Netflix will begin streaming the sci-fi anime series Make My Day on February 2, 2023. The series is an adaptation of an original story by manga author Yasuo Ohtagaki, known for Moonlight Mile and Mobile Suit Gundam Thunderbolt. Shoji Kawamori, the mechanical designer on the Macross series, and Kiyotaka Oshiyama, known for his work on DEVILMAN Crybaby and Chainsaw Man, are acting as mechanical designers for the series.

The sci-fi action series follows a collection of characters on a tough mission across an icy planet where terrifying creatures suddenly appear to attack humans.

A gripping trailer and collection of screenshots have been revealed ahead of the series premiere. Fans can anticipate voicework by Masaomi Yamahashi (Jim), Ayahi Takagaki (Marnine), Kazuhiro Yamaji (Walter), and Akio Ohtsuka (Commander Bark).

Netflix has also announced that Atsuko Tanaka, known for her role as Motoko Kusanagi in the Ghost in the Shell series, will be playing the role of Cathy Beck, a government officer on the planet Coldfoot.

The writer of the series, Yasuo Ohtagaki, has stated that James Cameron’s Aliens was his inspiration for the work, remaking that the horror film challenged the 80s industry standard of splatter movies.

The snowy, ice-covered planet Coldfoot is home to a precious energy-rich ore called “Sig.” On the surface, the planet seems to be a crime-free utopia, but in reality, prisoners are used for back-breaking Sig mining. Jim, a young prison guard, rushes to the site of a sudden mining accident to find a mysterious creature attacking the humans.

In the trailer, Cathy explains that the planet’s atmosphere is poisonous and the surface is completely frozen. “This is a white hell that rejects living beings,” she continues. “Only those who are suicidal should consider escaping.”

When the swarm begins attacking with abandon, viewers are left asking one question: can people survive such a desperate situation? Walter claims that their actions have “opened up the cauldron of Hell,” and it’s hard to imagine so many different people coming together to combat something so terrifying and unknown.

“When crafting a story around the sudden appearance of monsters, I was constantly thinking about Aliens 2,” Ohtagaki commented. “It challenged the expectation that every sci-fi horror film in the 80s needed to be a splatter-fest.”

The series is a love letter to the science fiction genre. Cameron’s Aliens was far from his last mega-hit, with the current Avatar sequel making headlines around the world.

“When I was developing the story, I focused on not taking the viewer’s perspective off of Jim, the main character,” Ohtagaki continued. “I wanted people to become emotionally involved in this story by experiencing it through his eyes and ears. I was influenced by first-person action RPGs.”

To combat the swarm of monsters, humanity must rely on science and technology.

The eye-catching design of the mecha seen in the trailer is reminiscent of Mobile Suit Gundam Thunderbolt and Macross while also being more modern and realistic.

“Logical and realistic mecha design is my forte, and that’s the direction I wanted to take in this work,” said Ohtagaki. “In Mobile Suit Gundam Thunderbolt, we set the stage and carefully went through a creative process to find out what kind of human drama could evolve on that stage. We did the same thing here, creating Coldfoot and imagining what kinds of people might live there. That process makes things more realistic.” Will the mecha in this series be a help or a hindrance to humanity?

“Although this is a sci-fi monster tale, Make My Day is also about Jim’s growth as a person. In the process of battling through this terrible situation, he learns about friendship and love. He becomes stronger, he takes on more responsibility, and he creates his own family-like bonds,” Ohtagaki concludes.

Tune in to Make My Day when it premieres on Netflix early next month!

The popular Netflix animated series Aggretsuko will return to Netflix for Season 5 on February 16, 2023. Ahead of the show’s premiere, a new visual and trailer have been released.

Official Trailer

Aggretsuko follows a 25-year-old red panda named Retsuko who hates her job and is easily stressed. She only feels true peace while singing karaoke, where she transforms into a death metal star. The series originally launched on Netflix in 2018 and quickly became a global sensation.

Season 5 will be the final season of the series and will focus on the relationship between Retsuko and Haida following the events of the fourth season. Haida is now living a reclusive life and spending his free time playing games and hanging out online. On the other hand, Retsuko is trying to deal with her newfound fame and the many expectations people have of her. One day, a suspicious man who claims to be a member of the Diet comes to recruit Retsuko.

Be sure to tune in for the exciting conclusion!

To celebrate the release of the final season, the OTMGirls girls will perform at Sanrio Puroland.

The film Doraemon: Nobita’s Sky Utopia will be released on March 3, 2023. The 42nd Doraemon movie follows Doraemon, Nobita, and his friends as they venture off to find Utopia, a perfect land in the sky where everyone lines in joy and happiness. They do so using an airship with a time warp function on their adventure, and to commemorate the film’s release, the Flying Doraemon Project began on January 14. A real-life 17-meter-long Doraemon blimp will soon appear in the sky, and fans are being asked to decide on a name for the craft.

