There’s a new Shonen Jump manga series, and it is Ichi the Witch. The first chapter is available worldwide, and people can read it for free on MangaPlus and Viz Media’s sites.

Aside from the fact that this is a new Shonen Jump manga series, another reason this release is so notable is the writer behind Ichi the Witch. The author is Osamu Nishi. Previously, she created Welcome to Demon School! Iruma-kun. Shiro Usazaki is the artist behind it.

Ichi is a young man known for his hunting prowess who lives on Druid Mountain after being abandoned there as a child. He expresses his desire is to hunt and defeat an unknown entity he discovered also living there, concerned about it being a threat to the people in the nearby village. 

It turns out Ichi gets his chance to face it, as a number of the young women from the town heading out to the capital for a test. They end up catching that creature’s attention. It turns out that being is a Majik, with a witch Desscaras also dispatched there to investigate. Women who pass a Majik’s test can become witches. However, in the series’ world, it’s proven impossible for men to become witches. So, we see what happens when an extraordinary young man ends up in a life-changing situation and gains that kind of power.

Chapter 2 of Ichi the Witch will debut in Shonen Jump and on manga sites like MangaPlus and Viz on September 15, 2024.

The post Ichi the Witch Manga Debuts in Shonen Jump appeared first on Siliconera.

Netflix confirmed the streaming release dates of the anime movies Grave of the FIreflies and The Boy and the Heron. The former will show up first, as it is set to debut on the service on September 16, 2024. People need to wait a month for the new Studio Ghibli film, as it appears worldwide in countries that aren’t the US and Japan on October 7, 2024. 

Grave of the Fireflies is a classic anime movie set during and after the events of the Pacific War. In it, we witness how the lives of siblings Seita and Setsuko change after an attack on Kobe. It is known for its stark depiction of people’s lives during tragic moments. As its a classic film from 1988, it often bounces between streaming services.

Meanwhile, The Boy and the Heron debuted in July 2023 in Japan and is the latest Hayao Miyazaki movie. Like Grave of the Fireflies, it takes place during the Pacific War. A young man named Mahito while dealing with the death of his mother and his father’s remarriage to her sister, finds himself caught up in a supernatural adventure involving another world. 

The restrictions for the Studio Ghibli movie in the US are due to a prior agreement. If you are in that country, you can catch The Boy and the Heron streaming via other methods. For example, it is on the Max service as of 1:30pm ET on September 9, 2024. Other Studio Ghibli anime movies, such as Spirited Away, Howl’s Moving Castle, Princess Mononoke, My Neighbor Totoro, and Kiki’s Delivery Service are also there. 

Grave of the FIreflies will be on Netflix on September 16, 2024, and The Boy in the Heron will stream on the service in select regions worldwide on October 7, 2024.

The post Netflix Getting Grave of the Fireflies and The Boy and the Heron appeared first on Siliconera.

After a full decade of circulation, the My Hero Academia manga is finally over and done with. As we spend time reflecting on this wonderful series, it is also time to determine who is the best My Hero Academia character of all time. With so many iconic and beloved heroes (and villains), determining the overall best is a challenge.

But with the current Best Hero Poll happening, there is no better time to decide the best My Hero Academia character of all time. Based on our personal preferences, their character development, powers, and overall look, these are the heroes and villains alike that stood out the most to us during this incredible series’ run.

Siliconera Speaks Up: Best My Hero Academia Character

I like Katsuki Bakugo a lot, and I definitely think he's the best My Hero Academia character. We see a ton of character growth and development from him throughout the series. He grows as a hero and an individual, and we also see how his relationship with Deku changes over the years. He’s great! -- Jenni

Everyone has their personal favorites, but the best characters for me in My Hero Academia come down to a couple of options, starting with Shoto Todoroki. Todoroki is the quieter, more reflective, and overall more fascinating version of Deku and Bakugo. His struggles with family hit home for me and his dual powers is always fun. On the other hand, I find Mirio Togata to be also memorable and excellent. He is so overpowered but his story arc is one of the most unique in the series. In terms of best girl, I have to give that to my girl Himiko Toga. -- Cody

The My Hero Academia manga is now over and available fully to read on Viz Media and Manga Plus. The anime adaptation is streaming on Crunchyroll.

