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Vampire and witches are some of the most popular supernatural creatures in anime, right along with demons and yokai. They gained even more popularity in the early 2000s when anime series got pretty creative with creature lore. Some series have different categories of witches with specific powers and strengths, from elemental abilities to cast curses.

Some titles experiment with vampire lore, weaving together traditional sun-fearing vampires and formidable dhampirs. Witches and vampires are also perfect characters to incorporate into dark fantasy and gothic anime. Dark fantasy and gothic are ancient subgenres, but audiences were drawn to new takes on them in the early 2000s.

Princess Tutu Pairs a Whimsical Art Style with Heavy Themes & Evil Sorcery Series Years: 2002-2003; Streaming on Prime VideoImage via Hal Film Maker Studio.

A magical girl anime inspired by classical ballets, like Princess Tutu, doesn't seem like it would be a dark fantasy at first glance.

The Vampire Diaries is an eight-season-long TV series about immortal vampires and historical doppelgänger lovers. The paranormal romance is based on a series of books of the same name by L.J. Smith. Elena Gilbert's story centers around a love triangle between her and two vampires.

As The Vampire Diaries continues, Elena discovers even more paranormal creatures, like witches and ghosts. The series has an almost soap opera-style tone. Vampires are among the most popular anime creatures, and they go hand in hand with paranormal romance anime. Many vampire anime titles share many of the tropes and tone in The Vampire Diaries.

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From the briny waters within One Piece to the vast reaches of space from Cowboy Bebop, the wide world of anime offers plenty of lands, societies and cultures, yet transportation remains a crucial need for many. The lush worldbuilding in many anime titles often require creative solutions when it comes to vehicles, with many anime series forced to think outside the box when it comes to transportation.

The relative mundanity of answering the question of travel presents a unique opportunity for anime series to flex their worldbuilding muscles in answering that need, with some proving more ingenious than others. From All Might’s Hercules vehicle in My Hero Academia to Goku’s Flying Nimbus in Dragon Ball, these vehicles stand apart in terms of creativity and utility, remaining iconic to this very day.

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Inuyasha fans can look forward to an exciting December, as Inuyasha: The Final Act -- a direct anime sequel to the first Inuyasha series -- has found a new streaming home.

Per Whats On Netflix, Inuyasha: The Final Act will be added to the streaming platform's anime collection on Dec. 1. Inuyasha, Rumiko Takahashis beloved romance-fantasy manga-turned-anime, has been a long-standing fan favorite since the anime's original debut in 2000. Inuyasha follows the story of Kagome Higurashi, a modern-day teenage girl who is transported to Japan's Sengoku period through a magical well. There, she meets Inuyasha, a half-demon, and together, they embark on a journey to recover the shards of the Shikon Jewel, a powerful artifact that can grant immense power.

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Yakuza Fianc is the romance anime of the season, and it presents quite the questionable (yet addicting to watch) duo. Yoshino Somei and Kirishima Miyama are the grandchildren of two very high-ranking members of the Yakuza who've become engaged. Yoshino is a tough girl who stands her ground and possesses a head of beautiful red hair, and Kirishima is a masochistic young man with numerous red flags to match.

In spite of Kirishimas more concerning qualities, many fans have grown to love their uniquely compelling dynamic, as Kirishima's devotion to Yoshino is nothing short of endearing. And though their incredibly interesting and mildly problematic relationship is one that is hard to replicate, there are a great many anime couples with similar enemies to lovers dynamics.

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Kagome...

Bandai Namco Film Works today announced the release of "The Big-o 25th Anniversary Negotiation Files," an official design works collection book commemorating the 25th anniversary of The Big O anime series. The Big O is a 26-episode TV anime series produced by Sunrise (now Namco Bandai Film Works). The first season aired for 13 episodes from October 1999 to January 2000, followed by the second season with another 13 episodes from January to March 2003. The retro-style stylish design and the incorporation of elements from American comics and cartoons made the series popular not only in Japan but also overseas. Sunrise's official English website for the series describes the anime's synopsis as such: Forty years ago everyone in Paradigm City lost their memory. But humanity continues to survive. They’ve learned to operate machinery, produce electricity, and go on living from day to day. Roger Smith is a Negotiator. He controls the Megadeus called the Big O.

Features the voices of: Mayu Matsuoka, Anne Watanabe, Kumiko Asô, Nao Tôyama, Keiji Fujiwara, Akiko Yajima, Masachika Ichimura | Written by Miho Maruo | Directed by Keiichi Hara

Outside of literally three or four movies, my viewing of Japanese animated movies is completely reliant on Studio Ghibili. That said, I adore the studio and every one of its movies, with Spirited Away being one of my all time favourites. So it was about time I checked out the output from other animation filmmakers in Japan.

As the title would suggest, The Wonderland does have a few influences from Alice in Wonderland. But to be honest, there’s nothing too obvious and it definitely does not feel like a retread of that story. The day before her birthday, a young girl, Akane, meets an alchemist named Hippocrates and his student Pipo. Along with an antique shop owner, Chii, who she is kind of friends with,...