Anime Jam Session

Uma Musume: Pretty Derby concert canceled due to visa issues; Space Battleship Yamato (Uchuu Senkan Yamato) crosses with Love Live! School Idol Project in a new visual, and Bandai Namco Cross Store US and The Gundam Base stores rescheduled openings announced! Also, Shigeru Miyamoto becomes the 1st game creator to receive the Japan Order of Culture award, Ghibli collaborator Joe Hisaishi is named LA Phil composer in residence, and Capcom USA confirms a data breach. Meanwhile in Japan, a man in Suzuka offered 9 million yen for his semen, was conned out of 38 million yen, a fishing website was hit...

New York Comic Con apologizes for ‘repeated disturbance’ during panel; actor slams fan for ‘disrespecting’ his castmates; Street Fighter Movie opens at #1, and Japan Actors Union develops guidelines for generative AI use! Also, a talent agency announced dissolution due to the owner's mental health; new Love Live! anime release date was announced, and an anime studio posted a job listing that encourages generative AI. Meanwhile in Japan... Man arrested for running pet shop with live crocodile among animals, another man gets arrested for being broke and overstaying his visa, a new beer made from udon noodles celebrates Mizusawa food culture...

Female-led heavy metal band Lovebites suspends live performances for 2027; Eminem drops a Naruto villain Madara-inspired collaboration; includes Madara's English VA and five manga titles announced for a Marvel and Kadokawa partnership! Also, TOYOTA demos an Initial D drifting video complete with a cup-of-water spill test, Idol unit i☆Ris announces ending, and Naruto announces a new continuation manga and crossover anime series! Meanwhile in Japan, Nissin announces its first-ever cup noodle point program; 1 million yen porcelain Sonic The Hedgehog figures are the latest lottery draw!

An update on Tapas shutdown, an AI lawsuit dismissed after a video removal, and Universal Studios Japan (USJ) offers the 1st Sailor Moon theme park ride! Also, Pokémon is releasing an official solid gold collectible for the 30th anniversary, Young Magazine USA special gets its 2nd issue, and Cells at Work gets a dental spinoff manga! Meanwhile in Japan... New permanent residency guideline for foreigners is to earn more than the average Japanese person, Toys''R''Us to leave Japan, and how to claim your free Shinkansen ticket in Japan!

J-Pop artist Mai Kuraki breaks her Guinness World Records with another Detective Conan theme song! One US Gundam store opening canceled, and LEGO teases Dragon Ball collaboration! Also, the 6th live-action Midnight Diner series reveals returning cast and debut date, Kakao Entertainment to shut down webtoon platform Tapas, and four of Goku's voice actors team up for one major Kamehameha! Meanwhile in Japan, robbers steal a drunk man's shoes and 1 million yen in cash, and used books are being bought by the truckload; no buyer has been identified...

AnimeJapan opens submissions for new creator awards, the official Naruto battle board game exceeds crowdfunding needs, and Crunchyroll acquires 7.03% of media company Link U. Also, New Gundam stores are coming to the US, Sailor Moon and Meiji team up once more, and a Pokémon art book is released for a comparison of 30 years of games! Meanwhile in Japan, two Americans attempt to smuggle 1 million in cannabis for a free trip to Japan, a gang of angry monkeys attacks a man in a hot spring town, and the number of centenarians living in Japan tops 100,000!

Adieu Galaxy Express 999 gets 45th anniversary screenings, Netflix and SEGA team up for live-action films and a new Sonic The Hedgehog animation, and RANMA 1/2 gets themed tableware! Also, 15,000 drawings were used to make The 100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really, Really Love You dance, Level 5 CEO addresses the use of AI in a recent presentation, and Lionsgate partners with Toei Animation for project distribution! Meanwhile in Japan... Megadeth guitarist chimes in as voice of reason on shrine dancing, and mayors challenge each other to a ninja battle!

An update on Toei Animation confirming no license for the French theme park, sleeping like a Pokémon in a limited-run Poké Ball hotel, and the latest Puella Magi Madoka Magica film passed 1 billion yen in opening weekend! Also: InuYasha signed sketch auctioned to help kids orphaned by AIDS, GKIDS responds after complaints about subtitle timing during movie screenings, and Meta glasses and celebrity do not equal CONSENT! Meanwhile in Japan, a Kyoto temple bans visitors from wearing kimonos, a change in laws may ban more than half of Airbnb-style rentals in a Tokyo ward, and Kobe schools abolish sc...

