Review Category: Anime

ANIME-ZING! [Edinburgh Fringe]

One of the things folk don’t realise about the Edinburgh Festival Fringe until they get there is that the festival fills up every available performance space in the city for the duration. If you can squeeze some chairs and a sound system into a room, then you have a venue. Anime-Zing! squeezes a crowd of fans into a karaoke booth to thrill audiences with anime-themed fun, mostly centred around its hosts, who are voice actors.

Highly experienced and incredibly talented performers Soness Stevens and Jonah Hagans invite colleagues from the world of voice acting to present a series of panel show-style games for a mixed crowd of anime fans, young families and the overly curious. Though the hosts are from the USA (though one of them mostly lives in Japan), the show also takes its time to showcase local talent, inviting voice actors from Scotland and the rest of the UK. This means, rather brilliantly, that a lot of the guests on this show are more familiar with British children’s TV shows than you’d expect. After all, UK voice actors are more likely to be known for their work on Numberjacks and Shaun The Sheep than Dragon Ball Z.

The overall vibe felt very much like the panel of a local anime convention, though one that had removed all trace of mainstream and more popular anime in favour of art and animation from local artists.

Panels like this are always a fun way to pass the time, as well as a good way for folks to get acquainted with the skill required to do voiceover work. The venue, alas, really lets the show down, as does a lack of preparedness, leading to cues getting lost and audiences becoming confused. A good idea for a show, just one that needs a bit more planning and a better budget.

Find out show details here, and learn about future shows here.

Editorial note: 18/08/2025 – Order of atrribution changed. Speculation on nature of selected animation removed.

CASTLEVANIA: NOCTURNE – SEASON 2

Netflix has struck gold with Castlevania and its spin-off Castlevania: Nocturne, resulting in some of the highest-quality animation the platform has ever enjoyed. Season two of Nocturne builds on its predecessor in awesome style, with a story focused on the delicate companionship between love and monstrosity. The battle between the self-proclaimed Vampire Messiah and an unlikely band of heroes – now bolstered by the returning Alucard – makes for a sensational experience that cannot help but feel like the curtain coming down for the last time.

The full fury of the fight is only unleashed in the final two episodes; a mesmerising display of action, colour, and violence that throws you back in your seat. Building up to that, though, are several carefully paced character explorations that go above and beyond what season one offered. The malevolent Drolta in particular has more of her torrid history shared, while Annette and Marie need to discover a resilience they didn’t know they had (and Marie’s path takes a compellingly dark turn).

The headline is Alucard’s return – he injects proceedings with a gravitas and breathless strength that help Nocturne’s second season rise above what came before. James Callis is gripping and riveting in equal measure as Dracula’s son, although the standout performances of Iain Glen, Thuso Mbedu, and Zahn McClarnon also deserve recognition. It all comes together to make one bloodthirsty, visceral cocktail of a series. The acting, the imagination, and the artistry on display prove thrilling. And if this is the end of Netflix’s foray into Konami’s universe, then what a note to end on.

CASTLEVANIA: NOCTURNE is out now on Netflix.

SPY x FAMILY CODE: WHITE

Everyone’s favourite espionage family is back in their first big screen outing in the brilliant SPY x FAMILY CODE: White.

This original story, set within the world of SPY x FAMILY, sees the Forgers (Loid, Yor, and Anya, along with their dog Bond) venture to a faux-Switzerland country for a weekend away. There, Loid must prove why he’s the best man for the ‘Operation Strix’ job.

What sets CODE: White apart from other anime films is that it is not only an original story but isn’t strictly canon to the main series it is adapted from. This means that new and old fans can enjoy it in equal measure as long as you find the right balance – which this definitely does.

Director Takashi Katagiri perfectly encapsulates what makes the TV series so great and manages to bring it to the big screen, which is a difficult task if in the wrong hands. The family’s background, along with each of their incredibly charming and appealing characteristics, as well as their personal relationships, is introduced well for new viewers and recapped for existing fans, reigniting why you love them in the first place.

The film boasts the stellar visual presentation that has always been synonymous with WIT Studio and Cloverworks, with so many breathtaking set pieces that firmly place SPY x FAMILY at the top of the pile when it comes to recent Anime adaptations.

SPY x FAMILY CODE: White is a superb side story for the wider universe in which it is set, with all the charm and characters you know and love, while also being a great introduction for new fans. The only thing that might put existing fans off is the non-canonical nature of the story, but at its core, it makes sense that these characters have other mishaps and missions amongst the normal day-to-day.

SPY x FAMILY CODE: White is out now in UK Cinemas.

INVINCIBLE (Season Two – Part One)

After a seemingly endless wait, Robert Kirkman’s story of superhuman menace and redemption, Invincible, has returned to our screens. But only sort of; only half of Invincible season two has been released. With no sign of the rest of the season in sight, let’s take a look at what we have so far.

