Ask us at Otaku USA HQ what our favorite anime studio is, and on days when we’re feeling arty and experimental, we’ll definitely answer “Studio 4°C.” The studio, founded by producer Eiko Tanaka and animator Koji Morimoto and named after the temperature at which water …Read more »
June 20 saw the Japanese premiere of the new Ghost in the Shell film ( Kokaku Kidotai: Shin Gekijou-ban ), but an all-night event in Shinjuku on June 19 hosted a (slightly) early look at the film, a Ghost in the Shell marathon, and reflections …Read more »
A secret workhorse of the Japanese animation industry, Kazuhiro Soeta has been involved in the creation of dozens of TV shows, movies and direct-to-video productions. Some of the more recognizable shows he's worked on include Black Lagoon (storyboarding, animation direction), the Record of Lodoss War …Read more »
This year marks the thirtieth anniversary of Robotech in the U.S., and that makes Tony Oliver, who starred as Rick Hunter, very happy about what’s going on. Oliver spoke to Otaku USA while at Anime Central in Chicago, and he was able to give some …Read more »
The latest issue of Otaku USA magazine—available now in stores or via our online shop —brings with it another glorious bounty of articles on anime, manga, video games, and beyond. One of the new issue's features takes us on a starry-eyed, Sega-themed ride through the …Read more »
Many fans of anime and manga are interested in learning about Japanese culture as a whole, and they will find a great source of information in the writings of Roland Kelts. Kelts’ father is American and his mother is Japanese, giving him a unique perspective …Read more »
The acting bug bit Ai Nonaka from an early age, when Yu Yu Hakusho convinced her that being a voice actress was pretty much the coolest thing ever. From there, she dove into the world of acting, becoming head of her school’s acting club, striving …Read more »
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure is such a strange thing, even by shonen battle series standards. We're currently approaching episode 44 of Part III: Stardust Crusaders , the second half of which is called Battle in Egypt , and, well, that's about as straightforward a title as …Read more »
Most people know Durarara!! from its anime incarnation, which adapts the light novel series written by Ryohgo Narita and illustrated by Suzuhito Yasuda. The anime returned recently, giving us the perfect opportunity to feature it in the latest issue of Otaku USA magazine . Beyond …Read more »
It’s April in Japan, and that means cherry blossoms, baseball, and a Detective Conan film, which have been appearing yearly since 1997. This year’s film in the long-running series, known as Case Closed in America, is being promoted by two pop-up cafes in Tokyo and …Read more »
Shirobako has been one of the most pleasant surprises of the anime season: a delightful office comedy about the work of actually putting together anime. This is a very meta premise, with more than its share of industry in-jokes and not one but multiple shows-within-the-show. …Read more »
Naota's got it rough. Robots and aliens and laser guns, the usual anime protagonist fare. That’s all there, front and center, but he’s got other problems. Nobody wants to pay attention to him. Nobody gives him any credit. He’s smarter than every adult around him. …Read more »
Japanese crowdfunding has grown up. While the earliest successfully-funded anime ( Little Witch Academia 2 , Kick-Heart ) were financed via America-based Kickstarter, recent months have seen Japanese crowdfunding sites play a bigger role in anime projects. Case in point: In This Corner of the …Read more »
Way back in the April 2009 issue of Otaku USA Magazine , we ran this multi-part feature presenting a variety of opinions on moe from our international contributors. The issue has been out of print and out of stock for years, so we thought it …Read more »
A few weeks ago, we highlighted Kantai Collection , the browser game-turned-anime about batttleships that are also somehow young mini-skirt wearing girls. For further proof KanColle is being set up to take over the world, look no further than the special collaboration being run with …Read more »
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Otaku USA Staff
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