Latest news with #Mappa
Gizmodo
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Gizmodo
Hikaru Utada Will Add the ‘Chainsaw Man' Movie to Their Anime Song Infinity Gauntlet
A teaser trailer for a song typically doesn't make waves, but when it's tied to a hotly anticipated theatrical release like Mappa's Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc, it certainly might. Especially when it's graced by the dulcet tones of Hikaru Utada, a singer whose presence in the anime industry is nothing short of musical royalty. Previous trailers for the film adaptation of manga creator Tatsuki Fujimoto's Reze Arc leaned hard into spectacle with blazing eruptions, feverish glimpses of Denji's fantasies about the domineering Makima, and the explosive arrival of the new girl on the block, Reze, all set to the pulse of the series' artist Kenshi Yonezu's music. But Mappa's latest preview shifts gears entirely, trading chaos for a quiet, melancholic, tender, wistful tone that aligns with longing. And to seal that emotional shift, Mappa teased the inclusion of legendary J-pop and R&B singer Utada to the final mix, tying together its sonic identity. The new Reze Arc teaser, which lasts just over 30 seconds, features a serene sequence of images. It shows streaks trailing behind a plane, as well as Reze and Denji spending time together in a café and at a school at night. There's also a scene of them relaxing on the beach. Accompanied by the soothing sounds of waves and music, the teaser showcases the voice of Utada, followed by the title card for their song with Yonezu, aptly titled 'Jane Doe.' Picking up where the 2022 anime left off (with a fleeting glimpse of Reze in its final moments), the upcoming film adapts the entirety of her arc in the manga, which introduces the purple-haired lady both as a new romantic spark and a literal ticking time bomb adversary in Denji's hard-knocks life. As the Bomb Devil, she's not just a new adversary for Denji and the devil hunters to snuff out; she's also a contradiction wrapped in allure, danger, and romance for the terminally down-on-his-luck protagonist sincerely trying to sort out his Mazlaw's hierarchy of needs. All of which makes the title of Utada's song even more apropos, given the nature of her enigmatic role and emotional impact as a new presence threatening a paradigm shift in Denji's life. For those who might be unfamiliar with their talents, Utada is akin to musical caviar atop any project they're attached to. Chief among these are songs for Square Enix and Disney's Kingdom Hearts series, including timeless tracks such as 'Simple and Clean' and 'Sanctuary.' Utada is also a household name in anime circles, lending her voice to the soundtrack of director Hideaki Anno's Neon Genesis Evangelion rebuild film quadrilogy, the last of which is Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time, with the song 'One Last Kiss.' In other words, Mappa adding Utada to the final mix of Reze Arc's sonic identity only adds to the already atmospheric hype that precedes the film's release. Folks will have to look forward to seeing how Denji and Reze's story plays out when Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc hits theaters in Japan September 19 and elsewhere internationally on September 24, before hitting the U.S. on October 29. Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what's next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.
Indian Express
12-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Devil hunter Denji is in love with two women in Chainsaw Man The Movie: Reze Arc, watch trailer
One of the best-selling mangasof all time is getting the film treatment, as Chainsaw Man: The Movie – Reze Arc is coming to a theatre near you soon. Based on the original story and characters written by Tatsuki Fujimoto, this time Denji will have to choose between two women who he loves while trying to keep up with his already chaotic life. The film will release on September 26, and going by the trailer and the reactions it got, this film is going to be welcomed with open arms. Denji becomes a Devil Hunter after making a deal with Pochita, who is the chainsaw devil. The deal saves Denji's life, and he gets the ability to turn any part of his body into a chainsaw. In the first arc of the series, Denji decides to join the Public Safety Division, which is led by one of the women he is in love with, Makima. The protagonist continues to have strong feelings for her even though she technically betrays him. As he starts striking some kind of balance between his normal life and his life as a hunter, a new character is introduced, Reze. The name of the film and the trailer do suggest that Denji's affection for Reze is going to be central to the story, and it will be interesting to see whether this time his feelings will be reciprocated or not. ALSO READ: This Hollywood child star with Rs 157 crore net worth became a millionaire at 11, quit acting at 14; still makes millions for his hits 33 years later Laced with violence and dark humour, the series quickly shot to fame in 2018. The anime adaptation of the series was done by Mappa Studios, known for other animes like Attack On Titan and Jujutsu Kaisen. Both those adaptations received immense love, especially the former, which Mappa picked up for the last season. The studio is also behind the film, and the director of the anime, Tatsuya Yoshihara, is helming the project. Fans expressed their excitement online but took the trailer with a grain of salt due to some reported cuts. Many fans argued that certain scenes have been removed from the original trailer and said that they hope the CBFC does not suggest cuts in the actual film. A fan commented under the trailer, 'The censor board might actually censor this movie like Superman from the looks of it,' while another wrote, 'Why is this censored? Hope they don't do it to the actual film.' While it's still unclear why the studio or Sony decided to change the trailer, if cuts have been suggested at this stage, it's likely that they will end up staying in the actual film. Past anime films released in India, such as Demon Slayer: Mugen Train and Jujutsu Kaisen Zero, did well given the limited shows they had, which highlights a growth in anime viewers in the country, hence another big market opening for all creators.