The post Who’s the Best My Hero Academia Character of All Time? appeared first on Siliconera.

Sometimes, the official description for a manga or anime doesn’t do the series justice. I’d say The Hachioji Specialty: Tengu’s Love is a manga where that especially apt, as the first volume’s summary don’t really capture what’s going on in the lives of its main characters. Because this series is more than it seems like. It isn’t just a love story between a human and a supernatural being. It’s also about the two growing as individuals, finding new freedoms through their relationship with each other, and coming to terms with traumas they might not know they have.

Editor’s Note: There will be minor spoilers for the first volume of The Hachioji Specialty: Tengu’s Love manga below.

Kotarou is an orphan. He’s returned to his grandfather’s home, where he spent time as a child, now that he’s grown up and found a job. However, now that he’s returned, he also gets flashes of memories from when he was lost in the woods. They’re of a woman with wings. It’s only after properly moving in that what was lost comes rushing back and he reunites with Hime, a tengu who found him and cared for him when he was little, alone, and scared.

However, there’s a catch to them reuniting. She tried to warn him back then and now. But because they met again under a certain tree, tradition dictates that the two of them marry. Her family and clan encourage this, given she’s the princess and leader of the group now.

It seems like a set up that is perfect for a romantic comedy! Except, not quite. Tomo Nanao instead goes a bit deeper by taking other elements into consideration. As a result, Kotarou and Hime feel like deeper and more realized characters in The Hachioji Specialty: Tengu’s Love manga. As I read, I found myself hoping that the two would recover from their troubled pasts and grow because of each other, rather than just get together as a couple.

In the case of Kotarou, it’s clear he’s dealing with trauma from being orphaned and alone. During moments both on his own and with Hime, Nanao conveys his loneliness and situation with the art. He’s clearly unaccustomed to the sudden company she provides. He’s recovering memories, happy ones, and shocked when people from the area remember him from his brief time there. I also felt like he was sometimes surprised by Hime’s care and enthusiasm. 

With Hime, we’re seeing a woman who is finally getting a chance at both freedom and doing things she only dreamed about. She always wanted to see what the human world was like. She craved chances to engage in experiences we take for granted. Because of the circumstances in her clan, she’s needed to carry a load and responsibilities for the sake of others and not do things for herself. Meeting Kotarou again isn’t just a chance to fulfill a promise the two shared. It’s an opportunity to make her dreams come, especially in a way that will allow her to be safe and not a spectacle due to being a tengu. 

Going through the first volume of The Hachioji Specialty: Tengu’s Love, it is pretty obvious to know what’s going to happen with the characters in the manga. The fact that there is this “promise” between Kotarou and Hime, as well as obvious attraction, makes it feel like a given. But I feel like the fun of it will come from the growth and recovery the two will get to experience as a result of the developing relationship.

Volume 1 of The Hachioji Specialty: Tengu’s Love is available via Yen Press, and volume 2 of the manga will appear on December 10, 2024. 

The post The Hachioji Specialty: Tengu’s Love Manga Prioritizes Character Development appeared first on Siliconera.

Back in June 2024, Yen Press announced that it would release manga based on the Dark Souls series called Dark Souls: Redemption. I’ll admit I ended up feeling a bit apprehensive when I heard about it, given it’s being written by Julien Blondel, an author who wasn’t involved with the games. However, I was delighted to see how true to the concepts from the game this new story feels. 

Editor’s Note: There will be some minor spoilers for the first volume of the Dark Souls: Redemption manga below.

