Anime

Pictorial chronicles [002.026.299]

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PA covers viewed through AI

My friend Michel Gareau (co-founder of Protocuture Addicts and cover illustrator for the first issues) recently had the idea to ask Copilot (with just one simple prompt) to redraw his covers of issues 1 and 2 in a realistic style. The result is stunning !

Original cover
AI version

PA #1

Original cover
AI version

PA #2

I can only wonder what we could have done in those days (with the magazine or for my university research) if we had had this power at our disposal? Would it have been a good thing? What more could we do? And can this still be considered art ? Interesting questions…

Anime & manga update [002.026.297]

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Japanese culture update 

NHK World Japan documentary series continue to be a great source of information about Japanese culture, history and life — including popular culture like anime and manga. Here are some interesting Video On Demand (VOD) that I have recently noticed.

Manben

The latest episode of the documentary series “Manben: Behind the Scenes of Manga with Urasawa Naoki” is dedicated to Sugimura Shinichi. “Manga artist Urasawa Naoki takes you behind the scenes of how manga is made with guest Sugimura Shinichi. Learn Sugimura’s digital drawing techniques as he works on the climax of Last Pleasure Boat.” This episode was broadcast on October 23, 2026 and will be available as VOD only  until October 31, 2026. Fascinating! You better watch it fast !

Detective Conan Special

I’ve recently watched a rerun of an interesting episode of the documentary series Anime Manga Explosion dedicated to the popular Gosho Aoyama manga and anime. “This episode spotlights Detective Conan, a mystery series loved for more than 30 years. We introduce the appeal of the original manga and go behind the scenes of the anime’s production, exploring how mysteries are adapted for animation and how the characters are designed with respect for the source manga. We also follow the scenario meetings where the anime’s original stories are created, and highlight the dedication of the staff behind this long-running series.” This episode was originally broadcast on July 25, 2026 and will be available as VOD until July 25, 2027. 

Iki: The Aesthetic of Edo

In this episode of the documentary series Spiritual Explorers, “Our explorer gains an insight into “iki,” a unique aesthetic cultivated by the people of Edo, now known as Tokyo. Defined by modesty and compassion, it endures to this day.” This episode was originally broadcast on August 19, 2026 and is available as VOD until August 19, 2027.

Venice 2026 & Focus on Tanaka Kinuyo

The latest episode of the documentary series J-Flicks is dedicated to this year’s Venice Film Festival and offers a focus on Tanaka Kinuyo. “We check out “Look Back” by KOREEDA Hirokazu and TSUKAMOTO Shinya‘s “Mr. Nelson, Did You Kill People?“, both screened at the Venice Film Festival, and the classic “Love Letter” by TANAKA Kinuyo.” This episode was broadcast on October 17, 2026 and is available as VOD until January 17, 2027.

And some news from Anime News Network:

Passeurs culturels

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J’ai récemment reçu les épreuves d’un nouvel article qui parle de moi.

Suite au colloque sur l’internationalisation de la BD auquel j’ai participé en mai 2024 et où s’est tenu la table ronde “Initier la vague anime et manga”  — qui avait déjà résulté en un interview sur le blogue de Bounthavy Suvilay, enseignante et journaliste française — cette dernière a écrit un nouvel article à mon sujet, intitulé “Transfert culturel du manga : Toren Smith et Claude J. Pelletier, les passeurs du Canada.” Cet article paraîtra bientôt dans le No 64 de la Revue internationale d’études canadiennes, publiée par la University of Toronto Press. 

La sortie de ce numéro annuel est prévue pour l’automne 2026. Malheureusement, je ne crois pas que ce soit une revue qui ait une grande diffusion. Le site de la revue mentionne qu’il est possible de s’abonner ($79.00 pour un numéro !), mais les articles des numéros précédents semblent disponibles en ligne. La revue n’apparaît pas dans les catalogues des bibliothèques de la Ville de Montréal, ni de la BANQ. Toutefois, selon WorldCat, elle se retrouve dans la plupart des bibliothèques universitaires (Concordia, McGill McLennan, UdeM, UQAM).

De toute façon, je suis presque gêné d’être comparé à Toren Smith qui a tant fait pour la diffusion de l’anime et du manga en Amérique du Nord. Mais, bon, c’est l’œuvre d’une vie, alors j’imagine que je dois l’assumer… C’est vrai que le magazine Protoculture Addicts (et plusieurs autres de mes projets) ont grandement contribués à faire connaître l’anime et le manga, et que ce fut un travail de pionnier qui a eut une certaine influence, mais cela n’est pas du tout au même niveau de ce qu’a accompli le regretté Toren Smith. Et je n’ai rien fait tout seul. Cela a toujours été le travail d’une équipe. Je me vois surtout comme un chef d’orchestre… C’est néanmoins toujours réconfortant de voir son dur labeur reconnu.

Voici donc le résumé de l’article en question:

“Cet article examine le rôle central des passeurs culturels dans la diffusion et l’appropriation du manga et de l’anime en Occident, à travers les parcours de Toren Smith et de Claude J. Pelletier. Le premier a traduit et édité des mangas emblématiques, tandis que le second a créé un réseau d’information spécialisé, contribuant à la reconnaissance du manga hors du Japon, au Canada. L’analyse révèle les mécanismes de sélection, d’adaptation et de médiation qui ont permis ce transfert culturel. Les choix éditoriaux de ces intermédiaires reflètent leurs préférences personnelles et les tendances de la culture jeune nord-américaine. Leurs efforts ont non seulement rendu ces œuvres accessibles, mais ont aussi favorisé leur appropriation, donnant naissance à des créations hybrides inspirées du manga et de l’anime.”

Abstract: 

“This article examines the central role of cultural intermediaries in the dissemination and appropriation of manga and anime in the West, through the trajectories of Toren Smith and Claude J. Pelletier. The former translated and edited iconic manga, while the latter created a specialized information network, contributing to the recognition of manga outside Japan, specifically in Canada. The analysis reveals the mechanisms of selection, adaptation, and mediation that made this cultural transfer possible. The editorial choices of these intermediaries reflect both their personal preferences and the prevailing trends in North American youth culture. Their efforts not only rendered these works accessible but also fostered their appropriation, giving rise to hybrid creations inspired by manga and anime.”

Lorsque l’article sera publié, et s’il est disponible en ligne, j’en ajouterai ici le lien.

Anime & manga update [002.026.283]

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Japanese culture update 

NHK World Japan documentary series continue to be a great source of information about Japanese culture, history and life — including popular culture like anime and manga. Here are some interesting Video On Demand (VOD) that I have recently noticed.

Anime Studio: Toei Animation

This new episode of the documentary series Anime Manga Explosion introduces us to one of the main anime studio of Japan. “This episode spotlights TOEI ANIMATION, an anime studio marking its 70th anniversary. We trace the studio’s history, beginning with the story behind The White Snake Enchanteress, Japan’s first full-color feature-length animated film. We then follow Mazinger Z, which helped create a new business model for Japanese anime, and Dragon Ball, which carried Japanese anime around the world. Finally, we step inside production on the studio’s current series, One Piece, to see the craft behind the animation.” This episode was broadcast on October 9, 2026 and will be available as VOD only until October 17, 2026.

Anime Journal

This is a new documentary series about anime fandom. “This new program digs deep into what overseas fans loved about the anime released this year and how the translators of one anime, Akane-banashi, approached its traditionally Japanese subject matter.” This episode will air on October 14, 2026 (12:30 AM, 04:30 AM, 12:30 PM, 7:30 PM).

Deep Dive with Hideo Kojima

The documentary series Game-Genome explores the inner workings of video games. This episode is about Death Stranding. “Half a century since the birth of video games, we explore how legendary titles have shaped our ideas and created a new culture. “DEATH STRANDING” won new plaudits for its uncanny predictions of our experiences during the pandemic. Program guests share their love for the game, and why it’s captivated so many. Renowned developer Hideo Kojima guides us on a deep dive into his creation and explores his inspiration and motivations. A special, expanded episode with new footage in response to the reaction to the original broadcast.” This episode was broadcast on June 24, 2023 and is available as VOD until September 5, 2027.

Mother 2 (EarthBound)

Another episode of the documentary series Game-Genome. “MOTHER 2 is a classic RPG known internationally as EarthBound. Its creator, Itoi Shigesato, joins longtime fans to discuss how the game was made, revealing secrets behind its lasting popularity.” This episode was broadcast on September 12, 2026 and is available as VOD until September 12, 2027.

Some more news from Anime News Network:

And one more thing …

A dear friend, from the Protoculture days, brought to my attention this AI re-edit of the first episode of Robotech Macross, “Boobytrap”. It is a perfect transposition of the anime into a “live-action“ produced by AI. That’s quite something. Exploring on this subject, I also found on Youtube this AI-produced “live-action” titled  Macross Robotech The Movie: The Future Meets The Past. It seems to be in several parts (here another one). It tells a different story using the Robotech characters. Interesting. Is this the future of movies ?

Anime & manga update [002.026.277]

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Japanese culture update 

NHK World Japan documentary series continue to be a great source of information about Japanese culture, history and life — including popular culture like anime and manga. Here are some interesting Video On Demand (VOD) that I have recently noticed.

White Flag: Mizuki Shigeru and the War

This episode of the “Documentary 360” series is about Mizuki Shigeru. “Manga artist Mizuki Shigeru’s masterpiece “White Flag” comes to life as an anime. His story was based on a WWII soldier who defied his superiors to protect his men. What truly happened on “Iwo Jima”?” This episode was broadcast on September 11, 2026 and is available as VOD until September 11, 2027. A GREAT documentary !

Bread

This episode of the short documentary series “Japan Delish” is about Japanese bread.  “Ever heard of an-pan?! From fruit sandwiches to curry-filled delights, Japanese bread is full of delicious surprises!” This episode was broadcast on December 6, 2025 and is available as VOD until December 5, 2026.

Sake Truth

This episode of the documentary series “Time and Tide” is about sake.  “Sake is gaining attention worldwide for its rich and complex flavors. We explore various aspects of Japan’s national drink, from the koji that determines the flavor to medieval innovations that laid the foundation for sake-making today. We also shine a light on heated sake, or kanzake, and examine the science behind how heat affects its flavor profile.” This episode was broadcast on December 19, 2025 and is available as VOD until December 19, 2026.

Some more news from Anime News Network:

And one more thing …

I forgot. I wanted also to mention this book just recently released in English. It is described as: “In this captivating collection of dialogues, renowned manga artist, writer and painter Mari Yamazaki and art historian Nicole Coolidge Rousmaniere — lead curator of the Art of Mangaexhibit at the de Young Museum and The Brooklyn Museum — explore the patterns of human history to find a roadmap for optimism in the modern world.” (Contributors includes one of my favourite mangaka and one of my favourite translators !) [2026/10/05]

  • YAMAZAKI Mari & COOLIDGE-ROUSMANIERE Nicole  (Translated by Frederik L. Schodt & Beth Cary). Happiness Theories; A Manga Artist & An Art Historian Find Wisdom in 3,000 Years and in LIFE. Shueisha, sept. 2026. 228 pg. $24.99. 979-8-950818-07-3 [Amazon • Goodreads • Les libraires]

Anime & manga update [002.026.249]

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Japanese culture update 

NHK World Japan documentary series continue to be a great source of information about Japanese culture, history and life — including popular culture like anime and manga. Here are some interesting Video On Demand (VOD) that I have recently noticed.

Again, not much news about anime & manga this week, but there is always something interesting about Japanese culture. Now, let’s talk about food. 

In North America, we don’t think much about the use of fermentation to produce food, even though we use it constantly to process beer, bread, cheese, kombucha, wine, yogurt, etc. However, in Japan, they take this process very seriously. Much more of their food uses fermentation (for example in gyoshō, miso, nattō, sake, shōchū, shōyu, etc.).  It was long used not only to preserve food, but also to enhanced its flavour. The funny thing is that I discovered this fact while watching an anime: Moyashimon (about which my wife and I wrote a very interesting article in PA #96: 52-55; the series is available on Crunshyroll; it is based on a manga and has also spawn a live-action TV drama series).

