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You and I Are Polar Opposites Season 2 ‒ Episode 6
In a worse-written show, Azuma would be “fixing” Taira by getting him to learn how to love himself, but the only fix he really needs is escaping the orbit of his own brain.
This Week in Anime - The Unexpected Journey of Kenji Kamiyama
Director Kenji Kamiyama has worked on some of fiction's most storied franchises, from The Lord of the Rings to Star Wars to Blade Runner to Ghost in the Shell. Soon, he'll add Gundam to his list.
― Director Kenji Kamiyama has worked on some of fiction's most storied franchises, from The Lord of the Rings to Star Wars to Blade Runner to Ghost in the Shell. Soon, he'll add Gundam to his list. RetroCru...
Jaadugar: A Witch in Mongolia ‒ Episodes 5-7
The audience will have to decide for themselves where the pieces fall on the moral spectrum and if anyone can wholly be a hero in a time like this.
Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War - The Calamity ‒ Episode 3
What is the quintessential battle shonen protagonist if not single-minded?
Goodbye, Lara ‒ Episode 6
Goodbye, Lara asks whether the pain is worth the price.
KAIJU GIRL CARAMELISE ‒ Episodes 5-6
While Raimu's kaiju side can't fully escape its fraught history, the series still finds affecting and effective ways for her to proselytize about the power of makeup.
Sparks of Tomorrow ‒ Episode 6
It only took six episodes, but Sparks of Tomorrow is finally charged up and putting out a decent wattage!
The 100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really, Really Love You Season 3 ‒ Episode 30
The intense struggles of assisting original series manga artist Yukiko Nozawa are more outlandish than anything Rentaro goes through with Momiji.
Though I Am an Inept Villainess ‒ Episode 5
Lady Macbeth said it best: “look like th’ innocent flower,/But be the serpent under’t.”
Ascendance of a Bookworm Part 3: Adopted Daughter of an Archduke ‒ Episodes 16-17
It's not like I was expecting Rosemyne and Wilfried to throw a raging house party now that their parents aren't home.
Magical Sisters Lulutto Lilly Episodes 1-12 Anime Series Review
Magical girl fans owe it to themselves to watch Magical Sisters Lulutto Lilly; here's why.
― It's been two decades since Studio Pierrot last released a magical girl series. The studio made its mark on the genre in the 1980s with Creamy Mami, Magical Emi the Magic Star, Magical Fairy Persia, and Magical Idol Pastel Yumi before taking a break for roughly ten years, returning in the 90s with Fancy Lala....
Smoking Behind the Supermarket with You ‒ Episode 5
In an age where loud voices are quick to equate “age gap relationship” to “bad and exploitative,” I appreciate a more holistic and thoughtful depiction of this kind of relationship and the joy it can bring the people in it.
Draw This, Then Die! ‒ Episode 6
It's finally Comitia time, and with that comes one specific disappointment.
The Elusive Samurai Season 2 ‒ Episode 4
This is an iron-clad rule that applies to literally all stories told across every medium humanity has yet conceived: Everything is better when you add a bunch of goofy puppets.
Young Ladies Don't Play Fighting Games ‒ Episode 5
This isn’t the first time we’ve seen a biting sadness underpinning otherwise funny or exciting scenes in this series.
Chainsmoker Cat ‒ Episode 6
What the hell, man? Chainsmoker Cat is supposed to make me cackle with lewd innuendos and crass fart jokes, and here I am shedding real human tears over the melancholy lives of these cartoon catgirls.
Tomb Raider King ‒ Episode 5
Joo-Heon actually had to go back and list the dozen or so relics he had already acquired, and I had to play it twice to make sure I caught them all.
Your Anime Rankings - Best of Summer 2026, Jul 29-Aug 4
The top of the chart isn't moving much, but after starting near the bottom, Dara-san of Reiwa and Chainsmoker Cat are making impressive weekly gains! Find out where your favorites rank this week!
― Let's have a look at what ANN readers consider the best (and worst) of the season,
based on the polls you can find in our Daily Streaming Reviews
and on the Your Score page with the latest simulcasts. Kee...