You can tell it’s only half a season; a lot of it is built up, and without an actual end, it’s a bit of a disappointment. This is a real shame as the show is slickly animated and superbly voice-acted, and the new season pulls no punches. It’s every bit as brutal and bloody as before. New threats are formed from the consequences of Invincible’s actions as the world recovers from the damage caused by its former champion, Omni-Man. We get plenty of exploration of Invincible’s world, and this is a superhero story that includes other planets and even multiverses. This is nice, and we’d love to see it spawn more spin-off stories.

As fun as it is, there are plenty of flaws. Much like that other Kirkman project, The Walking Dead, it tends to incline toward the darkest possible outcome every single time. People simply don’t forgive or forget in a Kirkman story, which makes the whole thing a little gruelling at times.

Invincible Season Two Part One lacks the punch it needs to be memorable, but it’ll be great to binge when it’s complete.

INVINCIBLE Season Two Part One is available to stream on Prime.

BLUE GIANT

When Dai Miyamoto first hears the legendary musical genre Jazz, he is inspired for life and sets off on a journey of a lifetime in Yuzuru Tachikawa’s spellbinding adaptation of the celebrated manga of the same name, Blue Giant.

Dai Miyamoto, a young man in his late teens, has one goal in life – to be the best Saxophone player of all time. However, he must train to accomplish this, so he sets off to Tokyo, where he stays with his old friend Shunji and meets a prodigy pianist, Yukinori. Together, the trio form the band Jass (with Shunji taking up the drums to be a part of this special voyage). Yet, although these three are committed to being the best in their field, like with any goal, there are plenty of hurdles along the way that challenge their friendship and ambitions.

Director Yuzuru Tachikawa, whose previous works include Mob Psycho 100 and Death Parade, was the perfect person to helm this project. His attention to detail and undeniable flair for this art form allow this already inspirational and captivating story to come to life in a special way. Every frame of the film is jaw-droppingly gorgeous, the musical score is unique, and it captures the euphoria and emotion with live musical performances. To cap it all off, the voice acting brings untapped sentiment to every line of dialogue.

Blue Giant is not your average anime film. It tells a story that will resonate and enthral people of all ages and backgrounds – we all have goals in life, and it is up to us to chase those dreams and accomplish them. It’s visually gorgeous; the score is tantalising and will have you in floods of tears by the end credits. You do not want to miss this one.

BLUE GIANT is out now in select UK cinemas.

THE BOY AND THE HERON

The Boy and the Heron is Hayao Miyazaki through and through. Partly inspired by the legendary filmmaker’s childhood experiences, this strange, sweeping, and poignant epic is yet another reflection of his fondness – and aptitude – for telling big-hearted stories in the most compelling, emotionally resonant ways. It doesn’t reach the creative or emotional heights of, say, My Neighbor Totoro or Princess Mononoke, but it does carve out its own place in the director’s filmography.

It certainly isn’t his tightest script, but it isn’t trying to be. Miyazaki has lots to say here, and while The Boy and the Heron doesn’t always pack the punch it undoubtedly intends, it stands as yet another stunning testament to the writer/director’s knack for offbeat fantasy.

Of course, it wouldn’t be a proper Miyazaki flick without a smattering of visceral imagery to offset its rampant whimsy. An angry red nose poking out of the heron’s beak? Disturbing, but totally on-brand. More fascinatingly, it subverts the world-building rule ‘early and often’ by keeping its magic system mostly nebulous. The film only divulges aspects of its magic system that feel relevant to the characters and their respective journeys, presenting Miyazaki with plenty of opportunities to throw ideas at the wall without worrying whether or not they’ll stick. Some of them don’t. But the depth and earnestness undergirding nearly every moment make Miyazaki’s swan song (?) a worthwhile addition to Studio Ghibli’s library.

THE BOY AND THE HERON will be in UK and Irish cinemas nationwide from Boxing Day. For more information, please go to www.theboyandtheheronfilm.com

ONIMUSHA

As pitches go, samurai versus zombies is a strong one. Based on Capcom’s video game series, Onimusha follows samurai Miyamoto Musashi, who is armed with a gauntlet granting him the power of the Oni. He leads a group of half a dozen travellers and fighters to confront those demons still left in the world while trying to hold on to his own humanity in the process. Takashi Miike is the series’ supervising director, and Onimusha loudly bears his signature, the bloodthirsty action at times swapping realism for all-out, stylish barbarity.

The series’ tone is more or less spot on, a blanched cocktail of grim, ridiculous, and cool with just enough humour to lift the mood when needed (Musashi’s sarcasm is particularly entertaining). While it occasionally leans into cliches – it takes the pure heart of a young girl to save the man from monstrosity, again – each of the characters has a skilfully crafted, individual identity. It is in making each member of the group feel like a complete, detailed person that Onimusha tips its hat to Akira Kurosawa, also doing so with Musashi’s appearance (he is modelled off Seven Samurai’s Toshiro Mifune).