I was reminded of all this while watching an episode of the NHK World Japan documentary series Trails to Oishii Tokyo:

Japan’s Fermented Foods Go Global

“More than just a longer shelf life, Japan’s fermented foods offer enhanced flavor and nutrition. Unlock secrets to the culture’s longevity, starting with koji mold cultivation that dates back 600 years. Get an inside look at how the foods are taking the world by storm as we join a miso workshop in Paris and view the largest sake brewery in the U.S. Introducing Japanese fermentation—the foundation of the island nation’s renowned cuisine.” This episode aired on August 19, 2023 and will be available as VOD only until September 11, 2026. Better hurry watching it !

However, the Trails to Oishii Tokyo series offers many more interesting food documentaries:

Shiso

“Shiso: a Japanese herb gaining fans worldwide. Refreshing shiso is key in Japanese cuisine, which features a lot of raw fish. See how shiso’s leaves, flowers and seeds are all used in oishii dishes.” This episode was broadcast on August 28, 2024 and is available as VOD until September 1, 2027.

Japanese Frozen Foods

“Japan is now a frozen foods powerhouse. Cutting-edge technology and producers’ passion keep the hits coming. Dive into the world of Japanese frozen foods that are turning the world upside down.” This episode was broadcast on August 7, 2026  and is available as VOD until August 7, 2027.

Gourmet Canned Food?!

“Canned food is no longer just for storage or emergencies — it has become fine cuisine. Join us in this special episode as we explore the frontlines of Japan’s uniquely evolved canning industry.” This episode was broadcast on October 17, 2025 and is available as VOD until May 15, 2027.

Some more news from Anime News Network:

Anime & manga update [002.026.234]

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Japanese culture update

NHK World Japan documentary series continue to be a great source of information about Japanese culture, history and life — including popular culture like anime and manga. Here are some interesting Video On Demand (VOD) that I have noticed this week.

Comiket

Our Comiket’s History: 50 Years of Love : “First held in 1975, Comiket has long shaped Japan’s creative culture from manga and anime to games and cosplay. The committee, exhibitors, volunteers, fans, and cosplayers share their devotion to it.” This episode was originally broadcast on April 25, 2026 and will be available as VOD until April 25, 2027.

National Museum of Japanese History

Japanese Life and Culture: A Journey Through 37,000 Years ～National Museum of Japanese History～ : “The National Museum of Japanese History boasts a vast collection that traces everyday life and culture through Japan’s history. Andy [Pompilio] and Shaula [Vogue] will travel through time to explore life, culture, and the wisdom and spirituality of Japan.” This episode was originally broadcast on December 5, 2025, with an edit on Jan. 27, 2026; it will be available as VOD until December 5, 2026.

Tokyo National Museum

Explore the Tokyo National Museum : “The Tokyo National Museum is home to a collection of some 120,000 objects of beauty and interest, mainly Japanese art and craft pieces along with work from the Asian mainland and historical artifacts. The museum houses 89 items deemed by the Japanese government to be of especially high value and designated as national treasures. Paying a visit to this historic museum that is celebrating its 150th anniversary are Andy [Pompilio] and Shaula [Vogue], hosts of NHK WORLD-JAPAN’s popular program DESIGN TALKS plus. They marvel at the majestic building, visit an exhibit that offers insights into 30,000 years of creativity in Japan, and revel in the first ever exhibit of every national treasure in the museum’s possession — an experience that will surely make art aficionados across the world jealous. The two also get a glimpse of the future of museums, experiencing high-definition imagery, 3D computer graphics, and other cutting-edge digital technology. Come join us on this 50-minute adventure exploring the Tokyo National Museum, something not to be missed by anyone visiting the metropolis.” This episode was originally broadcast on January 7, 2023  and will be available as VOD until January 24, 2027.

Other notable news

Anime & manga update [002.026.214]

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Anime & Manga update 

NHK World Japan continues to be a great source of information about Japanese culture with their documentary series, and many of them are about anime & manga. Here are some recent documentaries that I found interesting:

Anime Manga Explosion

The latest episode of this documentary series is offering us a Detective Conan Special, which is “a mystery series loved for more than 30 years. We introduce the appeal of the original manga and go behind the scenes of the anime’s production, exploring how mysteries are adapted for animation and how the characters are designed with respect for the source manga. We also follow the scenario meetings where the anime’s original stories are created, and highlight the dedication of the staff behind this long-running series.”This episode was broadcast on July 25, 2026 and will be available as Video-On-Demand (VOD) until July 25, 2027.

Manben

The latest episode of “Manben: Behind the Scenes of Manga with Urasawa Naoki” is dedicated to Oshimi Shuzo. “Check out manga artist Oshimi Shuzo, whose trauma-probing stories have led to many screen adaptations. Learn how manga can be self-therapy as he works on Blood on the Tracks and Welcome Back, Alice.” This episode was broadcast on July 18, 2026 and will be available as Video-On-Demand (VOD)  until July 18, 2027.

AI x Anime

An episode of the documentary series “Deeper Look” was dedicated to the impact of AI on anime. Titled The Future of Animation in the Age of AI, it asked the question: “Is generative AI a creative revolution or chaos? Rob Salkowitz, technology and pop culture analyst, examines the impact on the animation industry.” This episode was broadcast on February 2, 2026 and will be available as VOD until February 2, 2027.

Animated Documentary

It is August, therefore NHK is offering a lot of stories about the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. This is a nice animation titled Iwata’s Grandma that retell the personal experience of Chizuko. “Why does Iwata’s Grandma refuse to be in photos? This animation documentary is based on a picture book about the atomic bomb tragedy, but conveys kindness and hope rather than fear and anxiety.” This episode was broadcast on July 31, 2025 and will be available as VOD until July 29, 2027.

Barefoot Gen

The documentary series “Project X: Unsung Heroes” is offering an episode titled “Barefoot Gen: Bridging the Divide”. It is another story about the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, but this time it focuses on a group of young Japanese and American in the 70s (including Oshima Masahiro, Jim Peck, and Alan Gleason) who were impressed with the depth of the manga Barefoot Gen by Nakazawa Keiji and decided to form “Project Gen”to translate it in English. A must-see documentary! “The true story of how amateur translators brought a manga about the Hiroshima atomic bombing to the US and the world, bridging cultural divides and spreading a message of peace.” This episode was broadcast on August 1, 2026 and will be available as Video-On-Demand ONLY UNTIL August 8, 2026.

Netflix Japanese drama

I am almost done with watching the 151-episode morning drama series Mampuku (まんぷく / lit. “full stomach” or “stuffed”). I have already talked about it in a previous update, but I can only add that, if you like Japanese culture and food, this is a must-see series. It is the story of the couple who, through a lot of hardship, invented the instant ramen and the cup noodles ! I just bought some Nissin package instant ramen to celebrate this show. When I am done with this show I will most probably continue with another morning drama. This 15-minute format is really a blast !

So far, I could find just another Japanese Morning Drama series on Netflix: Soar High! (舞いあがれ! / Maiagare!) about a young woman who wants to become a pilot. It is a 2022 126-episode series with Haruka Fukuhara, Katsunori Takahashi and Hiromi Nagasaku. “Passion. Dedication. Flight. With a childhood dream in her heart, Mai toils to become a pilot — but the long path to her first takeoff never deters her.” [Wikipedia]

Other notable news

The digital manga service Omoi has announced at Otakon that it will release Shinji Wada‘s Delinquent Detective: Sukeban Deka shojo manga on its manga reader app this fall. It has also acquired fifty-four manga titles from Kodansha, including many manga by Osamu Tezuka (Apollo’s Song, Ayako, Black Jack, Buddha, Dororo, Message to Adolf, MW, Ode to Kirihito, Princess Knight, The Book of Human Insects), Moyoco Anno’s Sakuran and Ai Yazawa’s Paradise Kiss. Omoi is a digital manga service that makes it easy to read hundreds of legally licensed manga series across a variety of genres and publishers, for one low price (Premium: $4.99 US / mo). It distributes manga from English manga publishers like Kodansha and J-Novel Club, as well as exclusive series licensed directly from Japan. Fans can read manga on Web, iOS, and Android, and Omoi pays royalties back to publishers based on readership data. (Sources: ANN, Omoi)

Drawn & Quarterly has announced at the San Diego Comic-Con the acquisition of Shigeo Ito’s Marmalade Princess  and Hinako Sugiura‘s Miss Hokusai manga to be released respectively in spring and fall 2027. (Source: ANN)

Anime & Manga update [002.026.179]

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Anime & Manga update 

NHK World Japan continues to be a great source of information about Japanese culture with their documentary series, mostly those about anime & manga. 

Anime Manga Explosion

The latest episode of the documentary series “Anime Manga Explosion”is dedicated to animation director Kameyama Yohei. His directorial debut was the series Milky☆Subway: The Galactic Limited Express (which was his graduation project). It is “a sci-fi comedy about a group of convicts who turn an interplanetary express train into chaos”. The young director shares his thoughts behind the series, and presents the first half of the uncut theatrical version. This style is not my cup of tea, but it offers a glimpse of what’s popular in anime lately. This episode aired June 27 at 11:10 PM and June 28 at 05:10, 10:10 AM and 04:10 PM. It should also be available soon as Video On Demand.

Another notable episode is the “Sound! Euphonium Special”. It is a coming-of-age story set in a high school brass band from Kitauji High School Music Club located in Uji, Kyoto. The story (響け! ユーフォニアム / Hibike! Yūfoniamu) was first published as a series of fourteen light novels by Ayano Takeda (Takarajimasha Bunko, 2013-2024, translated in English by Yen Press) and was later adapted into seven manga (2014-2017), a thirty-nine episode anime series (by Kyoto Animation, 2015-2024, available from Crunchyroll), an OVA (2023) and five movies (by Kyoto Animation, 2016-2026). The author shares how she inspired herself from her own experience in a band and we see how Kyoto Animation adapted the series and go behind the scene for an inside look at The Final Movie. This episode was broadcast on May 30, 2026 and will be available as VOD until May 30, 2027.

Netflix Japanese drama

It seems that Netflix has acquired lately a lot of Japanese TV dramas. I have already seen several of them, which are all excellent: Asura, Bayside Shakedown (read the article), Midnight Diner (read my comment), Midnight Diner: Tokyo Stories, Quartet, Samurai Gourmet (read my comment), and  The Makanai. However, I have recently discovered three new NHK TV series that are quite promising:

Descending Stories: A Life in Rakugo : “Based on the beloved manga, this live-action series follows a master of rakugo — a traditional form of Japanese storytelling — and his apprentice”. 2018, 10 episodes, cast: Masaki Okada, Ryō Ryūsei, Riko Narumi, Aya Ōmasa and Ikusaburo Yamazaki. It is based on the manga Descending Stories: Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinju (昭和元禄落語心中 / Lit. “Flourishing Shōwa – Rakugo Double Suicide”, Kodansha, 2010-2016, translated in English by Kodansha USA) which was also adapted into an OVA (2015) and an anime TV series (Studio Deen, 2016-2017, available on Crunchyroll). [AsianWiki • IMDb • MyDramaList • Wikipedia]

Tokyo Salad Bowl (東京サラダボウル) : “An eccentric detective and a guarded interpreter bond over international cuisine as they tackle cases involving Tokyo’s foreign residents and tourists”. 2025, 9 episodes, Cast: Nao, Ryuhei Matsuda. Based on a manga by Kuromaru (黒丸). [DramaWiki • IMDb • JPC • Kodansha JP • MyDramaList • Wikipedia JP]

Mampuku (まんぷく  / lit. “full stomach” or “stuffed”) : “Food-loving Fukuko weds a bold entrepreneur. Through war and failure, she stands by him — and helps him invent instant noodles. Based on a true story”. 2018, 151 episodes (15 min.), Cast: Sakura Ando (Fukuko Imai), Hiroki Hasegawa (Manpei Tachibana), Yuki Uchida (Saki Imai), Keiko Matsuzaka (Suzu Imai). This Japanese TV drama tells the story of Masako and Momofuku Andō (their names were changed in the story), founder of Nissin Foods and the inventors of instant ramen (Nissin Chicken Ramen) and cup noodles. [AsianWiki • IMDb • MyDramaList • Wikipedia]

Mampuku is probably the most interesting of those shows, because it is a period drama, centered around conquering hardship (generally for a female heroine), but mostly because it is one of those very popular NHK “Morning Drama” (aka 連続テレビ小説 / Renzoku Terebi Shōsetsu / lit. “serial TV novel” or 朝ドラ / Asadora / lit. “Morning drama”). This trend started in April 1961 with Musume to Watashi (娘と私 / lit. “A Daughter and Me”) with daily fifteen-minute episodes airing from Monday to Friday at 8:00 AM (with an omnibus airings on Saturday) and has continued to this day (the current show being The Scent of the Wind). Mampuku is the  99th Asadora series to air on NHK! The only other Asadora that I’ve seen (which was in a way very similar to Mampuku) was Massan (マッサン, Sept. 2014 – March 2015, 150 episodes) which tells the story of Ellie and Masaharu Kameyama, based on the life of Rita and Masataka Taketsuru who helped establish whisky production in Japan and founded the Nikka Whisky Distilling company.  

