Creator Shun Umezawa reveals the fascinating backstory behind Darwin's Incident characters. Discover how Billie Eilish's "bad guy" MV influenced Lucy's design, the philosophical origins of Charlie the Humanzee, and behind-the-scenes casting stories from the hit anime adaptation.
Netflix's live-action ONE PIECE Season 2 drops its official trailer. Creator Eiichiro Oda promises to "destroy expectations," as the full Straw Hat crew makes their first-ever official visit to Japan. Season 2 premieres March 10, 2026 with fan events across 13 global cities.
Three young manga artists from Zimbabwe are using NFT and crowdfunding to pursue manga publication in Japan. An international publishing model connecting Africa and Japan, run by Jitsugyo no Nihon Sha and the NFT marketplace INO Fine (formerly Zaif INO).
Toho has acquired UK anime distributor Anime Limited and formed a strategic alliance with Germany's Plaion Pictures, establishing its European headquarters in London. With Europe's anime market projected to reach $9 billion by 2030, discover how Japan's biggest entertainment company plans to bring Godzilla, Jujutsu Kaisen, and more to audiences across the continent — and what this means for anime fans worldwide.
Anime Dorohedoro Season 2 will stream worldwide starting April 1, 2026. After a six-year wait, MAPPA and director Yuichiro Hayashi return to adapt more of Q Hayashida's legendary 23-volume dark fantasy manga. Explore why this chaotic blend of body horror, slapstick comedy, and gyoza became a global cult favorite, with fan reactions from Japan and around the world.
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.
On 16 January 2026, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni met Tetsuo Hara, the artist behind Fist of the North Star, in Tokyo during her official visit to Japan. She had turned 49 the day before, and Hara gave her a print of Kenshiro and Raoh. A look at Hara's Uffizi commission, the manga's role in Weekly Shonen Jump's rise, and why Italy never let go of Ken il Guerriero.
Sony Group raised its stake in Peanuts Holdings to 80%, buying WildBrain's 41% share for $457 million. Explore the future of Snoopy and Charlie Brown across movies, music, and gaming, plus global reactions to this major deal.