Sinistra Sensei

Every anime features a captivating opening that entices us for the upcoming episode, and an ending that prepares us for the next thrilling installment. However, there are anime like Love Live and Gundam Seed that have music which plays during the anime itself, often accompanying a montage of scenes from the series. or a lovely dance number that goes along with the music. So, what are your favorite in episode music moments? Maomao’s dance at the end of Season one of the Apothecary Diaries was a stunning display of animation and music combined. Chase being one of my favorite love live songs, as this sucks you into the anime as you realize that one of the girls has a strong emotional reaction to the song and comes to terms that she wants to help her friend. What are some of your favorite in episode music moments? Please share

The second season of "The Apothecary Diaries" anime has unveiled its main trailer, which showcases the opening theme song by Lilas Ikuta of YOASOBI. The series is set to air over two consecutive cours beginning January 10, 2025, with animation production once again handled by OLM and TOHO Animation. The theme song, titled "Hyakka Ryoran," can be previewed in the trailer. An additional cast member has been announced: Asami Seto will lend her voice to Shisui, a talkative and cheerful girl with a passion for insects. Lilas Ikuta will debut her first solo anime theme song. The artist's comment can be found below. On October 22, a teaser trailer and visual for the anime were released, marking the one-year anniversary of the first season's debut in 2023. TOHO Animation Studio and OLM, who animated the first season, are back with Norihiro Naganuma directing Season 2 alongside the original team. The crew also includes Akimi Fudesaka as director, Wataru Nakagawa as assistant director, Yukiko Nakatani as character designer, and a music team composed of Kevin Penkin, Satoru Kosaki, and Arisa Okehazama. Crunchyroll, which streams the anime, has confirmed that the sequel will arrive on their platform in 2025. The voice cast includes the following members: Aoi Yuki as Maomao Takeo Otsuka as Jinshi Katsuyuki Konishi as Gaoshun Yui Ishikawa as Lihua Misaki Kuno as Xiaolan Yuko Kaida as Ah-Duo Atsumi Tanezaki as Gyokuyo Hina Kino as Lishu Takuya Kirimoto as Lakan Kan Ami Koshimizu as Pairin Sumi Shimamoto as Narrator Natsu Hyuga is the author of The Apothecary Diaries light novel series, which features illustrations by Toko Shino and is serialized by Shufunotomo. The series has two manga adaptations: one is written by Itsuki Nanao with illustrations by Nekokurage, published by Square Enix and serialized in Monthly GanGan; the other is both written and illustrated by Minoji Kurata, published by Shogakukan and serialized in Monthly Sunday Gene-X. Additionally, there is a mini-anime series titled Maomao's Diaries (Maomao no Hitorigoto), where the protagonist Maomao narrates events that occurred during the regular TV anime episodes. The Apothecary Diaries is licensed for English digital publication by J-Novel Club. Its manga adaptation is also published by Square Enix. The narrative follows Maomao, a young apothecary sold into the emperor's palace as a servant. Far from submissive, she aids Jinshi, an attractive palace official, earning a promotion. Amidst the palace's many mysteries, Maomao's adventures unfold, inadvertently deepening Jinshi's affections for her. View full article

The Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – Infinity Castle Arc anime movie trilogy has announced the release date for its first installment as 2025. Ufotable will be animating the series once more. The announcement of the movie trilogy came right after the conclusion of the Hashira Training Arc in June. Below is the new teaser visual for the first film. Crunchyroll and Sony Pictures Entertainment will release the first movie globally next year, including in Japan (with the exception of certain Asian markets). The new teaser trailer is available for viewing. The announcement occurred during a unique livestream, which showcased cosplayers of Tanjiro Kamado, Zenitsu Agatsuma, and Inosuke Hashibira. They frolicked for approximately 15 minutes in silence before revealing the concealed visual and release date. Additionally, a concurrent stream took place elsewhere in the world. It featured Takahiro Sakurai (the Japanese voice of Giyu Tomioka), Kengo Kawanishi (the Japanese voice of Muichiro Tokito), and Daniel Figueira (the Brazilian/Portuguese voice of Tanjiro Kamado). They engaged in discussions about the anime and premiered the new trailer live at the CCXP24 event in São Paulo, Brazil. The principal staff for the TV anime series included Haruo Sotozaki as director, Akira Matsushima as character designer and chief animation director, with Yuki Kajiura and Go Shiina composing the music. The voice cast includes:Natsuki Hanae as Tanjiro Kamado Akari Kito as Nezuko Kamado Hiro Shimono as Zenitsu Agatsuma Yoshitsugu Matsuoka as Inosuke Hashibira Tomokazu Sugita as Gyomei Himejima Tomokazu Seki as Sanemi Shinazugawa Nobuhiko Okamoto as Genya Shinazugawa Kenichi Suzumura as Obanai Iguro Kana Hanazawa as Mitsuri Kanroji Kengo Kawanishi as Muichiro Tokito Satoshi Hino as Kyojuro Rengoku Saori Hayami as Shinobu Kocho Takahiro Sakurai as Giyu Tomioka Katsuyuki Konishi as Tengen Uzui Maaya Sakamoto as Tamayo Akira Ishida as Akaza Mamoru Miyano as Doma Ryotaro Okiayu as Kokushibo Toshihiko Seki as Muzan Kibutsuji Kazuhiko Inoue as Yoriichi Tsugikuni Koyoharu Gotoge is the creator of the manga series Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba. It was serialized in Shueisha's Weekly Shonen Jump from February 2016 to May 2020 and consists of 23 volumes. Viz Media has the English licensing rights. The series has led to various spin-offs, including manga and light novel adaptations. The anime adaptation by ufotable premiered with a 26-episode first season from April to September 2019. Its significant popularity resulted in a sequel film, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Mugen Train, released in October 2020, which became the highest-grossing anime and Japanese film of all time. This film was adapted into an 18-episode second season, which aired from October 2021 to February 2022. The third season, with 11 episodes, was broadcast from April to June 2023, and the fourth season ran from May to June 2024. The Infinity Castle Arc, the longest in the manga, spanned 47 chapters (with the Entertainment District at 31 and Swordsmith Village at 30). It starts at the conclusion of Volume 16 and concludes in Volume 21. VIZ's synopsis for Volume 17, which initiates the arc, reads: The Demon Slayer Corps invades Infinity Castle to face Muzan. Shinobu confronts Doma, the Upper Rank 2 demon, in a fierce battle. With poison ineffective against him, she faces a daunting challenge. Can she defeat the demon responsible for her older sister's death? Meanwhile, another demon confronts Zenitsu, impeding his path... The anime has yet to adapt the Final Battle arc (Infinity Castle + Sunrise Countdown). The Sunrise Countdown, the manga's concluding segment, spanned 22 chapters. Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – Hinokami Chronicles 2 sequel game was also announced today. View full article

The Assassination Classroom anime has unveiled a project to commemorate its 10th anniversary, hinting that 'special information' will be revealed soon. The television series debuted nearly a decade ago, running from January 2015 to June 2016. This celebratory project was disclosed in the latest issue of Weekly Shonen Jump, which also showcased a special anniversary visual. Although not yet available online, the announcement included a teaser for various special events marking this significant milestone for the anime. Yusei Matsui, the manga's creator, expressed his sentiments: "It's beyond my imagination that Assassination Classroom is being celebrated like this even after a decade. It's both an honor and a joy to witness the ongoing support from fans. In the past, the students of Class 3-E overcame challenges as a team, led by their teacher, Koro-sensei. In a similar vein, I feel the staff and fans have joined us on this journey, supporting the narrative at every turn. I'm hopeful that this celebration will bring joy to all the fans who have cherished Assassination Classroom, and I eagerly anticipate the enjoyment of the planned events. Let's continue to relish this journey together." Yusei Matsui is the author and illustrator of the Assassination Classroom (Ansatsu Kyoshitsu) manga, which ran in Shueisha's Weekly Shonen Jump from July 2012 until March 2016, concluding with 21 volumes. By September 2016, the manga had surpassed 25 million copies in circulation. Viz Media holds the English language license for the series. The franchise received its initial anime adaptation as an OVA by Brain’s Base in 2013, followed by a full TV series from studio Lerche in January 2015. The series spanned 47 episodes, concluding in June 2016, and included an additional OVA with the first Blu-ray & DVD volume. In November 2016, Lerche released the film Assassination Classroom the Movie: 365 Days. The anime's voice cast featured:Jun Fukuyama as Koro-sensei Nobuhiko Okamoto as Karma Akabane Mai Fuchigami as Nagisa Shiota Aya Suzaki as Kaede Kayano Tomokazu Sugita as Tadaomi Karasuma Shizuka Itou as Irina Jelavić Mamoru Miyano as Gakushu Asano Manami Numakura as Rio Nakamura Megumi Ogata as Itona Horibe Saki Fujita as Ritsu Hayasaka Crunchyroll offers the anime with the following synopsis: Homework and pop quizzes pale in comparison to the task given to Class 3E: assassinate their teacher before the year's end! Their target is a tentacled sensei with Mach 20 speed, intent on domination after decimating seventy percent of the moon. Beyond the usual subjects, this lethal creature educates his pupils in the art of assassination. If any student excels in this deadly curriculum and succeeds in the task, they will prevent Earth's destruction and earn a substantial reward. Additionally, the series has inspired two live-action films: Assassination Classroom (2015) and Assassination Classroom: Graduation (2016). Yusei Matsui is also the creator of another manga, The Elusive Samurai, serialized in the same publication. Launched in WSJ in January 2021, it has reached 18 volumes and has been adapted into an anime series. View full article

