Anime Jam Session

A piracy site forced to pay, big time, the Yuri on ICE movie is canceled, and Frieren gets the Escape Room treatment! Also tonight, the Spy x Family movie gets a collectible cup and popcorn bucket in the US, YOASOBI brings some East Coast dates on their tour of the US, and Hayao Miyazaki makes TIME magazine's 100 most influential People list! Meanwhile in Japan... New money puts ramen restaurants under pressure, apologies for threats don't get you out of trouble, and get some explosive cosplay shots at the upcoming Baku Festival!

Keanu Reeves is Shadow the hedgehog! Also, Sightsee with your favorite idol or camper in this new collaboration, and there could be potential for a Naruto live-action cinematic universe? Plus,TRANSFORMERS gets a crossover film with G.I. Joe, Hello Kitty comes to Tamagotchi, and a US clothing brand gets Spy x Family collaboration! Meanwhile in Japan... Osaka's expo mascot now speaks, and Disney princesses get official manga makeovers!

Fans pay tribute to Funimation as the streaming site shuts down, Crunchyroll announces a new multi-profile tier, and Rascal Does Not Dream light novel series is ending. Also, Gen 1 TRANSFORMERS coming to theaters, Netflix released the trailer for live-action City Hunter, and the Sailor Moon to reopen with a new look and merchandise! Meanwhile in Japan... Whiskey gets a new definition to prevent fake purchases overseas, and a silent cafe opens, no music or talking?!

The original Urusei Yatsura anime is on Crunchyroll, BOBOBO-BO BO-BOBO gets stage play, no not just an April Fool's joke, and Space Battleship Yamato gets a 50th anniversary project! Also, an adult-only Palworld dating sim possibly, the life-size Gundam goes out with a bang, and Yu-Gi-Oh! Japan Championship prohibits foreigners from entering?! Meanwhile in Japan, McDonald's creates a dream Japanese bento for April Fools’ Day and the Fake Burger returns to BURGER KING JAPAN ／バーガーキング・ジャパン… Or does it?

Zenkaikon 2024! Join DJ Ranma S, Mako-chan, and Ari Rockefeller and they tell you about their amazing experiences at this con! If you've never been and were curious, come participate tonight! And if you've been to the con, we want to hear from you!

We say goodbye to one of the greats, Akira Toriyama, passing at the age of 68... Also, Cowboy Bebop collaborates with Overwatch, Team Angel, the American live-action Sailor Moon documents found in The Library of Congress, and One Piece's Sanji gets an official FOOD WARS spinoff! Plus, an overseas anime piracy site is prosecuted for the first time, and Toho Godzilla's wins an Oscar! Meanwhile in Japan, a Prefecture Governor wants foreigners to pay special fees, and enjoy Sakura season without allergies, and a toll is officially added to Mt Fuji?!

On tonight's show... We discuss WcDonalds becoming a reality, two of the largest manga piracy websites are offline, and a co-founder of the first North American anime club and one of the founders of Furry fandom passes... Also, ⁠Crunchyroll⁠ offers compensation for digital copy owners, confirms AI subtitling testing, and no price changes except for ⁠Funimation⁠ legacy subscribers. Lastly, a voice actress deletes Twitter over hate messages caused by false accusations, and ⁠Gundam⁠ creator, Yoshiyuki Tomino returns to anime! Meanwhile in Japan, a cursed festival to be filmed for the first time, in-flight ⁠KitKat⁠s discontinued by an airline, and an ATM will automatically play anti-fraud videos for people on their cellphones?!

Texas A-Kon postponed, MediaOCD acquires AnimEigo, and Pokémon gets a Time Magazine cover set as well as lighting up the night sky in NYC! Also, an animator survey reveals yearly salary and average hours worked, and the numbers are exactly how you'd think, TOYOTA releases an Initial D-inspired series trailer, and Tokyo gets new Sailor Moon manhole covers! Meanwhile in Japan... Osaka school to switch to fall start and potential English language classes, a vending machine begins selling old bread, and doctors recommend acting like a dying cockroach to help with hay fever?!

