roadmap for dealing with the loss of a loved one couched within a fantastical tale. It’s designed to tell those suffering from such feelings that they are not alone while also showing them how to find importance in the greatly-changed world they find themselves in. While it can be predictable at times, it is every bit the visual masterpiece expected of Miyazaki’s films and will no doubt become a classic in the decades to come. In the end, while it may not be the absolute pinnacle of Miyazaki’s films, it’s still a great one – and certainly not a bad one for Miyazaki to go out on.” Unseen Japan said this: “How Do You Live is Miyazaki’s personal film through and through. Despite the outstanding production values, it might as well be an indie film. It seems to have no desire to be a breakout hit or have mass appeal. What it does have, however, is a deeper message for an unknown world, and the young people who will have to live within it. If this is indeed Miyazaki’s final film, then I can only thank him for that message – and for his many decades of creating some of the best animated fare in the world.” While FullFrontal wrote this: “Thanks to its ambition, variety and depth, it is difficult to think of How Do You Live? as Miyazaki’s last film, the testament that we have all been led to expect. Treading both old and new ground, it illustrates how the director’s creativity is a deep well that never seems to dry up. It might be absurd, but at this point I just want to wish for another film in that vein, that would build upon its strengths, continue to tread the new roads it opened, and correct some of its faults. It is a difficult work, and as written, I do not think that it will work for everyone – I’m not even sure it worked for me. But this difficulty and ambiguity might be its best quality, Miyazaki’s ultimate showcase of talent, nuance and imagination.” Is there a How Do You Live? Rotten Tomatoes score? No, How Do You Live? doesn’t have a Rotten Tomatoes score yet. It’ll receive a rating after more reviews go live, so keep your eyes peeled. We’ll update this article with more How Do You Live? reviews when they drop. For more anime coverage, head here.

Himmel the Hero inspires man to defeat knife-wielding attacker DexertoA Taiwanese man who fought off a knife-wielding attacker on the Taichung Metro has quoted Himmel the Hero from Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End as an inspiration for his bravery. On May 21, 2024, passengers subdued a knife-wielding man who attacked people on a train in central Taichung, Taiwan. The attack occurred on the tenth anniversary of a deadly knife rampage on Taipei’s metro, and three people were taken to the hospital for their injuries. Local news outlets interviewed the individuals who took down the attacker on June 4, and officials awarded them medals for their bravery. In the interview, one young man explains that Himmel influenced his actions. “It’s what Himmel the Hero would have done,” said the man through translation. Himmel is one of the original four great heroes depicted in Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End. Tales of his accomplishments and acts of bravery are referenced multiple times throughout the anime and have now reached into the real world. The news of Himmel’s influence on the young man made it to the show’s official Reddit page, where other fans began discussing how the show has impacted people’s lives. “Himmel is such a great role model he is even changing the real world, the guy is OP,” stated the top comment underneath the post. The thread discussing the incident included more references to Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End, including a key plot point revealed towards the end of the show. While well-known as one of the greatest heroes of the time, Himmel was unable to pass the one test of pulling a goddess sword from a stone, as he was not the “chosen” one. But that hiccup did not stop him from doing incredible things, which one commenter pointed out in this case. “You do not need to pull a goddess sword to be a hero. Hats off to the guy,” said the commenter. The young man, who stepped into harm’s way to save others, may not be known worldwide but he has become a real hero for those within the Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End community.

Hideo Kojima crowns surprise Netflix series as best Anime of 2023 Netflix / Twitter: HideoKojimaEnLegendary gaming auteur Hideo Kojima has declared a surprise Netflix series as his top pick for the best Anime of 2023. For his money, Blue Eye Samurai is as good as it gets this calendar year. When it comes to respected voices in the gaming industry, few are on par with the venerable Kojima. Decades of pushing boundaries with genre-defining projects and exceedingly convoluted narratives have led to millions of fans watching his every move. Giving social media plenty to discuss, he’s often sharing his latest experiences outside of the game development lifestyle. Whether it be sharing detailed reviews or hilariously blunt movie impressions, his opinions online have become increasingly prevalent over the years. And as 2023 begins to wind down, Kojima appears to have been keeping plenty busy checking out the latest offerings in the world of Anime. While there’s been a great deal of heavy hitters this year, one newcomer stands out as the single best release, according to the Death Stranding creator. Released on November 3 without a great deal of fanfare, Blue Eye Samurai hit Netflix with its initial season spanning eight episodes. Despite a star-studded cast featuring the likes of Kenneth Branagh, George Takei, and many others, and a perfect debut on Rotten Tomatoes, the series largely flew under the radar. Though it managed to catch the eye of Kojima, who was quick to sing its praises as a true highlight of 2023 upon rolling the credits. “Everything is wonderful,” he began on his translated Twitter account. “Without a doubt, the best anime of the year! It is a visual work that transcends the common sense of animation.” Praising the likes of Into the Spider-Verse and Arcane for helping “CG-based animation reach maturity,” he argued Blue Eye Samurai is the “next level” in this new breed of entertainment. “Highly recommend! If you don’t watch it, you’re missing out.” For now, there’s no telling if a second season of Blue Eye Samurai will be ordered at Netflix despite its unanimous critical acclaim. We’ll have to see how the series tracks with a wider audience now Kojima has sung its praises.

The highest-rated anime available on Netflix US Netflix/IMDBAre you struggling to find your next big anime series to watch? Here are 10 of the highest-rated anime available on Netflix US today. Netflix is the hottest newcomer to the world of anime, releasing hit new series in 2023 including Pluto, Captain Laserhawk and Castlevania: Nocturne. But did you know that its streaming catalog includes some of the most popular anime in the world? If you’re struggling to find your next binge-watch, then look no further. From sci-fi thrillers to supernatural horror, here are the 10 highest-rated anime series available to stream on Netflix US today. Highest-rated anime available on Netflix US With a growing library of top-tier anime titles, it can be challenging to decide what to watch. So we’ve scoured IMDB and Netflix US’s catalog to find the top 10 highest anime series for your viewing pleasure. 10. Cyberpunk: Edgerunners (2022) And finally, to end our list is Cyberpunk: Edgerunners with an IMDb rating of 8.3. This Netflix original takes place in a dystopian future known as Night City, where corruption and cybernetic implants are all the rage. The series follows the story of David Martinez, a street kid seeking revenge for his mothers death. With colourful animation and a catchy soundtrack, Cyberpunk: Edgerunners explores themes of violence, trust and the consequences of a corrupt capitalist society. 9. Naruto (2002 – 2007) Another anime classic, and one of the most well-known series in the US aside from Pokémon, of course Naruto had to feature on this list. So, what’s it about? Coming in with a fan rating of 8.4 on IMDB, Naruto tells the story of a young ninja with a powerful demon sealed within him. It’s a coming-of-age story like no other. With dreams of becoming the leader of his village, join Naruto as he overcomes numerous challenges and adversaries in this 220 episode series to grow into the formidable ninja we know and love. 8. Fullmetal Alchemist (2003 – 2004) Another classic anime whose name transcends its genre, Fullmetal Alchemist is considered one of the best anime of all time. And all 51 episodes (plus additional spinoff films) are available on Netflix. The series tracks the journey of the Elric brothers, Edward and Alphonse, who, after a disastrous attempt to bring their mother back from the dead, lose their bodies. In his quest to restore his brother to his original state, Edward must join the military and accidentally uncovers a government conspiracy. With thrilling adventures, profound moral themes, and an 8.5 IMDb rating, it really is a must see series. This brief summary doesn’t do it justice at all. 7. JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure (2012 – present) True to its name, this anime – to some – is quite bizarre. JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure is a unique series that spans over a century and features multiple characters, all with the nickname JoJo. The series is a wild and imaginative ride that keeps viewers hooked from start to finish, well-deserving of its 8.5 IMDb rating. Over the episodes, each JoJo is made to face supernatural threats and confronts villains with names inspired by American music. So, if you fancy a shonen anime with elements of horror, then this one could be for you. 6. Demon Slayer (2019 – present) Based on the popular manga of the same name, Demon Slayer is next on our list. This supernatural anime tells the story of Tanjiro, a teenage boy whose family is attacked by demons, leaving only two survivors – him and his sister Nezuko. But there’s a twist! Nezuko is slowly transforming into a demon. Rated 8.6 on IMDb, with breath-taking animation and intense action scenes, follow Tanjiro’s journey to become a demon slayer to avenge his family and cure his sister across all 4 season on Netflix US. 5. Monster (2004) Monster is another legendary anime. Set in 1986 Germany and from the mind of Naoki Urasawa (the genius behind Netflix’s Pluto), tells the tale of Dr. Kenzo Tenma, a gifted surgeon whose life takes a dark turn after saving a young boy. Years later, after a series of murders point to the now grown-up boy as the prime suspect, Tenma embarks on a quest to stop him, uncovering a tangled web of conspiracy and corruption along the way. If you love psychological thrillers, then this is the perfect anime for you. And with a 8.7 IMDb rating, its clear many fans would agree. 4. Vinland Saga (2019 – 2023) Vinland Saga is one of the newer entries on our list. Set in 11th century Northern Europe, the story follows young Viking Thorfinn as he embarks on an epic quest through the Viking world to reach Vinland. The series is one of the most popular modern anime streaming today, receiving an 8.8 rating on IMDB, and combines gritty violence with slice-of-life drama to make it an unforgettable watch. If you’re not usually a fan of historical anime, give Vinland Saga a watch – it might just change your mind. 3. One Piece (1999 – present) One Piece is one of the longest running anime (and manga) of all time. It’s a colossal 20 season adventure, of which 18 of those can be found on Netflix US. Created by manga artist Eiichiro Oda, the series revolves around the lovable Monkey D. Luffy and his quirky crew of pirates on their quest to uncover the legendary treasure, the One Piece. This epic tale of exploration, friendship, and adventure boasts an impressive 8.9 fan rating on IMDb. With the original series, a new live-action adaptation, and spin-off movies, Netflix US provides a treasure trove for anime enthusiasts. 2. Death Note (2006 – 2007) Death Note needs no introduction. But we’ll give it one anyway. As one of the most widely recognized anime of all time, Death Note is a must-watch series. And it’s available in multiple languages on Netflix US. Follow high school prodigy Light Yagami as he discovers the Death Note, a notebook that grants the power to kill anyone whose name is written in it, all thanks to the Shinigami (Japanese death spirit) Ryuk. The enthralling cat-and-mouse battle of wits between Light and investigator L, sparked by this fateful day, solidifies Death Note in the heart of fans as a beloved classic, earning it a place on this list with an IMDb rating of 8.9. 1. Hunter x Hunter (2011 – 2014) Hunter x Hunter, rated 9.0 on IMDb, opens our list with an explosive start. From the mind of Yoshihiro Togashi, the series follows a young boy called Gon Freecas. Join him on his quest become a hunter, just like his father was before he mysteriously disappeared. Packed with themes of friendship, loyalty and betrayal, Hunter x Hunter’s gripping narrative which makes it a fan favorite. And there you have it. There’s the 10 highest-rated anime series available on Netflix US today. Covering a wide spectrum of genres and themes, there’s definitely one out there for every anime enthusiast – even if it’s an undiscovered gem that didn’t make our list. So, what are you waiting for? Grab your popcorn and immerse yourself in the world of anime. Who knows for how much longer these fantastic titles will be available on the platform? Happy streaming! Check out these series on Netflix here. While you’re streaming, why not take a look at our other anime coverage? Beginner’s guide to anime: Shonen, genres & more explained | 10 best horror anime series to watch this Halloween | One Punch Man Season 3: Everything we know | Dragon Ball Daima: Everything we know

Anime takes top spot as highest-rated TV show of 2024 Eiichiro Oda/Toei Animation2024 has been a great year for TV shows so far, but an anime has managed to snatch the title of IMDb’s highest-rated TV show of the year. In the world of anime, One Piece has been a reigning giant for 25 years. Its influence and popularity aren’t just contained to Japan, with millions of viewers tuning in to watch it every week all over the world. However, few imagined it’d beat Hollywood’s biggest franchises to become people’s favorite TV show. IMDb has now released the top 10 TV shows of 2024 so far with the highest average rating. The list contains some of this year’s best, including The Bear, House of the Dragon, The Boys, and Shogun. But One Piece has beat them all with a rating of 9.08. Following it is the historical drama Shogun with a rating of 8.79. For those who don’t know yet, the series has earned a whopping 26 nominations at the 76th Primetime Emmy Awards. After that, we have X-Men ‘97, the only other animated series on the list besides One Piece. The Bear wowed the viewers with a its third season this year and earned the fourth spot with an 8.59 rating. Then comes Fallout, one of the best video game adaptations of all time. It has an admirable score of 8.54. Never one to stay behind, The Boys made its way to the list in full glory with an 8.43. HBO’s hit drama and Game of Thrones prequel House of the Dragon earned an 8.36 and the seventh spot on the highest-rated TV shows list. True Detective is up next, with an 8.27. The last two TV shows – One Day and The Gentlemen – have the same rating of 8.25. All of these are wonderful shows, which makes One Piece’s victory all the more important. It indicates how anime is getting wider exposure in western countries. And if any anime can charm the whole world so effortlessly, it’s One Piece, as we’ve seen. For more, check out our list of the best highly anticipated upcoming anime of 2024 and the best bingeworthy shows. And if you’re looking for movies, find out the best anime movies on Netflix.

10 most highly anticipated upcoming anime in 2024 Science Saru2024 is finally here with an intriguing anime lineup ready for fans. Here’s a list of the top 15 highly anticipated upcoming anime series. Undoubtedly, 2023 has been an exciting year for anime shows. From new seasons of Vinland Saga and Jujutsu Kaisen to new additions in the anime world, such as Oshi no Ko and Frieren, the year has brought us a plethora of hits. Naturally, 2024 cannot fall behind, and an incredible lineup is ready for us. So far, the Spring and Summer seasons have announced most of their series, while several series have yet to reveal their release windows. We list the fifteen most highly anticipated upcoming anime series in 2024, from exciting sequels to new additions to the anime world. We will update this space once there are more announcements, so stay tuned! 10. Blue Lock Season 2 Release date/window: October, 2024 – Studio: 8bit – Cast: Tasuku Kaito, Kazuki Ura, Souma Saito – Blue Lock, a strategy developed by football icon Ego Jinpachi, aims to create the world’s greatest egotist striker. Season 2 will follow the antics of star footballer Yoichi Isagi, who has enlisted in the Blue Lock Project under the tutelage of football enigma Ego Jinpachi. Isagi, a prominent character in the franchise, is attempting to become the world’s best striker. 9. Re: ZERO -Starting Life in Another World- Season 3 Release date/window: October, 2024 – Studio: White Fox – Cast: Rie Takahashi, Yuusuke Kobayashi, Satomi Arai – The series still has to explain more about Satella and Emilia’s relationship, Echidna’s true motivations, and, most importantly, whether Rem will ever wake up from her profound slumber. New characters, including Liliana Masquerade and Capella Emerada, will undoubtedly bring their own brand of havoc to the table. Season 3 will cover Arc 5 and potentially Arc 6. 8. Fairy Tail: 100 Years Quest Release date/window: July 7, 2024 – Studio: J.C. Staff – Cast: Tetsuya Kakihara, Sayaka Ohara, Aya Hirano – One year after the fight with Alvarez and Acnologia, Natsu and his friends embark on a new quest that is more dangerous than ever. No one has completed this mission in a century, but the dangers ahead won’t stop Fairy Tail’s strongest team. As they travel to the Northern Continent, the guild recruits a new member who is full of mysteries. 7. Kimi ni Todoke Season 3 Release date/window: August 2024 – Studio: Production I.G. – Cast: Mamiko Noto, Daisuke Namikawa, Yuichi Nakamura – After more than a decade of no news, fans had lost all hope of getting a new season of this Shojo classic. However, Netflix recently confirmed a sequel with the original cast’s return. Season 3 doesn’t have a release date yet, but this upcoming anime sequel will air in August 2024. The series follows an introvert, Sawako Kuronuma, who is feared among her schoolmates for her jet-black hair. However, she slowly begins to come out of her shell with the help of Shouta Kazehaya and her new friends. 6. Dandadan Release date/window: October 2024 – Studio: Science SARU – Cast: Shion Wakayama, Natsuki Hanae, Mayumi Tanaka – The anime series will debut in October 2024, but the release window has yet to be revealed. The story follows Momo Ayase and her classmate Okarun. While Momo believes in ghosts, Okarun thinks aliens are real. In order to prove themselves right, they make a bet, which soon creates a series of hilarious events. This story of young love centers around the chaotic events with ghosts, monsters, aliens, battles, and so on. 5. Dragon Ball Daima Release date/window: October 2024 – Studio: unknown – Cast: Masako Nozawa – Another addition to the Dragon Ball franchise is all set for its debut in October 2024. Dragon Ball Daima was announced during this year’s NYCC. Based on Akira Toriyama’s manga, the story follows Goku and his friends, who have all been transformed into children. The cause of the conspiracy remains unknown. Now, it’s up to our heroes to undo the curse that caused this shift, and Toriyama promises that their journey will reveal mysteries of the Dragon Ball Universe. 4. My Hero Academia: You’re Next Release date/window: August 2, 2024 – Studio: Bones – Cast: Daiki Yamashita, Nobuhiko Okamoto, Ayane Sakura – My Hero Academia: You’re Next, the fourth anime movie in the franchise, will hit the Japanese theatres on August 2, 2024. The film was announced in Jump Festa 2024, along with a teaser and key visual. The mangaka Kōhei Horikoshi will serve as the general supervisor and original character designer. The movie will have an original story and won’t be a continuation of the manga. However, the story will take place around the same time as where the anime is currently, with the collapse of a safe society. 3. Tower of God Season 2 Release date/window: July 7, 2024 – Studio: The Answer Studio – Cast: Yuma Uchida, Taichi Ichikawa, Sayumi Watabe – Based on the popular manhwa of the same name, Tower of God is getting its sequel in July 2024. The first season created quite the buzz in 2020, leaving fans wanting more after a major cliffhanger. This left several unanswered questions, which will likely be revealed in Season 2. The story is set in a world where a tower summons chosen people called “Regulars” and promises them to grant their deepest desires. However, only those who reach the top can make their wish come true. 2. Oshi no Ko Season 2 Release date/window: July 3, 2024 – Studio: Doga Kobo – Cast: Takeo Ootsuka, Megumi Han, Manaka Iwami – The Oshi no Ko anime debuted in Spring 2023 and took the internet by storm. The story introduces a famous idol, Ai, who is murdered by one of her psychotic stalkers. However, as the plot unfolds, we realize that a mastermind planned the murder. Season 2 will debut in 2024, but it has yet to get a release window. The first season adapts four volumes of the manga, which is a total of 37 chapters. 1. Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War – The Conflict Release date/window: 2024 – Studio: Pierrot – Cast: Masakazu Morita, Takayuki Sugou, Noriaki Sugiyama – The final arc of the Shonen classic Bleach has already been released in the first two parts, and the third course will debut in 2024. The sequel was announced with a minute-long teaser featuring the highly-anticipated fight between the main villain, Yhwach, and Squad Zero’s captain, Ichibe. The preview also shows Ichigo and his friends storming the Soul King’s palace, which promptly collapses. The Thousand Year Blood War arc will have four parts in total. For more top anime choices, check out our lists of the best anime like Kaiju No 8 and best anime like Solo Leveling.

Highspeed Etoile: Everything we know so far CrunchyrollGear up for a world where speed reigns supreme! The original anime, Highspeed Etoile, unveiled its first promotional trailer, a tantalizing teaser, its release window, and even more exciting details. Here is everything we know so far. In the not-so-distant future, the landscape of motorsports has undergone a revolutionary transformation, and Highspeed Etoile (stylized as HIGHSPEED Étoile) is gearing up to take anime fans on an exhilarating ride. It’s time to forget about Formula 1 and enter a realm where the NEX Race has rewritten the rules, pushing the boundaries of speed thanks to cutting-edge AI technology and the revolutionary Revolburst mechanism. But these races are not just about speed (even if the speedometer regularly tips over 500km/h, guaranteeing thrills for competitors and viewers alike). And speaking of thrills, let’s not forget the exceptional voice cast and the unconventional 3D animation style that will catapult fans into this futuristic world. So, buckle up: here is everything we know so far about Highspeed Etoile. Is there a Highspeed Etoile release date? Highspeed Etoile will premiere in April 2024, but we don’t yet have an exact release date. The official trailer, released on October 20 on Highspeed Etoile’s official website, has finally quelled fans’ suspense surrounding its premiere. It not only offered a glimpse into the voice cast and characters but also provided a key visual into Rin’s story. Among the new cast members, you can look forward to Tōru Furuya as the narrator and Yukari Tamura as the voice behind the interactive AI program, Ami. But the excitement doesn’t end there. Highspeed Etoile is collaborating with the former Japanese racing series Super Formula, and the series’ official website features logos for King Amusement Creative Sonic Blade and Good Smile Company. Fans have another reason to celebrate with the announcement of a new manga (set to be serialized on the Manga Cross Website) titled Highspeed Etoile: L’Entree de Towa et Kanata. Featuring the artistic talent of Chiaki Misono, this new manga will expand the Highspeed Etoile universe. Here’s another noteworthy detail: the trailer reveals that the anime will present itself in a 3D computer-generated style, promising a visually captivating experience that breaks away from traditional animation. What’s Highspeed Etoile about? At the heart of this adrenaline-pumping narrative is Rin Rindou, a character who once aspired to be a ballet dancer but had to shelve her dreams due to a devastating injury. Just when Rin (voiced by Fūka Izumi) is on the brink of accepting life’s limitations, she is catapulted into the world of high-speed racing, becoming the linchpin of the anime’s storyline. Her journey and the potential to revolutionize the sport take center stage in this gripping narrative. Her life takes an unexpected turn as she becomes a part of NEX and makes her debut, determined to leave her mark on the sport. Meet the Highspeed Etoile cast The cast boasts a line-up of high-profile anime voice actors, promising to bring the high-octane story to life: Fūka Izumi as Rin Rindo – Yōko Hikasa as Kanata Asakawa – Shiori Izawa as Towa Komachi – Yui Horie as Sofia B. (Bryant) Tokitou – Ayaka Suwa as Youran Liu – Nana Mizuki as Alice Summerwood – Kenichirō Matsuda as Richard Parker – Kousuke Toriumi as Lorenzo M. Salvatore – Yurie Funato as Prima Stella’s Hikari Hinata – Shū Uchida as Prima Stella’s Akari Kuzuryū – As we eagerly await the April 2024 premiere, this high-speed story is one well worth watching, so mark your calendars and get ready for an exhilarating ride. Highspeed Etoile is about to push the boundaries of speed and storytelling. Are you ready to join the race? Stay tuned for the release of Highspeed Etoile, coming soon to Crunchyroll. How to watch Crunchyroll from outside your location in 2023 Crunchyroll is the world’s best hub for streaming anime, whether it’s One Piece, Attack on Titan, or Jujutsu Kaisen – and thanks to ExpressVPN, you can access the platform’s full library even if you’re outside the US. If you’re abroad, here’s what you need to do to access Crunchyroll’s full selection – and it really is this simple: Sign up for ExpressVPN, which has ultra-fast servers and offers a secure, private connection wherever you are in the world – Connect to a location anywhere in the US; Express VPN allows you to choose from 24 different spots, from New Jersey to Santa Monica – Visit Crunchyroll online and start streaming all of your favorite animes – and perhaps some you’ve never watched – Accessing Crunchyroll’s US roster makes a difference; for example, Hong Kong users only have access to less than 100 titles, while the US has nearly 1,000 movies and TV shows. You can also stream anime on Crunchyroll for free with an ad-supported plan, or you can pay for a subscription – there’s even a 14-day free trial if you can’t quite make up your mind. You can check out our other anime coverage here. Please note that if you click on a product link on this page we may earn a small affiliate commission.

Himawari starts unleashing her true power in Boruto Part 2 Chapter 9 CrunchyrollBoruto Part 2 Chapter 9 spoilers reveal Himawari finally starting to unleash her true power. The newly surfaced spoilers of Boruto Two Blue Vortex Chapter 9 show Himawari finally revealing the extent of her powers. At the end of the upcoming chapter, she enters the Bijuu mode and has a miniature version of Kurama manifesting behind her. Himawari’s hidden power was hinted at back in Chapter 8. When Jura and Hidari came to Konoha to look for Naruto, they found Himawari instead. Both were shocked when they felt Naruto’s Bijuu chakra inside her. And even though it wasn’t explicitly stated, it was clear that Himawari inherited the Bijuu chakra from her father. Chapter 9 finally confirms the theory and makes it canon that Himawari indeed is the new holder of Kurama’s chakra. The revelation of her true power gives an exciting twist to the story and makes Himawari a prominent character in Boruto. Despite being a child of Naruto and Hinata, she did not get as much exposure in the story as Boruto did. This was rather disappointing to many readers as her parentage and personality make her an interesting character. The story has made it clear from the beginning that Himawari holds incredible potential. She has inherited the Byakugan from her mother and is exceptionally skillful with it. Like Boruto, she has all the qualities of a prodigy. However, despite her talent and powerful Byakugan, Himawari has always been kept as a background character, used only for the development of Boruto and Kawaki. But the new chapter of Boruto Part 2 finally gives her a chance to shine and show her true capabilities. Himawari unlocking her true power as the holder of Kurama’s chakra brings many intriguing prospects in the Boruto Two Blue Vortex. As she carries Bijuu chakra, she might be targeted and even defeated by Jura and Hidari. But whatever happens next, readers will surely get to see an awesome battle between Himawari and the new enemies of Konoha.