Star Ocean: The Second Story R Game Review
I cannot blame people for being twice-shy about Star Ocean, because I was for a long time. Keyword: was.
― I've had a problem with the Star Ocean series, going back a long time: for a series so steeped in science fiction, the games nevertheless take place on typical medieval worlds. At their worst, they feel like bog-standard RPGs with science fiction window dressing. Having played through Star Ocean...
This Week in Games - After-Dark Edition
We're doing something a little different this week! Instead of recounting the bigger news regarding Japanese games this past week, we'll be discussing a particular theme: Japanese erotic games, better known as eroge!
― Welcome back, folks! We're doing something a little different this week! Instead of recounting the bigger news regarding Japanese games this past week, we'll be discussing a particular...
Summer 2026 Manga Guide After Dark (18+)
Welcome to the steamy side of ANN's Spring Manga Guide.
― Welcome to the steamy side of ANN's Spring Manga Guide. All of these titles are for readers 18 and older, from spicy to something a bit more, and featuring a range of tropes, groupings, and fetishes. Come find your next adult read - there's plenty to choose from. June If I Let Her Ruin My Life Erica Friedman, Lucas DeRuyterBolts Bride of the ...
Studio MAPPA On How Dorohedoro Season Two Came To Be
During our chat, they revealed their favorite moments from the season, their hopes for future adaptations, how they strove to maintain a healthy production schedule, and their stance on AI in animation.
―
To say the wait between Dorohedoro's first and second seasons was rough on fans would be an understatement. For years, fans worried that MAPPA's gloriously gory adaptation of Q Hayashida's manga ha...
Though I Am an Inept Villainess ‒ Episode 4
Reirin is refusing to play the game, while Keigetsu is playing to win.
Semantic Error Volume 2 Novel Review
Semantic Error still isn't going to be a story for everyone, even if you're a fan of queer romance fiction.
― Semantic Error is, understandably, something of a hard read for some people. The first novel features the romantic interest embarking on an all-out harassment campaign based on the fact that he's unaware (or unable to understand) that Sangwoo is neurodivergent. While the novel does a better j...
Thunder 3 ‒ Episode 5
Once again, all I want is for the funny little cartoon people to smash the evil aliens to pieces. Is that too much to ask for?
I Want to Love You Till Your Dying Day ‒ Episode 5
People need to die to keep a war going, and there isn't a solution to the problem so much as there are just ways of mitigating the damages.
Saga of Tanya the Evil II ‒ Episode 5
The most competent—those who can see the situation without bias and are willing to speak truth to power—are being removed from positions of power. This, of course, includes Zettour.
Clevatess Season 2 ‒ Episode 5
She already managed to figure out the perks of being an undead abomination; you can bet that our heroine will find out how to make the most of being a cute little rat monster with a giant tail.
Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War - The Calamity ‒ Episode 2
This show’s production value has given it every opportunity to really zhush up anything it wants, and this is maybe the first time that it just hasn’t been able to do that.
I Made Friends with the Second Prettiest Girl in My Class Anime Series Review
I Made Friends with the Second Prettiest Girl in My Class goes in the pile of romance anime that remind me why I love this genre so much.
― On paper, this show doesn't have anything going for it. It looks as basic as they come: a young, socially awkward man eventually gets together with one of the more popular girls in his class. The title almost seems like a misleading gimmick, considering that even...
Ghost in the Shell ‒ Episode 5
I’d love an up-to-date anime version of Dominion from Science SARU, by the way, just sayin’. Hint. Hint.
Red River ‒ Episode 5
At this point, I’d honestly suggest dropping this and reading the manga instead.
Star Wars: Visions Presents - The Ninth Jedi Anime Series Review
The Ninth Jedi is one of those anime I enjoyed watching in the moment and have become more enraptured with the more I think about.
― First and foremost, The Ninth Jedi feels like Star Wars. Much of this is in how the story is told. While each episode is an individual story, the overarching series follows the classic Star Wars trilogy structure. The two Star Wars: Visions episodes make up the opening ...
