ased on a seinen manga by Kikuchi Naoe and Yokomi Hirohiko, serialised in IKKI. The "story" is that a manga artist is asked by her boss to accompany him and a travel-writer on various train trips around Japan and draw a manga about it. The kicker though, is that it's completely non-fiction —the creator really did go on all these trips, and the manga simply records what happened, with no embellishment. There's a little disclaimer at the front that says "This is non-fiction, so I apologize for the lack of drama," and indeed, it mostly is just about them riding trains from place to place, waiting on platforms, etc. The "travel writer" turns out to be a super train-otaku who has vast knowledge of the train network, but also micro-manages all their trips, planning every detail down to the second. He cares mostly about following the schedule and successfully achieving his planned goals (e.g. visiting all stations on a line in a completely bizarre order to accomodate infrequent trains). The mangaka doesn't really care about trains; she's cynical, sarcastic, and rather lazy (she mainly just looks forward to the next eki-ben); he's completely gung-ho as long as he's following the schedule, and the inevitable conflicts are pretty entertaining. Throughout, though, it feels real —if you've travelled by train in Japan it will all seem very familiar, not just the scenery, but also the atmosphere and feel— and the artist does a great job of pacing and applying little tweaks to keep it consistently entertaining. In an additional bit of recursiveness, some of the characters who show up in the manga (who of course are real people, who really did show up) do so because they (really) read previous episodes of the manga! In addition of course, you can learn about various out of the way and interesting Japanese train lines and stations; some of them really do look cool. There's always this vague sense of surreality about it however, the trips are all planned by the train-guy (goal: visit all 9,843 stations in Japan) who seems to consider everything as part of a checklist rather than an experience to be enjoyed. You learn a bit about train-otaku culture too; there's really only the one guy in the story, but train-otaku culture is a sort of constant peripheral presence.

After failing their boss for the last time, yakuza members Kentarou, Ryou, and Kazuhiko are faced with one of two choices: have their organs harvested and sold or take a trip to Thailand for sex reassignment surgery and become pop idols. Now, after a year of excruciating training, the three thugs have been reborn as Airi, Chika, and Mari. Debuting as the amateur idol group The Goku Dolls, the three strive towards becoming top idols. However, despite the hours of feminizing brainwashing they were forced to endure, the three idols have managed to keep the yakuza spirit alive in their hearts. In order to fix this, their yakuza boss hires Mandarin Kinoshita, a legendary manager who has never had an idol group fail under his management. With their lives now on the line, the reluctant yakuza must work with their new manager to unleash their inner cuteness and become the successful idols that their tyrannical boss can truly be proud of.

Comical adventure story starring Kasukabe Defense Forces and dealing with "food" as theme. Kasukabe Defense Forces (Shinnosuke and his mates: Kazama-kun, Nene-chan, Masao-kun and Bo-chan) decide to attend "B-class Gourmet Carnival", a big event in Kasukabe, without their parents, to eat very tasty yakisoba sauce cooked by "Sauce's Ken". On the way, a mystery woman asks them to bring a legendary sauce to Sauce's Ken. They head to the event site with the sauce, but they wander off into a mountain, and "A-class Gourmet Organization", an organization plotting to eliminate B-class gourmet, seeks to take the sauce away from them.

Third season of Kingdom.

It has been 800 years since the battle gods "Idaten", who boast overwhelming speed and strength, contained the "demons" who led the world to ruin after a fierce battle. "That battle" is now just an old tale in a distant myth. While the "peaceful generation of the gods," who have never fought since they were born, are out of peace, someone has revived the demons from a long sleep! Bring armed forces, wisdom, politics, conspiracy, whatever you can use! No-rule & no-limit three-way battle royale is about to begin!!!

In 2024, the terrorist incident known as "The Laughing Man Incident" occurred in which Ernest Serano, president of the groundbreaking micromachine company, Serano Genomics, was kidnapped and ransomed. One day, the case having remained unsolved for six years, Detective Yamaguchi, who has been investigating "The Laughing Man Incident," sends word that he wants to meet with Togusa from Public Safety Section 9. However, soon after sending this message, Yamaguchi, crucial to the success of the case, dies in an accident. Many days pass and in the midst of a police interview relay concerning suspicions behind interceptors, a forewarning is received from "The Laughing Man" of his next crime. The incorporeal hacker begins to move once again.

In 2024, the terrorist incident known as "The Laughing Man Incident" occurred in which Ernest Serano, president of the groundbreaking micromachine company, Serano Genomics, was kidnapped and ransomed. One day, the case having remained unsolved for six years, Detective Yamaguchi, who has been investigating "The Laughing Man Incident," sends word that he wants to meet with Togusa from Public Safety Section 9. However, soon after sending this message, Yamaguchi, crucial to the success of the case, dies in an accident. Many days pass and in the midst of a police interview relay concerning suspicions behind interceptors, a forewarning is received from "The Laughing Man" of his next crime. The incorporeal hacker begins to move once again.

