Japanese Animation TV Ranking, January 5-11

Love Through a Prism Anime Series Review

For all the brickbats that you could throw at it, Netflix's sumptuous new romance series set in 1910s London is admirably well-made and thoroughly entertaining. ― Love Through a Prism is the lavish new period romance anime series. It's mostly set in England of the 1910s; it's animated primarily by Wit Studio (though with a plethora of collaborating studios in the credits); and it's co-written by Boys...

How First-Time Voice Actor Ai Mikami Took on Her Role in All You Need is Kill Anime Film

Mikami takes on the voice-acting world as Rita in the animated adaptation after a successful turn in live-action roles. ― In 2014, the world was graced with the action-packed live-action adaptation of Hiroshi Sakurazaka's 2004 novel All You Need is Kill in the Tom Cruise-led film Edge of Tomorrow. Now, just over a decade later, All You Need is Kill saw its feature-length anime film debut. Starring Ai...

Exploring an Alien World with All You Need is Kill Director Kenichiro Akimoto

A novel, a manga, a comic, a live-action movie starring Tom Cruise. All You Need is Kill is a story that keeps coming back, but Studio 4C's version may be the most daring yet. ― The feature film All You Need is Kill opened in America last Friday, a week after it opened in Japan. Before that, the film was shown at the Scotland Loves Anime festival in Edinburgh, London, and Glasgow. The first-time dire...

Pretty Series Franchise Announces Latest Installment Onegai AiPri

Jan 21, 16:49

More details to be revealed on February 26 ― The official X (formerly Twitter) account for the Himitsu no AiPri (Secret AiPri) multimedia project revealed Onegai AiPri (Please AiPri), the latest installment in Takara Tomy Arts and syn Sophia's overall Pretty Series multimedia franchise, on Wednesday. The staff will reveal more details on Onegai AiPri on February 26. The Pretty Series began with syn S...

The World Is Dancing Manga Gets TV Anime This Summer

Yumiri Hanamori stars as Noh playwright in Cygames Pictures anime of Kazuto Mihara's story ― Shochiku announced in a video on Wednesday that Kazuto Mihara's The World Is Dancing manga is getting a television anime adaptation this summer. The announcement also revealed the anime's teaser visual, main staff, and Yumiri Hanamori as the protagonist Oniyasha. The below teaser visual is drawn by character ...

Netflix, MAPPA Strengthen Partnership to Co-Develop, Exclusively Stream Original Titles

Future MAPPA titles to stream exclusively, simultaneously on Netflix globally ― Netflix announced on Wednesday that it has formed a new strategic partnership with anime studio MAPPA. The new partnership makes Netflix the exclusive streamer for a number of future original anime titles from MAPPA, and allows the two companies to work together on these new projects in a more comprehensive way "from stor...

The Winter 2026 Manga Guide

It's ANN's first ever Winter Manga Guide! On day two, find out if Hokkaido Gals really are adorable, check out a Fairy Tail artbook, and more! ― Welcome to Anime News Network's Winter 2026 Manga Guide! You may have seen one of our seasonal Anime Preview Guides, where a team of critics writes up each new anime television premiere as it airs at the beginning of a season. Now, doing something like that...

Inexpressive Kashiwada and Expressive Oota Anime Series Review

I wanted a spin on the usual “opposites attract” story, and that’s exactly what I got. Perhaps I wanted it a little too much. ― I feel like I was the only person on the face of the Earth who was the least bit excited for Inexpressive Kashiwada and Expressive Oota. Why not? I enjoyed the first episode enough, with its solid direction and its spin on the archetypal “opposites attract” premise. He's an ...

This Week in Anime - Maybe It's Isekai (Maybe It's LitRPG)

Is it isekai? Is it LitRPG? If it has a stat screen, does it even matter? Chris and Sylvia discuss. ― Is it isekai? Is it LitRPG? If it has a stat screen, does it even matter? Chris and Sylvia discuss. Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by the participants in this chatlog are not the views of Anime News Network.Spoiler Warning for discussion of the series ahead. Hell Mode and Reincarnated ...

Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans – Urðr Hunt Special Edition Anime Film Review

This film is essentially a remastered compilation of several video game cutscenes, and that origin ultimately hampers what could have been an interesting feature film. ― 10 years ago, the director and writer behind anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day took her shot at a Gundam entry with Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans. Between Tatsuyuki Nagai's underrated skill as an action director (A Certa...

Creating Over 1500 Episodes with CHIBI MARUKO-CHAN Director Jun Takagi

We spoke to Director Takagi about keeping the long-running series fresh when it's set decades in the past and the unfortunate passing of long-time voice actor TARAKO. ― More anime are created every year, but few successfully cross from niche to mainstream entertainment in Japan. There are the mainstream action series, like Naruto, One Piece, Demon Slayer, and magical girl juggernauts like Precure, bu...

FX Fighter Kurumi-chan Manga Gets TV Anime

Passione produces anime about college student who enters world of foreign exchange market ― Kadokawa announced on Monday that storywriter Demunyan and artist Daisuki Tansan's FX Fighter Kurumi-chan (FX Senshi Kurumi-chan) manga is getting a television anime adaptation that will debut in 2026. Yuki Ogawa (Ōya-san wa Shishunki!, Mieruko-chan, Miru Tights) is directing the anime at Passione. Kenta Ihara...

Alice in Wonderland: Dive in Wonderland Film Review

This modernized film of Alice in Wonderland is pleasant in places, but it's too mediocre to justify a cinema release. ― Maybe you've had the experience of waking in the early morning, turning on the TV, hopping channels, and stumbling on a kids' fantasy cartoon that you've not seen before; not a TV episode but a stand-alone cartoon special or film. Honestly, it's not a great cartoon in terms of its s...