The latest film from Ghibli alumni directors shares some themes with Princess Mononoke but proves it has the heart to stand on its own.
Feb 2, 2023 • Subscribe
More like this
Review: Beating Heart (2022)
Beating Heart 世界上最爱我的人 China, 2022, colour, 2.35:1, 93 mins. Director: Huang Yuetai 黄岳泰 [Arthur Wong]. Rating: 3/10. Simplistically scripted hospital drama squanders the combined talents of its two…
This Week in Anime - Does Requiem of the Rose King's Story Overcome Its Production Limitations?
The dramatic reimagining of Shakespeare's trio of historical plays has had to make some adjustments do its limited animation production. Despite these shortcomings, Steve and Nicky find a…
This Week in Anime - What is the Heart of Trigun Stampede?
This streamlined retelling of Yasuhiro Nightow's manga and the '98 anime series veers into uncharted territory. One thing remains the same though: Vash is the emotional core.
This Week in Anime - Is In the Heart of Kunoichi Tsubaki as Good as Takagi-san?
A female-only village of ninja may have met its match when its young kunoichi in training become aware of a terrifying yet titillating concept: men.
This Week in Anime - Cramer
The prequel film raises the production a bit for Farewell, My Dear Cramer while expanding Nozomi's backstory. Come for the training montage, stay for the pre-game kidnapping.
This Week in Anime - The Dirty Pair
With a a Kickstarter campaign to fund an English-dubbed Blu-ray Disc release underway, Jean-Karlo and Steve check in on the Lovely Angels' legacy of sci-fi comedy to see…
This Week in Anime - Is Komi Can't Communicate All Laughs and No Heart?
Komi is just one unique character is a sea of quirky potential friends. Does the anime handle its cast with care or does the mental health angles just…
How Japan Is Beating The Heat This Summer
It's HOT! As heat advisories sweep Japan, people are finding new and unique ways to keep cool - and stay safe.
This Week in Anime - Are the Anime Awards Broken?
What were the biggest snubs of the Anime Awards, and did what earned their rightful place as one of the best? Or is the whole thing a cover…
This Week in Anime - Navigating Anime Conventions
Anime conventions like Anime Expo and FanimeCon are the perfect place for anime enthusiasts from all walks of life to mingle and gather. Join Chris and Nicky this…
This Week in Anime - Halloween Anime Spooktacular
Happy Halloween, anime fans! We have a special TWIA on this extra spooky Tuesday. Nick and Nicky discuss their favorite horror series and compare notes on which anime…
This Week in Anime - Shigeru Mizuki
Halloween may have passed but that won't stop Nicky and Steve from taking a deep dive into the OG of horror manga, Shigeru Mizuki.
This Week in Anime - The Isekai Saturation Heightens
Nick and Nicky wade through this season's otherworldly offerings to search for at least one gem in a trove of trash.
This Ex S-Rank Hero Must Train The Demon King's Girl | Anime Recap
No post summary was provided.
This Week in Anime - Off-Brands In My Anime
With the new, official WcDonald's campaign, Nick and Nicky revisit some of the off-brand appearances of real products in anime and other official campaigns that seem too weird…
This Week in Anime - The Best OPs and EDs This Season
Our columnists share their favorite new OPs and EDs this season, from Magical Destroyers to G-Witch season 2. Which themes tickled your fancy?
This Week in Anime - An Anime Night at the Movies
Chris and Nick head to the cinema to see Hayao Miyazaki's The Boy and the Heron and discuss why seeing an anime film in theaters is the preferred…
This Week in Anime - Can Newbies Enjoy the Arknights Anime?
Steve and Nick discuss what the series has to offer and the pros and cons of joining a militarized medical force staffed by furries.
This Week in Anime - What is the Anime Localization Controversy?
Nick and Chris weigh in on the vitriol and misinformation swirling around AI usage and localization in anime and manga translation.
This Week in Anime - Getter in that Robo!
Old school mecha fan Jean-Karlo introduces Steve to the world of Getter Robo Arc, subterrainian dinos, insect troops, and how it's all one big metaphor for nuclear power.
This Week in Anime - Does The Ultraman Hold Up In Anime Form?
Ultraman's legacy in Japanese popular culture runs deep and wide. With the 1979 The Ultraman anime installment finally streaming in the U.S., it's time to tackle the kaiju…
Growth, Beating It, and Despair – Summer 2020 Week 5 Check-In
I think we’ve lucked out in the seasonal anime department, y’all, because this is going to be another week where pretty much everything was rock-solid. While it would…
Anime Limited acquires THE DEER KING
Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom, 20th May 2021 Anime Limited, the leading independent distributor of Japanese animation in France and the United Kingdom, is proud to announce the acquisition…
This Week in Anime - The Trashy Treasures of BASTARD!!
Jean-Karlo and Steve check in on the first half of this anime throwback. Buckle up for the might, magic, and mammaries of Bastard!! They really don't make them…
This Week in Anime - There's Gundam on the Wing!
