Sunday, April 30, 2023

Studio Ghibli: An Industrial History

Concerned about the "mythologization" growing up around Ghibli British academic Rayna Denison offers several alternative perspectives on the acclaimed anime studio and spotlights its less-touted but still wildly talented staff.

source https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/review/studio-ghibli/an-industrial-history/non-fiction-book/.197405

Birdie Wing -Golf Girls' Story- ‒ Episode 17

The true brilliance of Birdie Wing's story shines in its revolutionary realization that all narrative gaps and roadblocks can be solved by the golf mafia. I'm not kidding.

source https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/review/birdie-wing-golf-girls-story/episode-17/.197639

Saturday, April 29, 2023

Soaring Sky! Pretty Cure Episodes 1-12

Its unusually inclusive official line-up makes Soaring Sky one of the most affirming magical girl series of recent years, as it speaks to the genre's promise that anyone can transform if given the chance.

source https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/review/soaring-sky-pretty-cure/episodes-1/.197431

Mashle: Magic and Muscles ‒ Episode 4

This is an episode that proved that Mashle can do stuff with its satirical elements apart from base dunking, so hopefully, it can parlay that into even more complex plots and character interactions.

source https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/review/mashle-magic-and-muscles/episode-4/.197615

Dr. Stone: New World ‒ Episode 4

With its lack of connection to the humanity behind our characters, it's the first episode of Dr. Stone in a long time that feels more like busy work than anything else. Hopefully, now that all of this is out of the way, we can finally get started on our journey to the titular “new world.”

source https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/review/dr-stone-new-world/episode-4/.197584

The Spring 2023 Light Novel Guide

Find your next page-turner in our light novel guide! Go back to the beginning with Sasaki and Miyano: First Years, or find out what happens when Only the Villainous Lord Wields the Power to Level Up!

source https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/seasonal/2023/spring/.197452

Life GN 1

Two decades after its initial release, Life presents a viciously recognizable picture of the social hellscape that middle and high school can be.

source https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/review/life/gn-1/.196219

Netflix Streams Yakitori: Soldiers of Misfortune Anime on May 18

Netflix revealed that it will stream Yakitori: Soldiers of Misfortune, an anime adaptation of author Carlo Zen and illustrator so-bin's Yakitori science-fiction...

source https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/daily-briefs/2023-04-27/netflix-streams-yakitori-soldiers-of-misfortune-anime-on-may-18/.197553

Charade Maniacs Visual Novel Launches in West on June 27

Idea Factory International announced on Wednesday that it will release the Charade Maniacs otome visual novel physically and digitally for Nintendo Switch...

source https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/daily-briefs/2023-04-26/charade-maniacs-visual-novel-launches-in-west-on-june-27/.197507

Does Gunbuster Hold Up Today?

Now available on Blu-ray from Discotek, AJ dives into Hideaki Anno's anime directorial debut to see if the show stands on its own beyond its historical status.

source https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/feature/2023-04-26/does-gunbuster-hold-up-today/.189282

Sunday, April 23, 2023

Magical Destroyers ‒ Episodes 1-3

Magical Destroyers contains the same devil-may-care energy and manic self-indulgence that some of my favorite anime comedies have possessed, and that's what made the premiere such a treat to behold.

source https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/review/magical-destroyers/episodes-1-3/.197381

Birdie Wing -Golf Girls' Story- ‒ Episodes 14-16

Since we're about two-thirds of the way through the series now, we're approaching the logical lowest point for these characters. This is where we'd expect to see the most friction between Aoi and Eve.

source https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/review/birdie-wing-golf-girls-story/episodes-14-16/.197361

Love's in Sight! GN 1

This fluffy little romance about a blind girl and a former delinquent is replete with very solid messaging about how everyone deserves to be treated with respect.

source https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/review/love-in-sight/gn-1/.195850

Guardian of Fukushima GN

Relaying both hope and hopelessness in the face of disaster, Guardian of Fukushima is a stark telling of one man's unyielding will to save the animals left behind.

source https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/review/guardian-of-fukushima/gn/.196355

Vinland Saga Season 2 ‒ Episode 15

What Thorfinn wants is something truly radical: a world wherein the reasons to do any harm to another human being are simply never allowed to take root in the first place.

source https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/review/vinland-saga-season-2/episode-15/.197263

