FOX has revealed their line up of new and returning shows for the Winter 2025 midseason schedule, and unfortunately Bob’s Burgers fans are going to be waiting quite a while before the series makes its comeback. Bob’s Burgers is now in the midst of Season 15 of the series with the final airing taking place last year before the Winter broadcast break. As FOX prepares to return with a new wave of episodes and shows for the midseason schedule of Sunday’s Animation Domination block, and there are some major shake ups to be found. The biggest of which is the lack of Bob’s Burgers.

FOX has announced its midseason line up for the Animation Domination block beginning on February 16th, and it includes Family Guy, Grimsburg, The Great North and Krapopolis. While it had initially seemed like the biggest shake up to FOX’s midseason schedule would be Family Guy temporarily taking The Simpsons‘ time slot at the start of the block, it’s now revealed to be that it’s going to be a much longer wait for Bob’s Burgers as it’s not listed for a return within the first few months of the year.

Bob’s Burgers Won’t Be Back Until After the Winter

As FOX announced, the Animation Domination block will be featuring Family Guy, Grimsburg, The Great North and Krapopolis beginning on February 16th, and The Simpsons will then be making its own return beginning on March 30th. The Simpsons will then go back to leading the block with new episodes of Family Guy, The Great North, and Krapopolis to follow it. But as mentioned, Bob’s Burgers is left off the schedule completely with no current release window or date for Season 15’s return as of the time of this publication.

It means that fans will be waiting until the midseason schedule ends its run, and potentially might not even get to see Bob’s Burgers return in full until much later in the year. As the series is still in the middle of Season 15, there are a few more episodes to air before it can come back for a potential Season 16 (which is currently unconfirmed as of the time of this publication as well). That could mean that a Fall 2025 return for the series would be too long of a wait, and maybe we’ll see forward momentum on these final episodes heading into the Summer.

RELATED: The Simpsons, Bob’s Burgers and Family Guy Lock in New U.S. Streaming Deal

How to Watch Bob’s Burgers

If you wanted to catch up with Bob’s Burgers Season 15 thus far, you can currently find the ten currently available episodes now streaming exclusively with Hulu. It’s also where you can find all previous seasons of the series if you just want to spend this time to watch your old favorites over again instead. But you really should catch up with the latest season if you have missed it as Season 15 has been one of the strongest in recent memory.

Bob’s Burgers seems to only be getting better with age as each new episode offers a fun new look at each of its characters, and the team behind it all has also found a new rhythm to explore. The Bob’s Burgers Movie was a great example of the creativity behind this animated franchise, and the TV series itself has only gotten stronger. That’s a rare feat for an animated series following up a movie project, so you really should catch up to make sure you’re not missing out.

The post Bob’s Burgers Fans Are Going to Be Waiting a While For New Episodes appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Dragon Ball Daima is helping Vegeta prove why he’s the best husband in the franchise as he and Bulma have one of the strongest connections in the new anime. Dragon Ball has been building the relationship between Vegeta and Bulma for a long time. Ever since it was revealed that they had a child in the future during the events of the Android Saga, Vegeta and Bulma have been a couple ever since. But while it’s largely happened in the background through the years, fans have seen how dedicated of a husband and father Vegeta is compared to his Saiyan rival, Goku.

This has also clearly been the case with Dragon Ball Daima as well as Vegeta and Bulma have been adventuring with one another through the Demon Realm. Showing off more of their unspoken connection as husband and wife, the newest episode of the series takes it further as Bulma’s already fully confident that Vegeta will help save her when their plan starts crashing into the First Demon World. And that’s only the latest example of how much trust the two have for one another.

Vegeta and Bulma Really Are Dragon Ball’s Best Couple

Dragon Ball Daima Episode 14 sees Goku and the others trying to make their way to the First Demon World, only to find that Supreme Demon King Gomah had shut off the Warp Fish service that would let them transfer between worlds. After Neva revealed his ability to remove the spell that was keeping the worlds apart (and had apparently been the one to create it in the first place), Glorio had taken their ship down through the gate to the First Demon World. And soon enough it was revealed that their ship wouldn’t make the rest of the flight and they’d need to abandon it.

Bulma realized that she was the only one on the team that couldn’t fly, and although Hybis hilariously declines carrying her, Vegeta made it clear he had intended to grab her the entire time. But Bulma never once questioned that fact. It’s just one of the moments we’ve seen in Dragon Ball Daima such as when Vegeta had quickly moved to protect her when Glorio first came to Earth. The two of them are so close that they quickly move to cover one another, and pretty much know what one another are thinking.

RELATED: Dragon Ball Daima Final Episode Release Date Accidentally Revealed: What We Know So Far

Bulma Cares Just as Much For Vegeta Too

Bulma and Vegeta stand out as such an important couple for Dragon Ball as not only do the two of them play key roles in many of Dragon Ball’s arcs over the years (and thus get more opportunities to showcase their connection on screen compared to other couples), but it’s made clear that it’s a connection that’s shared by the both of them. The biggest example came when Vegeta had actually transformed into the Super Saiyan 3 form for the first real time in the series.

Vegeta using this new form as a surprise to Goku and the others, but Bulma had known all about it. Not only did she reveal that Vegeta had been training in secret, she was proud of seeing this form in action. It’s a small moment in the grand scheme of things, but it really goes to showcase that their marriage is a two way street. They both care for one another, and Vegeta (despite seeming frustrated by it on the outside) always puts Bulma first above everything else. That’s not something every husband and father in the series can say.

The post Vegeta Proves Why He’s Dragon Ball’s Best Husband appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Peter Griffin’s “It insists upon itself” criticism for The Godfather has really taken off online, so the original creator behind Family Guy revealed the real origin story behind the iconic line. In the Season 4 episode, “Untitled Griffin Family History,” the Griffin Family hides away in a panic room in the attic (as Peter was inspired by watching The Butterfly Effect and wanting to get away from the movie), and Peter passes the time by telling the story about the Griffin’s family history. But the most iconic scene comes towards the end as the Griffin Family thinks they are all going to die.

In Peter’s final confession to the rest of his family, he states that he did “not care” for the famous Francis Ford Coppola feature film, The Godfather. When the rest of the family asks him why, Peter’s defense is that he feels it “insists upon itself.” This clip had been gaining more traction on social media as one fan thought it was a proper critique to use, and Family Guy series creator Seth MacFarlane explained on social media that “It insists upon itself” actually came from his college film history professor.

“It Insists Upon Itself” Scene Explained

“Since this has been trending, here’s a fun fact,” MacFarlane stated on X. “‘It insists upon itself’ was a criticism my college film history professor used to explain why he didn’t think ‘The Sound of Music’ was a great film. First-rate teacher, but I never quite followed that one.” The scene has been a fairly popular one since it was first seen back in Season 4, and has been popping up online here and there. It started taking off again when a fan had claimed it was a good argument to make, and MacFarlane’s explanation of the origin seems to indicate the opposite. That Peter looks foolish for making such an argument when he hasn’t even finished seeing the movie.

It always seemed to be the core of the joke that Peter was dismissive of The Godfather despite the rest of the family trying to tell him about all of its good qualities, and it even was one of the rare scenes where the rest of the family can hear and understand Stewie as they all join in on the argument. This scene in particular has even returned to Family Guy as one of the many hallucinations that Peter had when he was in a coma during the Season 18 episode, “Coma Guy.” So even after all these years it seems the Family Guy team loves “It insists upon itself” just as much as fans do.

RELATED: The Simpsons and Family Guy Are Getting a Massive Schedule Change in 2025

What’s Next for Family Guy?

Family Guy is finally scheduled to be making its comeback with new episodes later this Winter. Family Guy Season 23 was originally slated to return with many of the other Animaiton Domination favorites on FOX in the Fall 2024 season, but had been moved to the Winter 2025 midseason schedule instead. Now after much waiting for these new episodes, they will finally be making their debut with FOX on Sunday, February 16th at 8:00PM EST (temporarily taking The Simpsons’ spot in the FOX Sunday evening line up).

As Family Guy celebrates its 25th anniversary, you can currently catch up with all of the episodes released thus far now exclusively streaming with Hulu. The streaming service also has an exclusive Halloween and Christmas special that released last year as well, so Family Guy still has quite a lot for fans to enjoy before the new episodes hit next month.

The post Family Guy Creator Reveals Real Origin Behind Viral “It Insists Upon Itself” Meme appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Mission: Yozakura Family ended its run with Shueisha’s Weekly Shonen Jump magazine after six long years, and the creator behind it all has shared a final message to fans to help say goodbye. Shonen Jump magazine has been going through a lot of changes in the last couple of years as some of its longest running franchises have come to an end, and 2025 is already ushering even more changes for the magazine as the first major series of the year has wrapped up its run as well. This marks an even bigger turning point for the magazine than expected.

After kicking off the final arc of its manga early last year, Mission: Yozakura Family officially has come to an end with Chapter 258 of the series. To celebrate the series’ long run with the magazine and its final chapter, original creator Hitsuji Gondaira has shared a special message with fans online to help say goodbye. Thanking fans for their support over the series’ run, fans can now look ahead to what this creator might have in the works next with a potential new series in the future.

Mission: Yozakura Family’s Creator Says Goodbye to the Manga

“Thank you so much for reading and supporting Mission: Yozakura Family!” series creator Hitsuji Gondaira began. “This may have been the luckiest series in the history of Jump. I have been blessed with an incredible amount of readers and amazing people involved in this project. Honestly, I’m afraid I have used up all my luck and will have it hard in my next life, but I’ll keep on living embracing this happiness as much as I can. See you all again someday, somewhere!” It’s clear the creator felt lucky for their run in the magazine, and is appreciative of fans who showed their support the entire time.

As for how the series came to an end, Mission: Yozakura Family had quite a lot going for it when compared to how some other franchises ended. Not only was it allowed to have several months to explore the final battles between the Yozakura Family members and Asa (which had been sped up over its run), but the final chapters of the series even provided a nice epilogue as Taiyo and Mutsumi where able to have a proper wedding ceremony for the first real time in the series and grow their family from there.

RELATED: Shonen Jump Is Already Planning to End Its Next Major Series Only One Week Later

Mission: Yozakura Family Isn’t Done Just Yet

Mission: Yozakura Family might have officially come to an end with its final chapter in Shonen Jump magazine this past week, but the franchise is far from done. Mission: Yozakura Family has officially announced that the TV anime has a second season now in the works, and revealed that it was in production late last year. Although it had revealed the first look at the coming season, there has yet to be a concrete update as to what or when to expect the new episodes since its initial announcement.

As for the manga itself, you can now read the series in its entirety as Mission: Yozakura Family is now available with either Viz Media’s digital Shonen Jump library or Shueisha’s MangaPlus service. As the final series that originated from the 2010s to come to an end with the magazine, it’s helping to kick off a new and much fresher era for the magazine as the remaining series are either longterm mainstays like One Piece or Hunter x Hunter, or newer entries that have gotten their starts in the 2020s.

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The Simpsons aren’t going anywhere as their return to Sunday nights is confirmed with their return date for the final episodes of Season 36 later this year. The Simpsons and Family Guy are about to have a major schedule shake up as Family Guy will be taking over The Simpsons‘ long held time slot of 8:00PM EST on Sunday evenings on Fox. This sparked some confusion online as it seemed like The Simpsons was going to be moving away from Sunday nights entirely for the first time in its nearly 40 year run given the original reported plans for Family Guy, but now it’s confirmed that it’s not the case.

The Simpsons has confirmed its return date on FOX as new episodes will be officially premiering on Sunday, March 30th. It will then be returning to its usual Sunday evening time slot of 8:00PM EST, and then followed by other Animation Domination hits such as Family Guy, The Great North, and Grimsburg. So Family Guy will be temporarily taking The Simpsons‘ time slot for a few weeks starting in February, but The Simpsons thankfully won’t be leaving Sundays after all as initially feared.

The Simpsons Returns in March 2025

When Family Guy was moved away from its Fall 2024 premiere for a new midseason schedule, it was reported at the time that the series would be moving to Wednesday nights to support Animal Control on FOX. When it was later revealed that Family Guy would be returning for Season 23 for FOX’s midseason schedule this Winter, fans were taken by surprise that the animated series would be taking The Simpsons‘ usual time slot for the occasion. This sparked an even bigger conversation.

Somewhere along the way wires were crossed that had some fans thinking that The Simpsons would be leaving Sunday nights entirely, and even potentially moving to Wednesdays instead. As Family Guy later confirmed it will be officially premiering Season 23 of the animated series beginning on February 16th with FOX, it’s now more clear that The Simpsons will then be returning to Sunday evenings after just a few weeks. So there’s no more reason to fear the worst for either of these long running animated franchises. They’re both going to stick around.

RELATED: The Simpsons, Bob’s Burgers and Family Guy Lock in New U.S. Streaming Deal

What to Know For The Simpsons Season 36

When The Simpsons comes back for its midseason premiere on Sunday, March 30th, the animated series will be picking up right from where it left off with Season 36. This new season kickstarted last Fall, and has already gotten a lot of buzz for its experimental episodes released thus far. Not only has this newest season killed off some long time characters previously seen on the sidelines, but has also had a few fun experimental episodes that have changed the format for the series completely like its season premiere that pretended to be the series finale.

There have also been some big changes behind the scenes as long time star Pamela Hayden has announced her retirement from The Simpsons, with the new voice actor (or actors) for her characters have yet to be announced as of the time of this publication. If you wanted to catch up with the first few episodes of The Simpsons Season 36 thus far, you can check out the series now streaming with Hulu. You can also find the first 35 seasons along with a brand new, exclusive Christmas special now streaming exclusively with Disney+. With the new episodes coming this March, now is the perfect time to catch up.

The post The Simpsons Are Staying on Sundays As Confirmed With 2025 Return Date appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The TikTok Ban lasted for around fourteen hours in North America, as the social media video platform skirted it’s own destruction in the West. Alongside the App, there were various games that got the axe in a similar vein, with the biggest easily being Marvel Snap. The beloved mobile game would see players collect cards of their favorite Marvel heroes and villains, garnering quite the player base in a relatively short amount of time. While it might have been missed originally, an anime mobile game suffered the same fate as Snap but was able to rise again once TikTok and the Chinese companies affected got a new lease on life in the U.S.

The anime game in question that was initially banned was One-Punch Man – The Strongest, a turn-based free to play role playing game that assembled the biggest heroes and villains from the beloved anime franchise. First launching in 2019, the game was one that continued to add new characters to its roster over time. Since TikTok was reinstated quickly following the ban, so to was One-Punch Man’s mobile game able to do the same. The Saitama focused app is owned by Shanghai Moonton Technology, which in turn is owned by ByteDance. In Marvel Snap’s case, the card game was developed by Nuverse but was still under the ByteDance banner, hence the ban.

[RELATED: Marvel Snap Is Back Online Following Brief Ban]

Saitama Returns

On January 19th, One-Punch Man – The Strongest released the following message to fans regarding its original ban, “Dear Players, we regret to inform you that One Punch Man – The Strongest will be closed on January 19th, 2025. We understand this may be disappointing. We would like to express our deepest gratitude for your support. It has been a remarkable journey and we’re thankful to have shared it with you. Thank you once again for your understanding and for being a part of our gaming community.”

This year won’t just see Saitama returning in the mobile market, but with the third season of his anime adaptation as well. With anime fans waiting years to see the “Hero For Fun” return to the small screen, reportedly, Saitama’s story will continue in 2025. With J.C. Staff releasing a string of new character posters, One-Punch Man season three might be making a comeback shortly.

Will One-Punch Man Remain The Strongest?

Unfortunately, the return from the grave might only be temporary as TikTok and Bytedance were simply granted a seventy-five day reprieve once the ban was lifted. When the social media video service did return, it shared a message with users regarding its comeback that read,

“In agreement with our service providers, TikTok is in the process of restoring service. We thank President Trump for providing the necessary clarity and assurance to our service providers that they will face no penalties providing TikTok to over 170 million Americans and allowing over 7 million small businesses to thrive. It’s a strong stand for the First Amendment and against arbitrary censorship. We will work with President Trump on a long-term solution that keeps TikTok in the United States.”

Want to see what the future holds for Saitama and the Hero Association? Follow along with Team Anime on ComicBook.com for the latest updates on One-Punch Man and hit me up directly @EVComedy to talk all things comics and anime.

The post Major Anime Game Returns Following TikTok Ban Reversal appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Though One Piece’s story has come a long way since, one lingering mystery that still haunts fans to this day is the prophecy of Fishman Island’s destruction. Though Eiichiro Oda has been laying out the pieces of the puzzle since Egghead, this peculiar prophecy is yet to find its place in the grand scheme of things, with fans coming up with countless theories in this regard over the years.

That said, One Piece‘s latest arc brings in a rather interesting possibility, suggesting that Madam Sharley’s prophecy may not even be about Luffy but rather Elbaf’s self proclaimed sun god and accursed prince Loki instead.

Loki May Be Responsible For Fishman Island’s Ruin Instead

Although it initially seemed like the lore bombs had ended with the Egghead Arc, One Piece just surprised fans with even more information about the enigmatic Sun God Nika, deepening the mystery even further. The latest chapter of One Piece’s Elbaf Arc teases Nika may not be as benign as many believe him to be, setting up some interesting parallels between Luffy and Loki as a result.

Chapter 1136 of One Piece introduces an interesting divide in opinion of Sun God Nika, with some believing him to be a god of destruction rather than liberation. As Jarul explains, the ancient Harley texts of Elbaf reveal that Nika is closely tied to the two instances when the world of One Piece was destroyed in the past, thus associating Nika with times of great turbulence. The many interpretations of the Harley texts also most likely add to this ambiguity surrounding Nika.

[Related: One Piece Must Solve Its Biggest Issue Holding Luffy Back]

Both these versions of Nika seem to be currently personified by Loki and Luffy respectively, with Luffy representing freedom and liberation while Loki represents chaos and destructiveness. In fact, even in his introduction in Chapter 1130, Loki introduces himself as the Sun God who will bring the world to an end. If so, Madam Sharley’s prophecy about the destruction of Fishman Island may have to do more with this destructive version of Nika instead. Granted, as Chapter 610 reveals, Sharley foresees a human in a straw hat who will bring ruin to Fishman Island, though it is yet to be confirmed whether this individual is in fact Luffy.

It is very much possible that Loki’s actions bring about Fishman Island’s destruction instead with Luffy being held responsible for freeing him from his chains and unleashing him into the world. Interestingly, the latest chapter of One Piece also sees Loki display a strong distaste for Celestial Dragons and perhaps this hatred towards the World Nobles and Mariejois by extension is what inadvertently ends up bringing harm to Fishman Island. But of course, these are only speculations and theories for now. Only time will tell what Oda has in store for Loki, Luffy, and Fishman Island, though hopefully fans will get their answers soon enough.