The motion-smoothed animation avoids the uncanniness and lacklustre detail that can plague other animes like this. Onimusha also features an attention-grabbing contrast between the 3D character animation and the 2D hand-drawn backgrounds, making the series feel rooted in old history as if you are reading some kind of fantastical tapestry. It isn’t the highlight of Netflix’s anime collection, but Onimusha boasts some strong storytelling and quietly innovative visuals to offer a worthwhile adventure in Edo-era Japan.

All episodes of ONIMUSHA are streaming on Netflix now

MY ADVENTURES WITH SUPERMAN Season 1

Adult Swim’s heavily anime-inspired My Adventures with Superman is a Saturday Morning Cartoon disguised, like its glasses-wearing hero, as a bumbling, wholesome adult. At its core, the show’s romantic will-they won’t-they tension between Lois and Clark sets it apart only slightly, giving new life to characters that have been rebooted, retread, and reheated so many times that fresh heat felt impossible. Their blossoming romance is interrupted often in classic Superman fashion by giant robots, techy villains, and newspaper assignments that give the show a villain of the week format. Millennials that grew up with Cartoon Network’s Young Justice and Green Lantern animated series will spot their influence here in the worst ways; Adventures is more interested in expanding its world to wacky, admittedly fun corners of DC mythology than it is telling a story for what is supposedly the Adult Swim channel’s audience.

True that underutilized fan favourites like Jimmy Olsen, Parasite, and a certain vowel-averse imp will have DC fans squealing, but since these ideas are just remixes of decades-old Superman lore, our eyes must light on the breadcrumbs of original ideas left, like Superman’s self-discovery and Lois’ rise to the reporter we know she can be. Perhaps this is what originality we are reduced to in a world where people defend childish storytelling as “wholesome” and revel in cheap references to other media as “fan service”. With its cheer-worthy visual storytelling, warm heart and character animation that’s like a playground imagination come to life, it’s only too bad that Adventures can’t put its many fascinating ideas into a more intelligent and mature format.

All episodes of MY ADVENTURES WITH SUPERMAN Season 1 are available to stream in the UK courtesy of Channel 4

CASTLEVANIA: NOCTURNE

Castlevania: Nocturne, the spawn of the impeccable Castlevania, does more than enough to carry its forebear’s name with pride. Based on yet more of the classic Konami games, Nocturne focuses on Richter Belmont – descendant of Trevor and Sypha – and a new band of heroes as they battle against vampire forces in revolution-era France. Richter, witness to his mother’s murder and suffering from a loss of magic, must lead the fight against a proclaimed vampire messiah.

As with its predecessor, Nocturne’s scintillating action is its greatest strength. Incredibly paced and choreographed battles, combined with some gorgeous character design, bring the series’ best scenes to life in thrilling, gripping fashion. The storyline is, aside from a gleeful return in the final episode, happy to operate almost entirely independent of Castlevania. There is no hanging into tailcoats here; Nocturne fleshes out detailed and contrasting characters whose complexity exceeds expectations, uprooting your expectations about where the story will go next. And while the characters might not quite live up to Castlevania’s magnetic charisma, the trademark Belmont sarcasm remains.

In Nocturne the French aristocracy and colonial oppressors all consist of vampires. It is also a show in which grief is inescapable for many central players, both human and vampire. Suitably for a series set during a time of revolution then, Nocturne is about turning personal and societal demons into dust in order to build a better present. It is a straightforward enough idea explored with heart and empathy via the plight of several characters. Combined with visceral, gory action and yet more top-tier direction from Sam and Adam Deats (among others), Castlevania: Nocturne is a triumph.

CASTLEVANIA: NOCTURNE is out now on Netflix

GAMERA REBIRTH

by James Hanton

Gamera, like his A-list kaiju rival Godzilla, has gone from being originally cast as a destructive force of nature to becoming a powerful defender of humanity. Gamera Rebirth, the first Gamera-focused TV series and coming seventeen years after the monster’s last film, is a deeply impressive return to the fold. Chronicling Gamera’s epic battles with five of his classic-era foes, Hiroyuki Seshita’s anime works by finding that elusive balance between awesome (albeit sometimes silly) action and sincere emotional weight.

Set in the summer of 1989, the motion-smoothed animation doesn’t do the human characters much service in the way of visual detail. But it works wonders for the kaiju, allowing the battles to be played out with breathtaking speed and ferocity. The inevitable science talk doesn’t weigh down the plot, and unlike Godzilla Singular Point, this kaiju anime doesn’t lose itself in baffling exposition. A relatively simple supporting story, focusing on the bond between a group of four children thrown deep into the action, is surprisingly affecting. By focusing on emotion as much as narrative complexity, Gamera Rebirth flourishes.

Most importantly, this is a welcome return to stardom for the world’s most famous mega-turtle. It is supremely exciting to see Gamera’s old rivalries rekindled in a format that allows for the most stupendous of fights to ensue, and Seshita’s eye for the action is formidable. Gamera Rebirth is at its thrilling best when it sits back and allows you to bask in the might of these creatures, hurtling you into the battles when the time is right. Between this and Skull Island, this has been a strong year for kaiju anime.

GAMERA REBIRTH is out now on Netflix