Idol game app firm collapses as data shows bankruptcies up 7% on year, Universal Studios Japan crosses two popular anime with two popular movie franchises for new collaborative merch, and Pokémon social media account hacked! Also, Korean Pop Culture Expo (KPEX) launched in NYC for 2027, Japanese anisong singer Asaka touches fans with a heartfelt message, and the French president announced a manga theme park, but... There's a lack of license approval... Meanwhile in Japan, Final penguin Suica cards shipped for use, and foreign resident visa renewal is about to jump over 967 percent for some, and that's not even the h...

A Kingdom Hearts anime was announced, the Japanese government is ending the Cool Japan Fund program, and a new Magical Girl Raising Project anime date was announced! Also, Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt anime collaborates with TENGA, Vampire Hunter D film gets US theatrical and home video release, and Manga Mirai service shuts down, but has plans to transfer digital ownership of your library! Meanwhile in Japan, a ninja theme park closes due to a shady real estate deal, and a conveyor belt sushi sightseeing tour bus is on its way!

We're talking about Another Anime Convention (AAC) 2026! It's the con's 20th anniversary! Join DJ Ranma S and Ari Rockefeller as they tell you all about the con from Thursday to Sunday! All of the adventures in Manchester, New Hampshire! And in Meanwhile in Japan... A shrine announces a cosplay ban, and a 12-year-old found safe after going missing decided to visit sites for the anime she liked?!

Japanese officials warn the US Government over memes, an anime fan arrested for ordering and canceling over 4.3 billion yen in anime merch, and a man speaks up after arrest for threats to the governor over age restrictions on an anime streaming site! Also, BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment Japan follows Pokémon's lead as it looks to introduce ID checks for admission to card game events in Japan, a woman sues The Pokémon Company over former executive's hidden recording devices in a bathroom, and Puella Magi Madoka Magica gets an IMAX release on top of standard screen release for latest mo...

World Cosplay Summit to escape summer heat in 2027, Discotek Media to release a bunch of anime on Blu-ray, and a new bundle through Amazon Prime to include Crunchyroll and STARZ! Also, a former Japanese Idol leaves her group and launches a career on an adult platform, Digimon drops a project announcement, and Tokyo Pokémon Center is set to reopen after ensuring staff safety! Meanwhile in Japan, Reservations open for a maid hotel, tourists are allowed to display selfies on giant Shibuya Station screens, and a popsicle brand adds multilingual packaging to connect with tourists!

We have a bit of an update regarding Maxey Whitehead and Anime Matsuri... Also, Akira Toriyama was inducted into the Eisner Hall of Fame; we have a new Galaxy Express 999 anime film announced, and TRANSFORMERS the Movie screens in the US and UK with a new post-credits chapter! Also, more delisted series from Crunchyroll... All former Funimation titles, Japan to fight card scalpers with facial recognition scans, and the Spear of Longinus to be installed at Eva train art station! Meanwhile in Japan, a man was arrested for seven years of noise complaints, and Yakuza members arrested for building...

Gundam Wing merch drop! Crunchyroll Store becomes exclusive to certain tiers, and Jump Magazine issues an apology to fans over card scalpers buying out the latest issue! Also, Seven Seas Entertainment to release OG Ultraman manga, Megami Tensei creator releasing promised English translation of novels, and a Japanese credit card company has insurance that covers geek event cancellation! Meanwhile in Japan, a teen refuses to be a victim and personally escorts a pervert to the police, and Original Cup Noodles unveils first-ever cold water instant ramen!

Gundam Wing mixed with Code Geass for crossover manga, GungHo executive arrested for alleged embezzlement, Anime International Company (AIC) wins 5-year legal battle, and a Kickstarter launched for Tenchi Muyo sequel pilot!

And we bring back the Open Forum Topic, "Should conventions charge extra for badges for photographers that do paid shoots?"