One Piece is available to read via Manga Plus and Viz Media.

The post One Piece’s Fishman Island Prophecy May Not Be About Luffy At All appeared first on ComicBook.com.

My Hero Academia: Vigilantes will be making its highly anticipated anime debut later this April, and the anime has finally set a release date for the new series with a new look at the anime’s central cast. My Hero Academia is set to have quite the huge year as although Kohei Horikoshi’s original manga ended last year, the TV anime is set to come to its own end later this Fall with its eighth and final season. But before fans get to see how it all ends, we are going to be treated to a new look at how the My Hero Academia world began.

My Hero Academia: Vigilantes is a spinoff series that takes place five years before the events of the main My Hero Academia series. This prequel follows a trio of local heroes who decide to start fighting villains and criminals without their official hero licenses because their small town is in danger. Now fans won’t have to wait too much longer for this new series to make its anime debut as it’s now scheduled to make its debut on April 7th as part of the Spring 2025 anime schedule. You can check out the special new promo for the upcoming anime below as shared by TOHO Animation.

What to Know for My Hero Academia: Vigilantes Anime

My Hero Academia: Vigilantes will be making its premiere on April 7th as part of the Spring 2025 anime schedule. Along with the newest promo and trailer, the anime has also revealed the central voice cast behind its main trio of illegal heroes. Shuichiro Umeda will be starring as Koichi Haimawari, who decides to become a local hero named “The Crawler” (who is also inspired by All Might like Izuku Midoriya) to help out people in his neighborhood. Ikumi Hasegawa will be starring as Pop Step, a local neighborhood idol who goes from performing on the street to helping Koichi.

And finally, Yasuhiro Mamiya stars as Knuckleduster, a wild vigilante hero who takes Koichi under his wing as they end up wrapped up in a much more intense story than Koichi ever expected. The new anime will be directed by Kenichi Suzuki by Studio Bones’ new Bones Film offshoot production house. Yosuke Kuroda returns from the main My Hero Academia TV anime to handle the scripts, Takahiko Yoshida is overseeing the character designs, and Yuki Hayashi will be composing the music together with Shogo Yamashiro and Yuki Furuhashi.

RELATED: My Hero Academia: Shoto Todoroki Star Reacts to Young Fan’s Viral Video

Why You Should Watch My Hero Academia: Vigilantes

If you’re a fan of My Hero Academia, My Hero Academia: Vigilantes is a definite must-watch. Originally written by Hideyuki Furuhashi with illustrations by Betten Court, this might be a spinoff series to the main events but it has some very important ties to the original hero series. There are entire arcs of this prequel series that help to flesh out some of the biggest reveals in the original My Hero Academia (that really were only teased at in the original anime series), and fans get to see what Japan was like before heroes really took over.

This series also gives fans a look at some of the main series’ pro heroes at a much earlier stage in their lives, and this even includes All Might who is still very much in his prime. But as My Hero Academia: Vigilantes reveals that the hero world is much sketchier than fans saw in the main series, fans will fall in love with its central trio of illegal heroes much like Deku and the others in the main series.

The post My Hero Academia: Vigilantes Anime Reveals Release Date & Cast With New Promo appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Solo Leveling’s second season has been one of the biggest anime events in the medium, with Jinwoo becoming a far bigger warrior than what was seen in season one. This isn’t just thanks to the anime hero leveling up his strength, speed, and other stats, but also thanks to gaining a new class. Jinwoo is now a “necromancer,” aka a sorcerer that has the ability to use mana/magic to bring back downed opponents to add to his army. Unfortunately, while the new power is one that has added some wild new flair to the anime adaptation, it has also taken away some of the bite out of potential challenges that otherwise might have been life-or-death scenarios.

So how did Jinwoo get to this point? Funny story, he was able to achieve this by taking down the Blood-Red Commander Igris, an antagonist who would fit right into a From Software game. Along with receiving an upgrade in his skills, Jinwoo gained his new class and added Igris and the many soldiers he fought in this encounter to his roster. When the second season began, Solo Leveling’s star found himself jumping into a Red Gate where he found ice bears and ice elves that wanted nothing more than to kill the intruders that invaded their snowy lands. Of course, Jinwoo added these opponents to his roster and upon re-entering the Hell’s Tower, Sung’s new power is making things a little too easy for the hero.

[RELATED: Solo Leveling’s Anime Needs to Fix Its Female Lead Problem]

Jinwoo’s Hell Tower Adventure

As Jinwoo Sung works his way through the Hell Tower, he knocks out the initial challenges, aka killing thousands of demons, using his physical strength and speed. When he encounters one of the demon lords, he brings out his shadow forces and takes a step back in fighting against everyone but the larger-than-life red terror. Even though the demon king is able to take down a good number of Jinwoo’s forces, Sung’s fight against the creature almost seems easy with the backup feeding him weapons when he needs them.

Of course, at the end of the latest episode, Jinwoo is shown striking fear into another undead lord as his shadow army tore through some of the strongest demons the Hell Tower had to offer. For those who read the original Solo Leveling manwha, you know that there are challenges to Jinwoo on the way but his current power level is such that the anime could use knocking him down a peg or two sooner rather than later.

Jinwoo Needs More Weaknesses

The spawning of fallen enemies as allies does have a weakness and that’s Jinwoo’s “mana level.” Much like a video game, Sung summoning his nearly endless hordes drains the amount of magical enemy at his disposal. Though this weakness doesn’t feel much like one as the protagonist can still summon seemingly endless hordes to help him in his quest.

This is only one of the weaknesses as the other is a tad more interesting. Jinwoo cannot seemingly bring back to life an opponent that is stronger than himself, which he attempted to do with the leader of the Ice Elves. Since Sung was assisted by his shadow forces, he was able to defeat the elven opponent. Honestly, an interesting weakness could be Jinwoo losing control of his army based on any number of extenuating factors, so fingers crossed that some more chinks are placed into Sung’s armor as Solo Leveling forges forward.

Want to see how strong Jinwoo Sung becomes in the future? Follow along with Team Anime on ComicBook.com for the latest updates on Solo Leveling and hit me up directly @EVComedy to talk all things comics and anime.

The post Solo Leveling: Jinwoo Is Too Over-Powered in Season 2 appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Throughout its 64 episodes, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood had fans laughing, holding on to the edge of their seats, and crying over the anime’s many tragic stories. In fact, despite its many lighthearted moments, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood could be argued to be an anime that starts and ends with tragedy. Because in life, an equivalent exchange is not always so equivalent. And that’s a lesson the Elric brothers learn the hard way when they try to play with the laws of nature, the consequences of their actions fueling their search for the Philosopher’s Stone that marks their involvement with the wider plot of the story.

But the Elric brothers aren’t the only Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood characters worth shedding tears over. Their journey has them meet many people of various backgrounds as they learn and grow from their own but also other’s mistakes. Almost every character in the series has seen and grown from tragedy, from the brothers’ childhood friend Winry to the villainous Homunculus Greed. And thanks to that, the anime’s fan base keeps wanting more even two decades later (as evidenced by the anime getting a live-action stage play). So without further ado, let’s take a look at the 10 saddest moments in Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood.

Spoiler Warning: Given the Nature of This List, Major Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood Spoilers Ahead for Each Entry!

The Elrics’ Failed Human Transmutation 

When Edward and Alphonse Elric lose their mother, Trisha, at the young age of five and four, respectively, they are barely old enough to even understand the concept of death. With a prodigal interest in alchemy, Ed hypothesizes the brothers could bring their mother back with Human Transmutation. But their desire to feel their mother’s hug again leads to a far more tragic fate.

Even after 5 years of training and preparation, nothing goes as planned. Minutes after the Human Transmutation array activates, Al loses his entire body, while an equally scared Ed loses his left leg. The scene is absolutely brutal and only becomes sadder when, in a desperate attempt to have his brother back, a bleeding Ed uses his own blood to bind Al’s soul to the suit of armor in their father’s study, giving up his right arm in exchange. 

Alphonse’s Sacrifice

In Ed’s final showdown against the villain Father, he finds his automail destroyed and his organic arm impaled on some twisted rebar, preventing him from performing alchemy or even getting away from the approaching villain. In a desperate attempt to save his brother, a damaged Al hypothesizes that since Ed gave up his right arm to bind Al’s soul to the armor, the reverse must also be true. And with Mei’s help, he sacrifices his soul for Ed’s arm, bringing tears to fans’ eyes.

Riza’s Reaction To Roy’s (Presumed) Death

When the Homunculus Lust tells Riza Hawkeye she’s going to kill her to join her superior officer Roy Mustang in the afterlife, Riza’s reaction is heartbreaking. The normally calm and capable lieutenant first reacts with denial, unable to accept Roy being dead. She then lashes out, shooting Lust with bullet after bullet until she’s all out of ammo. 

Riza doesn’t stop even as tears stream down her face. And when her attacks have no lasting effect thanks to the Homunculus’ regeneration, she slumps down, defeated. Seeing such a composed character break down was an emotional moment for many, and while Roy was (thankfully) not actually dead, the scene did leave its mark.

Maes Hughes’ Death 

Introduced as Roy Mustang’s cheery friend and comrade, Maes Hughes was an instant hit among fans, which makes his death all the more tragic. After Maes realizes all the riots and battles in Amestris are no coincidence, he’s ambushed by Lust, who intends to kill him to ensure his silence.

Fortunately, he was able to escape. However, as an injured Maes finds a phone booth to tip Roy off about his findings, he is attacked by the shapeshifting Envy. Maes tries to fight back, but Envy cruelly takes the form of his wife, stopping the Lieutenant Colonel in his tracks. And if that wasn’t sad enough, after Maes’ young daughter calls out to her father at his funeral, even Roy can’t stop his tears.

Nina’s Fate

While Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood has its fair share of sad moments, Nina’s fate is the saddest of them all. The young daughter of alchemist Shou Tucker, the Elric brothers meet Nina while researching in her father’s library and take an instant liking to her. Even playing with her and her dog, Alexander.

But when Shou Tucker needs an alchemical miracle for his assessment day, he does the unthinkable and permanently fuses his own daughter and her dog into a talking chimera. Once Ed realizes what’s happened, he can’t hold back his rage, nearly punching Tucker to death. This heart-wrenching moment not only sticks with the audience but also Ed, helping define him as a character.

[RELATED – 10 Best Naruto Quotes That Moved Fans Worldwide] 

Greed Kills His Friends

After Father puts Greed into Ling’s body and erases his previous memories, Greed encounters Bido, one of his friends from Dublith who traveled to Central to find him. Thanks to his Ultimate Shield and demeanor, Bido is able to recognize Greed despite him being in a different body. But Greed doesn’t recognize Bido and kills him instead.

However, this moment triggers his memories, and Greed starts remembering all of his friends from Dublith. The event marked Greed as a tragic character whose wish is to live his life away with his friends from his Father’s control. Greed finally acknowledges this just before his death.

Ed Stops Winry From Shooting Scar

When Winry learns Scar was the one to kill her parents, the onslaught of emotions has her fall to her knees. When she sees a gun nearby, the normally kind and caring character is overcome by the desire for revenge. With shaking hands, a crying Winry points her gun at Scar while Ed and Al beg her not to shoot.

But despite even Scar calling her desire for revenge justified, Winry can’t bring herself to pull the trigger. Eventually, Ed peels the gun out of Winry’s shaking hands. In an emotional scene, it reminds her that her hands are meant to save lives, not take them.

Roy Loses His Sight 

For his grand plan to succeed, the villain Father needed five human sacrifices that had performed Human Transmutation. When he falls short of this number, he tries to force Roy Mustang to perform the Transmutation to save Riza’s life. But Roy refuses. 

Seeing that he won’t perform the Transmutation willingly, Wrath stabs an unwilling Roy’s hands in place while Pride opens the Gate. And despite Roy’s conscious decision not to perform the Transmutation, Truth still has him pay the toll with his eyesight. This is tragic for a man who dreamed of becoming Fuhrer and seeing Amestris change with his own eyes.

Al Doubs His Memories

Despite the brothers’ visibly strong bond, living as a suit of armor that can’t eat or sleep takes its toll on Al. So when Ed and Al meet another hollow suit of armor in the same situation, the encounter sows the seed of doubt in Al’s mind. The younger Elric starts doubting his brother and even his memories, wondering if he even exists. And while the brothers eventually talk things out, Alphonse’s dilemma is heartbreaking to witness. 

Ed’s Final Transmutation 

Throughout the anime, there is one thing we learn to be true without a doubt: Ed loves alchemy. So, for him to sacrifice something he loves so much in exchange for his brother is heartwarming but also incredibly sad. It is clear that Ed has spent years regretting getting Al involved in his plan to perform Human Transmutation, and his last Transmutation is him finally correcting that mistake, regardless of the cost.

Ed gave up his Gate of Truth, giving up his alchemy abilities in exchange for bringing Al back. It’s a worthy sacrifice, but only one Ed could make after achieving significant enough character growth to part with something so precious. However, for Alphonse’s sake, and playing into the series’ themes, it was ultimately the exchange we needed.

The post 10 Saddest Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood Moments appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The Elbaf Arc of One Piece is off to an amazing start, but the continuous hiatuses delayed the progress quite a bit. After the holidays were over, fans noticed that the franchise was in its most boring period in history. However, the manga is back on its track after Chapter 1136. One Piece started going on multiple unexpected hiatuses during the live-action adaptations’ production. After the first season became a global sensation in 2023, the manga returned to its schedule before Season 2 began filming. As the Executive Director of the show, Oda is often busy with the series. Aside from that, he also needs breaks in between to rest.

Although the manga released fewer chapters in the last several months, fans are as supportive towards Oda as always. After Chapter 1136, One Piece will release the next two chapters over each consecutive week with no breaks. The information was reported by a popular account @pewpiece, a common source for One Piece-related manga leaks, and is likely sourced from claystage.com’s popular annual One Piece release date schedule for 2025. The last time we had consecutive chapters was in October, with the releases of Chapters 1128, 1129, and 1130. The manga is currently focusing on Shanks’ lookalike and Gunko. Fans can expect exciting plot twists in the upcoming chapters as we may find out more about Shanks’ lookalike.

[RELATED: One Piece: Shanks Should Be the Strongest Character But One Detail Can’t Be Ignored]

What Is Happening in One Piece’s Elbaf Arc?

After the crew’s arrival on Elbaf, the Giants hold a celebratory banquet to welcome them. Robin and Saul reunite after 22 years following the tragic Ohara Incident. The manga also introduces Prince Loki, who is crucified in the underworld for killing his father, King Herald. The giants explain that Loki always caused chaos in their villages. However, he finally crossed the line after killing his father to acquire a powerful devil fruit.

They weren’t able to capture him after he fled to the ocean, but Shanks got to him. Amid the festivities, Elbaf is facing its biggest threat ever. Two Holy Knights infiltrate the underworld to recruit Loki, the Cursed Prince of Elbaf. Loki is easily the strongest giant, but getting an offer to become a Holy Knight, a position only reserved for the World Noble, speaks volumes about his strength.

However, even though Loki could have easily escaped with their help, he rejects them. The Prince also makes fun of the Celestial Dragons in front of Gunko and Shanks’ lookalike. The upcoming chapters will explore the situation in the underworld. We may soon find out more about Shanks’ lookalike. Given his hatred for the World Nobles, Loki will likely continue to reject and provoke them further.

Meanwhile, the Holy Knights may have a bigger goal than just capturing Loki. The World Government has always wanted Elbaf, the strongest country in the world, on their side. While Luffy and the others are unaware of the situation, it wouldn’t be long before news about it arrives in the Sun World, the place where all Elbaf villages are located. The arc is also focusing on Nika lore that fans were looking forward to.

H/T: @pewpiece, claystage.com

The post One Piece’s Release Schedule Reportedly Marks Its First Streak in Months appeared first on ComicBook.com.

In the anime industry, the Isekai genre is only growing with each passing year and there’s one series that has become a fan-favorite when it comes to stories dropping mundane protagonists into exceptional environments. Re:Zero -Starting Life in Another World has a premise that fits right into the genre but has a hook that helps push it to the top of the Isekai world. Now, as the third season for the anime adaptation is set to return, a new trailer for “Counterattack” has arrived which sees Natsuki Subaru and company doing just that. Buckle up Isekai fans because the return of Re:Zero’s third season is going to be a wild ride.

When it comes to the “twist” of Re:Zero, the series begins by seeing Natuski dropped into a new magical land but having the benefit, or curse, of being reborn to a specific time if he dies. As the series progresses, he finds himself able to gt a better handle on this ability while also discovering that should he make it to a certain point, the time of his revival will change as well. Alongside the anime series, Re:Zero has released several video games, manga chapters, light novels, and novels to help detail this strange Isekai universe. For those waiting to see the next chapter of Re:Zero, we have good news for you as the return of season three is right around the corner.

[RELATED: Re:Zero Season 3 Teases Counterattack Arc With 2025 Return First Look]

The Counterattack Trailer

Isekai fans can expect the first episode of the Counterattack to arrive on February 5th next month. When last we left the Subaru and his allies, the heroes were looking to strike a heavy blow against the “Witch Cult.” The upcoming arc is one that has already played out in the Re:Zero novels as a part of the arc known as “The Stars That Engrave History”, aka the fifth arc of the printed stories. Both the novel and light novel series are continuing to this day thanks to creator Tappei Nagatsuki, so future anime seasons past three are certainly possible.

When it comes to the trailer itself, it appears as though the Counterattack will be giving each of the heroes a full plate when it comes to trials and tribulations. Julius and Ricardo will be taking on the Sin Archbishop of Gluttony, Priscilla and Liliana will be fighting the Sin Archbishop of Wrath, and finally, Garfiel and Wilhelm will be battling the Sin Acrhbishop of Lust. This second and final arc of Re:Zero’s third season will consist of eight episodes before ending the giant anime battle.

Isekai Expands

On top of Re:Zero -Starting Life in Another World, the Isekai genre is only looking to expand this year. Series like The Red Ranger Becomes An Adventurer in Another World and From Bureaucrat to Villainess: Dad’s Been Reincarnated flip the script on the traditional tropes of the genre. Of course, returning series such as Mushoku Tensei, The Rising of The Shield Hero, and That Time I Got Reincarnated As A Slime are sure to gather some serious audiences as well.

Want to see what the future has in store for Natsuki? Follow along with Team Anime on ComicBook.com for the latest updates on Re:Zero and hit me up directly @EVComedy to talk all things comics and anime.

The post Re:Zero Releases Counterattack Arc Trailer Teasing Anime’s Return: Watch appeared first on ComicBook.com.

While Netflix’s Castlevania series is non-canon from the lore found in the original video game franchise, the show is filled with canon materials that have been reimagined to make the iconic figures featured in the series feel familiar to diehard fans. The love and passion that’s gone into adapting Castlevania‘s many unique characters can be especially felt with how Maria Renard is handled in Castlevania: Nocturne Season 2. This is particularly felt in Maria’s summoning abilities from the games, reimagined to give the character a magic ability that has absolutely nightmarish potential.