The first moments of Dark Souls: Redemption are hauntingly familiar. A tomb. A body on a slab. The horrors of waking up alone, with no memories or sense of self, in a crypt. Venturing out to see absolutely nothing but desolation. If you didn’t know this involved an introduction to a manga, it might sound like the start of someone’s retelling of their personal Dark Souls playthrough. But here we are. Ira’s journey begins much like our own, which I think helps the story since we can see ourself in it.

It also helps that it is accompanied by some ominous hints at Dark Souls: Redemption’s lore. Rather than us immediately starting with Ira, we see Lord Gaalor and his knights growing alarmed at the sign of a flame revealing that “the Scourge” awoke and returned to the land. Seeing as how he and his Grey Cinders group immediately head to Ira to face her, it’s clear to the unfamiliar reader she’s tied to or the cause of it. The fact that it is also in the name of the dragons makes it more curious, propelling you forward for a taste of truth.

From there, the pacing is absolutely perfect. Much like the Dark Souls games, the manga gives us no quarter. We’re immediately thrust into danger and mystery. From the ghostly dog that seems friendly to Ira and the old ally Eudo who used to be tied to Gaalor, but pledged to protect her, to the new threats she faces from the Grey Cinders, a dragon, and her knowledge of the unknown, it’s absolutely captivating. Part of this is due to Shonen’s art perfectly capturing the ambiance, both with imposing warriors like Eudo and more unholy menaces like the first golem threatening Ira and Ar’vrark.

I would say that the fact that Dark Souls: Redemption keeps us so in the dark, gradually revealing more, helps the manga as well. My the end, we’re aware that Ira was a person of some importance. She did something which many consider unforgivable. However, one closest to her doesn’t see it that way and was so dedicated that they swore an oath that would physically hurt them to keep the secret. The place at which the first volume end results in Ira being posed as a very formidable warrior, even with her amnesia affecting her, and sets the story up to tell a tale like similar to the ones in FromSoftware’s works.

It feels like Dark Souls: Redemption could have all the elements to help ensure the manga feels right when compared to the FromSoftware games. The opening moments mimic the ones our avatars experience in Dark Souls. We start to see a story filled with concepts of betrayal, corruption, greed, and of course malice. There are daunting opponents, as well as the potential for morally grey decisions and plot beats. I’m excited to see what future volumes could bring and how elements like the Darksign and Hollowing come up throughout, as well as see the rest of Ira’s story.

The first volume of the Dark Souls: Redemption manga is available now via Yen Press, and there’s no word on a release window for the second installment yet.

The post Dark Souls: Redemption Manga Starts an Engaging, Original Story     appeared first on Siliconera.

Adult Swim has uploaded a new trailer for Uzumaki, focusing on the titular spirals cursing Kuruozu-cho. The show will start on September 28, 2024.

You can watch the official Uzumaki trailer here:

It’s shorter than the first trailer that appeared at the 2023 San Diego Comic Con, which gave a lot more information about the story. This new trailer focuses on how horrific the spirals that are infecting, killing, and driving insane the hapless citizens of Kurouzu-cho are. Main characters like Kirie and Shuichi appear in the trailer as well. If you’re in the States, then you can watch Uzumaki on Toonami and it’ll start streaming the next day on Max.

Uzumaki by Junji Ito originally ran from 1998 to 1999. Compilations of the manga have appeared since then from various publishers. The story follows Kurouzu-cho, which falls victim to a curse involving spirals. English critics have been very positive of it, and it even received a nomination for an Eisner Award in 2003. The Japanese have been very fond of the manga as well. Even in the 2020s, there are still pop-up shops, merchandise, and collaborations with the series.

Uzumaki will have its Japanese premiere from September 28, 2024 on Toonami.

The post New Uzumaki Trailer Focuses on Horrors of Spirals appeared first on Siliconera.

Hololive Vtuber released a new music video for “Go-Getters,” the ending theme song for the anime Suicide Squad: Isekai, and Wit Studio return for it. She also debuted her new “rock and roll” new outfit in a stream on September 5, 2024. 

