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he hugely popular Chinese animated movie Ne Zha 2 is finally coming to English-speaking audiences this August 22. The film will be shown in theaters across the U.S., Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, with screenings available in IMAX, 3D, and other premium formats. This information comes from A24 and Cmc Pictures, the companies bringing the film to these markets.

Michelle Yeoh, an Oscar-winning actress, joins the English voice cast and shared her excitement about the project. She said, “I’m honored to be part of ‘Ne Zha 2,’ a landmark in Chinese animation… I can’t wait for everyone to experience the wonder, heart, spectacular artistry and magic of this film on the big screen.”

Alongside her, Crystal Lee voices Ne Zha, Aleks Le is Ao Bing, Vincent Rodriguez III plays Li Jing, and Damien Haas voices Deero, all helping bring the story alive for English viewers.

Directed by Yang Yu,...

The hugely popular Chinese animated film Ne Zha 2 is finally coming to English-speaking audiences this August 22, hitting theaters in the U.S., Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. The movie, backed by A24 and Cmc Pictures, will be available in IMAX, 3D, and other premium formats.

Oscar winner Michelle Yeoh joins the English voice cast, sharing her excitement: “I’m honored to be part of ‘Ne Zha 2,’ a landmark in Chinese animation… I can’t wait for everyone to experience the wonder, heart, spectacular artistry and magic of this film on the big screen.”

The main cast for the English version of Ne Zha 2 includes Crystal Lee as Ne Zha, Aleks Le as Ao Bing, and Michelle Yeoh as Lady Yin. Vincent Rodriguez III voices Li Jing, and Damien Haas plays Deero. These talented actors bring the characters to life for the English-speaking audience.

Directed by Yang Yu...

The Best Animated Feature race at the 2026 Oscars has a fiery frontrunner in Ne Zha II, the sequel to the record-breaking Chinese megahit that took theaters by storm overseas. The franchise quickly became a cultural juggernaut but hasn’t reached those heights stateside. If the enthusiasm surrounding the series’ sequel is anything to go by, that’s all about to change.

Ne Zha II has one major attractor for finicky Western audiences: the addition of Oscar winner Michelle Yeoh, who provides the English voice for the main character’s mother. At a special screening for the new animated film, the voice cast was so ecstatic about being considered coworkers with Yeoh that they were buzzing.

“It’s cliche to say, but it’s a dream come true,” Vincent Rodriguez III, who’s returning as the voice of Li Jing, told us on the carpet. “I’ve never met Michelle. This...

Michelle Yeoh brought a special guest to L.A. this past weekend – her Labubu!

The Oscar-winning actress brought her plush toy to the Hollywood Bowl to catch Wicked co-star Cynthia Erivo perform in the musical Jesus Christ Superstar over the weekend.

“Celebrating Hong Kong born Panda Twins first birthday (and my birthday too...

Solo Levelinganime fans have received a new wave of stunning officially licensed merchandise, courtesy of Australian-based lifestyle brand Pwr Supply and anime streamer Crunchyroll.

As seen exclusively on the Pwr Supply online storefront, Solo Leveling fans can now get their hands on a whole new line of tie-in merchandise, headlined by a series of hoodies and T-shirts. Readers can see the full catalog of available items in the image below, ranging from the S-rank Keychain Strap to the Arise Solo Leveling Hoodie, all available to buyers in the U.S., Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Mexico, Columbia and Chile.

Solo Leveling Anime Fans Get New 8-Piece Merchandise Release With Hoodies, T-Shirts & More

Headlining the new Solo Leveling Pwr Supply line is the Arise Solo Leveling Hoodie, which retails for $80, as does the Beru Shadow Hoodie. The Jinwoo and Battle of Jeju T-Shirts are both available for $50, while the Knight Killer T-shirt...

Funko has been releasing a lot of figures based on anime recently, and another line-up has been added to its collection. As Sakamoto Days has resumed airing its Season 1 episodes on Netflix, Funko has announced new Pop Figures based on this anime series. This collection features five figures, with one of them having a chase variant.

The characters featured in Funko's Sakamoto Days collection include Taro Sakamoto, Shin Asakura, Lu Shaotang, Nagumo, and Heisuke with Piisuke, all listed for $14.99 each. If you pre-order the Taro Sakamoto figure, customers have a chance to get its chase variant, which is his slim version as seen in Episode 5. These figures are available for pre-order on sites like Entertainment Earth and are scheduled to arrive in October 2025.

The second half of Sakamoto Days Season 1 started on Netflix on July 15, continuing the "Death Row Prisoners Arc" that was set up during the first half of the show.

There may be a few months until Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle reaches theaters in the U.S., but San Diego Comic Con has just teased the film's biggest fight in a major way. A never-before-seen poster was revealed showcasing the movie's biggest clash.

The poster shows off the fight between Upper Rank Three demon Akaza, Water Hashira Giyu Tomioka, and protagonist Tanjiro Kamado, which is the Infinity Castle arc's first major battle. Also included on the poster is the Infinity Castle film's fast-approaching U.S. release date, September 12, 2025.