I just hope that Netflix will bring us more of those Japanese morning drama.

Other notable news

Netflix has announced that Cyberpunk: Edgerunner is getting a second season that will premier this fall. Cyberpunk: Edgerunner 2 will feature new characters (Weak Kingsley, Talia Yang, Roman Carax, and D). The 10-episode series is directed by Kai Ikarashi, with script by Masahiko Otsuka, character designs by Ichigo Kanno and Bartosz Sztybor as producer and showrunner. It is based on polish CD PROJEKT RED‘s Cyberpunk 2077 videogame, itself based on Mike Pondsmith‘s Cyberpunk tabletop RPG game series. (Source: ANN)

Anime News Networks offers an interview with Yōhei Kameyama on his breakout hit, Milky☆Subway: The Galactic Limited Express.

The new adaptation of Ghost in the Shell by director Mokochan and studio Science SARU was premiered at Annecy Animation Festival on June 22. Anime News Network’s Kevin Cormack gives us a review. It seems “Phenomenally faithful” to the manga. Amazon Prime will start streaming the show worldwide starting from July 7.  I can’t wait to see this. 

A new live-action series based on Tohru Fujisawa’s GTO: Great Teacher Onizuka manga has been announced. Onizuka is now 52-year-old and teaches at the Seishin Academy. The same actor than the first series (Takashi Sorimachi) is playing the role, with the original director (Satoru Nakajima) and scriptwriter (Kazuhiko Yukawa) returning as well. It will premiere on Kansai TV and Fuji TV on July 20 (Source: ANN).

Crunchyroll has announces their release schedule for the summer 2026 season. Nothing exciting. Check Anime News Networks for the full listing.

Taiga Sassa’s manga Isabella Bird in Wonderland, which started in 2013, will end on September 15 with the 137th issue of Kadokawa’s Harta magazine. (Source: ANN)

Naoki Urasawa will launch on August 12 the new manga series Saigo no Manga Kyōshitsu (The Final Manga Classroom) in the September issue of Shogakukan’s Big Comic Original Special (Big Comic Original Zōkan). (Source: ANN)

NHK announced that Nao Iwamoto’s Marronnier Ōkoku no Shichinin no Kishi (The Seven Knights of the Marronnier Kingdom) manga will be adapted into a TV anime series that will air on NHK Educational in October. (Source: ANN)

Anime & Manga update [002.026.138]

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Anime & Manga update

NHK World Japan continues to be a great source of information about Japanese culture with their documentary series. 

Anime Manga Explosion 

Notable is the episode of Anime Manga Explosion  dedicated to Anime Sound, where voice actor Otsuka Akio reveals the techniques behind iconic lines from My Hero Academia and Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War, and composer Inai Keiji talks about the music recording session for the new anime Star Wars: Visions Volume 3 The Duel: Payback. It aired on November 29 last year, but remains available as VOD until November 29, 2026.

The latest episode of Anime Manga Explosion is dedicated to “That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime, a fantasy series that has grown from a web novel into a hit anime. Original creator Fuse makes his first-ever TV appearance to share the passion behind the story. We also go behind the scenes at the anime studio [Eightbit], revealing production secrets from the very beginning of the series. Plus, we look at innovative production methods being used for the upcoming new season.” This episode aired on April 25, 2026 and will be available as VOD until April 25, 2027. 

Manben

The latest episode of Manben: Behind the scenes of manga with Urasawa Naoki is dedicated to Umino Chica (Honey and Clover). Urasawa Naoki takes us behind the scene of the production of the mangaka new series, March Comes in Like a Lion! The 21st episode of Manben Neo originally aired on November 22, 2025, with an extended version airing on March 19, 2026. The subtitled version aired on May 8, 2026 and will be available as VOD until May 8, 2027.

And other news

The spirit of the times is definitely one of nostalgia. Anime Expo, which will be held from July 2-5 at the Los Angeles Convention Center, has announced that it will host “the first official North American screening” of the 1984 movie The Super Dimension Fortress Macross: Do You Remember Love?. The screening will take place on July 5 at 12:00 p.m. PDT. (Source: ANN)

The highly anticipated reboot of Patlabor is finally out. Patlabor EZY File 1 (機動警察パトレイバー EZY / Kidō Keisatsu Patlabor EZY) premiered on May 15th — with File 2 coming on August 14th (more details on ANN, see the trailer on Youtube). The two-part movie is animated by J.C.Staff and directed by Yukata Izubuchi, with a script by Kazunori Itō, character design by Masami Yuuki, animation directed by Takamitsu Satou, costume design by Akemi Takada and music by Kenji Kawaii. I can’t wait to see this one. In the meantime, you can read the review on Anime News Network.

Bandai Namco Filmworks has announced two more films for the Votoms franchise, with the first one premiering on November 20. Armored Trooper VOTOMS: Die Graue Hexe / The Grey Witch (装甲騎兵ボトムズ灰色の魔女 / Sōkō Kihei Botomuzu Haiiro no Majo) is produced by Sunrise and Production I.G and directed by Mamoru Oshii, with mecha design by Shinobu Tsuneki and Yoshiro Sono and music by Kenji Kawai. It will be part of Sunrise’s 50th anniversary commemoration. See the trailer on Youtube (Source: ANN)

Binge watching

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Several years ago, I was bored and there was nothing notable on TV, so I started watching again the entire new series of Battlestar Galactica (2003-2009, 76 episodes). Last year, my mind needed to escape reality a little, so I watched again the entire series of The Expense (2015-2019, 62 episodes). It was so great ! They don’t do TV series like that anymore (save maybe on Apple TV, but series are too short and are released too slowly).

Now, I just started watching Babylon 5 again (1993-1998, 110 episodes). It’s a bit older, and it shows in the quality of the graphics, but it’s great nonetheless. That should keep my mind busy for a while…

I am wondering what I should watch again when I am done with B5. Maybe Game of Throne (2011-2019, 73 episodes) ? Unless, by that time, I am able to start this Anime old-timers’ Club I’ve been thinking about. I am quite eager to watch anime again, but I find it a little sad to watch by myself. So far, no volunteers have come forward, but I’ll see if I can meet interested people at Otakuthon… I surely would like to watch again series like Mospeada, Orguss, Kimagure Orange Road, Gundam, Star Blazers, etc. Or I might start just by myself. We’ll see… Anyone ?

Anime & Manga update [002.026.088]

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Anime & Manga update

Crunchyroll

I just learned a couple of days ago that Crunchyroll is now available as a subscription on Apple TV (9to5Mac, AppleInsider, CNET, Engadget, MacRumors). The world’s largest anime library is now available as a channel on the Apple TV app in the USA, Canada, UK and Australia. It offers a one-week free trial and, after that, subscription is $9.99 per month.

The streaming platform offers over a thousand anime titles that can be searched alphabetically or by genres (action, adventure, comedy, drama, fantasy, romance, sci-fi, etc.). It is full of classics (or more recent series) that I would like to watch (or rewatch): Akira, Arte, Captain Harlock, City Hunter, Genesis Climber Mospeada, Gunbuster, Japanese Anime Classic Collection, Kimagure Orange Road, Legend of the Galactic Heroes, Library War, Mazinger Z, Mobile Suit Gundam, Moyashimon, Orguss, Phoenix, Planetes, Record of Lodoss War, Robotech, Star Blazers: Space Battleship Yamato, The Apothecary Diaries, Vinland Saga — just to name a few. And there is so much to discover !

I will certainly consider subscribing to Crunchyroll. Although, I subscribed for over a year to RetroCrush and watched just a couple of episodes of a series (I think it was Dear Brother) and never used it again until I cancelled it recently… I should wait until I have more time…

Anime Pilgrims

NHK World Japan continues to be a great source of information about Japanese culture with their documentary series. The latest episodes of Anime Manga Explosion are dedicated to Yamashita Shingo (key animator on Naruto Shippuden) and MAO (latest title from Takahashi Rumiko).

There is a new series about anime tourism titled Anime Pilgrims. Fans visit the real-life settings of iconic anime productions to offer a glimpse into Japan’s deep culture, history, and hidden charms. Two episodes are available:

In “Hokkaido: Golden Kamuy”, cosplayer Yuriko Tiger explores the real locations behind the hit anime Golden Kamuy to discover the hidden history of Otaru (in Hokkaido) and the rich traditions of the indigenous Ainu people. The 15-minute episode was broadcast on March 22, 2026 and is available as Video-On-Demand (VOD) until March 21, 2027.

In “Nagasaki: The Colors Within”, anime singer and superfan MindaRyn from Thailand visits Nagasaki, the backdrop of the 2024 acclaimed film The Colors Within, to uncover the reality behind Japan’s ‘hidden Christian‘ history. The 15-minute episode was broadcast on March 29, 2026 and is available as VOD until April 5, 2026.

Anime Old-timer’s Club

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In preparation for my retirement in a year, I’ve been going through old stuff and thinking about how I will spend and organize my time. Of course, it really means falling back on the trio of my old subject of interests: science-fiction literature, Roman history and Japanese culture (mostly anime & manga).

Strangely, thinking about the old days made me quite nostalgic of those simpler times when I was “holding salon” and entertaining guests in a regular basis to watch and discuss anime. I REALLY miss watching anime. However, I feel that watching anime by myself would be sad and pathetic…

So… I’ve been thinking about going back to conventions to reconnect with the fandom. And also forming a group of old-timers like me who would gather periodically (every week or month) to watch (or rewatch) old anime and discuss them. Anime from the golden age (the 80s and 90s), but also more recent stuff (if there is anything good). It is much easier to find these days. I happen to have a HUGE collection of DVDs and there are plenty of stuff to watch on streaming sites like Crunchyroll and RetroCrush.

It would need to be a small and select group (three or four people, because my salon is not very big). If you are an old-timer (or someone of any age, but interested in old anime), living in the Montréal area, and would be interested in participating, please contact me (in the right column of the blog, there is a series of social media links, including email).

Club des Anciens Fans

En prévision de ma retraite dans un an, je me suis replongé dans mes vieilles affaires et j’ai réfléchi à la façon dont j’occuperai mon temps. Bien sûr, cela signifie surtout me replonger dans mes trois passions de toujours : la science-fiction, l’histoire romaine et la culture japonaise (principalement les animés et les mangas).

Étrangement, repenser à cette époque m’a rendu nostalgique de ces moments plus simples où je “tenait salon,” recevant régulièrement du monde pour regarder et discuter d’animés. Les animés me manquent énormément. Cependant, regarder des animés seul me paraîtrait triste et pathétique…

Du coup… j’envisage de retourner aux conventions pour renouer avec le milieu. Et aussi de former un groupe de vieux fans comme moi, qui se réuniraient régulièrement (chaque semaine ou chaque mois) pour regarder (ou revoir) de vieux animés et en discuter. Des animés de l’âge d’or (les années 80 et 90), mais aussi des productions plus récentes (s’il y en a de bonnes). C’est beaucoup plus facile à trouver de nos jours. J’ai une énorme collection de DVD et il y a plein de choses à regarder sur les plateformes de streaming comme Crunchyroll et RetroCrush.

Il faudrait un petit groupe limité (seulement trois ou quatre personnes, car mon salon n’est pas très grand). Si vous êtes un fan de longue date (ou quelqu’un de tout âge qui s’intéresse aux vieux animés), que vous habitez dans la région de Montréal et que vous souhaitez participer, n’hésitez pas à me contacter (vous trouverez des liens vers mes réseaux sociaux, y compris mon adresse courriel, dans la colonne de droite du blog).

Robotech live-action ?

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A colleague from the original Protoculture days recently shared with me a Youtube 3:20 min. clip of an (obviously) AI-made “live action” titled Robotech 2026. It brought back lots of memories. We were wondering if it was just a fan project made as a proof of concept or if it was the preview for a real studio movie. We did some digging…

Robotech 2026 is a fan-made short film directed by Peter Hyoguchi and created with AI (Grok) to simulate a live-action movie trailer inspired by the opening sequence of the Robotech animated TV series. It’s described as “a non-commercial fan film made for creative and educational purposes” and acknowledged that “Robotech and all related characters are the property of Harmony Gold”.