Hell’s Paradise Episode 9: Release date & spoilers CrunchyrollHell’s Paradise is finally bringing Gabimaru closer to his goal of finding the Elixir of Life. Here are the release date and possible spoilers for Hell’s Paradise Episode 9. Hell’s Paradise is an ongoing anime series based on the manga of the same name. The series was considered one of the dark trio of Shonen for its morbid storyline that focuses on an unconventional Shonen hero. The recent episode features some terribly gruesome scenes. With Lord Tensen going against the expedition, the difficulty level of the mission increased tenfold. Yamada Asaemon Tenza’s death is the most brutal in the series so far, and there’s still more to come. Delve deeper to find out more about Hell’s Paradise Episode 9. Hell’s Paradise Episode 9 release date and time Hell’s Paradise Episode 9 will release on June 3 at 11:30 pm JST. The episode was expected to release on May 27, but it was delayed because of the World Table Tennis Championship, which coincides with the anime’s original broadcast schedule. The episode will be available to stream across various time zones as soon as it’s released in Japan. You can find your time zone below: 8:30 am PDT – 11:30 am EDT – 12:30 pm Brazil – 3:30 pm UK – 4:30 pm Central European Summer Time – 9 pm India Standard Time – 2:30 am Australia – 4:30 am New Zealand – Hell’s Paradise Episode 9 spoilers Hell’s Paradise Episode 9 will continue the fight between Gabimaru and Zhu Jin. Gabimaru faces an overwhelming disadvantage against an immortal being. As Zhu Jin is about to kill Gabimaru, the latter reminisces about Yui. Luckily, in the nick of time, Mei appears to save Gabimaru. However, Zhu Jin recognises her and enquires why she’s helping a human. Fans also get to see all the members of Lord Tensen sitting in one place. As they are spending their time with idle chatter, Rien arrives there to start their regular review session. Although all members of Lord Tensen are considered rulers of Kotaku, Rien’s behaviour signifies that he may be their leader. On the other hand, Chobei and Toma barely manage to survive the arborification process. Gabimaru and Mei also come across Tamiya and Fuchi, though it’s still unclear if they will be friends or foes. Hell’s Paradise can currently be streamed on Crunchyroll. In the meantime, check out our other anime coverage below: Genya’s abilities in Demon Slayer | Muzan Kibutsuji abilities in Demon Slayer | Demon Slayer’s The Infinity Castle | Kagaya Ubuyashiki abilities in Demon Slayer | Demon Slayer Thunder Breathing 7th form | The real villain in Hell’s Paradise | Hell’s Paradise’s Elixir of Life | One Piece’s Empty Throne | One Piece creator | One Piece manga hiatuses | One Piece Red Hair Pirates | One Piece Shanks’ twin theory | Bleach vs Naruto | Naruto’s Talk no Jutsu problem

Hell’s Paradise: Here’s why Gabimaru won’t die CrunchyrollHell’s Paradise begins with the execution of a young, white-haired boy who is soon revealed to be Gabimaru the Hollow. As an elite shinobi, he survives every execution trial. But there’s more to it than that. Hell’s Paradise is a popular shonen anime series that follows, Gabimaru the Hollow, who is infamous for his exceptional powers and abilities. Although he claims to have no attachment to life, Gabimaru resists the idea of dying. The first episode of the series features various execution methods used on Gabirmaru, all of which he survives easily. He claims to have done it unintentionally, but it is soon revealed to be false as the one bearing the name of “Hollow,” Gabimaru is supposed to be devoid of any emotions. Therefore, he refuses to accept that the reason he wants to live is to return to his wife. Finally, in the face of his execution, he has no choice but to accept a deal from his executioner, Asaemon, to join an expedition in search of the elixir of life. Should the mission succeed, Gabimaru’s crimes will be pardoned, and he will be able to return home. However, simply wanting to live isn’t the main reason Gabimaru refuses to die. Gabimaru’s powers don’t allow him to die In the first episode, after his execution from beheading fails, Gabimaru questions himself, “Why is it that I can’t die, or rather I won’t die.” The difference between can’t and won’t is the key to understanding his true nature. Gabimaru changes his question from can’t to won’t, signifying his lack of will to die. Even then, he tries to fool himself and others into believing he is invincible enough to unintentionally survive those brutal executions. However, for each method of execution, he has a countermeasure. As an elite shinobi, Gabimaru has superhuman skills. He survives the beheading by hardening the muscles on his neck. As for the bulls, he simply uses enough strength in his legs to restrain them. He survives the same way from the spear. Because of his high resistance to heat, he cannot die from being burned or boiled. He has the fire attribute of Tao; therefore, his Ninjutsu also primarily has flame-related techniques. Someone who can create and control fire simply cannot be burned alive that easily. When he tells Sagiri that he doesn’t even have to use Ninjutsu to survive the execution, he isn’t lying. Compared to the superhuman strength of the protagonist, these execution methods seem more like child’s play. That said, his body isn’t impenetrable if he isn’t on guard. Therefore, if he truly does want to die, then any menial method would work against him. Gabimaru’s reason for living in Hell’s Paradise is Yui As someone considered a monster and abandoned by the entire world, Gabimaru tries to protect himself by shedding all emotions. But the one who softens his heart is his wife, Yui, the daughter of the Village Chief. He doesn’t realize himself when he genuinely starts caring for her enough to continue living his desolate life. Before getting betrayed and captured, Gabimaru requests the Village Chief to allow him and Yui to live normal lives that don’t require him to kill. Unbeknownst to him, his plea is rejected, and he finds himself in the face of death. Torn between his role as a Hollow and his love for Yui, he doesn’t know what to do. The one who helps him is Sagiri when she tells him about Yui. When Gabimaru learns that Yui has shut herself in waiting for him, he finally makes up his mind. Gabimaru decides to take on the challenge of finding the Elixir of Life and reuniting with Yui. Hell’s Paradise can currently be streamed on Crunchyroll. In the meantime, check out our other TV hubs below: Attack on Titan Season 4 Part 3 | Bleach Thousand Year Blood War Part 2 | Chainsaw Man Season 2 | BRZRKR movie | Jigokuraku Hell’s Paradise | Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2 | Sonic the Hedgehog 3 | Invincible Season 2

Hell’s Paradise: How strong is Yamada Asaemon Sagiri? CrunchyrollYamada Asaemon Sagiri is an important character in Hell’s Paradise. She’s the only woman in the Yamada Clan to receive a formal ranking and has displayed her skills since the beginning of the series. In Hell’s Paradise, Samurai are warriors who are in service to a daimyo, or feudal lord, as loyal retainers. Among them are the famous Yamada Clan, who are famous for making medicine, sword testing, and above all, for being talented executioners. However, it’s only the men from the Samurai families who train in swordsmanship and other necessary skills to serve their lords. In contrast, women are responsible for taking care of the family household. However, Sagiri, the daughter of the clan head, breaks the stereotypes of her clan and becomes a full-fledged Asaemon with exceptional skills. Here’s a look at Sagiri’s powers and abilities that make her one of the strongest Asaemon. Sagiri’s Swordsmanship in Hell’s Paradise Sagiri has demonstrated excellent speed and reflexes. She was able to sneak behind Gabimaru, who is a trained assassin. If not for the sound of the bell she wears with her uniform, Sagiri could likely be able to behead him. Sagiri, like every Asaemon, is capable of decapitating her victims with a single, clean cut from her blade. According to Senta and Genji, Sagiri’s rank is at the bottom because of being a woman. Nonetheless, when her mind is set, Sagiri’s swordplay is unrivalled. A highly efficient skill she acquired as an Asaemon is the ability to analyze an individual’s anatomy. By merely cutting them down with her sword, Sagiri was able to discover that the Soshin on the island had muscles and bones but no signs of internal organs. Does Sagiri learn new skills on the island? On the island, the expedition team learns that Tao is the source of one’s life energy. It exists within all living beings, and each human has a specific attribute. Sagiri has the wood attribute Tao, and she has the upper hand against Earth Tao users. Shion, a Tao user who awoke this capacity long before her, stated that Sagiri was capable of feeling the energy considerably faster than him after progressively becoming accustomed to it. After learning from Yuzuriha, Sagiri was able to suppress her Tao and conceal her presence from others. Because Tao is powered by an individual’s extremes or discord, Sagiri is capable of increasing her Tao by following the “Middle Way” This technique primarily requires accepting doubt from within herself along with her strength and weakness, which allows her to combat Rien in her Kishikai. Sagiri needs to concentrate on her breathing in order to complete this task. Hell’s Paradise can currently be streamed on Crunchyroll. In the meantime, check out our other anime coverage below: Genya’s abilities in Demon Slayer | Muzan Kibutsuji abilities in Demon Slayer | Demon Slayer’s The Infinity Castle | Kagaya Ubuyashiki abilities in Demon Slayer | Demon Slayer Thunder Breathing 7th form | Demon Slayer Season 3 Episode 7 | Hell’s Paradise Episode 8 | The real villain in Hell’s Paradise | Hell’s Paradise’s Elixir of Life | One Piece’s Empty Throne | One Piece creator | One Piece manga hiatuses | One Piece Red Hair Pirates | One Piece Shanks’ twin theory | Bleach vs Naruto | Naruto’s Talk no Jutsu problem

Hell’s Paradise: Sagiri’s rank in the Yamada clan explained CrunchyrollYamada Asaemon Sagiri is one of the primary characters in Hell’s Paradise. She is the only ranked woman in the clan — but it’s exceptionally low. In Hell’s Paradise, Samurai are soldiers who are in service to a daimyo, or feudal lord, as loyal retainers. Among them are the influential Yamada Clan, who are famous for being executioners, sword testers, and making medicines. They contribute to society in many ways and are highly regarded by the Shogunate. However, due to their nature of work, they are treated as Ronin and don’t enjoy the privileges of serving the Shogun. Therefore, they cannot obtain lordship, rice revenue, or any other sort of benefit from the Shogun. Their hierarchy is based on rankings and depends on one’s ability to lead the clan. However, despite having all the necessary skills, Sagiri’s rank in Hell’s Paradise is believed to be incredibly low. The women from the Samurai family Usually, the men from the Samurai families train in swordsmanship and other necessary skills to serve their lords. Women, on the other hand, are responsible for taking care of the family household. A clan head’s daughter is placed in an arranged marriage with the next clan head. They are additionally responsible for bearing children for the clan’s future generation. Women can also become samurai. However, they are looked down on by male samurai. This is why, Sagiri and Isuzu are the only women in the Yamada Asaemon. While Sagiri has a low rank, Isuzu wasn’t even granted one. Why is Sagiri’s rank low in Hell’s Paradise? Sagiri ranks 12th in the hierarchy of the Yamada Clan. This is the lowest rank given to any Asaemon. She is the daughter of the clan head and was expected to marry the future head but disappointed her family by becoming an executioner. She is very skilled as an executioner and picks up some new skills on the island of Shinsenkyo. However, she cannot lead the clan because she’s a woman. Therefore, her rank is at the bottom. Women generally aren’t recognized as Samurai in the Yamada Clan. Therefore, no one obtains a rank. However, Yamada Asaemon Shugen, a second-rank executioner highly regarded by his peers, constantly pleasured to have Sagiri formally accepted into the clan. Therefore, as a way to respect their talented Asaemon, the Yamada Clan only agreed to give her the lowest ranking possible. Even after years of serving the clan and making several accomplishments, Sagiri’s rank in the Yamada Clan remained the same. Hell’s Paradise can currently be streamed on Crunchyroll. In the meantime, check out our other TV hubs below: Attack on Titan Season 4 Part 3 | Bleach Thousand Year Blood War Part 2 | Chainsaw Man Season 2 | BRZRKR movie | Jigokuraku Hell’s Paradise | Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2 | Sonic the Hedgehog 3 | Invincible Season 2

“He’s a hero” Yu-Gi-Oh author reportedly died trying to save people from drowning KonamiKazuki Takahashi, the creator of Yu-Gi-Oh, reportedly died attempting to save another person swimming from drowning at Mermaid’s Groto in Okinawa, Japan. Yu-Gi-Oh is a massive franchise that originally debuted as a serialized manga. The series developed further, with anime adaptations, spin-offs, and a massive trading card game. On July 2022, Yu-Gi-Oh creator Kazuki Takahashi was proclaimed dead. His exact reason for death at the time wasn’t known at the time, but speculations were made. A local citizen discovered Takahashi’s body wearing scuba gear, and officials confirmed the body. Many assumed the mangaka drowned while going out snorkeling alone – but on October 11, new evidence was revealed to the public. Yu-Gi-Oh creator dove in to save others According to a report from the US military’s newspaper, Kazuki Takahashi dove into incredibly dangerous waters in an attempt to save other swimmers. During the incident, three individuals were struggling in the riptide. Waves were crashing in, creating whirlpools that dragged in the swimmers. Trained scuba diving instructor and U.S. military officer Major Robert Bourgeau dove straight in, and rescued the three from drowning . While the officer was rescuing them, Kazuki Takahashi also dove in, attempting to aid in the rescue. Unfortunately, witnesses claim they never saw him surface. Kazuki Takahashi drowned, and his body was found washed ashore two days later. Bourgeau was not aware of Takahashi’s attempt during the ordeal, but called the author a hero. “He died trying to save someone else,” the major mourned. Kazuki Takahashi’s impacted the world in an amazing way. The gift of Yu-Gi-Oh is one that will always be remembered. And though Takahashi has passed, fans take solace in the fact that he died a hero.

Hell’s Paradise Episode 11: Release date & spoilers CrunchyrollThe recent episode of Hell’s Paradise featured the alliance between Gabmiaru and Tamiya as the latter joins the other in the expedition. Here are the release date and possible spoilers for Hell’s Paradise Episode 11. Hell’s Paradise is a popular anime series based on the manga of the same name by Yuji Kaku. As the series is drawing near the end of the first season, a lot of mysteries about the island begin to unveil. The recent episode features Tamiya Gantetsusai and Yamada Asaemon Fuchi allying with Gabimaru as they learn about the terrifying powers of Lord Tensen. Furthermore, fans also learn about Tamiya’s dream to accomplish something so great that his name will be passed down over generations. The upcoming episode will unravel more mysteries about the island of Shinsenkyo. Delve deeper to find out about the release date and spoilers of Hell’s Paradise Episode 11. Hell’s Paradise Episode 11 release date and time Hell’s Paradise Episode 11 will release on 17 June at 11:30pm JST. It is a weekly anime that drops every Saturday. The episode will be available to stream across various time zones as soon as it’s released in Japan. You can find your time zone below: 8:30am PDT – 11:30am EDT – 12:30pm Brazil – 3:30pm UK – 4:30pm Central European Summer Time – 9pm India Standard Time – 2:30am Australia – 4:30am New Zealand – Hell’s Paradise Episode 11 spoilers Hoko unravels another major secret about the abandoned village as he discloses his true identity. As the others find out more about the past and Hoko being born as a human, Yamada Asaemon Senta speculates that everything on the island is the work of a “creator.” Furthermore, the group is still unaware of Gabimaru’s situation. Sagiri believes that Gabimaru is still alive and well. On the other hand, Yamada Asaemon Shion finds himself unable to reject Nurugai’s constant pleas to teach her swordsmanship. While Shion teaches Nurugai about “waves,” Mei and Hoko talk about Tao, both being similar things. Tao is a necessary factor one requires to defeat those immortal members of Lord Tensen. Now that the series will finally introduce this concept, fans will witness the characters developing their skills tremendously. Hell’s Paradise can currently be streamed on Crunchyroll. In the meantime, check out our other anime coverage below: Underrated Zoro moments | Muzan Kibutsuji abilities in Demon Slayer | One Piece ending | Kagaya Ubuyashiki abilities in Demon Slayer | Demon Slayer Thunder Breathing 7th form | The real villain in Hell’s Paradise | Naruto’s Best Rinnegan User | One Piece’s Empty Throne | Luffy’s Gear 5 techniques | Naruto’s Infinite Tsukuyomi | One Piece Red Hair Pirates | One Piece Shanks’ twin theory | Bleach vs Naruto | Naruto’s God Tree | One Piece Straw Hats’ Dreams

Hell’s Paradise Episode 12: Release date & spoilers CrunchyrollThe recent episode of Hell’s Paradise introduces the concept of Tao, which is the only way to defeat members of Lord Tensen. Here are the release date and possible spoilers for Hell’s Paradise Episode 12. Hell’s Paradise is a popular anime series based on the manga of the same name by Yuji Kaku. As the series is drawing near the end of the first season, a lot of mysteries about the island begin to unveil. After facing humiliating defeat against Lord Tensen, the expedition finally has some hope of besting the immortal monsters. However, they need to learn Tao in a short amount of time. The recent episode also reveals Hoko’s origin as a human. The upcoming episode will further explore the depths of Tao as Gabimaru and the others begin to learn it. Delve deeper to find out about the release date and spoilers of Hell’s Paradise Episode 12. Hell’s Paradise Episode 12 release date and time Hell’s Paradise Episode 12 will release on 24 June at 11:30pm JST. It is a weekly anime that drops every Saturday. The episode will be available to stream across various time zones as soon as it’s released in Japan. You can find your time zone below: 8:30am PDT – 11:30am EDT – 12:30pm Brazil – 3:30pm UK – 4:30pm Central European Summer Time – 9pm India Standard Time – 2:30am Australia – 4:30am New Zealand – Hell’s Paradise Episode 12 spoilers In Hell’s Paradise Episode 12, Mei will train Tamiya Gantetsusai and Gabimaru to use the power of Tao. Even though they’re both skilled fighters, they face trouble in mastering such a difficult technique. Members of Lord Tensen have dedicated centuries to mastering Tao, but they are still unable to use it perfectly. However, the Centipede Doshi that came in search of Mei reveals her to be one of Lord Tensen. Gabimaru realizes Mei doesn’t want to go to them and decides to help her against the monster. Gabimaru and Tamiya fight against the Doshi and manage to hold their own against it after learning the basics of Tao. Hell’s Paradise can currently be streamed on Crunchyroll. In the meantime, check out our other anime coverage below: Underrated Zoro moments | Muzan Kibutsuji abilities in Demon Slayer | One Piece ending | Kagaya Ubuyashiki abilities in Demon Slayer | Demon Slayer Thunder Breathing 7th form | The real villain in Hell’s Paradise | Naruto’s Best Rinnegan User | One Piece’s Empty Throne | Luffy’s Gear 5 techniques | Naruto’s Infinite Tsukuyomi | One Piece Red Hair Pirates | One Piece Shanks’ twin theory | Bleach vs Naruto | Naruto’s God Tree | One Piece Straw Hats’ Dreams

Hell’s Paradise Episode 13: Release date & spoilers of season finale CrunchyrollThe season finale will end with a lot of unanswered questions left for fans to find out in the second season. Here are the release date and possible spoilers for Hell’s Paradise Episode 13. Hell’s Paradise is a popular anime series based on the manga of the same name by Yuji Kaku. As the series is drawing near the end of the first season, a lot of mysteries about the island begin to unveil. After learning about the power of Tao, Gabimaru and Tamiya Gantetsusai face off against a Doshi and manage to gain the upper hand. Furthermore, they learn about a disturbing truth behind the powers of Lord Tensen. The upcoming episode will further explore the depths of Tao as Gabimaru unlocks his true potential. Delve deeper to find out about the release date and spoilers of Hell’s Paradise Episode 13. Hell’s Paradise Episode 13 release date and time Hell’s Paradise Episode 13 will release on 1 July at 11:30pm JST. The season finale episode will be available to stream across various time zones as soon as it’s released in Japan. You can find your time zone below: 8:30am PDT – 11:30am EDT – 12:30pm Brazil – 3:30pm UK – 4:30pm Central European Summer Time – 9pm India Standard Time – 2:30am Australia – 4:30am New Zealand – Hell’s Paradise Episode 13 spoilers In the season finale, Gabimaru will defeat Doshi almost effortlessly. Whereas, the Doshi will see some resemblance between him and Lord Tensen. However, while talking with Mei, he will suddenly collapses after getting a nosebleed. Turns out, Tao is a life force that resides in all living beings. Using too much Tao affects the body and soul as a backlash. On the other hand, Sagiri and the rest of the team will enter the home of Lord Tensen. They face Mu Dan, one of the Lord Tensen. The season finale will also feature more Yamada Asaemon entering Kotaku as the Shogun gets impatient while waiting for the Elixir of Life. Hell’s Paradise can currently be streamed on Crunchyroll. In the meantime, check out our other anime coverage below: Gorosei shadows in One Piece | Demon Slayer Season 3 finale | One Piece Reverie flashback | One Piece Void Century | Naruto Will of Fire | Naruto Wood Jutsu | Demon Slayer Mark characters | One Piece Mera Mera no Mi | One Piece God’s Knights Commander | One Piece Kozuki Momonosuke | Demon Slayer Hantengu Forms | One Piece Roger’s legacy | Naruto Uchiha Clan stone tablet | One Piece live-action trailer | Demon Slayer Corps

Hell’s Paradise Episode 8: Release Date and Spoilers CrunchyrollHell’s Paradise is finally beginning to uncover the truth behind the mysterious island of Shinsenkyo. With Lord Tensen being introduced in the recent episode, things are only going to get worse for Gabimaru and his team. Here are the release date and possible spoilers for Hell’s Paradise Episode 8. Hell’s Paradise is a popular anime series based on the manga of the same name. Even before being adapted into an anime, the series was considered one of the dark trio of Shonen. The recent episode introduces new characters who will play major roles in the future. Fans also learn about the members of Lord Tensen, who are believed to be the rulers of the island. What’s more, there’s much to learn about the 1000-year-old abandoned village. Not to mention, the members of Lord Tensen are making their moves against the intruders who invaded their island. Warning: The following contains major spoilers from the Hell’s Paradise manga. Hell’s Paradise Episode 8 release date and time Hell’s Paradise Episode 8 will release on 20 May at 11:30 pm JST. It is a weekly anime that drops every Saturday. The episode will be available to stream across various time zones as soon as it’s released in Japan. You can find your time zone below: 8:30 am PDT – 11:30 am EDT – 12:30 pm Brazil – 3:30 pm UK – 4:30 pm Central European Summer Time – 9 pm India Standard Time – 2:30 am Australia – 4:30 am New Zealand – Hell’s Paradise Episode 8 spoilers The upcoming episode will feature the death of Yamada Asaemon Tenza, and it will be the most tragic so far. Even Shion, one of the strongest Asaemon, will have to flee after witnessing the terrifying power of Lord Tensen. On the other hand, Sagiri shows her compassion toward Mei. The girl is still unable to talk. The weird scar on her back hints that something unfortunate happened to her in the past. Furthermore, fans will learn more about Gabimura’s past with Yui in Hell’s Paradise Episode 8. As Gabimaru remembers her, he becomes even more determined to find the Elixir as soon as possible. However, he comes across Lord Tensen and seems to be at a disadvantage against them. The episode will end on a cliffhanger, leaving fans wondering how Gabimaru will fare against an enemy he knows nothing about. Not to mention that the enemy is an immortal being who can regenerate almost instantly. Hell’s Paradise can currently be streamed on Crunchyroll. In the meantime, check out our other TV hubs below: Attack on Titan Season 4 Part 3 | Bleach Thousand Year Blood War Part 2 | Chainsaw Man Season 2 | BRZRKR movie | Jigokuraku Hell’s Paradise | Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2 | Sonic the Hedgehog 3 | Invincible Season 2

Heavenly Delusion manga to get an anime adaptation next year Production I.GGet hyped for another upcoming anime, because the Heavenly Delusions manga is now on its way to a TV screen near you – and it’s releasing next year. This October season of anime has been intense, with both well established titles dropping, like Mob Psycho 100, along with some highly anticipated new projects, like Chainsaw Man. And now anime fans can get ready to be hyped for another upcoming title, since it has just been announced that the popular manga by Masakazu Ishiguro, Heavenly Delusion, is now set to have an anime adaption. Not only that, but some promotional material has already been released, and the anime is set to drop much sooner than you would think. Heavenly Delusion will have a TV anime next year It was recently announced on the anime’s official website that Heavenly Delusion (Tengoku Dai Makyō) would be coming to screens soon. The anime will be produced by Production I.G, who has also produced titles such as Ghost in the Shell and Psycho-Pass. Exact plot details or trailers haven’t been released yet, but we can expect the show to closely follow the manga. Denpa, the company which releases the manga in English, describes the story as thus: Within the safety of the walls, youths are raised in a nursery-style setting by robots. While life there may appear stale on the surface, the children are full of potential and curiosity. In many ways it is like a slice of heaven. The outside world is a hell-scape. It is almost entirely void of anything mechanical and is now inhabited by bizarre, yet powerful super-natural beings. Maru, with the aid of Kiruko, is out there crisscrossing what was once Tokyo for heaven. But after searching for so long, maybe heaven is more of an untenable dream than a potential reality. Along with the anime’s announcement came an official poster, featuring the series’ two main characters, and manga creator Ishiguro even drew an illustration to commemorate the occasion. When will the Heavenly Delusion anime come out? While there is no official release date, Heavenly Delusion will come out sometime in 2023. This will be five years after the release of the manga, which came out in January 2018. Ishiguro launched the manga in Kodansha’s Monthly Afternoon Magazine, with the eight volume of the manga now set to ship on November 22 of this year. The manga has been incredibly popular so far, topping the list of manga for male readers in the 2019 edition of Takarajimasha’s Kono Manga ga Sugoi guidebook.