While Maria goes to take her revenge on her father in Nocturne Season 2, she summons a large, horrific dragon from an otherworldly realm. The moment, while initially being framed as something to help empower Maria and avenge her mother, is masterfully twisted to show just how much of herself she’s lost to grief and, in turn, how she’s lost control of her actions in her quest for revenge. Interestingly, this isn’t the first time in the franchise that Maria has managed to summon a dragon.

When Maria first appeared in Castlevania: Rondo of Blood, her summoning magic was introduced through an almost gag-like scene where she summons a dragon after throwing a tantrum directed at Richter Belmont, who, in the games, acted as her mentor figure. It’s important to note that in the game’s canon, Maria was only 12 years old, four years younger than she appears in Nocturne, where she’s introduced as being 16 years old. Aging her up for Nocturne was a smart decision, not only to give her the opportunity to actually participate in the war against the Vampire Messiah but to explore how deeply complex Maria’s mental and emotional state plays into the beasts that she’s capable of summoning.

[RELATED: Castlevania: Nocturne Season 2 Teases Launch with New Trailer: Watch]

Maria’s Character Arc Sets Her Up To Take the Spotlight Going Forward

While there’s been no confirmation of what the future of the Castlevania animated series looks like, it seems obvious based on Maria’s unresolved character arc in the second season. Given that there’s still unadapted source material featuring Maria, she would return and likely take center stage alongside Alucard in a potential sequel. The show has an impeccable ability to modify the existing Castlevania canon and turn these characters’ stories into a wholly original experience that still succeeds in feeling familiar to longtime fans. Many believe that Alucard staying behind with Juste and Maria in France could indicate that the series may potentially tackle the events of Symphony of the Night, or, at the very least, a creative spin on the lore from that game.

It would make sense for Maria, too, given that Richter has left to go on his own journey with Annette, and Maria’s festering hatred for vampires – even after reuniting with her mother after she was turned – begging to be explored. Seeing her truly embrace her canon future as a vampire huntress would be interesting and completely understandable for her character to take following Nocturne‘s finale.

The post Castlevania: Nocturne Brings Back Maria’s Best Ability in Season 2 appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The One Piece manga is currently in its Elbaf Arc and already causing controversy for something the show has been doing for 27 years. As a Shonen manga, Eiichiro Oda doesn’t hold back fanservice to keep the young audience engaged. Hence, the designs regarding female characters have always been a topic of debate among fans. The Egghead Island, in particular, saw some revealing clothes for the female characters, even Bonney, who is technically 12 years old, and York, a 16-year-old girl. And Oda has done it again with a Holy Knight. The Giants are holding a banquet to welcome the Straw Hat Pirates to their land.

Amid the celebration, two mysterious figures arrive in Chapter 1134 using the same summoning circle Gorosei used. The man looks like Shanks while the woman’s face is covered. The latest One Piece Chapter 1136 reveals the woman’s name is Gunko and introduces us to her incredible powers. She has arrived in Elbaf to recruit Loki as one of the members of the Holy Knights. They are the official law enforcers of the Holy Land of Mary Geoise and rank above other World Nobles. However, Loki refuses their offer and Gunko ends up fighting his wolf. Although her face is still hidden, the chapter reveals her full character design, which is controversial, to say the least.

[RELATED: One Piece: Shanks Should Be the Strongest Character But One Detail Can’t Be Ignored]

One Piece Fans Debate Over Gunko’s Outfit

Gunko is wearing formal attire but fans believe the top and bottom don’t match. Her design reminds us of Smoothie and every female character in Egghead except Lilith. However, unlike the previous casual attire, Oda chooses to make her outfit look more formal.

Popular One Piece theorist and YouTuber @newworldartur shares, “Lost in Translation: Gunko is wearing a gakuran, a traditional Japanese school uniform. In some cases, particularly anime culture, gakuran have been associated with delinquents, as well as wearing short skirts …though Oda is obviously exaggerating here.”

He further explains, “Thought it was pretty clear, but obviously, it’s not a “cultural thing” to wear no pants in Japan lol. Anime often associates gakuran with short skirts (and delinquents, like Jotaro), but Oda basically exaggerated this a lot, even Japanese fans are finding the design whack.”

This confirms that although the initial idea of the design is actually interesting, fans are unhappy with the unnecessary fanservice. Gunko’s design is being criticized by Japanese and international fans. Even though some fans are defending it, the controversy doesn’t seem to die down anytime soon. Another reason for the dissatisfaction is Gunko’s status as a Holy Knight and a Celestial Dragon. Loki is an exception but Holy Knights are usually World Nobles, who hold the highest authority in the world. And yet, her attire doesn’t command presence as one would expect from her noble status.

Furthermore, although her age hasn’t been revealed, she appears to be very young. Oda has faced criticism in the past for making minors like Rebecca and York wear inappropriate outfits. One Piece is already the best-selling manga in history and its popularity only keeps rising thanks to the anime and the live-action adaptation. Hence, a lot of fans also believe that the series doesn’t need fanservice anymore.

H/T: @newworldartur

The post One Piece Is Already Causing Controversy With New Holy Knight appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Invincible Season 3 will finally be making its debut with Prime Video next month, and the new season will be adding some heavy hitters from the Breaking Bad, Marvel and DC universes for its new episodes. Invincible Season 2 wrapped up its run last year following a few months of a break in between, and thankfully confirmed that Season 3 was already on the way. Not only that, but it’s also been revealed that Invincible Season 3 is not planning a break in between its episodes this time around. So when this new season gets going, it’s not going to stop until the end.

Ahead of the new season’s premiere, Prime Video has announced more of the new voice cast additions coming to Invincible Season 3. These new names will be joining the returning voice cast from the first two seasons, and include some heavy hitting names from Breaking Bad, Marvel projects such as Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, DC’s Blue Beetle and Netflix’s Cobra Kai, animated franchises like Futurama and Adventure Time, and many more. You can get the details for the newly announced voice cast for Invincible Season 3 below.

New Additions to Invincible Season 3 Voice Cast

Joining Invincible for Season 3 includes the likes of Aaron Paul, Simu Liu, Jonathan Banks, Kate Mara, Xolo Maridueña, John DiMaggio, Tzi Ma, Doug Bradley, and Christian Convery. Each of these names is quite huge for the series, and teases how big of a deal this new season is going to be. The first details for these new additions were also revealed by Prime Video and they break down as such:

POWERPLEX (Aaron Paul)
A new villain with an emotional past, Powerplex absorbs energy – letting him use an enemy’s strength against them. And that enemy is Invincible.

BECKY DUVALL (Kate Mara)
With a deep hatred for Invincible, Becky works with Powerplex to deliver justice she believes was denied.

THE ELEPHANT (John DiMaggio)
A serious villain with a serious name and a serious look. He wants the world to stop eating meat. He probably wants other things too. It doesn’t matter as long as he’s taken seriously… By somebody. Please.

MR. LIU (Tzi Ma)
Under this wizened exterior, he’s the ruthless leader of The Order – an international crime syndicate. But that’s not all this mysterious old man is hiding.

FIGHTMASTER & DROPKICK (Xolo Maridueña)
Freedom-fighting twins from a troubled future, they’re willing to risk everything in a desperate quest to save their world. 

OLIVER GRAYSON (Christian Convery)
Mark’s younger brother was a toddler last time we saw him, but when you’re half Viltrumite and half Thraxan, you grow up REAL fast.

MULTI-PAUL (Simu Liu)
An elite assassin for Mr. Liu’s secret criminal organization, Multi-Paul took the opposite path of his sister Dupli-Kate. But blood is thicker than water…

But details about Jonathan Banks and Doug Bradley’s new characters are being kept under wraps for now, so fans will really need to keep an eye out for how the new season develops.

RELATED: New Invincible Comic Series Announced by Robert Kirkman and Ryan Ottley

When Does Invincible Season 3 Come Out?

Co-produced by Skybound Entertainment and Amazon MGM Studios, Invincible Season 3 will be officially making its debut with Prime Video on Thursday, February 6th. The premiere will feature the first three episodes of the new season, and new episodes will be released each Thursday on a weekly basis after. The full release schedule has been revealed for the new season as well, and it teases that Invincible Season 3 will be running for eight episodes with the season finale making its debut on March 13th.

It’s going to be a season of big changes as Mark dons a new blue and black suit as a much more intense phase of his hero career starts to take shape. With the Viltrumite Empire’s threat lingering overhead, Mark also somehow needs to be wary of everything happening on the Earth as well. And with this new voice cast, fans are going to want to see what comes next for sure.

The post Invincible Season 3 Adds Cast From Breaking Bad, Marvel and DC appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Attack on Titan: The Last Attack is coming to North America. The compilation film is one that tore up the charts in Japan, taking over the big screen even though the outing is the final installments of the series. The Last Attack however did have some animation changes, along with a new post-credits scene, that gave fans more than enough reason to revisit the grand finale on the big screen. To hype the upcoming release in the West, Attack on Titan’s first, and perhaps last, movie has dropped a new trailer to highlight the English Dub that will play alongside the original Japanese iteration in theaters.

For those who need a refresher, Attack on Titan: The Last Attack combines the final two episodes of the anime adaptation into one giant outing. Hitting theaters with a runtime of over two hours, it makes sense that anime fans would run to theaters to check out the biggest battles of Attack on Titan on the big screen. Of course, when it comes to the original post-credits scene, this will be the first opportunity fans in the West get to check out the wild new take on Eren, Armin, and Mikasa. This new scene also gave the English voice actors for the trio one more chance to step into their roles.

[RELATED: Attack on Titan: Requiem Has Been Released (And Here’s How You Can Watch)]

The Last Attack Details

The movie will hit theaters on Monday, February 10th in North America. Alongside the new trailer, Crunchyroll and Sony Pictures released a new synopsis for the film that gathers Attack on Titan’s biggest battles into one theatrical experience. Here’s what the companies had to say for the final charge of the Scout Regiment hitting theaters next month,

“Attack on Titan: The Last Attack brings together the last two episodes of the highly acclaimed anime series in a theatrical experience delivering the epic finale in a colossal-sized omnibus film. Humanity lived quietly behind massive walls built to protect themselves from the threat of monstrous creatures called Titans. Their century of peace was shattered by an attack on their city that left a young child, Eren Jaeger, motherless and vowing revenge on the titans. Years after joining the Survey Corps, Eren finds himself facing a deadly foe, and ultimately gains a special ability that unveils a new truth about the world he knows…”

The synopsis continues, “After venturing beyond the walls and separated from his comrades, Eren finds himself inspired by this new truth and plots the “Rumbling,” a terrifying plan to eradicate every living thing in the world. With the fate of the world hanging in the balance, a motley crew of Eren’s former comrades and enemies scramble to halt his deadly mission. The only question is, can they stop him?”

Attack on Titan Expands

Ironically enough, one of the biggest headlines that the anime franchise relates to a fan project dubbed Attack on Titan: Requiem. The fan studio known as Studio Eclypse took the opportunity to create an alternate ending to the series in the face of many fans believing the franchise ended on quite the controversial note. Creator Hajime Isayama and Studio MAPPA haven’t hinted at the franchise receiving a sequel but it’s clear that Attack on Titan’s legacy won’t soon be forgotten.

Want to see what future surprises are in store for the Scout Regiment? Follow along with Team Anime on ComicBook.com for the latest updates on Attack on Titan and hit me up directly @EVComedy to talk all things comics and anime.

Via Press Release

The post Attack on Titan: The Last Attack Unleashes First English Dub Trailer appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The animated series focusing on the Mystery Shack and its employees has long been a fan-favorite since it was first brought to life by Disney in 2012. While the series only garnered two seasons, the show has continued to score new audiences since hitting various streaming services. Unfortunately, Gravity Falls will be removed from one of its biggest platforms in the coming days. While animation fans might not have the chance to watch the Pines’ story on one platform, there’s a silver lining to this cloud when it comes to checking out Gravity Falls. If you want to check out the series in the future, you might want to read on.

Gravity Falls has been a part of the Hulu library for some time, but it appears as though animation fans only have until the end of this month to watch the series on the streaming service. Fans might find this surprising since Disney currently owns the largest stake in Hulu, with the “House of Mouse” having a 67% stake in the platform as of the writing of this article. Previously, Comcast was the main shareholder of the streaming service but in 2023, the reins were shifted to Disney. Luckily, we do have good news for those looking to revisit, or dive into, the Mystery Shack’s tale.

[RELATED: Gravity Falls Revival Is in Talks, Disney Exec Confirms]

Gravity Falls Can Still Be Watched

Luckily, Mabel and Dipper’s story can still be experienced on Disney+ for the foreseeable future. This fact always has the potential to change in the future, as it seems that series across all the streaming services can either be removed entirely or jump to new platforms. Gravity Falls also has a box set for the complete series on DVD and Blu-Ray, though finding the latter can be difficult as animation fans have apparently snatched that one up.

Ironically enough, Gravity Falls has continued to highlight some of its characters in some wild ways in recent days. In the Disney animated series, Chibiverse, creator and voice actor Alex Hirsch returned to the roles of Grunkle Stan and Soos. During this episode, the beloved characters interacted with Disney properties including Ducktales, Phineas & Ferb, and Amphibia to make a crossover that many might have missed. Even over a decade since its debut, Gravity Falls remains a fan-favorite and might make future appearances.

The Gravity Falls Revival

For those hoping to see a Gravity Falls comeback, we have good news for you. Last summer, a Disney Executive stated that discussions had taken place between the studio and Gravity Falls creator Alex Hirsch. Disney Executive Vice President Meredith Roberts stated the following, “You know, we’re in conversations with Alex. He’s about to publish a book with Disney on his project. And we also do some shorts. So never say never.”

Considering how Gravity Falls originally ended, it makes sense that a revival could arrive at some point. While the series finale was one that had a definitive ending for the scenario that Mabel and Dipper found themselves in, returning to the Mystery Shack for future adventures was also left on the table.

Want to stay up to date on the Mystery Shack? Follow along with Team Anime on ComicBook.com for the latest updates on Gravity Falls and hit me up directly @EVComedy to talk all things comics and anime.

The post Gravity Falls Is Leaving a Major Streaming Service (But There’s Good News Too) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The Spy x Family manga unveils its biggest plot twist in the ongoing arc. The Forger Family visits the Winter Sheep Festival in Berlint during Anya’s holidays. Curious about the Hall of the Clairvoyants, Yor and Anya enter the place only to find Melinda working as a Fortune Teller. She’s hiding her identity to avoid causing trouble for her family. Although she may not be aware of it herself, Melinda can make accurate predictions. While their meeting goes well, Yor can’t help but notice Melinda’s internal struggles. Anya reads her mind and understands that the woman loves her son, Damian but for some reason, she’s afraid of Donovan Desmond.

The family has a wall against one another and Damian is probably the only one who doesn’t notice. Yor suggests Melinda to visit Loid in the Berlint General Hospital. In Chapter 109, Loid meets Melinda for the first time and tries to extract information from her. However, he never would’ve guessed she would say that her husband is an alien. Melinda’s statement baffles Loid but Chapter 110 reveals that there is more to it than meets the eye. She talks more about Donovan and how her suspicions of his telepathic secret directly ties the story’s overarching villain to Anya Forger.

[RELATED: Spy x Family Drops Otherworldly Bombshell About One Villain in Latest Cliffhanger]

Donovan and Anya May Have Some Connection in Spy x Family

Melinda explains that she doesn’t remember when things started to change between her and Donovan. It could’ve been around the time Demetrius or Damian was born. Donovan became a completely different person and started keeping a distance from everyone around him. It took Melinda a while to believe that Donovan hasn’t simply changed but his body has been taken over by an extraterrestrial being. Although she wholeheartedly believes that’s the case, Melinda is well aware that no one will believe something as ridiculous as this.

Loid even thinks that she could have Delusion Misidentification Syndrome. However, he doesn’t notice any symptoms associated with that condition. Melinda only suspects aliens have taken the real Donovan to a distant planet. However, the reason behind her suspicion is simply Donovan’s ability to read people’s minds. Her eldest son, Demetrius, also suspects Donovan’s secret and struggles to keep his mind clear all the time.

As the chapter ends, Loid comes home, and Anya hears his thoughts. She’s surprised that another person, especially Loid’s biggest target, could have the same power as her. Almost nothing is known about Anya’s origins. After being experimented on and gaining the ability to read people’s minds, she has been adopted several times, but everyone kept returning her to the orphanage before Loid took her in. However, considering Melinda is only imagining the existence of aliens, it’s very likely that Donovan and Anya were experimented on in the same lab.

Considering Donovan’s successful results, the lab must have wanted more people like him on their side, which resulted in them experimenting on children. It wouldn’t be surprising if Donovan himself needed such ability to wage war in Westalis and Ostania. Furthermore, he and Anya might even have the same weakness that doesn’t allow them to read people’s minds during a full moon.

The post Spy x Family: Donovan’s Secret Raises Question About Anya’s Origins appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Hot on the heels of the announcement that the King of the Monsters would be taking on Marvel’s jolly green giant, the Incredible Hulk, it seems that New York City’s favorite wall crawler is getting in on the action. Marvel has recently announced that Godzilla Vs. Spider-Man is the next comic on the drawing board for the kaiju-filled crossover, but this one’s going to be a little different. While the lizard king will be fighting against Peter Parker, this will be a different iteration of the beloved Marvel hero during a specific time in his life. Luckily, said time gives Spidey one of his most powerful iterations in his superhero career.

Godzilla Vs. Spider-Man #1 will arrive on April 30th this spring, bringing together some big creators for this giant crossover. Legendary comic writer Joe Kelly, who might be best known for his past work on Deadpool, The Amazing Spider-Man, and Uncanny X-Men, is leading the charge. Kelly will be joined by artist Nick Bradshaw, who has experience with titles like Wolverine And The X-Men, Strange Academy, and Fantastic Four. As mentioned previously, this crossover will take place shortly after the events of Marvel’s original Secret Wars storyline, meaning that Peter will be inside his classic symbiote costume. Of course, this now leaves open the possibility that a Venom-version of Godzilla might make an appearance, potentially creating the most powerful Venom we’ve seen to date.

[RELATED: Marvel Announces Godzilla Vs. Hulk]

The Itsy Bitsy Kaiju

Writer Joe Kelly detailed his excitement for diving into this new project, explaining how this crossover is his chance to ‘go nuts’ as a writer, “The second I heard that there was going to be a Godzilla x Spidey crossover set in the ‘80s, I almost leapt across the table to claim it. This book is a chance to go nuts and have a blast with two iconic characters and channel the chaos of the time period that I was actively collecting Spider-Man. Nick Bradshaw really captures the absurdity of the concept and the vibe I was going for, while at the same time giving Godzilla and Spidey (in his perfectly-normal-nothing-weird-here-black suit!) the prestige and gravity they deserve. It’s a love letter served with an earth-shattering roar!”