On Youtube, there is also a shorter (2:00 min.) clip for another project called Robotech: New Gen 2026 as well as a 0:30 teaser for the same project, which is the trailer for a hypothetical AI “live-action” adaptation of Robotech: New Generation. This one is really good (unless it is because New Generation has always been one of my favourite parts). I am really NOT a big fan of AI, but it is nevertheless an interesting proof of concept.

Apparently, Sony Pictures is still planning a Robotech live action written by Art Marcum and Matt Holloway and directed by Rhys Thomas, but I doubt it will ever see the light of day (although there is a terrible fan-made trailer for it!).

If you are interested in reminiscing further about Robotech and anime in general, you can check out my web site “Protoculture Memories”…

Anime & manga updates [002.025.363]

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Anime & manga updates

NHK World Japan continues to be a great source of information about Japanese culture with their documentary series.

Medalist (メダリスト)

The NHK World Japan documentary series Anime Manga Explosion latest episode is a special about “Sports Manga & Anime”. After an overview of the Japanese beloved genre that is sports manga and anime, exploring with anime critic Fujitsu Ryota how the portrayal of sports evolved over time, and how have creators refined their craft, the documentary focus on the “the production of the figure skating anime Medalist to find out how animators capture the subtle movements and atmosphere of the rink.” This episode aired on December 27, 2025 and is available as VOD until December 27, 2026.

Medalist is a manga about figure skating. Created by Tsurumai Kada (つるまいかだ — the gender, age or identity of this artist has not been disclosed), it is serialized in Monthly Afternoon since May 2020 and has been compiled, so far, in thirteen tankōbon (volumes) at Kodansha. It has been translated in English and published by Kodansha USA (12 vol. so far) and in French by Nobi Nobi (Coll. Genki, 11 vol. so far). It has won the Next Manga Award in 2022,  the Shogakukan Manga Award in 2023 and the Kodansha Manga Award in 2024. A novel adaptation by Jun Esaka is also being published by Kodansha KK Bunko since January 2025 (2 vol. so far).

It is the story of fifth grade student Inori Yuitsuka who dreams to become a great figure skater, but since her sister injured herself in a competition, her mother doesn’t want her to even try. Then she meets Tsukasa Akeuraji, an athlete who has seen his skating dream crushed and is now considering becoming a coach. Together they will find the motivation to reach for Olympic Gold !

The story has been animated by ENGI studio into a 13-episode television series (one season so far), directed by Yasutaka Yamamoto, with screenplay by Jukki Hanada, character design by Chinatsu Kameyama and music by Yuki Hayashi. It was airing in Japan on TV Asahi and is currently streaming on Disney+ and Hulu.

It’s a story about perseverance. It’s funny, the style is rather cartoony, but the storytelling is quite average and the inking is very uneven, often too light, sometimes too heavy and always sketchy. All the characters are over the top psychos! No wonder kids now-a-day are having mental problems… The anime is very faithful to the manga.

Japanese library

The documentary series Document 72 Hours offers an interesting report on a public library in Kanazawa. Titled “Beyond the Books at a Kanazawa Library” it talks about a library that “resembles a sublime theater and offers more than 1.1 million books. For three days, we asked people what books piqued their interest and how they spend their time here.” This episode was initially aired on March 3, 2025 (rebroadcast on December 28th) and is available as VOD until March 29, 2026. It is not directly related to anime or manga, but it’s about two of my main pole of interest: Japanese culture and libraries.

Revue de ‘zines [002.025.333]

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Revue de ‘zines

Je continue (tant bien que mal) mon perpétuel rattrapage sur les magazines et autres ‘zines pertinents dans mon champ d’intérêt… Pour vous éviter le souci de courir après l’information, j’en épluche donc le contenu pour vous. C’est plein de bonnes suggestions de lectures… (Faute de temps et d’énergie, j’ai limité ou omis les hyperliens. Si vous voulez en savoir plus sur un auteur, un titre ou un sujet, vous pouvez consulter par vous-même soit Google ou Wikipedia!)

Animeland #251 (Juil.-Sept. 2025)

Ce numéro nous offre des dossiers sur Hokuto no Ken (manga, portrait de Tetsuo Hara (dessinateur), de Buronson (scénariste), les suites, Coamix (éditeur), entrevue avec Tsukasa Hôjô (co-fondateur de Coamix), l’anime et ses spin-off, l’adaptation française, rencontres avec Jun’ichi Hayama (animateur), Takuya Wada (animateur) et Yoshitomo Yonetani (assist. Prod.) et sur la Post-Apo (définition du genre, la fin du monde dans le mangas, rencontres avec Masakazu Ishiguro (auteur de Journey Beyond Heaven), Oh!Great (auteur de Kaijin Fugeki), ainsi que Kei Urana & Hideyoshi Andô (auteurs de Gachiakuta).

Le numéro se conclut sur une série de chroniques: Wish List (nous offre une sélection de mangas, anime et goodies — où je note la parution de Le poème du vent et des arbres par Keiko Takemiya chez naBan), Aparté (entrevue avec You Chiba, autrice de Kindergarten Wars), Focus Taïwan (entrevue avec Chang Sheng, auteur de Yan et de Baby), Japon (Entrevue avec Hyuganatsu, auteur du roman Les carnets de l’apothicaire), Hommage (Kazuo Umezu), et Postface.

À lire pour tous fans d’anime.

Animeland #252 (Oct.-Déc. 2025)

Ce numéro nous offre un dossier sur Neon Genesis Evangelion (Studio Gainax, une exposition sur les 30 ans de Nadia: Le secret de l’Eau Bleue, Rencontre avec Hiroaki Inoue (ex-VP), l’impact au Japon, origine et production, rencontres avec Kazuya Tsurumaki (réalisateur adjoint), Mahiro Maeda (directeur, designer et animateur), et Yôji Enokido (co-scénariste), portrait de Hideaki Anno, la manga, rencontres avec Yôko Takahashi (interprète de l’OP), Yûsuke Matsui (animateur 3D), panel des 30 ans de EVA à Japan Expo, Studio Trigger: héritier de Gainax, et rencontre avec Yoshimichi Kameda (animateur)).

Le numéro se conclut sur une série de chroniques: Wish List (nous offre une sélection de mangas, anime et goodies), Aparté (entrevue avec KENT (auteur deGreat Kaiju Gaea-Tima) et Takeshi Koike (Redline)), et Hommage (Éric Legrand, voix de Végéta et Seiya).

À lire pour tous fans d’anime.

dBD #196 (Sep.-Oct. 2025)

Dans le cahier actualités on mentionne la parution de l’édition prestige de Black Paradox par Junji Ito chez Delcourt/Tonkam, du Dorohedoro All-Star Guide Book par Q-Hayashida chez Soleil, et de Jeux de nuit par Tadao Tsuge chez Cornelius. On y retrouve également un article sur la réédition de Gen aux pieds nus T.1 par Keiji Nakazawa chez Le Tripode.

À la une de ce numéro on retrouve une entrevue avec Cosey sur sa série Jonathan et Yiyun, tous deux chez Le Lombard. Les entrevues se poursuivent avec Dominique Hé (sur La porte ouverte, 1971-1977: Mes années Moebius, chez Glénat), David B. (sur Monsieur Chouette chez L’Association), Alison Bechdel (sur Spent chez Denoël Graphic et sur l’exposition au Cartoonmuseum de Bâle), et Yann Le Bec (sur Les Singes chez Dupuis/Les Ondes Marcinelle).

Dans le Cahier Critique je note seulement Mujina Into The Deep par Inio Asano chez Kana (Top!; “À l’esthétique léchée (…) et à la psychologie particulièrement travaillée, ce seinen prend la latitude de la pleine page et de la composition aérée (…) pour étaler l’insolente virtuosité d’Asano”). “Ça vaut le détour” commente quelques titres supplémentaires.

“Le Territoire des Mangas” nous présente sur deux pages les nouveautés du genre : Ruridragon T.1 (Masaoki Shindo, chez Glénat), Engineer T.1-2 (Ikeda Kunihiko, chez Kotodama), The Strange House T.1 (Kyo Ayano d’après Uketsu, dont le roman parait simultanément au Seuil), Super Ball Girls T.1 (Maneyuki Kaneshiro & Akira Hiramoto, chez Soleil), En Pays Lointain (Masumi Sudo, chez Nobi Nobi), Le Dernie Écho de notre Existence T.1-2 (Yasuo Ohtagaki & Yuuki Ohta chez Moonlight).

Et finalement quelques rubriques : Le dessin du mois (l’affiche de Aude Picault pour le festival de BD de Delémont), L’Art de la couverture (Ohio: La belle rivière par Fred Duval, Brada, Jean-Paul Fernandez et Emem chez Delcourt), Avant-Première (7 pages de Les cheveux d’Édith par Fabienne Blanchut, Catherine Locandro et Dawid chez Dargaud), Talent à Découvrir (Corentin Garrido, pour Le Bonheur, chez Le Monte-En-L’Air) et Humeur.

Une lecture indispensable pour se tenir au courant des nouveautés en BD.

Métal Hurlant N°15 (mai 2025)

Ce numéro regroupe 29 courts récits et 8 articles (que je n’ai parcourue qu’en diagonale) sur le thème de l’immensité et des mystères des océans, sous le titre “Les Mondes du Silence”! Comme pour les numéros que j’ai commentés précédemment, si souvent les styles (extrêmement variés) des artistes n’étaient pas toujours de mon goût, j’ai toutefois trouvé quelques-un des courts récits plutôt intéressants — quoi que tous méritaient sans doute d’être lus. J’ai mis en caractères gras les titres les plus intéressants (narrativement et/ou graphiquement)…

Ce numéro nous présente donc les récits suivants: “L’Océan qui chante” (Fabrizio Dori, 9 pgs, couleur), “Europa” (Fabien Grolleau & Abdel de Bruxelles, 11 pgs, coul.), “Au-delà de l’océan” (Valentin Ramon, 7 pgs, coul.), “Narcose” (Zéphir, 9 pgs, coul.), “La plage” (Simeon van den Ende & Pim Bos, 9 pgs, coul.), “Achane” (Edo Brenes, 9 pgs, coul.), “Pour l’humanité” (Joseph Falzon, 9 pgs, coul.), “Les lueurs de la nuit, l’abîme et le naufragé des étoiles” (Homero Rios & Leno Carvalho, 7 pgs, N&B), “Le plongeon” (Jean-Luc Cornette, 5 pgs, coul.), “La tribu de l’eau” (Marco Taddei & Samuele Canestrari, 7 pgs, duotone), “Thurs. 7:13 PM” (Thomas Bidault, 5 pgs, coul.), “Mocha – Pêche interdite” (Marc Caro & Cecyle Bay, 9 pgs, coul.), “Limon” (Juliette Hayer, 9 pgs, coul.), “Megasillon” (Arthur de Pins, 9 pgs, coul.), “Enterré” (Ryan Barry, 9 pgs, N&B), “Soupe primordiale” (Laurent Siefer, 11 pgs, coul.), “Le pêcheur ds abysses” (Miel Vandepitte, 7 pgs, coul.), “Abyssal transfert” (Richard Guérineau, 9 pgs, coul.), “Chasse sous-marine” (Gloria Ciapponi & Luca Conca, 7 pgs, coul.), “Deux frères” (Gamberoussette, 5 pgs, coul.), “Les astro-nautiques” (Alexandre Ristorcelli, 8 pgs, coul.), “Blind Taste” (Marc Caro, 3 pgs, N&B), “Maelström” (Brouette Hurlante, 5 pgs, coul.), “Intrication au naturel” (Grégory Panaccione & Giorgio Gualandris, 7 pgs, N&B), “Océanisation” (Étienne Appert, 11 pgs, coul.), “La grande marée” (Camille Moulin-Dupré, 9 pgs, N&B), “TOL” (Damien Cuvillier, 5 pgs, coul.), et “Caralisator” (Michaël Sanlaville, 7 pgs, coul.).

Inégal, mais une bonne lecture quand même.

Pour plus d’Infos: [ Goodreads • Humanos • Nelligan • Wikipedia ]

Anime & manga updates

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NHK World Japan continues to be a great source of information about Japanese culture with their documentary series.

