Movie REVIEW: Fuuto PI: The Portrait of Kamen Rider Skull

The announcement of a Fuuto PI anime series felt like a huge moment for the Kamen Rider franchise, particularly as its worldwide simulcast would allow the series to have a far wider reach than any others had previously. But although the sequel to 2009's Kamen Rider W certainly delivered in terms of story and spectacle, the 12-episode series barely scratched the surface of the manga it was adapted from. However despite a few years of silence it seems the story of the half-and-half detectives isn't quite over yet, as return once more in Fuuto PI: The Portrait of Kamen Rider Skull. Adapting the "Portrait of S" arc from the manga, the feature film looks back at the origins of Kamen Rider Double as well as Shotaro's mentor Sokichi Narumi. Once again animated by Studio Kai, the film also serves as the 2024 "Winter movie" for the franchise - unexpectedly taking the place of a Gavv and Gotchard crossover.

Anime REVIEW: The Red Ranger Becomes an Adventurer in Another World

The Red Ranger Becomes an Adventurer in Another World is available to stream on Crunchyroll

There has been a steady increase in tokusatsu-inspired/adjacent superhero anime series in recent years, not just thanks to the likes of the Gridman and GARO anime adapations or Fuuto PI, but also manga adaptations like Love After World Domination, Miss Kuroitsu From the Monster Development Department and Go! Go! Loser Ranger!. Based on the number of series released each season, the popularity of Isekai-themed anime hasn't waned in the past few years either. So the two coming together in the lengthily titled (this is an Isekai series after all) The Red Ranger Becomes an Adventurer in Another World should pretty much be a match made in heaven. Animated by Satelight (the studio behind Symphogear as well as later instalments of the Macross franchise), the 12-episode series is an adaptation of the manga series of the same name by Koyoshi Nakayoshi - which began publication in 2020 and is currently still ongoing.

Anime REVIEW: Dragon Ball DAIMA

Dragon Ball DAIMA is available to stream on Crunchyroll and Netflix

On March 1st 2024 the world was shook by the passing of Akira Toriyama, a manga legend best known for the Dragon Ball series and Dr. Slump but also as an iconic character designer who worked on video games such as the Dragon Quest series, Chrono Trigger, and Blue Dragon. His death came just months away from the release of Dragon Ball DAIMA - a brand new instalment in the franchise that was written by Toriyama himself. It's a much sadder world without him, but this is one final gift from the man himself. Unlike previous Dragon Ball series, DAIMA tells a single story rather than multiple arcs, and at a mere 20 episodes is the shortest by some margin. The series ran from October 11th 2024 to February 28th 2025 - rather fittingly concluding the day before the first anniversary of Toriyama's passing.

Anime REVIEW: Shinkalion: Change the World

Not to stop a winning combination whilst the going is good, TakaraTomy's Shinkalion franchise returned in 2024 for its third outing following a two-year break. However rather further the story that started out 2018-19's Shinkansen Robo Henkei Shinkalion and continued on into its 2021-22 sequel Shinkansen Robo Henkei Shinkalion Z, this time around it's a whole new continuity. Running for a total of 39 episodes (plus  three specials/recap episodes), Shinkalion: Change the World also brought along a number of other changes - dropping the "Shinkansen Robo Henkei" branding as well as Production I.G. and Signal.MD taking over animation duties from OLM. The series was also available to watch worldwide via the official Shinkalion YouTube channel, albeit without subtitles and most episodes only being made available their original week of airing.

First Impressions: Dragon Ball DAIMA

Dragon Ball DAIMA is available to stream on Crunchyroll and Netflix

It's been five years since the Dragon Ball Super anime series ended and while fans haven't been completely starved of new Dragon Ball content since then, the times have certainly changed. The passing of creator Akira Toriyama earlier this year shocked the world, and although its a far sadder place without him we were fortunate enough to see him revisit the story onscreen one last time with Dragon Ball DAIMA. The sixth entry in the Dragon Ball franchise had Toriyama involved with the story "deeply beyond his usual capacity", in which Goku, Vegeta and the rest of Earth's fighters are transformed back into children by a brand new evil.

First Impressions: Shinkalion: Change the World

Proving that trains and giant robots continue to be a winning combination, the Shinkansen Robo Henkei Shinkalion franchise has returned for a third instalment in 2024 - but this time mixing things up a little bit. Not only does Shinkalion: Change the World appear to be starting afresh with a brand new continuity (ignoring the 2018-19 original series and its 2021-22 sequel Shinkalion Z), but it's also working with a slightly older cast. From a production standpoint things have slightly changed too, with Production I.G. and Signal.MD taking over animation duties from OLM. The first episode has also been made available worldwide via the official Shinkalion YouTube channel, albeit without subtitles.

Anime REVIEW: Brave Bang Bravern!