The actual end credits for the Suicide Squad: Isekai anime featured the Calliope Mori song, but the Hololive Vtuber didn’t appear in it. Only the DC comics characters like Harley Quinn, Deadshot, Peacemaker, King Shark, Clayface, and Amanda Waller showed up in it. The new music video stars Calliope and Harley. It cuts back and forth to both perspectives as both interact, fight, and dance along with the track. 

Here’s the full “Go-Getters” Suicide Squad: Isekai music video featuring Calliope Mori.

In addition to Suicide Squad: Isekai, Wit Studio is known for anime series like Attack on Titan, Ranking of Kings, Spy x Family, and the recent show My Deer Friend Nokotan. The company also worked on the cutscenes for the recent Persona 3 Reload remake for Atlus, including for the upcoming Episode Aigis DLC expansion debuting in September 2024.

As for the new outfit, it features her in a rock star outfit with oversized coat she can remove, optional rabbit ears, and an optional guitar shaped like a scythe. At the 38 minute mark of the stream embedded below, we can start to see the reveal of her new look. She then goes on to show some of the additional options available with it.

The “Go-Getters” song is also available on Calliope Mori’s latest album Phantomime, which released in August 2024. The standard version and a bonus track one with Yoon appear on the CD.

The post Wit Studio Made Calliope Mori Anime MV for Suicide Squad: Isekai Song appeared first on Siliconera.

The release date for the new Part 3 of the Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War anime series has been decided. The new arc, titled The Conflict, will begin airing in Japan at 11pm JST (7am ET/10am PT) on October 5, 2024. [Thanks, ryokutya2089!]

According to leaker ryokutya2089, the new season of the anime series will premiere a month from now. Coincidentally, the release date for the new season falls on the same day that the original Bleach anime adaptation released in back in 2004 in Japan. Similarly, the first season of the Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War anime premiered in Japan on October 11, 2022.

As a reminder, a teaser trailer for the new anime arc of Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War appeared on July 8, 2024. It briefly showcased the opening and ending theme songs for the new season. Additionally, a key visual image featuring the main characters appeared alongside the teaser trailer.

The release date for the Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War Part 3: The Conflict falls on October 5, 2024 at 11pm JST. Parts 1 and 2 of the anime series are now available on Hulu in the United States and Disney+ worldwide. Viz Media handled the localization of the manga.

The post Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War Part 3 Release Date Falls in October appeared first on Siliconera.

Takara Tomy revealed via its official Zoids X account that it has opened pre-orders for the Spider-Zoids Synergenex action figures. The company will release the crossover toys featuring Zoids and Spider-Man in April 2025.

The new action figure will appear in two color variants. The first one will sport Spider-Man's regular red-and-blue palette, and the other will be mostly black. With a scale of 1/35, the Spider-Man figure will be around 50 mm (~1.97 inches) tall when he stands up by himself. Meanwhile, the Spider-Zoids will have an overall length of around 115 mm (~4.53 inches).

The company did not specify a website in its announcement tweet. However, pre-orders for the action figures are available on web stores like AmiAmi. Both the regular and black variants have the same MSRP of 4,400 yen (~$30.79), but AmiAmi is offering discounts so people can order each of them at just 3,520 yen (~$24.49) apiece.

Spider-Zoids was one of the numerous products Takara Tomy announced when it revealed its new crossover toy brand Synergenex in late August 2024. The company will release crossover action figures between Zoids and Transformers, along with many more external franchises, such as Godzilla, Macross, and Monster Hunter.

Takara Tomy will release the Zoids - Spider-Man crossover Synergenex action figures Spider-Zoids in late April 2025.

The post Spider-Man Zoids Synergenex Action Figure Pre-Orders Open appeared first on Siliconera.

MegaHouse announced that 1.5 versions of Monkey D. Luffy and Boa Hancock will join the One Piece Variable Action Heroes figure line in February 2025. He will cost 10,450円 (~$72), while she will be 10,890円 (~$75). 