The Apothecary Diaries Special

The documentary series “Anime Manga Explosion” offers a special on the manga and anime The Apothecary Diaries. It is a fantasy story based on a novel where, in a country inspired by the Tang dynasty’s China, a young girl trained as an apothecary is solving mysteries. The author (Hyūga natsu) and anime director (Naganuma Norihiro) talk about how the story and the anime were produced. This episode aired in May 24, 2025 and will be available as Video On Demand (VOD) until May 24, 2026.

Anime Sanctuaries

There was a documentary series named “Anime Sanctuaries” where the description said “Did you know that a lot of your favorite anime are based in real-life locations? Join us on a pilgrimage around Japan to the “Sanctuaries” that are the inspiration of some of the greatest anime!” Unfortunately, I missed it, there are no VOD available and no more air date. Sorry! Keep an eye and maybe they will broadcast it again.

It was probably referring to the Seichi junrei phenomenon where fans go to visit locations featured in their favourite series. It is also referred as “Anime Tourism.” You can find more information on the following sites: Anime-88 Spots • Connect • DeepLog • Japan Travel • LivingInJapan • TMDb • WebJapan.

Plastic Models

The documentary series “Japanology Plus Mini“ offers an episode about Plastic Models: “Japan’s plastic models are popular worldwide. Shizuoka City leads the nation in plastic model shipments. We look at the city’s plastic model industry, from its history to the latest developments.” It was first aired on November 1 & 2, 2025 and will be available as VOD until November 1, 2026.

More Than Books

This is not about anime or manga, but it talks about a great interest of mine. The documentary series “Today’s Close-up” offers an episode about a new type of Japanese library. Titled “More Than Books: Libraries as Community Hubs” it is described as this: “So-called “lively libraries” that promote new concepts, such as allowing people to chat, eat and drink are gaining popularity, resulting in a sharp increase in users in an era of declining population. Some facilities use books and magazines to promote intergenerational exchanges and resolve local issues. In addition, some local governments have focused on their libraries’ ability to attract users by allowing people to use them for free as a key part of urban development. We visit a library in Gifu that has seen its visitor numbers increase tenfold. What is the potential for public spaces to evolve into places for everyone?” It was aired on November 6, 2025 and will be available as VOD until November 13, 2025.

Anime & manga updates [002.025.256]

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Anime & manga updates

Manben: Otomo

Urasawa Naoki & Otomo Katsuhiro

Another update on Manben: The latest episode of the NHK World documentary series Manben: Behind the Scenes of Manga with Urasawa Naoki (which introduces us to mangaka like Morohoshi Daijiro, Shigeru Mizuki, Nishi Keiko, Chiba Tetsuya, or Iwamoto Nao) is about Otomo Katsuhiro, the internationally renowned legend who created a masterpiece that shaped and revolutionized manga. Urasawa discuss his work with Otomo over the original pages of his manga Domu.

The episode originally aired in Japan on March 24, 2025, but the English version just aired on September 12 and 13, 2025 and is now available to view as VOD (Video on Demand) until September 27, 2025.

Paper film: The curious origins of color Anime

“Much of the first animation came out of France in the early 20th century, but developed mainly in the United States with the rise of film. In Japan, black and white animation began in the nineteen tens, but colour didn’t become prominent until the nineteen sixties. Except for a brief little-known chapter. A U.S. researcher has rediscovered and successfully restored coloured anime created here in the nineteen-thirties. (…) In the 1930s, Japan produced animated movies on paper, not celluloid. A U.S. professor has been restoring existing films, which were known for their full color.”

This news story aired on September 4th, 2025 and is now available as VOD. The 7-min. clip is also available on Youtube.

Adapting Anime Costumes for Live-Action

Direct Talk interviews the stylist and costume designer Nakahara Sachiko who “translates the looks of popular Japanese anime and manga characters into costumes for live-action adaptations. She talks about making an impact on the global stage.” The show aired on July 22, 2025 and is now available as Video On Demand (VOD) until July 22, 2026.

History Uncovered: The Hiroshige Code

“Influential ukiyo-e artist Utagawa Hiroshige‘s “100 Famous Views of Edo“, a series of prints encoding his view of the changing face of Japan.”  Art historian Toshinobu Yasumura, Professor Timon Screech, Hinohara Kenji and Manabu Oishi discuss, interpret and explain the messages hidden in Hiroshige’s art. This episode of “Time and Tide” aired on August 30, 2025 and is now available as Video On Demand (VOD) until August 29, 2026.

[ Traduire ]

Revue de ‘zines [002.025.214]

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Revue de ‘zines

Je continue mon perpétuel rattrapage sur les magazines et autres ‘zines pertinents dans mon champ d’intérêt… Pour vous éviter le souci de courir après l’information, j’en épluche donc le contenu pour vous. C’est plein de bonnes suggestions de lectures… (Faute de temps et d’énergie, j’ai limité ou omis les hyperliens. Si vous voulez en savoir plus sur un auteur, un titre ou un sujet, vous pouvez consulter par vous-même soit Google ou Wikipedia!)

Animeland #250 (Avril – Juin 2025)

Ce numéro très spécial (#250!) nous offre un dossier volumineux (146 p.!) et exhaustif sur Lady Oscar et le manga shôjo : le shôjo manga avant La Rose de Versailles, le manga de La Rose de Versailles, portrait de Riyoko Ikeda, les autres oeuvres de Riyoko Ikeda (Bara Yashiki no shôjo, Freesia no Asa, Très cher frère… (lire mon commentaire), Orpheus no Mado, Claudine, Ayako, Ten no Hate Made-Poland Hishi), l’interprétation de Takarazuka, l’archétype de la fille-prince, les autrices phares des années 1970 (Yasuko Aoike, Ryôko Takashina, Waki Yamato, Yukari Ichijô, Yumiko Ôshima, Ryôko Yamagishi, A-ko Mutsu), Moto Hagio (portrait, entrevue), la galaxie Margaret, l’anime de La Rose de Versailles, adaptation française, portrait d’Osamu Dezaki (Dir.), entrevue avec Michi Himeno (char. Design), le studio TMS,  entrevues avec Keiichi Ishiyama, Shiro Aono et Yuuji Toki, et, finalement, un bref portrait de Eiko Hanamura et la prépublication exclusive de son histoire courte “Une autre moi” (30 pages, en collaboration avec Akata) complètent ce dossier.

Le numéro se conclut avec quelques chroniques: Japon (Le dit du Genji) et Jeu Vidéo (rencontre avec Daisuke Ishiwatari, créateur de Guilty Gear).

Une lecture incontournable et essentielle pour tous fans d’anime et de manga (il est toutefois impardonnable d’avoir omis Eroica de la liste des oeuvres de Riyoko Ikeda).

Canal BD #159   (Fév. – Mars 2025)

Canal BD est un autre périodique dédié à la bande dessinée, mais que je n’ai pas l’habitude de lire souvent, car il n’est pas disponible à ma bibliothèque locale (quoi que je puisse l’avoir par prêt entre biblio). De plus, c’est un magazine qui est plus orienté pour les libraires (Canal BD étant une chaîne de librairies — avec des listes de parutions sans beaucoup de détails et beaucoup de publicités), il n’offre que des présentations (et non des commentaires critiques) et couvre très peu les mangas.

La section “Gros Plan” nous introduit à Daemon (Ronoan Toulhoart & Vincent Brugeas, chez Le Lombard) et Première Dame (Jean-Philippe Payraud & Didier Tronchet, chez Glénat). Dans la section “Sélection” on présente des parutions récentes avec un peu plus de détails. J’y note Arzak: Destination Tassili (Moebius, chez Moebius Prod). La section “Jeunesse” fait de même, mais pour les parutions jeunesse. La section “Interview” nous offre une entrevue avec Mathieu Bablet et Guillaume Singelin (sur Shin Zéro, chez Rue de Sèvres).  La section “Meilleures Ventes” présente Blake et Mortimer #30: Signé Olrik (Yves Sente & André Juillard, chez Ed. Blake et Mortimer) pour la BD et Instinct T.1 (inoxtag chez Michel Lafon – c’est du manga ça?), My Hero Academia T.40 (Kohei Horikoshi, chez Ki-oon) et One-Punch Man T.30 (Yusuke Murata, chez Kurokawa) pour le manga. La section la plus intéressante pour moi est sans doute “BD du Monde” où l’on retrouve Tokyo, ces jours-ci T.2 (Taiyô Matsumoto, chez Kana) et Frères du Japon (Taiyô Matsumoto, chez Delcourt), ainsi que Dohohedoro: Chaos Edition T.1 (Q-Hayashida, chez Soleil).

Une lecture intéressante pour se tenir au courant des nouveautés en BD. Par contre, ce qui est le gros avantage de ce magazine c’est qu’il est aussi disponible gratuitement en ligne!

dBD #193 (Mai 2025)

Dans le cahier actualités on mentionne la parution du premier volume du magazine de prépublication collectif Manga Issho (300 pages offrant 18 auteurs et 14 histoires, fruit de la collaboration entre les éditeurs Altraverse, Kana, Planeta Comic et Star Comics, 4,90 €, chez Kana), de Shotaro Ishinomori: Il était une fois le roi du manga (par Claude Leblanc, chez IMHO), et de Harem End (Shintaro Kago, chez IMHO). On retrouve également un article qui souligne les vingt-cinq ans de la maison d’édition L’Employé du Moi. De plus, suite à la “Mauvaise Humeur” de Frédéric Bosser dans le #192, Dany réplique avec des précisions sur l’affaire Spirou et la Gorgone Bleue — Dupuis ayant cessé la commercialisation de l’album suivant des accusations de racisme à l’égard de Dany & Yann.

À la une de ce numéro on retrouve une entrevue avec Matthieu Bonhomme (sur Charlotte Impératrice T.4, avec Nuri, chez Dargaud). Les entrevues se poursuivent avec Alain Ayroles & Hervé Tanquerelle (sur La terre verte, chez Delcourt), Jean-Paul Krassinsky (sur De pierre et d’os, d’après Bérengère Cournut, chez Dupuis), Homs (sur Le Diable et Coral, chez Dargaud), et Matz (sur L’Or du spectre, avec Philippe Xavier, chez Le Lombard et Les papillons ne meurent pas de vieillesse, avec Frédéric Bézian, chez Casterman).

On retrouve également un article sur l’art de la couverture en prenant pour exemple Enfermé: Mathurin Réto, pupille à Belle-Île de Julien Hillon et Renan Coquin. Dans la même idée, on nous présente (à l’occasion de la parution de L’art de Bretécher chez Dargaud et de l’exposition Signé Bretécher au musée de la BD d’Angoulème) quelques crayonnés de recherche pour des planches d’Agrippine et du Destin de Monique.

Le Coup de Coeur du Mois va à Lisa Blumen pour Sangliers (chez L’Employé du mois). Il n’y a toujours aucune section sur les mangas dans ce numéro. Dans le Cahier Critique je note Louve T.1 par Miyako Miiya, chez Rue de Sèvres (Super!; “Une succession de chapitres qui se grignotent comme des histoires courtes. Un récit plein de poésie, porté par un dessin charbonneux à l’effet saisissant”).

Une lecture indispensable pour se tenir au courant des nouveautés en BD.

dBD #194 (Juin 2025)

Dans le cahier actualités on mentionne la parution de Tout savoir sur les Chevaliers du Zodiaque et les héros en armure (par Bounthavy Suvilay, chez Ynnis), Saint Seiya Deluxe T.1 (par Masami Kurumada, chez Kana), Tanaki & Amane (par Fumi Yoshinaga, chez Soleil), Dragon Ball: Le roi démon Piccolo T.1 (version colorisée, par Akira Toriyama, chez Glénat), et Dog Signal T.1 (par Saya Miyauchi, chez Soleil). On retrouve un article sur le festival d’Angoulème et la controverse qui entoure la gestion de ses organisateurs, L’Humanité en appellant même au boycott pour l’an prochain.