Mamoru Oshii's first Ghost in the Shell cyberspace film will return to five Japanese theaters in an enhanced Ghost in the Shell 2.0 edition on July 12. The new edition will include new computer graphics and digital effects for some scenes and a reunion of most of the cast members for a new 6.1 surround sound recording. Academy-Award-winning sound mixer/editor Randy Thom (Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence, The Incredibles, The Right Stuff) has overseen the new soundtrack with Kenji Kawai's original music and a final mix that has been produced at Thom and Lucas Digital's Skywalker Sound studio in California. In the new edition, the enigmatic Puppet Master character will be played by Yoshiko Sakakibara (Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence's Harraway, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex's Prime Minister Yoko Kayabuki). Iemasa Kayumi (Giant Robo's Chief Chuujou Shizuo, RahXephon's Ernst Von Bähbem) played the role in the original edition. The film will screen in Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya, Fukuoka, and Sapporo. Not coincidentally, Oshii's latest film, The Sky Crawlers, will open one month after Ghost in the Shell 2.0 on August 2.

Founded in the Taisho era, the "Red Flower Opera Company" attracts people's hearts across generations on a beautiful and gorgeous stage created only by unmarried women. The 100th generation students who have passed through a high magnification and entered the "Red Flower Opera Music School" to develop the human resources. Sarasa Watanabe, an innocent girl with a height of 178 cm who longs for "Oscar-sama." Ai Narada, a former national idol who is indifferent to everything, both dreams and friends. The music school life full of hope and conflict, where everything is disjointed, is about to begin!

During a physical exam, Miia, Centorea, and Mero discover that they have gained too much weight due to Kimihito Kurusu's delicious cooking. To remedy this, Polt offers them first use of her new pool and gym facility before its grand opening. However, it's not all fun and games, as the three girls' competitive spirits start to flare up! Meanwhile, when Rachnera Arachnera receives a letter from her previous host family, she finds out that they would like to meet with her and apologize for the events that caused her transfer. But, as it turns out, not only do they want to apologize, they want her back as well! When the family's daughter, Ren Kunanzuki, shows up at the front door, the gang must convince her to let Rachnera stay at Kimihito's house.

Ranma and his partner Rera run a detective agency in Giraffe City. An arranged accident leaves Rera and Ranma in an unfortunate state where the two detectives swap bodies at the stroke of midnight. With Ranma dissapearing and the beautiful Rera appearing.

The Shadows, characterized by their pitch-black appearance and tendency to emit soot when agitated, are a family of nobles who reside in a colossal manor deep within the mountains far from other humans. When a Shadow child is nearly of-age, they are assigned a Living Doll who acts not only as their attendant but also as their second half—the faces they could have had if not for their complexion. Emilico is a cheerful, newly created Doll who serves a rather soft-spoken master named Kate. Despite their difference in personalities, Emilico does what she can to carry out the needs of her master. As she learns more about her role and duty, Emilico begins to meet her fellow Dolls and their respective masters and comes to know more about the purpose of her existence. "Do not fret over trivial matters," says one of the rules to which all Dolls must abide. But how could the ever-curious Emilico do so in the face of the deep secrets that the Shadows House holds?

The manga is centered around an older woman who is often mistaken as a man and called "Ojii-chan'' by her cats and Tsushima, a strange cat who appears in her garden one day.

The Kazama Family—a gang of three wannabe delinquents and close friends, spearheaded by Kenji Kazama, is trying to make a name for themselves at Fujou Academy. On the first day of the term, the gang finds themselves putting out a fire in the Game Development Club. Instead of thanking them, the eccentric club members attack and knock out Kenji's two friends, forcing Kenji to fight for his life. Failing to escape, the gang leader is coerced into joining the Game Development Club. As he settles in, Kenji gets to know the four girls responsible for his provisional membership—student council president and general tyrant Chitose Karasuyama, spirited tomboy Sakura Mizukami, negligent club advisor Minami Oosawa, and the school's infamous shadow leader Roka Shibasaki. Throughout the Game Development Club's constant shenanigans and his desperate attempts to leave the club, Kenji begins to realize that he may be actually enjoying himself.

In an underground world where tunnels extend everywhere, even though they live in dark and confined spaces, people wear protective clothes and lead quiet and enjoyable lives. Patema, a princess in her underground village, loves to explore the tunnels. Her favorite place is a "danger zone" that her village prohibits people from entering. Even though she's scolded, Patema's curiosity can't be held back. No one ever explained what the supposed danger was. On her usual trip to the "danger zone," Patema faces unexpected events. When hidden secrets come to light, the story begins to unfold.

