Berserk is an eternal classic in anime and manga. The epic saga details the life of an outcast warrior who joins a band with a beautiful and charismatic leader. Part of what makes the series so dark is how it takes traditional fantasy tropes and fairytale concepts and turns them on their head, showing the…
Like many of the anime based on long-running shonen manga series, Naruto has a lot of filler arcs. This is because the anime usually begins before the manga is complete, meaning the series often has to fill time until there’s more of the major plot written to move the story forward. While some filler arcs…
Summary Nobara might form a love triangle with Yuji and Yuko Ozawa. A romance subplot could add sympathetic depth to Nobara’s character. However, a potential romance must not reduce Nobara to a token love interest. Jujutsu Kaisen is a “Dark Trio” anime that focuses on narratives such as hunting monsters, a supernatural “school life” theme,…
When an anime fan watches a juggernaut shonen anime series like One Piece, they must focus on the overall plot and the most important details of the characters such as their Devil Fruits or their personal motives. There’s a lot to keep track of across 1,000+ episodes and almost as many characters, but on a…
Summary Luffy’s grandfather, Monkey D. Garp, plays a significant role in One Piece as both a mentor and an enemy to Luffy. Garp’s reveal as Luffy’s grandfather doesn’t happen right away. Despite their differences, Garp shares several similarities with Luffy, including bluntness, stubbornness, and a huge appetite. However, Garp’s duty as a Marine often conflicts…
Dark fantasy is a sub-genre that takes traditional fantasy and ups the stakes. It can have a quiet contemplative or morose tone, or it can be full-on ultra violence and filled with cruel tyrants. Dark fantasy tends to revolve around creatures like vampires, demons, and fallen angels. The magic is often eldritch and horrific with…
Studio Ghibli will become a subsidiary of Nippon Television. As detailed on Anime News Network, Nippon TV Representative Director Yoshikuni Sugiyama and Studio Ghibli President Toshio Suzuki announced the planned acquisition during a recent press conference. Nippon Television, which has served as a long-standing partner of the acclaimed studio, plans to purchase 42.3% of Ghibli’s…
Summary Most Dragon Ball antagonists have the same generic reactions to the Z-Fighters because they don’t know anything about them. The Androids are unique in how much they know about the Z-Fighters and how that informs their interactions with them. The nature of the Androids’ relationship with the Z-Fighters makes it nearly impossible to replicate…
Summary Spy x Family Season 2 will premiere on October 7th, continuing the story of the Forger family on a cruise ship secret mission. Fans can look forward to more action from Yor as an assassin and possibly Loid’s backstory as a spy in this highly anticipated season. A surprise announcement was made for a…
My Happy Marriage is a supernatural historical romance about Miyo Saimori who is rejected by her family for her lack of psychic powers. She is very much a Cinderella-inspired character, while her new fiancé is more of a “monstrous” bridegroom. When she’s thrown into an engagement with him, she expects him to be utterly awful….
As the former Symbol of Peace, All Might occupies a unique position in My Hero Academia where he is simultaneously one of the series’ most beloved characters and also one of its most controversial. While it is undeniable that his decades-long crusade resulted in record-low crime rates, one could also argue that his suppression of…
Summary Gojo’s overwhelming power makes it difficult to create believable threats and conflicts. In the Shibuya Incident arc, Gojo’s absence created higher stakes, which made for a more exciting storyline. While Gojo is important to the series, permanently removing his overpowering strength while keeping him as a mentor figure would keep things interesting and allow…
When anime fans watch a lengthy and exciting shonen series like My Hero Academia, they will usually focus on the most important aspects of each character first, such as their Quirks, their personal goals/dreams, and their relationships with other people. Then, on a second pass, anime fans will have fun exploring the more intimate details…
Anime villains have quite a reputation for being bad. Several of the most evil characters are found in anime across many different genres. However, there are anime villains who don’t deserve the bad reputations they’ve gained. These villains may not be entirely sympathetic, but each of them has an understandable reason for their villainy. Villains…
In spite of how the show ended, Game of Thrones will forever be seen as the standard-bearer for the fantasy genre, for how globally renowned and beloved the series became. Game of Thrones was epic in many ways, from the scale of its world-building and the countless characters that were explored, to the massive battles,…
Summary Jewelry Bonney’s true worth and significance in the One Piece world are yet to be fully explored, as she has established relationships with key figures such as Bartholomew Kuma and Dr. Vegapunk. Bonney’s connection to Kuma, whether biological or adoptive, suggests a potential mystery race that the World Government may be interested in. This…
The world of shonen anime features some of the best fictional villains the world has ever seen. These legendary antagonists are highly compelling and memorable not just because they are powerful and ambitious, but because they have interesting things to say about the world, other characters, and themselves. Such quotes range from passages in villain…