À la une de ce numéro on retrouve une entrevue avec James Tynion IV (sur The Nice House by the Sea T.1 avec Alvaro Martinez Bueno, Something is Killing the Children T.8 avec Werther Dell’Edera, The Department of Truth T.5 avec Martin Simmonds, Le Déviant T.1 avec Josh Hixson, et L’Étrange Quotidien de Christopher Chaos T.1 avec Tate Brombal & Isaac Goodhart, tous chez Urban Comics).  Les entrevues se poursuivent avec Stéphane Oiry (sur Les héros du peuple sont immortels, chez Dargaud), Elie Huault (sur Cometa, chez Les Humanoïdes Associés), Bruno Duhamel (sur Whisky, avec David Ratte, chez Grand Angle), et Pierre Alexandrine (sur L’Amourante, chez Glénat). On retrouve également un article sur l’art de la couverture en prenant pour exemple Les Parrains: Il était une fois à New York T.1-3 par David Chauvel, Erwan Le Saëc & Thomas Ehretsmann, chez Delcourt.

Côté mangas on nous offre (enfin!) une entrevue avec Usamaru Furuya (sur La Musique de Marie, chez IMHO et Je voudrais être tué par une lycéenne T.1-2, chez Delcourt). La chronique Ça vaut le détour mentionne également Le Gardien des étoiles (par Isuzu Uemura, chez Rue de Sèvres; “un manga humaniste et apaisant”).  Et dans le Cahier Critique je note Watership Down (par James Sturm & Joe Sutphin, d’après Richard Adams, chez Mr Toussaint Louverture), Sorcières T.1 par Daisuke Igarashi, chez Delcourt (Super!; “réédition (…) de ce manga atypique précédemment paru chez Casterman en 2007”), et Great Kaiju Gaea-Tima T.1 par Kent, chez Ki-oon (Super!; “postulat narratif audacieux (…), l’intrigue promet quelques développements intéressants”).

Une lecture indispensable pour se tenir au courant des nouveautés en BD.

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Anime & manga update [002.025.208]

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Anime & manga update

Update: Young Magazine English version

NHK World News reports that Kodansha  announced that, to commemorate the magazine’s 45th anniversary, it is releasing a special English-language edition of Young Magazine, its popular magazine for young adults. According to NHK World Japan, “Young Magazine USA will have about 1,000 pages featuring 20 titles on themes including Sci-Fi and cyberpunk.” Kodansha will hand out the special edition at Anime NYC in August 21-24 and at Kinokuniya  bookstores in the US from August 21 to November 10. It is unclear if this will be a one-shot edition or if more issues of the magazine are planned. According to ANN, “Readers will be able to vote for their favorites among 16 eligible titles, with the winners earning serialization on the K MANGA App.” [Sources: ANN • NHK World Japan]

The Professionals

Another interesting TV series on NHK WORLD Japan is “The Professionals“ about “exceptional people who are breaking new ground and making a difference in their area of expertise.” There are currently eight episodes available. Yesterday, I watched an interesting episode about Honda Tsuneyuki, a toy developer who designs capsule toys. He introduced capsule toys of unprecedented size: 7-centimetre ! In this documentary, we follow him as he is producing the capsule toy of a big Gundam head.

“A Tiny Universe in the Palm of Your Hand: Honda Tsuneyuki, Toy Developer” aired July 25 (10:10 PM) and July 26 (06:10 AM, 11:10 AM, 05:10 PM), but should be available as VOD soon.

Anime & Manga Explosion !

The latest episode of the NHK WORLD Japan documentary series “Anime & Manga Explosion !” is about anime and manga adapting mythological themes. The first part tells us about the anime adaptation of Masami Kurumada’s manga Saint Seiya directed by Morishita Kozo. The second part talks about a manga inspired by the Japanese folk tale of Momotaro (with a serious twist!): Tougen Anki by Yura Urushibara — which has just started airing on Nippon TV as an anime adaptation by Studio Hibari under the direction of Ato Nonaka. In this episode they mentioned Anime News Network !

“Classic Tales Reborn: SAINT SEIYA / TOUGEN ANKI” aired July 26 (11:10 PM) and July 27 (05:10 AM, 10:10 AM, 04:10 PM), but should be available as VOD soon. There are eight episodes of  “Anime & Manga Explosion !” currently available as Video On Demand (VOD).

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Anime & manga updates [002.025.194]

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Anime & manga updates

Manben

I’ve talked about “Manben” a couple of years ago, but here’s another update.

The latest episodes of the NHK World documentary series Manben: Behind the Scenes of Manga with Urasawa Naoki (which introduces us to mangaka like Shigeru Mizuki, Nishi Keiko or Chiba Tetsuya) is about Iwamoto Nao, a popular shojo manga artist known for her rich worlds of fantasy, romance, and adventure. Over a four-day period, we see her work on pages for Seven Knights of the Marronnier Kingdom. The episode originally aired in Japan in October 2020, but the English version just aired on July 12, 2025 (at 09:10 PM) and July 13, 2025 (at 03:10 AM, 09:10 AM, and 03:10 PM) and should be soon available to view as VOD (Video on Demand).

Iwamoto Nao (岩本 ナオ) is a shōjo mangaka who made her debut when she received the 10th Gekkan Flowers Comic Audition Golden Flower Award for her work “Sono Kanojo no Sonzai” which was subsequently published in the May 2004 issue of Monthly Flowers. She also received in 2009 the 55th Shogakukan Manga Awards in Shojo category for Machi de Uwasa no Tengu no Ko. She is mostly known for the latter as well as for Kin no Kuni Mizu no Kuni and Marronnier Oukoku no Shichinin no Kishi, but she has published more than half a dozen titles:

  • スケルトンインザクローゼット [Sukeruton in za Kuroozetto / Skeleton in the Closet] : a collection of 7 stories, serialized in Flowers, Shogakukan, 2005.
  • イエスタデイ、イエス ア デイ[Iesutadi Iesu a Di / Yesterday, Yes a Day] : serialized in Flowers, Shogakukan, 2006, 1 vol.
  • あめなしむらやくば さんぎょうか けん かんこうがかり [Amenashi-mura Yakuba Sangyou-ka ken Kankougakari ]: serialized in Rinka, 2007, 3 vol.
  • 町でうわさの天狗の子 [Machi de Uwasa no Tengu no Ko / lit. “The Tengu Child Rumored in Town”] : serialized in Flowers, Shogakukan, 2007, 12 vol. Translated in French by Kazé as Spiritual Princess. [Nelligan]
  • ジャイキリ読んで〇〇してきました [Jaikiri Yonde Maru Maru Shite Kimashita / lit. “I Started Doing 〇〇 After Reading Giant Killing”] : an essay manga published in “Giant Killing extra”, Kodansha, 2010.
  • 金の国水の国 [Kin no Kuni Mizu no Kuni / lit. “Gold Kingdom and Water Kingdom”] : serialized in Flowers, Shogakukan, 2014, 1 vol. It was adapted into an anime movie in 2023 and translated in English by Seven Seas. Also translated in French by Akata as Les noces de l’or et de l’eau.
  • 七叶树王国的七名骑士 [Marronnier Oukoku no Shichinin no Kishi / lit. “Seven famous swordsmen of the Seven Leaf Kingdom”] : serialized in Flowers, Shogakukan, 2016, 10 vol., ongoing series. Translated in French by Akata as Les 7 chevaliers du royaume des Marronniers.
  • 岩本ナオ 古今東西しごと集 [Iwamoto Nao Kokon Touzai Shigoto-shuu / lit. “Nao Iwamoto: A collection of work from around the world, past and present”] : an anthology collecting 4 stories to celebrate her 15th year anniversary in the industry, Shogakukan, 2019.

[ AniList • ANN • Goodreads • LesLibraires • MangaUpdates • Nelligan • Wikipedia ]

Léviathan

The anime adaption of Scott Westerfeld‘s young adult novel series, Leviathan, is now available on Netflix. Produced by Studio Orange (Trigun Stampede, Beastars), it is set in an early twentieth century alternate steampunk past and tells the story of an Austrian fugitive prince and a Scottish airman in disguise who find themselves aboard the HMS Leviathan, a genetically engineered airship, fighting mechanized war machines in order to prevent a world war.

I have now watch half of the twelve episodes of the series and I must say that I am VERY impressed with this anime. It is quite faithful to the original book (of course, like all adaptation, there are a few shortcuts here and there, and some changes, but it is very respectful of the original) and the animation is of very high quality. It is somewhat reminiscent of Gundam (character designs) and Miyazaki (particularly the watercolour storyboard of the end credits by Christopher Ferreira & Alex Alice). It is an excellent work that I strongly recommend to all anime fans, particularly if you already know the novels or if you are interested in alternate history and steampunk.

Leviathan, Japan, 2025, anime series, 12 episodes of 25 min.: Dir.: Christophe Ferreira; Scr.: Yuichiro Kido, Yukata Yasunaga (based on Scott Westerfeld’s novels); Studio: Qubic, Orange; Anim. Prod.: Tokuya Ogawa, Daigo Ikeda; Voice dir.: Yoshimi Iide;  Char. Des.: Ayumi Kurashima;  Mecha des.: Takehiko Hoashi, Shinobu Tsuneki;  Creature des.: Le Yamamura;  Art dir.: Tadashi Nakajima;  Ed.: Edit Room Seyama, Rie Matsubara; Mus.: Nobuko Toda, Kazuma Jinnouchi, Joe Hisaishi (op & closing theme); Prod.: Katrina Minett, Yoshihiro Watanabe; Distr.: Netflix; Cast: Natsumi Fujiwara (Dylan), Ayumu Murase (Alek), Shunsuke Sakuya (Volger), Yasuhiro Mamiya (Klopp), Mie Sonozaki (Dr. Nora Barlow), Ivan Shibata (Newkirk), Fairouz Ai (Lilit), Hiroki Touchi (Tesla), Ikuko Tani (Nene), Genta Nakamura (Hoffman), Daichi Hayashi (Rigby), Satoshi Niwa (Matthews), Naoto Kobayashi (Thomas), Yukitaro Namura (Hirst), Michio Hazama (George Darwin), Takahiro Fujiwara (Pavel), Naomi Kusumi (Zaven), Tessyo Genda (Sultan).

[ ANN • IMDb • Wikipedia ]

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Anime & manga updates [002.025.165]

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Anime & manga updates

Manben

The latest episodes of the NHK World documentary series Manben: Behind the Scenes of Manga with Urasawa Naoki (which introduces us to mangaka like Shigeru Mizuki or Nishi Keiko) is about Chiba Tetsuya, the creator of the legendary series Ashita no Joe. The episode originally aired in Japan in 2020, but the English version just aired on June 13, 2025 (at 09:10 PM) and June 14, 2025 (at 03:10 AM, 09:10 AM, and 03:10 PM) and should be soon available to view as VOD (Video on Demand).

Tetsuya CHIBA [jp], now 86 year-old, talks about creating Ashita No Joe and we see him working on a few pages of his latest autobiographical series, Hinemosu no Tari Nikki [ひねもすのたり日記 / lit. “Daytime diary”]. He was recently the first mangaka to be honoured with the prestigious Order of Culture award. 

Midnight Diner

If you are into Japanese drama tv series, I strongly recommend Midnight Diner [深夜食堂 / Shinya shokudō]. Based on a manga by Yarō Abe, it offers five seasons of ten 25-minute episodes each, directed by Joji Matsuoka and starring Kaoru Kobayashi. The first three seasons aired in Japan on MBS from October 2009 to December 2014 and the last two seasons (titled Midnight Diner: Tokyo Stories) aired on Netflix from October 2016 to October 2019. All five seasons are now available subtitled on Netflix. It tells the story of a chef, known only as “Master”, who operate a 12-seat late-night diner in Shinjuku. It is opened from midnight to 7 am and the menu offers only Tonjiru (pork miso soup), but the chef can cook whatever customers request as long as he has the ingredients for it. Each episode focuses on one specific Japanese dish and the life drama of one of his regular costumer. It has also spawn two movies (in 2014 and 2016). It is a really great series as it offers the drama of daily life, is often funny and sometimes falls into fantasy (or magical realism). I really like it.

Leviathan

The anime adaption of Scott Westerfeld‘s young adult novel series, Leviathan, is coming to Netflix on July 10th. Produced by Studio Orange (Trigun Stampede, Beastars), it is set in an early twentieth century alternate steampunk past and tells the story of an Austrian fugitive prince and a Scottish airman in disguise who find themselves aboard the HMS Leviathan, a genetically engineered airship, fighting mechanized war machines in order to prevent a world war. It is quite promising. You can watch the teaser on Youtube:

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Revue de ‘zines [002.025.144]

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Revue de ‘zines

Je continue mon perpétuel rattrapage sur les magazines et autres ‘zines pertinents dans mon champ d’intérêt… Pour vous éviter le souci de courir après l’information, j’en épluche donc le contenu pour vous. C’est plein de bonnes suggestions de lectures… (Faute de temps et d’énergie, j’ai limité ou omis les hyperliens. Si vous voulez en savoir plus sur un auteur, un titre ou un sujet, vous pouvez consulter par vous-même soit Google ou Wikipedia!)

