Anime News Network - Interview

Studio MAPPA On How Dorohedoro Season Two Came To Be

Fri, 31 Jul 2026 09:00:00 -0400

During our chat, they revealed their favorite moments from the season, their hopes for future adaptations, how they strove to maintain a healthy production schedule, and their stance on AI in animation.

Light and Ryuk Sing in Death Note: The Musical

Wed, 29 Jul 2026 09:00:00 -0400

ANN sat down with the stars of Death Note: The Musical to talk about their experiences with the show, the story, and Ryuk's makeup.

Interview: Looking Back on Dr. STONE with the Anime's Director and Scriptwriters

Fri, 24 Jul 2026 09:00:00 -0400

Director Shuhei Matsushita, series composition/scriptwriter Kurasumi Sunayama, and scriptwriter Aki Kindaichi delve into the triumphs and challenges behind bringing the acclaimed manga to the screen.

Talking New Tunes With the Team Behind BanG Dream! YUME∞MITA

Fri, 17 Jul 2026 09:00:00 -0400

ANN got the chance to speak with director Tomomi Umetsu, animation producer Hiroaki Matsūra, and BanG Dream! project producer Yūki Nemoto to discuss what makes YUME∞MITA unique and what viewers can look forward to from the new series.

Holding Nothing Back and Giving it Absolutely Everything: A Chat with Wistoria: Wand and Sword Season 2 Director, Hideaki Nakano

Fri, 10 Jul 2026 09:00:00 -0400

Hideaki Nakano talks about moving into the director's chair for Wistoria's second season and what he loves about the show.

KAIJU GIRL CARAMELISE Anime Team Discusses How Love Makes Monsters of Us All

Fri, 03 Jul 2026 09:00:00 -0400

With KAIJU GIRL CARAMELISE making the leap from page to screen, we sat down with members of the cast and crew to discuss the story and bringing it to life.

Interview: Yōhei Kameyama on His Breakout Hit, Milky☆Subway

Sat, 27 Jun 2026 09:00:00 -0400

With millions of views on YouTube and a feature film adaptation, Milky☆Highway is largely the work of a single man: character designer, 3D modeler, animator, and director Yōhei Kameyama.

Life After Dr. Stone with Aaron Dismuke, Felecia Angelle, and Brandon McInnis

Fri, 19 Jun 2026 09:00:00 -0400

Anime News Network took some time to sit down with English voice actors to talk about their favorite lines, lasting memories playing their characters, and what the show has taught them about both science and life.

Mastering Accents in Witch Hat Atelier with the English Dub Cast

Mon, 15 Jun 2026 11:54:15 -0400

How does the English dub use accents to reflect the story's wide world? The English voices of Qifrey and Agott share their thoughts.

Creating Visual Spectacle in Nippon Sangoku with Director Kazuaki Terasawa

Fri, 12 Jun 2026 09:00:00 -0400

It's easy to miss a true seasonal anime highlight, but you'll regret leaving the beautiful Nippon Sangoku on your "watch later" list.

Interview: What's New and Different in Resident Evil Veronica

Wed, 10 Jun 2026 11:00:00 -0400

Resident Evil Veronica producer Yoshiaki Hirabayashi talked about the challenges of creating remakes, the decision to change the original's title, and what the team would add.

The Astronaut Who Loves Anime

Mon, 08 Jun 2026 09:00:00 -0400

Astronaut Stanley Love went viral during the Artemis II mission when not-so-subtle anime references were spotted in Mission Control. Erica Friedman talks to Dr. Love about his fandom, magical girls, and more.

Hololive's Nerissa Ravencroft Talks about Frieren, Naruto, and Her Family Streams

Wed, 03 Jun 2026 09:00:00 -0400

Nerissa talked in detail about her singing career and how her family continues to support (and sometimes appear in!) her streams.

Creating Wordless Manga

Mon, 01 Jun 2026 11:13:36 -0400

How did the winners of the Silver Prize in Kadokawa's Global Manga Contest come up with their wordless stories? We sat down with masterlynx and REKU to find out.

