aoppella, a new vocal multimedia project from KLab, tells the story of eleven high school students discovering the art of a cappella. On January 23, KLab released the music video for the group’s third a capella J-pop cover of UNISON SQUARE GARDEN’s Sugar Song and Bitter Sleep on YouTube.

In addition, the project will celebrate its second anniversary with an event on Mary 27 and 28.

Sugar Song and Bitter Step – UNISON SQUARE GARDEN (J-Pop Cover)

The cover transforms the popular track into an unbelievable a cappella performance highlighting the unique lyrics with the member’s powerful voices.

The music video shows the members of FYA’M’ walking around the city in their personal fashion. As mature as each of the boys may be, they’re still high schoolers with their own youthful personalities!

Story
It was on that unforgettable day that the boys found themselves changed.

In front of them were ordinary high school students just like them. There were no flashy costumes or musical instruments.

But the moment they began to sing a surreal harmony filled the air and the crowd went wild.

“We want to sing like that! We want to shine, too!”

High school students captivated by the art of a cappella aim for the top in the exclusive high school a cappella contest called ‘aoppella.’ Watch as they try to perfect their pitch–the show is about to begin!

©KLab

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.

An advance screening and chat event for the upcoming anime series Sacrificial Princess and the King of Beasts, set to begin airing in April 2023, will be held at Shinjuku Wald 9 on February 11.

Those lucky enough to get tickets will be treated to the first two episodes of the series followed by a chat with select cast members including Kana Hanazawa (Sariphi), Satoshi Hino (Leonhart), Yuka Nukui (Cy), and Natsumi Fujiwara (Clops).

The ticket lottery is now open on e+, and general ticket sales will open on February 3 if any tickets are left!

Be sure to check out the series when it airs this April!

The CrosSing cover song project brings together popular voice actors to sing classic songs in their own unique style. Launched in March 2022, the YouTube channel has amassed over 150,000 subscribers and upon each song’s release, the project continuously trends on Twitter and other social media sites.

On January 18, 2023, the official CrosSing YouTube channel uploaded a recording video of voice actress Nanaka Suwa performing the song Fantastic future.

Nanaka Suwa is best known for playing Kanan Matsuura in Love Live! Sunshine!! The actress has also released two studio albums. In this new video from CrosSing, Suwa is seen performing Yukari Tamura’s popular song Fantastic future, used as the opening theme for the anime series The “Hentai” Prince and the Stony Cat.

Fantastic future – from CrosSing – Nanaka Suwa (Recording Video)

The track is now available on numerous streaming sites and those purchasing the high-res version from mora will be able to access a special mini-interview with Suwa herself. LINE MUSIC has also started a playback campaign, and fans listening to the track over 300 times will be entered to win an autographed image!

A retweet campaign is also underway, with two lucky winners receiving Nanaka Suwa’s autograph. For details, check out the official CrosSing Twitter.

The CrosSing project released its first compilation album, CrosSing Collection Vol. 1, in September. Kana Hanazawa’s cover of Rain from Makoto Shinkai’s short anime film The Garden of Words is included as a bonus track. The track is also available on YouTube.

CrosSing Collection vol.1

TrySail is a popular girl group consisting of three popular voice actresses: Momo Asakura,
Sora Amamiya, and Shiina Natsukawa. Since their debut in 2015, the girls have performed
incredible live concerts, managing to hold successful events at Yokohama Arena and the
Yoyogi National Gymnasium. TrySail’s latest album, Re Bon Voyage, was released in
September 2021, reaching the #5 spot on the Oricon Weekly Ranking.

The group’s newest song, Karei One Turn, will be used as the theme song for the 2023
anime series My One-Hit Kill Sister. The happy-go-lucky track can be heard in the second
teaser trailer for the show.

Along with this exciting anime tie-up, TrySail has announced the song flower. The song will be used to commemorate the group’s upcoming event ‘LAWSON presents TrySail Arena
Live 2023 ~Ai ni Yuku yacht! Minna de Aso-boat!~’ Be sure to watch out for what else
TrySail has in store for fans in 2023!

More information about the upcoming anime series Insomniacs After School has been revealed. The series is set to premiere on TV Tokyo in April 2023.

Makoto Ojiro’s coming-of-age manga series is set in Nanao City, Ishikawa Prefecture. It follows Ganta Nakami, a high school boy suffering from insomnia, and Isaki Magari, a girl with the same issue. Insomniacs After School is serialized in Shogakukan’s Big Comic Spirits.

The second key visual and trailer have been released, giving audiences a better glimpse at this bittersweet tale. The new image shows Ganta and Isaki in different rooms with headphones on. The text reads “what are you doing right now?”

The trailer shows off the beautiful scenery around Nanao City. An event was recently held in the real-life city to celebrate the popular series.

Insomniacs After School Trailer #2

New characters and their voices are revealed for the first time in this exclusive trailer!

The cast includes Haruka Tomatsu, Seiichiro Yamashita, Lynn, Natsumi Fujiwara, Sumire Morohoshi, Mamiko Noto, Sho Karino, Gen Sato, and Konomi Tamura.

Insomniacs After School is only three months away. Will you be tuning in?