Animeland #248 (Oct. – Déc. 2024)

Ce numéro nous offre un dossier “Hommage à Akira Toriyama” avec un portrait de l’auteur, une présentation de Dragon Ball manga et anime, Dragon Ball Z, GT, Super et Daima, les jeux video, ses histoires courtes ou les anime auxquels il a collaboré et des interviews avec Yoshihiro Ueda (réalisateur des anime), Hiroki Takahashi (chanteur du générique), Shigeyazu Yamauchi (réalisateur sur l’anime de DBZ), Masaki Sato (animateur), et Toshiyuki Kanno (character designer de Sand Land).

On retrouve également un dossier sur le magazine de pré-publication qui a fait connaitre Toriyama: Weekly Shonen Jump, avec un portrait du magazine et des interviews avec Kazuhiro Torishima (éditeur et rédacteur-en-chef de Weekly Shonen Jump), les éditeurs de Shueisha (Yuta Momiyama, Shuhei Hosono et Takuro Imamura), et Kiyotaka Oshiyama (réalisateur de Look Back).

Le numéro se conclut sur une série de chroniques: Jeu Vidéo (rencontre avec l’illustrateur Hitoshi Yoneda), Wish List (nous offre une sélection de mangas, anime et goodies), Japon (Sadako, personnage du film d’horreur Ring, réalisé par Hideo Nakata et interprété par Rie Ino), Parlons VF (le doublage de Dragon Ball), Hommage (Noriko Ohara, voice actrice de Doraemon et Conan Fils du Futur), et Humeur.

À lire pour tous fans d’anime.

Animeland #249 (Jan. – Mars 2025)

Ce numéro nous offre un dossier sur Bleach avec un portrait de Tite Kubo (auteur), une introduction au manga et à l’anime, son processus de création, ses produits dérivés (roman, live-action, comédie musicale, jeu video, le spin-off Burn The Witch), la version française, la thématique de l’ikai (“autre monde”) et des interviews avec le réalisateur Noriyuki Abe, Masashi Kudo (character design), et Ken Hagino (producteur), Go Koga (réalisateur de The Birth of Kitaro: The Mystery of Gege), ainsi que Yoshihiro Kanno et Atsushi Kaneko (animateur et producteur au studio A-1 Pictures).

Le dossier se poursuit avec un reportage sur les 45 ans d’histoire du Studio Pierrot, incluant des interviews avec Atsushi Wakabayashi (animateur et réalisateur sur Yu Yu Hakusho et Naruto), Mamoru Oshii (Urusei Yatsura, Dallos, Gosenzo-sama, Patlabor), et Tomohisa Taguchi (Akudama Drive, Bleach: Thousand Year Blood War).

Le numéro se conclut sur une série de chroniques: Wish List (nous offre une sélection de mangas, anime et goodies, où je note la parution en français du manga M.S. Gundam The Origin chez Vega), Jeu Vidéo (rencontre avec Toshiro Kondo, président de Nihon FALCOM), et Hommage (aux voice actrices Emi Shinohara [Sailor Jupiter] et Atsuko Tanaka [le Major dans Ghost in the Shell] et à la journaliste Suzuka Asaoka).

À lire pour tous fans d’anime.

Canal BD #158   (Déc. 2024 – Jan. 2025)

Canal BD est un autre périodique dédié à la bande dessinée, mais que je n’ai pas l’habitude de lire souvent, car il n’est pas disponible à ma bibliothèque locale (quoi que je puisse l’avoir par prêt entre biblio). De plus, c’est un magazine qui est plus orienté pour les libraires (Canal BD étant une chaîne de librairies — avec des listes de parutions sans beaucoup de détails et beaucoup de publicités), il n’offre que des présentations (et non des commentaires critiques) et couvre très peu les mangas. 

La section “Gros Plan” nous introduit à Du Rififi à Ménilmontant! Par Tardi (D’après Léo Malet) chez Casterman et Gung Ho – Intégrale parBenjamin Von Eckartsberg & Thomas Von Kummant chez Paquet. Dans la section “Sélection” on présente des parutions récentes avec un peu plus de détails. J’y note des BDs de Druillet (Lone Sloane – Intégrale chez Glénat et Druillet – Lovecraft chez Barbier) et Caza (Le Monde d’Arkadi – Intégrale chez Les Humanoïdes Associés). La section “Jeunesse” fait de même, mais pour les parutions jeunesse.  La section “Interview” nous offre une entrevue avec Mark Millar, scénariste chez Marvel et DC, sur la création de sa propre collection: Millarworld. La section “Meilleures Ventes” présente Moi, Fadi, Le frère volé par Riad Sattouf chez Livres du Futur, Habemus Bastard t.2 chez Dargaud et Les Aigles de Rome t.7 chez Dargaud pour la BD, et One Piece t.108 chez Glénat, Spy X Family t.13 chez Kurokawa et Kaiju no 8 t.12 chez Crunchyroll, pour le manga. La section la plus intéressante pour moi est sans doute “BD du Monde” où l’on retrouve Dragon Hunt Tribe t.2 par Kuroi chez Ki-oon et Shibatarian t.1 par Iwamuro chez Panini.

Une lecture intéressante pour se tenir au courant des nouveautés en BD. Par contre, ce qui est le gros avantage de ce magazine c’est qu’il est disponible gratuitement en ligne!

dBD #190 (Février 2025)

Dans le cahier actualités on mentionne la réédition de Exterminateur 17 (par Enki Bilal & Jean-Pierre Dionnet chez Casterman), ainsi que la parution de Arzak: Destination Tassili – Corpus Final (par Moebius, chez Moebius Production qui nous offre une deuxième partie sans dialogue et une troisième juste esquissée suite à la disparition du maître). On retrouve également un article hommage à Christian Godard (Martin Milan, Le Vagabond des Limbes, La Jungle en Folie) et un sur l’oeuvre de Jeff Smith (sur Big Johnson Bone et autres contes oubliés chez Delcourt ainsi que Bone vol.1-9 et RASL vol. 1-3 également chez Delcourt).

À la une de ce numéro on retrouve une entrevue avec Corentin Rouge & Caryl Férey sur Islander T.1 chez Glénat.  Les entrevues se poursuivent avec Aude Picault (sur Moi je, quarantaine chez Dargaud), ainsi que Vincent Brugeas, Ronan Toulhoat & Yoann Guillo (sur Daemon T.1 chez Le Lombard).

Aucune section sur les mangas cette fois-ci, mais on nous offre plutôt en avant-premières des extraits de leurs coups de coeur du mois: Carcoma (par Andrés Garrido chez Dupuis), Le Démon de Mamie (par Florence Cestac chez Dargaud), Première Dame (Par Didier Tronchet & Jean-Philippe Payraud chez Glénat), Les mouvements célestes (Par Michèle Peroncini chez Sarbacane), et Bestia T.1 (par Corc aux Humanoïdes Associés).

Dans le Cahier Critique je note Dorohedoro T.1 par Q Hayashida chez Soleil (Super!; “Barré, underground, violent, trash, drôle et férocement rock’n’roll, ce manga sans concession (…) ravira les fans de SF délirante et de gore à la narration débridée et qui ne se prend pas au sérieux”), Serial Killer Isekai T.1 par Ichigo Hitotsubu & Hiro chez Delcourt (Bien; “une histoire bien tordue qui mélange thriller psychologique déjanté et univers parallèles”), et La fin du système T.1 par Takeshi Natsuhara & Shinobu Kaitani chez Delcourt (Super!; “une série originale mêlant politique et économie qui devrait plaire à tous les adeptes de justice sociale (…), magistralement bien écrite”).

Une lecture indispensable pour se tenir au courant des nouveautés en BD.

dBD #191 (Mars 2025)

Dans le cahier actualités on mentionne la parution de Louve t.1 par Miyako Miiya chez Le Renard Doré, Brigantus t.2 par Hermann & Yves H chez Le Lombard (décidément on trouve de plus en plus d’histoires sur la Rome antique), Dommage Cérébral par Shintaro Kago chez Huber, ainsi que les lauréats de BDmania.ch 2024.

À la une de ce numéro on retrouve une entrevue avec Griffo & Rodolphe sur La Main du Diable chez Anspach. Les entrevues se poursuivent avec Jacques Glénat (au sujet de l’exposition “Passionnément, à la folie…” au Couvent Saint-Cécile à Genoble qui présente 150 planches et dessins originaux de sa collection), François Rivière (sur Confession d’un amateur de BD Belge chez les Impressions Nouvelles), Richard Blake (sur Horizon Oblique chez Urban Comics), Keum Suk Gendry-Kim (sur Mon ami Kim Jong-un chez Futuropolis), Gaet’s & Monier (sur Fan Man, d’après Kotzwinkle, chez Petit à Petit)

Aucune section sur les mangas cette fois-ci, mais on nous offre plutôt en avant-premières des extraits de leurs coups de coeur du mois: La nuit des lanternes (par Jean-Étienne chez Delcourt), Au coeur du désert (par Maryse & Jean-François Charles chez Le Lombard), Enfermé (par Julien Hillion & Renan Coquin chez Dargaud), et Jefferson (par Antoine Ronzon d’après le roman de Jean-Claude Mourlevat, chez Gallimard Jeunesse). Et dans le Cahier Critique je note aucun titre de manga ou qui mérite mention.

Une lecture indispensable pour se tenir au courant des nouveautés en BD.

dBD #192 (Avril 2025)

Dans le cahier actualités on nous offre un article célébrant les cinquante ans de Fluide Glacial, magazine de BD humoristique créé par Gotlib en 1975, vendue à Flammarion en 1995 et racheté par Bamboo en 2016. On retrouve également un article sur Krimi  (par Thibault Vermot & Alex W. Inker, chez Sarbacane).

À la une de ce numéro on retrouve une entrevue avec Brüno & Fabien Nury sur Electric Miles T.1: Wilbur chez Glénat (incluant un extrait de sept pages). Les entrevues se poursuivent avec Nina Bunjevac (sur La Réparation chez Martin de Halleux et Fatherland: Une histoire de famille chez Gallimard), Jules Caleb (sur Ish & Mima chez Kinaye), Ryan North (sur Fantastic Four T.1: Qu’est-il arrivé aux Quatre Fantastiques?, avec Iban Coello chez Panini), Mikael Ross (sur Le nirvana est ici, aux Seuil).

Dans le Cahier Critique je note Detroit: Become Human T.1 par Sawatari & Sumida chez Kurokawa (Super!) et Dans le premier train du matin par Yugo Aosaki & Shirohiko Yamada chez Delcourt (Bien; “Trois courts récit [qui] (…) dépeint de façon quasi méthodique, dans toute leur complexité, les mécaniques de pensées adolescentes”). Ça vaut le détour mentionne également la réédition du recueil d’histoires courtes Frères du Japon par Taiyo Matsumoto chez Delcourt.

Grosse déception: Trois numéros de suite sans aucun article sur le manga… dBD aurait-il abandonné la BD nippone ?!

Une lecture indispensable pour se tenir au courant des nouveautés en BD.

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Anime update [002.025.0054]

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Beastars

One of the latest episodes of the NHK World documentary series Anime Manga Explosion is dedicated to the manga and anime Beastars. It first aired on NHK World on December 28, 2024, but was broadcast again this weekend. It is available as Video On Demand (VOD) until December 29, 2025.

Beastars is “a popular manga that uses a world of anthropomorphic animals to explore modern social issues. Through an exclusive interview with creator Itagaki Paru, learn how BEASTARS came to life and the passion behind it. Plus, take a behind-the-scenes look at the anime’s final season and the innovations that enhance its realism.”

Beastars is a shōnen manga by Paru Itagaki that was first serialized in Weekly Shōnen Champion from September 2016 to October 2020 before being compiled in 22 volumes by Akita Shoten. It was adapted into an anime by Studio Orange under the direction of Shin’ichi Matsumi and is airing on Fuji TV‘s +Ultra programming block since October 10, 2019. There are 36 episodes so far. It has been licensed on Netflix.