Hell’s Paradise Episode 10: Release date & spoilers CrunchyrollHell’s Paradise finally returned after a week-long gap, and it featured a lot of intriguing moments in the recent episode. Here are the release date and possible spoilers for Hell’s Paradise Episode 10. Hell’s Paradise is a popular anime series based on the manga of the same name. The series is drawing near the end of the first season, leaving a lot of unanswered mysteries along the way. The recent episode features the fight between Gabimaru and Zhu Jin, where the Shinobi finds himself at an overwhelming disadvantage. Furthermore, fans also learn about Mei’s identity and her connection with Lord Tensen. The upcoming episode will focus on Gabimaru’s interaction with Tamiya and Fuchi and if they could be considered friends or foes. Delve deeper to find out more about Hell’s Paradise Episode 10. Hell’s Paradise Episode 10 release date and time Hell’s Paradise Episode 10 will release on 10 June at 11:30pm JST. It is a weekly anime that drops every Saturday. The episode will be available to stream across various time zones as soon as it’s released in Japan. You can find your time zone below: 8:30am PDT – 11:30am EDT – 12:30pm Brazil – 3:30pm UK – 4:30pm Central European Summer Time – 9pm India Standard Time – 2:30am Australia – 4:30am New Zealand – Hell’s Paradise Episode 10 spoilers In Hell’s Paradise Episode 10, as soon as the injured Gabimaru encounters Tamiya Gantetsusai, the latter attacks him. Because of his injury, he is having difficulty keeping up with the samurai. Luckily, Yamada Asaemon Fuchi interferes in their battle and stops them from fighting unnecessarily. Furthermore, Fuchi tries to extract information about his state and the status of his Asaemon companion. Knowing he cannot win against both in his current state, Gabimaru offers them to team up with him. He also tells Tamiya and Fuchi about Lord Tensen and their powers, completely surprising them. While Fuchi is still sceptical about the mysterious beings on the island, Gabimaru’s resolve intrigues Tamiya he and agrees to cooperate with him. Hell’s Paradise Episode 10 will also reveal Tamiya’s dream of being “immortal.” However, he doesn’t want to live forever. Instead, his idea of being immortal is to accomplish something so great that his name will be passed down over generations, making him a legend whose name will live forever. On the other hand, Gabimaru finds Mei to have a slightly older body. Not only that, but she’s also able to talk now. On the other hand, while Sagiri and the others try to find Gabimaru, Hoko tells them everything about Lord Tensen, including their names and role on the island. Furthermore, Hoko will also unravel another major secret about the abandoned village as he discloses his true identity. Turns out, Hoko was born as a human over a thousand years ago and is a result of some experimentation that turned him into an immortal tree. Hell’s Paradise can currently be streamed on Crunchyroll. In the meantime, check out our other anime coverage below: Underrated Zoro moments | Muzan Kibutsuji abilities in Demon Slayer | One Piece ending | Kagaya Ubuyashiki abilities in Demon Slayer | Demon Slayer Thunder Breathing 7th form | The real villain in Hell’s Paradise | Naruto’s Best Rinnegan User | One Piece’s Empty Throne | Luffy’s Gear 5 techniques | Naruto’s Infinite Tsukuyomi | One Piece Red Hair Pirates | One Piece Shanks’ twin theory | Bleach vs Naruto | Naruto’s God Tree | One Piece Straw Hats’ Dreams

Haikyuu!!’s “disappointing” future is upsetting fans Haruichi Furudate/Production I.G.Haikyuu!! has had a wonderful time in 2024 with the new movie, but fans are still upset about the franchise’s future. Few sports anime have achieved what Haikyuu!! has done. From significantly increasing volleyball practice in Japan to getting several nods in the Paris Olympics 2024, Haruichi Furudate’s work has solidified itself as one of the most influential anime and manga franchises out there. Not just that, the franchise released its first proper movie, Haikyuu!! The Dumpster Battle, in 2024. The film has made a huge box office record globally and is considered one of the best anime movies of the year. However, despite its multiple successes, fans are still worried about Haikyuu!!’s future. After The Dumpster Battle, the franchise has another movie planned. The second film is adapting Karasuno’s match against Kamomedai in the Nationals. While this sounds pretty exciting, manga readers are less than happy. That’s because there’s still a lot left in the Haikyuu!! manga and all of it cannot be contained in a single movie. This also means the manga’s last arc is being completely ignored. It’s a shame because the last arc is the culmination of the development of the characters throughout the story. Cutting it out takes away the impact of their individual character growth and the core message of the series. Besides, fans think the Kamomedai match should’ve been adapted into Haikyuu!! Season 5 rather than a movie. According to them, the film has to cut out a lot of important scenes in order to make it compact, and as a result, misses out on significant aspects. For example, Haikyuu!! The Dumpster Battle ignores two of its best characters to reduce the runtime of the movie. The same can happen in the second film, which is why fans want an anime show instead. “I just want to know the reason?? Like Haikyuu!! is still so popular with such a loyal fanbase who will wait as long as needed to have everything animated properly but they settled on…. movies? It’s so disappointing,” posted one user on X. “I don’t think I will ever understand how this decision was finalized, it makes less and less sense the more time that goes by and as Haikyuu!! continues to explode in popularity and influence (and clearly there’s a demand/market for it),” joined another. “I think it is physically IMPOSSIBLE to fit all the things left with only one movie. Why was this the final decision?” wrote a third. A fourth commented: “Should’ve been a season for the Kamomedai match to Brazil arc then a Final final movie.” There’s been no announcement about the continuation of the Haikyuu!! franchise after the second movie so far. But hopefully, the makers will pay heed to fans’ expectations and come up with more projects. For now, check out our Haikyuu!! The Dumpster Battle review and what the movie’s stars have to say. You can also find out how the anime proves sports anime is finally having its moment.

Classic boxing anime that inspired Creed 3 now streaming on Netflix NetflixAn old but gold boxing anime that inspired Creed 3 has been added to Netflix, giving subscribers a chance to revisit the show. Hajime no Ippo: The Fighting, a fan-favorite sports anime from the early 2000s, is now available to stream on Netflix in the US. All 75 episodes, and one epilogue, were quietly added to the streaming service’s library. The original manga, Hajime no Ippo, goes back a few years more, kicking off in 1989. Created by George Morikawa, the story follows a young boxer, Ippo Makunouchi, who goes from high school athlete to holding several championships, with all the trials and tribulations in between. The manga itself has always been hugely popular, cracking over 100 million copies sold as of July 2023. The adaptations have done well over the years as well, each installment getting a physical release on Blu-ray — the first time Hajime no Ippo: The Fighting arrived on DVD, there were 15 discs. Alas, you don’t need to find space for such a collection now, since it’s right there on your Netflix dash. Coming out between 2000 and 2002 meant Hajime no Ippo was among an era where many were discovering the best anime ever for the first time. One Piece and Naruto were just starting, and Spirited Away and Cowboy Bebop: The Movie arrived in theaters. Then you had re-runs of Dragon Ball Z, Vampire Hunter, Cowboy Bebop, and many more. It was a golden period, and Hajime no Ippo definitely found some fans, since none other than Michael B Jordan drew from the show for Creed 3. “There are artistic choices that were influenced by my passion for anime that we brought into the boxing and training sequences,” he told Total Film around Creed 3’s release. “With boxing anime like Hajime no Ippo, I really love the inner dialogue of what’s going on and happening in the ring from the characters.” You can see for yourself now on Netflix. Check out our list of the best anime movies on Netflix for more streaming options, and if you want to stay sporty, our coverage on Haikyuu!! The Dumpster Battle will tell you why sports anime is truly having a moment.

Has Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2 Episode 18 been delayed? CrunchyrollJujutsu Kaisen Season 2’s production meltdown continues as animators request for episode delays – so has Episode 18 been delayed? MAPPA, the animation studio behind Jujutsu Kaisen, is currently at the height of controversy as issues surrounding working conditions and payment delays come to light. The studio has several incredible masterpieces under its belt, such as Attack on Titan, Chainsaw Man, Vinland Saga, and so on. However, with the studio taking up so many projects at once, the animators are facing tight deadlines. Over the years, MAPPA’s working conditions have continued to degrade as the studio often gets embroiled in multiple scandals. There’s no doubt that Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2 is one of the biggest anime series of the year. However, the alleged working conditions have been a topic of discussion ever since the Shibuya arc started airing. Delve deeper to find out if Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2 Episode 18 has been delayed or not. Will Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2 Episode 18 get delayed? Despite the animators’ request, Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2 Episode 18 will air as per its regular schedule on November 23. A JJK leaker posted about the episode being delayed for a day, but it was soon taken down. He then shared another post: “I deeply apologize for posting about misinfo of ‘episode delayed’ news. Episode will air on TV as usual Thursday timings which has been followed so far. The ‘delay’ will be for Japanese streaming platforms. NO DELAY IN JJK EPISODE AIRING!!” The leaker further added a comment: “It should be available in Crunchyroll tmr as usual too I apologize once again.” The preview stills are also out on their usual timing, meaning the episode should be animated by now. Last week, before the release of Episode 17, the stills were released 4-5 hours late. After the episode aired, several fans expressed their opinion about the episode being unfinished, as several scenes looked unpolished. Despite wanting to enjoy one of the best arcs of their favorite series, JJK fans are constantly expressing their support toward the animators. They also wish for delays so the animators can get breaks and work without a lot of pressure. One user said on the leaker’s apology post: “Aw, it would be nice if they had one more day to release, but there’s nothing we can do, as for the mistake, everyone makes mistakes, so it’s okay Mya.” Another user’s comment reads: “Damn, I was actually happy. I thought the animators would get more time.” Click here to check out spoilers and preview stills of Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2 Episode 18. How to watch Crunchyroll from outside your location in 2023 Crunchyroll is the world’s best hub for streaming anime, whether it’s One Piece, Attack on Titan, or Jujutsu Kaisen. And thanks to ExpressVPN, you can access the platform’s full library even if you’re outside the US. If you’re abroad, here’s what you need to do to access Crunchyroll’s full selection – and it really is this simple: Sign up for ExpressVPN, which has ultra-fast servers and offers a secure, private connection wherever you are in the world – Connect to a location anywhere in the US. Express VPN allows you to choose from 24 different spots, from New Jersey to Santa Monica – Visit Crunchyroll online and start streaming all of your favorite animes – and perhaps some you’ve never watched – Accessing Crunchyroll’s US roster makes a difference. For example, Hong Kong users only have access to less than 100 titles, while the US has nearly 1,000 movies and TV shows. You can also stream anime on Crunchyroll for free with an ad-supported plan. Or you can pay for a subscription. There’s even a 14-day free trial if you can’t quite make up your mind. See our other JJK coverage below, and you can check out our other anime coverage here. Jujutsu Kaisen manga kills off two insanely strong characters – Is Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2 getting canceled? – Jujutsu Kaisen: Why did Toji kill himself? – Jujutsu Kaisen: How did Sukuna use a fire technique? – Please note that if you click on a product link on this page we may earn a small affiliate commission.

Hayao Miyazaki reveals one classic Hollywood process Studio Ghibli refuses to do MaxStudio Ghibli and Pixar are animation powerhouses that have very different philosophies when it comes to one aspect of production. Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli have made some of the best movies of all time, demonstrating the power and potential of anime to a global audience. Meanwhile, Pixar has consistently pushed the envelope of CG animation since debuting with Toy Story in 1995. Hayao joined Pete Docter, Chief Creative Officer at Pixar and director of such classics as Monsters, Inc. and Up, for Toshio Suzuki’s Studio Ghibli Sweat on Tokyo FM. During the chat, they discuss editing styles, and Hayao makes clear the only hands guiding Ghibli are their own. “No. It is impossible for all viewers to understand a film. We are the ones who take responsibility, so we can’t leave it to someone who happens to be there,” he says, on the idea of taking feedback from test screenings. Generally, when a new movie is in post-production, the studio and producers will screen it in a discreet location with a randomly picked audience. Afterward, viewers can provide feedback, and that data, alongside the atmosphere in the room itself, helps feed into cutting decisions. Studio Ghibli doesn’t do that, instead getting fully behind their own intuition. Docter points out that Pixar fully subscribe to testing any upcoming picture. “In our method, test screenings are useful,” he says. “Since we are in the middle of production, we can determine that this part is not resonating at all, or that the emotions we want to feel are not being felt, so we can make adjustments.” He’s an advocate of sitting down with a showing to see how they vibe with what’s going on: “At the preview, we watch it together. That way, I can feel when they are bored or when they are engrossed in the screen, so I believe that their reactions are genuine.” Docter finishes by adding he views it as the company’s “responsibility” to make sure it finds the widest audience possible. Pixar and Disney have enjoyed massive, continued success doing this, but then Studio Ghibli hardly have a dodgy reputation either, so both methods have merit in this instance. Test screenings have led to drastic pivots over the years. Titanic was shaved down considerably during some testing, and 28 Days Later was given a slightly less grim conclusion. On the other end of the spectrum, Blade Runner, one of the best sci-fi movies ever, was recut with a disastrous narration from Harrison Ford after it fell flat on initial viewing. It’s always hard to know what to trust when making art, and perhaps the lesson here is you need to choose when to listen and when to follow your gut. To check out the latest from both sides of this conversation, we have guides on how to watch The Boy and the Heron and Inside Out 2.

Legendary Oscar winner skipped this year’s awards, and everyone made the same joke GKIDSThe 96th Academy Awards have just happened, and among all the incredible winners, there’s one who decided not to show. Hayao Miyazaki wasn’t present for The Boy and the Heron’s big victory, spurring a lot of the same jokes on social media. It should come as no surprise to hear that Hayao Miyazaki’s latest anime movie took home the Best Animated Feature statue, since he’s one of our greatest living filmmakers. His big return after retiring in 2014 (not for the first time), The Boy and the Heron is another gorgeous, whimsical film that epitomizes the charm of Studio Ghibli. He had stiff competition, particularly from Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, another awesome and perfectly acceptable choice, but he won out for his second Oscar, after Spirited Away in 2003. Alas, he wasn’t there to accept that prize either. In fact, he’s never attended the Oscars any time he’s been nominated – and there have been a few times – leading fans to make the same observation over and over on X, formerly Twitter. Studio Ghibli fans all made the same joke after Hayao Miyazaki didn’t attend the Oscars Everyone essentially delivered memes about how Hayao sees Hollywood’s big ceremony. The most common meme involves Donald Duck being awoken in the night, looking sleepy and annoyed, before returning to slumber. This, to many onlookers, epitomizes Hayao’s perspective on American awards – a noisy distraction from his day-to-day life. Being nominated and winning is nice, but it’s a calamity he doesn’t seem to regard in much esteem whatsoever. Other memes used Hayao quotes from documentaries, where his often dry delivery makes for some very relatable quotes about exhaustion and hassle. Although he hasn’t gone on record too extensively about the Academy Awards, he has stated that he refused to attend in 2003 because of America’s prolonged assault on Iraq at the time. He wasn’t in attendance for nominations of Howl’s Moving Castle or The Wind Rises, either, but since they didn’t win, there was less attention placed on that. Perhaps he just doesn’t consider the Oscars a worthwhile ceremony to attend, since he’d have to fly internationally, taking time out of whatever other projects he has going on. Whatever his reasons, I’m sure the second Oscar will sit just as prominently in his collection as the first. Have a look at our guides to Demon Slayer Season 4 and My Hero Academia Season 7 for what anime is coming up.

Heavenly Delusion fans have one demand after huge awards win CrunchyrollHeavenly Delusion just won big at the Anime Trending Awards, scoring the biggest award of the night, and now fans have one desire for the show. If you missed Heavenly Delusion, don’t feel too bad — the anime show went under the radar last year. Set in a dystopian future, it follows two groups of teens, one kept in a boarding school, another wandering the wasteland, who have an intertwined destiny. Production IG produced the adaptation of Masakazu Ishiguro’s manga, and although Heavenly Delusion didn’t make a massive dent in 2023, it’s quietly held onto a fervent fanbase. Thanks to some awards recognition, the audience is hopeful there’ll be more episodes in the near future. Heavenly Delusion fans hope Season 2 happens after scoring Anime of the Year Heavenly Delusion managed to score the biggest trophy of the night at the Anime Trending Awards, receiving Anime of the Year. Fans were delighted, since the series has gotten lost in the shuffle among Jujutsu Kaisen, Attack on Titan, My Hero Academia, and other hits from the year just gone. Now that Heavenly Delusion has such a plaudit, fans want another season. “My favorite show of 2023! Please announce a season 2 now!” says one commenter. “Gonna be heartbroken if we don’t get another season,” adds another. Although it didn’t win, the show was nominated in several major categories in the Crunchyroll Anime Awards as well, making it clear the industry was taking note. It’s hard to say one way or the other what the odds of Heavenly Delusion continuing are. Awards always help the case, but viewership stats are also a factor, and it doesn’t seem like Heavenly Delusion did all that well in terms of numbers. But a second season could grow the fandom, especially if the quality is maintained. We’ll keep you informed either way. For more upcoming anime, check out our guides to Demon Slayer Season 4 and My Hero Academia Season 7.

Haikyuu!! The Dumpster Battle ignores two of the franchise’s best characters Haruichi Furudate/Production I.G.While Haikyuu!! The Dumpster Battle successfully revitalizes the hype left by the anime, it ignores two of the story’s best characters. Calling Haikyuu!! The Dumpster Battle one of the best anime movies in 2024 wouldn’t be much of a stretch. After doing wonders at the Japanese box office, the film is now taking the whole world by storm after its global release. (Check out our Haikyuu!! The Dumpster Battle review for more!) The grand reception of the anime movie is a proof of how sports anime is finally having its moment. Despite not being a battle shonen, the new Haikyuu!! movie has audiences screaming “chance ball” along with the boys onscreen. I was one of them, hollering “mou ippon” at the screen as the boys scored points. But to say I was completely floored by the sports anime movie would be an exaggeration, because no matter how anticipated this was, it still noticeably ignored Kageyama and Kuroo, two very significant characters. The much-awaited match between Karasuno and Nekoma finally begins Haikyuu!! The Dumpster Battle is set during the much-anticipated match between Karasuno and Nekoma. It’s a match everyone has been waiting for. While the characters have been itching to go against each other on the national level, fans have been eager to see their wish come true for the four years between Season 4 and this movie. After being rivals for generations, looking forward to competing on the national level for years, it’s Hinata and Kenma’s respective teams who make it to the orange court. Members from both teams have their individual rival facing them; Nishinoya has Yaku, Tsukishima has Kuroo, and our protagonist Hinata has managed to snag three rivals for himself. However, Haikyuu!! The Dumpster Battle doesn’t take long to make it clear that the game belongs to Hinata and Kenma. In fact, it’s too insistent on the matter, so much so that it’s ready to sacrifice other characters to give them as much of the spotlight as possible. To be fair, there’s nothing entirely wrong with that. The Dumpster Battle was always supposed to be Kenma’s time to shine; it’s the match that helps him find excitement in the sport he’s been playing since childhood. However, this could’ve been done without overlooking Kageyama and Kuroo, as the manga has already demonstrated. In its determination to focus on Kenma and Hinata, the movie fails to reflect what’s made the franchise so different from many other sports anime. Haikyuu!! is not just about glorifying its protagonist, it’s about characters developing together through the sport they love. The film, however, doesn’t take the time to give every character standing on the court the proper opportunity to shine, something so vastly different from the manga. While some cases are understandable, given the limited duration of the movie, ignoring Kageyama and Kuroo’s important scenes seems like a gross misjudgement from the creative team. Kuroo’s leadership is lost in The Dumpster Battle One thing Haikyuu!! makes clear from the very beginning is that Hinata and Kageyama are the main characters of the series. While Hinata is our protagonist, trying to overcome his disadvantage of short height, Kageyama has a different adversary. And we tag along on this journey with both of them. Kuroo, on the other hand, is not as necessary to the story as Kageyama is. But he’s an indispensable character, particularly in The Dumpster Battle. As the captain of Nekoma, Kenma’s best friend, and Tsukishima’s sort-of mentor, he has an immense impact on the story. While the Haikyuu!! movie does Kuroo justice in two of those three areas, it fails to properly show Kuroo’s prowess as a captain. Don’t get me wrong, it does have one scene where the rooster-head is shown talking up his teammates, but that’s only the tip of the iceberg. In the manga, Kuroo’s leadership can be seen in subtle moments. His constant vigilance over his teammates, recognizing the threats of each play, and not to mention, rising to the occasion when they need to score; these all speak highly of his captaincy. But the movie hardly spares two minutes to show such little yet impactful moments. The movie also disregards one crucial element of Kuroo and Kenma’s friendship, despite giving their flashback ample screen time. In the film, the boys are shown to have met as neighbors during their childhood, which leads to their years-long friendship. But how the two start to bond isn’t shown. It’s not just being neighbors that had them become friends, but their mutual social anxiety as well. Like Kenma, Kuroo was also an introvert as a child, but unlike the pudding-head, he grew out of it over the years. Given the bigger picture, this can be overlooked. What cannot be is the movie failing to show Kuroo’s volleyball chops. Towards the beginning of the film, there is one statement about him being an all-rounder player, not just a middle-blocker, but not enough scenes to support that claim. The Haikyuu!! manga, however, excels in this. Throughout the match, Kuroo has many moments where his spikes, receives, and serves, along with his read blocking, have given the crows a run for their money. There is one particular scene in Chapter 297 where Kuroo’s successful spike has the commentators praising his all-rounder skills. Kageyama’s best scenes are missing from the movie It’s even worse for Kageyama, because unlike Kuroo, his skills are too good to be ignored. He’s the setter of Karasuno, thus, the control tower of the team. And he’sthe most talented player on that court between both teams combined. Haikyuu!! The Dumpster Battle seems to have forgotten that altogether. It’s as if the filmmakers chose not to show Kageyama’s skills to highlight Kenma’s strategizing more. They ignore each and every impactful moment of the Karasuno setter, from how dangerous his serves are to the opponent to how brilliant of a setter he is. Instead, he’s shown as a background character and a plot device for Hinata’s shining moment. During the movie’s best scene, Hinata is shown to be caged by Kenma after the Nekoma setter manages to prevent him from running altogether. However, what the film overlooks is that in the manga, Kageyama is caged too. If Hinata fails to run and fly, then Kageyama can’t use his strongest weapon. It’s as devastating to him as it is to Hinata. The movie instead shows him using the four-point set to give Hinata the time to gain momentum. While doing so, the film clearly shows the brilliance of Hinata as he breaks free of the cage, but doesn’t give the setter his proper due. It’s even worse in the first part. In Chapter 299, after Yamaguchi’s jump floaters are stopped, things start to get tense for Karasuno as Nekoma’s digging becomes more and more persistent. In one crucial moment, Kageyama shows off his genius as he perfectly sets a badly received ball and has Hinata score a flashy point. This brilliant moment is followed by Kuroo admitting that they agree with Coach Nekomata’s comment about Kageyama being the biggest monster of Karasuno, the worst one to look out for. The movie never shows this scene, failing to impart the importance of Kageyama in that match. Similarly, his fearsome jump serve and precise sets in Chapter 300 are overlooked in favor of showing Kenma beginning to plan. By doing so, the film is unsuccessful in reminding the audience that Kenma doesn’t have it easy. He’s playing against a setter better than him and a spiker who’s relentless in his energy. It’s not just Hinata who serves as Kenma’s biggest adversary, it’s the weird duo. Hinata and Kageyama come as a package, given that Hinata is completely reliant on his setter. So, the decision to ignore the genius setter really has me wondering if the primary aim of the movie was to cater to new viewers, instead of satisfying longtime fans who know the characters pretty well by now. Whatever it may have been, it doesn’t change the fact that the movie isn’t as good as it could’ve been. I, for one, ended up being disappointed and a little bitter about being deprived from some of the best scenes from the match. After four years of waiting, I couldn’t help but wonder if this was worth it. Hopefully Haikyuu movie 2 will be more faithful to the manga than the first movie. The Kamomedai match is where everything is at stake and I’d hate to see important characters put in the backburner again. If you loved the movie, don’t forget to check out our explanation on Haikyuu!! Movie: The Dumpster Battle ending or if Haikyuu!! The Dumpster Battle has post-credit scenes. And if you haven’t, find out how to watch Haikyuu!! Movie: The Dumpster Battle.

