News

The anime industry lost a long-treasured gem as Ryou Kouno, a talented art director, passed away recently. Kouno has been in the anime industry for decades and has made significant contributions during her career. News of her passing away has been received by fans with grieving hearts.

She was a part of popular works likeMob Psycho 100,DevilmanCrybaby,Perfect Blue,and many more. Her easy adaptability to such widely different art styles made her a favorite in her field.

Talented Art Director Ryou Kouno Passes AwayMob Psycho 100| Credit: Studio Bones

Ryou Kouno, a popular background artist and art director in the anime industry, passed away on October 23, 2024. News of her death was publicly revealed two days later, on October 26, by her nephew via Twitter. Her nephew also reported that she passed away due to suspected gastrointestinal bleeding.

Fans of the artist have commented their condolences under the post,...

Shinichiro Watanabe’s hold on his craft is impeccable; he could easily be an anime character himself, someone who is sought out by others to achieve mastery of something. He always manages to carry his defining factors into his subsequent works while experimenting with new things and genres. Some of his notable works includeCowboy Bebop,Space Dandy,Terror in ResonanceSamurai Champloo,andKids on the Slope.

Terror in Resonance| Credits: Studio Mappa

While most of his works are highly regarded by fans,Terror in Resonancehas some evident flaws. Even with its shortcomings, the anime excels throughWatanabe’s direction and the memorable musical score byYoko Kanno.In an interview, Watanabe spoke at length about his inspiration behind these two striking aspects ofTerror in Resonance.

It All Circles Back to Music for Watanabe, and So Was the Case with Terror in Resonance Twelve and Lisa | Credits:...

Ethan Bortnickbegan touring the world as a performer when he was only 10 years old. Through the years his musical tastes have changed, and with it, so have his fans. But some things never change, like Bortnick bringing his family on tour with him... and his love for Gengar. Check out the interview below for more on this unique artist. Thanks for joining us for this interview! Could you introduce yourself to Crunchyroll News readers? Ethan Bortnick: Thank you for having me! I’m Ethan, I’m a classically trained musician that is now an artist/singer-songwriter. I started in music when I was 3, I learned how to play the piano through perfect pitch and started learning Mozart pieces by ear. Eventually learned how to sing and taught myself all kinds of genres which led to my love of performing. When I was 10 I started to tour a lot and...

Shingo Matsamura's gripping drama “The Lump In My Heart” about a student who is challenged by a life-changing diagnosis is based on a script adapted fromYokoyama Takuya's eponymous stage play, and penned byTakahashi Izumi,producer/ director/ writer who has proved his writing versatility with contributions to genre and dramas alike.

The Lump In My Heart is screening at Japan Foundation Touring Film Programme

When Chinatsu (Yoshida Mizuki) runs into her chidlhood friend and teenage crushKohki(Okudaira Daiken) at the university campus, she becomes obsessed with something he had said to her a long time ago that made her aware of the male gaze. That particular remark made such an impact on her in the past, that she has developed a permanently complicated relationship to her body. When her breasts come to focus again many years later, due to a medical check-up she is required to do,...

Yuki Kodama's coming-of-age mangaKids on the Slopehas won fans over in many forms, from its 2012 anime adaptation to the live-action film released in 2018. Next month, the story will be presented in a new form: a night of staged readings and live jazz music.AnimaxReading Drama:Kids on the Slopewill unite 18 talents, who will take turns as the production's six lead cast members. Stepping into the roles will be: AsKaoru Nishimi:Junta Terashima(Shiki Ando inParadoxLive The Animation )Ryu Kiyama(Kakeru Shiwasu in the Tsukiuta stage plays)Tasuku Kaito(Meguru Bachira inBluelock)Gakuto Kajiwara(Astain BlackClover) AsSentaro Kawabuchi:Fumiya Imai(Hiiragi Kashima in given )Ryotaro Akazawa(Taichi Nanao in the A3! stage plays)Toshiki Masuda(Eijiro Kirishima inMy Hero Academia)Yoshiki Nakajima(Yo Uei inDr. Stone) As Ritsuko Mukae:Ibuki Kido(Megumi JinnoinEromanga Sensei...

Adult Swimhas given the green light to a new anime series fromShinichirō Watanabe,Lazarus.