The blimp, inspired by the Doraemon movie, will feature popular characters including Nobita, Shizuka, Suneo, and Gian. The blimp is the largest unmanned airship in Japan.

The message of the Flying Doraemon Project is to convey the feeling that in this day and age, children and adults alike can once again look upward and move forward toward their hopes and dreams.

Fans are asked to contribute ideas for the blimps name during the application period. Check the website for more details!

The Seven Deadly Sins: Grudge of Edinburgh Part 1 will air on Netflix worldwide in December 2022. The new animated film was penned by the original series creator Nakaba Suzuki. The story will focus on Tristan, the son of the protagonist Meliodas, and his mother Elizabeth, and follows the previous two films The Seven Deadly Sins the Movie: Prisoners of the Sky in 2018 and The Seven Deadly Sins: Cursed By Light in 2021. 

The new main visual shows Tristan and his sidekicks as they prepare to take on their toughest enemies yet.

“I wanted to depict the story of King Arthur in my own way,” said original author Nakaba Suzuki. “This story couldn’t be told without the original The Seven Deadly Sins series.”

The Seven Deadly Sins takes place in an ancient time when humans, demons, goddesses, fairies, and giants all lived together. The original series was a prelude to an overarching story that Suzuki planned over many long years.

“I always wanted to create fantasy works, even back when I was a rookie,” Suzuki said. “I finally started The Seven Deadly Sins when I was finally at the level to do so, and this important piece of the story will fill the gap between the previous series and the currently-running Four Knights of the Apocalypse.” The creator also commented on the key visual for the film. “I wanted something cool, first and foremost. I’m happy with the finished product!”

The new film takes place 14 years after the events of the original series. Prince Tristan is tormented by his inability to control two great powers: the Demon Clan power of his father, Meliodas, and the Goddess Clan power of his mother, Elizabeth. When his mother’s life is threatened, Tristan flees the kingdom and heads toward Edinburgh, where Deathpierce,  once a member of a group of the kingdom’s Holy Knights, the Pleiades of the Azure Sky, maintains his castle.

Ayumu Murase and Mikako Komatsu will play the roles of Tristan as a young man and boy, respectively. Additional cast members include Yuuki Kaji as Meliodas, Sora Amamiya as Elizabeth, and Yohei Azakami as Deathpierce.

Fans of Gamera won’t want to miss this newly-produced film coming to Netflix worldwide! GAMERA -Rebirth- will be coming to the streaming service in 2023. The fictional monster first debuted in the 1965 film Gamera.

To commemorate the return of the mighty beast, two teaser visuals have been released ahead of the film.

Gamera stomped onto the scene in the 60s to compete with Godzilla and this new film looks incredibly promising. Will you be tuning in?

©2023 KADOKAWA/ GAMERA Rebirth Production committee

The Seven Deadly Sins: Grudge of Edinburgh Part 1 will air on Netflix worldwide on December 20, 2022. The new animated film was penned by the original series creator Nakaba Suzuki.

The story will focus on Tristan, the son of the protagonist Meliodas, and his mother Elizabeth. Cast members include Yuuki Kaji as Meliodas, Mikako Komatsu as young Tristan, and Ayumu Murase as teenage Tristan. Sora Amamiya will portray Elizabeth and Yohei Azakami will play Deathpierce.

The new trailer shows off the exciting new story and previews SawanoHiroyuki[nZk]:XAI’s theme song Lemonade. The Seven Deadly Sins takes place in an ancient time when humans, demons, goddesses, fairies, and giants all lived together.

In the new film, Tristan inherits the power of the Goddess Clan and with it, the ability to heal people’s wounds, but he often ends up hurting others due to his inability to control his Demon Clan power. To protect his family, Tristan heads to Edinburgh Castle and meets a ton of new friends along the way. The movie takes place 14 years after Meliodas restores peace to the world in the anime series.

The Seven Deadly Sins: Grunge of Edinburgh Part 1 Trailer

http://youtu.be/gH_VSILse-0

The theme song Lemonade is both peppy and emotional. Hiroyuki Sawano created the song as part of his vocal project SawanoHiroyuki[nZk], teaming up with up-and-coming artist XAI.

This song will be included in the first SawanoHiroyuki[nZk] album coming out on January 18, 2023, the first in two years. XAI’s incredible voice has previously been featured in the GODZILLA animated trilogy of films.

|The upcoming film will connect The Seven Deadly Sins and the currently running sequel Four Knights of the Apocalypse currently running in Weekly Shonen Magazine.