Haikyuu!! The Dumpster Battle is missing scenes from the manga – and some fans are angry Haruichi Furudate/CrunchyrollHaikyuu!! The Dumpster Battle is taking the world by storm, but some fans are upset over some of the important missing scenes from the manga. Haikyuu!! The Dumpster Battle is undoubtedly one of the best anime movies in 2024 so far. Having released in Japan in February 2024, it made record-breaking box office takings before getting a global release on May 31. (You can check out our Haikyuu!! The Dumpster Battle review for more!) Though the anime movie has received a generally positive response from both viewers and critics, it definitely hasn’t made everyone happy. A lot of Haikyuu!! fans are expressing their disappointment over some scenes that have been cut from the manga. The new Haikyuu!! movie picks up right where Season 4 left off. It features the much-anticipated match between Karasuno and Nekoma, the titular Dumpster Battle. It’s a match that not only had fans waiting for year, but also the characters. Focusing on one singular match, the movie adapts the Haikyuu!! manga from Chapter 294 to Chapter 325. These 31 chapters are condensed into 85 minutes, making the movie inevitably gloss over some scenes from the source material. Fans have noticed that the Haikyuu!! movie hasn’t completely adapted the match from the manga, leaving out some scenes featuring Kageyama. Instead, the film’s primary focus was entirely on Kenma and Hinata, ignoring many moments of Karasuno’s setter in favor of them. Kageyama is the deuteragonist of Haikyuu!! and one of the most important characters in the series. Though he doesn’t always get the spotlight as the setter, the author always made sure to highlight his importance in the story. In the manga, Kageyama’s contribution to the match is irrefutable. His serves are among Karasuno’s biggest weapons, as well as his precise tosses. In one crucial moment, the manga shows Kuroo agreeing to Coach Nekomata’s comment about Kageyama being Karasuno’s biggest monster after their first practice match. The sports anime movie completely ignores this scene and most of Kageyama’s fearsome serves are also excluded from Haikyuu!! The Dumpster Battle. This has longtime fans of the franchise quite upset. One X user comments, “Did Kageyama as a character make the cut? Let’s be serious here.” Another fan also expresses their frustration in a similar way, writing, “Kageyama’s entire talent didnt make the f**king cut! I get we are highlighting Kenma’s moment but Kenma’s moment was made more exciting because of Kageyama’s skill.” A third joins, “Even if the movie was Kenma’s POV, Tobio was the rival teams setter which should have been the next point of focus after Shoyo because he is the control tower of the other team.” After the missing scenes in the film, many fans are now wishing for it to be turned into Haikyuu!! Season 5. However, whether their wish will come true is debatable as Haikyuu!! movie 2 appears to be confirmed already. For more on these volleyball boys, check out how to watch Haikyuu!! Movie: The Dumpster Battle, things you should know before Haikyuu!! The Dumpster Battle, and our explanation on Haikyuu!! Movie: The Dumpster Battle ending as well as the Haikyuu!! Movie: The Dumpster Battle post-credit scenes.

Haikyuu!! The Dumpster Battle review – Sports anime creates an instant classic As a sports movie, Haikyuu!! The Dumpster Battle is captivating — but as a coming-of-age parable about teens who’ve been irrevocably shaped by volleyball, the film is outstanding. After four seasons, Haikyuu!! has brought Karasuno and Nekoma together, two rival teams who’ve been waiting for the chance to compete against each other in the whole sports anime. On one side of the net, Karasuno, known as the crows, and on the other, Nekoma, who’re known as the wildcats. Their match is dubbed ‘The Dumpster Battle’, and it allows series protagonist Shoyo Hinata to finally test his skills opposite Kenam Kozume, another prodigy he’d met years prior. Although the anime movie serves as the first of a two-part finale to the animated adaptation, the base elements are easily picked up. It’s two teams, at the peak of their talents, going at it for a national prize before graduation separates the players. The Crows versus the Wildcats The Dumpster Battle is entirely framed around the game, opening with the athletes entering the arena. A flashback shows us Shoyo and Kenam’s first meeting, and how it teased what’s happening now. Some fans and well-wishers sit in the stands and watch around Japan, cheering on and commentating. The movie lasts the length of the game, making the volleyball match the film and the film the volleyball match, with everything stemming from the play-by-play and circumstances leading each player to the court. Shoyo and Kenam’s psychological warfare broils at the core; two clever, intuitive players who eagerly outwit each other. The picture embraces the inherent cinema of a high-stakes game to an enthralling degree, zooming in and out of people’s heads and around the varying positions. Big offense leads to counters and wild maneuvers, flowing to a montage of any given player’s arc from the first day of practice to now. Some have a chip on their shoulder about some aspect of their first experience, some got into it because of their friends; now they’re all unified by a desire to win, whatever the cost. Much more than mere life and death Like the best sports movies, such as Tin Cup or Remember the Titans, you don’t need to understand the sport going in, because the cinematography and storytelling teach you. Director and screenwriter Susumu Mitsunaka gives ample context for each sequence, without losing focus on this being the product of years of build-up. Shoto is an offensive player, who capitalizes on setups from his teammates to score points by slamming the ball past the other team’s defense. Kenma, then, is a strategist who sets up attacks, making the exact kind of opposition that can get under Shoto’s skin. Kenma is extremely perceptive, cultivating plays that zero in on the weak points of Shoto’s side. The mental pressure manifests as elaborate fantasies involving cats and crows, where the characters sometimes transform into ferocious versions of the animals, making the person and their team’s moniker inter-changeable. These scenes communicate the weight and gravitas of the match in a way that’s hard to resist, compelling you to sit forward as if you’re a season ticket holder. Haikyuu!! director goes for a spike Susumu, who previously directed over 60 episodes of the anime from the manga by Haruichi Furudate, deftly keeps all emphasis on the match at hand and nothing else. All either team cares about is winning, and in those moments where it seems like the defense is insurmountable or the next point is crucial, it’s all or nothing. Everything will be left on the court. Even though Shoto has been our protagonist, Haikyuu!! The Dumpster Battle seems to spend just as much time with Kenma and the Wildcats. The movie avoids the pitfall of making the opposition rich or academic or some cartoonish nemesis — these are just another group of kids who want to hoist a cup together, with friendships and lives and stories of their own. The backstories give an air of Richard Linklater or the Brat Pack. These people learned about life together, taught each other how to be better, and hoisted each other up. They’re all interwoven together in a way that’ll linger in the bedrock of their collective nostalgia through adulthood. HAikyuu!! The Dumpster Battle lands a kill Whether or not these are the best days of their lives will be decided in years to come. For right now, it’s everything they hoped and dreamed of. Solid competition and the understanding that they’re all going to sweat this out to the end. A monumental encounter when all they really had to worry about was how good they could spike the ball. But there’s a time for poetry and there’s a time to play ball, and Haikyuu!! The Dumpster Battle knows when to keep the eyes on the prize. It’s an immediate, thrilling sports film that transcends both volleyball and the franchise to be something that’s invigorating for anyone watching. Haikyuu!! The Dumpster Battle – 5/5 The Haikyuu!! movie turns the sweaty, kinetic flow of competitive volleyball into an exciting feature that is the sum of its parts. Though knowing the anime show will help, the emphasis on the titular match makes it a worthwhile film for anyone who appreciates solid sportsmanship or wants a great animated movie. Don’t forget, you also have four seasons of the anime to watch before the sequel arrives as well. Hiaikyuu!! The Dumpster Battle is in cinemas Friday, May 31, 2024. Check out our guide on how to watch the new Haikyuu!! movie and the ending explainer.

Haikyuu!! The Dumpster Battle proves sports anime is finally having its moment 2024 HAIKYU!! Project H.Furudate/ShueishaI can safely say that Haikyuu!! The Dumpster Battle is the most excited I’ve ever been about volleyball, and considering the upcoming anime on the way, I’m going to be saying that about several other sports as well. In Haikyuu!! The Dumpster Battle, two high schools who’ve been itching to face each other finally get to in a national volleyball tournament. The title refers to the fact one team, Karasuno High School, are the Crows, whereas their opponents, Nekoma High School, are the Wildcats. What do crows and cats generally fight over? It’s quite clever. Anyway, the whole anime movie follows the match, from the opening whistle to the closing maneuvers and post-game celebration and commiserations (You can read more about it in our Haikyuu!! The Dumpster Battle review). Haikyuu!! is about more than volleyball For the most part, the play-by-plays provide the action, with a subtle narrative web gradually spreading out to provide each player’s backstory. Susumu Mitsunaka intertwines their lives with what’s happening on the court to the point that they become totally symbiotic and inseparable. Swift, hard-hitting spikes are slowed down by the internal struggle of those competing. Shoyo Hinata, the franchise protagonist, struggles as Kenma Kozume’s keen strategizing starts to get under his skin, their back-and-forth depicted as quasi-kaiju animals gnawing at each other. The Dumpster Battle pivots on the intrinsic, human drama of high-level sports but continually acknowledges the unique personal circumstances that have brought each player to that match. Then, those elements are mixed together by thrilling, fluid set pieces that demonstrate the strength, flexibility, and sheer determination that’s going into every move. Anime shows all aspects of sports It’s an alchemy made possible by the medium itself, unbound from the laws of human bodies and editing in live-action and untethered by the pacing of live sports. Watching The Dumpster Battle, I didn’t just develop an appreciation for volleyball; I understood why others like it, too. That’s no mean feat, and it’s something that’s happening across sports anime this year. Football anime Blue Lock is looking to score twice this year, first with a film that comes to international territories in June and then the second season, coming in October 2024. Named after a rigorous method of training players to become all-star strikers in order for Japan to win the World Cup, Blue Lock covers just about every power fantasy any footie-loving fan can think of. There’s a no-nonsense manager changing everything, a main character who’s plucked from obscurity to be the next team hero and an all-or-nothing approach to team-building. Blue Lock scores every goal The first season, produced by Eight Bit, is what you’d expect from an expertly made football anime. Scenes on the pitch put any soccer video game to shame, and then the outside narratives create urgency and emotional depth. If you remain unconvinced by any pals or family members trying to convince you to watch Match of the Day or an afternoon of the Bundesliga or the Premier League, Blue Lock might just be the ticket — at the very least, it’s a well-written underdog story. They’re joined by Rinkai!, an anime and manga that quietly arrived this past April about women’s cycling. A different lane to Blue Lock and Haikyuu!!, each of Rinkai!’s characters hail from a distinct region of Japan, and they all have their own sponsorships. Part of the show is the collective struggle, even though they’re all in it for themselves. Cycling can be harsh on the body, and marathons can feel so long that the actual desire to win can fade into simply avoiding crashing or failing to finish. At seven episodes, it’s short but sweet and something not to miss if you want a sports story that’ll perk up your day. Slam Dunk was the first three-pointer Really, these are all piggybacking on the success of The First Slam Dunk in 2022, a sports movie that proved not only that anime’s audience is growing, but that people will still show up if you tell the right story. Time was, these productions were either aimed at your dad, in features such as Remember the Titans and Rocky, or had a stronger focus on disrupting the sport in question, with the likes of Happy Gilmore, The Mighty Ducks, or even Moneyball. Haikyuu!!, Blue Lock and Rinkai! prove that just isn’t the case. They’re for everyone, and they’re attracting fervent audiences that mainstream sports often fail to. I’m not saying I actually went out and joined my local volleyball club after The Dumpster Battle, but I definitely considered it for a split second as the credits rolled. Your mileage may vary on that impulse. But you’ll definitely get why others do have that drive, and you might just find yourself sincerely asking how your friend’s team is doing in the Champions League sometime, too. Haikyuu!! The Dumpster Battle is in theatres now. Check out our guide to the Haikyuu!! manga, and our list of the best anime on Crunchyroll for more home viewing.

5 things you should know before Haikyuu!! The Dumpster Battle 2024 HAIKYU!! Project H.Furudate/ShueishaHaikyuu!! The Dumpster Battle brings the iconic volleyball anime to cinemas, but if you’ve never seen the franchise before, you might feel a little lost. Haikyuu!! covers a lot of standard bases when it comes to sports anime — underdog protagonist, small but personal goals, lots and lots of montages — but that doesn’t mean the new movie will be newbie friendly. In fact, it’s the opposite in some ways, with a wealth of characters and the culmination of multiple different storylines. We loved the anime movie, and you can read why in our Haikyuu!! The Dumpster Battle review. But if this is your first exposure to competitive volleyball, let us get you up to speed. There are definitely some important facts that’ll help your journey. Mercifully, none of them involve cardio or learning how to do a good spike. The schools in The Dumpster Battle have never faced each other The match that forms The Haikyuu!! movie is one that has never happened in official competition. Due to the way the tournaments are structured, there are limited opportunities for them to find themselves on opposite sides of the same net, and luck has always prevented a proper face-off. Until now, that is. Shoyo Hinata is the main character, but it’s about the team It’s Shoyo Hinata’s journey that’s brought us to this point, as a short player who consistently proved himself through pure dedication. But now that Karasuno High School has reached national competition, the emphasis is more on his teammates. Each of them has put the time in, just like Shoyo, and Haikyuu!! The Dumpster Battle acknowledges that. Before now, Tobio Kageyama got some of the spotlight too, as Shoyo’s rival and one of his closest friends. Tobio gets more attention in the movie, alongside the other members of their team. The Dumpster Battle comes from the team names Karasuno High are known as the Crows, while Nekoma High School are the Wildcats. Ergo, their prospective match is known as the Dumpster Battle because that’s where crows and cats battle for supremacy. It’s a showdown both teams have wanted for some time, and when the draw came up, they were excited. What better opportunity for something feature-length, too? They are in the Spring Nationals The Dumpster Battle happens in the Spring Tournament, the biggest national-level volleyball competition of the school year. The Haikyuu!! anime actually follows Karasuno’s most successful campaign to reach the knockout stage in years since the school was once the champion some years prior to the start of the story. This isn’t the last Haikyuu!! movie Not to spoil anything, but Haikyuu!! The Dumpster Battle is only the first part of the finale. Karasuno and Nekoma aren’t in the finals, and the winner gets to move forward. Whoever that is, you can be sure another action-packed film awaits. Don’t forget, you also have four seasons of the anime to watch before the sequel arrives as well. Hiaikyuu!! The Dumpster Battle is in cinemas Friday, May 31, 2024. Check out our guide on how to watch the new Haikyuu!! movie and the ending explainer.

Haikyuu!! to answer fan questions in special panel soon ©2024”HAIKYU!!”PROJECT ©H.FURUDATEHaikyuu!! fans now have a chance to ask their questions directly to the makers of the anime, and it’s sooner than you might think. Though Haikyuu!! manga ended years ago, the franchise is still enjoying incredible popularity worldwide. A big thanks goes to the anime show by Production I.G., and the new movie, Haikyuu!! The Dumpster Battle, by TOHO Animation. Following the film’s successful run in the theaters, Haikyuu!! will hold a special panel in the upcoming Anime NYC on August 24, 2024. Keiko Matsushita, the animation producer from Production I.G., and Taguchi Shoichiro from TOHO will be present as guests. What’s more, fans can submit their questions beforehand to get answers from the makers of the sports anime at the convention. Needless to say, viewers are beyond excited about the panel and getting a closer look at the franchise’s future. Despite how well-loved Haikyuu!! is, fans have been conflicted about it for a while. This is because the franchise is announced to conclude with a second movie, which is adapting Karasuno’s match against Kamomedai. That means the last arc of Haikyuu!! is going to be left out, even though it’s the real ending to the story. Long-time fans are less than happy with this, with most of them asking for Haikyuu!! Season 5 instead of the second anime movie. Now is their time to take their pleas to the makers themselves. And expectedly, they have their questions all ready for the panel. As one X/Twitter user wrote, “Question: why did you not commission Seasons 5, 6, and 7 of Haikyuu instead of trying to cram the rest into two movies?” “My question: Do you intend on making the movie five hours long or are you going to skip so many pages of amazing content and ruin the ending of this beautiful series?” commented another. “Would you make more OVAs? Based on Haikyuu Bu!? Haikyuu got a very stable fanbase and the story is so positive in the middle of this depressing world lol – it’s a waste not to continue it. And I’m very curious to see their time skip versions,” joined a third. A fourth wrote: “Can we have Fukurodani vs Mujinazaka later?” Whether so many fans’ requests come to any fruition is yet to be seen. But for now, check out our review of Haikyuu!! The Dumpster Battle and how it ignores two of its best characters. You can also find out how to watch Haikyuu!! in order.

Haikyuu!! tease has fans hoping for Season 5 after The Dumpster Battle’s success Haruichi Furudate/Production I.G.Following the groundbreaking success of The Dumpster Battle, fans are hoping for Haikyuu!! Season 5 ahead of the franchise’s latest announcement. 2024 is proving to be the year of Haikyuu!!. The sports anime recently broke all kinds of box office records with its new anime movie The Dumpster Battle. And now, there’s going to be another huge announcement commemorating the anime’s 10th anniversary. As per recent reports, Haikyuu!! will reveal the ‘latest information’ regarding the anime in Weekly Shonen Jump Issue #32. This issue will be released on Sunday, July 7, 2024. So far there’s been no further information about what’s coming, but that doesn’t stop fans from speculating. Given the grand reception of Haikyuu!! The Dumpster Battle, viewers think the upcoming announcement is going to be about the anime show’s continuation. Before the movie, the series had four successful seasons, and fans are asking for more. “Please omg! We deserve Season 5, please. The movie in the box office hit a million and it ranked so high in the movie ratings. Is that not enough to prove how much we love Haikyuu!!?” commented one user on X/Twitter. They’re joined by another, saying, “Season 5 please! We need to see the whole story animated,” while a third tweeted, “Furudate!!!!! Drop Season 5 of Haikyuu!! and my life is yours!!!” “We will have a fifth season no matter what the cost,” wrote a fourth. But despite the pleas of fans, the announcement of Haikyuu!! Season 5 is probably unlikely. The creators of the anime have already advertised The Dumpster Battle and the as-yet-untitled Haikyuu!! movie 2 as the ‘final’ part of the franchise, hinting at its end after the two films. Besides, making an entire season requires more time and commitment than a movie. Given the box office earnings of The Dumpster Battle, producing another film instead of a season seems like it could be more profitable for the studio. So, it’s entirely possible that the announcement will be about another sequel movie adapting the final arc of the Haikyuu!! manga. It may also be about an OVA for the Fukurodani vs. Mujinazaka match, since the movies will ignore that game. However, at this point, nothing can be said for certain. The upcoming reveal could be any of these possibilities or maybe something entirely different. But one thing’s sure: Haikyuu!! fans will be excited to see these volleyball boys back on screen no matter what. For more, check out our review of Haikyuu!! The Dumpster Battle, and explainers on the movie’s ending and post-credit scene. You might also like to know how to watch Haikyuu!! in order.

Haikyuu!! The Dumpster Battle was “the most satisfying” movie of one star’s career CrunchyrollAfter a huge opening in Japan, Haikyuu!! The Dumpster Battle has arrived in theatres around the world. Already one of the biggest anime films of the year, Haikyuu!! is part of what’s become a surge in sports franchises making their mark. Haikyuu!! The Dumpster Battle capitalizes on the success of 2022’s The First Slam Dunk, proving sports anime is clearly on the rise. Dramatizing an intense first-time match between two rival high school volleyball teams, the Haikyuu!! movie requires little knowledge of the sport in question to get absorbed in the nuanced, fun tale. Whether it’s the mind games between protagonist Shoyo Hinata and central opponent Kenma Kozume, or the thrilling volleyball acumen on display, or the well-founded characterization, the narrative has many ways of hooking you in. Beyond those, actors Bryson Baugus and Clint Bickham, who voice Hinata and Kozume respectively, believe The Dumpster Battle’s success comes down to the journey here, for them and the viewers. The Dumpster Battle cast felt the build-up “[Haikyuu!! The Dumpster Battle] was maybe the most satisfying thing I’ve ever gotten to do as an actor. Because it’s been years and years of kind of building to this,” Bickham told Dexerto. “I had the luxury of working on the English script. So I got to watch the movie, and I got to see every little scene, and I got to really, really think about what emotions I wanted to bring out and little subtleties that I could put into everything.” Although Hinata has led the charge on Haikyuu!! through the last four seasons, he becomes part of the ensemble in The Dumpster Battle. More than anyone else, this allows Kozume to shine, as a deadpan but brilliant strategist that challenges our hero to his absolute limits. Their back-and-forth is brilliant, transforming into a giant cat and a huge crow taking digs at each other. One crucial intonation is that Hinata isn’t relying on his teammates as much, particularly Kageyama, who usually has a strong supporting role, to get through the mental struggles. Haikyuu!! tests Shoyo Hinata They need each other to score on the court, but he’s beginning to fight these battles on his own terms as well. “[Hinata is] getting a lot better at analyzing the field state and figuring out ways to get around traps that are set for him by the other team or where he feels like he’s backed up into a corner, and he doesn’t have much ways to move,” Baugus said on Hinata’s evolution. “I feel like he’s been getting a lot better at identifying ways to break out of those situations.” That said, The Dumpster Battle remains true to the preceding four seasons. As worthwhile for new fans as it may be, it’s also a culmination of years of build-up, and Hinata is still the classic shonen hero he’s always been. “A lot of the improvements that he’s made have been very much more external, at least when it comes to how it’s showcased, but reading a lot of his monologues that are in his brain, where he’s analyzing the situation, all that stuff, it felt very in keeping with his character as he’s been up to this point in the series,” Baugus added of seeing the script and finding Hinata’s arc. Sports anime is scoring all over the world Hinata and Kozume pushing each other truly makes The Dumpster Battle into a riveting film, and their face-off here forms part of what’s becoming an explosion of sports anime of late. The First Slam Dunk in 2022 made just shy of $280 million at the box office worldwide, Haikyuu!! has already made bank in Japan before opening in other countries, and this summer is Blue Lock The Movie. Three different franchises, three different sports, all garnering large viewerships and justifying big theatrical rollouts. Baugus has a role in Blue Lock as Seishiro Nagi, the protagonist of the manga the film is based on, and he believes the rising popularity is something that’s been coming for years. “It’s just a natural progression. Honestly, I remember 10 years ago, sports anime was still huge. For as long as it’s been around to the extent that it has in the past decade, it’s always resonated with audiences,” he said. “It’s such an accessible framing. You can love a good sports movie or a good sports show if you’re into sports, and then you also get the benefit of it being anime, which means that it can appeal a lot to the anime fandom as well.” Haikyuu!! and Blue Lock are about the players Baugus mentioned that the cast of characters, a massive strength of anime in general, plays a big part since every member of any given team could be the hero… if they’re written right. Bickham concurred, believing people become so infatuated due to a blend of strong designs and relatable perspectives. “You see a lot of fan art, and you’re like, ‘Who’s that character? Who’s that character?’ Especially in something like Haikyuu!! and Blue Lock, they have these characters that are wild designs and a lot of different character types, so there’s going to be someone for everyone,” he noted. “They’re human dramas, as much as anything, it’s not really about the sports necessarily. The story is character driven and the fandom is character-driven, as well.” Haikyuu!! The Dumpster Battle is in theatres now. Check our new movies and upcoming anime lists for what else you should be keeping an eye out for.