Meanwhile in Japan, summer overnight sightseeing train returns, a police inspector punished for playing crane games while on duty, a man arrested for luring foreign tourists into shady establishments, and Japan to regulate raw chicken dishes because people are stupid...

A card shop suspends Yu-Gi-Oh! tournaments over smelly players, Japanese fans are dropping Yani Neko for being too gross, and the New Magic Knight Rayearth premiere date is announced! Also, HBO Max gets streaming rights for the live-action Junji lto series, Sonic The Hedgehog short animated anniversary film revealed at Anime Expo®, and Naruto gets a non-verbal live show! Meanwhile in Japan, New Maid School is accepting applicants for the first term, and Japan triples departure tax affecting both tourists and locals...

Power Rangers officially reveals lost anime version aimed at older fans, Gundam studio and Madoka studio to team up for new anime collaboration, and the Sanrio Character poll results are in, and Hello Kitty is once more missing from the top 3... Also, Crunchyroll and Newtype team up once more for Anime Expo® summer edition, Netflix in development for live-action Persona series, and the Korean government to turn seniors' lives into webtoons for heritage project! Meanwhile in Japan, conveyor belt sushi prankster gets a 500,000 yen fine for being an idiot, over a billion yen in gold smuggled found in sex d...

Hatsune Miku teams up once more with a Persona user, Ghost in the Shell collabs for a ghost for your machine, and idol group FRUITS ZIPPER to lend their voices to a new Crayon Shin-chan film! Also, Sega unveils a Sonic figure with actual DNA inside, the former Kadokawa chair appeals the verdict and sues the company president, and Cardcaptor Sakura gets a new smartphone game this week! Meanwhile in Japan, a sudden 500 percent visa fee increase for foreigners entering the country, a suspected ice cream cartel is under investigation for price fixing, and for those who love their...

Hello Kitty teams up with Spam for a new summer collection, Studio Ghibli opens its first US store in LA, and a special video is released for The Way of the Househusband! Also, Star Detective Precure! asks fans to figure out the secret identity of Cure Eclair before the air date, Disney's Twisted-Wonderland anime is nominated for TV Critics Awards, and a Japanese agency warns Kadokawa about its alleged violations of the Freelance Act! Meanwhile in Japan, a man is arrested for luxury houseplant fraud, and pachinko machines get new life in assisted care facilities!

Hello Kitty teams up with Honda to bring motorcycle knowledge to children, Super Mario reaches 1 billion dollars in worldwide box office, and a new Fairy Tail manga miniseries is announced! Also, Dark Horse Comics voluntarily recognizes the employees' union, Discotek Media announces Digimon and Kamen Rider license, and Devil May Cry gets 3rd and final season! Meanwhile in Japan, there's a restaurant inside your restaurant, so you can have a restaurant in

This week, the 25th anniversary of Naruto is on the horizon, with a new anime slated, a new Pokémon experience announced for the 30th anniversary, and Minky Momo returns to theaters in November! Also, Yuri on ICE celebrates its 10th anniversary, the Adolescence of Utena film will play in North American theaters in June, and a seiyuu sues TikTok over the Generative AI use of his voice! Meanwhile in Japan, Lawson launches mini supermarket chain L Minimart, Osaka to host Hentai event, and no, it's not that you pervert...

This week, Detective Conan and Precure team up for some crossover action, the 2026 Crunchyroll Anime Awards winners, and McDonald's Japan teaming up with Mega Man! Also, Netflix to stream 20 NHK drama titles, Crunchyroll Japan profit drops 63 percent, and The Pokémon Company to require government ID for purchases? Meanwhile in Japan, a temple burns to the ground, sacred fire safely unharmed, and KFC Japan lists three "American" burgers on its menu?

Gundam announces some 50th Anniversary fun, Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo exhibition planned, and Kenshi Yonezu receives third certified gold ranking! Also, Scooby-Doo anime has some familiar voices, and Love Live! Superstar teams up with JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency), and Cloverway founder launches new global production studio! Meanwhile in Japan, shochu serenaded for flavor variety, and two arrested for breaking into a zoo enclosure?!