Of course, this isn’t the only major crossover that Peter Parker will participate in this year as another monster is stalking New York City’s streets. Announced last year, Predator Versus Spider-Man will see the legendary alien hunter attempting to add Spider-Man to his list of prey. Ironically enough, this crossover will also arrive this April, meaning that wall crawler fans will have a lot to look forward to in the crossover department.

Godzilla Vs. Marvel

Alongside Spidey, Godzilla is planning to fight both the Incredible Hulk and the Fantastic Four in respective outings beginning this March. The six issue mini-series has yet to reveal what the latter three issues will see the king of the monsters tackle, though we could certainly guess that the Avengers and the X-Men might take their crack at the kaiju.

Ironically enough, Marvel was beaten to the punch in fighting Godzilla in the current era as DC Comics recently ended Justice League Vs. Godzilla Vs. Kong. Not only did this series do some wild things like make King Kong a Green Lantern but it was successful enough to warrant a sequel that is currently in the works.

Want to see what other Marvel characters that Godzilla will tackle in 2025? Follow along with Team Anime on ComicBook.com for the latest updates on the king of the monsters and hit me up directly @EVComedy to talk all things comics and anime.

Via IGN

The post Marvel Unveils Godzilla Vs. Spider-Man (With A Venomous Twist) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Castlevania: Nocturne‘s second season is absolutely electrifying, greatly improving on an already excellent first season by delivering everything the Vampire Messiah storyline had to offer. In addition to its story, Castlevania: Nocturne is also filled with countless nods to the games for eagle-eyed fans. Some of the most interesting references found in Season 2 can be seen in Maria’s character arc.

Maria was significantly aged up for the release of Nocturne, with the showrunners making her 16 years old compared to her first-ever appearance in the franchise, Castlevania: Rondo of Blood, where she was only twelve. Instead, her appearance more closely resembles the reimagined design from the PSP compilation game, Castlevania: The Dracula X Chronicles. While this is ultimately a positive change to better fit in with Nocturne‘s narrative, giving her more flexibility to participate in the war against the Vampire Messiah and have a better understanding of her magical abilities, some diehard fans were disappointed to see her more classic design be seemingly forgotten.

[RELATED: Castlevania Nocturne Season 2 Explores What Alucard’s Been Up To (And It’s Not Pretty)]

Episode 2 rectifies this, showing a gut-wrenching scene in the Renards’ home where Maria lays out her childhood dresses – which, to the delight of many fans, included her Rondo of Night look. The dress reappeared in Episode 6, showing Maria looking almost exactly like her 90s counterpart in a flashback of her and Richter as children. Given the small references dropped in Castlevania: Nocturne‘s finale that Alucard will stay behind in France and continue to keep in touch with Juste Belmont and Maria, it could pave the way for the iconic dhampir to serve as Maria’s mentor – taking Richter’s place from the original games. While speculative, this narrative change could lead to a possible Symphony of the Night series starring Maria and Alucard.

Castlevania: Nocturne Turned Maria Into a Magical Powerhouse

Castlevania: Nocturne‘s take on Maria Renard may contrast significantly from her role in the games, but her role in the story proves her to be so much more than a traumatized teenage girl. Throughout Season 2 of Nocturne, Maria is forced to try and grieve the loss of her mother while battling a clear-cut case of survivor’s guilt. This manifests in the otherworldly beasts she’s able to summon to fight for her, turning into grotesque manifestations of her mental state for much of the show’s run.

When she finally has an opportunity to confront her father and reunite with her now-vampire mother, Maria is finally able to begin processing her trauma and rebuilding who she is. Of course, after everything she’s been through, there are still some hints dropped throughout Season 2’s climax that she has a long road to travel before she’s finally able to let go of everything she endured.

The post Castlevania: Nocturne Season 2 Fixes a Divisive Design Retcon from Season 1 appeared first on ComicBook.com.

When Netflix announced that it would be housing the story of Taro Sakamoto, anime fans knew that the streaming service was continuing to be serious about its place in the anime streaming wars. Sakamoto Days has long been one of the biggest Shonen Jump manga that fans were hoping to see on the small screen and numbers don’t lie. With two episodes of the anime adaptation already in the tank for Sakamoto Days’ first season, Netflix has confirmed just how well the television series has been doing so far and the numbers might be enough to shock you. Clearly, the Sakamoto clan has a lot of groundswell.

Much like Dandadan, shonen fans have had to wait years to see Taro Sakamoto brought to the small screen, but the wait was worth it. Brought to life by studio TMS Entertainment, the source material was originally forged by mangaka Yuto Suzuki in 2020 and has continued releasing new chapters to this day. At present, the series has one hundred and ninety chapters under its belt, meaning that we are just a few weeks away from witnessing Sakamoto Days’ two hundredth chapter release. This fact means that if the shonen series continues to ride high on its popularity, anime fans could see several more seasons and/or movies in the franchise’s future.

[RELATED: Sakamoto Days’ Anime Is Already Better Than the Manga]

Sakamoto Days: One of Netflix’s Biggest Anime Premiere

Since debuting on Netflix, Sakamoto Days has garnered 8.6 million views, making it the number two non-English television show. The anime focusing on Taro Sakamoto and his family would have hit number one if not for the juggernaut that is Squid Games Season 2. The number of hours that subscribers have watched Sakamoto Days, according to Netflix, is over 7.7 million in total which is thanks to the anime episodes having a runtime of around thirty minutes.

In terms of what’s been seen so far in Sakamoto Days, the series has seen former assassin turned convenience store owner Taro attempting to live a normal life. Through no fault of his own, he is once again dragged back into the life thanks to the arrival of the psychic hitman Shin Asakura. Unfortunately for Taro, while he is still a powerhouse, he can no longer take a life as the promise to the love of his life forbids him from doing so. Luckily, the main character and Shin as his new “sidekick” still have the goods to wade major challenges hurled their way, for now anyway.

Sakamoto Days Live Action?

Netflix has seen some big success lately with live-action adaptations of One Piece and Avatar: The Last Airbender. While the platform hasn’t confirmed whether they’ll do the same with Sakamoto Days, the premise lends itself to becoming a “real world” story as well. Since Japan will often create live-action projects of its own, with recent cases including Cells At Work and Tokyo Revengers, it will be interesting to see which market pulls the trigger first on a live-action Taro.

Want to stay in the loop on all things Sakamoto Days? Follow along with Team Anime on ComicBook.com for the latest updates on Taro Sakamoto and hit me up directly @EVComedy to talk all things comics and anime.

Via Netflix

The post Sakamoto Days Scores Big With Netflix Debut appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Arc System Works has shared a new trailer and promo image for the upcoming Guilty Gear Strive: Dual Rulers anime. The show is a direct continuation of the game franchise of the same name, following the events of the Another Story arc from Guilty Gear -Strive-. The new trailer shows off more scenes, highlighting the return of Sol Badguy and the rest of the Guilty Gear cast. The recent entries of the games are notorious for their movie-length cutscenes with no gameplay in between. Players essentially get a movie with their fighting game, showing off the unique and vibrant world of Guilty Gear. Dual Rulers is animated by studio Sanzigen but is meant to evoke the cel-shaded CGI cutscenes that Arc System Work is well known for.

A new poster for Dual Rulers was also unveiled alongside the trailer, featuring the extended cast of characters from the games. While Sol Badguy is the game’s main protagonist and will be part of Dual Rulers, the anime will focus more on Sin Kiske. Nearly every other fan-favorite character will appear in the series, including Ky Kiske, Dizzy, Bridget, Jack-O, Baiken, Ramlethal, and Elphelt Valentine. The new character named Unika will also be a focal point and will be added to the Guilty Gear -Strive- video game around Spring 2025. Dual Rulers is scheduled to premier around the same time Unika is added to the game, April 5th.

[RELATED – Guilty Gear Strive Story Trailer Released]

What Will Guilty Gear Strive: Dual Rulers Be About?

Guilty Gear takes place in the far future where scientists have discovered a new power source that became known as magic. Gears are artificially created beings that attempted to overthrow humanity, leading to the Crusades. The games take place in a post-Crusade world, with Sol Badguy, a human-gear hybrid with a complicated past, becoming the “guilty gear” for hunting other gears like him. -Strive- ends Sol’s story, giving him his happily-ever-after, while the rest of the protagonists begin building a new world where humans and gears can co-exist.

Sin is the son of Ky Kiske, a rival turned ally of Sol. Sin is also a human-gear hybrid, becoming a protege of Sol in the most recent games. Ky causes an uproar when he decides to marry Sin’s mother, Dizzy, a gear. This leads to a Unika appearing, vowing to prevent human and gear co-habitation. Sin wants to face Unika and change her mind about gears.

H/T: Crunchyroll, natalie.mu

The post New Guilty Gear Anime Sets Release Date With New Trailer & Poster appeared first on ComicBook.com.

My Hero Academia is making a big comeback this Spring with a brand new prequel anime series, and fans have gotten another look at what to expect with a new trailer for My Hero Academia: Vigilantes. Kohei Horikoshi’s original My Hero Academia manga might have come to an end last year, but the anime franchise is far from done. Although the main TV anime series is readying to come to its own conclusion later this Fall, but My Hero Academia: Vigilantes will be ushering in a much different era for the franchise first when the anime makes its debut this Spring.

My Hero Academia: Vigilantes is currently scheduled to make its debut this April as part of the Spring 2025 anime schedule, and it will be adapting the official prequel to the main My Hero Academia series. This series is set years before the events of My Hero Academia, and follows a few characters who get into the hero business under more illegal means as the hero association has yet to expand to their little town. You can check out the newest trailer for My Hero Academia: Vigilantes in the video above.

What Is My Hero Academia: Vigilantes?

Originally written by Hideyuki Furuhashi with illustrations by Betten Court, My Hero Academia: Vigilantes is an official spinoff manga that takes place about five years before the events of the original series. It starts new main hero, Koichi Haimawari, who decides to be a local street hero helping out in his neighborhood in his spare time. Inspired by his favorite hero All Might (not unlike Izuku Midoriya), Koichi soon gets wrapped up in a much more dangerous world as he becomes a fully vigilante hero not authorized by the rest of the continually growing hero world in Japan.

It’s a much different kind of hero world than seen in My Hero Academia, and it’s a much needed watch for fans of that main series. Not only does Koichi meet some of the heroes in the main series at a much different place in their careers (just as how he gets to see All Might in action during his prime, before he started weakening in My Hero Academia), but some of the characters he also meets end up fleshing out some of the reveals and moments that we see in the main series too. It’s going to be necessary viewing for sure.

RELATED: My Hero Academia’s Finale Is Coming But the Series May Not Be Over

When Does My Hero Academia: Vigilantes Come Out?

My Hero Academia: Vigilantes will be making its TV anime debut this April as part of the Spring 2025 anime schedule, but has yet to confirm a concrete release date as of the time of this publication. The new anime will be directed by Kenichi Suzuki by Studio Bones’ new Bones Film offshoot production house. Yosuke Kuroda returns from the main My Hero Academia TV anime to handle the scripts, Takahiko Yoshida is overseeing the character designs, and Yuki Hayashi will be composing the music together with Shogo Yamashiro and Yuki Furuhashi.

This new anime has also yet to reveal how long it’s going to be sticking around for, but there’s plenty of material to adapt. The original My Hero Academia: Vigilantes manga has officially come to an end, so there’s definitely a solid roadmap for the new anime to follow for the next few years. If you wanted to check out the original series before the new anime hits, you can find the entire manga now available with Viz Media’s digital Shonen Jump library or Shueisha’s MangaPlus service.

The post New My Hero Academia: Vigilantes Trailer Shows Off New Prequel Anime appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The Elbaf Arc of One Piece is already off to a strong start as the story keeps new introducing new characters and plot twists. The latest One Piece Chapter 1136 unveils the woman accompanying Shanks’ lookalike is Gunko, a member of the Holy Knight. However, the lookalike hasn’t been formally introduced yet. Since Chapter 907, Eiichiro Oda has only featured his side profile to keep up the mystery. However, judging by his actions and demeanor, he can’t be Shanks. As fans are aware, Shanks belongs to the noble Figarland Family.

During the God Valley Incident 38 years ago, Roger and Rayleigh adopted and raised him as one of the members of the Roger Pirates. He continued being a pirate and pretty much everything about him is unknown. His lookalike, who appears to be his twin, was raised in entirely different circumstances and ended up being a Holy Knight. Just his rank alone is enough to make him one of the strongest characters in the show. Considering he is Garling’s son, it’s possible Shanks’ brother took over the position of the Commander after the former became a Gorosei. However, despite being a mysterious and intriguing character, some fans hate him for Shanks being slandered by the community.

[RELATED: One Piece: Shanks Should Be the Strongest Character But One Detail Can’t Be Ignored]

One Piece Fans Hate Shanks’ Lookalike For All the Rat Memes

@PookiePiece writes, “This guy right here is the reason fans calling Shanks a rat I don’t like him and hope Zoro or Luffy smash the f out of him.”

@subelira adds, “I’ll never forgive this guy for how much he damaged Shank’s reputation. He’s the reason behind all these memes.”

“When I saw this, I was so happy, Shanks beating the allegations,” says @astr0heartz.

Shanks’ twin brother theory has been around since Chapter 907, which was released in July 2018. The community was in shambles after seeing Shanks meet the Gorosei and talk about a certain pirate. Gorosei appeared familiar with the person wearing a hood and having the same face as Shanks. Fans started calling Shanks a rat for snitching about the pirate, whose name hasn’t been revealed yet. For over six years, there have been countless memes about Shanks being a rat, which his haters love to pull out in every discussion.

Although it started as a joke, several One Piece fans didn’t like their favorite character being misunderstood. Even though most people believed in the Shanks’ twin theory, the memes continued until the release of Chapter 1134. Shanks’ lookalike and Gunko enter Elbaf to recruit Loki as a member of the member of the Holy Knight. Of course, their negotiations fail, but at least the manga confirms that the person conversing with Gorosei wasn’t Shanks.

The damage done to Shanks’ reputation during these six years still upsets his fans. His twin brother theory originated from the fact that half his face is hidden, and the scars aren’t visible. Of course, not everyone believed the theory. Even so, some of the discourse has been hilarious, but his fans can finally take a breather knowing Shanks beat those allegations.

H/T: @PookiePiece

The post One Piece Fans Hate Shanks’ Lookalike For One Hilarious Reason appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Cell was Gohan’s biggest foe in Dragon Ball Z, and now the franchise has come full circle as Cell shared his reaction to seeing Gohan’s new Gohan Beast form for the first time in Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero. Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero brought Gohan back up to Goku and Vegeta’s level in a new fight against a new version of Cell. The feature film had pushed Gohan to a point where he had never been before, and brought out a new transformation that was entirely unique to him. Seemingly having the same godly power as Goku and Vegeta’s newest forms, Gohan Beast was a beast unto itself.

It was a big full circle moment for Gohan as like when he had initially defeated Cell during the Cell Saga in Dragon Ball Z, Gohan used his rage to bring about a powerful new transformation that completely overwhelmed Cell. But Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero has helped bring that even further as it reveals how Perfect Cell would react to seeing Gohan Beast in action. And Gohan’s response is just icing on the cake. Check it out below as spotted by @varebarra on X.

What Cell Thinks of Gohan Beast

As Cell sees Gohan Beast for the first time, he says “W-what is this otherworldly strength?! Were Saiyans always capable of such unbelievable power?” Then Gohan Beast appropriately rubs salt in the wound with the highly aggressive response of “Wow. I’d never imagined I’d get the pleasure of wiping the floor with you again.” It’s a good reflection of the kind of rage based mentality that Gohan is in when using this powerful new form, and it’s clear that Cell isn’t ready for this match up. Gohan was already much stronger than Cell when he was at Super Saiyan 2, and the gap now is much wider.

Thanks to the Dragon Ball Super manga having additional materials to serve as an epilogue to the events of Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero, fans have gotten to get more details about Gohan Beast itself. Gohan explained that the form is him bringing his rage to right before he loses control. In his unleashing of his power, Goku and Vegeta recognize the form to be on par with Goku’s Ultra Instinct and even Broly’s Berserk power when they all sparred for a bit at peak level.

RELATED: 10 Best Dragon Ball Super Gallery Covers Toriyama Would Have Loved

Is Dragon Ball Super Coming Back?

It has yet to be revealed if Dragon Ball Super‘s anime is ever going to be making a proper comeback, but those behind the scenes have teased that a new Dragon Ball Super movie could be in the works. But there is still something new on the way for Dragon Ball Super fans in the immediate future, however, as the manga is planning to come back from its own hiatus soon. The manga had gone on hiatus since the passing of original creator Akira Toriyama last year, but is coming back next month with a new entry.

Dragon Ball Super’s manga is set to return next month with a new one-shot story on February 20th in Japan. This will be a brand new story not seen before, and is teased to be focused on Trunks and Goten as they are once again going about on their super hero adventures as seen through the manga. The Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero arc included more scenes of Trunks and Goten as heroes not seen in the original movie, and this new story could be an expansion of this idea with a new adventure.

The post Dragon Ball Comes Full Circle With Cell’s Hilarious Reaction to Gohan Beast’s Power appeared first on ComicBook.com.

New episodes of Family Guy are finally coming soon as the animated series has finally set a premiere date for Season 23. Family Guy missed out on much of 2024 as FOX had shuffled the series around for the first time in years. Not only was the series taken off of Sunday nights, but it didn’t return in Fall 2024 with the other Animation Domination long running franchises The Simpsons and Bob’s Burgers. This meant that Family Guy wouldn’t be returning for its next season until some time in the Winter with the start of the midseason Animation Domination schedule on Sunday evenings.

But now the wait will be over soon as Family Guy is now confirmed to be returning for new episodes on Sunday, February 16th on FOX (with the episodes then being available to stream with Hulu the next day). While its time slot has yet to be confirmed (along with the rest of the midseason shake ups planned for FOX’s Animation Domination block on Sunday evenings), thankfully now it means fans won’t have to wait much longer to see Season 23 of the series and Peter will be up to his old shenanigans again before too long. Check out the announcement for Family Guy’s return below.

Family Guy Returns for Season 23 In February

With FOX confirming that Family Guy is returning for new episodes on February 16th, this is likely when fans will get to see the midseason kick off in full. FOX previously teased that their midseason slate for the Animation Domination block this Winter would be led by Family Guy, and also include the returns of shows like Grimsburg, The Great North and Krapopolis. Each of these animated series will be returning for new episodes as well, and will likely go back on break when The Simpsons, Universal Basic Guys, and Bob’s Burgers make their returns (though Universal Basic Guys has yet to announce a follow up season as of this publication).

