If Hayao Miyazaki is going out after The Boy and the Heron, it’s not quite with a whimper, but it certainly isn’t a bang.

Tstuomu Hanabusa wraps up the Tokyo Revengers live action adaptation in flat style.

Shunji Iwai strikes again. If you dig Iwai, have at it.

Yoji Yamada’s latest could probably warm the ice coldest of hearts.

Daishi Matsunaga takes on seminal Japanese LGBTQ+ novel Egoist and does not embarrass himself.

If you don’t already know Kenji Miyazawa, you won’t know him after Father of the Milky Way Railroad.

People, we have a contender for 2023’s biggest turkey. I give you: Onpaku.

Go watch Blue Giant and listen to it.

It’s the ol’ “go back in time and kill X before Y” thing, but done really well in Tokyo Revengers – part one of three.

Seriously, what’s with the creepy romances? Next up: Phases of the Moon.

Dear lord, watch your step around #Manhole.

Shin Kamen Rider, Shin Masked Rider, whatever the title, it’s the least of Hideaki Anno’s Shin Trilogy.

For peak Kore-eda go find Shoplifters. Monster isn’t quite there.

Yokaipedia is like a Japanese Stranger Things, including the girl, the Black kid and the upside down.

Lonely Castle in the Mirror is the Toyota of anime. Solid, dependable, easily serviced. Not too flashy.

Love Life is not the second coming of Harmonium for Koji Fukada.

Makoto Shinkai aims for Miyazaki’s throne but still comes up a bit short with Suzume. Just a bit.

Whisper of the Heart’s second adaptation is as misguided as it is gauzy and predictable.

Does anyone really care what the reviews for The First Slam Dunk say?

Sadako DX goes back to the Ring, ahem, well. Cover that thing, already.