Comment from Hiroyuki Sawano

“I’ve been involved with The Seven Deadly Sins since the anime began in 2014, through all of the movies and sequels. I’m so happy to be able to create the theme song for Grunge of Edinburgh as SawanoHiroyuki[nZk].

This time, I worked with the vocalist XAI. Her expressive, emotional, and powerful voice took the song to another level. It was something beyond my imagination! I hope that you’ll enjoy the track along with this new story from the world of The Seven Deadly Sins.”

Comment from XAI

“I’m so happy to perform the theme song for The Seven Deadly Sins, a series that is loved by so many people.

The characters in the series are so incredible. No matter what sins we carry, as long as we have friends by our side, we can’t give up and we can always better ourselves. Lemonade is sure to fuel your sense of adventure, so I hope you’ll enjoy it!”

Popular singer Eve will sing the theme song for the film Black Night Parade, coming to theaters nationwide on December 23, 2022. A new trailer featuring the track has also been released alongside the announcement.

Eve’s YouTube channel has over 4.2 million subscribers with video views of over 1.9 billion. The new song, Shirayuki, was written by the singer himself, who has become incredibly popular with overseas music fans as well. The track manages to be both gentle and powerful in equal measure, combining an orchestra with Eve’s unique vocals. In conjunction with the release of the trailer, an exclusive pre-release version of the song has been posted to TikTok.

Black Night Parade Trailer: https://youtu.be/57CkdVMky4o

Black Night Parade was originally manga series by Hikaru Nakamura, the creator of Arakawa Under the Bridge and Saint Young Men. The live-action film will be directed by Yuichi Fukuda, who has worked on a number of live-action film adaptations of manga series including Gintama and Kyo Kara Ore Wa! Fukuda also wrote the screenplay along with Tetsuo Kamata. The protagonist Miharu Hino will be played by Ryo Yoshizawa, while Shino Hojo will be played by Kanna Hashimoto. Taishi Nakagawa will play Kaizer Tanaka and Keisuke Watanabe will play Teppei Kohira.  

The story follows Miharu Hino, a man who is completely hopeless at everything he does. He failed his entrance exam, failed at job hunting, and has no love life to speak of. After working at a convenience store for three years, he meets a man in a black Santa suit who kidnaps him, offering him a job. Miharu then begins working at Santa Claus House, a mysterious company at the North Pole that delivers gifts to children around the world.

Comment from Eve

“I’m incredibly honored because I loved both the original manga and Fukuda’s past works. I wrote this song Shirayuki with the hope that Christmas could be an important day for everyone. I would be so glad if this song makes you nostalgic for winter, making you imagine the cold air that stings your nose and the stars in the clear night sky. I love Kunehito, so I am looking forward to seeing him in the film.”

©︎2022「ブラックナイトパレード」製作委員会　©︎中村光／集英社

Reki Kawahara’s web novel Sword Art Online began in 2002, later becoming a popular light novel series. The anime series debuted in 2012, followed by a second season in 2014 and a third in 2018. Following the characters Kirito and Asuna as they traverse a virtual reality MMORPG, the series has seen major success, with the light novels selling over 30 million copies worldwide. 

During Sword Art Online’s anniversary event on November 6, it was revealed that a new film project is in the works. A brief teaser was also revealed, though concrete information is hard to come by at this point in time. 

Be sure to check back soon for new information about the film!

【STORY】

“This may be a game, but it’s not something to take lightly.”

The world’s first VRMMORPG, Sword Art Online, has turned into a game of death. Over a month has passed since 10,000 users were trapped in the game world.

Asuna, who conquered the first level of the floating castle of steel Aincrad, continues her journey to the top floor along with Kirito.

With the help of the female informant Argo, the attack seemed to be going well. However…

The top player groups leading the attack are the ALS (Aincrad Liberation Force) and the DKB (Dragon Knights Brigade).Although they should be working towards the same goal, war breaks out.
Behind the scenes, a mysterious figure lurks…

What awaits Kirito and Asuna as they continue their journey?

©2020 川原 礫/KADOKAWA/SAO-P Project

THE FIRST SLAM DUNK will be released in theaters nationwide on December 3, 2022.

Ahead of the film’s release, more information about the main cast and music has been released. Toei Animation showed off a new promo video for the film during a livestream last week, and fans now know who will be playing the five main characters. 

The Birthday will perform the film’s opening theme, while 10-FEET will perform the ending theme Dai Zero Kan. The newest trailer is available to watch on Toei Animation’s official YouTube channel.