Dragon Ball is one of the most recognizable anime series of all time. Its characters are well-known by many, and their most iconic moments have essentially become clichés for the shonen manga genre due to the widespread inspiration they’ve had on other series. Many of Dragon Ball‘s most iconic moments have become staples of anime…
Summary One Piece Chapter 790 and Episode 733 both featured Luffy’s powerful punch, but fans were displeased with the dragged-out scene in the anime. Episode 1076, however, improved the anime adaptation, making it more believable. To avoid future awkward punch scenarios, Luffy’s attacks should have minimal pushback or should be rapid-fire with accumulating kinetic energy…
When it comes to popular love interest character types, most think of tsunderes, but kuudere characters are the unsung hero in shojo anime. Kuudere tend to be female, especially in shonen and seinen anime, but in shojo anime, they tend to be males. The female shojo kuuderes, though, are generally wonderfully complex and have extensive…
Summary The introduction of three new Seraphim models could potentially reveal Crocodile’s gender at birth. The lack of evidence in One Piece’s narrative has led to fan theories speculating about Crocodile’s past. The upcoming role of S-Croc, the Seraph modeled after Crocodile, in the battle with Admiral Kizaru and the World Government may provide answers…
Groundbreaking anime comes around every decade, and it’s interesting to examine the different changes that accompany these contrasting time periods. There are still plenty of modern anime that subvert expectations and redefine the medium, like Wonder Egg Priority, Lycoris Recoil, or Jujutsu Kaisen, but it’s also important to not overlook the past and the important…
One Piece primarily focuses on action and adventure, since protagonist Monkey D. Luffy is all about freedom and exploration, not being an idealistic hero. Still, Luffy is a good person at heart, and he will gladly show other people kindness with his words, actions, or both, even if it means showing them some tough love….
Avatar: The Last Airbender has been a hit since it debuted in 2005. Since then, it has accumulated fans around the globe for the way it portrays tough issues. The characters are a large part of what makes the show so accessible for its young audience. They help create a story that features a lot…
Summary Shanks, one of the strongest characters in One Piece, is a master of Haki and can use all three forms of iti. Benn Beckman, Shanks’ first mate, is a talented fighter with devastating physical strength. He is also a confirmed Haki usert. Lucky Roux, the cook of the Red Hair Pirates, is a confirmed…
The Japanese anime industry is supported by a large handful of popular and well-established animation studios. These studios work hard to entertain anime fans around the globe, and the very best anime studios can proudly list some of the world’s favorite anime as their very own productions. For some anime fans, the studio is just…
Summary Trafalgar Law’s Devil Fruit powers allow him to manipulate all physical matter within its range. The Op-Op Fruit is a highly sought-after Devil Fruit, and Law’s knowledge of medicine allows him to perform miraculous surgeries, cure diseases, and rearrange material within his “operating room.” After awakening his Devil Fruit during the Raid on Onigashima,…
Even the best anime can fall short sometimes. Great anime have been known to have some poorly written scenes or annoying characters. The worst thing a fabulous anime could do is land just shy of having a perfect ending. As sad as the thought is, this phenomenon happens more often than fans would like. Anime…
Through the years, the anime medium has spawned a wide variety of beloved series; however, none are more popular than Dragon Ball Z. The adventures of Goku and the Z Fighters have taken them across galaxies, universes, and even different timelines, and along the way, they’ve uttered a quite a few memorable quotes. While Dragon…
Summary Cutting the Loguetown arc in Netflix’s One Piece preserved its brisk pacing and narrative focus. The Loguetown arc was also too costly to shoot, and the producers wanted to either give the arc justice or not include it all. Ending OPLA with the Arlong Park arc allowed the series to end with a bang…
My Hero Academia is getting a new OVA before the next season debuts this fall. The news came from Shonen Jump Magazine and was posted on Twitter for others to view. The message notes that the OVA will come to theaters while other episodes are played there. However, it’ll only be in theaters for a…
High school stories may have all the drama, but anime about college life has all the charm. Stories of young adults transitioning from carefree teenagers to mature individuals have their separate appeal and resonate well with their respective audiences. While the fans get to experience the nostalgia of school festivals, clubs, and over-the-top love triangles,…
A new anime adaptation is in the works for Tite Kubo’s Burn the Witch manga. According to Anime News Network, the 23rd episode of Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War concluded with a special teaser for Burn the Witch 0.8, a follow-up to Studio Colorido/Team Yamahitsuji’s 2020 film Burn the Witch. This OVA, titled Burn the Witch…