JUJUTSU KAISEN is set to unveil new details about its Culling Game sequel anime at Jump Festa 2025. The event is scheduled for December 21-22 in Japan, with the JUJUTSU KAISEN announcement planned for the opening day. Additionally, the Hidden Inventory / Premature Death compilation movie, slated for release in 2025, will be featured. The four leading voice actors will be present: Junya Enoki (Yuji Itadori), Yuma Uchida (Megumi Fushiguro), Asami Seto (Nobara Kugisaki), and Yuichi Nakamura (Satoru Gojo). The Culling Game arc sequel anime was announced immediately after the 2nd TV anime season’s finale. Studio MAPPA is returning to animate. They recently also released a special illustration of Gojo celebrating his birthday (December 7). The anime's second season spanned the Hidden Inventory/Premature Death arc across five episodes before transitioning to the Shibuya Incident arc for the subsequent 18 episodes. The original main cast returned to voice their characters. Junya Enoki as Yuji Itadori Yuichi Nakamura as Satoru Gojo Yuma Uchida as Megumi Fushiguro Asami Seto as Nobara Kugisaki Takahiro Sakurai as Suguru Getou Kenjiro Tsuda as Kento Nanami Junichi Suwabe as Sukuna Ryomen Mikako Komatsu as Maki Zenin Koki Uchiyama as Toge Inumaki Megumi Ogata as Yuta Okkotsu The main staff for JUJUTSU KAISEN Season 2 included: Director: Shota Goshozono Assistant Director: Ryota Aikei Series Composition/ Screenplay: Hiroshi Seko Character Design: Tadashi Hiramatsu Sub Character Design: Sayaka Koiso Art Director: Junichi Higashi Music: Yoshimasa Terui Gege Akutami’s JUJUTSU KAISEN manga officially ended on September 30, 2024. It was serialized for 6-and-a-half-years since March 2018, with the story getting concluded in 30 volumes. Volumes 29 and 30 will both release on December 25, 2024. Besides the Culling Game sequel, the franchise also has the upcoming compilation movie for the Hidden Inventory/Premature Death arc. Studio MAPPA animated both seasons of the TV anime and movie for the franchise, while Crunchyroll is streaming them. The story follows Yuji Itadori, a boy with insane physical abilities who ends up joining a school for jujutsu sorcerers after an encounter with Megumi Fushiguro, Satoru Gojo and Sukuna Ryomen. To delay getting executed for eating one of Sukuna’s fingers, Yuji takes on the task of finding and eating the remaining 19 fingers of the ‘strongest sorcerer in history’ in order to try and get rid of him. However, things don’t quite go as smoothly as they’d like. View full article

The sequel to Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – Hinokami Chronicles has been officially announced in the latest issue of Weekly Shonen Jump. The game will encompass the storyline from the Entertainment District Arc up to the Hashira Training Arc, and a demo version will be available at Jump Festa 2025. Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Hinokami Chronicles, developed by CyberConnect2, was released in October 2021. Aniplex handled its release in Japan, while Sega was responsible for the international launch. Initially, it was available on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S, with a subsequent release for the Nintendo Switch in June 2022. The game debuted with 18 characters, encompassing the narrative of the anime's first season and Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba the Movie: Mugen Train. More characters were added through free updates and paid DLC, bringing the total to 31. Below is the launch trailer for the first game: Koyoharu Gotoge is the author and illustrator of the manga Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba. It ran in Shueisha's Weekly Shonen Jump from February 2016 until May 2020, culminating in 23 volumes. Viz Media holds the English licensing rights. The series has inspired a range of spin-offs, including additional manga and light novel adaptations. Ufotable produced the anime adaptation, which includes four television seasons and three movies. The Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – Infinity Castle Arc is a movie trilogy that is currently being produced. View full article

The Sonic the Hedgehog games are primarily known for being fun, casual, and lighthearted high-speed platformers. However, anyone who knows the Sonic franchise will be well aware that not all the characters that exist in this universe are as happy-go-lucky as Sonic and his pals, as some actually come across as fairly scary thanks to their appearances and immense powers. View the full article View full article