The two figures both come with multiple faces and extra parts. So Boa has four face plates, while Luffy comes with three. However, Luffy also includes an actual fabric cape people can pose around him and his hat. Since Boa doesn’t have a cape or hat, her additional part is the heart effect like the one that appears when she uses her Love-Love Fruit ability. 

Here are the initial photos of both 1.5 versions of the One Piece Luffy and Boa Hancock figures MegaHouse shared with us. While there are none of the two side-by-side to compare heights, the Luffy one is slightly shorter. He stands at 165mm (~6.5in), while she is 190mm tall (~7.5in).

These aren’t the only 1.5 versions of Variable Action Heroes characters from the series on the way. In June 2024, MegaHouse announced a new version of Shanks. Like Luffy, he comes with a fabric cape.

The MegaHouse Monkey D. Luffy and Boa Hancock will join the One Piece Variable Action Heroes figures will appear in Japan in February 2025, and they are expected to launch worldwide after that. The first season of thelive-action adaptation is on Netflix now, with season 2 on the way. The anime is on both Netflix and Crunchyroll. Viz Media handles the manga outside of Japan. 

The post See One Piece Luffy and Boa Hancock Variable Action Heroes Figures appeared first on Siliconera.

Toei Animation revealed a new Dragon Ball Daima anime trailer that features more mini versions of characters and a Zedd and C&K theme song with lyrics by “CHA-LA HEAD-CHA-LA” composer Yukinojo Mori. The company also announced voice actors for new characters Glorio, Panzy, and Supreme Kai (Mini). 

The new anime trailer begins by showing clips of mini forms of Dragon Ball Daima characters. So we get to see people like Goku, Vegeta, Piccolo, Yamcha, Puar, Oolong, Android 18, Marron, Chichi, Bulma, Trunks, Goten, Good Buu, Mr. Satan, Krillin, and Master Roshi. From there, we see a number of people scheming, as well as talking about using the Dragon Balls. 

Goku then is shown meeting and going on a journey with Glorio, Panzy, and Supreme Kai at the 55 second mark. That is also when the clip of the Dragon Ball Daima theme song “Jaka Jaan,” by Zedd, Mori, and C&K begins playing.

Glorio’s Japanese voice actor is Koki Uchiyama, Panzy’s is Fairouz Ai, and Supreme Kai (Mini) is  Yumiko Kobayashi.

Toei also shared images with official statements from the Glorio, Panzy, and Supreme Kai Dragon Ball Daima voice actors, as well as Zedd, C&K, and Mori. You can see all those below:

The Dragon Ball Daima anime will begin airing in Japan on October 11, 2024, though its worldwide release date and streaming service haven’t been confirmed yet. Other Dragon Ball anime adaptations and movies are available on Crunchyroll, and Viz Media handles the manga outside Japan.

The post Dragon Ball Daima Trailer Features Mini Characters, Zedd Theme Song appeared first on Siliconera.

Sega has revealed new crossover content for Phantasy Star Online 2: New Genesis from the anime adaptation of a shonen manga series at the September 2024 NGS Headline program. The title in question is Kaiju No 8, and its content will appear in PSO2 in mid-September 2024.

Most of the content will be available in the "Kaiju No 8 Style" scratch ticket that Sega will launch in PSO2: New Genesis on September 18, 2024. Just like recent prior crossovers with Code Geass, The Eminence in Shadow, and Shangri-la Frontier, the Japanese voice actors will provide new in-game lines based on the anime version's characters.

After collecting the required parts, players will be able to turn their avatars into Reno Ichikawa (with voiceovers by Wataru Kato), Kikoru Shinomiya (Ai Fairouz), Mina Ashiro (Asami Seto), and Soshiro Hoshina (Kengo Kawanishi). Even though the protagonist Kafka Hibino will not be available in person, players can get a full-body suit and voice set that lets them become the transformed Kaiju No 8 with Japanese voiceovers by Masaya Fukunishi.

Players who do not plan on purchasing the scratch tickets can still get Kaiju No 8-themed items by simply logging into the game for seven days within the event period. They will be able to get acrylic stands of the titular Kaiju and the five main characters, which they can place in their Creative Spaces.