Family Guy will be kicking off Season 23 of the animated series which was previously teased during San Diego Comic-Con 2024 last year. The season shared a first look at the coming episodes that not only teased a Top Gun Maverick parody would be coming in the new season, but that there are also some shake ups with new characters such as a younger version of Peter’s mortal enemy, the Giant Chicken (who is likely their son), who has a story with Meg.

RELATED: Family Guy: Remember When Avengers: Doomsday Star Robert Downey Jr. Was the Fat Guy Strangler?

Where to Watch Family Guy Right Now

If you’re itching for more Family Guy right now, there are plenty of ways to check out its older episodes. Not only is every previous season of the animated series now streaming exclusively with Hulu (along with two exclusive holiday specials that released last year), but it’s also being offered on many different channels. Family Guy reruns are now airing consistently on channels like FXX and Comedy Central, and even kicked off a renewed deal to return to Adult Swim (the block that helped Family Guy to become as successful as it is to this day).

With Family Guy officially returning for new episodes in February, it also means there’s going to be more of the series on the air than ever before. As the animated sitcom is now in the midst of celebrating its 25th anniversary, it’s going to be a big year to be a fan of Family Guy as it’s clear there’s no signs of the show slowing down anytime soon.

The post New Family Guy Episodes Are Finally Releasing Soon appeared first on ComicBook.com.

My Hero Academia fans have been loving a recent viral video on TikTok where a young girl loves the fact Shoto Todoroki shares similarities with her, and it turns out that Shoto voice actor Yuki Kaji has seen the video and shared his support as well. My Hero Academia‘s anime is preparing to have a massive year as the franchise will be returning for the eighth and final season of the TV series overall. And that means that fans are going to get to see Shoto in action one last time along with Izuku Midoriya and the rest of Class 1-A’s young heroes.

Shoto really had some big moments in My Hero Academia Season 7 as it aired last year, and has cemented himself as one of the top three heroes in the franchise as voted by fans. It turns out that there are some very young fans that can be accounted for too, however, as lastflashqueen on TikTok has gone viral with a special video that shows a young child noticing that Shoto shares a birthmark that looks exactly like hers. It’s super sweet and fans have really been embracing the young hero. Check it out below:

My Hero Academia Responds to Viral Video

But as spotted by Anime News Network, it turns out that this viral video has even reached the voice of Shoto Todoroki in My Hero Academia himself, Yuki Kaji as well. Taking to social media, Kaji shared that original series creator Kohei Horikoshi had actually shown him the viral video, “I watched a video of a girl who had a birthmark in the same place as Shoto that Horikoshi-sensei told me about,” Kaji’s message began. “‘It’s the same as me,’ she said, hugging the doll with a cute smile.” Which further shows how big of a viral video this really was.

As Kaji continues, it’s a message that Todoroki can still save someone even if he himself has a tragic origin for his own scar, “Even if he has a tragic backstory, it has the potential to save someone…There was a heroic side to this only Shoto could have.” And given how Todoroki’s main story has been how he has overcome his past and the trauma from the rest of the Todoroki family heading into the future, then My Hero Academia has clearly made an impact with fans of any age.

RELATED: My Hero Academia Returns With New Movie Promos: Check Them Out

What’s Next for My Hero Academia?

My Hero Academia has a big year ahead as the anime is returning for Season 8. This will serve as the final season for the series overall, and that means it will finally bring the final fights against Tomura Shigaraki and All For One to their proper conclusions. With the My Hero Academia manga coming to an end last year but returning for a special epilogue with the release of its final volume, it’s yet to be revealed which ending that the anime will be adapting when it ends its own run.

My Hero Academia will also be making a brand new anime debut later this Spring with the premiere of My Hero Academia: Vigilantes. This is a prequel that takes place years before the events of the main series, and showcases a different side of the hero world that we see in action with Deku and the others. With new characters that have ties to some significant events seen in the anime’s final season, fans are definitely going to want to keep an eye out for the prequel when it hits.

HT – Anime News Network

The post My Hero Academia: Shoto Todoroki Star Reacts to Young Fan’s Viral Video appeared first on ComicBook.com.

In an update sure to please J-drama fans, Stories International has partnered up with TBS, or Tokyo Broadcasting System Television, to remake a curated selection of its programming for international audiences. The news comes out of today’s press release confirming their strategic collaboration, with the aim of English-language adaptations of beloved properties with similar wide appeal to Eye Love You, Tokyo MER, and Unnatural. The official plan is to select 40 of TBS’ 500+ dramas to recreate their stories but with a Hollywood production budget and bring their critically acclaimed stories to a global audience. Stories International, with their offices offices in Tokyo and Los Angeles, acts as a crucial connection in making this happen.

Stories International has created productions ranging from TV shows to ads to branded entertainment and now aims to bridge an accessibility gap by bringing Japanese dramas to a wider audience from one of its biggest names. Given the prevailing success of Netflix’s Alice in Borderland and the demonstrable international presence of TBS’ Unnatural, there is potential for Japanese dramas to captivate audiences similarly to the K-drama juggernauts of recent years. With the cooperation of a network that regularly ranks among Japan’s top five most-viewed television channels, Stories International could be building up to something big.

[RELATED: Solo Leveling Announces New Live-Action Drama: What We Know So Far]

Stories International and TBS Plans to Bring 40 J-Dramas to Global Audiences

While the most current information doesn’t yet show which 40 TV shows will make the cut, Stories International’s partnership with TBS sets the stage for an impressive array of content in the coming years. With TBS being the network host of Ninja Warrior and Takeshi’s Castle, it’s already an established and highly popular name in Japanese TV before factoring in its vast library of drama content. For eagle-eyed readers, this is the same Takeshi’s Castle that was repurposed for American audiences and branded as MXC; make no mistake, this partnership will be a more ambitious undertaking than a simple (yet admittedly hilarious) dub.

Stories International CEO Tomoya Suzuki issued his remarks on the partnership, “We are honored to join forces with TBS, a trailblazer in Japanese television drama.” Discussing the undertaking with the goal of bringing TBS’ storied catalogue to the world, “We look forward to working with distinguished showrunners and producers to create stories that inspire audiences worldwide.”

Jun Fukai, Director with the Global Business Development Department at TBS, also shared his remarks, stating, “TBS has a legacy of delivering compelling scripted content, and we are confident that our collaborative approach to development—and Stories team’s dedication to authentic storytelling—will help our IPs shine on the global stage.”

With recent international smash hits like Squid Game stirring up hopes for an English adaptation helmed by David Fincher, similar approaches for Japan’s esteemed television dramas are certainly a worthwhile play to make. In all likelihood, it will also result in greater awareness directed to TBS’ library of programming an increased international interest in Japanese dramas as a whole.

Source: Press Release

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Solo Leveling is currently taking over the world with Season 2 now airing this Winter, and the series has announced that a new live-action project is now in the works. Solo Leveling made its highly anticipated TV anime debut last year, and quickly became one of the most talked about anime franchises of the last few years. The anticipation for the second season was through the roof as a result, and fans have gotten to see Solo Leveling -Arise From the Shadow- live up to this hype thus far with the first few episodes of the new season that have premiered already.

It turns out that Solo Leveling has been such a success for original publisher Kakao Entertainment over the last couple of years around the world especially that they have announced more plans to expand it even more with new projects (as reported by Anime News Network). The first of which is the confirmation of previous reports about a new live-action drama project now in development as the publisher is now in active work on its planning and development. It’s just unfortunately very early on in the process.

Solo Leveling Is Going Live-Action

As Kakao Entertainment has announced on their website, Solo Leveling is doing very well for the publisher. Not only is the anime doing well for the publisher with the now airing Solo Leveling -Arise From the Shadow- as part of the Winter 2025 anime schedule, but the currently releasing Solo Leveling Ragnarok sequel webcomic series has been doing well too. As for the now in the works live-action project, it was previously reported to be in the works as early as last Fall. But now Kakao Entertainment has truly confirmed that this new series is in the works and drawing a lot of interest from the rest of the industry.

Kakao Entertainment has announced that they are now in the “planning and development phase” for the new Solo Leveling live-action drama with their media division, and script work is now underway. There have yet to be any more concrete details about when fans can expect to see this new live-action drama hit screens, but it’s teased to be drawing “great attention” from the rest of the Korean entertainment industry. So it’s yet to be revealed if it’s going to be a feature film or TV series project either.

RELATED: Solo Leveling’s Greatest Strength Sparks Its Biggest Backlash

What’s Next for Solo Leveling?

Solo Leveling’s new live-action drama might currently be in the works for an uncertain release in the future, but the anime is currently airing new episodes every week as part of the now ongoing Winter 2025 anime schedule. Solo Leveling -Arise From the Shadow- has introduced fans to a much stronger Sung Jinwoo than seen with the first season of the series. Now that he has grown to a much higher level with all of his work in Season 1, Jinwoo has been taking on much stronger foes as he gets closer to his end goals of becoming the strongest and saving his mother.

Solo Leveling also has a new sequel series, Solo Leveling: Ragnarok, that’s now releasing new chapters with Kakao Entertainment and it takes place long after where the anime currently is. If you wanted to catch up with Solo Leveling’s anime thus far, you can now find all episodes of the series currently available for streaming exclusively with Crunchyroll. The English dub release for Season 2 has kicked off as well, so fans have quite a lot from it to enjoy through the Winter months.

H/T – ANN

The post Solo Leveling Announces New Live-Action Drama: What We Know So Far appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Dragon Ball Daima has kicked off the endgame for its new anime series this Winter, but it’s really looking like Majin Kuu and Duu are not going to be the final villains for the series. Dragon Ball Daima has sent Goku and the others on through a brand new adventure through the Demon Realm for the first real time in the franchise, and with it has shaken up what fans had previously known about the Majin Buu arc. The biggest of which was that there was originally a much different creator behind Majin Buu, and that it was possible to make another one.

Not only did Dragon Ball Daima reveal the original mage who created Majin Buu, but also went through the process of making not one, but two new successors. Majin Kuu and Duu have demonstrated that they had abilities that make them fall in line with what we have seen from Majin Buu in the past, but it’s increasingly looking like they are not going to be the final villains either. They’re just not as inherently as evil as Majin Buu was either as the two of them just seem to like hanging out when not ordered by Dr. Arinsu to do something.

Majin Kuu and Duu Don’t Seem Evil

Majin Kuu and Duu both had very different introductions than Majin Buu ever did. Majin Buu was initially a very intense threat from the very first moment he was on screen, and was such a chaotic force that it was revealed that even those in the Demon Realm were afraid of the creation. It’s something that the original creator Marba had wanted to avoid in a follow up creation, and thus had crafted Kuu and Duu with Dr. Arinsu’s help to make a being that was much more controllable. But as a result, the two of them just aren’t as threatening as they could (or should be).

Every instance we have seen from them outside of battle, they are usually seen just hanging out with one another and eating chocolate. They seem much more like the good Majin Buu that’s now a part of the Z Fighters, and Episode 14 even sees them mingle with the Gendarmerie’s Ginyu Force with a childish like delight. The two of them are happy to get the single bits of chocolate that they’re offered, and don’t seem to have the evil intent that Majin Buu had to eat as much of it as possible. They’re basically unbothered.

RELATED: 6 Questions Dragon Ball Daima Needs to Answer Before It Ends

Who’s the Real Final Villain?

But if the two of them aren’t as inherently evil or as threatening as the original Majin Buu was, Dragon Ball Daima is likely not going to have them as the final foes that Goku and the others need to face. That’s in their current forms, anyway. Dragon Ball Daima has been teasing that characters like Dr. Arinsu and even Neva have something under their sleeves that has yet to be revealed yet. That could involve the Majins in a unique way.

With Dragon Ball Daima previously teasing elements such as a new way of Fusion that has yet to be explored in previous episodes, this could bring the Majins literally together to form a creature that’s more like the original Majin Buu. But even if that’s the case, that would mean they’re still not the final villain but instead a tool that the real final villain uses for the final battle. It’s something Goku and Vegeta can face off against while Arinsu or another character enacts their grander plan. It’s just that now, the two just don’t seem like they’re going to be the final ones to defeat.

The post Dragon Ball’s New Majin Buus Won’t Be the Final Villains appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Monster Hunter has had a killer past several years, from cinching the top two spots among Capcom’s best-selling games of all time (World, Rise) to stirring up the hype for its latest upcoming title, Monster Hunter Wilds. The action role-playing game franchise is now among Capcom’s most consistent heavy-hitters, and as the fans help fuel its success, Capcom has partnered with Webtoon to have the fans bring its universe to life. The webcomic platform thus kicked off the WEBTOON | CAPCOM Monster Hunter Wilds Webcomic Contest, with 12 lucky winners given a shot at a free digital copy of the upcoming game.

The contest was announced on January 17th, and is set to run with submissions taken until February 19th at 11:59 PM ET, and the event is for users 18 years or older in the United States only. Creative users are welcome to take their best shot by submitting a webcomic with a minimum of four panels, to a maximum of five full chapters/episodes. The platform provides its instructions and submissions portal, along with a set of prompts for players to use, with these available prizes:

• Grand Prize Winners (3): Monster Hunter Wilds merchandise kit, Yian Kut Ku Plush, and a digital code for Monster Hunter: Wilds, launching on February 28th.
• Runner Up Winners (9): Yian Kut Ku Plush and a digital code for Monster Hunter: Wilds, launching on February 28th.

12 winners will be selected on the basis of creativity, quality, and originality, with AI art being strictly prohibited.

[RELATED: Webtoon’s Newest Investment Will Bring Japanese Webcomics to the World]

Webtoon x Monster Hunter Wilds Wants Your Best Webcomic Submissions

To give contestants a clearer indicator of what to expect, Webtoon has published in its instructions a set of prompts based on different perspectives within the Monster Hunter universe. There’s the Hunter’s First Hunt prompt, to which any former newbie can relate, where any possibility can arise, from the thrill of the pursuit to a Hunter first realizing the weapon they chose is wildly unwieldy, to any other misadventures. This option is by far the most flexible thanks to the option for the creators being given a near-infinite pool of user-created characters as a basis.

For those seeking something more structured, the Day in the Life of a Monster prompt allows creators to tell their Monster Hunter Wilds webtoon from the point of view of its many strange and exciting creatures. More self-explanatory, this option can free up creators to create their ultimate Rathalos fan-fiction. Finally, the Your team: Palico, Gemma, and Alma prompt allows you to focus specifically on the franchise’s iconic cat creatures along with Gemma and Alma. For those unfamiliar, Gemma and Alma represent two integral resources for Monster Hunter Wilds players, the former being your weapon and armor smith, and the latter handling monster hunt requests, general quests, and more.

Monster Hunter Wilds Wants Your Gemma Fan Fiction (But Keep It Reasonable)

As reported by GamesRadar+ at Summer Game Fest 2024, the fan response to glimpses of the game’s characters, particularly Gemma, has proven how powerful thirst is as a viral marketing tactic, even if unintentional. That being said, per the Webtoon x Capcom contest guidelines, fans will need to be respectful of the platform’s aim to engage with general audiences. But with the opportunity to create up to five full episodes of Webtoon content using these Monster Hunter Wilds characters, one will be free to tell a mind-boggling array of stories to hype themselves and others up for February.

Monster Hunter Wilds is set for release on February 28th, 2025, for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S, with the Webtoon x Monster Hunter Wilds contest running until February 19th, 2025, at 11:59 PM ET.

H/T: Press Release, Webtoon, GamesRadar+

The post Monster Hunter Wilds Fans Could Get a Free Copy With Webtoon’s New Collab appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Gachiakuta’s TV anime debut is one of the most anticipated new releases of the year overall, and now fans have gotten a new look at what to expect with a new update revealing the first look at the anime’s take on its main character. Kei Urana’s Gachiakuta has really been picking up steam with manga fans ever since it made its debut with Kodansha’s Weekly Shonen Magazine in 2022, and now it’s about to find a whole new audience with the debut of its upcoming anime series. Especially for fans who are wanting to scratch more of that My Hero Academia or Soul Eater itch.

Gachiakuta‘s original manga has been held in high regard for fans due to the fact it seems to follow in the same spirit as series like My Hero Academia or Soul Eater (of which the original creator is a huge fan of), and it also has a plucky young hero at the center of it all that needs to overcome the harsh realities of their world. Developed by the same production studio behind the My Hero Academia anime, Gachiakuta has shared a new promo revealing the new anime take on its led, Rudo. You can check it out in the video above, and in the new poster below.

What to Know for Gachiakuta’s Anime

Gachiakuta will be making its TV anime debut some time later this year, but an official release window or date has yet to be announced as of the time of this publication. Fumihiko Suganama will be directing the Gachiakuta anime for studio Bones. Hiroshi Seko will be handling the scripts for the series, Satoshi Ishino will be handling character designs, and will serve as chief animation director. The voice cast for the new series has yet to be announced either, but that’s likely going to change very soon.

Gachiakuta is one of the many anime franchises that have been announced to have some kind of presence during Anime Japan 2025 later this March, but it’s yet to be revealed exactly what kind of update fans can expect. It’s teased that this presentation will also feature members of the voice cast, and that’s a big deal as the teasers thus far have yet to reveal any of the anime in motion. So fans don’t know what it’s going to sound like yet either. But hopefully that changes soon.

RELATED: The Top 2025 Anime Releases You Don’t Want to Miss

What Is Gachiakuta?

As for the original manga itself, Gachiakuta was originally created by Kei Urana in 2022 for Kodansha’s Weekly Shonen Magazine, with graffiti art attributed to Hideyoshi Anno. If you wanted to get the jump on the series to see what all of the buzz has been about before the anime premieres, you can now find the first few volumes on shelves in the United States. Kodansha teases what to expect from Gachiakuta as such:

“Rudo lives in the slums of a floating town, where the poor scrape by under the shadow of the rich who live a sumptuous life, simply casting their garbage off the side, into the abyss. Then one day, he’s falsely accused of murder, and his wrongful conviction leads to an unimaginable punishment—exile off the edge, with the rest of the trash. Down on the surface, the cast-off waste of humanity has bred vicious monsters, and if Rudo wants to have any hope of discovering the truth and seeking vengeance against those who cast him into Hell, he will have to master a new power and join a group known as the Cleaners who battle the hulking trash beasts of the Pit!”

The post Gachiakuta Anime Shares New Update Ahead of 2025 Premiere appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The Band of the Hawk’s release schedule is a timultuous one. Considering the high level of art produced by those at Studio Gaga, it takes time to weave each installment of the Black Swordsman’s life. Luckily, writer Kouji Mori and the Gaga artists are still working hard to finish the story started by their deceased friend Kentaro Miura. Berserk Chapter 378 arrived last year and changed the game when it came to the Eastern Exile Arc, with the creative team putting out some of their best efforts to date. Now, Chapter 379 has a release date and it might be far sooner than you expect.