Akaza, Giyu, and Tanjiro's Major Infinity Castle Battle Was Just Teased at Sdcc San Diego Comic Con Just Unveiled the Coolest Infinity Castle Poster Yet, Sure to Get Fans Hyped Copyright: ©Koyoharu Gotoge / Shueisha, Aniplex, ufotable

The vibrant poster showcases the stars of the battle: Akaza, Tanjiro, and Giyu, locked in combat. The text at the top reads "A Place Where Only The Strong Stand,...

From Lilo & Stitch to A Minecraft Movie to Superman, there have been quite a few box office hits this year. But all of them pale in comparison to the success of Ne Zha 2, the Chinese animated fantasy action-adventure film from Enlight Media’s Coloroom Pictures animation subsidiary and Jiaozi’s Chengdu-based Coco Cartoon.

Directed by Yang Yu (aka Jiaozi), Ne Zha 2 is a direct sequel to 2019's Ne Zha and continues the story of the rebellious and powerful god-like child. Based loosely on the Chinese mythological character and Xu Zhonglin's 16th-century novel Investiture of the Gods, NeZha 2 explores the consequences of Ne Zha's defiance against the heavens and the internal struggle of being a "demon child" born of chaos.

Ne Zha 2 was released in China in January, where it was met with incredible success at the domestic box office. It became China's highest-grossing film ever in just eight days,...

Throughout the events of Solo Leveling Seasons 1 and 2, viewers witness Sung Jinwoo's (Aleks Le) rise to power, where he went from being the weakest to becoming South Korea's 10th S-Rank Hunter. And while Season 3 has yet to be greenlit, the show's producers have teased what's to come for the show's next installment. But when it comes to Jinwoo's next chapter, his next enemy won't just be the monsters and beasts that reside at the other side of the gate; it will be himself.

Solo Leveling producer Atsushi Kaneko had teased previously that in Season 3, Jinwoo's journey to becoming the strongest would come at a personal cost. And in this interview with ScreenRant, he shared more details about this hunter's future challenges. Kaneko revealed that Jinwoo's emotional and moral integrity will be challenged. As he continues to rise to become the strongest, he will also face an emotional toll that comes with earning this immense power.

Just as it seemed to be breathing easy after backlash from the latest manga chapters, Rent-a-Girlfriend lands itself back into the talks of the anime community with its latest drama. It was announced online that one of the voice actors from the main cast would be bowing out due to conflicts with their scheduling and future projects.

Rent-a-Girlfriend is a pretty beloved series, though it’s also been the cause of fans' vexations due to how the manga has prolonged the main couple getting together. Written by Reiji Miyajima, the story follows Kazuya Kinoshita, who is inexperienced with relationships, so he decides to rent a girlfriend after being dumped after only a month by his last girlfriend.

What was meant to be a short-term affair quickly derails into a series of misunderstandings between family and friends, leading to Kazuya not wanting to end the relationship too soon. That, coupled with...

Aleks Le, the English voice actor of Sung Jinwoo in Solo Leveling, revealed the one role he was embarrassed to play in a viral clip from a resurfaced interview. Le's confession of sabotaging his audition for a controversial harem anime that he would win anyway coincides with the recent announcement of his recasting in the now-playing Season 4 premiere.

An interview Le did for the infamous Trash Taste podcast, which dates back to April 12, 2024, has gone viral across social media platforms like Reddit. In the over-two-hour interview, Le discussed his humble beginnings as a voice actor, as well as the struggles he endured in his personal life. A reason why this interview has gone viral is a segment where Le revealed he tried to fail an audition for a popular, yet risqué, harem anime, which he ultimately won the leading role in. The clip coincides with the surprising announcement that Le's role,...

The official trailer for Ne Zha 2‘s English dub has been unveiled by A24, who have acquired the rights to re-release the highest-grossing animated movie ever (via Variety). Although the revered studio is notable for its handling of Indie releases, the prospect of A24 distributing the biggest movie of the year is both surprising and exciting.

As for what made the Ne Zha sequel the highest-grossing animated movie of all time, outgrossing Disney’s heavy hitters like The Lion King remake and Inside Out 2, it was a perfect storm of several key elements. And with a re-release on the cards, the sequel has a very real shot of surpassing Cameron’s Avatar: The Way of Water.

Ne Zha 2 English Release Can Take Down James Cameron’s Avatar 2 at Box Office

Having already grossed over $2.2B from a budget of $80M, with a re-release on the horizon, the...

When most people think about the highest-grossing animated films of all time, they gravitate toward movies like Pixar’s Inside Out 2 ($1.6B+), Disney’s Frozen II ($1.4B+), The Super Mario Bros. Movie ($1.3B+), and 2013’s Frozen ($1.3B+). However, there’s one film that outshines them all: Yang Yu aka Jiaozi’s Ne Zah 2, a Chinese animated film that, earlier this year, earned $2.215B at the global box office. It goes without saying that more people should experience this animated phenomenon, and now, thanks to A24, they will!