Haikyuu!! gets incredibly appropriate reference at 2024 Olympics Haruichi Furudate/Production I.G.Haikyuu!! fans are losing their minds after the beloved anime got a homage at the 2024 Paris Olympics. On Wednesday, July 31, Japan faced Argentina in the men’s volleyball tournament at the Olympics. During the practice sets, the Haikyuu!! theme can be heard in the background. In fact, whenever the Japanese team scored a point, they played the music. When Japan finally won the match by two sets (3-1), the anime show’s opening song ‘Tobe Fly’ (‘Fly High’) was playing in the arena. This is a clear nod to the popular sports anime and proves the influence of Haruichi Furudate’s franchise. However, it’s not the first time we witnessed the series’ incredible influence as Haikyuu!! has been cited as the reason for the rising practice of volleyball in Japan. Clearly the series has already found its way into the Japanese national men’s volleyball team. Not only have the characters from the series appear as the team’s booklets but the manga’s creator has also drawn real-life players from the national team alongside Hinata and Kageyama. Needless to say, the anime show’s fans are ecstatic with this development. As one fan wrote on X/Twitter, “Perfection. OMG THIS IS GIVING ME SO MUCH FOMO!” “I hope Furudate knows how big the impact of Haikyuu!! to the volleyball industry,” commented another, while a third said, “A historic moment.” A Reddit user shared, “Loved that ‘Fly High’ started playing right as Japan won!” Aside from Haikyuu!!’s historic presence at the Olympics, there’s another reason behind fans’ excitement. Like today’s match, the fictional Japanese national men’s volleyball team, consisting of Hinata, Kageyama, and others, also played Argentina, with Oikawa in the team, at the Olympics. To have reality imitate art on such a level is thrilling indeed, especially for the fans. And while we don’t know the result of Haikyuu!!’s Japan vs. Argentina match, we know the real one’s. It’s undoubtedly helping the imagination of fans. For more on the beloved show, check out how to watch Haikyuu!! in order and how Haikyuu!! The Dumpster Battle ignores its two best characters. You might also like to check out our Haikyuu!! The Dumpster Battle review.

Haikyuu!! movie 2 appears to be confirmed as The Dumpster Battle opens globally ©2024”HAIKYU!!”Project ©H.Furudate / ShueishaSports anime fans can rejoice as Haikyuu!! movie 2 is apparently already confirmed following The Dumpster Battle’s global release on May 31. It’s no secret that the Haikyuu!! movie is one of the best anime movies of 2024 (you can read our Haikyuu!! The Dumpster Battle review for more on why). It broke many box office records upon release in Japan. After taking over its home country, the popular sports anime is now charming the world with its global release. The success of the first Haikyuu!! movie so far seems to have ensured a sequel. Initially, Toho and the manga’s creator, Haruichi Furudate, announced two films, instead of Haikyuu!! Season 5. While The Dumpster Battle soon got a release date and a trailer following this announcement, there hasn’t been any news on the second Haikyuu!! movie, at least until now. Right as The Dumpster Battle premieres worldwide, the second movie has been spotted on MyAnimeList’s database. On MAL, the upcoming anime movie is listed as ‘Haikyuu!! Final Part 2’. Getting into MAL’s database is usually as close to a confirmation as it gets without any official announcement. While there hasn’t been any doubt about Haikyuu!! getting another movie (especially after its box office earnings), the addition to the MAL database definitely solidifies the sequel’s place as an upcoming anime. It also gives fans a hint that Haikyuu!! movie 2 may be released sooner than they’d expected. If it already appears on MAL, then the anime movie could easily be released in 2025. However, neither MAL nor any of the production companies have revealed a proper release window yet. Fans are absolutely ecstatic about the Haikyuu!! movie 2 being confirmed like this. As one user on X puts, “In other words, it just got real.” Some fans are wishing for the beloved anime to continue after the second movie, even though these films have been announced as the last of the franchise. The Haikyuu!! manga has a lot to offer and there is more than enough material for another movie. “Please pull an Attack on Titan and drag out finale into like 4 different parts, I can’t handle it ending,” writes another fan. “They better make it at least 3 hours long or else,” says a third. Whether their wish about the second Haikyuu!! movie comes true is yet to be seen. As of now, there is the first Haikyuu!! movie to enjoy. For those who hasn’t watched it yet, Haikyuu!! Movie: The Dumpster Battle follows the titular match between Karasuno and Nekoma as they compete in the third round of the Tokyo Finals. For more on these volleyball boys, check out our explanation on Haikyuu!! Movie: The Dumpster Battle ending. You can also find out if there is a Haikyuu!! Movie: The Dumpster Battle post-credit scene and things you should know before Haikyuu!! The Dumpster Battle.

Haikyuu!! Movie: The Dumpster Battle ending explained CrunchyrollThe highly-anticipated Haikyuu!! Movie: The Dumpster Battle wraps on a cliffhanger, leaving us wanting more. So, here’s a breakdown of the Haikyuu!! movie ending. Haikyuu!! is a popular sports anime and manga series created by Haruichi Furudate. The franchise released its highly anticipated feature effort, Haikyu!! Movie: The Dumpster Battle, on February 16, 2024, in Japanese theatres. The movie will soon make its global debut. The new anime features the match between Karasuno and Nekoma High Schools in the nationals. Karasuno and Nekoma have a friendly rivalry from Season 1, and they always hope to face each other in the Spring Nationals. Both teams made significant progress since their first meeting, and their performance in the battle speaks volumes of their improvement. The movie not only features the epic showdown between two impressive teams but also leaves the story on a cliffhanger. Warning: This article contains spoilers from the movie! What happens in Haikyuu!! Movie: The Dumpster Battle ending? Haikyuu!! Movie: The Dumpster Battle ends with Karasuno’s victory against Nekoma High. The movie focuses entirely on the match between both teams while also featuring some flashbacks of their time playing together. Karasuno High wins the first two sets against Nekoma, so the battle isn’t that long. However, the victory isn’t an easy one since Kenma, the mastermind of Nekoma High, lays out a perfect plan to lower Hinata’s morale. Kenma finally acknowledges he loves playing volleyball, much to Kuroo’s and Hinata’s delight. The team will face their next opponent in Part 2 of the movie. The movie ends with Kōrai Hoshiumi challenging Hinata for the title of the Tiny Giant. Who will Karasuno play against after Nekoma? Karasuno will face Kamomedai High School in the quarter-finals. The post-credits scene reveals Karasuno’s next opponents. The fight will be covered in the second part of the movie. Kamonedai’s Ace Kōrai Hoshiumi is almost the same height as Hinata, and they both look up to the Tiny Giant. Additionally, Kōrai was invited to the All-Japan Youth Intensive Training Camp. Kamonedai’s volleyball team focuses mostly on serving, blocking, and mental toughness. Five of their six starting players employ a jump serve or jump floater, and Shimada describes three of them (Hoshiumi, Hirugami, and Suwa) as having especially “nasty” serves. Furthermore, their blocking is among the best in the nation, and they employ the same strategy of “read blocking” as Date Tech. Their setter, Aikichi Suwa, is the captain of the team. You can check out the trailer for Haikyuu!! Movie: The Garbage Dump Battle here: For more from Haikyuu!! you can check out the global release dates of Haikyuu!! movie or make sure you know these things before the movie. And if you’re looking for some anime recommendations after finishing Haikyuu!!, our guides on the anime with the best story and tear-jerking short anime series might help.

The biggest anime movie of the year finally gets global release dates CrunchyrollAfter a long wait, the biggest anime movie of the year, namely the Haikyu movie, finally has its global release dates. The new Haikyu movie, titled Haikyu!! Movie: Battle of the Garbage Dump, is the biggest anime movie of 2024 so far. Released on February 16 in Japan, the film has earned a whopping amount at the box office with a gross return of over 58 million USD. It’s not just the box office either; the Haikyu movie also garnered overwhelmingly positive reviews from both viewers and critics. The sports anime movie features the much-awaited match between Karasuno and Nekoma in the finals, known as the titular Battle of the Garbage Dump. Ever since the movie was released in Japan, fans of the anime show from around the world have been eagerly waiting for it to be available globally. After a long wait, the Haikyu movie finally has global release dates. At CinemaCon 2024, the global release dates of Haikyu!! Movie: The Battle of the Garbage Dump were announced. The movie will be available in many countries around the world starting from May 30, 2024. However, in the USA, the movie will premiere on May 31. On May 30, the Haikyu!! movie will be released in countries such as Australia, New Zealand, Denmark, Italy, Switzerland (Italian-speaking), Netherlands, Argentina, Brazil, Central America, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico and Peru. In the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Ireland, Finland, Spain, Poland, Norway, and Sweden, the film will open on May 31. Turkey has the film releasing on June 7 while countries like Belgium, France, and Switzerland (French-speaking) have the release date on June 12. On June 25, the movie will be released in Austria and Germany, and on June 27, it will be released in the German-speaking part of Switzerland. Though the Haikyu movie finally got its global release dates in many countries worldwide, Asian countries besides Japan still have no information about when it will be released. But given the movie’s massive success, we’re positive that some information will turn up soon.

Haikyu!! movie raises hopes for proper ending to the anime show CrunchyrollThe massive success of the new Haikyu!! movie has raised the hopes of fans for a proper ending to Haikyu!!. One of the most popular and influential sports anime of all time, Haikyu!! has captured the hearts of fans ever since the anime show came out in 2014. After a decade, the anime has collected a sizable fandom which has resulted in the new movie, Haikyu!! Movie: Battle of the Garbage Dump, earning around 58.35 million USD in only two months in Japan. As per the announcement made by the creators of Haikyu!! anime in 2023, the anime would conclude with two sequel movies following the season 4 part 2. With the Battle of the Garbage Dump out of the way, it’s safe to assume that the second anime movie will feature Karasuno’s match against Kamomedai. That means Haikyu!! anime will end with Karasuno’s stint at the Nationals. The news was a massive disappointment to fans who were eager to see more of the anime. However, fans now think that there could be a possibility of having the entire manga, including the last arc, get the anime adaptation and having a proper ending to Haikyu!!, given the whopping numbers the first movie collected at the box office. Karasuno’s match against Kamomedai is the second last arc of the manga, written by Haruichi Furudate. After this match, there is a timeskip of five years where we get to see how life went for the volleyball boys. The highlight of the last arc is the professional match between the respective teams of Hinata and Kageyama, both of whom have become pro volleyball players. Haikyu!! movie’s success could mean the producers decide to animate the last arc and give the series a proper ending. At least that’s what fans are hoping. “Please, I need it. I also need them to release this movie in America,” one user writes on X while another simply writes, “Manifesting.” “I need it as anime, not movie, I want them to give my favorite arc justice,” is the demand of another fan. The Haikyu!! movie has already earned a lot from Japan and it’s guaranteed to earn more after a worldwide release. Maybe then fans can get their wish granted and have a proper ending for Haikyu!!.

Haikyuu!! movie: Release date, trailer, streaming details, and more CrunchyrollAfter dominating the box office in Japan, Haikyuu!! has gone global for what’s surely be the biggest volleyball you’ve ever seen. Here are all the details on the Haikyuu!! movie release date and how to watch it. Haikyuu!! was already one of the best sports anime ever, but now the anime movie is only making that more apparent. Haikyuu!! Movie: The Dumpster Battle already has a few box office records under its belt, and it’s raking up more after its global release. The match between Karasuno and Nekoma has been a long-anticipated one, for characters and viewers alike. And the successfully lives up to the hype Haruichi Furudate’s manga inspired years ago. (Check out our Haikyuu!! The Dumpster Battle review to know more!) But who’ll win? You’ll need to watch the new movie, Haikyuu!! The Dumpster Battle to find out. Here comes all the information over the net, get ready! Haikyuu!! movie release date Haikyuu!! The Dumpster Battle arrived in US and UK theaters on May 31, 2024. This came only a few months after the release in Japan. The Haikyuu!! movie was initially only released in Japan where it went on to earn more than 61 million USD in the box office. It later got its release dates in Hong Kong and Taiwan on April 11 and 12 respectively. In CinemaCon 2024, the first major update on the anime movie came with its international release dates in Europe and North and South America, and eventually Asia. The Haikyuu!! movie global release dates are as following: April 11: Hong Kong, Macau – April 12: Taiwan – May 15: Korea, The Philippines – May 16: Malaysia, Singapore – May 17: Vietnam – May 30: Australia, New Zealand, Denmark, Italy, Switzerland (Italian-speaking), Netherlands, Argentina, Brazil, Central America (Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama), Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru – May 31: The United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Finland, Ireland, Norway, Poland, Spain, Sweden, India – June 7: Turkey, Bangladesh – June 12: Belgium, France, Luxembourg, Switzerland (French-speaking) – June 15: Mainland China – June 25: Austria, Germany – June 27: Switzerland (German-speaking) – Sony and Crunchyroll have handled international distribution of the film, allowing for a wide release of the upcoming anime movie. Haikyuu!! The Dumpster Battle opened in Japan on February 16, 2024, becoming one of the highest-grossing movies of the year for Japanese audiences. The sports series demonstrated its incredible popularity when it earned some pretty penny at the global box office. What is the Haikyuu!! movie plot? Haikyuu!! The Dumpster Battle covers the epic showdown between rival schools Karasuno and Nekoma. The two volleyball teams are competing in the National Volleyball Tournament, an aspiration the schools have harbored for generations, starting with Coach Ukai and Coach Nekomata, and ending with the current generation. It’s appropriate, then, that all their hard work has led to the big screen. The prize will be hotly contested, and we can expect both teams to go even harder than usual, leading to some of the greatest sequences from the franchise. Honestly, Haikyuu!! in the cinema has been special. And even though the film ignores two of the franchise’s best characters, it still hypes the viewers with the movie’s ending and the exciting post-credit scene. Haikyuu!! movie trailer The subtitled Haikyuu!! The Dumpster Battle trailer arrived in April 2024. We see the history of Hinata and Karasuno, and their promise to always do their best, leading to this moment. It’s enough to bring a tear to the eye! The first trailer for Haikyu!! The Dumpster Battle came out in late 2023, and it focused on Hinata and Karasuno preparing for their big match. We get a sense of the heightened production value, with glimpses of players on the court getting stuck into each other. In lieu of the announcement of the Haikyu movie’s global release date, Crunchyroll recently rereleased the trailer of the movie with English subtitles. Will the Haikyuu!! movie be streaming? No, the Haikyuu!! movie will not be streaming — at first. The movie is having a theatrical release worldwide at the end of June, before coming to Crunchyroll some time afterward. We’d expect to see Haikyuu!! The Dumpster Movie on Crunchyroll in August 2024, or not long after — watch this space. That’s it on the Haikyuu!! movie release date. For more on the sports anime, check out the things you should know before watching Haikyuu!! The Dumpster Battle and how it’s one of “most satisfying” movie of one star’s career. You can also find out if Haikyuu!! manga is finished or if there’ll be Haikyuu!! Season 5.

Surprise anime movie just set a major box office record TOHOThe anime Haikyu!! has just rocked the Japanese box office in a big way, pushing it towards some of the biggest franchises in the world. After four seasons, Haikyu!! originally concluded in 2020. The volleyball anime, following high school students Shoyo Hinata and Tobio Kageyama as they seek to become professional players in the sport, charmed fans for years with a beautiful story of two friends working towards a common goal. In the aftermath of the Haikyu!! Season 4 finale, it was revealed we’d get two anime movies. The first, Haikyu!! the Movie: Decisive Battle at the Garbage Dump — aka: Haikyu!! The Dumpster Battle — opened on February 16, and it jumped straight into the history books in Japan. In fact, Haikyu!! has just moved into the pantheon of the most popular anime franchises going, and if these numbers should hold, it might be a phenomenon. Haikyu!! has one of the best opening days ever in Japan Haikyu!! The Dumpster Battle earned 890 million yen on opening day in Japan. This gives the film the fourth-biggest first day box office in Japanese cinema. For context, Haikyu!! now sits behind Jujutsu Kaisen 0, One Piece Film: Red, and Demon Slayer: Mugen Train in terms of Japanese opening day takings. That’s some impressive company — you have one of the most enduring franchises in One Piece, a current sensation in Jujutsu Kaisen, and what is currently the highest-grossing film ever in Japan. Needless to say, Haikyu!! The Dumpster Battle is doing well for itself. The film will depict the long-awaited match between Karasuno High and Nekoma High, the eponymous Battle at the Garbage Dump, that was teased at the end of the fourth season. Susumu Mitsunaka, who directed episodes of the show, is directing the film. Besides Haikyu!!, he’s also worked on The Boy and the Heron and Weathering With You, so he’s a strong filmmaker. As of now, we don’t have a UK or US released for Haikyu!! The Dumpster Battle, but when we know, you’ll know. In the meantime, check out our guides to Demon Slayer season 4 and the best anime like Solo Leveling.

Haikyuu!! teases “step forward” with 10th anniversary event – but there’s some bad news CrunchyrollIt’s an exciting time to be a Haikyuu!! fan, with The Dumpster Battle this year, a sequel coming, and another anniversary event in the offing, though that last one is a mixed bag for now. Already one of the best sports anime, Haikyuu!! truly had a moment this year when The Dumpster Battle became one of the highest-grossing movies in Japan. The new movie came out globally in May to a strong reception, bringing in over $92 million worldwide. (Check out our Haikyuu!! The Dumpster Battle review for more.) As the franchise moves forward, an event to commemorate the 10th anniversary has been revealed, featuring voice actors and more in attendance. The gathering is teased as “a step forward” for the property, though we’ll be waiting to find out what that means. Haikyuu!! The Next Step takes place on March 2, 2025, in Ariake Arena, Tokyo, Japan. From the announcement on the franchise’s social channels, we just know people involved in the property will be in attendance, and future projects will be discussed. That could mean a lot of things. More on Haikyuu!! Movie 2 seems likely since we don’t have much info yet, but Haikyuu!! Season 5 is the thing many fans will be hoping for. Given the success of The Dumpster Battle, returning to TV for one last season seems considerably more likely now than it was before the Crows finally took on the Wildcats. That said, it’d still be a big commitment, and Production IG is pretty busy these days with Kaiju No 8, Psycho-Pass, and more. Ultimately, we’ll just have to wait and see. Over six months is a long time to wait if it’s just more details on the follow-up to The Dumpster Battle, as well. In any case, check out our feature on how The Dumpster Battle ignores two of the franchise’s best characters and our list of underrated Shonen anime to keep yourself amused while we wait for more.

Haikyu!! anime drops teaser for final two films CrunchyrollWhile the anime Haikyu!! ended two years ago, the franchise will be getting two more animated films to cap off the series. Haikyu!!, the popular sports anime that ended in 2020, seems to not be letting go just yet, as two new anime films are on the way. The series, which features Hinata Shouyou, a short student who joins his school volleyball team in order to become like the champion star volleyball player “the small giant,” has been a hit with anime audiences since it first premiered in 2014. This popularity may be why, two years after it ended, two new final films were announced at the Haikyu!! x V.League Allstar Special Match event on Saturday, August 13, in Tokyo. What are the new Haikyu!! films about? The primary phrase of the upcoming movies is: “Who will we become tomorrow?” The newly released trailer by JP Anime features nostalgic panels from the manga as well as new clips for the movies, and clearly states that this will be the final show for the franchise. The trailer boasts old fan-fave characters along with new faces, as anime movies do tend to introduce new characters for the plots to work. Though maybe since this is a finale movie, more of the focus will be on the main protagonists. The films will likely follow the plot of the manga by Haruichi Furudate and anime by Production I.G, both of which ended in 2020. The manga had 45 volumes and the anime had 4 seasons, each with their own overarching storylines to match the number of volleyball games within the series. According to the teasing visuals, there will be a film kick-off event next August for fans of the series. The Haikyuu!! manga has also inspired a series of stage plays, a clay-animated short, and several video games. Haikyuu!! Seasons 1-4 can currently be streamed on Crunchyroll.

Haikyu creator breaks silence on new anime movie TOHOHaikyu movie has finally hit the Japanese theatres – so here’s what creator Haruichi Furudate has to say about it. Haikyu is a popular sports series created by Haruichi Furudate. Last week, Haikyu released its highly-anticipated sequel movie, Battle of the Garbage Dump, in Japanese theatres. The movie features the battle between Nekoma and Kurasuno, something fans of the anime have been awaiting for ages. The movie is a major hit, earning 890 million yen on opening day. It is currently the fourth-biggest first-day box office earnings in Japanese cinema, ranking behind Jujutsu Kaisen 0, One Piece Film: Red, and Demon Slayer: Mugen Train. The new movie has far surpassed the success of the latest Demon Slayer movie: Hashira Training Arc. As the Hakiyu movie is now available for Japanese fans, creator Haruichi Furudate shares a special message to fans. Haikyu creator asks fans to watch the new movie The official Twitter/X account of Haikyu shared Haruichi Furudate’s message to fans along with a special sketch of Kenma to promote the movie. The caption reads: “Haikyu!! The Movie Battle at the Garbage Dump is finally released today, February 16th! Mr. Furudate, who saw it earlier, also approved it! We received super exciting illustrations and comments! At the movie theater, we all gawked!! Let’s be like that!! It’s a festival!!” And Furudate’s message on the image translates as: “It’s finally time for the final battle at the garbage dump! Have you been able to see the movie? As you near its second half, you’ll start to feel like you’re running out of breath, so please be careful. “The Decisive Battle at the Garbage Dump begins in the manga around volume 33, and I was starting to feel a little more confident in my expressions then. I felt it was crazy. That has to be an anime! So I definitely recommend watching [this movie]. I hope everyone will watch it on a big screen.” As per the official website of Haikyu, the synopsis of the movie reads: “Karasuno High School has evolved through defeating strong opponents one after another in the spring high school volleyball Miyagi Prefecture representative deciding match and the first match of Spring High School, and defeats the championship favorite, Inarizaki High School, in the second round of Spring High School. “Finally, in the third round, they will face their rival school, Nekoma High School. No matter how many practice matches they had, Karasuno High School and Nekoma High School had never exchanged swords on an official stage. The battle was commonly known as the “Battle at the Garbage Dump.” In the promised land, a battle without “one more chance” is about to begin.”

Haikyu!! creator celebrates anime’s tenth anniversary, and fans are in shock CrunchyrollIt’s been ten years since Haikyu!! anime was released and fans are in shock. Haikyu!! creator released a celebratory message for fans to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the anime. One of the most influential sports manga of all time, Haikyu!! got its anime adaptation in 2014. Since the anime’s debut, it has seen exceptional critical acclaim from anime viewers all over the world and is frequently considered as one of the greatest sports anime of all time. Haikyu!! manga was finished in 2020 after successfully running for eight years. The anime continues, having four successful seasons and recently releasing a new record-breaking movie, titled Haikyu!! Movie: Battle of the Garbage Dump, in Japan. There will be more from the anime to come in the future. On the special occasion of the tenth anniversary of the anime, Haikyu!! creator Haruichi Furudate released a congratulatory message. Their message says, “Haikyu!! anime is celebrating its 10th anniversary!! I think a ton of people have discovered the charm of volleyball thanks to the anime. I’m thankful..! The anime is still ongoing, and I’m looking forward to seeing the continuation!!” The creator has also revealed a special illustration of the series’ protagonist, Shoyo Hinata, to celebrate the anime’s milestone anniversary. Along with this, there is also a tenth anniversary project planned for Haikyu!! TV anime. The project includes the special key visuals of the anime, a special “All Senses Exhibition” that will be held in July, and new merchandise of the characters. The new illustration of Hinata is also part of the anniversary project. Fans are expressing their appreciation for Haikyu!! and their shock at how long it has been since the anime has been released. Despite debuting a decade ago, the series still boasts a huge popularity, evident by the staggering number it earned on the box office with its newest anime movie. “10 years??? Sh*t, I’m old,” said a fan on X while another expressed their appreciation for the anime with “10 years, what a feat.” A fan shared the anime’s influence on them with a very heartwarming message, “Man. Haikyu! brought me out of one of my darkest places and it has a special place in my heart. Even named my dog after Hinata Shoyo.” Along with the creator of the manga and the creative people behind the anime, fans all over the world are celebrating the Haikyu!! anime’s tenth anniversary.

Haikyu movie beats huge Disney box office record TOHOThe Haikyu!! movie continues to dominate at the box office, scoring yet more records in Japan – the latest being one belonging to none other than Disney itself. We expected Haikyu!!‘s jump to theatres to be big. After all, the anime show left us on a major cliffhanger that the upcoming films would address. But I don’t think anyone knew the sports anime was going to hit the box office as hard as it has. On opening weekend, Haikyu!! the Movie: Decisive Battle at the Garbage Dump landed right below Jujutsu Kaisen, One Piece, and Demon Slayer. Strong company, and the anime movie has continued to impress by leapfrogging a global phenomenon in Japan. Haikyu!! movie beats Frozen at Japan box office Haikyu: The Dumpster Battle has now crossed 5.1 billion yen in Japan. In a 17 day period, that’s more than the 5 billion yen made by Frozen, Disney’s 2013 powerhouse that’s currently the fourth highest-grossing film ever in Japan. Haikyu!! still has some way to go to beat Frozen outright – Anna and Elsa’s fairytale landed just over $250 million total, where Haikyu!! is at $33.94 million. But for a picture like this, those are impressive numbers. Though popular, Haikyu!! didn’t standout as a major franchise before now, and the movie seems, like it’d appeal more to established fans, since it’s the conclusion of four seasons of storytelling. For context, the film covers a major volleyball match between two rival schools, one that’s been teased since the first episode of the show. While it’s great this was saved for a movie, that could be a hard sell for casual audiences. So far, it seems uninhibited by this success, and I’ll be curios to see if such legs hold in global markets. So far, there’s been no indication off an international release date, but we’ll keep you informed. Keep an eye on our guides to Tower of God Season 2 and My Hero Academia Season 7 for more of this year’s most anticipated releases.

