The live-action Blue Lock movie revealed Masataka Kubota as Ego Jinpachi at its production event. Led by Fumiya Takahashi, produced by CREDEUS, and releasing August 7, 2026 during the World Cup year. Full cast details and fan reactions from Japan and abroad.
Detective Conan cosplay and merchandise have been banned at anime events across China. The trigger: a collaboration with My Hero Academia, a manga boycotted in China over a character name linked to Japan's wartime Unit 731. With state media joining the backlash and even traditional Japanese clothing banned at events, we explore how anime culture collides with historical tensions between China and Japan.
Ahead of "Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway," the production committee made an unprecedented move by publicly revealing its promotional concept "fan! × FAN! = FUN!" for the first time ever. The fan-participation "Wind Project," inspired by the "Wind Goddess" Chihaya Hagiwara, includes a LINE account launch, outdoor fan meetings in Yokohama, and city collaborations — marking Conan's biggest promotional campaign as the franchise celebrates its 30th anniversary.
The five voice actors of the SOS Brigade reunited for the first time in 16 years to celebrate the 20th anniversary of The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya. At the revival screening of The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya, lead actress Aya Hirano said she "can't believe it." Fans worldwide react to this milestone for the anime that changed otaku culture.
Adobe reversed its decision to kill Adobe Animate just two days after the announcement. Behind the reversal: fierce backlash from creators and animation studios worldwide, including Japan's Science SARU. The share price also fell after the announcement. What does "maintenance mode" really mean for the future of 2D animation?
Number_i — the J-pop trio of Sho Hirano, Yuta Jinguji, and Yuta Kishi — has signed with WME, the powerhouse agency behind Bruno Mars and Billie Eilish. From their Coachella debut to this landmark deal, we explore what this means for Japanese artists carving a global path distinct from K-pop.
Konan Women's University launches a new Faculty of Sociology in April 2026 that takes "oshi-katsu" (supporting your favorite idol/character) seriously as academic research. With Japan's fan economy now worth $23 billion, discover how this university is bridging the gap between pop culture passion and rigorous social science.
A hand stencil in a cave on Indonesia's Muna Island has been confirmed as the world's oldest cave art at 67,800+ years old, using laser-ablation uranium-series dating. Surpassing Spain's cave art by over 1,000 years, this discovery reshapes our understanding of early human artistic culture and migration routes to Australia.
Nintendo Switch has reached 155.37 million units sold, overtaking the DS to become Nintendo's all-time best-selling console. We analyze the key factors behind its 8+ year success—hybrid design, powerful IPs, pandemic boost, and indie game ecosystem—along with its impact on Japan's gaming industry.
Japan considers cutting high school baseball from 9 to 7 innings by 2028. While 70% of schools oppose the change, heat stroke concerns and player safety drive the debate. How will Japan balance tradition with modern athlete welfare?
Japan's National Archives now sells a clear file featuring "The Barbarian Woman of Utsuro-bune" - a mysterious disc-shaped vessel that allegedly washed ashore in 1803 with a foreign woman inside. Discover how this Edo-period historical document from "Kōken Zuihitsu," known globally as Japan's UFO incident, is merging Japanese mystery with pop culture.