This Week in Anime - The Best OPs and EDs This Season

Our columnists share their favorite new OPs and EDs this season, from Magical Destroyers to G-Witch season 2. Which themes tickled your fancy?

source https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/this-week-in-anime/2023-04-20/.197268

Wednesday, April 19, 2023

Dead Mount Death Play ‒ Episodes 1-2

With the first episode's twist out of the way, episode two focuses on murderer Misaki and whether the audience can still sympathize with her.

source https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/review/dead-mount-death-play/episodes-1-2/.197233

Technoroid Overmind

Technoroid Overmind is not bad by any stretch of the imagination. The elements are all there for something great, yet the series cannot seem to settle on what it wants to do in the admittedly short window of only twelve episodes.

source https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/review/technoroid-overmind/.196935

Mamoru Nagano Speaks About His Theater-Exclusive Anime Gothicmade

Never shown outside of theaters on its director's orders, the 70-minute film has achieved a cult-like status among fans of The Five Star Stories manga series.

source https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/feature/2023-04-19/mamoru-nagano-speaks-about-his-theater-exclusive-anime-gothicmade/.196711

Jack Jeanne Game Launches in English on June 15

Aksys Games revealed on Tuesday that it will release Jack Jeanne game, Broccoli's collaboration project with Tokyo Ghoul manga creator Sui Ishida, in English...

source https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2023-04-18/jack-jeanne-game-launches-in-english-on-june-15/.197217

This Week in Anime - Has the Isekai Genre Given Up?

Nick and Steve wade through the latest season of isekai, reverse-isekai, and reverse-reverse-isekai and come to a startling revelation: we've truly reached the bottom of the barrel.

source https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/this-week-in-anime/2023-04-18/.197192

Makoto Shinkai Talks Suzume and the Earthquake that Inspired It

The acclaimed anime director discusses the impact of the Great East Japan Earthquake on his latest work and what sort of stories he's considering for the future.

source https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/interview/2023-04-15/makoto-shinkai-talks-suzume-and-the-earthquake-that-inspired-it/.196791

This Week in Anime - Why You Should Watch the Kaguya-sama Movie

Steve and Chris tune in to The First Kiss That Never Ends and discuss the painfully relatable moments of teen love and the masks we all wear in our lives.

source https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/this-week-in-anime/2023-04-13/.197011

Wednesday, April 12, 2023

Blue Giant

Blue Giant is one of those films you'll either fall in love with or be bored to tears by, and much of that hinges on your appreciation for jazz music.

source https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/review/blue-giant/.196580

Katsuhiro Otomo's Domu Pilot: An Unnerving Movie Adaptation That Could Have Been

Domu remains a cursed affair: forgotten in the shadow of Otomo's more famous creation and repeatedly stumbling in attempts to bring it to a broader audience. It remains a story reserved for the select few who seek it out.

source https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/feature/2023-04-12/katsuhiro-otomo-domu-pilot-an-unnerving-movie-adaptation-that-could-have-been/.196547

Sunday, April 9, 2023

Anime Boston Cosplay Gallery

It's a cosplay-palooza at Anime Boston. Everyone showed up, from Tumblr's Sexiest Man (runner-up) to OG Jet Black from Cowboy Bebop!

source https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/convention/2023/anime-boston-cosplay-gallery/.196905

The First Slam Dunk

The First Slam Dunk is everything a megafan of the franchise could dream of. Those who can't name the Shōhoku High School starting lineup by heart may leave the theater quietly satisfied while wondering what all the fuss was about.

source https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/review/the-first-slam-dunk/.196551

Saturday, April 8, 2023

Melon Journey: Bittersweet Memories

Melon Journey: Bittersweet Memories is a bit deceptive in its title. What we actually get is, for lack of a better phrase, weirder than that. Melon Journey is far more irreverent and yet bizarrely touching, all at once.

source https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/review/game/melon-journey-bittersweet-memories/.196727

Friday, April 7, 2023

Hands on With April Fools' Game Fate/Grail League

A testament to the existence of the annual Fate/Grand Order April Fools' game, which was only playable for one day. Play baseball with your favorite Servants!

source https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/feature/2023-04-07/hands-on-with-april-fools-game-fate-grail-league/.196761

Tista GN 1

From the creator of SpyxFamily comes a difficult story, replete with themes of what we owe those who "save" us and just how much power any one person (or organization) should have.

source https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/review/tista/gn-1/.195280