Iron Wok Jan! ‒ Episode 5
Iron Wok Jan is the kind of series where the culinary arts are so extreme that their very depiction requires the production team to break the fourth wall and explain themselves.
The 100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really, Really Love You Season 3 ‒ Episode 29
Matching Yasashiki up with Kusuri and the other fun-size friends is naturally a great idea just for visual gag purposes, and I hope it's the sort of thing that continues.
DIGIMON BEATBREAK Episodes 25-37 Anime Series Review
While there are great individual episodes here, the awkward execution of its larger plot leaves this arc falling just a little short of being the whole sum of its parts.
― With the first arc of Digimon Beatbreak doing a good job of setting up the show's foundations through its episodic format, and the second digging a little deeper into the darker sides of its setting through a more tightly focused p...
One Piece (2026-) ‒ Episode 1172
I’d say a solid four minutes of the runtime is just this one attack, but man, it really does sell the idea that you’re watching the end of the world.
Goodbye, Lara ‒ Episode 5
This is Lara's walking on knives moment.
The World Is Dancing ‒ Episode 6
The truth is, Oniyasha is not a dancer. He is simply filled with an overwhelming love for the stories of the earth and the people who toil in it, and dance is the only way to exorcise those stories from his soul.
Welcome to Demon School, Iruma-kun Season 4 ‒ Episode 18
It’s rare to see Clara have a serious moment, albeit for a Clara-value of “serious.”
Beast of Reincarnation Game Review
While Beast of Reincarnation doesn't quite reach the heights of its truly brilliant inspirations, it still accomplishes more than enough to prove itself as a genuinely excellent game in its own right.
― NieR: Automata is a top contender for my favorite video game of all time, so I am of two minds when I see some of these more recent games that are so clearly inspired and influenced by it. On the one ...
Sparks of Tomorrow ‒ Episode 5
Sparks of Tomorrow doesn’t recognize what actually makes its characters interesting or trust its own premise to be appealing, and is rapidly becoming a slog to watch week after week.
Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation III ‒ Episode 6
This episode is all about the feelings behind why Rudeus has a panty shrine in his hidden basement that he is unable to let go of.
You and I Are Polar Opposites Season 2 ‒ Episode 5
Although I wouldn't have been too upset with some light Valentine's Day fluff, getting some actual progress with Yamada and Nishi turns what could have been a much simpler episode into a nice little milestone.
Echoes of Aincrad: Sword Art Online Game Review
At the end of the day, while Echoes of Aincrad was an easy game for me to play and enjoy, it is a difficult product to recommend without including some major caveats.
― I have to admit that I have maybe been too hard on Sword Art Online. In the 2010s, I was still finishing up college; I had only just recently gotten back into anime, and fancied myself quite the S.A.O. hater. Back then, it was easy to...
Daemons of the Shadow Realm ‒ Episode 17
I really enjoy it when powerhouse authors like Hiromu Arakawa flex their storytelling skills by setting up plot twists early on—long before we even come to know the rules of the world that support said twist.
Draw This, Then Die! ‒ Episode 5
I would be lying if I said that the manga that Fujimori drew to express herself wasn't incredibly sweet.
The Elusive Samurai Season 2 ‒ Episode 3
The best comparison that my broken brain can conjure up is this: Watching The Elusive Samurai is basically the modern anime equivalent of catching an episode of The Muppet Show back in its heyday.
Summer 2026 K-Comics Guide
Get ready to vertical scroll your way to good reading with the Summer K-Comics Guide! We've got a mix of genres to give you something to do when it's too hot out to even think about going outside.
― Welcome to Anime News Network's Summer 2026 K-Comics Guide, the companion to our manga guide! Every included manhwa was published in June or July or is an upcoming August release, although some are ongoi...
I Want to Love You Till Your Dying Day ‒ Episode 4
The fact that there is a forbidden spell that can be used to bring somebody back to life and that doing so seems to make them immortal by default feels like too easy an answer to just casually get revealed in a class the next day.
Eren the Southpaw Anime Series Review
There’s a difference between “being real” with your audience and calling a rant your motivational speech.