According to A24, an English-language dub of Ne Zah 2 will be released on August 22. It will feature Michelle Yeoh as the lead character’s mother, Lady Yin.

“A rebellious young boy, Ne Zha, is feared by the gods and born to mortal parents with wild, uncontrolled powers,” a synopsis for the film reads. “Now he’s faced with an ancient force intent on destroying humanity,...

A24, the studio that brought us the Oscar Award winning Everything Everywhere All at Once, and in partnership with Chinese state-backed Cmc Pictures, has just released the trailer for the English dubbed release of the record breaking smash hit Ne Zha 2 which you can watch below. Academy Award winner Michelle Yeoh (Everything Everywhere All at Once) leads the voice cast as Ne Zha’s mother Lady Yin and is joined by Vincent Rodriguez III, Aleks Le, Damien Haas, and Crystal Lee.

“I’m honored to be part of Ne Zha 2, a landmark in Chinese animation and a powerful reminder of how universal our stories can be,” according to Yeoh. “Sharing this with audiences in English is such a joy, and I can’t wait for everyone to experience the wonder, heart, spectacular artistry, and magic of this film on the big screen.”

The film about a demon boy...

At 2025's halfway point, A Minecraft Movie, Lilo & Stitch, and Sinners are the year's three biggest box-office success stories — on U.S. screens anyway. Internationally, though, those chicken jockeys, aliens, and vampires have been left in the dust by a rambunctious sprite named Ne Zha, the star of a Chinese-language animated sequel that's been a headlining attraction at multiplexes around the world for six months and counting. The first trailer for the upcoming English-language version debuted online Tuesday and spotlights the film's eye-popping animation, as well as funny animal jokes that easily cross borders.

Since opening in China in January, Ne Zha 2 has broken the $2 billion barrier at the global box office, joining such rarefied company as James Cameron's Avatar movies and the one-two punch of Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame. While the bulk of those grosses have come from its native land — where it has earned...

A24 and Cmc Pictures are teaming up to release an English-language version of Ne Zha 2, the biggest animated film of all time. The movie, which cost just $80 million to make, has grossed $2.215 billion worldwide, with most of that figure coming from China.

The English dub of Ne Zha 2 will debut in IMAX, 3D, and other premium large formats on August 22, 2025, in the U.S., Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

In the sequel, a rebellious young boy is feared by the gods and born to mortal parents with wild, uncontrolled powers. Now he’s faced with an ancient force intent on destroying humanity, he must grow up to become the hero the world needs.

The English version of Ne Zha 2 is voiced by Academy Award winner Michelle Yeoh (upcoming Wicked: For Good), Vincent Rodriguez III, Aleks Le, Damien Haas, and Crystal Lee.

“I’m honored to be part of Ne Zha 2,...

"I will change my destiny!" A24 has unveiled a brand new official US trailer for the animated sensation Ne Zha 2, a massive animated hit from China. Ne Zha 2, which is indeed in the sequel to Ne Zha 1 from 2019, has already earned a whopping $2.2 billion at the box office so far - playing in China and in other countries worldwide, after first opening in January earlier this year. A24 is hopping on this success by releasing the brand new English language dub version of the animated Chinese movie, featuring this special voice cast. A rebellious young boy, Ne Zha, is feared by the gods and born to mortal parents with wild, uncontrollable powers. Now he's faced with an ancient force intent on destroying humanity, he must grow up to become the hero the world needs. This English version features the voices of Michelle Yeoh, Vincent Rodriguez III, Aleks Le,...

Only a few films managed to gross the $2 billion mark worldwide. Most of them were from Hollywood, but 2025 brought a surprise hit: Ne Zha 2.

The Chinese animated fantasy action film is a direct sequel to 2019's Ne Zha. Based on the Chinese mythological character of the same name and Xu Zhonglin's 16th-century novel Investiture of the Gods, the animated film features enthusiastic reviews and has become the highest-grossing animated film. Ahead of its upcoming debut in theaters in the U.S. and Canada on Aug. 22,Ne Zha 2 has debuted the first trailer, which can be seen below.

Ne Zha 2 premiered in theaters in China on Jan. 29, 2025, which coincided with the first day of the Chinese New Year. While it was released on different dates around the world, the animated fantasy adventure sequel will head to the U.S., Canada, Australia, and New Zealand on Aug. 22. A24...

Earlier this month, A24 announced that they had acquired the rights to rerelease “Ne Zha 2,” the Chinese animated film that became the highest-grossing animated movie ever made when it originally released in theaters this January. Now, the first trailer for the company’s English dub version of the film has been released, showcasing the action epic’s vibrant, beautifully animated fantasy world.

The sequel to 2019’s “Ne Zha,” “Ne Zha 2” is based upon the eponymous deity from Buddist, Taoist, and Chinese folk religion tradition. Inspired by the 16th century novel “Investiture of the Gods,” the two movies focus on the young Ne Zha, a boy born as the reincarnation of an ancient demon orb. Shunned and feared by the people of his hometown, the boy attempts to subvert a prophecy foretelling his descent into evil and prove himself a hero. The second movie follows Ne Zha, reborn after...