When it came to the latest installment of Guts’ life, things were only going from bad to worse. In a surprising twist, the Kushan Empire was aiming to team up with the Black Swordsman and his allies, hoping to strike a blow against Griffith as he continues to assemble his new twisted iteration of the Band of the Hawk. Unforunately, before they could get their plan underway, Rakshas, a top assassin for Griffith’s army, arrived on the scene and caused some serious chaos. With countless demons invading the Eastern Empire, Berserk might also be hinting at the arrival of a member of the God Hand, adding a serious hurdle to Guts’ quest.

[RELATED: It’s Time Berserk Got the Anime It Deserves]

When Does Chapter 379 Drop?

Berserk will arrive in Japan on Valentine’s Day, February 14th, in the regular publication, Young Animal. The new installment will also include a color chapter as Guts and his crew try to rescue Casca and finally get revenge on the White Hawk. No updates have been shared as of yet to Chapter 380, but we’ll be sure to keep you in the know when it comes to the Black Swordsman.

Berserk: Anime x Manga

As of this writing, there has yet to be confirmation that a new Berserk anime adaptation is in the works. The last time that we witnessed the Band of the Hawk on the screen was with Berserk: Memorial Edition. While this series did have new footage, the majority of the episodes were taken from the original trilogy of films that were telling the tale of the Golden Age Arc.

As for the manga, it will continue to march forward though it certainly seems that we are in the end game. Characters like Skull Knight have been saying as such, with both Kouji Mori and the artists of Gaga looking to eventually end the series. However Berserk ends, it’s sure to be one of the biggest anime events in recent memory as the series has been beloved ever since it hit the stands in the 1980s.

Want to stay in the know when it comes to the world of Apostles? Follow along with Team Anime on ComicBook.com for the latest updates on Berserk and hit me up directly @EVComedy to talk all things comics and anime.

Via Manga Mogura RE

The post Berserk Reveals New Chapter’s Release Date (And It’s Sooner Than You Think) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Bocchi the Rock!, the hit music anime based on the manga by Aki Hamazi, delivered one of the most accurate depictions of social anxiety the medium has ever seen, alongside a kick-ass rock soundtrack. Now, fans can bring that same anxiety into their own homes (yaaay!) with a new series of Nendoroid mystery collectibles.

Bocchi the Rock!‘s anime debuted in 2022. The series was a smash hit with fans, securing a 4.9-star rating from Crunchyroll users. The official synopsis reads: “Hitori Gotō, a high schooler, tends to her guitar a lot due to her introverted nature. She meets Nijika, a drummer, who invites her to be part of the all-girl band ‘Kessoku’.” Studio CloverWorks brought Aki Hamazi’s manga to life on screen, and now, Good Smile Company are bringing those same designs to some adorable new Nendoroid figures.

Bocchi the Rock!‘s Nendoroids Are Hilariously Relatable

As well as the amazing soundtrack by the Kessoku band within the show, fans absolutely love how relatable Hitori Gotō is as a character. That same relatability has been brought to the new series of collectibles from Good Smile Company. As part of their Nendoroid Surprise series, six new Bocchi the Rock! figures have been revealed.

Each member of the Kessoku band is given their own figure, embodying their individual character traits. Ryo Yamada looks mischievous. Okuyo Kita looks confident. And Nijika Ijichi looks like she’s about to ask her older sister for yet another favor. While Hitori hates attention in the show, she’s been given three figures in the new series, a cheeky way to defy her wishes.

The figures represent Hitori at three different stages of anxiety. Her most “relaxed” look still gives off incredibly anxious vibes. One of the figures depicts Hitori in her maid outfit from Episode 11 when her class decides to run a maid cafe to raise money for the school, which induces massive fear and panic in Hitori. The third and most relatable figure shows Hitori submerging her anxiety in an ice-filled bathtub from Episode 2, trying earnestly to catch a cold so she can call in sick for work, with a destitute look on her face.

The new figures are currently available for pre-order on Aniami. Each mystery figure currently retails for 9,720 JPY (around $62). A maximum of six can be purchased per household. The figures will be released in September 2025.

[RELATED – Bocchi the Rock Crew Never Saw Its Memes Coming]

Bocchi the Rock! Season 2, When?

Despite earning high ratings from fans and garnering a large cult following, Bocchi the Rock! still hasn’t officially been renewed for a second season. The series hasn’t had a single update regarding Season 2 since its release in 2022. In 2024, a compilation movie was released in theaters. The movie was a major box office success, earning $3.5 million worldwide. Unfortunately, even that wasn’t enough to earn the series a second season.

Bocchi the Rock! currently sits in anime limbo. The show hasn’t been canceled, despite what some fans online are suggesting. But it also doesn’t have a concrete future. Here’s hoping the new range of collectible figures could be the beginning of a snowball effect, leading to Bocchi the Rock! Season 2 is being produced.

The first season of Bocchi the Rock! ran for 12 episodes. All episodes are available to stream for free (with ads) on Crunchyroll.

The post Bocchi the Rock!’s New Nendoroids Perfectly Capture Hitori’s Anxiety appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Dragon Ball Daima has been introducing all sorts of major shake ups to the Dragon Ball franchise ever since the new anime premiered last year, and it’s been to such an extent that there are several questions it needs to answer before the anime ends. Dragon Ball Daima kicked off its run last year to help commemorate the 40th anniversary of Akira Toriyama’s original Dragon Ball debut with Shueisha’s Weekly Shonen Jump magazine, and it has been a blast from the past. While fans have gotten to see Goku going on a brand new adventure, the new anime has also greatly expanded the lore.

As Goku and the others are traveling through the Demon Realm for the first time in the Dragon Ball franchise years after it was first teased to exist, the previous episodes have revealed that this new region has been far more important to the wider multiverse than fans have ever expected. This has gone to such an extent that with the anime apparently wrapping up soon, there are some big questions that need some answers before the franchise moves onto something else.

Will There Be a New Fusion Soon?

Dragon Ball Daima has been making all sorts of reveals about the Demon Realm, and some of them are more nonchalant than the others. One of these reveals were the Medi Bugs, these were bugs that not only restored stamina like the Senzu Beans but one was much more interesting. The Join Bug was introduced to the series as a way for demons to quickly fuse with one another, and Dragon Ball Daima has been hanging this possibility over fans’ heads for the entire series thus far. Nothing has necessitated this fusion yet, but that’s something that needs to be seen before the anime ends.

What’s Dr. Arinsu’s Plan?

Dr. Arinsu has been moving in the shadows since Dragon Ball Daima began, but it’s yet to be revealed exactly what this mysterious scientist is going for. In creating a new Majin Buu with Kuu and Duu, Arinsu wanted to claim the Dragon Ball from the First Demon World. She’s also been having Glorio keep tabs on Goku and the others as they collect the other two, so it’s clear that she’s angling to make a wish on the Dragon Balls herself. She’s troubling enough that Supreme King Gomah is wary of her, and knew how Majin Buu was originally created, but we’ve yet to get any hint of what she actually wants. Now’s the time.

What’s Going to Happen to Majin Kuu and Duu?

As part of Dr. Arinsu’s mysterious plan, she’s created two new Majins from the remnants of Majin Buu. Majin Kuu and Duu have turned out to be much different than fans might have expected from the new foes at first as it’s not exactly clear whether or not they are as inherently evil as their predecessor. The two of them are going to be listening to Arinsu’s orders, but outside of that all they seem to be into is eating chocolate. They’re not a threat, so it’s not like they need to be wiped out before Dragon Ball Daima ends. It’s just that whatever happens to them needs to be figured out soon.

Where Are All These New Dragon Ball Daima Characters Going to Go?

Dragon Ball Daima has introduced the Demon Realm in full for the first real time in the franchise, but what really sets it out from the previous Dragon Ball anime releases is where it’s set in the timeline. It’s both a sequel to Dragon Ball as it’s set a few months to a year after the end of the Majin Buu arc, but it’s also set before the Battle of Gods arc that helps kick off Dragon Ball Super. Which means that every new face we meet here has to go somewhere that we haven’t seen before. They will likely be relegated to staying within the Demon Realm, but it’s not a goodbye that’s going to come easy after such an extensive adventure like this.

What Is Really Going On With Neva?

Neva has been one of Dragon Ball Daima‘s most intriguing new characters since the start of the series revealed that Namekians could have a much greater control over the Dragon Balls and their magic than seen before. But as each episode reveals more about what Neva can do, and how much influence he seems to have within the Demon Realm, the series seems to be teasing that Neva has something else in mind. He might be casually observing everything for now, but he also seems like he could turn on a dime and reveal why he’s keeping such a close eye on Goku and the others while they seek the Dragon Balls. Something’s going on.

What’s After Dragon Ball Daima?

If the leaked release date for Dragon Ball Daima holds true, then the anime will be coming to an end with Episode 20 airing on Friday, February 28th. So the biggest question heading into these final episodes is what is coming after all of this. It’s place in the timeline makes this an issue as its events likely lead into Dragon Ball Super, so fans just need more of that connective tissue to make it work. We just need a greater explanation of what the Demon Realm’s status is while Goku and the others head back to the outside world.

Whether the anime is followed by a potential Dragon Ball Daima Season 2 or a potential return from Dragon Ball Super instead, there can’t be any real leftover story threads left unanswered. The anime can’t leave things off on a cliffhanger because we all know what’s coming next, and instead need to see how these adventures are going to inform future arcs. Will there be more involvement from the demons? We’ll just have to hope and see if that’s something the anime bothers answering before it ends.

The post 6 Questions Dragon Ball Daima Needs to Answer Before It Ends appeared first on ComicBook.com.

It’s impossible to deny that Crunchyroll has had a big hand in introducing anime to countless new anime fans in both North America and around the world. Announced last year, the streaming service confirmed that it was teaming up with YouTube to bring even more of its series to the platform. While a specific date for the collaboration wasn’t originally revealed, the time has come for Crunchyroll to unleash many of its properties on the website and you can dig in right now. Luckily, we have the details for how you can start watching some of Crunchyroll’s finest on YouTube starting today.

If you’re unfamiliar with the idea of a YouTube Primetime channel, we can help break it down for you. On the website/app, you can click on “Your Movies & TV” to discover the different PrimeTime channels that are currently available. The reasoning behind why Crunchyroll is diving into this is to spread to a wider audience along with helping those who simply want to use one app for checking out videos. If you have a subscription to Crunchyroll already, you will be able to access over forty series on YouTube PrimeTime, with the anime platform confirming that they have more content that they are planning to release on the service.

[RELATED: Crunchyroll Delays Anime Episodes For Major Series]

What Can You Watch?

Crunchyroll’s library is available through this new partnership on YouTube, which the former describes as housing over 25,000 hours of content across over 2,000 titles in total. Of the many series that make up the package, Crunchyroll hyped up Dragon Ball Daima and Solo Leveling’s second season which makes sense considering the groundswell that both series have. This new collaboration isn’t the first time that Crunchyroll has partnered with another streaming service, as it created a live channel in 2023 that was a part of Amazon Freevee, the Roku Channel, LG Channels, and VIZIO WatchFree+. You can check out the anime series on both YouTube TV and YouTube PrimeTime.

Crunchyroll’s Big 2025

Crunchyroll continues to sprint in the anime world with this year seeing the streaming service bringing Attack on Titan: The Last Attack to theaters, once again hosting the Crunchyroll Anime Awards, and continuing to house major anime television shows and films. As more streaming services continue to see the value in anime, it will be interesting to see how big the medium can get in the future.

The post Crunchyroll is Now on YouTube (And How You Can Watch) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Solo Leveling Season 2 is the biggest anime of the Winter 2025 lineup. The show follows Sung Jinwoo in a world where the appearance of gates ten years ago has changed modern society. Within the gates, lie dangerous monsters that can’t be defeated by modern weapons. With the appearance of the gates, certain people started awakening the powers to combat those monsters. They are called Hunters and they raid those dungeons to protect the people and get their hands on the treasures lying inside. Jinwoo is one of those Hunters, but it’s difficult for him to make ends meet since he’s the weakest Hunter in mankind.

His life turns upside down when he gets a mysterious system after a near-death experience in a double dungeon. The system helps him level up and we see his journey from being an underdog to the strongest Hunter. While the manhwa heavily focuses on the main character, the novel delves deeper into side characters as well. Solo Leveling’s female lead, Cha Hae-in, in particular, suffers a lot of setbacks because of her portrayal in the manhwa. Unfortunately, the anime portrays her in the same way as the manhwa, which is quite different from the novel where her character is much more fleshed out.

[RELATED: Solo Leveling’s Greatest Strength Sparks Its Biggest Backlash]

Solo Leveling Manhwa and Anime Have Considerably Changed Cha Hae-in’s Character

The manhwa relies more on the visual representation of the story while the novel focuses more on internal thoughts. Her introduction in the novel is more detailed, spotlighting her reputation as Korea’s only female S-Rank hunter and her unique sensitivity to mana. We find out about her reserved behavior and difficulty interacting with others much sooner than the manhwa. Furthermore, the novel explores her growing feelings for Jinwoo in detail.

Her perspective on their relationship and her desire to stay with Jinwoo is fleshed out more. Hae-in ending up together with Jinwoo feels anti-climatic if you consider the novel. In the manhwa, we see her depicting her feelings with expressions like blushing or looking awkward but not much with her inner monologue. Since she’s socially awkward because of her unique sensitivity, she struggles to interact with people during a guild dinner.

However, Jinwoo’s presence comforts her and her inner monologue explores her feelings for him in detail. In the manhwa, the romantic tension is lacking. Her personality is more interesting in the novel as she turns out to be different from how she is introduced. During the epilogue, Solo Leveling focuses on returning her to the person she was before awakening as a S-Rank Hunter. Most of the issue with her portrayal lies with the manhwa excluding or reducing her inner monologue.

While the manhwa brings Cha Hae-in to life with stunning visuals and action scenes, the novel provides a deeper understanding of her character, emotions, and development. Like the manhwa, the anime also only focuses on her at the surface level. Solo Leveling Season 2 has already wrapped up its second arc, so its pacing is much faster than the first season. In this case, it’s improbable that the anime will explore her character the same the novel did.

The post Solo Leveling’s Anime Needs to Fix Its Female Lead Problem appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Jinwoo Sung’s second season is in full swing and the anime protagonist has quite the trials and tribulations ahead of him. Thanks to Solo Leveling’s return, the anime world is abuzz with chatter when it comes to the adaptation based on a popular South Korean manwha. Sometimes, words of mouth in the anime world needs a helping hand, which the anime franchise has taken into account. Solo Leveling has teamed up with Crunchyroll to take over Times Square in New York City and you might be surprised to learn just how long Jinwoo will be sticking around the Big Apple for this new promotion.

Ironically enough, North America made an appearance in Solo Leveling’s latest episode. In a random Gate, a band of Western hunters found themselves running into a creature so powerful that they found themselves unable to even lay a finger on him. In a surprise twist, the creature was nothing more than a man who had seemingly been trapped inside of the gate for years. Thanks to surviving the experience, the mystery man has reached new heights of power and without diving too deeply into spoiler territory, expect him to have quite the connection to Jinwoo Sung.

[RELATED: Solo Leveling Season 2 Debuts Mysterious Character (With Big Impact on the Anime’s Future)]

Solo Leveling In Times Square

Solo Leveling already hinted at its second season in a big way with the recent feature-length film, Solo Leveling: ReAwakening. On top of this compilation film, the new advertisement in Times Square New York is running an advertisement for the white hot anime that is running for quite some time. The current ad will be visible in the flashy locale until February 2nd, meaning you’ll have around two weeks to see Jinwoo on one of the biggest screens in NYC.

Solo Leveling: Season 2 Hits Hard

One of the biggest aspects of Solo Leveling’s second season is Jinwoo’s travels through Hell’s Tower, the environment that is currently holding the ingredients to an elixir that might be the only cure for his mother’s life-threatening illness. Luckily, Sung has been able to level up quite a bit in recent days, gaining an army of shadow warriors that are born from his recent “class change.” Thanks to leveling up by using the mysterious system, Jinwoo has become a Necromancer and can resurrect his fallen opponents to act as future allies.

While no future seasons have been confirmed as of yet, there is plenty of material to adapt for the anime down the line. In the franchise, Solo Leveling: Ragnarok has taken the reins from its predecessor, following the son of Jinwoo Sung. The sequel is currently on hiatus due to the author being involved in a terrible accident, but it is still planning to make a return once the author, Daul, recovers.

Want to stay up to date on the world of Jinwoo Sung? Follow along with Team Anime on ComicBook.com for the latest updates on Solo Leveling and hit me up directly @EVComedy to talk all things comics and anime.

The post Solo Leveling Takes Over New York City With Times Square Debut appeared first on ComicBook.com.

With the Winter 2025 anime season abuzz with hilarious Power Rangers-style isekai adventures and John Wick-esque retired hitmen, the return of Solo Leveling for Season 2 remains a tentpole event. Jinwoo’s continuous ascent to phenomenal power with his army of Shadows appropriately behind his back is only growing with hype for the viewers, but knowing what’s next is a continuous desire for fans. Courtesy of a review copy of Solo Leveling: The Novel Omnibus from Yen Press’ Yen On imprint, we are glad to say there is now a one-stop, one-book resource for each subsequent new arc out now as of January 21st, 2025.

Solo Leveling had its humble beginnings as a web novel by Chugong, whose series would blossom into a genre-defining action manhwa with its views in the tens of billions, and now a hit anime adaptation. But the Solo Leveling: The Novel Omnibus functions as a curated, complete collection of all eight books in one convenient, gorgeous 751-page hardcover tome, telling the story of Sung Jinwoo from start to finish. While its form factor makes it a tough proposition for readers on the go, this omnibus is the ultimate book resource for any hardcore Solo Leveling fan who is fond of exceptional-quality additions to their library.

[RELATED: Solo Leveling’s Greatest Strength Sparks Its Biggest Backlash]

Solo Leveling: The Novel Omnibus Is Almost Inconveniently Large

Solo Leveling’s story may not be as immense and sprawling as, say, Tower of God, but condensing its entirety into one single book is still no mean feat. While Yen Press’ manga print quality can sometimes leave something to be desired, their increasingly noticeable dedication to detail in their premium collections is no less apparent for Solo Leveling: The Novel Omnibus. The book stands as an example of the publisher’s loving treatments of its especially popular properties, such as the incredible Delicious in Dungeon or Toilet-bound Hanako Kuni box sets, or Übel Blatt and A Certain Magical Index’s deluxe volume treatments.