― If there's one type of story I'm quite fond of, it's stories about other artists. From Look Back to Blue Period, they often serve as a window into the creative's mind. If “write what you know” is practically law, this is just taking that literally. And while that could come off snobby, recent t...
Your Anime Rankings - Best of Summer 2026, Jul 1-28
We start off the Summer season with Jaadugar taking the lead and Tanya the Evil not too far behind. Find out what else is worth your attention in our weekly user rankings.
― Let's have a look at what ANN readers consider the best (and worst) of the season,
based on the polls you can find in our Daily Streaming Reviews
and on the Your Score page with the latest simulcasts. Keep in mind that these ran...
Star Detective Precure! Episodes 13-25 Anime Review
While the main plot of this cour is largely wrapped up in finding Cure Éclair, it also has time to discuss the role of partners and friends.
― Did you figure out who Cure Éclair is before the reveal in episode twenty-five? Whether you did or not, there's no denying that the publicized hunt for her identity was a very smart marketing move on the part of Toei. It recognized that for many mystery fans –...
Summer 2026 Manga Guide
The Summer Manga Guide is complete! In our final update, we have the source manga for Clevatess, a new Elden Ring series, and the heartbreaking post-war manga On Their Frontlines, among others.
― Welcome to Anime News Network's Summer 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 be...
Tomb Raider King ‒ SERIES PREMIERE
I'm not sure who this is supposed to appeal to, but I know it ain't me.
Young Ladies Don't Play Fighting Games ‒ SERIES PREMIERE
These girls would fit in very well in the Melty Blood scene, with how good they’ve gotten at making tournaments happen even in the unlikeliest places.
Botan Kamiina Fully Blossoms When Drunk Anime Series Review
More than just alcohol, this anime indulges in a cinematic style that makes for an absolutely sublime watch.
― On paper, Botan Kamiina Fully Blossoms When Drunk sounds like a very tired concept: another round of cute girls going to tourist destinations together, with globs of yuri mixed in for some additional flavoring. And let's 80 proof it by making alcohol a gimmick here. In the wrong hands, this ...
This Week in Games - Final Fantasy XIV: Evercold's New Stuff Is Pretty Cool
Updates! Updates for everyone - as long as "everyone" is FFXIV and Xenoblade 2, at least.
― Welcome back, folks! Like many people, I've been keeping my ears open regarding the new Project R.E.D. series, Kakusei Hunter Omegahorn. It's very unique as a tokusatsu series; our protagonist summons giant kaiju to fight each other, while summoning other kaiju (and his spaceship) to serve as extra weapons. It...
Smoking Behind the Supermarket with You ‒ Episode 4
I’m coming to Supermarket Smoking week after week for moments that make me blush and gags that make me smile, and this latest episode delivers both in spades!
Chainsmoker Cat ‒ Episode 5
Can anyone think of a more wholesome way to cap off an episode than by having a terrified bungee-jumping streamer squirt out a cat-piss rainbow to color the sky with those vibrant ammonia hues?
Love Unseen Beneath the Clear Night Sky Light Novel Review
A blind woman lives life to the fullest with the help of the people around her.
― Love Unseen Beneath The Radiant Night Sky is a slice-of-life story about a blind woman who is surrounded by people who love her enough to make her world sparkle. I, jaded reader that I am, kept waiting for a boot to drop, a conflict to arise, a tragedy to occur. It quickly becomes clear that the tragedy has occurred bef...
Thunder 3 ‒ Episode 4
So far, this adaptation has ruined the visuals and looks likely to fail in every other regard too.
Saga of Tanya the Evil II ‒ Episode 4
In a very real way, as she lacks an innate moral compass to guide her, Tanya is only as evil as the world we've built allows her to be.
This Week in Anime - I Ain't Afraid of No Ghosts
Will the real Ghost in the Shell please stand up?
― Will the real Ghost in the Shell please stand up? Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by the participants in this chatlog are not the views of Anime News Network. Amazon streams The Ghost in the Shell (2026). Tubi streams Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex. Netflix streams Ghost in the Shell SAC 2045 and One Piece live-action. Crunchy...