Haikyu!! movie just set an incredible box office milestone TOHOHaikyu!! recently made the jump to the big screen, and fans have been showing up in droves — to the point the film keeps breaking records in Japan. Haikyu!! The Dumpster Battle is an anime movie set after the series ended. It’s the first of a two-parter about the climactic volleyball match between Karasuno and Nekoma high schools, the main rival teams in the story. Finally, we get to see Shoyo Hinata and Tobio Kageyama test their skills, and their friendship, against the ultimate rivals to see which team has what it takes. Haikyu!! was always one of the best sports anime, but now the stakes are getting even higher. The audience is responding, showing up in droves, especially not that the first English-language screenings are taking place. Haikyu!! makes over seven billion yen in Japan As of March 17, Haikyu!! the Movie: Decisive Battle at the Garbage Dump has become the highest-grossing film of 2024 so far in Japan. According to box office reports, the film managed to push by Spy x Family: White for the achievement just recently, in what’s now one month in cinemas. The movie has now been released in practically all available formats in Japan, including IMAX, 4DX, and English subtitles. The former two will have contributed massively since they come at an inflated ticket price compared to regular screenings. That said, this is nothing to balk at. Although you could easily consider Haikyu!! one of the best anime going, you probably wouldn’t think it is in the same league as Jujutsu Kaisen or One Piece, awards darlings, and long-running properties that have huge, prominent fanbases. Well now it is, since Haikyu!! The Dumpster Battle sits comfortably among Jujutsu Kaisen 0, Demon Slayer: Mugen Train, and One Piece Film: Red as one of the highest-grossing films ever in Japan. Will it fare similarly in the US and UK? We’ll find out when it arrives. Sadly, we still don’t know when that’ll be. But rest assured, when we know, you’ll know. Check out our guide to Demon Slayer Season 4 and our list of the best anime like Demon Slayer if you want something to keep you amused in the meantime.

Haikyu movie English-subtitled screenings are coming soon – but there’s a catch TOHOThe Haikyu!! movie has jumped to the top of our most anticipated films list after the inceredible reception in Japan, and an English sub and dub just got one step closer. So far, Haikyu!! the Movie: Decisive Battle at the Garbage Dump has accrued multiple box office records, and the anime movie seems to be just getting started. The first of a two-part conclusion to the anime, the film arrives four years after the last episode of the show, and it seems fans were eagerly waiting. The sports anime follows two volleyball players, Hinata and Tobio, as they prepare for the biggest tournament in the high school’s history. That competition is covered in the film, after four seasons of anticipation, and we finally have a hint of when international fans can see the picture. Haikyu!! subbed screenings start this month in Japan It’s been announced that subbed versions of Haikyu!! The Dumpster Battle will begin showing in Japan on March 15. The news comes with a new trailer focused on the rivals, Nekoma High School, allowing us to revel in the drama a bit more. Though a touch disappointing, this suggests Haikyu!! The Dumpster Battle might be coming to a global audience sooner rather than latter. The film has now been translated and subtitled, so it’s just a matter of figuring out when the international release should start. Typically, these films move onto other markets after the Japanese returns have peaked. So far, Haikyu!! is holding strong in the Japanese box office, continually making bank week after week. If I’d to guess, I’d say we’ll see a release some time during the summer, but that’s just speculation. At least we have the new trailer to watch, and if you’re in Japan, you can enjoy the subtitled version at your leisure! Check out our list of the best anime shows for more great choices in the meantime.

One of the biggest anime movies of the year is coming to Netflix – and soon NetflixNetflix has secured distribution for one of the biggest movies at the Japanese box office this year, allowing subscribers to catch the film in mere weeks. Gundam Seed Freedom opened to a rapturous reception in Japan in January 2024. Not only is the anime movie the country’s fourth highest-grossing movie of the year, it’s the biggest feature in the Gundam franchise to date. A limited theatrical release meant fans only had a small opportunity to enjoy that first run outside Japan. Now, Netflix is remedying that, as Gundam Seed Freedom arrives on the service September 1, 2024. At time of writing, that’s just over three weeks away. That’s a small wait in the context of the eight months it’s taken for the new movie to get a wide release around the world. The Gundam film arrives as Netflix continues to makes moves within the anime space. The platform has an animated remake of One Piece in development, alongside the live-action version, and the library already contains franchises such as Demon Slayer and Jujutsu Kaisen. Meanwhile, this year Netflix had The Imaginary from Studio Ponoc, and Terminator Zero is coming up. Dandadan and the Ranma 1/2 remake are licensed to certain regions from the platform. In other words, the company is widening its anime selection at every opportunity. Gundam Seed Freedom forms the third part of a trilogy, though you can watch it standalone. Good thing, because the first two movies aren’t on Netflix yet. You can enjoy several other movies from within the long-running mech franchise, though. This one follows Seed protagonist Kira Yamato, a mecha-pilot who’s been enhanced in order to better handle the giant machines. He’s involved in a prolonged space war, though he only wants peace between Earth and the colonies. For more of what’s coming soon, check out our upcoming anime list. You can also check out what other streaming services are worth getting, and take a look at the best sci-fi movies around.

Gundam devastates fans with news about Japan’s lifesize statue CrunchyrollIf you wanted to see a Gundam in real life, you only have a few weeks to get to Japan, because the lifesize replica is about to shut. Given that it’s been going since 1979, Gundam is a staple franchise in Japan. We’ve gotten numerous anime shows and anime movies from the universe, following an array of characters caught up in a space war between various colonies and Earth in the far future. Though the protagonists change – and occasionally the timeline too – the base concept of cool looking robots blowing each other up remains constant. Creator Yoshiyuki Tomino’s work was hugely influential, kicking off the mecha trend in earnest, leading to Japan building a Gundam that can actually move for visitors. Sadly, though, if you hadn’t alreayd checked out the real life Gundam, you’re about to be out of luck. Japan’s lifesized Gundam is being closed down in March 2024 Gundam Factory Yokohama revealed in February that the exhibit would be closing on March 31, 2024. No specific reason was given, and tickets are on sale for the last month now, so if you’re going to be there, it’s best to book in advance. Although the company doesn’t specify why this is happening, we can speculate that costs associated with maintenance probably mounted up, alongside a desire for the space to be used for other reasons. The Gundam is 60 feet tall, making it an incredible eyesore, and something that needs a lot of attention to make sure everything is behaving appropriately. The design is based on the RX-78-2 Gundam, the original mecha from the first series. This design has appeared throughout the franchise in various incarnations, echoing the blue, red, and yellow on white color scheme. It’s an appropriate place to start if we’re building mecha – though it looks like my dream of seeing two of them fight in real life have been shot down. (For now.) The timing here is conspicuous, since Gundam Seed Freedom just became the highest-grossing film from the property. Perhaps different celebrations are in store to commemorate Gundam’s legacy – I’m just not sure any will live up to this.

Gundam creator warns anime not to become like “boring” new Disney films Bandai Namco FilmworksThe creator of Gundam, Yoshiyuki Tomino, is concerned that anime could become like “boring” and “depressing” modern Disney films. Disney movies have long since transitioned from hand-drawn animation to digital, and while some fans support the change, the creator of the Gundam series doesn’t want anime to follow suit. In a recent interview translated by fullfrontal.moe, Tomino explained that he believes anime is at its peak. He also went on to warn that going down the same path as Disney with digitalization would be a big mistake. According to the Gundam creator, this current period of anime could begin to decline in five to six years before it begins to decline, indicating that the medium could become like current Disney animation. Gundam creator slams “depressing” modern Disney films Tomino went on to discuss Bandai Namco Filmworks, which handles the Gundam series, moving to a more modern building, and how he believes they’re becoming like Disney. “I don’t think it’s a good environment for creating new works,” he said, pointing to how more work is being done digitally. “This fine building is all digitalized… same thing with the boring work produced by Disney’s digital production system today.” He continued, labeling current Disney films as “depressing” while dismissing the Disney brand as “making empty blockbusters without any personality.” However, the Gundam creator has a solution and urged producers to do more for artists than just give them more money. “The most important thing for producers is to give artists a place where they can make the most of their talents. It is not as simple as just spending money and offering a floor of a high-rise building as a workplace,” he explained. For more anime news and the latest breaking stories, keep it locked right here on Dexerto.

Gundam: Requiem for Vengeance drops new action-packed teaser NetflixGundam: Requiem for Vengeance is an original series that will be a part of the Netflix anime family very soon, and it’s just dropped a new, impressive teaser trailer. The Gundam universe is nothing new for the anime community. When Netflix announced the original series, we learned that it would continue the same battle that began several years ago. Since the day it was announced and fans got to see the first glimpse of the animated series, they have been curiously waiting for the release date. Unfortunately, we haven’t received any information yet. Gundam: Requiem for Vengeance is an anime that has not been adapted from any pre-scripted work, so we do not have many details right now. Below, we have discussed everything we know so far. Gundam: Requiem for Vengeance drops new teaser trailer You can check out the new teaser trailer for Gundam: Requiem for Vengeance below: Netflix will exclusively stream Gundam: Requiem for Vengeance globally. The animated series will have six episodes that will showcase a narrative set in the final months of the Zeonic War for Independence. The mecha devices, such as the cars, guns, and robotic figures, have been designed by Kimitoshi Yamane. He is an expert mecha designer who has previously worked for the Gundam franchise. The one who directed Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch From Mercury, Naohiro Ogata, was responsible for overseeing the new title of the franchise. Hiroaki Yura produced the anime, while Gavin Hignight was involved in the executive production. Hignight is also known for the video game anime adaptation Tekken: Bloodline’s screenplay. Gundam: Requiem for Vengeance is created on Unreal Engine 5, the game development platform owned by Epic Games. So, it’s understandable why the animation resembles cutscenes from a AAA video game. While the animation is fancy, Gundam is a huge universe with countless exciting characters, and it’s hoped the series will have a compelling storyline to support its visuals. You can check out our other anime coverage here.

The biggest anime movie of 2024 so far gets international release date ShochikuAfter a short wait, the biggest anime movie of the year thus far has confirmed release dates outside of Japan, and they’re soon. The Japanese box office has already had a surprise anime hit with Haikyu setting a huge record. That anime movie arrived on the heels of Demon Slayer: To The Hashira Arc, and they’ve both done very well with fans in Japan ahead of arriving on screens in the US and Britain. However, neither of them is actually the biggest film in Japan. That honor has been claimed by another franchise installment. And it’s one that’s managed to surprise everyone, not least fans of the source property, since it’s smashed all previous expectations there too. Gundam Seed Freedom is coming to international theaters starting March 23 Gundam Seed Freedom, currently the highest-grossing movie in Japan, is officially coming to cinemas in the UK on March 23 and 24. A preview screening takes place in London on Sunday, March 17. While there’s still no confirmed US release date just yet, this new international date is a good sign that one is very possibly on the way for early 2024. Since coming out in Japan on January 26, Gundam Seed Freedom has drawn a hugely positive response from fans old and new, driving it to earn over $20 million so far. Within two weeks of release, Seed Freedom had outdone every other Gundam movie — no small feat when you consider the mecha anime has been going since 1979(!). Gundam Seed Freedom is a sequel to Gundam Seed and Gundam Seed Destiny, kicking off one year after the events of Destiny. This makes it all the more impressive, because that’s not exactly the easiest point for people for jump on. Luckily, both shows are available on Crunchyroll, allowing you to catch up easily before the film arrives in March. Have a look at our lists of the best anime shows on Netflix and the best anime like Solo Leveling for more great viewing choices.

Google reveals most searched anime of the past 25 years CrunchyrollA Google web game has revealed the most searched anime of the past 25 years – and it’s everyone’s favorite Shonen classic, Naruto. As one of the Shonen Big Three, Naruto has several seasons, movies, games, and even a spin-off under its belt. The franchise doesn’t need any introduction, as even those who don’t watch anime would’ve at least heard the name of the spiky-haired ninja. The manga debuted in 1999, and ever since then, Naruto has maintained a huge fanbase across the globe. Naruto’s charm lies in its long-running plotline and the variety of characters it introduces to the viewers. The expansive world-building, the unique powers, and the themes of war form the story as a whole. With one of the most popular anime protagonists and the most iconic villains, the series delivers countless thrilling fight sequences that fans still love to talk about. Google reveals Naruto is the most searched anime of the past 25 years Google released a web game to celebrate the end of 2023. The game, called the Most Searched Playground reveals the most searched people, places, moments, etc. from the past 25 years. When you click at Naruto and Sasuke fighting each other, the screen reveals that Naruto is the most searched anime. A blog from Google published on December 12 describes the game: “Today we launched the Most Searched Playground, an explorable world where you can uncover 25 of the most searched people, places and moments of the past 25 years — along with a lot of hidden gems from Google’s history. “Anime-lovers, polyglots, gamers, and Swifties united to bring the game to life, ensuring every trend got its due. Trends were our compass. We dove headfirst into the world’s most searched queries, and from that treasure trove, we hand-picked 25 trends that capture the zeitgeist, spark global curiosity, and span every corner of the spectrum. There’s something for everyone, zoom in enough and you’ll see.” All episodes of Naruto and its sequel Naruto: Shippuden are available to watch on Crunchyroll and Netflix. You can check out our other anime coverage here. Please note that if you click on a product link on this page we may earn a small affiliate commission.

Google reveals top anime by year – Pokemon, Cowboy Bebop, Clannad, more The Pokemon Company / Studio GhibliA fan has compiled the top anime by year based on Google searches, and though it includes shows such as Pokemon and Cowboy Bebop, the results might surprise you. Anime became mainstream in Japan in the 1980s thanks to big hitters like Dragon Ball, Studio Ghibli, Akira, and Gundam. It started gaining popularity in the West in the 1990s. Now, a dedicated enthusiast has released a list of the top anime by year, showing just which ones ranked over others in terms of Google searches. Top anime shows by year While anime was somewhat popular in the 1960s in Japan, it didn’t hit the mainstream until roughly the early 1980s. In which, according to J List Blog, Urusei Yatsura was the top series in 1981. It follows the story of a man and an alien, who believes she’s his wife after he accidentally asks her to marry him. The decade also saw shows such as Fist of the North Star and Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam peak at the top in terms of popularity, with people taking a great interest in aliens and the supernatural. It was in 1986, however, that Studio Ghibli director Hayao Miyazaki’s hit movie Castle in the Sky proved to be a huge hit with fans. It follows the story of orphaned girl Sheeta as she searches for the fabled city Laputa. In the 1990s, Sailor Moon arrived, a show that proves to be just as popular even to this day. The halfway point of the decade saw Neon Genesis Evangelion rise in popularity, and Martian Successor Nadesico the year after that. Pokemon graced our screens in 1997, and it was a move by Nintendo that proved to be a giant success for the company as the franchise is now the largest in the entire world. Cowboy Bebop ranked top the year after. Then, in 2006, slice of life anime Toradora! stole fans’ hearts as it followed the story of Ryuuji Takasu as his high school rearrangements placed him in a class with his best friend and secret crush. Clannad was top in 2007, and critically acclaimed movie A Silent Voice in 2016. Lastly, 2018 proved incredibly popular for anime Violet Evergarden, as it centered around the story of a soldier as she tried to reintegrate with society following a devastating war. Read More: Fans worried for future of My Hero Academia – While 2019 wasn’t mentioned, it’s hard not to imagine it being Demon Slayer as the show about a boy who avenges his family after they’re brutally slain by monsters was the breakout hit of the year and blew up in popularity.

Anime movie with perfect Rotten Tomatoes score nobody can watch twice is coming to Netflix NetflixDespite all the whimsy and escapism, there’s one Studio Ghibli movie that viewers rarely watch twice despite it being a masterpiece, and the film finally comes to Netflix in September. Studio Ghibli diehards will immediately know what anime movie I’m talking about: Grave of the Fireflies, the downtrodden 1988 World War II picture from Isao Takahata. Up there with the best of the best in the studio’s filmography, it’s a hard thing to sit through more than once. If you haven’t managed to catch the war movie yet, now’s the perfect opportunity, because Grave of the Fireflies arrives on Netflix on September 16, 2024. You’re going to want some tissues and comfort food to hand, though. Two siblings are at the core, Seita and Setsuko. They gradually become homeless during the Pacific War’s 1945 bombing raids, eventually living out of a small cave while the older of the two, Seita, grovels and begs for supplies and food. Setsuko becomes very ill, and the whole situation is difficult to even discuss without getting choked up. It is an incredibly effective portrayal of the transient effects of war; the lives destroyed and squandered amid mass bombing and conflict. Though not as prolific as Hayao Miyazaki, Isao created several classics during his time with Ghibli. including Only Yesterday, Pom Poko, and his last production, The Tale of the Princess Kaguya. None quite have the reputation of Grave of the Fireflies though, which boasts 100% on Rotten Tomatoes despite the ardent feeling from anyone who’s seen it that they’ll never do so again. Whether that inspires your curiosity, or you’re just looking to cross another off the best movies ever made off the list, Netflix has you sorted. The film joins a wide selection of Ghibli cuts, its delay probably due to Shinchosha, the publisher of the original short story by Akiyuki Nosaka, and Bandai Visual having a stake in production and distribution. Just don’t blame us for how you feel afterward! Check out our upcoming anime list for other, cheerier releases on the horizon.

Great Pretender Razbliuto: Everything we know so far CrunchyrollGreat Pretender, the critically acclaimed anime series, is back with a sequel. Here is everything we know about the next installment in this great adventure. Great Pretender, an original comedy-crime anime series, premiered to rave reviews back in 2020. Now, it’s set to return with an exciting sequel: Great Pretender Razbliuto. Produced by the WIT Studio, renowned for its work on series like Spy x Family, Attack On Titan and Ousama Ranking, now fans can rejoiced once again because their favorite gang of colorful con artists are set to return. So, from its confirmed streaming service to the creative crew, here is everything we know about Great Pretender Razbliuto. Is there a Great Pretender Razbliuto release date? Great Pretender Razbliuto will premiere in 2024, but there’s no specific release date yet. On November 17, 2023, Crunchyroll announced Great Pretender Razbliuto. While the original Great Pretender series ran on Netflix, Crunchyroll will be taking over streaming rights for the next installment, enabling fans all around the world to watch the series long-overdue sequel. Great Pretender Razbliuto plot The official plot of the sequel is yet to be announced. However, it’s expected to follow the events of Season 1, with a con (wo)man at the forefront. The first season followed the story of Makoto Edamura, a con artist who ended up being the subject of a con after fellow criminal Laurent Thierry pulled him into a world of international crime that left him well out of his depths. The sequel will likely see Dorothy, Laurent’s former partner in love and crime, returning and taking center stage. At the end of Season 1, she was seen “returning from the dead” with a case of amnesia, so many fans are presuming that this new season will follow her attempting to re-enter the world of crime. However, since nothing in this series is as it seems, who knows if her amnesia is even real? Great Pretender Razbliuto cast and crew From what has been revealed so far, the major creative staff behind the success of Season 1 hasn’t changed. Hiro Kaburagi, known for Kimi ni Todoke and 91 Days, will return as the director. He will also be a lead writer, alongside Ousama Ranking’s Taku Kishimoto and the previous season’s Ryota Kosawa. Finally, color designer Yuko Kobari will return to the sequel to ensure that it maintains its vibrant feel and the soundtrack will be composed once again by Yutaka Yamada. Will we get more of the jazz music we loved from Season 1? Only time will tell. Great Pretender Razbliuto streaming platform The series will be streamed on Crunchyroll. Despite Season 1 streaming on Netflix, Crunchyroll will take over for the sequel. However, no information has been released as to whether it will acquire rights to the first season to allow them to be streamed together. Is there a Great Pretender Razbliuto trailer? The first teaser trailer premiered on November 17, 2023. A full trailer hasn’t been released yet. However, TOHO animation released a 44-second teaser trailer featuring all the con-artist hijinks and lively jazz music that contributed to Season 1’s success. How to watch Crunchyroll from outside your location in 2023 Crunchyroll is the world’s best hub for streaming anime, whether it’s One Piece, Attack on Titan, or Jujutsu Kaisen – and thanks to ExpressVPN, you can access the platform’s full library even if you’re outside the US. If you’re abroad, here’s what you need to do to access Crunchyroll’s full selection – and it really is this simple: Sign up for ExpressVPN, which has ultra-fast servers and offers a secure, private connection wherever you are in the world – Connect to a location anywhere in the US; Express VPN allows you to choose from 24 different spots, from New Jersey to Santa Monica – Visit Crunchyroll online and start streaming all of your favorite animes – and perhaps some you’ve never watched – Accessing Crunchyroll’s US roster makes a difference; for example, Hong Kong users only have access to less than 100 titles, while the US has nearly 1,000 movies and TV shows. You can also stream anime on Crunchyroll for free with an ad-supported plan, or you can pay for a subscription – there’s even a 14-day free trial if you can’t quite make up your mind. You can check out our other anime coverage below: Highspeed Etoile: Everything we know so far – Top 5 mangas getting anime adaptations in 2024 – One Punch Man Season 3: Everything we know – Top 12 upcoming anime in 2024 so far – Dragon Ball Daima: Everything we know – Please note that if you click on a product link on this page we may earn a small affiliate commission.

Guilty Gear Strive Dual Rulers’ creators explain why GG series needed an anime ASW/Project GUILTY GEAR STRIVE DRThe team behind the Guilty Gear Strive Dual Rulers anime spoke with us about what they’re most excited for about the anime and why so many fighting games are getting shows and movies lately. Guilty Gear is the latest fighting game to get the television treatment, following Tekken’s animated series on Netflix and news of Legendary’s forthcoming Street Fighter film. It makes sense that Guilty Gear is getting an anime; in fact, it’s odd that it hasn’t had one yet, given its status as one of the biggest mainline anime fighting games on the market. Guilty Gear enjoys a large and passionate fan base that shows up and shows out at fighting game tournaments across the globe, not to mention the surprising number of Guilty Gear cosplayers thronging the halls at Anime Expo, where we got to speak with the team behind the games’ anime adaptation. Given the sheer number of video game IPs being adapted in Hollywood right now (Detective Pikachu, Sonic the Hedgehog, and Mario, just to name a few), it looks like there’s a huge trend in the gaming industry to expand upon their properties by way of the silver screen. We quizzed the Dual Rulers team about their thoughts on this pattern, particularly in relation to fighting games. “Since I’m from Arcsys and not Bandai Namco or Capcom, I can’t say why they’re doing that,” admitted Guilty Gear Strive producer Ken Miyauchi. “But, the theory I have is that the main objective of expanding fighting games to other media, not just movies or cinema, but also manga or novels or anime, is to basically grow the games’ player base. “It’s easier to reach out to players and built-in fans of the game, but when we try to reach out to people who don’t often play video games, but maybe watch a lot of movies or are big anime fans, the best way to approach those people is to have content in their favorite media. That’s the approach that I think most companies are taking.” That’s something the Dual Rulers’ team hopes the anime will accomplish, aiming to bridge the gap between hardcore fans and newcomers to the franchise. Specifically, they made mention of Guilty Gear’s rich history — a story spanning over 26 years and counting. Given the sheer amount of lore to work with, we had to know if it was challenging staying faithful to the source material when making the anime, which picks up after the events of Guilty Gear Strive. “The thing about Guilty Gear is that, of course, it has a very long history to it,” Seiji Mizushima, Dual Rulers’ Associate Producer, explained. “And, when you’re making an anime like this, you want to decide where you want to take it and where you want to begin that story. If you take the wrong era of the story, it can be very hard to onboard new people to the series. So, you want to, of course, have them join in, but you also still want to create something that older fans can enjoy. You need to find the balance. “Everybody puts forward their ideas, you decide what to do about that, and then you create a target on where you’re aiming to take all of these ideas. And at that point, you kind of pass it on to the scenario guy.” Norimitsu Kaiho, Dual Rulers’ series composition lead, echoed this sentiment, “As Mizushima-san said, there’s a lot of story there, a lot of history, and you can’t just barge in and make a brash decision on that. You have to think about something that works, something that’s fun. And that’s something that we’re working really hard to really accomplish.” It’s clear that this team cares deeply about Guilty Gear — especially Kaiho, who’s been a Chipp Zanuff main since Day One. He even wrote a novel about the character, as told in the Guilty Gear Strive Dual Rulers panel at Anime Expo. Kaiho told me what he’s most excited about for the anime, fervently expressing in plain English that he’s extremely keen on connecting the fighting game series’ past, present, and future with Dual Rulers for both old and new fans alike. “The most exciting thing about the Guilty Gear anime for me is connecting the past and the present and the future,” he said. “You know, Guilty Gear has a very rich history, both in its characters and the world and everything. And there are many themes and problems in Guilty Gear, like Gears versus humans, what is humanity, and those sorts of questions. “So, we will hit on those questions and answer some of them for both the newcomers and both for the old-timers. Connecting the past to the future — that’s what I’m really excited about.” For Mizushima, successfully pulling off a story that pays homage to an existing property, especially one with such rich characters and lore, is what excites him about Dual Rulers the most. “Making an anime and being able to continue a story, showing that off, and particularly for the Guilty Gear world — a world that already exists, with the richness of the setting, the richness of the characters — being able to show that without falling out of line of what has been put in place before, being able to see the joy of newcomers as they watch this and as they live this… “Seeing this as a kind of an entry point into the series and into this world, as well as being able to get really strong reactions from old fans — that’s what excites me the most,” Mizushima said. Guilty Gear Strive Dual Rulers is slated to air in 2025 following the world premier of its very first trailer at Anime Expo 2024.