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Anime update [002.025.026]

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Studio Pierrot

I have already covered much the documentaries about anime and manga on NHK World. There are two shows in particular that are of interest: first, Manben: Behind the Scenes of Manga with Urasawa Naoki (talking about artists like Shigeru Mizuki or Yasuhiko Yoshikazu) and, second, Anime Manga Explosion (talking about the Patlabor Revival, Music in anime : Girl Band Anime or the Legendary Producer Maruyama Masao).

The latest episode of Anime-Manga Explosion is dedicated to Studio Pierrot. It is airing January 25th and 26th on NHK World and should be available soon as Video On Demand (VOD). Studio Pierrot (株式会社ぴえろ / Kabushiki-gaisha Piero) was created forty-five years ago, in May 1979, and produced several famous anime like Urusei Yatsura, Area 88, Kimagure Orange Road, YuYu Hakusho, Here is Greenwood, Fushigi Yûgi, Neo Ranga, GTO, Plastic Little, Key the Metal Idol, Hikaru no Go, The Twelve Kingdoms, Naruto, Bleach, etc., although the documentary focuses only on those last two titles.

If you are interested into anime and its history, you should have a look…

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Protoculture Memories

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ProtocultureLogo

Last month, I have put online a legacy website dedicate to the memory of the works I published in French with Ianus Publications, particularly the fanzine Samizdat and a couple of anthologies, both about the Science-fiction of Quebec. 

I have now done the same with the works I did in English with Protoculture: mostly the Protoculture Addicts magazine (about Japanese popular culture, including anime, manga and live-action cinema) but also a variety of anime-related products. This legacy website is named “Protoculture Memories”. Please have a look.

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The Boy and the Heron

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“After his mother’s death, young Mahito moves to her hometown, where a mysterious heron leads him into a fantastic realm shared by the living and the dead.” [Description from Netflix]

>> Please, read the warning for possible spoilers <<

The Boy and the Heron (君たちはどう生きるか / Kimitachi wa dō ikiru ka / lit. “How do you live?”) is the 12th feature-length movie directed by Miyazaki (despite having announced his retirement several time). It is inspired by his childhood and by Genzaburo Yoshino’s 1937 novel How Do You Live? which Miyazaki has read as a boy and is considering as one of his favourites books. The production lasted for seven years.

During WW2, after the fire-bombing of Tokyo, the twelve year-old Mahito moves to his family’s estate in the countryside. His sick mother has died and his father has remarried his mother’s sister.  He feels watched by a strange grey heron. On the expansive estate, there’s an old tower built by his Great-Uncle and that is said to be cursed. He is told to keep away, but, as all teenagers, doesn’t listen. In a coming-of-age experience, the talking heron guides him into a strange parallel world out of time.

This is the weirdest of all Miyazaki’s movies. It is a mish-mash of everything: biographical elements, bits and pieces of most of his previous movies (even from his book Shuna’s Journey), the myth of Orpheus who visits the underworld to save his wife Eurydice, and even Snow White and the seven dwarves (in this case represented by seven old and ugly maids) ! It is a trip through the mind of Miyazaki (maybe he is the Master of the Tower and each of the doors of the tower leads to one of his universe?). It can be a very simple story (a boy saves his aunt/step mom from the meta universe or the boy has a feverish dream following a bad head injury ?) or a very complex metaphysical allegory that doesn’t make much sense. You choose. However, what ever you think of the story the fact remains that it is an incredibly beautiful hand-drawn animation (the backgrounds are really stunning and the effects when the boy runs through the burning streets of Tokyo are quite impressive). A must-see movie particularly if you are a fan of Miyazaki.

TheBoyAAndTheHeronThe Boy and the Heron : Japan, 2023, 124m, Japanese with English subtitles; Dir. & Scr.: Hayao Miyazaki; Art Dir.: Yôji Takeshige; Anim. Dir. & Char. Design: Takeshi Honda; Phot.: Atsushi Okui; Ed.: Rie Matsubara, Takeshi Seyama, Akane Shiraishi; Music: Joe Hisaishi; Prod.: Toshio Suzuki (Studio Ghibli); Distr.: Toho; Cast: Soma Santoki (Mahito Maki), Masaki Suda (The Grey Heron), Kô Shibasaki (Kiriko), Aimyon (Himi), Yoshino Kimura (Natsuko), Takuya Kimura (father: Shoichi Maki), Jun Kunimura (The Parakeet King), Shohei Hino (Great-Uncle). Rated PG. It has received a score of 97% on Rottentomatoes, 91% on Metacritic and 7.4 / 10 on IMDb. With a box office of US$294.2 million, it’s the highest-grossing Japanese film. It also received several awards: Academy Awards, the BAFTA Awards, the Golden Globes, and the Japanese Film Academy. stars-3-5

To learn more about this title you can consult the following web sites:

[ Google • IMDb • Netflix • TIFF • Wikipedia ]

Also, you can check the official trailer on Youtube:

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Interviews

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Suite à la table ronde “Protoculture Addicts: Initier la vague anime et manga”, qui s’est tenue en mai 2024 dans le cadre  du  3e colloque du groupe de recherche “Au-delà des 2 solitudes”, l’une des participantes — Bounthavy Suvilay (Maîtresse de conférence à l’Université de Lille, journaliste freelance, rédactrice chez AnimeLand, autrice chez Bragelonne et Ynnis) — a fait des entrevues tant avec mon épouse, Miyako Matsuda, qu’avec moi-même. Ces entrevues sont maintenant disponibles en ligne sur le site de Bounthavy: Difficile d’écrire sur des futilités. 

J’en profite pour remercier Bounthavy de l’intérêt qu’elle a portée à notre travail et d’avoir pris le temps de faire ces entrevues, mais surtout pour son propre travail de vulgarisation de la culture populaire japonaise dans ses articles et ses ouvrages et le fait qu’elle contribue à faire connaître l’anime et le manga dans le milieu académique. J’en suis très admiratif.

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Ma vie en 24 images par seconde

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MaVieEn24ImagesSec-cov“Un parcours hors du commun qui va nous mener du Japon d’après-guerre jusqu’en 2001 et la sortie du film Metropolis. Un parcours fait de rencontres, d’opportunités, de soirées interminables, de jazz, de cigarettes, mais surtout de cinéma. Une passion qui lui a été transmise par son père et qui lui donnera très tôt l’envie de devenir réalisateur. Et c’est le cinéma d’animation qui lui offrira cette opportunité. Autre figure incontournable de ce parcours, celle d’Osamu Tezuka auprès duquel il va travailler des années, notamment sur la première série d’animation : Astro. Puis Rintaro prendra son envol et se verra confier la réalisation d’autres œuvres auxquelles il apportera sa créativité et qui deviendront des réalisations clés de l’histoire de l’animation japonaise : Le Serpent blanc, Sabu et Ichi, Capitaine Albator, Galaxy Express 999, etc. Si le cinéma d’animation japonais est devenu une référence mondiale, c’est en bonne partie grâce à lui.” [Texte du site de l’éditeur]

“Quand un maître de l’animation japonaise se lance dans la création de sa première BD, c’est pour nous raconter son histoire. Un parcours hors du commun qui va nous mener du Japon d’après-guerre jusqu’en 2001 et la sortie du film Metropolis. Un parcours fait de rencontres, d’opportunités, de soirées interminables, de jazz, de cigarettes, mais surtout de cinéma. Une passion qui lui a été transmise par son père et qui lui donnera très tôt l’envie de devenir réalisateur. Et c’est le cinéma d’animation qui lui offrira cette opportunité. Autre figure incontournable de ce parcours, celle d’Osamu Tezuka auprès duquel il va travailler des années, notamment sur la première série d’animation : Astro Boy. Puis Rintarô prendra son envol et se verra confier la réalisation d’autres œuvres auxquelles il apportera sa créativité et qui deviendront des réalisations clés de l’histoire de l’animation japonaise : Le Serpent blanc, Sabu et Ichi, Capitaine Albator, Galaxy Express 999, etc.” [Texte de la couverture arrière]

(Attention, lire l’avertissement de possibles divulgâcheurs)

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Cette autobiographie en manga du réalisateur Rintarô (Shigeyuki Hayashi de son vrai nom) est un ouvrage extraordinaire. Car non seulement il raconte le déroulement de sa jeunesse et de sa carrière, mais c’est aussi toute l’histoire de l’animation japonaise qu’il nous décrit. Le seul bémol est qu’il le fait dans un style graphique très dépouillé qui n’utilise que de simples traits d’encrage ou de crayonné, presque sans la moindre trame ou ombrage. Il a beau avoir été un grand réalisateur (mais aussi coloriste, intervaliste, superviseur, etc.), mais cela ne fait pas de lui un grand mangaka ! Toutefois la scénarisation et la narration de son récit sont excellentes. Son nom m’était familier, mais j’ai tout de même été surpris de l’importance que son travail a eue dans l’histoire de l’animation japonaise, remontant aussi loin que Le Serpent blanc en 1958 et sur des titres aussi célèbres que Astro, Le Roi Léo, Albator, Galaxy Express 999, Harmagedon, L’épée de Kamui ou encore Métropolis ! 

C’est donc un ouvrage très intéressant, à lire absolument si vous êtes amateur d’animation japonaise.

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Ma vie en 24 images par seconde, par Rintarô (Traduction par Shoko Takahashi). Bruxelles: Dargaud / Kana (Coll. Made In), janvier 2024. 256 pages, 22.5 x 29.8 cm, 27.90€ / $C 48.95, ISBN 978-2-5050-7638-4. Pour un lectorat adolescent (14+). stars-3-5

Vous trouverez plus d’information sur les sites suivants:

[ Amazon • Goodreads • Google • Nelligan • Wikipedia • WorldCat ]

© 2024 Rintaro • Kana / Dargaud (Dargaud-Lombard s.a)

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Patlabor Revival

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The latest episode of NHK World’s documentary series Anime Manga Explosion (see my article “Anime and manga on NHK World”) is dedicated to Patlabor. The show aired on NHK World Saturday 28 and Sunday 29th, but it should be available for viewing on demand (VOD) soon. [update 2024/09/30: it’s now available on VOD]

In Patlabor, Tokyo had been destroyed in a big earthquake and, in order to rebuild it, Japanese created heavy construction machines (more power suits than robots) called “Labors” to do the work. But what to do if someone steals a labor in order to rub a bank? The answer: you make the police drive their own labors instead of cars — and the Patrol Labors (Pat-Labor) were born. The show puts emphasis not on the mecha themselves but on the characters as it follows the daily life of the personnel of a police station (Section 2): the officers who are piloting the labors and the mechanics who are doing their maintenance, as well as their entourage.

Created by Headgear (a group composed by manga artist Masami Yūki, director Mamoru Oshii, screenwriter Kazunori Itō, mecha designer Yutaka Izubuchi, and character designer Akemi Takada), the series first appeared as a 22-volume manga (serialized in Weekly Shonen Sunday between March 23 1988 and May 11 2994) and two OVA series (7 episodes released between April 1988 and June 1989, as well as 16 episodes released in 1990–1992). It was quickly followed, among others, by a 47-episode TV series (aired in 1989–1990), three movies (1989, 1993, 2002) and seven light novels (1990-1994). There was even a 7-episode live-action TV series (2014-2015)! 

However, today’s anime fans probably never heard of this excellent series. The best way to make them discover Patlabor, was to reboot the series (it’s a trend: we have recently seen announced the revival of Ghost in the Shell, Ranma 1/2 and even The Rose of Versailles). Therefore a new Patlabor series titled Patlabor EZY was announced in November 2016 as part of the 35th anniversary of the series. It would feature entirely new characters. Recently it was announced that it would be produced by J.C.Staff and would air in 2026. The series is directed by Yutaka Izubuchi (original mechanical designer), with a script by Kazunori Itō, character designs by Masami Yūki, mecha designs by Kanetake Ebikawa & Toshiaki Ihara, art designs by Masanori Kikuchi & Yuta Akiyama, animation direction by Takamitsu Satou, CG direction by Yoshinori Moriizumi, and music by Kenji Kawai. Akemi Takada is also contributing to the costume designs and Tarō Maki (Genco) is producing.

If you want to have an idea of what this new series looks like, you can watch the Patlabor Special of the Anime Manga Explosion documentary on NHK World. I just hope that, when this series is released, it will also be available in North America.

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