Clevatess Season 2 ‒ Episode 4
While our heroine has been forced into pretty dire circumstances, this will all clearly be worthwhile if it means getting a canon confirmation of Alicia's adorable fursona.
Red River ‒ Episode 4
There’s some value in understanding how the march of time and increased knowledge changes the way popular culture portrays relationships. But Red River is barely making any effort at all beyond “he kissed her forcefully, it must be love.”
Kill Blue Anime Series Review
What starts as promising, explosive fun fizzles out very quickly due to smudgy art, lackluster action, and stretched-out middle school hijinks that amount to nothing.
― Although I wasn't in love with it, I'll admit that Kill Blue's opening five-volume suite still made for an enjoyable read. Throwing in middle school sports with a hitman story made for an awkward clash at times, but what else could ha...
Ghost in the Shell ‒ Episode 4
It’s a dark as hell episode, at least conceptually, and little moments like these really help brighten the existential gloom.
Light and Ryuk Sing in Death Note: The Musical
ANN sat down with the stars of Death Note: The Musical to talk about their experiences with the show, the story, and Ryuk's makeup.
― On July 30, Death Note: The Musical comes to the stage at London's Barbican Centre, due to run for 50 performances until September 12. In the last days before curtains up, I could interview two of the main performers. Xander Pang plays Light Yagami, the student who's g...
Though I Am an Inept Villainess ‒ SERIES PREMIERE
Reirin is such a Disney princess; she’d make Cinderella blush at her own pessimism.
Blue Reflection Quartet Game Review
Both upgraded versions of Blue Reflection and Blue Reflection: Second Light themselves are worth getting Blue Reflection Quartet for.
― The first Blue Reflection game follows a young girl named Hinako Shirai. After suffering from a leg injury, she's forced to quit dancing, but two magical girls named Yuzu and Lime give her powers, making her a “Reflector.” Hinako then travels to an otherworldly area ...
Witch Hat Atelier Volumes 9-14 Manga Review
From the moment the Brimmed Cap gave Coco the spellbook and wand, Witch Hat Atelier has been about who is allowed to learn and what they’re allowed to do with that knowledge.
― Any soul out there who tries to restrict the things you learn is only doing it to keep you square under their thumb. Thus, in one sentence, a character in volume twelve of Kamome Shirahama's superb Witch Hat Atelier sums up th...
One Piece (2026-) ‒ Episode 1171
Dinner ain’t ready, but the pot is about to bubble over.
This Week in Anime - Playing Chess With a Dog
Sylvia and Coop resurrect a meme to delve into the most important question about Goodbye, Lara.
― Sylvia and Coop resurrect a meme to delve into the most important question about Goodbye, Lara. 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. Crunchyroll streams Mobile Suit Gundam: The Wit...
The World Is Dancing ‒ Episode 5
There is no rival in this universe that will inspire more terror and tension than a pissed-off theater kid.
Summer 2026 Manga Guide
How does the anime stack up to the original manga for Draw This, Then Die? Come find out as the Summer Manga Guide continues!
― Welcome to Anime News Network's Summer 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 for manga is tri...
Iron Wok Jan! ‒ Episode 4
Akiyama Jan is a culinary mastermind, ten steps ahead and three char-broiled layers deep in his planning.
Goodbye, Lara ‒ Episode 4
When Himeka sees Ouji with another girl, she knows the pain of Andersen’s mermaid dancing at her love’s wedding. When Lara observes it, she relives the moment when her prince rejected her for being different, for being a mermaid rather than a human.
Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War - The Calamity ‒ SEASON PREMIERE
This was as fun a way as ever to kick off the final part of this all-timer of a battle shonen series.
Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation III ‒ Episode 5
Rudeus has really forced this whole polycule situation upon Roxy and Sylphie—and you've got to feel for the half-elf girl especially.
The 100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really, Really Love You Season 3 ‒ Episode 28
Idols aren't anything without someone to idolize them, and these girlfriends have a hugely unproblematic fan in their boyfriend.
Daemons of the Shadow Realm ‒ Episode 16
Hayato and Asuma want to make Yuru a willing collaborator. The problem is, they don't have anything he wants.