Show, Don't Tell: Sentenced to Be a Hero Director Hiroyuki Takashima, Screenwriter Kenta Ihara

Wed, 27 May 2026 09:00:00 -0400

In this super-size interview, the anime staff behind the hit series Sentenced to Be Hero reveal one of the production's biggest edicts: no inner monologuing.

Interview: Always a Catch Crew Dive Deep into How Their Heroine Stays True to Herself

Fri, 22 May 2026 09:00:00 -0400

The anime staff shares how Mimi defines herself as a unique heroine, studying fighting styles for her hand-to-hand combat, and their favorite moments.

Interview: Petals of Reincarnation Voice Actor Wakana Maruoka, Producer Takanori Matsuoka

Fri, 15 May 2026 09:00:00 -0400

At Anime Boston, we caught up with Petals of Reincarnation producer Takanori Matsuoka and Haito’s voice actress Wakana Maruoka to talk about this new, dark, battle anime.

Navigating the Slow-Life Vibes of Farming Life in Another World 2

Wed, 13 May 2026 09:00:00 -0400

With Atsushi Abe dipping his toes into the realm of cozy isekai this season, we were curious to discuss how he and producer Hiromi Sueta navigated their way through the anime's non-confrontational trenches.

How to Compose an Anime Soundtrack: An Interview with Haikyu!! and My Hero Academia's Yuki Hayashi

Mon, 04 May 2026 09:00:00 -0400

"With anime, you've got 40 or 50 pieces all for a single season. If you compose without thinking first, there's no balance to it."

Interview: Creator Masamune Shirow Trusts Science SARU Team with The Ghost in the Shell Anime

Fri, 01 May 2026 09:00:00 -0400

Science SARU's productions hit a high with The Heike Story and haven't come down. The studio has curried favor with mainstream and niche hits, but more so than that, they've gained the trust of Ghost in the Shell creator Masamune Shirow.

MARRIAGETOXIN Voice Actor Haruki Ishiya on Gero's Strengths, Weaknesses, and Appeal

Mon, 27 Apr 2026 09:00:00 -0400

"Gero dreams of a normal marriage, probably one of the charm points of the story. And I think all the craziness coming from all sides in episode one perfectly encapsulates MARRIAGETOXIN."

My Hero Academia Composer Yuki Hayashi Interview: Why “You Say Run” Goes with Everything

Fri, 24 Apr 2026 10:00:00 -0400

"The quiet intro, the drums, [...] the memorable riff. Just having those three elements probably makes it easy to fit with any video."

'The One Piece is Real,' An Interview with Reese Alexiades from The Savannah Bananas

Sun, 19 Apr 2026 09:00:00 -0400

If baseball is the world, then MLB is the World Government, the big organization over all. Who then are the pirates in that world? Well, let me introduce you to the Savannah Bananas.

How Ace Combat Inspired the Sentenced to Be a Hero Author

Mon, 13 Apr 2026 09:00:00 -0400

After six years, Sentenced to Be a Hero has achieved an impressive amount of success: eight published volumes, a manga adaptation, and an anime adaptation by Studio Kai. With the first season wrapped, we reached out to creators Rocket Shokai and Mephisto to get more insights into their views on its success.

Creating a Fanclub: Director Sou Toyama on Kirio Fan Club

Wed, 01 Apr 2026 09:00:00 -0400

What makes Kirio Fan Club a more realistic look at high school crushes? Director of the upcoming anime, Sou Toyama, gets into it.

Making 'Bad' Animation Beautiful: An Interview with ChaO Director Yasuhiro Aoki

Mon, 23 Mar 2026 09:00:00 -0400

"with ChaO, I just did what I wanted to do, and I've always liked looking at things from a different angle, and finding something different, and I think that's what I've done."