The series will markWatanabe’s return to the sci-fi action genre with a globe-trotting thriller set in the near future.

The year is 2052 – an era of unprecedented peace and prosperity prevails across the globe. The reason for this: mankind has been freed from sickness and pain. Nobel Prize winning neuroscientist Dr.Skinnerhas developed a miracle cure-all drug with no apparent drawbacks called Hapuna. Hapuna soon becomes ubiquitous… and essential. However, soon after Hapuna is officially introduced, Dr. Skinner vanishes.

Three years later, the world has moved on. But Dr. Skinner has returned – this time, as a harbinger of doom. Skinner announces that Hapuna has a short half-life. Everyone who has taken it will die approximately three years later. Death is coming for this sinful world – and coming soon.

As a response to this threat,...

Adult Swimhas greenlit “Lazarus,”a new Toonami series from renowned anime directorShinichirō Watanabe,known for his work helming episodes of “Cowboy Bebop,”“Samurai Champloo”and “Kids on the Slope.”

Produced bySola Entertainmentand animated by Studio Mappa, “Lazarus”also recruits the contributions of “John Wick”series directorChad Stahelski,who designed several action sequences for the series, along with the musical talents of saxophonistKamasi Washington;producer, DJ and musician Floating Points; and producer, DJ and musicianBonobo.The trio will provide a jazz and electronic score for the project.

Watanabewill pull the curtain back on the series at the Adult Swim Festival in San Diego on Saturday at 5:15 p.m., as part of the Comic-Con event Toonami on the Green.

“Lazarus,”which is already in production, takes place in 2052. The series follows a Nobel Prize-winning neuroscientist that develops a drug called Hapuna — a cure-all...

The one anime series that I'm most excited about this spring is "Skip and Loafer." The source manga tells the tale of Mitsumi Iwakura, an ambitious teenage girl from the country who moves to Tokyo for high school. There she meets the easygoing Sosuke Shima, and the two of them slowly build a close-knit network of friends that includes local mean girl Mika Egashira, bookish Makoto Kurame, and independent-minded Yuzuki Murashige. Each of them is as different as can be, and yet despite bad early impressions, they find a common cause in each other. "Skip and Loafer" is too good-natured to be a "realistic" high school story. But it is successful at evoking the texture of adolescence in its banality, complexity, and sweetness.

"Skip and Loafer" is also the first anime in years to be directed and scripted by the greatKotomi Deai,who has now been active in the...

It was a good day for bothHirokazu Koreeda’s Palme d’Or winner “Shoplifters”as well asKazuya Shiraishi’s crime thriller “The Blood of Wolves”who both managed to clean up at the 42nd Japan Academy Awards.

For a second year running, a Koreeda film managed to win most awards on the night, with “Shoplifters” picking up a total of eight awards.

The other big winner of the night was “The Blood of Wolves”,which, despite fierce competition in most of the categories in won in fromShoplifters”and others, managed to pick up an impressive four awards, including two for its male leading duo. The other two films to get a look-in wereMamoru Hosoda’s “Mirai”and Shinichiru Ueda’s “One Cut of the Dead“.

Check out all the winners below:s

Best Film:Shoplifters(Hirokazu Koreeda)

Best Animated Film: Mirai (Mamoru Hosoda)

Best Director: Hirokazu Koreeda...

Sony PicturesHome Entertainment aims for gold with a sports anime that will melt your heart on the ice rink. Bring home the revolutionary fan favouriteYuri!!! On Ice, with the complete series available as a DVD and Blu-ray Combo Pack from September 24.

The series’ depiction of figure skating and the relationship of its lead characters earned acclaim from anime critics and sporting professionals alike, including three-time U.S. national champion and Lgbtq activistJohnny Weir.Yuri!!! OnIcealso won all seven categories it was nominated for inCrunchyroll’s inaugural 2016 The Anime Awards, including Best Couple and Anime of the Year.

Directed bySayo Yamamoto(Michiko & Hatchin) at the Japanese animation studioMappa(Kids on the Slope), Yuri!!! On Ice features choreography by former professional figure skaterKenji Miyamoto.

Toshiyuki Toyonaga(Durarara!!!) stars as Yuri Katsuki, alongside Junichi Suwabe (Fate/stay night: Unlimited Blade Works) as Victor Nikiforov.