Cast Comments

Haruka Tomatsu (Yui Shiromaru)
Popular Works: Sword Art Online (Asuna), Yo-kai Watch (Keta)

“I absolutely love stars, so this role makes me super happy! Shiromaru is cool and doesn’t talk too much, but he is kindhearted and pure, and it was super fun to play him. Since he’s an older character, there are plenty of scenes where he gives helpful advice. This series is really heartwarming and I hope you’ll tune in!”

Seiichiro Yamashita (Tao Ukegawa)
Popular Works: The Eminence in Shadow (Cid Kagenou / Shadow), More Than a Married Couple, But Not Lovers (Jiro Yakuin)

“There are things that are incredibly difficult to say to others, but things that you feel you need to say. I could really feel the romance behind sharing secrets as I worked on this project. It carefully handles difficult issues and reminds us how hard it can be to truly understand other people. That’s why the human experience is so complex and dramatic. It’s a wonderful work filled with love. Enjoy it!”

Lynn (Motoko Kanikawa)
Popular Works: Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury (Miorine Rembran), Uma Musume: Pretty Derby (Maruzensky)

“I love the atmosphere of the original work. The glimpses of ordinary life seen in every scene are so precious. Kanikawa is funny and cute and it was a blast to play her. I had a blast ad-libbing with the other cast members! I hope that this series reaches a ton of new people now that it’s being adapted into an anime series!”

Natsumi Fujiwara (Kanami Anamizu)
Popular Works: SPYxFAMILY (Damian Desmond), Chuka Ichiban! (Mao)

“I was worried that Anamizu would be too difficult of a role for me, but thanks to everyone’s help, I was really able to enjoy working on this series. The main character suffers from insomnia which is a terrible thing, but I was thrilled the entire time. After all, I love the stars! Ah, the splendors of youth! I can’t wait to see how the final product turns out!”

Sumire Morohoshi (Mina Nono)
Popular Works: Aikatsu! (Ichigo Hoshimiya), The Promised Neverland (Ema)

“Nono is so adorable! I wanted to make sure her laid-back energy came through. She’s gentle and kind and I think it will be completely apparent to audiences what kind of person she is. The work itself is both fresh and nostalgic at the same time, and it was so fun to work with the cast. I felt like I was back in high school again!”

Mamiko Noto (Usako Kurashiki)
Popular Works: Kimi ni Todoke (Sawako Kuronuma), Hell Girl (Ai Enma)

“I’m Mamiko Noto and I play the role of Usako Kurashiki. As a native of Ishikawa, it’s such a pleasure to work on a series based in my home prefecture. Ms. Kurashiki is a charming teacher and one I wish I had when I was a student. The original work is so rich in content and character, both warm and sad…it’s so detailed that it can truly feel like you’re wrapped up in it. I’m sure the anime will be the same way. I hope you’re looking forward to it!”

Sho Karino (Rui Haida)
Popular Works: Tokyo Revengers (Chifuyu Matsuno), Idolmaster SideM (Yukihiro Kamiya)

“This wonderful story is so meaningful. I was happy to experience it with everyone, with this entire cast. The scenery and starry skies will stick in your mind and make you want to go out and explore the night. Working on Insomniacs After School made me feel like I could enjoy my high school life again! Thank you so much!”

©オジロマコト・小学館／アニメ「君ソム」製作委員会

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!”

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

The anime adaptation of the Romantic Killer manga series will begin streaming on Netflix worldwide on October 27, 2022. The 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. A wizard named Riri, played by Mikako Komatsu, suddenly appears to force Anzu to fall in love.

Anzu then meets three handsome guys: Tsukasa Kazuki (played by Yuichiro Umehara), the most handsome guy at school, Junta Hayami (played by Gakuto Kajiwara), a baseball ace and Anzu’s childhood friend, and Hijiri Koganei (played by Natsuki Hanae), a rich dreamboat. A new clip from the series has just been released, showing Kyoko’s attempt to avoid anything lovey-dovey at every turn.

The first person Anzu meets is Tsukasa, played by Yuichiro Umehara, who is fed up with love after being pursued by countless girls since he was young. The actor is also known for his work as Weather Report in JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Stone Ocean. As it begins to rain, the handsome gentleman holds out an umbrella for Anzu, who obviously refuses. 

Next is Junta, played by Gakuto Kajiwara, known for his work as Asta in Black Clover. Anzu’s childhood friend, he looks completely different as an adult, totally taking the heroine off guard. 

Finally, Anzu meets Hijiri Koganei. Fans will recognize the voice actor as Natsuki Hanae, who previously played Tanjiro Kamado in Demon Slayer. As he and Anzu enjoy ice cream from the convenience store, Hijiri smiles, noting that although the snack is cheap, it doesn’t taste bad. Saying it in such a sweet way, Anzu almost lets her guard down–but quickly smacks herself to stop any romantic feelings from welling up. 

On November 12, Rie Takahashi and Yuichiro Umehara will appear at a stage event to commemorate the start of the series and to talk about its setting and characters in-depth.

Be sure to tune into this slapstick coming-of-age romantic comedy when it airs globally later this month!

(C) 百世渡／集英社 (C)Netflix