Guilty Gear Strive Dual Rulers creators explain why they chose 3D animation over 2D ASW/Project GUILTY GEAR STRIVE DRWe got the chance to speak with the creators behind Guilty Gear Strive Dual Rulers, who explained why they made the decision to use 3D animation for the upcoming anime instead of 2D. The Guilty Gear series is hailed throughout the fighting game community for its breathtaking visuals, courtesy of Arc System Works, a studio known for pumping out gorgeous projects like Dragon Ball FighterZ and Guilty Gear Strive. However, some fans were surprised to see that the Guilty Gear anime, Dual Rulers, will be in 3D, rather than 2D like most other anime on the market. There’s a reasonable fear around anime series getting the 3D treatment. After all, shows like Berserk 2016 have become infamous for their grating CGI, which still stands as one of the worst-looking animated works of all time among fans of the manga. Due to series like this that flopped despite having beloved source material, quite a few viewers believe CGI is a ‘lazy’ workaround and simply doesn’t hold up to hand-drawn animation… even when primarily 2D animated shows have been using 3D in backgrounds for over a decade. We attended the panel for Dual Rulers at Anime Expo 2024, where we were treated to a first look at the upcoming show’s debut trailer. Some attendees in the crowd expressed shock at the look of the anime, which borrows directly from the stunning visual style of Guilty Gear Strive. It looks as though it was ripped right out of the game itself. We later spoke with the team behind Dual Rulers and asked them if this was always the style Dual Rulers was going to take, given that it’s being helmed by Sanzigen, the same studio that created the music video for ‘Find Your One Way‘ at EVO 2022, which featured a similar 3D look. Surprisingly, Guilty Gear Strive producer Ken Miyauchi told us that conversations were actually had about making the anime 2D in the beginning — but ultimately, a few deciding factors pulled them in the opposite direction. One of these was the skill of the anime’s associate producer, Seiji Mizushima, in creating 3D animated projects, as well as the visual direction the GG series had taken from Xrd onward. “The decision of taking a 3D look has been at the very starting point of this project,” he told us. “When we started talking about making an anime, Mizushima had the idea that the Guilty Gear series should be in 3D. “I thought about 2D, but since Guilty Gear’s been doing the 3D cell-shaded anime look, and we are known for those graphics, there’s a very high expectation of the visuals, both for the players and those who like to watch anime — they also expect that same sort of level. “So yes, we did have an internal discussion as to whether or not we should go 2D or 3D for the anime, but thanks to Seiji Mizushima-san, he introduced us to Sanzigen, which is also known for great-looking, solid shading and animation. So, we thought it would be good to go in a 3D direction.” Funnily enough, Mizushima actually had a conversation with Guilty Gear’s creator, Daisuke Ishiwatari, at Anime Expo many years prior, where they initially came up with the idea of going the 3D route. “Of course, Guilty Gear’s characters are heavily detailed,” Mizushima told us. “How do you translate that into something for a 3D fighting game? How do we make that a possibility? At the time, it seemed like something that was pretty impossible, but as we both moved on, we managed to make that something that was actualized.” The team also opened up to us about what viewers can expect from the music in the anime — another major point for hardcore fans of the Guilty Gear series, which is hailed just as much for its stunning visuals as it is for its soundtrack. Although the Guilty Gear games are fraught with the chugging guitars and screaming vocals of heavy metal music, we learned that there will be a completely original soundtrack for the Dual Rulers anime… one that the producers themselves haven’t even heard yet. “The trailer that we showed was using music from the game, but ultimately, when we are releasing the anime, we’re taking a different composer for the show and it will bring in a new, different style,” Miyauchi told us. “We still haven’t heard what his work is going to be like, so that’s something that I think both the players and new fans can enjoy seeing the difference, but I think it works really well in anime media.” Guilty Gear Strive Dual Rulers blazes to screens in 2025, featuring an all-new story set after the events of Guilty Gear Strive, which we also got to quiz the creators about in another discussion at Anime Expo.

Goku actor mourns Akira Toriyama by apologizing for infamous Dragonball: Evolution 20th Century StudiosGoku’s live-action actor mourns Akira Toriyama’s death by apologizing for the creation of the infamous Dragonball: Evolution. The influence Dragon Ball had on popular culture at large cannot be understated, with millions across the world discovering the joys of anime thanks to the original Dragon Ball Z. However, the news of Akira Toriyama’s death on March 1 shocked the world, as thousands of mangakas, artists, actors, and fans paid tribute to the creator of Dragon Ball. Included in the vast amounts of tributes is Justin Chatwin, whom most Dragon Ball fans may know as the actor of Goku in the infamous live-action Dragonball: Evolution. The actor sharing a heartfelt message to Toriyama while also apologizing for the adaptation. “Rest in peace brother. And sorry we messed up that adaptation so badly,” Chatwin wrote in an Instagram story on his page. Dragonball: Evolution is an unfortunate stain in the franchise’s history, not only being infamous as one of the worst live-action anime adaptations of all time but one that even people involved distanced themselves from. Toriyama himself was critical of the Hollywood adaptation in an interview with Asahi Shimbun. “It had a conventional content that I couldn’t find interesting, so I cautioned them, and suggested changes; but in spite of that, they seemed to have a strange confidence,” he said. “What came out in the end was a movie I couldn’t really call a Dragon Ball that lived up to my expectations,” Toriyama said of the film. Even the screenwriter of Dragonball: Evolution, Ben Ramsey, apologized to fans for the creation of the film in 2016, admitting he didn’t come into the movie as a fan but more as a “businessman taking on an assignment.”

Goku makes random cameo in “slept on” new anime CrunchyrollYou never know where Goku might pop up next, as the central hero of the Dragon Ball franchise made a surprise appearance in a new hit show. We’re all eagerly waiting for Dragon Ball Daima, the latest series featuring the Z Fighters. Besides another chance to hang out with Goku, Vegeta, Piccolo and the rest, the upcoming anime serves as creator Akira Toriyama‘s swansong from the property following his death earlier this year. Before we get to Daima, Goku decided to make a quick trip to another new anime show, The Elusive Samurai, from Spy x Family and Bocchi the Rock! studio Clover Works. In Episode 3, our favorite Saiyan pops up dressed in white garb, powering up a Spirit Bomb, as he’s known to do. It’s a throwaway gag, with the main characters looking at him confused. His hair, face and build are unmistakable. Fans think this should help more people get into an underrated production. “This anime feels so slept on but everything about it is perfect,” says one response on Twitter. “Goku should have a secret cameo in every anime at this point,” says another. “So he did complete his high priest training,” another fan jokes, referencing Goku’s robes. It’s pointed out that Kakarot can be seen in Oblivion Battery as well, another new release this year. Dragon Ball Z and Goku are frequently referenced across anime and pop culture. Hunter x Hunter, That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime, and Neon Abyss are among the contemporary franchises with explicit nods to Akira’s enduring franchise. We’re in for another exciting period for Dragon Ball, since we have Dragon Ball Daima premiering in October, coming out of Super, and the latest anime movie, Super Hero. The future may be uncertain, but moments like these help reassure everyone Goku isn’t going anywhere. As the title implies, The Elusive Samurai tells the historic tale of Hōjō Tokiyuki, a warrior who pledges revenge on the man who killed their family. Yusei Matsui’s manga has proven hugely popular, and hopefully the anime draws the same audience. You can catch The Elusive Samurai on Crunchyroll, alongside Dragon Ball and Dragon Ball Z. Have a look at our guides to Oshi no Ko Season 2, Tower of God Season 2, and My Hero Academia Season 7 for other anime on currently.

Golden Kamuy live-action movie quietly starts streaming on Netflix NetflixA live-action film based on Golden Kamuy released in Japan in January 2024, and it’s just started streaming on Netflix without much fanfare. Golden Kamuy has gone a little under the radar since the anime show debuted on Crunchyroll in 2018. The historical adventure, about Japanese veteran Saichi Sugimoto helping young Ainu girl Asirpa get revenge for her father’s death, hasn’t enjoyed the popularity of the likes of Demon Slayer or Jujutsu Kaisen just yet, despite being a very charming watch so far. Nonetheless, a live-action film came out in Japan this year, becoming the sixth highest-grossing movie in the country in 2024 so far, ahead of Spy x Family Code: White and Demon Slayer: To The Hashira Training. The popularity was high enough for Netflix to take interest, leading to now, when the US and UK rollout happened without many noticing. Well, you can stream Golden Kamuy on Netflix right now. The movie follows much the same plot as the anime, based on Satoru Noda’s manga, and it’s directed by Shigeaki Kubo, who also oversaw the recently High&Low series of Japanese action films. Who’s in the Golden Kamuy movie cast? Kento Yamazaki portrays Saichi Sugimoto in the Golden Kamuy movie, opposite Anna Yamada as Asirpa. Yes, it’s another unwitting father figure who makes it their mission to help a young person find salvation. This has less zombies than The Last of Us and less blasters than The Mandalorian, though. Yûma Yamoto plays Yoshitake Shiraishi, the escape artist Saichi eventually adds to the party, which is rounded out by Ryohei Otani as Genjirō Tanigaki. They navigate a plethora of other parties who’re trying to find Ainu treasure in a post-Russo-Japanese War climate. You can’t go far wrong for some popcorn escapism, and if nothing else, it makes for a fine distraction while we wait for more on Tower of God Season 2, Solo Leveling Season 2, and other upcoming anime this year.

Good Night World review: A captivating & emotional ride Anime is an escape from the real world, capable of taking us on extraordinary journeys. Good Night World does just that, weaving real life with the virtual world for a captivating and emotional ride. Based on Uru Okabe’s manga (serialized between December 2015 and January 2017) of the same name, Good Night World has garnered international attention since its 2016 debut. However, it isn’t your typical isekai series. Released on October 12, this psychological thriller serves as a compelling allegory for the complexities of our real world. It immerses viewers in the realm of escapism while providing a nuanced look at family dynamics that forces us to re-evaluate our understanding of what it means to be human. So, are you ready to put on your headset, tune out reality and jump into the game? Be warned, you might never return! This review is spoiler-free. Good Night World is a heart-wrenching look at society In this 12-episode anime series, nothing is as it seems. Discover the importance of family, question your online priorities, and explore what it means to be human. Meet the Arima family. There’s Taichiro, the gaming addict older brother, the “golden child” Asuma, distant father Kojiro, and disorganized mother Sayaka. On the surface, they appear picture-perfect. Yet beneath this facade, they all seek refuge from their real-world struggles in an addictive MMORPG known as Planet. Join them as they become the powerful Akabane family. Battle virtual monsters, engage in intense clashes and find the solace and comfort that they’ve been yearning for through the game. The series begins as bright and hopeful, weaving together their individual stories together as we’re immersed into their world. However, their happiness is short lived. Discover what happens as each other’s online identities are revealed, resulting in a make-or-break moment for their family – both in and out of the game. From here, Good Night World takes a darker turn and evolves into a thought-provoking social commentary that resonates with everyone. Much like other isekai anime, this series navigates complex emotional themes and employs its VR game setting to delve into the moral implications of the characters’ in-game actions, provoking viewers to reflect on their own gaming experiences. After all, it’s one thing to form bonds with strangers in the virtual world, but it’s another to realize you’ve neglected your real-life family – a truth many viewers can relate to. Strong visuals and impressive musical score Good Night World’s effective use of color enables it to seamlessly transition between the vibrant and action-packed world of Planet and the mundane reality of the real world. Directed by Katsuya Kikuchi, known for Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence (2004), and featuring character designs by Sengoku Night Blood’s Suzuna Okuyama, Studio Naz’s Good Night World provides fans with a visually stunning experience, and facilitate the series delicate balance between virtual reality and the real world. Additionally, the anime’s catchy opening theme, Black Crack by VTuber Kuzuha, and the emotional ending theme, Salvia by Nornis, helps to bring this series to life. Good Night World definitely has room for improvement. The first half of the series feels slow and drags on, whereas the second moves so fast that it leaves viewers yearning for a resolution to plotlines that never come. However, despite these occasional stumbles beneath the weight of its ambitious narrative, its exploration into the way gaming impacts our social circles, family connections and emotional wellbeing serves as a poignant reminder of the role video games play in our lives. Good Night World review score: 4/5 Although the anime could improve with pacing and wrapping up its plotline, Good Night World also defies expectations. And that is no easy feat. With its fast-paced narrative, the 12-episode series is perfect for binge-watching on Netflix. While it starts off as a slow burn, it ultimately becomes worth it. So if you’re a fan of psychological thrillers and would like to watch a satisfying series that prompts you to question your reality and the legitimacy of online versus in-person connections, then Netflix’s Good Night World is a must-watch. Yes, it may have its flaws, but its strengths and its thought-provoking narrative more than make up for them. Good Night World is on Netflix now. You check out our list of the top 10 most anticipated anime of Fall 2023 here, and our other coverage here.

Goodbye Don Glees review: Charming if somewhat predictable coming-of-age stint Goodbye, Don Glees! is a new coming of age road trip film from the makers of A Place Further than the Universe. Is it just as good? Anime films can range from great epics to slice-of-life delights. Goodbye, Don Glees! fits into the latter territory, and is the latest film from A Place Further than the Universe director, Atsuko Ishizuka. The film’s official synopsis is as such: “Teen misfits Roma, Toto, and Drop call themselves the ‘Don Glees,’ an informal name for their backyard adventures. One day, when the trio gets blamed for a nearby forest fire, they set off into the woods to prove their innocence. As disaster strikes their expedition, tensions flare between the friends as they realize that growing up has taken them on wildly different paths in life.” The film, while nothing genre-changing, is a perfectly delightful coming-of-age stint, with plenty of lush animation and emotional moments. But first, warning: Goodbye, Don Glees spoilers! Goodbye, Don Glees! is as charming as it gets Goodbye, Don Glees! is far from anything original. Three outcasted boys traveling through the wilderness to find evidence after a crime occurs is the exact plot of Stand By Me, and sadly this film is nowhere near as iconic as that one. However, what this film lacks in originality, it makes up for in charm and emotionality, creating a simple but enjoyable hour-and-a-half watch. Each of the three boys are all distinguished characters, and they all work off of one another extremely well. Their interactions are often incredibly funny, helped by the number of things that go wrong on their journey through the woods, from getting lost, to surviving a bear attack, and falling off of a – albeit, very small – waterfall. But instead of becoming like the boys in Lord of the Flies, their trip into nature only strengthens their bond, with one scene of them all attempting to open a can of food with rocks being surprisingly heartfelt. The film never gets too dark, with the emotional moments simply being when the boys are pondering their lives in high school, and questioning whether they should leave their small town or not. And when… well… There’s always a sick kid in these things It’s easy to guess how the film is going to go from the start. The film mentions death in the first voiceover, then we’re introduced to a smaller quirky boy who urges the other two to follow their life-long dreams while offhandedly mentioning his time in hospital. We can all guess what’s going to happen to this kid. But keeping in with the film’s light-heartedness, we don’t see his illness take hold – there’s actually some logistics with the timeline of his illness when you start to think about it. Instead we only see how the other two boys handle it, which includes moments that will have you tearing up and smiling at the same time. This takes the boys to Iceland at the very end of the film, transforming the animation from beautiful scenes of trees to jaw-dropping scenes of glaciers, mountains and waterfalls. This animation company also produced the show A Place Further than the Universe, and it’s easy to see a connection between the two. Both titles transport the viewer to natural and icy landscapes, perhaps simply to show off what beautiful worlds they can bring to life through animation. This technical talent helps these small journeys feel bigger than life itself. Literally, as the scene in Iceland takes an emotional twist with a phone booth that will inspire you to wonder about what goes on after death. Goodbye, Don Glees! review score: 3/5 While nothing ground-breaking, it feels cruel to speak against this film. If you’re someone who enjoys charming coming-of-age films, then this will be kindling for a fun couple of hours. You’ll cry, you’ll laugh, and you’ll have a newfound appreciation for the innocence and adventure of youth. Especially if you’re someone who also travelled to Iceland when you were 15 and are now horrified to realise that it’s already been an entire decade since then. Goodbye, Don Glees! will arrive in cinemas on November 30. English subs and dubs will both be available.

Gojo could’ve stopped the Shibuya Incident in Jujutsu Kaisen with one small move CrunchyrollA look back at Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2 has fans noticing that a small move from Gojo could’ve avoided the Shibuya Incident. The Shibuya Incident is one of the most heartbreaking and impactful events in Jujutsu Kaisen. It started with Kenjaku and his allied special grade curses plotting to imprison Gojo inside the Prison Realm on October 31. Following that, many gruesome things happened in Shibuya. The Shibuya Incident Arc featured some of the most painful Jujutsu Kaisen deaths and some of the best fights. In this arc, Sukuna took control of Yuji’s body after the sorcerer was fed multiple of Sukuna’s fingers at once. After taking over Yuji’s body, Sukuna slaughtered a lot of people and destroyed half of Shibuya. Jujutsu Kaisen fans are now noticing that Gojo had one small move that could’ve prevented the painful outcome of the Shibuya Incident. When Gojo was cornered by Jogo, Hanami, Mahito, and Choso, he refused to open his Domain Expansion, and spares the lives of the non-sorcerers. This led to Gojo being sealed, Sukuna taking over Yuji’s body, and the death of many in Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2. If only Gojo would’ve used his Unlimited Void, his opponents would’ve been killed in an instant. No curse, save for Sukuna, has the power to endure Gojo’s domain. If Gojo’s domain had killed the special grade sorcerers at that time, a lot of tragedies could’ve been spared. For starters, he wouldn’t be sealed by Kenjaku. Gojo killing Jogo means that Sukuna couldn’t take over Yuji and destroyed half of Shibuya. That would’ve also stooped Nanami dying. Mahito dying by Gojo’s hands would’ve prevented Nanami and Nobara’s death. Gojo’s compassion, though noble, ultimately led to a lot of tragedies, and that is where the irony of Jujutsu Kaisen lies. Gojo, as the strongest sorcerer of modern times, is a character who isn’t bound tightly by morality and compassion. He’s cocky, arrogant, and self-centered. But there is also immense goodness inside him that caused him to spare the lives of the non-sorcerers, unknowingly wreaking havoc in Shibuya. However, if Gojo did use his domain, he wouldn’t remain the same and may succumb to the darkness inside him, making him another Sukuna. “The disaster curses would be dead, Gojo would confiscate the fingers, Kenjaku would high tail it out of there, Nanami would be alive, Zenin guy would be alive, Zenin massacre wouldn’t happen, Sukuna doesn’t get to rampage, overall the Shibuya Incident becomes the Shibuya Inconvenience. However, Gojo is already detached from people as it is, this might start to push him over the line,” a user on Reddit writes, summarizing the consequences of Gojo using his domain in one comment. “He would have been the villain, and we wouldn’t have gotten to Sukuna,” says another fan. Whether Gojo could’ve stopped all the consequences of the Shibuya Incident would always be a point of debate. However, choosing to spare the lives of the non-sorcerers kept Gojo as the character fans know and love.

Gojo fans will love this new Spring 2024 anime — here’s why CrunchyrollA new Spring 2024 anime has one character that Gojo fans will absolutely adore — here’s what you need to know. Jujutsu Kaisen‘s most beloved character died in the battle of the strongest against Sukuna. Gojo fought the strongest sorcerer in history as soon as he was unsealed from the Prison realm. The battle lasted for 14 chapters and ended with Gojo’s defeat. Even though it’s been a few months since Gojo died, Jujutsu Kaisen fans still adore him the most. After all, Gojo has been among the most popular characters since the beginning, and his death was off-screen, which doesn’t give fans the closure they want. However, although Gojo may not return, there’s a new Spring 2024 anime with a character just like him. Gojo fans have all the reasons to love him, and his appearance isn’t the only reason they’re similar. Wind Breaker’s Umemiya Hajime is similar to Jujutsu Kaisen’s Gojo Satoru Apart from the white hair, Umemiya Hajime and Satoru Gojo share a lot of similarities. Both characters are voiced by Yuichi Nakamura in the Japanese subbed version. Furthermore, they’re both among the strongest characters in their series. They both always have cheerful personalities too, but they also stand their ground when things get serious. As the strongest, Gojo and Umemiya have a lot of responsibilities on their shoulders. Umemiya is the leader of Bofurin and has to be the strongest fighter among them to protect the town. If there’s one major difference between Gojo and Umemiya, it’s how every Furin openly respects him. Meanwhile, Gojo’s students cherish him but don’t actively express their respect for him. Their interactions are mostly funny, and many fans like that. What is the plot of Wind Breaker? Based on the popular manga by Satoru Nii, Winter Breaker follows Haruka Sakura, who avoids weaklings and is only interested in the strong. He has been ostracized by everyone for his unusual looks. Hence, Haruka joins Furin High School, which is infamous for having degenerates known for their brawling strength. They use their strength to protect their town. However, Haruka doesn’t want to be a hero and only wants to fight his way to the top. But when he moves to the town, he realizes that the group called Bofurin always fights for the sake of protecting the town. Wind Breaker was released on April 5, 2024, and you can stream the episodes on Crunchyroll. Meanwhile, Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3 is still awaiting a release window, and it will not have Gojo since he will continue to be sealed inside the Prison Realm. Hence, watching Wind Breaker is a good anime for Gojo fans if you’re missing him. If you want to know more about upcoming Spring 2024 anime, check out our list of the 15 best upcoming anime.

Goblin Slayer Season 2 Episode 2: Release date and time CrunchyrollGoblin Slayer returned with the anticipated Season 2 earlier this month – so, all the details you need for the release date and time of Episode 2. The light novel Goblin Slayer was released in 2016, and since then, the series has sculpted its name in the animanga community. Despite having a gory theme, the series was able to win every fan’s heart with its fantastic storyline. Prior to the second season’s premiere episode, we saw Goblin Slayer and their allies coming across a mysterious wizard boy while they headed toward their missions. When everyone doubted the intention of the wizard boy, Goblin Slayer took his side. Now, as per the official synopsis of the upcoming chapter, we’ll see the young wizard accompanying the Priestess to the place where they must eradicate every Goblin hiding there. Goblin Season 2 Episode 2 release date and time Goblin Season 2 Episode 2 will be released on Friday, October 13, 2023, at 6:30am PT on Crunchyroll. Viewers in the rest of the world can check out the following time schedule to keep a check on the episode’s release: 6:30am PDT – 7:30am Mountain Time – 8:30am CDT – 9:30am EST – 2:30pm British Time – 3:30pm European Time – 7:00pm IST – Goblin Slayer Season 2 Episode 1 recap Priestess is super excited as she will get promoted from 9th to 8th rank if she succeeds in training new adventurers. She seems extremely happy as she enters her second year. On the other side, the High Elf receives a letter from the noble fencer, who wants to give opportunities to aspiring adventurers, so she wants to quit being an adventurer herself. Overhearing their conversation, the Dwarf Shaman tries to put up a fight with them. However, the arrival of several adventurers at the location saved everyone from the duel. Soon, Goblin Slayer enters the room, and without wasting even a second, he goes to the Guild Girl to ask her about the adventures. After that, he immediately picks up several adventurers and stamina potions. While they head toward their mission, they encounter a young boy with an unpleasant attitude. However, it was soon revealed that he was a rookie who wanted to learn how to hunt goblins from Goblin Slayer. Goblin Slayer asks him to prepare himself first for the training, and after that, he takes him to Ushikai’s place to help him find a stay. Ushikai’s father seems skeptical about the boy, but seeing Goblin Slayer’s confidence in him, he agrees to help him. You can check out our other anime coverage here. Please note that if you click on a product link on this page we may earn a small affiliate commission.