Masami Ōbari is a name synonymous with mecha anime. Transformers, Dancouga, Gravion, Gundam - these are just some of the shows/franchises that the legendary artist and director has leant his talents too. So when it was announced that he would be working on a brand new show in 2024, excitement was naturally high. Combine that with a name like Brave Bang Bravern!, and minds will already be cast back to the super robot shows of old. Outside of Ōbari's name this 12-episode series seems to come from quite humble roots - animated by the relatively new CygamesPictures (Blade Runner Black Out 2022), a subsidiary of video game company Cygames.

Movie REVIEW: Macross Delta the Movie: Zettai Live!!!!!!

Following the release of Macross Delta in 2016, the reign of Walküre truly began. Even in the absence of further fiction to go along with them, the franchise's first idol troupe continued to dominate through new album releases and live performances. While the compilation film Macross Delta the Movie: Passionate Walküre (recapping the series with some plot changes) was released in 2018, it wouldn't be until 2021 that Delta finally came to its conclusion. Macross Delta the Movie: Zetta Live!!!!!! is an all-new adventure that follows on from Passionate Walküre, featuring an all-new enemy as well as a rival idol group in the form of Yami_Q_Ray.

Anime REVIEW: Gamera -Rebirth-

2023 has been a pretty fantastic year for kaiju fans, and that's not just because of all the Godzilla content we've been getting. This year also saw the big return of another powerhouse in the giant monster genre, one that's been absent from the screen since 2006. Gamera -Rebirth- is the first entry in the franchise since Gamera the Brave, as well as the first animated installment for the fire-breathing turtle that's friends to all children. Produced by Kadokawa and animated by ENGI, the six-episode series was released worldwide on Netflix.

Movie REVIEW: Gridman Universe

In addition to the worldwide exposure they've given the Ultraman franchise, one of the best things Tsuburaya Productions have done in the past few years is taken Gridman the Hyper Agent and turned it from a fondly-remembered (but still fairly niche) 90s tokusatsu series and turned it into a fully-fledged franchise. Together with renowned animation studio Trigger they produced both SSSS.Gridman in 2019 and SSSS.Dynazenon in 2021 - each one expanding upon concepts from the original series. After both series were met with resounding praise, the only logical next step was to bring the two together - and what better name for it than the very thing these shows have helped to create? Gridman Universe was released in Japanese cinemas in March 2023, following the release of two recap films to give viewers a refresher (or alternatively bring new ones up to speed) prior to the crossover.

Anime REVIEW: ULTRAMAN Final

ULTRAMAN Final is available in streaming form on Netflix

While the success of Ultraman's recent bid for global recognition is largely attributed towards the main series and Shin Ultraman, it would be remiss not to give some of the credit to Netflix's adaptation of Eiichi Shimuzu and Tomohiro Shimoguchi's ongoing manga series as well. It's a very different kind of Ultraman, but the accessibility of Netflix combined with the exposure its received through merchandising and other means have made it something of a surprise hit in the Ultraman arsenal. All good things must come to an end though, and while the manga is still going strong for now the same cannot be said for the anime version. After a strong first season and a good-yet-troubled sequel, Production I.G. and Sola Digital Arts return for the show's conclusion with the aptly titled ULTRAMAN Final.

Anime REVIEW: Digimon Ghost Game

Digimon Ghost Game is available in streaming form on Crunchyroll

2020 saw the Digimon franchise return to its roots with a remake of its most beloved instalment – Digimon Adventure:. But between a significant hiatus and production issues due to the COVID-19 pandemic, spotty storytelling and the overwhelming feeling that it was largely relying on nostalgia to carry it through, the end result was far from satisfying. So for its next outing it felt important that the franchise go in a different direction, and that's exactly what happened with Digimon Ghost Game. Premiering immediately after the conclusion of Digimon Adventure:, the 67-episode (plus one special) series is the ninth instalment in the franchise and ran from October 2021 to March 2023. The series coincided with the release of the Vital Bracelet – a Digivice-turned-fitbit that sees your Digimon partner grow based on step count and exercise. The toy has arguably been a success for Bandai – with Kamen Rider, Ultraman and other variations also being made available.

Anime REVIEW: Fuuto PI

Fuuto PI is available in streaming form via Crunchyroll

When Kamen Rider W made a surprising return in 2017 in the form of the Fuuto Tantei manga series, many fans automatically assumed it would probably never get an anime adaptation despite being perfect for it. After all, Kamen Rider Spirits is right there and Toei still haven't done anything with it. But Kamen Rider's 50th anniversary celebrations brought along some big announcements, one of which revealing that the two-in-one detectives would be returning to television screens in the Fuuto PI anime series. Animated by relatively new anime studio Studio Kai, the 12-episode has been adapted for screen by Tatsuto Higuchi – with the manga's story having been penned by original Kamen Rider W writer Riko Sanjo.

