Japan's anime studios billed a record $2.56 billion in 2025, clearing 400 billion yen for the first time. Teikoku Databank says 2026 could bring the first decline since 2021, in a year when 34.6% already ran a loss.
Broke adventurers eating monsters: Delicious in Dungeon is a respected award-winner at home and a Netflix phenomenon abroad. We trace its path from Ryoko Kui's short-story years through the Harta serialization and Studio Trigger's anime to global success, and preview Season 2's Falin rescue arc, arriving October 2027.
MAPPA's June 19 anniversary stream is over. A Chainsaw Man mobile game, Jujutsu Kaisen Season 4, an October date for Ranma 1/2, and two new Netflix anime. We check last week's betting card to see how the predictions held up.
NHK opens its drama vault to Netflix worldwide on June 22, 2026, with 19 titles rolling out through NHK’s 2026 fiscal year, ending March 2027. The first wave includes Taiga epic Strategist KANBE, instant-noodle origin story Mampuku, and Rakugo-themed Descending Stories. Here is why this Japan-only treasure trove is finally going global, and what is conspicuously missing.
WIT Studio's Netflix anime remake of the East Blue Saga, separate from Toei's long-running 1999 series, has locked in a February 2027 worldwide release. The seven-episode Season 1 adapts 50 manga chapters as a single 300-minute binge, and at Annecy in June 2026 Netflix released the teaser worldwide and confirmed Mayumi Tanaka is returning as Luffy.
LINE Manga marked 13 years with a "Favorite Manga Election," and the 2,889,609 votes tell a story. One Piece placed in the top three of five categories; Demon Slayer and the Korean webtoon Teenage Mercenary took two each. With a voter base skewing female and under 40, Japanese manga and Korean webtoons split the categories along clean lines. Inside the hybrid platform that puts both in one app, and where international readers can find each title.
Anime!Anime! has released its post-broadcast Spring 2026 anime ranking. Daemons of the Shadow Realm by Hiromu Arakawa takes #1 in Japan, with Ascendance of a Bookworm at #2, and Dr.STONE, Nippon Sangoku, and Welcome to Demon School! Iruma-kun tying for #3. Meanwhile, international rankings from Anime Corner and others crown Re:Zero Season 4 and Witch Hat Atelier as the top picks. Here is the gap between Japanese and overseas reception, plus where to stream each title on Crunchyroll, Prime Video, and beyond.
The first-ever live-action Gundam film in the franchise's 47-year history has begun filming in Australia. Netflix handles global distribution with Sydney Sweeney, Noah Centineo, and Shioli Kutsuna leading the cast. We break down how it differs from past attempts, where international fans can watch, and the Legendary x Bandai Namco production.
IMARC Group's latest report projects Japan's anime market will nearly double from $2.1B to $4.1B by 2034. We break down the 7.28% CAGR, streaming expansion, merchandising power, and what global demand means for the industry.
Three of Spring 2026's most anticipated anime, Akane-banashi, Daemons of the Shadow Realm, and MAO, premiered on April 4 to overwhelming praise. Here's why Japanese fans are calling them 'perfect first episodes' and where to stream them worldwide.
To celebrate the 20th anniversary of 'The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya,' Netflix will stream the complete 2009 broadcast version (28 episodes) and the acclaimed film 'The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya' starting April 1, 2026. The legendary Kyoto Animation series goes global under the 'Gratitude of Haruhi Suzumiya' anniversary project.
Saint Seiya: Tenkai-hen (The Heavens Arc) launches May 14, 2026, in Weekly Shonen Champion. Creator Masami Kurumada's full-color short 'THEN III: Ketsui' bridges the gap to this official sequel following both the original manga and Next Dimension. After 40 years, the saga finally confronts the gods of Olympus.
KADOKAWA is opening Studio One Base, a 4,600㎡ anime production hub housing 400 staff and five group studios inside Ikebukuro's Sunshine City in fall 2026. Part of a vision to turn Ikebukuro into a world-class anime city, the move comes as Japan's anime market hits a record ¥3.84 trillion ($24 billion). Here's what it means for fans and the global anime industry.
Dorohedoro Season 2's main PV revealed the Cross-Eyes voice cast: Koki Uchiyama as Dokuga, Daiki Hamano as Tetsujo, plus four more. (K)NoW_NAME returned for the themes, streaming ran April 1 to May 27, and Season 3 is confirmed.
ONE PIECE manga has surpassed 600 million copies worldwide! Creator Eiichiro Oda has written down the secret of the One Piece treasure for the very first time and, with help from Japan's JAMSTEC ocean research agency, sealed it 651 meters beneath the sea. The answer will only be revealed when the manga ends. Here's everything you need to know about this extraordinary event.
Hideaki Hatta, president of Kyoto Animation, died on February 16, 2026, at the age of 76. From subcontracted cel painting that his wife Yoko started in an apartment block, through incorporation in 1985, he led the studio for more than four decades under the motto "creating together," producing The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, K-On! and Violet Evergarden. A look back at his career, including the years he spent rebuilding after the 2019 arson attack.
Netflix's biggest Japanese title ever, "Alice in Borderland" Season 3, reached No. 1 globally with 46.3 million hours viewed in its first week. Stars Kento Yamazaki and Tao Tsuchiya on the show's worldwide reach and what Japanese content means to streaming, plus how Season 3 ended up being the last.
Japan's anime market has reached a record $25 billion globally. While aggressive M&A deals by Sony, KADOKAWA, and others have fueled explosive overseas growth, questions remain about low animator wages, creative risk-taking, and whether the industry's real creators are seeing any of the profits. A deep dive into the boom's winners and losers.
Japanese actress-turned-producer MEGUMI has signed a multi-year exclusive deal with Netflix after her debut unscripted show "Badly in Love," a dating reality series built around Japan's yankee subculture, ranked No. 8 on Netflix's global charts. Explore how Japan's raw storytelling is captivating audiences worldwide.
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.