Shugo Nakamura will portray Ryota Miyagi, while Jun Kasama will play Hisashi MItsui. Shinichiro Kamio will play Kaede Rukawa, Subaru Kimura will play Hanamichi Sakuragi, and Kenta Miyake will play Takenori Akagi. More information about the film is expected to be released soon!

© I.T.PLANNING,INC.

© 2022 THE FIRST SLAM DUNK Film Partners

Mrs. GREEN APPLE will release the new song Soranji on November 9. The 10th single comes over three years after the group’s last release, and the Utopia ARENA SHOW Blu-ray and DVD will be released on December 14, 2022.

The music video for Soranji has been uploaded to YouTube. The song will serve as the theme for the film With Love from the Gulag, scheduled to be released in theaters nationwide on December 9. Motoki Ohmori is credited as the Music Video Planning Director, and the lyricist worked closely with video director Seri Yoshiharu to bring the song to life.

Soranji – Mrs. GREEN APPLE

https://youtu.be/44cICMd3jW4

The Soranji single also includes a cover of Ado’s I’m Invincible, currently a hit track due to its inclusion in ONE PIECE FILM RED, and Floriginal, a song being used in the fragrance and music collaboration project PARFATUNE. The limited first edition includes a bonus DVD with documentary footage of the production process, as well as a luxurious original sleeve case and a 24-page Soranji photo book.

The Utopia Blu-ray and DVD will include all 23 songs from the one-night-only live performance held on July 8, 2022, as well as special behind-the-scenes rehearsal footage. 

Mei Hachimoku and Kukka’s light novel The Tunnel to Summer, the Exit of Goodbyes won the 13th Shogakukan Light Novel Award upon release. The film adaptation, which was released in theaters nationwide on September 9, 2022, managed to win the Korean Society of Cartoon and Animation Studies Award at the Buncheon International Animation Festival 2022.

The Buncheon International Animation Festival has been held in Buncheon, northern South Korea, for over 20 years, and is accredited by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences as one of the leading international animation film festivals in Asia. There are six categories of competition, and the anime film was entered in the Feature Film category.

The special prize is awarded to the most popular film at the festival. “This film took us to a place that we could see, hear and feel. The impressive music also struck a chord with audiences,” a comment reads.

“I never thought I’d win an award,” said the film’s director Tomohisa Taguchi. “I’m so happy and honored! The fact that this film was so appreciated in Korea is proof that we were able to create a universal film that transcends borders. I’m so happy to be a part of the long history of the Buncheon International Animation Festival!”

The film will also be screened in the Japanese Animation Competition at the 35th Tokyo International Film Festival, which starts on October 24. On October 31, the film was screened at an interview event featuring the film’s director.

©2022 八目迷・小学館／映画『夏へのトンネル、さよならの出口』製作委員会

The anime adaptation of the Romantic Killer manga series will begin streaming on Netflix worldwide on October 27, 2022. The hyped series follows Anzu Hoshino, played by Rie Takahashi, a high school girl who just wants to play video games and who doesn’t care about fashion or love.

Main voice actress Rie Takahashi sat down to discuss the series and Anzu’s appeal in a new in-depth interview available to watch on YouTube.

Anzu’s facial expressions vary wildly in the series, giving Takahashi a tough time. “Having been a voice actress for years now, I reached into my bag of tricks to try to find the best tone for each of her wild expressions,” she said. Despite the character’s hardships, she proves herself to be a dependable heroine as well. “Even in the worst situations, she says what she needs to say when she needs to say it. I love that about her!” 

Takahashi is known for having played a number of high-profile roles in anime, such as Emilia in Re:Zero, Ena Saitou in Laid Back Camp, and Megumin in KonoSuba. “I thought this was going to be a cutesy love story since the word ‘Romantic’ is in the title, but it turned out to be way funnier than I could have expected,” she said. “Anzu knows what she wants and doesn’t back down. That’s such a cool characteristic to have.” 

“We recorded lines early in the morning, so Gakuto Kajiwara and I would get coffee. We needed it to do our best,” Takahashi explained. The actor plays Anzu’s childhood friend who gets caught up in the love story. 

“Mikako Komatsu plays the wizard Riri, and she and I had so many difficult lines together, but we made it work,” Takahashi said with a laugh.

Anzu’s appeal lies in the bonds she creates with those around her. This is something that Takahashi noticed when she read the original manga series. “I was trying to read the entire thing and I just started crying…that’s what the ending will do to you! I didn’t expect it, and I absolutely loved what the manga emphasizes. I was happy to understand Anzu’s personality on a deeper level.”

“I did my best to express the emotion found in the original manga series through my voice,” said Takahashi. Be sure to tune into this slapstick coming-of-age romantic comedy, streaming now on Netflix worldwide!

(C) 百世渡／集英社 (C)Netflix