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba fans, it is time to get excited. On July 26, the franchise will take center stage at San Diego Comic-Con 2025 with a massive Hall H panel dedicated to Infinity Castle, the next cinematic installment in the wildly successful series. The event promises exclusive footage, celebrity guests, and long-awaited updates.

This is not just any panel, according to Crunchyroll, because it marks the first time since the anime’s 2019 debut that creative minds from studio ufotable will appear in the U.S. Director Haruo Sotozaki, voice actors Natsuki Hanae and Aleks Le, and beloved singer LiSA are all confirmed to attend, setting the stage for what could be the franchise’s most important announcement yet.

Demon Slayer Takes Over San Diego Comic-Con’s Biggest Stage Demon Slayer’s Creators Return to the U.S. for a Historic Reveal â San Diego Comic-con âDemon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba...

With Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle premiering internationally in just a few months, the anime series is heading to San Diego Comic-Con 2025 and will host a special panel in the acclaimed Hall H! Director Haruo Sotozaki, Director of Photography Yuichi Terao, Natsuki Hanae (voice of Tanjiro), Aleks Le (English voice of Zenitsu) and theme song artist LiSA will all make an appearance in Hall H on Saturday, July 26 at 5:45 p.m. to talk about the upcoming movie, which will include an exclusive footage presentation. This will mark the first time representatives from the anime studio ufotable have come to the United States since the Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba anime premiered in 2019. The Crunchyroll booth (#4135) at Sdcc will also host interactive activities inspired by the movie. The Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba series announced on March 1 that the new movie will premiere in Japan on July 18. Crunchyroll...

It is a pleasant feeling seeing your favorite manga adapted faithfully. It might seem like a small thing, but more often than not, the adaptations diverge and mess up the essence of the source work. However, what is even rarer is when a source work is elevated to the next level by the adaptation.

Dandadan is the perfect example of this. Science Saru’s dedication to the work and their willingness to take risks to make the anime better than ‘just an adaptation’ is commendable. Yukinobu Tatsu’s manga is a chaotic rollercoaster, yet Saru was able to capture the essence of the story and make it look way cooler than it did on the manga panels.

Science Saru’s Style Is Respectful but Bold

Science Saru has built a reputation for daring animation and an unorthodox style of storytelling, and Dandadan Season 2 continues that legacy. The Evil Eye arc...

As fans wait for Solo Leveling Season 3 to be greenlit and its live-action adaptation to announce a release date, one of the manhwa's missing lore will be revealed in this upcoming spin-off. Solo Leveling: Karma is an upcoming video game that will adapt the 27-year war between Sung Jinwoo and his shadow army against the Monarchs. This game was developed by Netmarble, the same developers of Solo Leveling: Arise, and a release date has yet to be announced.

A reveal trailer was uploaded on the Solo Leveling: Karma YouTube channel, teasing an upcoming dungeon crawler, where Jinwoo and his army face off multiple bosses, including that giant statue seen back in Season 1. In the original web novel, Jinwoo goes back in time using the Cup of Reincarnation to prevent the gates from spawning in the real world. This led to a 27-year war between him and his shadow army against the Monarchs,...

Seasons 1 and 2 of Solo Leveling have introduced audiences to Sung Jinwoo (Aleks Le), who started out as the weakest hunter of all of mankind to South Korea's 10th S-Rank Hunter. Throughout the show, he has faced numerous adversaries with diverse powers and abilities, and it remains unknown what his limits are. Well, according to Solo Leveling's producer, Season 3 could be the moment where Jinwoo's aura farming might come with a cost.

In an interview with ScreenRant, producer Atsushi Kaneko spoke about Sung Jinwoo's future if Season 3 were to be greenlit. According to him, this S-Rank's rise to power would come at a personal cost. Kaneko doesn't disclose what these consequences would entail, but it would create an intriguing shift in this hunter's narrative moving forward.

"If we get a Season three, Jinwoo would become the strongest, but he would lose something in that regard. He would be incomplete. We want to show that conflict,...

Season 2 of DanDaDan premiered just a few days ago, and there's already a lot to unpack. Between Jiji's (voiced by Kaito Ishikawa in the original Japanese and by Aleks Le in the English dub) haunted house, Momo's (Shion Wakayama/Abby Trott) terrible experience in a hot spring, and Okarun's (Natsuki Hanae/A.J. Beckles) newfound rivalry, the debut episode came packed with new info — but one element might have flown past you. The premiere episode, titled "Like, This Is the Legend of the Giant Snake," included a reference to a major villain of the franchise. But fans who only watch the anime series probably didn't spot it.

The reason why the reference might have gone unnoticed by most fans is because it's related to a character wiho hasn't even been introduced yet. In the manga series created by Yukinobu Tatsu, one of the villains from the later arcs is someone called Count Saint-Germain,...