Interview: Masahiko Ohta, the Go-To Director for Anime About Eccentric Young Girls, On His New Anime

Fri, 20 Mar 2026 09:00:00 -0400

From Himouto! Umaru-chan to My Deer Friend Nokotan, Masahiko Ohta's greatest hits have all been about crazy high school girls. His newest, The Demon King's Daughter is Too Kind, changes up the formula by having a much younger protagonist.

Interview: Ryuya Suzuki on Writing, Directing, Animating, and Scoring His First Feature Film, Jinsei

Fri, 13 Mar 2026 09:00:00 -0400

Jinsei isn’t your typical anime film. With a few exceptions, it was made entirely by one man.

Mushrooms and Fairy Tales: An Interview with the Director and Producer of Champignon Witch

Mon, 02 Mar 2026 09:00:00 -0500

"Luna is a rare kind of shojo heroine—someone who struggles both to love and to be loved."

Anime Fits Metal Like a Powerglove

Wed, 25 Feb 2026 09:00:00 -0500

Since 2005, Powerglove has made the headbanging-est power metal covers of your favorite songs—from video games to anime. To learn more, ANN sat down with the band to talk all things metal, anime, and their upcoming album.

Rewriting the Chivalrous Yakuza: Interview with Stray Manga Writer Ryu Kamio

Wed, 11 Feb 2026 09:00:00 -0500

"I have no time for those who uncritically submit to authority. If one senses that the direction their group is heading is misguided, I believe they should have the courage to cry out that it is wrong."

The Evolution of Shōjo Manga in the 1970s with Curator Rei Yoshimura

Wed, 04 Feb 2026 09:00:00 -0500

The manga studies specialist talks about the diversity of shojo and its reflection of girls' and women's lives across decades.

Manga Creation with Kazumi Yamashita

Fri, 30 Jan 2026 09:00:00 -0500

Kazumi Yamashita has been creating manga since 1980. Come find out what makes her work so enduring.

Exploring an Alien World with All You Need is Kill Director Kenichiro Akimoto

Wed, 21 Jan 2026 09:00:00 -0500

A novel, a manga, a comic, a live-action movie starring Tom Cruise. All You Need is Kill is a story that keeps coming back, but Studio 4C's version may be the most daring yet.

Creating Over 1500 Episodes with CHIBI MARUKO-CHAN Director Jun Takagi

Mon, 19 Jan 2026 09:00:00 -0500

We spoke to Director Takagi about keeping the long-running series fresh when it's set decades in the past and the unfortunate passing of long-time voice actor TARAKO.

A Fresh Cast Brings the Original Detective Conan Anime to a New Audience

Fri, 09 Jan 2026 09:00:00 -0500

ADR Director Ayu, Conan voice actor Molly Zhang, and Shinichi Kudo voice actor Mauricio Ortiz-Segura discuss the new dub batch releases to introduce fans to the long-running detective series.

Interview: Crafting a Film About Social Media-Induced Trauma with Macross Creator Shōji Kawamori

Fri, 19 Dec 2025 09:00:00 -0500

At the 38th Tokyo Film Festival, we were able to speak with Shōji Kawamori about this upcoming feature film, Labyrinth (and also about Macross finally being released across the wider world).

'Cruel Angel's Thesis' Singer Yoko Takahashi Reflects on the Iconic Theme

Wed, 17 Dec 2025 09:00:00 -0500

Every once in a while, an anime theme song escapes containment to become a mainstream hit and, in the case of singer Yoko Takahashi's "Cruel Angel's Thesis," a cultural phenomenon.

Writing the Strongest Villainess - an Interview with Light Novel Author Touko Amekawa

Fri, 05 Dec 2025 09:00:00 -0500

What does it take to write a strong protagonist who is neither heroine nor villainess? Touko Amekawa discusses that among other topics.

The Long Career of Romeo's Blue Sky Character Designer Yoshiharu Satō

Wed, 03 Dec 2025 09:00:00 -0500

Ghibli alum shares stories of working with industry greats and putting his heart and soul into Romeo's Blue Sky.