Umapyoi! Umapyoi! (Horse joy! Horse joy!) Time to lace up the track shoes. It’s Fourth of July weekend, which means three things: backyard barbecues, fireworks, and Anime Expo. And while the peak of summer uma racing bursts from the gate on July 3 at Saratoga, the starting bell rings one day earlier in downtown Los… Read More Uma AX 2026: Pretty Busy (Daily Dispatches from Anime Expo 2026)
The year is 2029, and the world is in the throes of cyberization as humanity upgrades itself with physical and mental enhancements. Tech corporations have extended their reach to the stars, yet the distinctions of nations and ethnic groups have not yet been left behind. And in the metropolis of Niigata, there is a high-risk… Read More First Impression: The Ghost in The Shell (2026)
Another anime season is upon us, and that means it’s time once again for our first impressions! Over the next several weeks, our writers will be sampling a wide range of new and returning shows and sharing their early thoughts—what excites us, what surprises us, and what might be worth adding to your watchlist. This… Read More Summer 2026 Anime First Impressions
For the fourth episode of season two, I had the pleasure of speaking with singer-songwriter Hana Hope. Anime fans may know Hana from her work singing themes* on Spice and Wolf, Fate/Grand Order, and most recently, my favorite anime of spring 2026, A Hundred Scenes of AWAJIMA. But while her music first drew me to… Read More Something Genuine Season 2, Ep. 4: Hana Hope on Music, Identity, and Finding Her Voice
Kagami Koji lives a simple life: He beats up monsters and collects the rewards. Apparently he’s trying to save up 5,000 gold for something, but he’s got a long way to go. In the interim, his town is visited by the Hero, who is trying to build a harem party in order to defeat the… Read More First Impression: The Villager of Level 999
Carolina Sanchez is the second daughter of a powerful duke, who suffers greatly because of her incredibly callous and vain older sister. Carolina views herself as insignificant compared to Flora, who’s so magically gifted that she’s expected to become a saint. Even apart from magical abilities, Carolina doesn’t seem to have any other talents she… Read More First Impression: The Oblivious Saint Can’t Contain Her Power
The latest volumes of The Fake Alchemist, The Remarried Empress, and Vagabond Definitive Edition—along with the final volume of Insomniacs After School (sigh!)—are among the manga and manhwa we’re reviewing this week on Reader’s Corner. Read to see what we think of these volumes! Blade & Bastard (Vol. 4) • The Fake Alchemist (Vol. 2)… Read More Reader’s Corner: Girl Crush (Vol. 6), Lycoris Recoil (Vol. 5), and Insomniacs After School (Vol. 14)
Violence and poverty are part of everyday life for villagers during the Nanboku-chō period, during which a decades-long civil war has broken out between the Kyoto Northern and Southern Courts. Desperate for distraction, people turn to the theater, including the form called sarugaku. Kan’ami is a master of this medium—which combines acting, music, singing, and… Read More First Impression: The World Is Dancing
A wise cat of the magical Cait Sith race has just birthed her kittens, but she’s about to discover another infant to add to her brood—a baby dragon who had been orphaned, but hatches because of the magic that spills over from the kitten births. Defenseless and not having the smell of a threat, he… Read More First Impression: The Cat and the Dragon
Interested in watching thoughtful, human-centered conversations with people connected to anime?
Watch Something Genuine, our interview series that cuts through the noise and focuses on the people behind the costumes, in front of the mics, and watching anime, just like you and me. Season two premieres on May 27th.