A Yuji Itadori cosplayer assaults a creeper who was banned from a con! Plus, Sailor Moon gets a little political, and Crunchyroll hosts an anime industry summit ahead of New York Comic Con. Also, it's time for another anime-filled Heritage Auctions, TOKYOPOP launches a children's publishing company, and a manga is getting an Off-Broadway musical this fall! Meanwhile in Japan, a shogun cultural experience that teases all five senses, a woman broke into a home just to slap a resident in the face, and very interesting stress balls?!

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie opens at #1 in Japan, celebrate Pokémon's anniversary with coffee, and Looney Tunes is getting a chibi anime makeover! Also, the Art of Manga exhibition heads to NY, a piracy site shuts down with help from Korean webtoon companies and Spanish Authorities, and Attack on Titan gets an orchestral concert world tour! Meanwhile in Japan, charges were filed against a serial bird feeder, SEGA's 65th anniversary pop-up to have deep cut game merch available, and BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment makes a huge change to gachas...

Sephiroth wants you to buy beer, Love Live brings a new 3DCG musical for a limited November run, and Toei Animation opens a game division and launches with 3 titles! Also, My Hero Academia in concert sets US tour dates, a permanent Square Enix cafe to open in LA, and Crunchyroll is not even in the top 3 for anime streaming worldwide! Meanwhile in Japan, a Buddhist priest was arrested for using a found health card, and Tokyo's City Hall dress code change leaves everyone a little short...

More actors announced for the live-action Gundam film, adult manga publisher addresses lack of payment options and processor issues, and MediaOCD adds more deep dive Discotek Media series to their library! Also, Square Enix and Mantra are set to have a new AI program help with manga editing, the 대한민국 대법원(Supreme Court of Korea) uses webtoon animation to teach about law and legal history, and play against your favorite player with an interactive Haikyu fan event! Meanwhile in Japan, new bike laws have scammers out posing as cops to collect fines, and a design flaw causes injuries on stairs due to an optical...

The list of April Fools' jokes on official anime/manga Twitter accounts, The Super Mario Galaxy movie is still breaking records, and Artemis watches over the latest NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration mission! Also, TOKYOPOP offers public stock shares, Pokémon teams with IKEA for collaboration events, and Sailor Moon creator Naoko Takeuchi cheers on her husband with April-themed crossover art! Meanwhile in Japan, a new cafe's average staff age is 73, a man was arrested for walking on Shinkansen tracks, and a man died after biting a woman at a park!

A Pokémon Center employee was killed in a stalking confrontation, Ranma 1/2 season 3 has been announced, and KPop Demon Hunters take over McDonald's! Also, the new Magic Knight Rayearth anime info has been released, Silent Hill f gets a manga adaptation, and Tokyo's British Maid Café wins global fans after agency rejections! Also, Ranma discusses the Stella Chu Brouhaha! Meanwhile in Japan, the World Expo mascot releases a tastefully erotic photo book, the Ministry of Economy reminds people not to panic buy toilet paper, and you can now get sake made with moth poop?!Watch us live on Twitch ev...

We're talking about Zenkaikon 2026! Join DJ Ranma S, Ari Rockefeller, and Mako-chan as they discuss all three days, plus day zero! Panels, Dealer's Room, Masquerade, Idol Showcase, and much more! Then over in Meanwhile in Japan... Japan now has a “for foreign tourists only” Mt. Fuji sightseeing train, the Tokyo government organizes a food truck event to clear out delinquent/homeless teens, and the World Expo mascot releases a tastefully erotic photo book?!

Crunchyroll goes through restructuring layoffs, Pokopia sells 2.2 million in the first 4 days, and Love Live wins animation album of the year! Also, KPop Demon Hunters wins best animated feature, Sailor Moon joins Universal Fan Fest nights, and the NYC Japan Day Parade will host the Jujutsu Kaisen stage show cast! Meanwhile in Japan, a Tokyo bus line praised for handling of driver’s mental health, a hiker fell into a hole with a bear in it, a pipe breaks through downtown Osaka street, and a man drives a truck on fire to the fire station while dropping flaming potatoes on...