Goblin Slayer Season 2: Release date and where to watch CrunchyrollGoblin Slayer fans must be very excited for Season 2 as it’s nearing its official release. After all, its story is considered one of the darkest and heart-wrenching. So, for the curious fans, here’s the exact release date and time information of the series. Besides that, we will also let you know about the platform where the series will stream. Goblin Slayer Season 2 was green-lit during an event in 2021, where we also learned that Misato Takada, who has directed anime like Magical Sempai and Boarding School Juliet, will be directing the new episodes. Takaharu Ozaki, who directed the anime’s first season, will be a part of the project as Chief Director. Later, in early 2023, we got the news that Liden Films would be taking over the project from the hands of White Fox Studios, which delivered Goblin Slayer Season 1. Although White Fox left no stone unturned in making the first season visually appealing, Liden Films has blessed the industry with several masterpieces like Tokyo Revengers, Berserk, and more, so we can presume what quality the new season will come with in terms of animation. Goblin Slayer Season 2 release date and time Goblin Slayer 2 will premiere for Japanese viewers on Saturday, October 7, 2023, at 1:00am JST, while the episode will be released for the International fanbase on Friday, October 6, 2023. Below is the time schedule you must follow to watch the episode on the streaming services: 9:35am PDT – 11:35am CDT – 12:35pm EDT – 5:35pm British Time – 6:35 pm Central European Time – 10:05pm IST – Where to watch Goblin Slayer Season 2 Like the first season, Goblin Slayer’s upcoming season has been renewed by Crunchyroll. For now, there is no news regarding the dubbed version of the new episodes, but fans can enjoy the subbed version on the streaming platform until then. Usually, it takes 2-3 months for the dubbed version of anime shows to arrive on the platform, but sometimes it usually becomes a matter of weeks. On October 3, 2023, the preview images for the first episode surfaced online, and it successfully created hype with its crisp animation. Looking at the stills, several fans wonder if the first episode will be as traumatizing as the first episode of Season 1 was. However, there is less possibility of something like that happening as the first season faced several backlashes for its controversial premiere episode. How to watch Crunchyroll from outside your location in 2023 Crunchyroll is the world’s best hub for streaming anime, whether it’s One Piece, Attack on Titan, or Jujutsu Kaisen – and thanks to ExpressVPN, you can access the platform’s full library even if you’re outside the US. If you’re abroad, here’s what you need to do to access Crunchyroll’s full selection – and it really is this simple: Sign up for ExpressVPN, which has ultra-fast servers and offers a secure, private connection wherever you are in the world – Connect to a location anywhere in the US; Express VPN allows you to choose from 24 different spots, from New Jersey to Santa Monica – Visit Crunchyroll online and start streaming all of your favorite animes – and perhaps some you’ve never watched – Accessing Crunchyroll’s US roster makes a difference; for example, Hong Kong users only have access to less than 100 titles, while the US has nearly 1,000 movies and TV shows. You can also stream anime on Crunchyroll for free with an ad-supported plan, or you can pay for a subscription – there’s even a 14-day free trial if you can’t quite make up your mind. You can check out our other anime coverage here. Please note that if you click on a product link on this page we may earn a small affiliate commission.

Gods’ Games We Play: Premiere window, cast & trailer IMDBUpcoming anime series Gods’ Game We Play has unveiled more details. Here is everything we know so far. Almost two years after the anime adaptation announcement for Gods’ Game We Play, we’ve finally received some of the information we’ve been waiting for. Based on Kei Sazane’s original novel series, Gods’ Game We Play has grown a steady fanbase since it began serialization back in 2020. Now that we’ve got more details about this exciting new fantasy series, here’s everything you need to know so far. Including its release window, cast members, and teaser trailer. Gods’ Games We Play release window The anime adaptation of Gods’ Games We Play will debut in April 2024. On December 20, the series’ official Twitter page announced that the long-awaited anime series would broadcast in April 2024. Alongside this announcement came the release of its second short teaser trailer, introducing us to the cast, crew, and vibrant characters we can expect to see in the series. Gods’ Games We Play plot The premise of the series is simple. With their abundance of free time and unchallenged powers, the gods grew bored and decided to spice things up. How? By granting a select few human “Apostles” powers, enabling them to meet the gods on a spiritual playing field to beat them at their own game. At the start of the series, no human has managed to win the games. Why? Because gods by nature are capricious, unreasonable, and often incomprehensible. However, after former Goddess Leoleshea wakes from a deep sleep and requests to team up with the greatest player of the era, she’s introduced to a human called Fay. From here, the ultimate battle of wits begins. But who will come out on top? Gods’ Games We Play cast and crew Produced by Liden Films, Gods’ Games We Play is being directed by Tatsuya Shiraishi, with series composition by NTL, character designs by Yoshihiro Watanabe, and music by Gin. The known cast is as follows: Hina Tachibana as Pearl Diamond – Kanna Nakamura as Nel Reckless – Ami Koshimizu as Miranda – Nobunga Shimazaki as Fay Theo Filth – Akari Kita as Leoleshea – Gods’ Games We Play trailer On December 20, the second teaser trailer for Gods’ Games We Play was released. Featuring former Goddess Leoleshea, Fay, and the rules of the game, the trailer has also unveiled the theme songs. AliA will perform the opening theme titled NewGame, while Hina Tachibana (who also voices Pearl) will perform the ending theme, I’m Game. We currently don’t have any information about where you’ll be able to watch the series. However, we expect the details to be revealed closer to the release date. While you wait, you read the Seinen manga on Monthly Comic Alive, and you can check out more of our anime coverage here.

Godzilla Minus One director is trying to remake underrated Studio Ghibli movie TOHOFresh from making Godzilla Minus One, one of the best movies of the last year, it turns out director Takashi Yamazaki has been trying to get his hands on another icon of Japanese pop culture. Godzilla Minus One proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that the big-G still has plenty of life in them. Yamazaki’s soft reboot of the Toho’s cinematic monster returned to their terrifying roots as a post-war demon that emerged from the deployment of nuclear weaponry. The success of Godzilla Minus One, making over $106 million worldwide, speaks for itself. Now, all eyes are on Yamazaki for what’s next, and there’s an anime he has his eyes on – but it remains unlikely to happen. Godzilla Minus One wants to remake Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind Yamazaki has asked “many times” about doing a version of Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, Hayao Miyazaki’s manga and film which served as the foundation of Studio Ghibli. Sadly, he’s never gotten close. Toshio Suzuki, co-founder of Studio Ghibli alongside Miyazaki, Isao Takahata, and Yasuyoshi Tokuma, revealed as much on Bokura no Jidai, a Japanese talk show. “I’ve heard that many times from Yamazaki personally,” Suzuki says. “But the answer has always been no.” It’s no surprise that Yamazaki has been rejected so much here – Ghibli is famously protective of everything it’s done, rarely allowing other companies or creators to use their characters or properties. Yamazaki was involved in many adaptations before Godzilla Minus One, including films such as Space Battleship Yamato, Stand By Me Doraemon, and Dragon Quest: Your Story, so he knows how to handle an established IP. But, Ghibli is a different beast, and it may be a good thing that it hasn’t happened, as it makes Miyazaki’s work that much more special. Likewise, Yamazaki has been doing great work without remaking Nausicaä, so we’re not lacking in anything here. Check out our lists of the best anime movies on Netflix and the best Studio Ghibli movies if this has inspired you to watch some classics.

Gege Akutami reveals motivation behind Jujutsu Kaisen’s only romance Gege Akutami/MAPPAJujutsu Kaisen creator Gege Akutami has revealed why his manga doesn’t have any romances other than Mechamaru and Miwa. In the bleak world of Jujutsu Kaisen, one seldom finds time for love. As a result, there’s almost no romantic plotlines in the series. However, even amid the darkness, two Kyoto Jujutsu High students have managed to fall in love. Mechamaru and Miwa’s love story is tragic, with the former dying towards the beginning of the Shibuya Incident. Even before his death, Mechamaru never told Miwa his feelings, only confessing after his death. What’s more, he had no hope of reciprocation and never knew Miwa loved him back. Despite the sad note it ends on, theirs is the only canon romance between two characters in Jujutsu Kaisen. And though there’s another prominent love story hinted at in the series – between Toji Fushiguro and Megumi’s mother – we never see it happen. During the manga’s exhibition at Shibuya, an interviewer asked Gege Akutami why he included Mechamaru and Miwa’s romance. “There are basically no romantic elements in Jujutsu Kaisen. Because there are no characters or storylines that would justify the introduction of a romantic relationship,” answered the author. “Of all the characters, only Miwa didn’t seem to be out of the picture if she had a love interest, so we settled on that development.” It makes sense since Miwa is introduced as the most normal of the bunch. Others have a lot on their plates regarding murderous curses and ancient sorcerers to think about romance. Besides, as often as Jujutsu Kaisen kills its characters, it’d only end in more tragedies if there were more. Other than Miwa and Mechamaru, we also see another love story between Yuta and Rika. However, theirs is twisted, tragic, and truthfully cannot be called real romantic love. And given the way Jujutsu Kaisen is going, it appears there won’t be any romance in the future, too. For more, find out which Jujutsu Kaisen moment is inspired by Hunter x Hunter and how the anime can solve the manga’s pacing issue. You might also like to know why fans hate the new Gojo art.

Gege Akutami says Yuji can make Jujutsu Kaisen “bland” CrunchyrollJujutsu Kaisen protagonist Yuji Itadori is well-loved among fans, but creator Gege Akutami believes he can make the story “bland.” Jujutsu Kaisen is unlike a conventional Shonen series. Gege Akutami ensures all the characters, including Yuji, have opportunities to shine. In the ongoing fight against Sukuna, Yuji fights alongside everyone. The franchise is currently holding an exhibition at Shibuya Hikarie shopping center in Tokyo, showcasing how the franchise’s stories, characters, and illustrations are created and refined. It also includes storyboards and sketches before they were submitted as final manuscripts, along with questions and answers from Gege Akutami. Popular JJK translator shared some of the questions and answers. In his interview, Gege said he wanted Yuji to be a flexible character. He further explained: “Itadori’s versatility is in the sense that he’s easy to fit into shounen-type stories. But this can also make the stories a bit bland. “When Itadori does something straightforward, like saving someone, there’s no real need for a reason behind it, so the story is easy to move forward. However, this can also lead to the reader not feeling much or not getting a good taste of his actions. “Another aspect of his versatility is being able to react to things in the story alongside the reader’s perspective. When Itadori encounters something new, his reaction and that of the reader are generally the same.” “For example, the Culling Game setup may not have been completely understandable to the reader, but if Itadori says, ‘I don’t really get it,’ the reader will think, ‘Oh, it’s okay if I don’t totally understand,’ which is useful.” Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3 will feature Yuji struggling in the Culling Games Arc as Kenjaku begins a battle royale with strict rules where participants kill each other. For more dark sorcery, check out the list of all Jujutsu Kaisen character deaths, the iconic scenes Gege Akutami recreated, and the 10 strongest characters Sukuna defeated.

Gege Akutami warned fans about Jujutsu Kaisen long before Gojo’s death CrunchyrollJujutsu Kaisen has the fandom in shambles with its dark plot twists — but Gege Akutami already warned fans about his story. Jujutsu Kaisen is one of the darkest new-gen Shonen manga series, written by Gege Akutami. The story is set in a world where negative emotions pile up and give birth to cursed spirits who threaten the people’s safety. Jujutsu sorcerers risk their lives to deal with those curses. However, the battle against curses is a never-ending cycle since they will continue to exist as long as humans do. The series is popular for its brutal storytelling, with traumatized characters as gruesome deaths. Warning: This article contains spoilers from the upcoming Chapter 261! According to Chapter 261 spoilers, the next chapter features darkest plot twist in the series: Yuta takes over Gojo’s body using Kenjaku’s technique. The sorcerers are desperate to defeat the King of Curses, but they don’t want Yuta to go down that path. However, Yuta has no other option but to carry Gojo’s burden by himself. While the fandom has been left shocked by the insane plot twist and worrying over Gojo’s tragic demise, Gege’s comment from a few years ago has resurfaced. Myamura, a popular Jujutsu Kaisen account on X/Twitter, shared an image of Gege Akutami’s comment that reads: “The other day, I saw a video of myself laughing hysterically. I was a little taken aback by how demonic I looked. I hope you enjoy that type of person’s first graphic novel.” Gege Akutami is not only infamous for killing off several characters in Jujutsu Kaisen, but he also makes bold decisions with the way he handles their ending. Gojo’s death, by far, has been the most controversial in the series. Fans have never given up hope for his return until now. Gege shuts the door for Gojo’s return in the darkest way possible. If you want more dark sorcery, check out our list of character deaths in Jujutsu Kaisen and the best anime like Jujutsu Kaisen.

Demon Slayer studio announced new anime two years ago today, and fans doubt it’ll ever happen UfotableUfotable has been hard at work on Demon Slayer over the last five years, and there’s one project from the studio fans aren’t so sure will happen. Today, September 16, 2024, marks two years since the Genshin Impact anime show was announced by publisher Hoyoverse. In 2020, the free, anime-inspired open-world RPG drew a massive audience on consoles and PC for offering an enormous amount of gameplay without users having to pay a penny. It’s held steady ever since, with development studio miHoYo continuing the Honkai franchise in the meantime, now boasting two massive MMO games on modern platforms. As part of Genshin’s huge growth, a TV show was revealed with a short concept trailer. Ufotable, the outfit behind the legendary Demon Slayer screen adaptation as well as Fate/Zero and God Eater, is animating the series, dubbed a “long-term collaboration project” between the two studios. Since then, though, we’ve heard nothing. There’s been no release window or animation updates, or even an official title. Of course, Ufotable has been busy putting together both Season 4 of Demon Slayer moving onto the Infinity Castle trilogy of films to round out Tanjiro’s battle against Muzan. That just raises more questions about what’s happening. Has there been any progress? Or will it quietly fall by the wayside as the zeitgeist shifts away from Genshin Impact as a number one game? “We never getting this sh*t. This was a commercial for the game lmfao,” reads one response to the two year anniversary on X/Twitter. “They took so long to make it that I hate Genshin now,” another says. “And the Switch port was announced like 4 years ago, Hoyoverse can’t deliver, they can hype,” another adds. There’s always a chance this is still being worked on, but with nothing to go on, people are starting to grow cynical. Spinoffs fall by the wayside sometimes, and we’ll just have to keep waiting to hear what the fate of this particular one is. Our upcoming anime list can tell you about releases that definitely are coming out.

Ghost in the Shell director’s first original movie finally coming to 4K © M.O/Y.A/TKM, TJC ©YOSHITAKA AMANOFinally, it’s going to become easier to watch Mamoru Oshii’s Angel’s Egg, as the legendary film is getting a 4K release in 2025. An early anime movie from the Ghost in the Shell director, Angel’s Egg, is an avant-garde sci-fi production that was truly ahead of its time. The minimalist picture follows an unnamed young woman who protects a mysterious egg on the outskirts of a desolate city. She’s joined by a young soldier, and they navigate patrolling biomechanical tanks together. It’s an odd, esoteric film that came out in 1985, and you can see the influence through the likes of Akira, Ghost in the Shell, Neon Genesis Evangelion, and Ergo Proxy. Unfortunately, for the longest time, it’s been difficult to track down. Occasional theatrical showings, a VHS release, and limited DVD and Blu-ray versions have kept the film accessible, just not particularly mainstream. That’s changing, since it’s been revealed that Mamoru is overseeing a 4K transfer that’s due sometime in 2025, to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Angel’s Egg. With any luck, this will continue the push for more physical releases and greater preservation. We’ll keep you informed as more details arise. Check out our list of the best upcoming anime for everything else you should be aware of.

New Ghost in the Shell anime coming from Devilman Crybaby studio Amazon Prime VideoGhost in the Shell is returning to our screens, with a new anime show based on the manga coming from Science SARU, the studio behind Devilman Crybaby, Scott Pilgrim Takes Off, and the upcoming Dandadan. Science SARU made the announcement on May 25, revealing that The Ghost in the Shell will release in 2026. The adaptation is an anime show as opposed to a new movie, and a teaser featuring scenes for the manga, as well as a new poster of Major Motoko Kusanagi, were shared alongside the reveal. Details are scant beyond these and the release window. But then, the prospect of a production house like Science SARU taking on something as stylistically bold as Ghost in the Shell is exciting enough as is. Over the years, the studio has produced some of the best anime for fans who want distinct stories and ideas. Devilman Crybaby is one such example, an ultra dark superhero anime that’s as grim and gritty as you’d like. And then you have Ping Pong The Animation, a startlingly good sports anime. On the big screen, the production house was behind Inu-Oh in 2022, an awesome rock opera, and provided the animation for The Colors Within, the upcoming film from Naoko Yamada. The highly anticipated Dandadan adaptation is the work of Science SARU as well. Though no personnel are involved, there’s a non-zero chance Masaaki Yuasa will oversee The Ghost in the Shell, since ho co-founded Science SARU with Eunyoung Choi. That’s just speculation for now — and a bit of wishful thinking on my part. Published in 1989, Ghost in the Shell was created by Masamune Shirow. The groundbreaking cyperbunk narrative takes in an alternative future Japan where humans have blurred what makes us such through cybernetic implants. A synthetic detective, Makoto, hunts a mysterious hacker, and the case turns out to have ramifications on our very existence. A 1995 anime movie, directed by Mamoru Oshii, remains a benchmark for visuals and action within the medium. Though we’ve had a number of sequels and shows since — with the last arriving in 2020 on Netflix — none have touched Mamoru’s take. As more information about the show arrives, we’ll keep you informed. Check out our guides to Tower of God Season 2 and Solo Leveling Season 2 for other upcoming anime TV shows in the meantime.

Frieren manga reports enormous sales boom after anime success CrunchyrollFrieren: Beyond Journey’s End is one of the most popular anime of 2023. But, it’s now also one of the most popular manga series. The Fall 2023 anime adaptation of Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End took everyone by surprise when it dethroned Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood to take the top ranking on MyAnimeList. But its popularity doesn’t just stop with the anime. Frieren-mania is sweeping Otaku culture around the world, and that includes its source material manga. The manga was already a success when it launched on Shonen Sunday in April 2020. But the term success has now taken a whole new meaning. So, how has the anime impacted the manga? Let’s take a look. Frieren anime’s popularity increases its manga sales On December 1, 2023, the news broke that Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End manga has hit a new milestone. It has 17 million copies now in circulation. The official Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End Twitter account announced that the manga series now has more than 17 million copies in circulation. But that’s not all. The post also revealed that seven million of those copies were released in the months following the anime’s September 29 debut. What’s Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End about? Of course based on Kanehito Yamada’s fantasy manga of the same name, the anime follows a mage called Frieren who defeated the Demon King alongside the hero Himmel after a 10-year quest. If you haven’t seen it yet, definitely check it out on Crunchyroll, as it’s one you shouldn’t miss. Frieren restores peace to the kingdom and embarks on her own journey. However, due to her elven nature, she possesses an exceptionally long life span that humans cannot attain. Upon her return to the kingdom 50 years later, she is alarmed to witness how Himmel and his party have aged, while she remains unchanged. After Himmel dies, Frieren sets out on another journey to ease her heartache and meet as many people as she can. Praised for the way it deals with life, death, and aging in a fantasy setting, it’s no surprise that fans of the anime are now picking up the manga to experience more of the story. The 12th volume of the manga is set to release on December 18, 2023, in Japan. While the English release date is yet to be confirmed, it is anticipated that the sales will further increase, solidifying Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End as one of the most successful manga of all time. How to watch Crunchyroll from outside your location in 2023 Crunchyroll is the world’s best hub for streaming anime, whether it’s One Piece, Attack on Titan, or Jujutsu Kaisen – and thanks to ExpressVPN, you can access the platform’s full library even if you’re outside the US. If you’re abroad, here’s what you need to do to access Crunchyroll’s full selection – and it really is this simple: Sign up for ExpressVPN, which has ultra-fast servers and offers a secure, private connection wherever you are in the world – Connect to a location anywhere in the US; Express VPN allows you to choose from 24 different spots, from New Jersey to Santa Monica – Visit Crunchyroll online and start streaming all of your favorite animes – and perhaps some you’ve never watched – Accessing Crunchyroll’s US roster makes a difference; for example, Hong Kong users only have access to less than 100 titles, while the US has nearly 1,000 movies and TV shows. You can also stream anime on Crunchyroll for free with an ad-supported plan, or you can pay for a subscription – there’s even a 14-day free trial if you can’t quite make up your mind. You can check out our other anime coverage here. Please note that if you click on a product link on this page we may earn a small affiliate commission.

Frieren overtakes Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood on all-time anime ranking CrunchyrollThe Shonen fantasy anime series Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End has surprisingly dethroned Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood and earned the highest ratings on MyAnimeList. Frieren‘s anime adaptation was released in September 2023, and since then, it has blessed us with eleven spectacular episodes. Well, even though the series is still in its first season, it has become popular enough to give serious competition to Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood (FMAB). For the unacquainted, FMAB boasts a massive fanbase and has maintained the first MAL spot for several years. That said, it’s not the first time an anime series has forced FMAB to leave MAL’s first rank. There were several other shows that pushed FMAB to the second spot, but Brotherhood always managed to take back the first position. This time, Frieren challenges the might of Brotherhood, and every fan is eager to see how long the new anime will maintain its position. Frieren takes the first spot on MyAnimeList On MAL Top anime’s page, it’s Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End, which has taken the first spot with a rating of 9.10, pushing FMAB to the second position. Before Frieren, it was Oshi No Ko, Attack on Titan, My Happy Marriage, and several other significant shows that dethroned the popular series, but only for a while. Moreover, it is worth mentioning that even though Frieren has taken the first spot on the platform, FMAB is still holding the second spot with the same ratings, i.e., 9.10. Frieren: Beyond the Journey’s End revolves around an elven mage named Frieren, who was once in the party of the hero. She, along with the members of the group, defeated the demon king. However, after that, she embarked on a new journey and parted ways with the ones who were there with her during the battle. Years later, when she returns, she finds everyone old and learns that two of her former companions even died. After the unfortunate instances, she realizes that she had made a mistake by taking everyone in the group for granted. So, she decides to try to build new relations with the humans and always be there for them. The anime has received mixed reactions from the fandom. While several fans are happy seeing it in the top position, some have shown disappointment. Also, a major part of the fandom is sure that FMAB won’t take much time to regain its first position on MAL. How to watch Crunchyroll from outside your location in 2023 Crunchyroll is the world’s best hub for streaming anime, whether it’s One Piece, Attack on Titan, or Jujutsu Kaisen – and thanks to ExpressVPN, you can access the platform’s full library even if you’re outside the US. If you’re abroad, here’s what you need to do to access Crunchyroll’s full selection – and it really is this simple: Sign up for ExpressVPN, which has ultra-fast servers and offers a secure, private connection wherever you are in the world – Connect to a location anywhere in the US; Express VPN allows you to choose from 24 different spots, from New Jersey to Santa Monica – Visit Crunchyroll online and start streaming all of your favorite animes – and perhaps some you’ve never watched – Accessing Crunchyroll’s US roster makes a difference; for example, Hong Kong users only have access to less than 100 titles, while the US has nearly 1,000 movies and TV shows. You can also stream anime on Crunchyroll for free with an ad-supported plan, or you can pay for a subscription – there’s even a 14-day free trial if you can’t quite make up your mind. You can check out our other anime coverage here.

Gege Akutami breaks silence on Jujutsu Kaisen final chapter Manga PlusJujutsu Kaisen creator Gege Akutami has finally spoken about the manga’s long-awaited final chapter. Jujutsu Kaisen’s manga debuted in 2018 and will draw to its conclusion in September 2024. The manga begins with Yuji eating Sukuna’s finger and joining the Jujutsu Tech High School. His ordinary life turns upside down when he finds himself in the middle of the brutal world of curses. The final arc, “Shinjuku Showdown,” focuses on the battle against Kenjaku and Sukuna. Thanks to the sorcerers’ plans and efforts, the villains are finally defeated. With the manga nearing its end, Jujutsu Kaisen is focusing on the aftermath of the battle. Chapter 269 spoilers have confirmed Yuta is alive. Thanks to Rika, he’s returned to his own body. With no villains to fight anymore, Mei Mei wants to take down the three Big Clans. Along with Chapter 269, Gege Akutami has shared a comment about the final chapter. The author wrote, “I’ve never drawn a final chapter before, so It feels like it’s new even though it’s ending.” The King of Curses was defeated in Chapter 268 and the remaining chapters will focus on the conclusion by tying up the loose ends. Jujutsu Kaisen is his first serialized manga. The author continued the story after JJK 0 and it became a global sensation after the anime adaptation. It’s currently unknown what the author plans to do after the ending, but needless to say, fans worldwide are looking forward to the finale. Jujutsu Kaisen manga will be ending in a few weeks, so find out the MVP of the final fight against the villains. For more from dark sorcery, have a look at the unsatisfying JJK ending and our list of all character deaths.