Dan Da Dan’s director, Fuga Yamashiro, and leading members of the series’ English voice cast appeared at Anime Expo on Saturday, where they discussed changes to the show’s creative approach between seasons, the prospect of more Dan Da Dan, and a gaming announcement.

Held in the Peacock Theater at the Los Angeles Convention Center, the panel event saw director Yamashiro and Science Saru producer Kohei Sakita were joined on stage by English voice cast members Abby Trott (Momo), A.J. Beckles (Okarun), and Aleks Le (Jiji). Attendees were privy to special messages from Japanese voice actors Mayumi Tanaka (Turbo Granny) and Shion Wakayama (Momo), a live dubbing experience, exclusive looks at the upcoming season (including a still from episode 21), and the announcement of a Dan Da Dan crossover event with anime RPG Grand Summoners featuring an original story — with the promise of more details via the game’s social media and in-game notices.

Arise, Solo Leveling fans! An exciting new project starring everyone's favorite S-rank hunter has been revealed.

Netmarble, the developer behind Solo Leveling: Arise and the upcoming Solo Leveling: Arise Overdrive, announced a brand-new video game release based on the popular manhwa. Solo Leveling: Karma was officially revealed on the game's official social media channels, such as YouTube and X (formerly Twitter). According to the game's description, this is "a tale never revealed in the original work."

Solo Leveling: Karma Is a New & Original Take on Sung Jinwoo’s Story

The latest Solo Leveling announcement comes at a time when the animated adaptation of the popular South Korean comic by author Chugong continues to break records and earn critical acclaim worldwide. At the 2025 Crunchyroll Anime Awards, Solo Leveling won the coveted title of Anime of the Year, in addition to other awards like Best English Voice Artist Performance (Aleks Le as...

There are many things that DanDaDan fans want to see when the series returns for Season 2 later this week. First and foremost, they want to see Okarun (voiced by Natsuki Hanae in the original Japanese and by A.J. Beckles in the English dub), Momo (Shion Wakayama/Abby Trott), and Turbo Granny (Mayumi Tanaka/Barbara Goodson) again. Then, they want to find out what happened after the boy and the girl agreed to visit Jiji's (Kaito Ishikawa/Aleks Le) house to find out what's going on in the eerie place. Once episodes start rolling out, everyone will have their favorite moments, but series' co-director Abel Gongora has already revealed to Collider which episode of the season is his favorite.

During the interview, Gongora told Collider's Laura Adams that his favorite episode comes fairly early in the season: it's Episode 2, whose title is yet to be revealed. We do know, however,...

DanDaDan fans have been waiting for this week for a long time. With Season 2 of the anime series finally about to debut, we can't help but imagine what lies in store for Okarun (voiced by Natsuki Hanae in the original Japanese and by A.J. Beckles in the English dub), Momo (Shion Wakayama/Abby Trott) and Turbo Granny (Mayumi Tanaka/Barbara Goodson) in the new episodes. Fortunately for you, Collider was able to talk to the show's co-director Abel Gongora (Devilman Crybaby) earlier this month, and he talked about the look of the upcoming episodes.

During the interview, Gongora broke down to Collider's Laura Adams some of the things that the DanDaDan team is playing with in order to bring a fresh look for Season 2 of the series. As anyone who watched Season 1 knows, the visuals of DanDaDanare an important part of the story, and the animation team is fully aware of that.

If there is an anime that just overturns all logic and tradition, it has to be Dandadan. The series is fresh, thrilling, and downright crazy. The main characters in Season 1 of the series are introduced one by one, each more unique than the other.

While the wait is on for Season 2, Science Saru managed to give the fans a glimpse of the upcoming ride in the form of Dandadan Evil Eye. With the Evil Eye arc as the focus, things are about to get serious. In an interview, the director reveals that one of the greatest challenges the team faced was to preserve the essence of the best character.

Crafting Jiji’s Dark Mode Was Risky and Bold

Jiji is an incredible character. Jiji embodies more than half of the energy and craziness in the Momo gang; he is known for his antics and humorous gags. However, Season 2 is going to shatter that image.

Crunchyroll has great news for anime fans across the nation. The award-winning anime Solo Leveling and even more fantastic hits are now available to more North American users than ever before.

Now available on SmartCast-enabled TVs, anime fans in North America can access over 50,000 anime episodes from popular shows like Solo Leveling through Vizio, the renowned electronics brand of Walmart. This exciting digital expansion includes 25,000 hours of anime from over 2,000 titles. In addition to Solo Leveling Season 2 -Arise from the Shadow-, Vizio owners can also watch hot shows like My Hero Academia: Vigilantes, One Piece, Fire Force Season 3, Wind Breaker Season 2, To Be Hero X, and more.

Crunchyroll Viewers Can Now Watch Over 50,000 Anime Episodes on Vizio Smart TVs

Crunchyroll's massive anime library is now available on all Vizio Smart TVs through the SmartCast platform, featuring titles from a wide range of genres, both past and present. This not only...

Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War had us confront many changes in the storyline and art style, but it also extended to a few of the voice cast. A prime example is the recasting of Yasutora “Chad” Sado’s replacement. His original voice actor was Jamieson Price, but he’s now voiced by Alain Mesa.

These changes caused some debate amongst fans, who loved what the original voice actors brought to these characters. The anime series for Bleach ended 10 years ago, but has returned now. The change is jarring, but it brings up a very important conversation about the voice acting industry.

Most English voice casts in anime consist of white actors, whereas Bleach involves characters from diverse racial backgrounds. The change might have been controversial, but it was a necessary move.

Bleach Seeks to Be More Inclusive With Its Voice Cast

As previously mentioned, Tite Kubo didn’t make all of his characters exclusively Japanese.

In a series filled with flashy moments, aliens, and total chaos, the personality of a character shone with just a boy picking up his socks. Okarun, who is one of the main characters in Dandadan, contains many unique qualities that have never been truly discovered in the series. While he is not the loudest, strongest, or boldest character in the series, there is something unique about him that could be explored as a potential moment for character growth in the series.

Amongst the many flashy scenes in the series, there is a possibility that the audience may easily miss a few moments that encapsulate exactly who Okarun truly is. The scene in question here is the time when he transforms in the middle of a frantic scene, where he pauses for a moment, before running after Momo.

The pause was for no punchline or hesitation, but because his socks and...

Even though the new Harry Potter series has been moving at full speed ahead, fans will still have to wait a while until they can go back to Hogwarts. Anime fans, however, have something similar to keep themselves entertained while waiting for HBO to start rolling out Harry Potter episodes. Mashle: Magic and Muscles is already on its way to Season 3, but the arrival of Season 2 on the Netflix catalog has shown the streaming platform's potential to bring new stories to wider audiences. This past week, the fantasy anime series raked in over 1.3 million views and ranked among the most-watched titles in the library.

As the title suggests, Mashle: Magic and Muscles isn't just about fantasy. The anime series has a slate of similarities with Harry Potter, starting with the fact that protagonist Mash Burnedead (voiced by Chiaki Kobayashi in the original Japanese and by Aleks Le in the English...

Last week, the box office numbers indicated that DanDaDan was close to a threshold. Now, with the compilation movie DanDaDan: Evil Eye debuting in more countries, the franchise has broken new records and continues to make history in domestic earnings. The new movie wrapped up the weekend with $5.5 million earned in the U.S., making it officially five times more profitable than the franchise's previous movie, DanDaDan: First Encounter.

With the new number, DanDaDan: Evil Eye also managed to fly past one of the highest-ratedMy Hero Academia movies. Last year, My Hero Academia: You're Next was able to make $5 million domestically, and now that DanDaDan: Evil Eye surpassed it, the franchise already ranks among the 25 highest-earning Japanese anime movies ever in the U.S. If it manages to bring in more than 6.8 million, DanDaDan will eliminate legendary titles like Studio Ghibli's Princess Mononoke from the list.

The number is...

It's been three months since the Season 2 finale of Solo Leveling aired, concluding the Jeju Island Arc and setting the stage for what's next for Sung Jinwoo. However, despite the show's notable success, Season 3 has not yet been greenlit. Based on a recent interview with the show's main staff, Solo Leveling's future will remain uncertain for now.

In an interview with Crunchyroll during Ccxp Mexico '25, A-1's animation producer, Atsushi Kaneko, and Solo Leveling's anime action director, Yoshihiro Kanno, were asked if they have anything they want to share with those waiting for Sung Jinwoo's "next chapter." Unfortunately, they're not in a position to give an official update. However, they said that if people want Season 3 to come out, all they need to do is support the franchise, which is the same comment made during a Reddit Ama last month.

"So, my position doesn't allow me to officially confirm...

In less than two weeks, DanDaDan fans will get to dive into the highly anticipated Season 2 of the worldwide phenomenon. In order to do that, they will need to have a subscription to a streaming platform. The good news is, the anime series is not exclusive to any streaming service; there will be multiple options for fans to check out the new adventures, and all platforms will release episodes simultaneously with Japan. At this point, we already had confirmation that Netflix and Crunchyroll will once again debut episodes in their respective libraries. This week, Hulu joined the chorus and confirmed that it will be yet another option to stream DanDaDan when it returns.

Season 2 of DanDaDan comes highly anticipated. Last year, the anime series set a high bar for itself with its gorgeous art style and its entertaining mix of supernatural and sci-fi stories. With a perfect 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes...

It's been barely a year since Tower of God ended its Season 2 run, but it makes perfect sense that fans would like to revisit the show – or own it before it drops out of Crunchyroll. The good news is that the anime-first company is releasing Season 2 of the hit anime series this September, and the best part: The show is getting a gorgeous Steelbook Blu-ray edition that simply has to make it into your collection. Tower of God: Return of the Prince Part 1 will hit shelves on September 19.