In Thrace, Arion is taken from his mother Demeter by the god Hades. In the Underworld, Arion is trained to be a warrior. His training is driven by revenge: Arion was told that his mother's blindness was caused by Zeus and Zeus' death will remove the curse. Finally, Arion and Geedo (a huge ape-like creature who had become Arion's friend and companion) left the Underworld to find Zeus. Seneca, a small thief, makes off with Arion's sword and this leads Arion to his first encounter with the forces of Zeus, commanded by his daughter Athena. Arion is captured but is later set free by Lesfeena, Athena's mute serving girl. As Arion rejoins Geedo and Seneca (and worries about Lesfeena), the forces of Zeus and Poseidon face each other in battle. In the background sits the scheming Hades, and the calm Apollon who seems to have plans of his own.

A middle school student finds his ordinary life disrupted when a strange small magical cat-girl creature suddenly appears in his refrigerator one day. Moriyama Sunao just takes everything in stride and accepts his new friend as she moves into his life and his circle of school friends. But the funny creature that he named Potemayo (a made-up name from a potato-mayonnaise bread) does not like one of his classmates, specificallyNatsu Mikan and considers her a rival for Moriyama's attentions. Then a second silly magical cat-girl appears in Moriyama's refrigerator, carrying a scythe and possessing strange magical powers.

Short episodes included in the Nekogami Yoayorozu Blu-ray and DVD volumes.

On Christmas Eve, Hiro Hirono's bike is stolen by a girl chasing a thief who stole her purse. He gives chase and finds her unconscious and his bike ruined. The girl, Miyako Miyamura, soon awakes and the two begin to talk. After making sure she is okay, they end up spending Christmas Eve together. Later, Hiro finds out Miyako attends the same school as him and they begin to spend more and more time together, Miyako developing affections for Hiro. Kei Shindou—Hiro's childhood friend who has long held a crush on him—begins to become jealous and a love triangle follows. The series also tells the story of Renji Asou. One day, he meets Chihiro Shindou, the twin sister of Kei Shindou, at an abandoned train station. Even though she's very shy, they get along pretty well and begin meeting at the same spot everyday; however, Renji finds out that Chihiro was in a car accident years ago and as a consequence she suffers from a disability: her memory lasts only 13 hours. Nevertheless, after learning that Chihiro's dream is to write a novel, Renji finally decides to help her fulfill her dream while also trying to make her overcome the difficulties imposed by her condition.

Young Thorfinn grew up listening to the stories of old sailors that had traveled the ocean and reached the place of legend, Vinland. It's said to be warm and fertile, a place where there would be no need for fighting—not at all like the frozen village in Iceland where he was born, and certainly not like his current life as a mercenary. War is his home now. Though his father once told him, "You have no enemies, nobody does. There is nobody who it's okay to hurt," as he grew, Thorfinn knew that nothing was further from the truth. The war between England and the Danes grows worse with each passing year. Death has become commonplace, and the viking mercenaries are loving every moment of it. Allying with either side will cause a massive swing in the balance of power, and the vikings are happy to make names for themselves and take any spoils they earn along the way. Among the chaos, Thorfinn must take his revenge and kill Askeladd, the man who murdered his father. The only paradise for the vikings, it seems, is the era of war and death that rages on.

The story of the original manga begins when a girl named Emi uses a pencil that can grant any wish. Emi gets caught up in the robbery of a convenience store, and her life is in danger. She uses the pencil to wish for a "hero that will save everyone." Four heroes appear in response to Emi's wish to change the course of the future. The anime will have a different story from the original manga.

Ren Mihashi was the ace of his middle school's baseball team, but due to his poor pitching, they could never win. Constant losses eventually lead to his teammates bullying him and reached the point where his teammates no longer tried to win, causing Mihashi to graduate with little self-esteem. As a result, Mihashi decides to go to a high school in a different prefecture where he has no intention of playing baseball. Unfortunately, upon his arrival at Nishiura High, he is dragged into joining their new team as the starting pitcher. Although unwilling at first, Mihashi realizes that this is a place where he will be accepted for who he is; with help from the catcher Takaya Abe, he starts to have more confidence in his own abilities. Abe, seeing the potential in Mihashi, makes it a goal to help him become a pitcher worthy of being called an ace.

Faceless shadow nobles living in a vast mansion, attended by living dolls who spend much of their time cleaning up the soot endlessly emitted by their mysterious masters. Follow the story of Emilyko, a young and cheerful living doll, as she learns her duties serving as the attendant for Kate Shadow-sama.

In the middle of an airborne heist, Lupin goes from stealing to stolen as he's carted off and forced to do a job for a mysterious man identifiable only by the brand of cigarette he smokes. Lupin's mission: to steal the infamous "Bull's Eye", a small green jewel best-known for the fact that everyone who's ever stolen it has ended up dead. Along with the challenge of alternately evading and pursuing a young thief with a competitive streak, Lupin and the gang must unravel the mystery of the Bull's Eye before its curse - or their mysterious taskmaster - gets the better of them.