You and I Are Polar Opposites Season 2 ‒ Episode 4
Since Taira and Azuma's dynamic is almost always played for drama, it's a welcome change of pace to see them bouncing around with the same cartoony expressions as our main couple
Gals Can't Be Kind to Otaku!? Anime Series Review
This show might be the strongest example of a romantic comedy where I think the best ending would be for there to be a throuple.
― I know everyone is going to look at both the title and poster for this show thinking, “oh great, another wish fulfillment fantasy where a shy introverted guy ends up getting romantically involved with the gorgeous outgoing girls in his class.” I know that's exactly how th...
Sparks of Tomorrow ‒ Episode 4
Sparks of Tomorrow is rapidly becoming the most frustrating anime I’m watching this season, and I really hope the borderline harmful ideas it's elevating are accidental rather than intentional.
Draw This, Then Die! ‒ Episode 4
The manga breakdown was very informative, and the new character dynamics seem fun, but hopefully the show doesn't try to keep up this pace all the way until the end because it is noticeably jarring.
Ascendance of a Bookworm Part 3: Adopted Daughter of an Archduke ‒ Episode 15
A giant toad swallowing Brigitte and Rosemyne whole is more of a minor inconvenience (to say nothing of, I'm sure, appreciable for some choice members of the audience).
This Week in Mobile Games - Once More Unto the Bleach, My Friends
Josh takes a look at the closed beta of Mirror High, the new Bleach mobile game!
― Hello, and welcome once again to the latest column. Amidst the many and varied anniversaries, summer showdowns, and big-time limited-time events going on right now, I've been at something of a loss as to what to put my finite focus on besides work-related stuff. Luckily, sometimes an opportunity comes up that lets me c...
KAIJU GIRL CARAMELISE ‒ Episode 4
If you liked gyaru Misato, then get ready for scene Kaji.
Welcome to Demon School, Iruma-kun Season 4 ‒ Episode 17
Iruma’s two most obvious rivals for the throne aren’t small potatoes, even without the family angle.
Though I Am an Inept Villainess Volumes 1-10 Light Novel Review
Abused and despised, one Maiden plots to take over the life of the Prince’s favorite, only to find that “the grass is greener on the other side of the fence” can have deadly consequences for them both.
― Let's start with the content warning: If you are chronically ill and/or disabled, you may find these novels way too real, despite the magic and silliness. Depictions of chronic illness and the emotio...
Disgaea Mayhem Game Review
The real Achilles' heel of this title is the lack of a true party dynamic.
― Disgaea Mayhem manages to bring the Disgaea formula into the action RPG format successfully, but by the slimmest margin and missing many of the key features that make Disgaea soar. For background's sake, I'm a long-time Disgaea enjoyer. Not to age myself too much, but I bought a physical copy of the first Disgaea on PS2 from...
The Summer 2026 Anime Preview Guide
The Preview Guide's not done yet - check out the second episode of The Elusive Samurai!
― Welcome to Anime News Network's Summer 2026 Anime Preview Guide! Here's how it goes: our team of critics writes up their impressions instantly, to be posted here as they go along. Each critic will cover as many shows as they can handle, giving you alternate takes on almost every show. The guide is ongoing, orga...
The Elusive Samurai Season 2 ‒ Episode 2
That right there is the last known lithograph of a kid who just got fatally struck by the ten-ton semi-truck of puberty.
You're Way Too Cheeky, Chigaya-kun! Volume 1 Manga Review
It may not be an innovative shoujo romance, but it is a very nice one, comfortable like a peanut butter sandwich.
― Romance, particularly YA romance, which encompasses shoujo manga, has a reputation for being formulaic. We all know the basics: ordinary girl, extraordinary boy, he's awful to her, she eventually falls for him. Sometimes there's an element of one of them “saving” the other, often becaus...
Chainsmoker Cat ‒ Episode 4
Somehow, seeing that reference banana get slapped all over Yani’s cheeks feels dirtier than whatever Tatsuro is actually going to include in her next hentai.
For all articles, see the archives