While Solo Leveling: The Novel Omnibus defeats the purpose of a light novel with its 9″x10.88″ page size and the clear weight indicator of a book full of coated print stock. It’s hardly ideal for pulling out and reading while waiting for the next stop on your train or bus commute, but it’s utterly fantastic for sitting down and reading (or studying its contents) at your desk with its elegant two-column page format. Much like Dark Horse manga’s Berserk or Trigun deluxe editions, this mighty omnibus also mercifully sports a bookmark ribbon for continuing sessions uninhibited. It’s not a deluxe copy loaded to the brim with bells and whistles, but it is the most robust presentation one could hope for, regardless. This, combined with full-page illustrations provided by Solo Leveling’s original manhwa artist Jang Sung-rak (Dubu), allows readers to still experience mild glimpses of the manhwa edition, all packaged in a sleek hardcover presentation.

Solo Leveling Fans Will Appreciate the Undistilled & Complete Presentation

With Solo Leveling’s light novel release priced at $15 USD, and each manhwa volume costing $20 with Volume 12 still on the way, Solo Leveling: The Novel Omnibus offers a distinct value proposition at $125 MSRP for the whole series. This incorporates all eight light novels with all the trappings above, and only a mild $5 premium. Considering the collector’s item status of the book at hand, it’s a reasonable pitch for any undecided buyers, especially since this is the purest way to enjoy the story of the series.

While action lovers might find the fight scenes somewhat breezier, as is the nature of cohesively writing such a series, Solo Leveling: The Novel Omnibus offers every detail for the readers who miss them either in the manhwa or anime. This includes Yoo Jinho’s family dynamics, Jinwoo’s internal development as the world begins to see him differently, and everything between his first outing as an E-rank Hunter, until the final time he says, “Arise.” The novel is worthwhile for glimpsing more clearly into what the key characters are thinking at any given moment, and even just an impressive collection of data surrounding each instance of Jinwoo leveling up, how he processes his skills, and more. Finally, and this mustn’t be understated, the omnibus looks great on the bookshelf and is a fantastic gift for any collector, but maybe anchor that to the wall so it doesn’t fall over and break through the floor.

If you’re interested in Solo Leveling: The Novel Omnibus, the book is available as of today, January 21st, 2025, through the Yen Press Store as well as select retailers like Amazon.

The post Solo Leveling’s Newest Book Is the Ultimate Gift for Hardcore Fans appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Look Back, one of 2024’s best anime movies, follows two aspiring manga artists when their lives stray off in very different directions. Producing an anime is a dream almost every fan has likely had since discovering the incredible medium. But, according to the film’s writer and director, Kiyotaka Oshiyama, we’re better off enjoying anime than making it.

Look Back is based on the manga of the same name by Tatuski Fujimoto, the creator of Chainsaw Man. The movie is currently streaming on Prime Video, and fans online are obsessed with its heartbreaking tale of dreams, friendship, and grief. We, the audience, definitely enjoyed watching Look Back a lot more than Oshiyama enjoyed making it, as the writer/director recently revealed the stressful process of bringing the beloved manga to the big screen.

Kiyotaka Oshiyama Gets Honest About Directing Look Back

In an interview with Deadline, Kiyotaka Oshiyama got surprisingly candid about the stressful experience of writing and directing Look Back. “As an animator, I think it’s better to be in the audience just watching anime,” he said in a startling confession. Oshiyama said he’s incredibly happy with how Look Back turned out, but he’d much rather have been in the audience watching it than behind the scenes making it.

“To consume anime is much better,” Oshiyama continued. “Making it is a really long production. The fact that you have to sit for so long and maintain your focus is a physically demanding job. So, I don’t think it’s something that we could work on for long periods of time or long years.”

Ultimately though, Kiyotaka Oshiyama said the stress of making the film was worth it. He revealed that directors and anyone involved in making a movie or an anime never truly know if a project will be a hit. “I really think the success of a movie is hit or miss,” he explained. “You don’t know what contributes to it and I think I was just lucky. I am thankful for the praise that I’m getting.”

[RELATED: Look Back Named Best Anime Movie for 2024 (Golden Issue Awards)]

Could Look Back Win an Oscar?

Fans have already labeled Look Back as one of, if not THE best anime movie of 2024. But, the real test comes this March at the 97th Academy Awards. 2025’s Oscar nominees will be unveiled this Thursday (23rd January), and anime fans have their fingers crossed that Look Back will get recognized.

Kiyotaka Oshiyama didn’t touch upon Look Back‘s awards season chances. Instead, he has begun to look forward to his next project. Oshiyama didn’t reveal what he will be working on next. However, he admitted that the success of Look Back has added some extra pressure on the new project. “I try to tell myself and tone it down,” he said. “But I think if I were to think about my next project and if they’re like, ‘Oh, it’s going to be a hit just like Look Back,’ then I might stress out a little, but I try not to think about it.”

Look Back is currently streaming on Prime Video.

H/T: Deadline

The post “To Consume Anime Is Much Better”: Look Back Director Breaks Down the Movie’s Stressful Production appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The Final Saga in One Piece is delving deeper into the lore and the mysteries surrounding the world. Among the many mysteries, Nika lore is something fans have always been curious about. According to the legend, the Sun God Nika is a symbol of freedom, a mythical warrior who liberated the ancient slaves. His legend has been passed down in the Buccaneer and Giant races. However, with the Buccaneer race going extinct, the Giants carry on Nika’s legacy even to this day. Since the Land of the Giants is so rich in culture and closely tied to Nika, fans have been expecting to find out more about the mysterious entity.

After the confrontation with the Marines and Gorosei in Egghead Island, the crew arrives on Elbaf to begin their new adventure. Since Elbaf isn’t affiliated with the World Government, they welcomed the crew warmly and showed them around. The country is celebrating their arrival unaware of the threat awaiting them. As the banquet continues, Jarul and the other Giants explore Nika’s lore. However, one small detail brings us back to the prophecy told in the Fish-Man Island Arc.

[RELATED: One Piece: Sanji Can Still Get Conqueror’s Haki But He May Not Need It]

One Piece’s Elbaf Arc Reveals the Ancient Text Contains Nika Lore

The latest One Piece Chapter 1136 features the Giants arguing with one another for having different interpretations of Nika. Road says Nika was a ruler, while others call him the god of liberation, laughter, or destruction. Each meaning varies in some way but calling Nika a destroyer is unprecedented. The story has always portrayed the Sun God as the source of hope among people suffering through injustice and oppression. Nika’s lore is mentioned in the ancient text known as Harley.

Because the text is so old and written in a language they can’t read, there are many versions of Nika’s legend. It wouldn’t be surprising if the text is inscribed in a Poneglyph. However, comparing Nika to a destroyer could be linked to the prophecy foretold by Madam Shyarly. She sees the Fish-Man Island in ruins and Luffy standing in the center of flames with a gruesome expression.

Shyarly determines that Luffy will bring about the destruction of their homeland. No one knows how she sees the future but none of her predictions have been wrong so far. Hence, it’s only fair to assume that this tragic future may come to pass. She was right about Whitebeard’s death. Shyarly’s prophecy of the two kings is another reason why the residents hold her in high regard.

Despite the prophecy, the residents of Fish-Man Island choose to believe in Luffy as their savior. It’s clear every interpretation of Nika has its own meaning. The Great War will bring destruction to the world, and even Fish-Man Island won’t be spared. As Jarul said in the latest chapter, Nika only appears when the world is about to undergo a major change. If there’s a war, there will be destruction. As the Nika of this era, Luffy will be at the center of the chaos and may end up fulfilling the prophecy as Shyarly fears.

The post One Piece’s Elbaf Arc Is an Obvious Callback to Fish-Man Island appeared first on ComicBook.com.

It might be time for Sung Jinwoo to shed his E-rank status in Episode 4 of Solo Leveling‘s second season. The new season of the hit anime from A-1 Pictures, adapted from the manhwa by Chu-Gong, is well underway, and fans have been obsessed with Jinwoo’s incredible transformation since the show’s premiere episode back in 2024.

The first preview stills from the next episode, which releases this Saturday, have officially been released. The new promos tease that it might be time for the world to find out about Jinwoo’s incredible growth, as he is forced to re-take the ranking test.

Jinwoo Reveals His Powers In New Solo Leveling Images

The new preview images for Season 2’s fourth episode include the S-rank hunters of the various guilds, most likely because Jinwoo is about to reveal his updated power set. The stills show off Baek Yoonho, Choi Jong-In, and Cha Hae-In in the new episode. We also see Jinwoo giving an unfortunate person his death glare. The new episode is titled “I Need to Stop Faking,” which refers to Jinwoo hiding his ability to level up from the rest of the world.

As well as the new stills, the official synopsis for the new episode has also been released. It reads: “Feeling that he needs to further raise his level to clear the S-rank dungeon “Demon Castle,” Jinwoo decides to undergo a reassessment of his Hunter Rank to participate in advanced raids. While top guild members begin to take notice of Jinwoo, whose magical power is beyond what measurement devices can quantify, another individual also visits him.”

Warning: Spoilers Ahead for Solo Leveling Season 2 Episode 3!

The last episode of Solo Leveling brought an end to the “Demon Castle” arc, which saw Jinwoo earn two of the three ingredients needed to make the Elixir of Life and heal his mother. The other “individual” from the official synopsis refers to Jinwoo’s father, Sung Il-Hwan, who was finally introduced in Episode 3 and had a massive off-screen battle with fellow S-rank hunter Hwang Dongsoo. Unfortunately, we only saw the aftermath of the fight, in which Dongsoo lay defeated amidst a burning and crumbling skyscraper.

[RELATED – Solo Leveling Season 2 Ends Second Arc (& What This Means for Jinwoo)]

Solo Leveling Season 2 Is Living Up to the Hype

The Winter 2025 anime season is packed full of new and returning shows. Among those, Solo Leveling‘s second season was arguably the most anticipated by fans. As a result, the series shouldered a lot of hype, with some worried the show’s return wouldn’t live up to expectations. The first three episodes of Season 2 have blown past those expectations, just Jinwoo blew past the skill ceiling of his E-ranking. The “Red Gate” arc was thrilling and forced Jinwoo to reveal his powers to those around him in the dungeon, setting up what we’re about to see in the new episode.

With only three episodes released so far, it might still be too early to call Solo Leveling Season 2 the peak show of this season. But, if it maintains its form across the remaining 10 episodes, it has a strong chance of earning that unofficial title. Solo Leveling releases weekly on Saturdays on Crunchyroll.

H/T: Solo Leveling Official Website

The post Solo Leveling: Jinwoo’s Ready to Shed E-Rank Status in New Preview appeared first on ComicBook.com.

While Castlevania: Nocturne takes place three hundred years after the events that saw Trevor Belmont and Sypha fighting against the forces of darkness, the sequel series did have one major element bridging the two series together. Alucard, the son of Dracula, was able to make a comeback to aid Richter Belmont and his allies thanks to his own immortality. With the second season recently hitting Netflix, fans, and the creators themselves, are wondering if Nocturne will receive a season three. Should the supernatural series continue, a beloved storyline might be hitting the small screen from the video games.

In an interview with outlet Collider, Castlevania: Nocturne directors Adam and Sam Deats discussed the second season and what they hope to do in the Belmont universe’s future. To start, Adam Deats hinted at the supernatural locale’s bigger universe at large, “You know, the Castlevania universe is a big place. Lots of places to go with it. There are definitely things that Sam and I would like to do, for sure. I think that we would like to do a Season 3, but there are a lot of things that could be done and places we could go. So who can say? I don’t know. The Netflix gods and the audience need to define that for us and help us figure out where we’re going next.”

[RELATED: Castlevania: How Nocturne Sets Up Season 3]

Symphony of The Nocturne

Samuel Deats took the chance to confirm that the pair would love to tackle Symphony of The Night in the animated series, and even went so far as to state that they laid the foundation for it, “Certainly, we have tried to set the stage for and have always wanted to do a Symphony of the Night adaptation. But, as Adam said, there is a broad universe in Castlevania. This isn’t our first rodeo when it comes to the question mark in between seasons. When the second season of the original series came out, there was a couple-month lull where we were just waiting to find out if we were going to keep going with the series. Same thing happened after Season 4. There was interest in continuing Castlevania, but there was a question mark about it then, as well. I think there’s still a lot of confidence in the franchise as a whole, so we’ll see how things play out over the coming weeks. Regardless, I think there’s still a lot of love and a lot of places to go with the series that I think fans would love to see.”

What is Symphony Of The Night?

For those who might need an introduction, or refresher, to Castlevania: Symphony of The Night, the video game is often considered to be one of, if not the, best entries in the franchise. Placing players into the shoes of Alucard, the original PlayStation game saw Richter Belmont controlled by an evil priest. The villainous Shaft was attempting to destroy the Belmont Clan while also looking for a way to once again bring Dracula back from the dead.

Many of Castlevania: Nocturne’s characters do have a role to play in Symphony Of The Night, so it’s easy to understand how this storyline could be the focal point for a potential third season. Unfortunately, Netflix has yet to confirm what the future of the supernatural animated series is following its second two arrival.

Want to see if Symphony of The Night makes its way to Netflix’s series? Follow along with Team Anime on ComicBook.com for all the latest updates on Castlevania: Nocturne and feel free to hit me up directly @EVComedy to talk all things comics and anime.

Via Collider

The post Castlevania: Nocturne Creators Hint At Anticipated Future Video Game Storyline In Season 3 appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Spy x Family has just dropped what can only be described as a bombshell of a revelation about its elusive villain, Donovan Desmond, seemingly confirming that the biggest fan theory about him may be true after all. Despite being the central target of Operation Strix, Donovan Desmond remains as elusive as ever, with recent chapters of Spy x Family even teasing that Donovan could be an alien.

That said, Chapter 110 of Spy x Family finally clears up the air about Donovan, seemingly confirming that Donovan Desmond may be a telepath like Anya, just as fans have theorized all these years. The chapter sees Melinda finally open up more to Loid about Donovan, revealing her suspicions that he can read minds. Though Loid is seemingly dismissive of the idea and tries to come up with a rational explanation for Melinda’s belief that a mind-reading alien has replaced Donvan, several pieces of evidence including Anya’s very existence point to Melinda being right, and this could have major implications for Operation Strix going forward.

[Related: Is Spy x Family Mixing in Sci-Fi With the Latest Story Arc?]

Spy x Family Teases Donovan Is Also a Telepath Like Anya

Picking up where the previous chapter left off, Chapter 110 sees Melinda explain the reason she thinks her husband is an alien. Melinda reveals that her husband Donovan seemingly changed a few years ago around the time Damian was born, becoming a completely different man altogether. According to Melinda, Donovan not only became distant but also stopped speaking to those around him as much as he used to, which fans have also seen for themselves during the Desmond family dinner scene back in Chapter 106.

This sudden, extreme change in demeanor is what leads Melinda to the realization that an extraterrestrial has assumed Donovan’s identity while the real him may have been taken to some distant planet. Interestingly, Melinda mentions that her older son Demetrius, also seems to be of the same opinion that Donovan is a telepath, with this fact becoming clearer and clearer with every interaction they have with Donovan.

Though Loid initially suspects Melinda may be suffering from some kind of misidentification disorder or delusion of some sort, as Loid himself states, Melinda’s tests showed no such signs of a mental disorder, nor does it seem like she is deliberately lying. In fact, Donovan, being a telepath, perfectly explains Melinda’s constant sense of paranoia. Even Melinda’s mood swings can be explained as a side effect of the constant stress of having to put up a facade and conceal her thoughts in front of her husband. Even Demetruis’ silent inner monologue may thus be explained as a protective measure against his psychic father.

That said, as Loid states at the end of Chapter 110, such an ability could bring down any intelligence agency in the world. If Melinda is right about Donovan, then Operation Strix may have already been compromised since Loid’s first meeting with Donovan in Chapter 37. Nonetheless, things are sure to get interesting in Spy x Family from here on out and both Donovan Desmond, Anya, and their peculiar psychic abilities are sure to be at the center of it all.

Spy x Family is available to read via Manga Plus and Viz Media.

The post Spy x Family Confirms The Biggest Theory About Its Villain May Be True After All appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Animated series like Avatar: The Last Airbender, Adventure Time, Gravity Falls, and Regular Show have helped push a new generation of fans to Western animation. While many of these shows appeared on Cartoon Network and Nickelodeon, Disney and its television channels, Disney XD and the Disney Channel, has had its fair share of beloved animated projects that are still beloved to this day. Phineas & Ferb, Gravity Falls, Kim Possible, The Owl House, and Amphibia are all Disney exclusives, though one fan-favorite series might stand above the rest. In a surprising new reveal, fans of Star Vs. The Forces of Evil have discovered the original pilot episode of the series and it looks far different from what we’ve come to know.

For those who haven’t had the chance to check out Star Vs. The Forces of Evil, the animated series first debuted in 2015. Finding success on Disney XD and the Disney Channel, the show gained four seasons and seventy seven episodes, exceeding many of its Disney cohorts. The premise is one that is a giant love letter to all things anime as the series follows main character Star Butterfly, a magical princess from an alternate dimension. Sent to the planet Earth thanks to an accident, Star became a premiere Disney character despite never hitting the big screen.

[RELATED: ‘Star vs. The Forces of Evil’ Ending After Season 4]

Star Vs. The Forces of Evil: Round 1

Originally titled “Star And The Forces of Evil“, the original pilot looks far different from what we would come to see on The Disney Channel. Ironically, series creator Daron Nefcy had originally pitched the series to Cartoon Network, finding little luck on the channel. Luckily, Disney was receptive to adding the character Star Butterfly to its roster and the four-season long series became a fan-favorite. In the initial pilot, Star is also rather different than the protagonist animation fans would come to know.

A Star Revival?

Unlike Gravity Falls, there have been no rumors of Star Vs. The Forces of Evil making a comeback following the series finale in 2019. When the fourth and final season was announced, creator Daron Nefcy stated that she and the team had put their all into the curtain call, “We put our heart and soul into this final season, and can’t wait to celebrate the exciting conclusion of the series with our fans who have remained so loyal throughout this journey.”

If you haven’t seen the series for yourself, it’s currently available to stream on Disney+ and Hulu. Here’s how Disney describes the beloved franchise that still holds a special place in many fans’ hearts, “After a few bold skirmishes with other-worldly monsters, fun-loving magical teen princess Star Butterfly is sent by her Royal Parents to live with the Diaz family on Earth, bringing along her own unique interdimensional style to her new planet.”

Want to stay up to date on Star Vs. The Forces of Evil after its grand finale? Follow along with Team Anime on ComicBook.com for all the latest on Disney’s animated series and hit me up directly @EVComedy to talk all things comics and anime.

The post Beloved Disney Animated Series Fans Unearth Long Lost Pilot Episode appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Naruto may not be a tragedy anime, but that doesn’t mean the series didn’t leave many fans heartbroken even years after its run. Despite the story revolving around one of the most optimistic characters in all of anime, Naruto’s tragic past lurks at every corner, reminding viewers that no matter how much fun it sounds, a world of ninjas is not all fun and rainbows. And while Naruto has a talent for making the audience laugh and cry with him, he is far from the only character viewers couldn’t help but shed tears over.