Konami's anime studio released a Yu-Gi-Oh! anniversary video, an anime streaming website has been added to a government watchlist, and The most popular manga app in 2023 is not the one people will most think of... Also, websites "hacked" to mark the Laughing Man incident date, the Sailor Moon musical gets 1st new production in 4 years, and Scott Pilgrim along with Super Mario Bros. nominated for ACE Eddie Awards! Meanwhile in Japan... SEGA's successor opened a new arcade with a bar inside, and a principal was fired for stealing less than 5 dollars worth of coffee?!

Ghost In The Shell Laughing Man Incident timeline is about to start, the SPYxANYA video game will be released globally, and The Pokémon Company will look into possible IP infringement. Also, Kyoto court hands down sentencing in an arson case, 11 people arrested for game console resale scam, and a Love Live School Idol Project writer unveils original anime film! Meanwhile in Japan... A festival requested naked men cover up for the first time in its history, a pillow fighting tournament coming back to onsen town, and Setsubun Luck sushi rolls just for your pets!

Magical DoReMi to unveil their 25th anniversary video in March, Artist gets called out for lying about working on Studio Ghibli flick, and Legal threats are taken against manga app Tachiyomi. Also, a long-awaited boys' love anime was canceled, the Sapporo Snow Festival announced a Gundam sculpture, and Yoshiki auctioned his crystal piano for charity. Meanwhile, in Japan, Yoshiki to compose a global theme for Hello Kitty, the Tokyo government released an official dating app, Nippon Ham's newest tuna sashimi is neither ham, nor fish, and the newest Pizza Hut pizza took 6 months to perfect?!

The gang is back! DJ Ranma S is back from Japan, and he will tell his adventures! On the news front, Japan wins its first Golden Globes, Solo Leveling voice actor allegedly coughs up blood during recording, and Pokémon TV shuts down. Also, Live Action Yu Yu Hakusho reaches a global ranking in the top 5, SAG-AFTRA signs agreement with Voiceover Studio for AI rules in video games, Love Live! Nijigasaki gets a film trilogy finale and a visual novel! Meanwhile in Japan, a candy company won top honors at medicinal product awards, and dragon-laced candy for Year of the Dragon!

Join DJ Ranma S, Mako-chan, BerryMelon, Ari Rockefeller, and WildSpice for the 2023 Christmas show! They're taking it easy this year, but we also have some interesting news stories to share! New intentionally ugly anime sweaters from Japan will keep you warm and un-cool this winter, high schools to become free for all families in Tokyo, dozens of idol groups are breaking up due to age, Clarks Shoes teams up for Pokémon shoes, and Shibuya bans outdoor New Years celebrations?!

Gojo's Voice Actor Responds to Recent Studio Controversy, Spy X Family gets a taste of Street Fighter 6, and My Neighbor Totoro gets a little taste of Whisky?! Also, Jump Festa gets English interpretation for the global live stream, Frieren added 7 million manga copies into circulation in the last 2 months, and dates released for the US debut of Pokémon Horizons! Meanwhile in Japan, McDonald's brings back punny savory pie, and a father turns his son in for robbery!

Fans speculate as “queen of Japanese pop” Namie Amuro disappears, wiping out 30 years of music, premiere dates soon to be revealed for Suicide Squad anime, and the Monkey D. Luffy balloon crashes in the first five minutes of Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade! Also, no plans for season 2 of the Scott Pilgrim anime, Shogakukan acquires Tokyo Otaku Mode as a wholly owned subsidiary, and the "crumbling" anime industry asks SAG-AFTRA to speak some sense into youth. Meanwhile in Japan... New fried chicken designed to taste great with alcohol, a Ferris wheel adds kotatsu and hot sake service, and a good night's sleep or your money back?!

Our last two cons of the year! Mako-chan discusses Village Con, and DJ Ranma S discusses Anime NYC! Also in anime news, an Jujutsu Kaisen animator destroys MAPPA's production floor and ASUS apologizes for EVANGELION 通信 motherboard mistake! Meanwhile in Japan, a restaurant owner sends ramen ingredients into space, and Japan's oldest Monorail is closing...

