All-Japanese cast set to start filming in Europe next month.
Live action (Page 9)
TV series is latest adaptation of classic Japanese science fiction novel.
Anime fans have been seething for over half a decade about the Hollywood adaptation of the martial arts classic, but maybe this will finally cool their rage.
If you have a love of panties, sense of justice, and are of mediocre intelligence, then panty-headed superhero Hentai Kamen wants you!
South Korea will receive a live-action drama adaptation of the hit idol video game and anime franchise, with a few significant changes.
If you’ve got a favorite series from the hit fantasy series, odds are he’s in the huge cast of this new stage version.
Looking forward to Death Note 2016? Then you’ll be excited to hear that an original cast member from the previous films is returning as a familiar character!
69-year-old set to play key role in Hollywood anime adaptation.
The premiere of the Kuroko’s Basketball stage play is still a few months away, but the producers are giving fans of sports anime and/or dreamy boys a sneak peek with the first in-costume cast photo.
Next month, Hetalia, the anime and manga franchise featuring anthropomorphized nations and a hefty amount of homoerotic subtext, is getting its very own live-action musical adaptation, and the play’s producers have just released the first photos of the cast in costume as their respective nations.
Every couple of years, rumors surfaces of some slim chance that a live-action Legend of Zelda film is about to get the green light from rights holder Nintendo. Then, as suddenly as the speculation began, it fizzles out, leaving fans feeling dejected about the lack of a big screen quest for Link and Zelda.
Really, though, The Legend of Zelda’s storyline and overall visual look vary so much from one video game installment to the next that a film adaptation would probably fail to please gamers whose favorite chapter wasn’t used as the specific source material. On the other hand, Metroid, Nintendo’s dark space adventure, has the foundation for an awesome, crowd-pleasing movie, as this fan-made live-action short film shows.
We recently took a look at the first photos of the upcoming Rurouni Kenshin stage musical cast in costume, and looking at the comments for that article, more than a few fans of the hit anime and manga franchise are wishing they see the show in person. But if a trip to the Takarazuka theater in Tokyo or Hyogo Prefecture doesn’t fit into your schedule, there’s still a way to get a taste of the all-female performing troupe’s live-action spectacle, as the theatre company has released a preview video of the cast showing off their fighting moves and crossing swords!
Adapting anime to live-action is an extremely difficult venture. It’s not impossible, though, and one of the few icons of Japanese animation to make the transition smoothly is Himura Kenshin, hero of samurai saga Rurouni Kenshin.
The swordsman with the scarred face and soul has three successful live-action films under his belt, and this winter Japan’s all-female Takarazuka stage troupe will be raising the curtain on its own Rurouni Kenshin musical. Opening night is still a ways off, but the first photos of the cast in costume have been revealed, and gender-flipped or not, it’s hard to imagine a closer likeness for Kenshin himself than Takarazuka’s.
The recent boom in live-action movie, TV, and stage adaptations of hit anime has to be a headache for producers. Most anime start out as manga, where the only limits on outlandish character and costume design is the imagination of the original artist, and we imagine it’s an exhaustive search to find real-life actors and actresses who look the part.
But Japan’s casting directors are proving themselves up to the challenge. Hot on the heels of the recently revealed Prison School TV drama come photos of the cast of the stage adaptation of Ghost in the Shell, and not only are there some uncanny resemblances, we now know why there won’t be a DVD or live streaming of the performance.
Battle Angel: Alita, known as GUNM in Japan, is one of anime and manga’s highlights of the ’90s. The original manga, created by Yukito Kishiro, ran for about five years from 1990 to 1995 with a newer series running from 2000 to 2014, in addition to two OVAs produced in the ’90s. The post-apocalyptic setting and cyborg main character have ensured the property’s popularity for decades, both domestically and abroad.
It’s been long known that James Cameron is a fan of the series and has been trying to produce a Hollywood film version for around 15 years — but things are finally starting to take shape. Today, news broke that a new director is in negotiations to take on the project.














Our 52-year-old pole dancing reporter shares his tips for achieving your New Year’s exercise goal
Japanese women showing rebounding interest in giving Valentine’s Day chocolate【Survey】
Studio Ghibli’s kodama ready to leave the Princess Mononoke forest as a squeezable keychain【Pics】
Japanese thug wear from Birth Japan perfect for those breaking bad next year
We found possibly the quietest Japanese-style hotel in Tokyo’s bustling Shinjuku district
Man arrested for violating Japan’s anti-dueling law in downtown Tokyo
What it’s like to get a haircut at Japan’s oldest barber shop
10 times to avoid traveling in Japan in 2026
7 great places to see Mt. Fuji from without having to climb it
Survey says osechi New Year’s food differs according to each region in Japan
Ramen restaurant’s English menu prices are nearly double its Japanese ones, denies discriminating
Starbucks Japan releases new Frappuccino and latte for Valentine’s Day
Japanese beef bowl chain Sukiya’s 2026 Smile Box lucky bag basically pays for itself
Top Japanese cosplayer Enako returns to Comiket after 6 years, creates mayhem with admirers
Umamusume anime girl plushie recalled for having parts she absolutely should not have【Pics】
Princess Mononoke magnets return just in time to treat yourself to awesome anime decorations
We ate sushi made from Japan’s most expensive tuna ever【Taste test】
Giant hotel rooms in Osaka reflect the new non-niche face of travel in Japan.
Starbucks Japan ready to get Year of the Horse started with adorable drinkware and plushies【Pics】
7-Eleven Japan starts new temporary luggage storage service in over 300 branches
Disillusionment at Tsukiji’s tourist-target prices led us to a great ramen restaurant in Tokyo
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Tokyo’s Tsukiji sushi neighborhood asks tour groups to stay away for the rest of the month
Japan may add Japanese language proficiency, lifestyle classes to permanent foreign resident requirements
Lacquerware supplier to emperor of Japan and Pokémon team up for new tableware
Survey asks foreign tourists what bothered them in Japan, more than half gave same answer
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
We deeply regret going into this tunnel on our walk in the mountains of Japan
Studio Ghibli releases Kodama forest spirits from Princess Mononoke to light up your home
Major Japanese hotel chain says reservations via overseas booking sites may not be valid
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
No more using real katana for tourism activities, Japan’s National Police Agency says
Starbucks Japan reveals new sakura drinkware collection, inspired by evening cherry blossoms
Updated cherry blossom forecast shows extra-long sakura season for Japan this year
Human washing machine pods coming to Japanese hotels【Photos】
Man arrested for violating Japan’s anti-dueling law in downtown Tokyo
What it’s like to get a haircut at Japan’s oldest barber shop
10 times to avoid traveling in Japan in 2026
7 great places to see Mt. Fuji from without having to climb it
Survey says osechi New Year’s food differs according to each region in Japan
Six uniquely Osaka experiences
City in Nagano Prefecture rethinks “ghetto” program for female entrepreneurs
Say hello to Japan’s new stationmaster cat!【Video】
Yes, the residents of Fukushima really are this “Happy”
Japan’s wildest Seijinshiki Coming-of-Age ceremony celebrates new adults in Kitakyushu 【Photos】
Starbucks Japan releases new popcorn Frappuccino at one special location
Is the all-you-can-eat KFC buffet in Tokyo really as good as they say it is?
Giant hotel rooms in Osaka reflect the new non-niche face of travel in Japan.
Second series in Uniqlo’s “Pokémon Meets Artist” collection of graphic T-shirts revealed