Back in 2011, the cosmos stirred again with celestial energy. Celebrating a monumental 25 years since the inception of the beloved Saint Seiya franchise, Saint Seiya: Omega emerged as a beacon for both older and newer fans alike. It wasn’t just a mere sequel but a continuation that weaved threads from the past into its…
Not only is known for its riveting heroics, but the animated series also provides viewers with a diverse cast of relatable characters. The phrase “there’s something for everyone” aptly describes Miraculous Ladybug‘s array of superheroes and heroines. In addition to incorporating a wide variety of ethnicities and personalities, Miraculous Ladybug‘s LGBTQ+ representation is also shown…
The highly anticipated third season of the popular anime series The Rising of the Shield Hero is set to make its debut, with a scheduled premiere at 9:00 PM JST on AT-X, followed by broadcasts on other stations. This announcement comes after the dark fantasy isekai series had its initial screening at Anime Expo on…
Akira Toriyama’s Dragon Ball has kept audiences entertained for more than 35 years and the superpowered exploits of Goku, Vegeta, and company are more popular than ever. Fans continue to turn to Dragon Ball because of its colorful characters, serialized storytelling, and action-packed fight sequences. It’s a series that loves to indulge in extremes and…
The creators behind the upcoming Scott Pilgrim Takes Off anime series revealed that the show won’t be exactly what fans expect it to be. Executive producers Bryan Lee O’Malley and BenDavid Grabinski spoke to Entertainment Weekly about the anime and noted that many elements went into making this series. One of them was the live-action…
What is the best anime of all time? As anime attracts more new fans every single day, that’s a question viewers both old and new tend to ask. Watching anime was once a niche pastime, but now, it’s nearly impossible to find someone who hasn’t at least watched one title from the medium. It’s easy…
Summary Netflix’s live-action One Piece omitted less relevant story arcs and villains like Don Krieg and his armada for a more focused adaptation. Don Krieg’s reduced role was the right call, freeing up more screen time for better antagonists like Mihawk and Arlong. Don Krieg had little personal relevance to Luffy’s crew, unlike Arlong, so…
Epic Games has revealed that a new trio of characters from My Hero Academia is now available in Fortnite. Previously, the hit manga/anime franchise had debuted its characters like All Might, Bakugou, Deku, and Uravity. In the newest crossover, Shoto Todoroki, Eijiro Kirishima, and Mina Ashido will arrive. Series fans will know the latter two…
Good vs. evil is a storytelling motif that has existed since the first stories were told. The heroes clash with the villains, and while the villains may get the upper hand in the second act, they always lose in the end, leaving the heroes standing victorious as the dust settles. However, this isn’t always the…
Quick Links Dragon Ball (1986–1989) Dragon Ball Movies (1986–1996) Dragon Ball Z (1989–1996) Dragon Ball Z Movies (1989–2015) Dragon Ball GT (1996–1997) Dragon Ball Z Kai (2009–2011) Dragon Ball Z Kai: The Final Chapters (2014–2015) Dragon Ball Super (2015–2018) Dragon Ball Super Manga (2015–Present) Dragon Ball Super Movies (2018–2022) Super Dragon Ball Heroes (2018–Present) Dragon…
When it comes to battle shonen anime, most fans of a given series will want to know which characters are the strongest. There are many ways to judge how powerful any given character is. At first, it will be about known feats of strength, speed, durability, etc. If those concepts become vague, fans can rely…
Anime fans often love a given series’ main character the most, since such characters are written to be more compelling and memorable than anyone else, like Son Goku and Tohru Honda. Still, the main character’s family members or best friends might be a series’ best character instead, at least according to some fans. Supporting characters…
Crunchyroll has the world’s biggest anime library. It’s perfect for watching ongoing series since the newest episodes arrive on the platform an hour after their Japanese premiere. In Spring 2022, Funimation merged with Crunchyroll, making its vast library even bigger. It can be difficult to choose which anime to watch next since there are so…
The Grand Line, as well as the greater One Piece world, holds a variety of hidden treasures, yet none are as rare and sought-after as the Poneglyphs. These ancient manuscripts are historical records and instructions created by the ancient inhabitants of Wano Country, and when combined, they provide the location of the One Piece, as…
Dragon BallZ: Battle of Gods is set to return to theaters in October to celebrate the movie’s 10th anniversary. The movie will play in select theaters and feature not only the English dub but also a special extended version of the film. The movie is a key piece of the franchise timeline as it rebooted…
One of the most iconic anime of the 1990s and early 2000s is Initial D – it’s even recognized by non-anime fans. The classic drift racing series quickly became a firm part of the international anime landscape, thanks in part to its somewhat jarring use of early CGI and its pulse-pounding Eurobeat soundtrack. Despite how…
Summary The Straw Hat Pirates have encountered or heard about most of the strongest crews in One Piece history, and their pecking order is becoming clearer. The On Air Pirates, Thriller Bark Pirates, and Fire Tank Pirates are just a few of the formidable crews that pose a challenge to Monkey D. Luffy and his…