Sanrio collaborates with the Indian movie RRR, a real-life food truck that now has an anime series, and SUNTORY サントリー and anime collaborate in a new video! Also, Lupin III anime collaborates with Seiko watches, Cowboy Bebop gets a 25th-anniversary exhibition, and a mini anime series for McDonald's Japan ends. Meanwhile in Japan, Super Mario teams up with Gap Japan for a clothing line, For a limited time you can get Aerosmith taiyaki in Japan, and Insults about a regional dish cause orders to increase?!

DJ Ranma S and Mako-chan sit down and discuss J1-Con: Animation & Gaming Expo 2023, you'll definitely want to hear their thoughts! Also in news front, Crunchyroll and Walmart join forces to create a fan shop, Megumi Hayashibara "graduates" from Hello Kitty, and meme manga anime gets a release date! Meanwhile in Japan, a man arrested for washing woman's lingerie and a new cafe bans talking, even to order?!

DJ Ranma S briefly discusses the Another Anime Convention (AAC) Photo Contest. And in the news, J-pop superstar Kenshi Yonezu - 米津玄師 Worldwide’s hit track “Kick Back” has officially been gold-certified by The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), one L.A. Lakers player plays himself in the newest Crayon Shin-chan episode, and a Fast and Furious actor to direct an Initial D movie. Also, $3.1 million earned at anime and rare collectible auction, a voice actor arrested for alleged fraud, and a Bleach dub recast leads to drama. Meanwhile in Japan, a gaming kotatsu and a local mall become horror and murder mystery-themed theme park!

It's Another Anime Convention (AAC) 2023! Join DJ Ranma S, Ari Rockefeller, and notes from CinnaKnight Cosplay, the three of them will give you their in-depth convention review! From cosplay to game shows to merch, and a whole lot more!

The date is announced for live-action Yu Yu Hakusho, Dragon Ball gets new anime, and the trailer for Scott Pilgrim anime is shown during NYCC! Also, the Van Gogh Museum pulls the Pikachu card from promotion due to safety concerns, VIZ Media launches a new manga platform, and Gou Tanabe launches manga based on H. P. Lovecraft stories! Meanwhile in Japan... A drunk man live streams himself getting robbed after falling asleep, a hot spring offers the chance to participate in Sports Day, a popsicle tastes and feels like you're eating peanut butter, and a sushi "terrorist" found guilty!

What the heck is going on with Ohayocon?! Union busting?! Hayao Miyazaki is back from retirement... Again... And Alice in Borderland season 3 is confirmed! Also, no more new FLCL, Crunchyroll may owe you money, and My Neighbor Totoro gets a sequel screening this fall! Meanwhile in Japan... A Cup Noodles measuring cup, a coffee business teams up with a Sake brewer, and a name change along with more changes with a new formation of Johnny's!

The Spy x Family sim game hits Nintendo Switch! Plus, check out the Yu Yu Hakusho manga online and the stone mask from JoJo's Bizarre Adventure is now a jelly! Also, Lupin III gets a kabuki adaptation, Azuki: Your Digital Manga Cafe adds over 300 manga chapters from Kodansha US, and compensation is set for Johnny's late founders stemmed from sexual abuse. Meanwhile in Japan... The Tokyo government opens an anime art archive museum, an inn that allows you to wear samurai armor while playing video games, and ユニバーサル・スタジオ・ジャパン / Universal Studios Japan (USJ) newest survival horror maze to be Resident Evil themed...

E3 no longer partnering with ReedPOP, the US premiere of Dr. STONE New World Part 2, and Nippon TV begins its Friday anime programming block! Also, Toho Godzilla's Godzilla Minus One film will close the 東京国際映画祭　TOKYO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL, PR head says that Hayao Miyazaki has not retired from filmmaking, and Serial Experiments Lain AI bot lets you chat with Lain. Meanwhile in Japan... Nissin releases caffeinated Cup Noodle for gamers and Sapporo creates matcha cocktails?