If you decide to purchase it, you will be able to select the special Steelbook edition or the regular Blu-ray release of Tower of God. Part 1 includes Episodes 1-13 of Season 2, and, as the title indicates, it covers the Return of the Prince arc. This is the section in which several new characters are introduced, and the anime series invites fans to...

Anime fans know that this will be a pretty great summer to be a fan of Japanese animation. In order to tease what's coming our way, Crunchyroll unveiled a complete line-up of titles that are debuting or returning to the platform as soon as the season starts, and fans should keep it at hand in case they don't want to miss any of the exciting anime series that have been highly anticipated.

Summer will kick off with the new series Takopi's Original Sin. Based on a manga released in 2021, the sci-fi story centers around an octopus-like creature that crash-lands on Earth and strikes up a friendship with a nine-year-old girl. The series debuts on June 28. Shortly after that, on July 1, it's time to dive into two other new series: Detectives These Days Are Crazy! and Necronomico and the Cosmic Horror Show. Both series debut on the same day as the highly anticipated Season 4 of Rent-a-Girlfriend.

Last month, Solo Leveling's Global Distributor, Kakao Entertainment, revealed that the anime was Crunchyroll's "most popular series" during the first quarter of 2025, following its Crunchyroll Awards sweep. Sony has only now addressed this statement, confirming what Kakao said in a recent corporate presentation.

During Sony's Business Segment Presentation & Fireside Chat 2025, Sony Pictures Entertainment's President and CEO, Ravi Ahuja, presented the Pictures Segment, addressing the rising demand for anime and how Solo Leveling became the "#1 title on Crunchyroll in 2024." In addition, over at the Music Segment, presented by Sony's President and Representative Director of the Board, Group CEO, Sony Music Entertainment (Japan) Shunsuke Muramatsu explained in a presentation slide that the show ranked #1 in "Crunchyroll's View Count History" (as of the end of March 2025), matching what Kakao Entertainment stated in its press release, and also announced that it set the record for "the most streams on Crunchyroll."

"The second season of the show,...

The DanDaDan team is certainly happy that they decided to make the Season 2 premiere a theatrical event. The compilation movie DanDaDan: Evil Eye is moving at full speed at the box office, and even if it doesn't rake in a blockbuster-level gross, the new title has already managed to shatter the records of its own franchise — and now it's aiming for other anime franchises: the movie is about to outperform one of My Hero Academia's best-rated theatrical releases.

With just one weekend, DanDaDan: Evil Eye managed to outperform the previous entry in the franchise, the debut compilation movie DanDaDan: First Encounter. Released last year, First Encounter amassed a little over $1 million at the box office, mostly because DanDaDan was relatively unknown at the time. Now, with two weeks in theaters, Evil Eye has already managed to make it past the $5.03 million gross in the U.S. The number is dangerously...

It won’t be a stretch to say that Yukinobu Tatsu’s Dandadan was the biggest anime release of last year, as the first season received unprecedented reception. The series attracted a lot of fans, and these fans are now eagerly waiting for the second season of the Dandadan anime to make a return, which is scheduled for release in July this year.

While the first season was great in all aspects, the ending or the finale of the series received a lot of criticism for its abrupt ending. The story of Dandadan season 1 ended on a non-conclusive note, and the entire blame for this went to one character who was not as relevant in the storyline.

This character was none other than Taro, the anthropomorphized anatomical model who made a small appearance in Dandadan season 1. If the story had removed his arc, the ending of the season could have...

English dubs have always been a contentious topic for anime fans. Lately, though, fans have warmed up to the idea, all because of voice actors who give us quality dubs. Aleks Le is one such voice actor who has garnered massive attention from fans over the past few years. Some of his popular roles include Zenitsu Agatsuma from Demon Slayer and Sung Jinwoo from Solo Leveling.

Last year proved the voice actor’s dedication to his craft as he delivered one phenomenal performance after the other. He played some fan favorite characters, and also shared his process in various interviews. Looking back, there’s no doubt that Aleks Le’s performances in 2024 raised the bar for English dubs.

All the characters Aleks Le brought to life in 2024

Aleks Le has become synonymous with Sung Jinwoo from Solo Leveling anime. Both the voice actors, Taito Ban (Japanese) and Aleks Le (English...

Romance anime like The Apothecary Diaries are known for being filled to the brim with tropes. There are a few tropes that every romance anime must have to qualify as a romance anime, and the indirect kiss trope is one of these. The indirect or accidental kiss trope is a staple in romantic anime. It walks a fine line between heartwarming and cringe-inducing.

Everyone goes gaga about how Dandadan delivered a great accidental kiss, but forget how The Apothecary Diaries set a high bar with its delicate and emotionally resonant portrayal. The scene in The Apothecary Diaries is a masterclass in crafting warm romantic moments and deserves recognition.

The Apothecary Diaries mastered the magic before Dandadan Jinshi smiles at Maomao | Credits: Toho Animation

Very few romantic anime have mastered the art of the indirect kiss trope. It’s a pivotal trope in the world of romance anime. It’s an...