Crunchyroll hit with class action suit, Evangelion anime short leaked, so the company streams it free, and the Hello Kitty Labubu is still creepy looking, but it's Kitty, so it's cute! Also, the Gundam movie Char's Counterattack gets a limited three-day revival screening, Dark Horse Comics Founder, CEO Mike Richardson Leaves Company, and Kodansha celebrates its manga with stop motion animated papercraft! Meanwhile in Japan... The price was finally released for the human washing machine, and it's not at all cheap. Sauna bans testicle covers because they are being left behind on shelves...

Madhouse's Supernatural anime celebrates 15 years, Next Pokémon game series announced for 2027, and Kyoto Animation co-founder dies... Also, MediaDo acquires Seven Seas Entertainment, Shogakukan apologizes for releasing manga from a convicted sex offender, and a Pokémon voice actress marks 30th anniversary with first-ever game stream! Meanwhile in Japan... Play Tetris on a massive Kyoto station staircase, and a Puyo Puyo Game is in development for use in nursing homes!

New Evangelion series in production, get official manga panels printed on shirts, legally, and Sanrio characters get a new game with 50+ stages! Also, Death Game rewards you with a T-shirt if you're lucky, or a sticker to help others survive. Funimation founder joins adult anime studio advisory board, and a license company issues a statement after social media backlash due to collaborative art by Detective Conan artist?! Meanwhile in Japan... Linguistics sends six to the hospital, a man was arrested for watching a baseball game, and a bathhouse-themed bar?!

Crunchyroll blunders with anime leak, a game criticized by Miyazaki comes to Steam, and Ranma 1/2 gets anime exhibition in Tokyo! Also, Gundam Wing Official gets an anniversary album, Yoko Kanno 菅野よう子 to hold 2 NYC shows, and Yakuza/Like a Dragon crossover live action series debuts today! Meanwhile in Japan... A manager was arrested for punching himself in the face, a man was arrested for leaving a car parked in a lot for 6 years, and a cherry blossom festival is canceled due to overtourism?!

Check out what we're discussing this week! Hello Kitty teams with Neon Genesis Evangelion for new apparel, Sailor Moon theater show brings a new story and character, and Gundam Hathaway gets nostalgic with an ending song by Guns N' Roses! Also, Crunchyroll increases pricing, BAND-MAID world tour followed by a hiatus, and the Court upholds prison sentence for piracy site operator! Meanwhile in Japan, Kyoto is putting in efforts to crack down on overtourism, movie theater popcorn earns high-quality certification, and a drunkard was robbed after falling asleep on the street!

The rankings of the popularity of Dragon Ball characters, Puella Magi Madoka Magica is delayed... Again... And manga creator Go Nagai is to be inducted into the Eisner Hall of Fame! Also, Netflix and MAPPA strengthen their partnership, ユニバーサル・スタジオ・ジャパン / Universal Studios Japan (USJ) launches Pokémon experience before global rollout, and Rumiko Takahashi visits San Francisco's manga exhibition! Meanwhile in Japan, all 롯데리아 (LOTTERIA) restaurants in Japan will close by the end of March, a man was arrested for leaving obscene DVDs in stores as gifts, and a Tokyo pub sets a soft ban for patrons over 39?!

A popular scanlation site has shut down, Comic-Con International updates its policy on AI materials, and Gundam Hathaway is to be snowed in at the Sapporo Snow Festival?! Also, the Japan Fair Trade Commission releases a report on issues in the anime industry, Netflix in a new streaming deal with Sony, and Uma Musume anime cosplayers make the local news for their pro football fandom! Meanwhile in Japan, a man was arrested for violating Japan’s anti-dueling law in downtown Tokyo, and Kitkat pizza... Yep. That's all you need to know.

We're back for 2026! And check out what we're talking about on tonight's show! China’s largest comic convention, COMICUP, bans anime & manga, an idol was replaced in a stage play due to a manager, and KPop Demon Hunters wins 2 Golden Globes! Manga artist apologizes for an AI-edited photo, Scooby-Doo is getting a short anime series, and an Uma Musume anime girl plushie recalled for having parts she absolutely should not have?! Meanwhile in Japan, researchers give a mouse glowing sperm, a train station gets a new stationmaster cat, and a ramen restaurant prices differently based on the menu language?!