Ghost In The Shell season 2 gets a theatrical release, Urusei Yatsura anime returns in 2024, and a sake glass set featuring Lupin III. Also, YouTuber Uncle Roger gets hit with a copyright strike from Toei Animation, the SAG-AFTRA union votes on a possible strike against video game companies, and Pokémon is getting a live-action drama series! Meanwhile in Japan... Karaoke while floating on the ocean, a full bar inside the convenience store will smoke your combini snacks, and rock band, Scandal, earns a World Record!

The podcast crew discusses Shikkaricon 2023, and well... You gotta tune in for that. Also tonight, lesser-known Sanrio mascots are getting a live-action TV series, Urusei Yatsura collabs for an electrifying fashion line, and Cowboy Bebop the movie returns to theaters! Meanwhile in Japan... A new bath oil lets you feel like you're soaking in your favorite flavorings, Japan now has a cat aptitude test, and Keanu Reeves and SUNTORY サントリー explore Whisky and Monozukuri for new series!

Pro Pokémon players were eliminated from the 2023 World Championships for hacked data, a cosplayer 'banned from boarding a flight' to an event, Disney+ and Hulu to increase prices and lock down password sharing, and a new trailer for Detective Pikachu Returns! Also, an update for Aniplex Online Fest 2023, ComicMarket　コミックマーケット attendance jumps to pre-Covid numbers, and The Pokemon Company donate to Maui Wildfire fund. Meanwhile in Japan... A Japanese TV issues heatstroke alerts as they play high school baseball, a woman is arrested for stealing her boyfriend's Kingdom Hearts figure, and haunted mazes are not just for Halloween!

Cards stolen from Gen Con, a 4k remastering of Space Battleship Yamato, and BOBOBO-BO BO-BOBO gets a remastering too! Also, World Cosplay Summit 世界コスプレサミット results are in, Hasbro sells off eOne to Lionsgate, Ippei Kuri passes away, and a One Piece hater spams IMDB with 1 star ratings of the anime?! Meanwhile in Japan, a nationwide test shows English language skills are lacking in youth, standing sleep pods coming to a café, World Fair 2025 aims to be first in the world to allow pets to enter, and a rice ball recall for 7-11...

Is Otakon staff power trippin? DJ Ranma S has the scoop! Also, original Digimon Adventure movies get a new dub, a Pokémon Pokémon-themed art installation at JAPAN HOUSE Los Angeles, and 20 years of Death Note with an art exhibit in Japan! Besides a new Ranma 1/2 clothing collab, Jigen from Lupin III gets his own live-action movie, and The Super Mario Bros. Movie becomes the 2nd highest-earning foreign film in Japan! Meanwhile in Japan, a local middle school is banned from McDonald's, a man is arrested for throwing a dog at cops, and a store clerk is arrested for punching a customer?!

New anime from the man, Shinchiro Watanabe announced at San Diego Comic-Con, as well as new anime trailers from Adult Swim! The Idolm@ster and Love Live School Idol Project plan for a joint concert, IKEA launches an anime-like campaign, FLOW brings us new opening and ending themes for the new 4 episodes of Naruto, and One Piece gets a new ending theme after 17 years?! Meanwhile in Japan (take two)... A haunted hide and seek comes to Osaka this summer, a swimsuit model and former adult actress releases her own AI-generated photo album, Final Fantasy 16 becomes a Takarazuka stage play, and a city allows residents to control the mayor's salary?!

DJ Ranma S and Berry Gami discuss the shenanigans surrounding changes at Katsucon 2024. Also, Mako-chan gives us a breakdown on the current SAG-AFTRA strike, and how it affects the anime industry. A popular voice actress is harassed on Twitter, James Cameron hints at Alita: Battle Angel sequel, and the UN intervenes about sex abuse claims at Johnny Talent Agency! Due to time constraints, no Meanwhile in Japan tonight, be back next week!