Dandadan‘s English dub is voiced by some pretty popular voice actors, one of whom is Aleks Le. Aleks Le is the voice actor of Jiji, the hyperactive childhood crush of Momo Ayase.

Recently, Gkids premiered the continuation of Dandadan ahead of its Japan debut. Dandadan: Evil Eye is a compilation movie of the first three episodes of the anime’s season 2. It also featured an exclusive interview with the voice actors of Okarun, Momo, and Jiji. The interview included a fun moment where Aleks Le confessed that he found one similarity with his character.

The Dandadan dialogue that Aleks Le related to with his soul

Voice actors often find characters who are pretty similar to them. It is a rare occurrence, but when it does happen, the voice actor ends up having a lot of fun with the role. The same happened with Aleks Le with his role of Jiji in Dandadan.

The 2025 Astra TV Awards took place on June 10, and two big anime titles ended up taking home awards in the process. Dragon Ball Daima won Best Anime Series in the second year of the category’s existence, and Aleks Le won Best Lead Voice-Over Performance for Solo Leveling Season 2 - Arise from the Shadow . Dragon Ball Daima was up against some tough competition, including Dan Da Dan , Fire Force Season 3 , Lazarus , Solo Leveling Season 2 and The Apothecary Diaries Season 2 . Related: Dragon Ball Daima, Solo Leveling Season 2 and More Nominated for 2025 Astra Awards Dragon Ball Daima also had a nomination in Best Lead Voice-Over Performance with Stephanie Nadolny as Goku - Mini. Three English dub actors were up for Best Supporting Voice-Over Performance—Caitlin Glass for One Piece , Justin Briner for Solo Leveling and Xolo Mariduena for Sakamoto Days —but that award ended up going to Jack Quaid for Star Trek: Lower Decks...

For years, anime voice actors have delivered stunning performances with little recognition beyond the anime fan community, but now, Solo Leveling has shattered that barrier. In a historic win at the Astra Awards, Aleks Le, voice of Sung Jinwoo in the English dub, took home Best Lead Voice-Over Performance. This marks the first time a voice actor from an anime series has won at a mainstream Hollywood award show, making the victory not just personal but industry-defining.

Le’s triumph, announced via his X account @AleksLeVO, proves a turning point in how anime is viewed in the Western entertainment world. Traditionally, awards for voice acting in Hollywood have been dominated by Western animated films and shows from Pixar, DreamWorks, or Cartoon Network. Anime, despite its global reach and popularity, has been boxed out. By breaking into this exclusive circle, Le’s win does not just spotlight his performance, it legitimizes...

Dragon Ball Daima took the crown from Solo Leveling Season 2 once again at the 2025 Astra TV Awards. The winners were recently announced at the Sls Hotel in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, California.

According to the Hollywood Creative Alliance, a committee of 35 entertainment industry professionals determined the winners of this year's award show. While the majority of the nominees focused on live-action programs, such as The Studio for Apple TV+, recent anime TV series were honored as well. The award for Best Anime Series went to Dragon Ball Daima, which premiered in October 2024 and ended in February 2025. Daima defeated Solo Leveling, which was heavily favored to win, following its impressive and somewhat controversial winning streak at the 2025 Crunchyroll Anime Awards.

Dragon Ball Daima Won Best Anime Following Solo Leveling’s Controversial Wins at the 2025 Anime Awards Image via Toei Animation

Although Dragon Ball Daima won the award for Best Anime Series at this year's Astra Awards,...

In less than a month, Dan Da Dan returns with another extraordinary season, half a year after impressing fans with its massive Season 1 finale, "Let's Go to the Cursed House." While fans eagerly await the new chapter, another Dan Da Dan production that everyone can’t stop talking about, appears to be doing as good as the original anime series. It's none other than Dan Da Dan: Evil Eye! The filmlanded in North America on Friday, June 6, and most recently, it has earned a laudable feat on Rotten Tomatoes, finding favor among the audience soon after its release.

Dan Da Dan: Evil Eye currently boasts a 97% audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes, which is slightly higher than Dan Da Dan’s 93% but a few numbers away from the original series' 100% critics’ score. It should, however, be noted that, as of this writing, the anime film's critics’ rating is unavailable on the review aggregator website.

Ever since the finale of Season 1 and the discovery of a mysterious room full of talismans in Jiji's home, DanDaDan has been building up to an inevitable clash between the bespectacled occult fanatic Okarun and the demonic Evil Eye. All the teasers for Season 2 and the Evil Eye compilation movie have been setting the stage for the battle ahead, showing off Jiji's transformation to accommodate the yōkai and its immense power. It represents one of the series' greatest and most anticipated threats from the original manga yet, which will push Okarun, Momo, and Turbo Granny to their limits in their fight against the supernatural. Yet there's also a deeper, more personal layer connected to Jiji and Okarun's relationship and who these characters are that Okarun's English dub voice actor A.J. Beckles believes elevates the epic moment to another level.

Ahead of the release of DanDaDan: Evil Eye, which...