1h ago
BlueOrbit Inc. opened applications for the second generation of its VTuber agency EtileProduction on Saturday, September 12, 2026. The window runs through Friday, October 30, 2026, and the whole audition is conducted online. Three illustrators will design the new talents: Nagishiro Mito, Koumashiro, and Youka. All three have worked across VTubers, games, and publishing. BlueOrbit says it will interview each successful applicant about the self they want to become and reflect those wishes in the design. The agency's first generation, Hoshizuka Zeno, Urana Maina, and Mitsuno Shito, is currently active. EtileProduction states its vision as healing loneliness throughout Japan and says it wants talents to keep growing as people and creators. Applicants must be women aged 18 or older living in Japan, able to stream four or more days a week and to continue for two years or more. No initial costs are charged.
Aug 29
Manga creator Youka Nitta and imprint Be x Boy announced on Friday that Nitta will publish more of her Embracing Love manga starting in spring 2027 with a new serialization. Be x Boy also stated it will release the Haru o Daiteita Daily manga in November. Nitta said she does not know how much more she will draw for the series, but will do her best "until they are dried out."
Aug 6
Bandai Namco Filmworks announced on July 24 that the 23rd installment of free streaming on the official Sunrise YouTube channel will add 'Horizon in the Middle of Nowhere' and 'Cross Ange: Rondo of Angel and Dragon' for the first time. Both series will release episodes 1 through 6, starting August 7 and September 18 respectively.
Jun 27
Amazon's Kindle Store is offering the first nine volumes of the Hyouka manga adaptation for 99 yen each, a steep discount from their usual prices. The sale covers the youth mystery series about an energy-saving boy and a curious girl. Volumes 10-17 remain at regular pricing.
Jun 3
ABEMA announced the "Everyday Life & Youth Anime Free Weekend Festival," a free marathon broadcast of six anime titles running weekends from June 5 to June 21. The lineup includes Nichijou, the Is the Order a Rabbit? series, Hyouka, Engaged to the Unidentified, Edome no Elf, and A Place Further Than the Universe.
May 31
A new analysis from Sakuga Blog examines how the Shoushimin Series anime uses cinematography and framing to convey its protagonists' strained pursuit of normalcy. The piece, published December 31, 2025, explores the show's visual language under series director Mamoru Kanbe, who employed techniques like a cinemascope aspect ratio and "background swaps" to keep dialogue-heavy scenes visually engaging. Kanbe, known for work on Card Captor Sakura and Sora no Woto, aimed to ground the story in real Gifu locations while using allegorical backgrounds to reflect character beats. The article draws parallels to Hyouka, another Honobu Yonezawa adaptation, noting that the Shoushimin team consciously referenced the earlier series in production materials. Character designer Atsushi Saito, a Kyoto Animation alumnus, was asked to give the leads a look that might make them popular like Hyouka's duo. The analysis highlights how the show's neutral, centered framing feels performative and unnerving, occasionally breaking into surreal or ominous stylization during key moments. The piece also notes production challenges, with every episode barely meeting deadlines, and praises animation directors like Yayoi Takano for maintaining quality.