Phantasy Star Online 2: New Genesis is available worldwide on PC and PlayStation 4, with an additional Nintendo Switch cloud version in Japan and an Xbox One release elsewhere globally. The Kaiju No 8 crossover content will be temporarily available for about a month starting from September 18, 2024.

The post Kaiju No 8 Will Strike PSO2: New Genesis in September appeared first on Siliconera.

FanFun Market has revealed new jewelry themed after characters from the NieR Automata Ver1.1a anime. The brand has also started accepting orders for these items on its web store. People residing outside Japan can also order the products with international shipping via the WorldShopping widget.

The collection consists of silver rings and necklaces inspired by 2B, 9S, and A2. Each item will come encased inside its own box. All rings will have the same price tag of ￥13,200 (~$90.25), while the necklaces will be available at ￥14,300 (~$97.80).

Here are the sample images showing each NieR Automata anime jewelry in more detail:

There has been a plethora of merchandise themed after the NieR Automata Ver1.1a anime adaptation produced in Japan in recent months. Good Smile Company, Kotobukiya, and Proof had each revealed their own versions of character figures like 2B and 9S in July 2024. SuperGroupies is also restocking its merchandise based on the same anime, which it originally released in late 2023.

FanFun Market will close the order period for the new jewelry themed after NieR Automata Ver1.1a characters on September 27, 2024. It will start shipping the items in early December 2024.

The post New NieR Automata Anime-Themed Jewelry Will Appear appeared first on Siliconera.

Kadokawa has confirmed the release date of The Theater of Haruhi Suzumiya. The company will publish the new light novel on November 29, 2024. The announcement also mentioned that the release will be simultaneous worldwide. That means the light novel will be available in at least Japanese and English at launch.

The announcement also came with new illustrations of Mikuru Asahina and Yuki Nagato by Noizi Ito. This title will appear as the 13th volume of Nagaru Tanigawa's Haruhi Suzumiya light novel series, which first launched in 2003.

The story will continue straight off from the 12th volume—The Intuition of Haruhi Suzumiya—which came out simultaneously in Japanese and English on November 25, 2020. The four-year gap will be shorter than the one between The Intuition and the two-part The Surprise of Haruhi Suzumiya novels, which took nine years since the latter's releases in 2011.

Kadokawa initially revealed The Theater of Haruhi Suzumiya in late September 2023. While the company confirmed that the new light novel has been in the works, it did not provide a release window back then. The release date was finally announced in almost a year after the first reveal.

The Theater of Haruhi Suzumiya will be available worldwide on November 29, 2024.

The post Theater of Haruhi Suzumiya Light Novel Launches in November appeared first on Siliconera.

Sega has revealed a new version of the figure modeled after Rei Ayanami from the Rebuild of Evangelion movie series. The company will release this figure in Winter 2024 in Japan.

The company originally released the tentative Rei Ayanami figure in February 2022. The new figure set will have the "30th Anniversary Version" moniker to distinguish it from the previous release. The new title will also match the franchise's upcoming anniversary milestone. While the Neon Genesis Evangelion anime started airing in October 1995, Yoshiyuki Sadamoto's manga adaptation appeared first in late December 1994.

In the Japanese tweet, Sega mentioned that the new version will have a different base. People can see how the newer version will have a rocky base instead of a plain circle with the following comparison images:

This is not the only Rei Ayanami figure Sega is working on. The company has also revealed another figure featuring the long-haired Rei that will appear under its S-FIRE brand. Pre-orders for the latter figure are still available until October 7, 2024. Sega will release the long-haired Rei Ayanami figure in July 2025.

The Rebuild of Evangelion Rei Ayanami ~30th Anniversary Version~ Luminasta Vignettium figure will be available as crane game prizes in Japan in the 2024 Winter window, which generally runs from December 2024 to February 2025.

The post Evangelion Rei Ayanami Figure Will Have a New Base appeared first on Siliconera.