New Panty and Stocking! Also, what happened at Anime Expo®?! Hotel worker's strike, spoofed credit cards, bedbugs, issues with autograph tickets, huge crowds, people roofied at a 21+ event, vendors robbed, guests couldn't park at the venue... And a Suicide Squad Isekai?! Meanwhile in Japan, a life insurance company develops a dating sim, and farmers have developed a new fruit, the Lemon Melon...

Five major companies pull out of Comic-Con International, fans react to the law requiring manga artists to reveal real names, and a Hospitality union strike could affect Anime Expo... Also, the Yohane spin-off series gets a video game announced for November, My Hero Academia collaborates with NBA, and the 2023 Sanrio popularity ranking is revealed! Meanwhile in Japan... Himeji Castle gets an official LEGO set, Godiva releases chocolate Daifuku in Japan, and a revolving sushi lawsuit could have a teen paying up to 160 million yen?!

DJ Ranma S summarizes the AnimeNEXT chaos, so you don't want to miss that! Also, PGSM veteran Keiko Kitagawa cast as Sailor Cosmos in the new Sailor Moon Cosmos film, a voice actor claims Crunchyroll blocked auditions to reprise anime role in a video game, and a man hired to steal 1500 Pokémon cards was arrested. Plus, the live-action One Piece trailer is out and it's... Something... And Lycoris Recoil joins forces with Pizza Hut and Sanrio! Meanwhile in Japan, an Overnight Work Experience event allows school kids a nap in lieu of bedtime, father & son arrested for the same crime, and tasty Sanrio ice cream... But you have to work for it!

An AI produced Black Jack manga, Hello Kitty covers the Sailor Moon theme song, and Demon Slayer takes over Times Square! Also, Akira Toriyama's Sand Land gets a game, Creamy Mami 40th Anniversary, and the 1st Sailor Moon Cosmos movie ends with a trailer for the second film! Meanwhile in Japan, an AI model is fired from Playboy, In-N-Out Burger comes to Tokyo, and a fee for tourists to ride buses in Kyoto?

An Attack On Titan fan marries AI Eren Yeager, Crunchyroll blocks the Tower of God anime cast from being cast for the game, and Anisong unit Angela earns Guinness World Records! Also, Love Live! Unit Liella concert on MTV Unplugged streamed, Buffalo mass shooting victims' families sue 4chan, Good Smile Company, and others, and Aniplex acquires film company Origamix! Meanwhile in Japan, OxiClean sends detergent supply to a Tokyo card shop, and an arrest is made for theft of a lactic acid drink?!

Sadness in the Anime USA community, a police officer was busted for taking upskirt shots at Anime Central, a CAPCOM VS. Osamu Tezuka exhibit, and Pokémon-themed streets! Also, Akiba Maid War Animation stage play visuals are out, Yen Press's latest acquisition from MCM London Comic Con, Anime Expo® announces more guests, and the Agency for Cultural Affairs website lists manga pirate site URLs for 6 months?! Meanwhile in Japan, sushi starts revolving again in Japan's largest revolving sushi restaurant and new English textbooks are crap.

Join DJ Ranma S and Mako-chan as they discuss CloverCon at Somerset County 4-H! Also, an association for improving animator working conditions is created, a MACROSS shooting game is announced, Duolingo teams up with Crunchyroll for learning, and CHANEL teams up with Sailor Moon for artistic endeavors! Meanwhile in Japan, a new perfume inspired by bootleggers, and a yakuza member arrested for dog poop?

Live-action Saint Seiya does well and Toei Animation wants to do another one, the Gundam franchise brings in big bucks, and a music composer is handed a suspended sentence?! Also, MyAnimeList.net is hacked, Yoko Takahashi is to stream a concert worldwide, and Spy x Family gets a coffee collab for Father's Day! Meanwhile in Japan... Japan to ban upskirting in sweeping sex crime reforms, highway rest stops now have high-tech trash cans, and a town population doubles as families decent to search for mythical snake?!

A Ranma ½ prize lottery! Also, a Love Live seiyuu sings Attack On Titan for a crossover project, Eiichiro Oda gives an update on One Piece live-action series, and unaired Pokémon scripts surface! Plus, DJ Ranma S and Mako-chan discuss Kogaracon! Meanwhile in Japan, The Legend of Zelda flavored fried chicken, an idol singer unit hosts "Whack-an-Otaku", and 10 million yen found in the trash?!