First Impressions: Fuuto PI

Fuuto PI is available in streaming form via Crunchyroll

It's almost hard to believe it, but after all these years there's finally an official Kamen Rider anime series. Despite the potential for an animated series based on Shotaro Ishinimori's premier tokusatsu hero as well as the numerous manga release ripe for adaptation there's been over the years, somehow 1993's Kamen Rider SD has remained its only anime offering - until now. Announced alongside Shin Kamen Rider and Kamen Rider Black Sun as part of the franchise's 50th anniversary celebrations, the story of Kamen Rider W now continues in Fuuto PI! Based on the ongoing manga series of the same name (marketed in Japan as Fuuto Tantei), the adaptation is being done by Studio Kai - a relatively new studio whose previous credits include Uma Musume Pretty Derby 2nd Season.

Anime REVIEW: ULTRAMAN Season 2

Ultraman is available in streaming form on Netflix

It's been a long three year wait exacerbated by production delays and a global pandemic, but the second season of the ULTRAMAN anime has finally landed. The adaptation of the ongoing manga by Eiichi Shimuzu and Tomohiro Shimoguchi, the series continues to be produced by famed studios Production I.G. and Sola Digital Arts (who also collaborate on fellow Netflix series Ghost in the Shell: SAC_2045). Despite its detachment from the main Ultraman universe, the ULTRAMAN manga/anime continues to be a key player in Tsuburaya Productions' bid for Ultraman global takeover – supported through a wealth of merchandising, videogame crossover appearances and the accessibility of the anime through a huge global platform like Netflix.

Anime REVIEW: Shinkansen Robo Henkei Shinkalion Z

Japan likes trains, and Japan also likes giant robots. So really it comes as no surprise that they certainly liked Shinkansen Robo Henkei Shinkalion - the 2018-2019 series that brought the two together in an explosion of train facts, wonderfully gimmicky toys and fond memories of the Brave Series. So much so that TakaraTomy, the Japan Railways Group and OLM, Inc. have teamed up once again to produce a sequel series, this time going by the name of Shinkansen Robo Henkei Shinkalion Z. Taking place after the original series with an all-new cast and story, this 2021-2022 sequel ran for a total of 41 episodes.

Anime REVIEW: Digimon Adventure:

The Digimon franchise has existed in many different forms over the years but when it comes to sheer popularity, most struggle to compete with the original Digimon Adventure. After being dragged out for six-part film series Digimon Adventure Tri. from 2015-2018 to celebrate the franchise's 15th anniversary and then for further sequel Digimon Adventure: Last Evolution Kizuna in 2020, it seemed like Toei had exhausted everything they could do with the original Chosen Children - other than reboot the whole thing that is. Digimon Adventure: (also commonly known as Digimon Adventure (2020) to avoid confusion) began in April 2020 - bringing back the cast of the original series in an all-new story. The series ran for a total of 67 episodes, though a significant hiatus was taken after episode three due to the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Anime REVIEW: Godzilla Singular Point

Godzilla Singular Point is available in streaming form on Netflix

It's hard to believe that despite being a franchise spanning over 65 years at this point, there's never been a fully-fledged Godzilla anime series. We've had a couple of American cartoon series over the years and a trilogy of CGI animated films from Toho and Polygon in 2017-18, but in 2021 did the King of the Monsters properly jump into television anime with Godzilla Singular Point. A co-production between acclaimed studios Bones and Orange, Singular Point is a "Netflix Original" series that released weekly in Japan between April and June before all 13 episodes dropped worldwide on the 24th June. The series was written by Toho Enjoh, an award-winning Japanese author specialising in science and speculative fiction.  

Anime REVIEW: SSSS.Dynazenon

SSSS.Dynazenon is available in streaming form on Funimation

After lying dormant for decades, Gridman the Hyper Agent has come a long way in the past six years. When Trigger revealed their Denkou Chojin Gridman: "boys invent great hero" short at the Japan Animator Expo back in 2015, who would have thought that a collaboration between the animation studio and Tsuburaya Productions would eventually lead to the creation of a Gridman Universe. Following the success of SSSS.Gridman in 2018, this universe continued to expand in 2021 with the release of SSSS.Dynazenon. This second animated instalment ran for a total of 12 episodes, introducing a whole new cast of characters and story despite the familiar setting. After being revealed to mean "Special Signature to Save a Soul" at the end of the previous series, here the "SSSS"-prefix takes on a whole new meaning right from the very beginning - "Scarred Souls Shine like Stars".

First Impressions: Shinkansen Henkei Robo Shinkalion Z

As if SSSS.Dynazenon and Godzilla Singular Point weren’t enough to convince you that this is a particularly great season for mecha anime, it’s all aboard the the bullet trains once more as Shinkansen Henkei Robo Shinkalion returns for a second series! The 2018 smash hit from TakaraTomy, Japan Railways Group and OLM, Inc. returns with a fresh new look - now going by the title of Shinkansen Henkei Robo Shinkalion Z. So get ready for more in-depth train trivia, potentially surprising cameos and wonderful robot fights that’ll tempt you to pick up some toys, because if the first series was anything to go by then Shinkalion Z should prove quite the wild ride.