There are plenty of ways to get your Gundam fix nowadays, but one generation's introduction was none other than Toonami. Gundam Wing brought to teen viewers a world…
This Week in Anime - The Psychedelic Horror of Mononoke
Mononoke remains a unique entry in anime horror, keeping its cards close to its chest and starring an otherworldly, stoic protagonist.
This Week in Anime - The Ghost of Digimon Future
Digimon superfan Jean-Karlo gushes about the newest Digimon series, Ghost Game and how it revitalizes the franchise with its unique designs and spooky vibes.
This Week in Anime - The Adolescence of Revue Starlight
Chris and Steve attempt to decipher the theatrical teenage emotions of Revue Starlight the Movie. Also: the giraffe is scarier in this one.
This Week in Anime - All Aboard the Mugen Train!
Demon Slayer: The Movie: Mugen Train was the biggest film of 2020 and it finally made its way from theaters into living rooms. Nick and Steve take on…
This Week in Anime - The Legacy of Buichi Terasawa
Join Chris and Steve as they dive into Space Adventure Cobra, Goku Midnight Eye, and other Terasawa's works that made him one of the legends in the industry.
This Week in Anime - Revisiting The Timeless Millennium Actress
Nicky and Steve revisit the journey of Chiyoko, an actress always running towards something across the many eras of the silver screen.
This Week in Anime - Birdie Wing Takes the Swing
It's the height of the sports season, and championships are in full swing. While sports tournaments play out this season, Birdie Wing's got different ideas for its golf…
This Week in Anime - The Legacy of Akira Toriyama
This week, Nick and Lucas talk about the recent, ongoing, and not-yet-released works of the late, great Akira Toriyama—as well as the potential future of his most popular…
The Dangers in My Heart – 18 – Up to This
Just like that it’s the end of a term, and the teacher is asking Ichikawa to deliver a graduation speech for the departing students. Buoyed by Yamada’s approving…
This Week in Anime - Are This Season's Isekai Anime Any Good?
Lucas gets his first taste of the TWIA's seasonal isekai sampler. Is there any spice this season, or is it all the same comfort food?
This Week in Anime - Is Sakugan Underrated?
Like the show's premise, Sakugan has stayed under the radar, but it might be the best show you aren't watching.
This Week in Anime - Totally Spy×Family
Easily one of the stand-out series of the season, Jean-Karlo and Nicky check out why this family of misfits is winning the hearts of everyone across the otaku-sphere.
This Week in Anime - Frieren's Demon Problem
Steve and Nick tune back in to Frieren: Beyond Journey's End to discuss the series' primary antagonists: demons and how fantasy often handles "evil races."
This Week in Anime - Gacha Money Now
Don't you hate it when your favorite mobile game goes kaput? Chris and Steve look at the current gacha game landscape, its questionable game mechanics, and the bitter…
This Week in Anime - Get G-Recked
Gundam Reconguista in G, or G-Reco, sees the mega-franchise's founder Yoshiyuki Tomino return to the director's seat and boy is that a loaded statement. Jean-Karlo and Nicholas attempt…
This Week in Anime - Gnarly Ninja Robots
Discotek's long journey to restore this ridiculously entertaining dub is finally complete and is now available for streaming. Is Joe a slick enough dude to save an alien…
Ominous Appearances Abound This Week in Anime
Anime episode reviews for Cells at Work, The Promised Neverland and Cells at Work Code Black (episode 5)
The Deer King
Ando's talent lies in creating emotional impact through subtle character animation, even within a dense story. The emotional buildup and father-daughter relationship is brilliantly portrayed from the first…
The Deer King
By Jonathan Clements. Supposedly, life has returned to normal in the lands of Aquafa, but there are still unwelcome echoes of the past. The Empire of Zol maintains…
The Deer King
By Andrew Osmond. Masashi Ando is co-director of The Deer King; he’s also the film’s Chief Animation Director, Character Designer and Storyboarder. Before Deer King, Ando had an…
This Week in Anime - Is Vampire in the Garden Worth Watching?
Netflix's new five-episode anime series from Studio Wit takes the typical "vampire-human" war angle and crafts a love story. It's not reinventing the wheel, but it's a very,…
This Week in Anime - In the Evergarden of Good and Evil
The conclusion of Violet's story is here; love, loss, and picking up the pieces of war. Nick and Steve look to see if the gorgeously rendered finale sticks…
This Week in Anime - It's the Anime Rap Battle of the Century!!
Do rap sequences in anime hold a sincere appreciation for the art form? Nick and Nicky look at two rap-focused anime and the musical genre in series over…
This Week in Anime - Is BEASTARS the Best Anime on Netflix?
The second season of BEASTARS brings us back to Cherryton Academy and hormones are as high as ever. What started as a murder-mystery in a school of animals…
This Week in Anime - On the Last Day of Anime Christmas...
Discover the stranger side of anime with Tatami Time Machine Blues, Lupin the 3rd: The Mystery of Mamo, and whatever the heck Flying Phantom Ship is.