With its diverse cast of characters, Naruto is able to explore a wide range of storylines, many of them rife with the death and destruction expected of a world centered on violence. Masashi Kishimoto’s ability to write complex characters that feel human only adds to the show’s tragedy. And with his masterful storytelling, viewers feel closer to his story, making the tragic moments all that more unbearable. 

Spoiler Warning: Given the Nature of This List, Major Naruto Spoilers Ahead for Each Entry!

Rin’s Death

A defining moment for both Kakashi and Obito, Rin’s death is one of the series’s biggest tragedies. And what makes it even more unbearable is how it was all part of Madara’s carefully laid plan. Aware that Obito needed to experience the same pain as Madara to agree with him, the older Uchiha kidnapped the girl he loved and sealed the Three-Tails in her, essentially making her into a ticking time bomb.

Realizing this, Rin chose to sacrifice herself to protect her village, jumping in front of Kakashi’s Chidori. The experience of being the one to kill his teammate, one he had promised to protect, deeply traumatized Kakashi. As Obito witnessed Kakashi killing Rin, his emotional pain awakened his Mangekyo Sharingan and transformed him from an optimistic dreamer to one of Naruto’s core villains.

Uchiha Massacre 

The fact that Konoha greenlit the genocide of a clan to stop a coup was bad enough, but what’s worse is that they made a 13-year-old from that clan do it. Accepting the mission only to spare his younger brother’s life, Itachi killed his own kin with a heavy heart. And when he finally goes to kill his parents, their acceptance of his mission and choice to love him even in their final moments has the normally stoic character breaking down in tears. 

This is a heartbreaking moment, and the tragedy of the massacre only gets worse as Itachi must then lie to Sasuke throughout much of Naruto’s entire plot, ensuring his loyalty to the village that killed his family. When Sasuke refuses to believe his older brother would kill so many people, Itachi makes him witness the genocide firsthand with his Mangekyo Sharingan. Psychologically scarring the one person he loves most in the world as he takes the blame for a tragedy created by the adults in power. 

Asuma’s Death

As the first teacher figure to die in Naruto Shippuden, Asuma’s death was undoubtedly tragic. It set a different, more serious tone, demonstrating that the series’s main cast wasn’t actually immune to the violence in their world. The fact that he died protecting his students when he was about to become a father only made the moment more heartbreaking.

Nevertheless, his death served an important narrative purpose, giving the viewer insight into his students and becoming a source of character development for them. Shikamaru’s particularly affected, especially with Asuma entrusting him to take care of his unborn child. But the normally lazy ninja steps up to the role, learning to take responsibility and maturing as a result.

Zabuza and Haku 

A merciless hitman with a kind young boy as his loyal follower, the odd pair Zabuza and Haku were Naruto’s first major villains. Despite being an antagonist, Haku’s personality was more befitting of a hero, as seen when he gladly used his body as a shield to protect Zabuza from Kakashi’s Chidori. But while Haku’s death was already tragic enough, what happened next really cemented this scene as one Naruto fans aren’t going to forget any time soon.

When the corrupt Gato and his men arrived, he started kicking around Haku’s dead body. An injured Zabuza initially appeared unaffected by this, but when Naruto called him heartless, he dropped that facade. Holding Naruto’s kunai between his teeth, Zabuza attacked Gato at the cost of his own life. And in his dying moments, he emotionally asked to be laid next to Haku so he could see his face one last time.

Neji’s Death 

As the only Konoha 11 member to lose his life during the Fourth Great Ninja War, Neji’s death was particularly shocking and tragic. Sacrificing himself to protect Naruto and Hinata, Neji’s last moments showed how far he had come as a character, from someone who resented Hinata for being a weak clan heir to someone who embraced his duty as her clan member.

What makes his death even sadder is how we see Hinata’s sister carrying a picture of Neji at her wedding, reminding fans of the stern but caring uncle he never got to be. Neji started his character arc as a rather unsympathetic adversary who challenged Naruto’s philosophy, but as he grew to respect Konoha’s future Seventh Hokage, viewers’ opinions on him changed. His ultimate acceptance of Naruto makes his death all the more tragic in the final moments of the saga.

[RELATED – Naruto Creator Reveals How Sakura Became His Biggest Regret]

Naruto’s Childhood

Made into a Jinchuriki to save the village that hated him, Naruto’s story starts from tragedy and only gets more heartbreaking. As the Hokage, Minato made the decision to sacrifice his soul to split the Nine-Tails chakra in half and seal the Yang half inside Naruto, protecting both the village and his wife and child. But as the sealing process began, the Nine-Tails tried to kill Naruto, prompting Minato and Kushina to shield the blow with their bodies.

An orphan, Naruto then lived a life of rejection, unaware of why he was hated or even who his parents were. His only comfort was the Third Hokage, who acted like a grandfatherly figure to the boy. However, even the Hokage’s support didn’t make his ordeal any easier, with the rest of the village shunning or unsubtly resenting the boy for much of the series.

Itachi’s Last Goodbye 

Itachi’s life was undoubtedly tragic, but what was even more tragic was how, despite his efforts, he couldn’t protect Sasuke from the truth behind the Uchiha Massacre. His younger brother learned how Itachi was ordered to kill their family and hated the very village Itachi sacrificed everything for because of it. But instead of trying to change his brother’s mind, Itachi accepted Sasuke’s hatred.

He assured his brother that no matter what choice he made, his love for him was unconditional. To hear that from his brother, whom he had killed and yet loved, was an emotional moment for Sasuke. Yet it was tragic these words were only spoken moments before Itachi’s return to the afterlife.

Gaara’s Childhood 

Much like Naruto, a young Gaara was a Jinchuriki hated by his village. But unlike Naruto, who had the support of the Third Hokage, Gaara’s father, the Fourth Kazekage, abandoned him, forcing him to live away from his siblings with his maternal uncle, Yashamaru. When the Kazekage thought Gaara couldn’t serve as the weapon he wanted, he labeled him a failed experiment and ordered Yashamaru, who Gaara loved, to assassinate him. 

Even more tragically, he further destroyed the six-year-old’s fragile mental state by having Yashamaru lie that both he and Gaara’s own mother hated him. This was the final straw that made Gaara into the monstrous character first introduced in the Chunin Exams and Konoha Crush Arcs of Naruto. Had it not been for Naruto’s friendship, he may have ended up as one of the series’s most tragic villains.

Jiraiya’s Death 

A beloved but comical character, Jiraiya’s death shook the fanbase with its sudden tragedy. While confronting the villain Pain, Jiraiya recognized him as his former student. But as the two were already fighting with no hope of reconciliation, only one path remained; for one of them to die while the other emerged as the victor. 

Despite going up against the legendary Rinnegan, Jiraiya gave his all in the fight. But he ultimately lost, his last act being a message to Konoha about Pain’s true identity. The last thing on his mind was thoughts of his student Naruto as the Pain’s Assault Arc began to show its teeth to the fandom with Naruto Shippuden Episode 133.

Naruto’s Goodbye to Minato

After fighting in the Fourth Great Ninja War alongside his son, it’s eventually time for Minato to return to the afterlife in Naruto Shippuden Episode 474. Naruto gets a few precious minutes to say his last goodbye to the father he never really knew, and it’s tragic to witness. But what ensues next is a different, more layered, and upsettingly sad moment for the young hero.

Minato starts by wishing Naruto a happy 17th birthday, marking the first and last time Naruto receives a birthday wish from a parent. The dam breaks, but Naruto holds back tears as he reassures his parents that they don’t have to worry about him. But much like the audience, he ultimately can’t help but let his tears fall.

The post 10 Most Tragic Moments in Naruto That Still Make Fans Cry appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Gohan has been through a lot in Dragon Ball’s history, going from a toddler in Dragon Ball Z to one of the strongest Z-Fighters in Dragon Ball Super. In the latest film of the shonen franchise, Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero, Goku’s son achieved his highest power level to date thanks to achieving the transformation, Gohan Beast. As fans wait to see this form’s return in both the anime and the manga, there is another avenue that fans can experience this powerful new technique. Thanks to Gohan Beast’s video game return, anime fans can now witness the Z-Fighter confirming who is truly the strongest warrior in Universe Seven.

Much like how Gohan achieved Super Saiyan 2 during the Cell Games, the arrival of Cell Max allowed the Z-Fighter to hit his strongest form to date. Even with Piccolo achieving his own ultimate form in Orange Piccolo, the Namekian wasn’t enough to defeat the resurrected villain on his own. Witnessing Piccolo near death, Gohan was able to achieve a new level of power thanks to once again tapping into his own anger. For those wondering whether this iteration of Gohan is more powerful than his father’s Ultra Instinct, the manga did pit the two against one another but a definitive answer regarding who would take the top spot remains a mystery.

[RELATED: Dragon Ball Super Announces Return Date]

The Strongest Z-Fighter Revealed

Thanks to Dragon Ball Sparking Zero, the fighting game that has been tearing up the fighting game community, Gohan Beast has returned. A new DLC pack sees Gohan’s newest form take center stage along with the likes of Orange Piccolo, Cell Max, and the Gamma twins from the recent movie. During one interaction with the Legendary Super Saiyan Broly, Gohan confirms that the former villain turned ally might be the strongest being in the world.

While Broly was defeated by Gogeta in his premiere film, it’s hard to deny that he is the strongest Z-Fighter in the roster if you don’t count fusions. The manga laid out that Frieza’s new transformation is more than enough to take out Goku and Vegeta in their Ultra Instinct and Ultra Ego forms, but how the villain would stand up to the Legendary Super Saiyan is anyone’s guess. When last we saw Broly, he wasn’t trying to become more powerful but instead, was trying to manage his mental state while accessing his wild strength.

Where is Gohan?

One of the biggest questions in Dragon Ball Daima, the latest anime series on the small screen, is where on Earth Gohan is. Goku’s son hasn’t been featured at all as of yet, with his friends and family transformed into children thanks to the wish of the Demon Lord Gomah. With Daima only having six episodes left in its first season, viewers are still wondering if Gohan will make a surprise appearance as the Z-Fighters attempt to turn back to normal and survive the Demon Realm. Since the series takes place before the events of Dragon Ball Super, Gohan Beast most likely won’t make an appearance but Daima has revealed quite a few bombshells in its episodes so far.

Want to see if Gohan will make an appearance in the shonen franchise’s latest anime? Follow along with Team Anime on ComicBook.com for the latest updates on all things Dragon Ball and hit me up directly @EVComedy to talk all things comics and anime.

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Ever since Luffy’s Devil Fruit awakening in the Wano Country Saga, the mystery behind Sun God Nika has always been a topic of discussion. In One Piece Chapter 1043, Zunesha hears the Drunms of Liberation and claims Joyboy has returned as soon as Luffy transforms. Luffy, Joyboy, and the Sun God are all interconnected through the devil fruit and the world’s history. We learn in the Egghead Island Arc that Joyboy, who existed during the Void Century, had powers just like Luffy. He was the first pirate in history and fought against the twenty allied nations during the Great War.

The title of Joyboy was passed down to Luffy after the awakening as he taps into the true, devastating power of his Devil Fruit. The World Government hid the true nature of his Devil Fruit and named it Gomu Gomu no Mi, a Paramecia-type. However, in reality, it’s Hito Hito no Mi, Model: Nika, a Mythical Zoan-type that allows the user to take on Nika’s form. Luffy calls it Gear 5 where he can not only stretch his body like rubber but also alter his surroundings like any Paramecia-type fruit. Gorosei describes it as the most ridiculous power in the world, but apart from strength, it’s tied to centuries of history.

[RELATED: One Piece: Sanji Can Still Get Conqueror’s Haki But He May Not Need It]

One Piece Chapter 1136 Delves Deeper into Nika Lore

The Straw Hat Pirates are finally in Elbaf, where the legend of Nika originates. It’s every Giants’ dream to become like Nika. In One Piece Chapter 1136, we find out some believe Nika to be a ruler, a god of destruction, a god of liberation, or a god of laughter. The Giants start fighting while trying to prove their point. There are many variations to how they perceive this mythical being. The World Government erased everything about the Void Century, including the legend of Nika. However, the Giants still carry on that legacy.

When Luffy is confused about the God they are talking about, Jarul explains that Elbaf is home to an ancient religious text known as Harley. However, since the text is ancient, it has various interpretations. The ancient text is likely in the same language as the Poneglyphs since no one can translate it. However, one thing they know for sure is that the world has been destroyed twice.

Vegapunk only knows about the world’s destruction during Joyboy’s era, but it has happened before that as well. In each case, Nika’s existence has been closely tied to it. This means Luffy and Joyboy aren’t the only ones who carry that power. Nika emerges in every era, awaiting to fulfill his role as the Warrior of Liberation. He only appears when the world is about to undergo a great transformation.

The rulers fear Nika’s arrival since he is always tied to war and destruction. Luffy eating the Devil Fruit and awakening his power as Nika is, by no means, a coincidence. The Great War from over 800 years ago never truly ended, and Luffy will play a central role in it to fulfill Joyboy’s wish and promise in his place. One Piece often focuses on the lore more than the battles, which is why even Luffy’s transformation isn’t purely based on strength but speaks volumes about the world’s history.

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Mobile Suit: Gundam as a franchise has done what many other anime franchises could only dream of. First starting in the 1970s, the series has managed to continue thanks to not only further exploring beloved storylines from its past, but also forging a brand new future in universes linked by the mech suits. The latest example, Gundam GQuuuuuuX, is noteworthy thanks to who is responsible for its creation, aka Hideaki Anno. While groundswell for the new series has been noteworthy, many anime fans might not have expected for the movie leading to its upcoming television series to take the top spot at Japan’s box office.

For those unfamiliar with Gundam’s latest movie, the GQuuuuuuX cinematic offering is a compilation film in the same vein as recent offerings such as Demon Slayer, Solo Leveling, and Bocchi The Rock to name a few. Compiling the first three episodes into one outing, the Mobile Suit film landed in Japanese theaters last week and is planning to make a North American arrival next month on February 28th. The television series will then arrive later this year to introduce a new Gundam universe to the world. As anime fans know, Hideaki Anno is responsible for the Neon Genesis Evangelion franchise, the anime that is considered one of Gundam’s biggest mech competitors.

[RELATED: Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX Movie Sets North American Release Date]

Gundam Takes Japan’s Top Spot

The Gundam movie with the most difficult name to pronounce came roaring into the box office, taking the number one spot in theaters thanks to scoring over $3.8 million USD in ticket sales. Considering the fact that this is a compilation film, it is all the more evident that the Gundam franchise is a beloved one in Japan. In terms of GQuuuuuux’s competition, the Hatsune Miku anime film, Project Sekai: The Movie: The Broken World and The Miku Who Can’t Sing, came in second place with Cells At Work’s live-action adaptation arriving in fourth.

Neon Gundam Evangelion

While many have been curious to see what creator Hideaki Anno will create following his take on the EVA pilots of NERV, recent spoilers for the new Gundam film has thrown mech fans for a loop. Without diving into spoiler territory, the setting of the new locale allows for old characters to make a comeback with some fresh spins placed on them, pushing the Gundam universe into wild new territory. Of course, GQuuuuuux isn’t the only major project that the anime franchise has in the works.

Recently, Bandai Namco announced “Gundam Assemble,“ a miniatures game that will take a page from the likes of Warhammer 40K and give fans the chance to customize their own mechs in a tabletop battle. The franchise has also hinted at more anime projects on the way thanks to Gundam celebrating upcoming anniversaries, with Netflix still working on a live-action adaptation of the series in an upcoming movie. While a release date has yet to be hinted at by the streaming service, Netflix’s recent successes with One Piece and Avatar: The Last Airbender point to this being another win for the platform.

Want to stay up to date on all things Gundam in the future? Follow along with Team Anime on ComicBook.com for the latest updates on the mech universe and hit me up directly @EVComedy to talk all things comics and anime.

Via Crunchyroll

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Sunrise Studio has shared a new promo for the upcoming Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX anime, featuring footage directly from the -Beginning- movie. The -Beginning- is a compilation film covering the first three episodes of the anime, serving as a promotional event before the main anime series airs. There is no scheduled release date for the Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX, with fans hoping the show will launch in the first half of 2025. The new promo unveils plenty of new details about the series, including redesigns of classic Gundam mechas, and the surprise reappearance of an iconic original character from the classic Gundam animes.

Spoiler Warning for Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX Character Details!

The -Beginning- has already been released in Japan, with a North American release date scheduled for February 28. Spoilers for Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX have been shared online, revealing how a major character from the original Mobile Suit Gundam series has returned. The new promo video ends with the grand appearance of Char Aznable, the pilot known as the Red Comet in classic Gundam and the main rival to Amuro Ray. While fans have speculated about Char’s return, the compilation film and promo video fully confirm the character will have a role in the new anime. Whereas every other classic mecha and character returning is given a design overhaul by Studio Khara, Char remains unchanged from his appearance in Gundam Origins, which was directly taken from his look in the OG series.

[RELATED – Major Gundam Character Returns for GQuuuuuuX Anime]

Who is Char and What is his Role in Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX

Char was the son of an important public figure from the space colonies, who spoke out for peace between the colonies and Earth. After his father’s death at the hands of the Zabi family, Char took on an alternate identity and infiltrated the Zeon Republic to get close to the Zabi. His goal was to murder each member of the Zabi family as revenge, becoming the ace mecha pilot of the Zeon Army.

Where the original series events and Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX diverge is the absence of Amuro Ray, the main protagonist of Mobile Suit Gundam. As a soldier for the Earth Federation, Amuro was the only person to keep up with Char in the high-tech Gundam mecha. Amuro does not get into the Gundam in Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX, allowing Char to successfully steal the Gundam machine from the federation and use it to lead the Zeon to victory. He repaints the Gundam with his trademark red coloration, giving the mecha the name of Red Gundam. However, Char’s still retains his alternative motive to kill the Zabi family. He mysteriously disappears five years before the series events, with his Red Gundam falling into the hands of a mysterious boy named Shuji.

What Does Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX for the Future of the Franchise?

While the original four series and first two movies took place in the same timeline, most proceeding Gundam animes have taken place in their own separate universes. Each Gundam universe is given a designated timeline name to differentiate the classic series from the different AUs. For example, the classic series timeline, including other follow-ups in the same universe, is designated the Universal Century. With that said, Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX would be the first time a series takes place in an alternate timeline with the same setting and backstory as a previously established timeline. Gundam GQuuuuuuX is more of a Universal Century AU than its own separate universe.

It should be noted, that it has long been speculated by fans and hinted by the series that all the mainline Gundam shows take place in the same universe but at different points in the timeline. If Gundam GQuuuuuuX is an alternate version of a previously established timeline, it can’t fit in the same universe as the other anime. However, given how the creators of Evangelion are behind Gundam GQuuuuuuX, the new anime may feature a high-concept idea that somehow places the series in the greater Gundam mythology.

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