DJ Ranma S shares his tales of Castle Point Anime Convention... Was it worth it this year? Also, Japanese illustrators come together against AI art, seiyuu Hiroya Ishimaru announces his retirement, PreCure stage play to feature all high school boys, and Bushiroad establishes a new company for a new IP! Meanwhile in Japan, Yakuza members were arrested for attending a baseball game, and a Cup Noodles measuring cup!

A famous voice actor changes his rules on autographs, and it's a good thing! Anime cover art plagiarized for textbooks, the Kyoto Animation - 京都アニメーション case goes to pre-trial, and the original Saint Seiya hits Crunchyroll with a remastered dub! And Netflix starts new password rules in the 2nd quarter, and Uniqlo's new anime shirts are a trip into anime's past... Meanwhile in Japan, nightmares are taking over Hello Kitty's theme park this summer, a man is arrested for failing to steal from a Shinto shrine, and KFC Japan adds hash browns burgers to their menu!

Live-action One Piece is sunk in a test viewing... Or was it? Rumors abound! Kodansha pulls a game book due to inaccuracies, and Assassination Classroom is pulled from certain libraries in the country! Also, subcontracting studio Takuranke files for bankruptcy while a newer sister company continues, Happinet bids for the takeover of Broccoli, and the classic anime 冒险少女娜汀亚 Nadia the Secret of Blue Water is to be streamed on Retrocrush! Meanwhile in Japan, merchandising for a pregnant Japanese voice actress, a new capsule toy is a kitty litter snow globe, and a young Japanese girl pushes for women's sumo as a major sport!

An ecchi anime's live broadcast upsets voice actor from the series, we finally get Scott Pilgrim vs. the World: The Anime, and Monster Energy goes after the games Pocket Monsters (Pokémon) and Monster Hunter... Ten animes turning 50 this year, and legendary mangaka Rumiko Takahashi is knighted by France! Meanwhile in Japan, local card shop demands you use deodorant or leave, an elegant game of kickball at the Imperial Palace, and a junior high school on remote Japan island holds graduation ceremony for it's only student, and a convenience store worker outsmarts the dumbest robber ever!

Zenkaikon 2023! Four amazing days, with four different views! Join DJ Ranma S, Ari Rockefeller, Mako-chan, and WildSpice as they do their roundtable review of not only their first convention of the year, but also podcast's fan favorite! And if time permits, we'll have an update on lewding at Ghibli Park!

We get a 24/7 anisong stream! Live action Cells at Work, mangaka legend Rumiko Takahashi draws a one-shot manga, new Pokémon anime gets a manga, composer Hidekazu Tanaka admits to obscenity charges, and Soul Eater celebrates 15 years! Meanwhile in Japan... Own a giant 3D cat from Shinjuku and the newest capsule toy that doesn't open?!

A journalist thinks maid cafes are misogynistic, but we ask our local meido, BerryMelon, their thoughts! Also, an AI Keke Tang chatbot from Love Live Superstar, Shinjuku train station taken over to celebrate Pokémon, Plex Pro adds 24/7 HIDIVE channel, and the trailer for the live-action SAINT SEIYA is out, along with theme song by P!nk! Meanwhile in Japan, first arrests made for "sushi terrorism" prank videos, people getting lewd with anime figures in Ghibli Park, a laundromat owner clings to car of panty thief, and a Coca-Cola canned cocktail?

Fans outraged with the Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Swordsmith Village movie, was it really a glorified flashback? Toei Animation brings us a new Precure all-stars movie with all 77 precures! That's a lot! One Piece on Ice this coming summer, along with a Chibi Godzilla anime! Crunchyroll to add music videos and concerts, and Takahashi Rie tells fans to bathe... Meanwhile in Japan, a Yakuza boss arrested for signing up for a discount supermarket point card, and a rude message to customers spark controversy...