Grinding Gear Games has shared a list of high-priority issues in Path of Exile 2 that are currently being investigated. The New Zealand-based developer did so within hours of Path of Exile 2 launching in early access. View the full article View full article

Minecraft is a game that allows players to create anything they want in their world, even underground builds that range from simple to epic. A sandbox game that has propelled to global stardom since its release, the gameplay offered to players is solid, fun, and addictive. There are plenty of structures that players love building, such as churches, watchtowers, boats, and lots more. Minecraft is one of the best relaxing mining games around and that's due to the freedom it offers. View the full article View full article

A Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 fan has remade the Zombies Perk-a-Colas to imagine what they could look like as part of a PlayStation 1 game. The PlayStation 1 had such a distinct graphics style, so it's interesting to see what these iconic Black Ops 6 items could look like in that era. View the full article View full article

Mass Effect is one of the greatest sci-fi gaming franchises of all time, even if some people feel that Andromeda took away a ton of goodwill from this amazing series. However, one need only re-experience Commander Shepard's epic saga to rekindle their passion for these amazing RPGs that have aged like a fine wine. View the full article View full article

Kazuki Yao has officially announced his departure from the role of Franky in the ONE PIECE anime. The announcement of his successor is scheduled for Jump Festa 2025 on December 22. The announcement was made via the anime's official X account, accompanied by Yao's statement that he feels a disconnect between himself and the ideal Franky he wishes to portray. Additionally, a graduation ceremony for Yao is planned to take place at the Jump Festa event. The official announcement states that the decision followed prolonged and thorough discussions. The voice actor was previously substituted by Wataru Takagi for episode 1121 owing to health concerns. Notably, he was the sole Straw Hat Pirates voice actor not present at the ONE PIECE '24 event. Yao has been the voice of Franky since the character's first appearance in Episode 233, broadcasted in Japan on May 22, 2005. His roles also include Bon Clay and Jango in the series. Below is his personal statement. The ONE PIECE anime is presently on a break to 'recharge,' and the edited version of the Fish-Man Island Saga will be broadcast in its stead until the series resumes on March 30, 2025. This year, the ONE PIECE anime has been commemorating its 25th anniversary with various projects and collaborations. These include a Las Vegas event, a T-shirt collaboration with UNIQLO, a phone accessory line with CASETiFY, and a special recap video, among others. Additionally, there is an anticipated anime remake by WIT Studio and the second season of the live-action series, which has recently received a new message from the creator, Eiichiro Oda. View full article

The fifth season of the Black Butler anime, titled the Witch Emerald Arc, has unveiled a new teaser visual and is set to premiere in April 2025. The series will introduce Rie Kugimiya and Chikahiro Kobayashi as the voices of Sieglinde Sullivan and Wolfram Gelzer, respectively. The announcement occurred at the Black Butler: Public School Arc AFTER the MIDNIGHT TEA PARTY ～A Return to Weston College event on December 8, where they also showcased character visuals for the new season. Studio CloverWorks will be animating the season, maintaining the original main staff, including Kenjiro Okada of "March Comes in Like a Lion" as director, Hiroyuki Yoshino in charge of series composition, Yumi Shimizu on character design, and Ryo Kawasaki composing the music. Maaya Sakamoto and Daisuke Ono are set to return as the voices of Ciel Phantomhive and Sebastian Michaelis. The Emerald Witch Arc is the eighth arc of the Black Butler manga series, spanning volumes 18 to 22. It begins with chapter 86 and ends with chapter 108, succeeding the Public School arc, with foreshadowing in the post-credits scene of the season's finale. Originally, Yana Tobo’s manga was adapted into an anime by studio A-1 Pictures in 2008. The studio produced the first two seasons, and despite the second season diverging from the manga, the sequel, Book of Circus, reverted to the original material. This was followed by the Book of Murder OVA and the Book of the Atlantic movie. Crunchyroll streams the anime, summarizing the plot as follows: Ciel Phantomhive is known as the most powerful boy throughout England, yet he carries the scars of unimaginable suffering. Witnessing the brutal murder of his beloved parents, Ciel was then kidnapped and subjected to severe torture. In a desperate bid to end his torment, he traded his soul for a chance at retribution, aligning himself with the only entity he could rely on: Sebastian, a demon butler conjured from the depths of hell. Together, they navigate London's darkest corners on a quest to extinguish evil. The Black Butler manga is currently on hiatus while the author prepares for the story's final chapters. View full article