Gizmodo
30-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Gizmodo
‘Lazarus' Is a Briefly Gorgeous Anime That Vibes Hard But Can't Outpace Its Own Silence
When Adult Swim first announced that it was working with director Shinichirō Watanabe, Jujutsu Kaisen studio Mappa, and John Wick director Chad Stahelski on a new anime project, Lazarus already had the cards stacked against it. In the rollout of its stylish and musical trailers, the anime hewed close to Watanabe's Cowboy Bebop aesthetics, setting it up to live up to a standard from a bygone era of animation that it would never be able to satisfy audiences with, and never tried to. Set in 2052, Lazarus imagines a near future world lulled into euphoric peace by Hapna—a wonder drug that erases all physical and emotional pain. But three years after its global adoption, its elusive creator, Dr. Skinner, resurfaces with a grim truth: the miracle cure will become lethal within 30 days unless he is found. With the countdown to extinction ticking, a ragtag team of outlaws is assembled under the Lazarus task force to track him down and save humanity from self-inflicted doom. Despite its setup as a globe-trotting mystery fueled by red herrings and dramatic intrigue, Lazarus quickly settles into a rhythm that feels more like watching pins drop on a GPS than experiencing a suspenseful manhunt. After the premiere, plot twists arrive with uncanny timing but land without weight, and emotional payoffs barely register. Efforts to deepen the ensemble fall flat—most characters remain tethered to their archetypes, with only fleeting early-episode monologues offering glimpses of humanity before the urgency of the endgame takes over. By its final stretch, the anime veers from meditative to messy. A last-ditch assassin showdown featuring its free-running lead, Axel Gilberto (a clear nod to the Spike Spiegel archetype), tries to spark momentum, but its climax lands more frantic than fulfilling. Key revelations arrive not through its protagonists, but via side characters delivering exposition that sidelines the main cast, leaving them adrift in their own narrative. Lazarus isn't without its flashes of brilliance. When it slows down (which it often does), detaching from the mission's ticking clock, the series finds a comfy rhythm set to lo-fi beats and paired with lush animation that lets characters breathe. Whether drifting across the ocean or crashing influencer raves as the world quietly crumbles, these reflective interludes elevate the vibe. And when action kicks in, it's a visual feast tricked out in fluidity and weight and choreographed with precision, reminding viewers what Watanabe and Mappa can still do when the mood and momentum align. Watanabe's towering legacy casts a long shadow—and for Lazarus, that proved more of a burden than a blessing. It was never built to be another Cowboy Bebop, yet Adult Swim's nostalgia-heavy marketing framed it as such, fueling expectations the show never intended to meet. Instead of pushing boundaries, Lazarus finds itself caught in the machinery of modern anime production—forced to swap introspection for momentum and nuance for scope—ultimately hoisting itself by the weight of comparisons it didn't ask for. Watanabe told io9 that comparisons to Bebop were never his intent. His original pitch was closer in spirit to Space Dandy. But when Adult Swim requested a more serious tone, that evolution led to Lazarus. From there, the deck was stacked. Each week, it became harder to ignore how the weight of Bebop-sized expectations left little room for the show to stand on its own merits. Pacing issues aside, for fans who only see Watanabe through the lens of Bebop, Lazarus was never going to satisfy. One of the most significant strikes against it was simply structural: it's a modern anime confined to just 13 episodes, worlds away from the breathing room Cowboy Bebop had across its 26-episode run. In today's landscape, original anime rarely get the luxury of extended runtimes—unless they're backed by a hefty source material that justifies a two-cour rollout. That doesn't excuse Lazarus' clunky finale, but it does help explain how it ended up rushing to the finish line the way it did. The comparison was unfair from the start. There's still something undeniably admirable in Lazarus. Like André 3000 trading rap verses for flute solos, Watanabe isn't chasing the ghost of Cowboy Bebop here. Yes, the show carries echoes of his signature style—jazzy undertones, tight choreography, a cool cast—but this time, he's riffing in a different register. Lazarus doesn't aim for spacefaring spectacle; it leans into post-covid introspection, using stillness where others sprint. If nothing else, it plays like a love letter to a lost era of anime—much like Netflix's Pluto—when creators with decades in the game could still imprint singular, prescient, inimitable vibes. Filtered through MAPPA's modern polish, it's less a revival than a requiem. Maybe Lazarus plays more like the B-sides of Watanabe's discography—echoing the rhythms of Bebop, Samurai Champloo, and Space Dandy without pushing into new territory. It doesn't stand shoulder to shoulder with those genre-defining hits but settles instead into the quieter company of Carole & Tuesday and Terror in Resonance—less a reinvention, more a reflective coda. While its legacy may align more with Watanabe's quieter works, Lazarus is far from disposable. It's a brief but intentional canvas—one where a storied creator pauses to reflect amid an industry sprinting toward spectacle. In an era obsessed with instant payoffs, it dares to linger in mood and meaning, wrapping wellness paranoia in slick choreography and a soundtrack that hits harder than the plot ever endeavors to. Lazarus is streaming on HBO Max. Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what's next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Recalled sex offenders and domestic abusers face early release as prisons near ‘zero capacity'
Sex offenders and domestic abusers who breach their licence conditions could be re-released after less than a month under emergency measures to fix the UK's prisons crisis. Justice secretary Shabana Mahmood unveiled plans on Wednesday to free criminals recalled to custody after 28 days to prevent overflowing prisons — which are currently 99 per cent full — reaching 'zero capacity' by November. The fixed term recall measures, which will free up 1400 cells, will apply to those serving sentences of between one and four years, which could include some registered sex offenders and domestic abusers. However violent criminals, terrorists and sex offenders who are not subject to notification requirements will be excluded from the new scheme, as well as those who have been recalled for a serious further offence. The exclusions will focus on offenders managed under Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (Mappa) at Level 2 or 3, in which criminals are subject to enhanced risk management with police, prisons and probation services. The plans were criticised by victims commissioner Baroness Newlove and domestic abuse commissioner Dame Nicole Jacobs, who said lives would be in danger as a result of the decision. Baroness Newlove said: "Victims will understandably feel unnerved and bewildered by today's announcement. "If the Probation Service, the secretary of state and the Parole Board have all judged these individuals to pose a risk of harm to the public, then reducing time served on recall can only place victims and the wider public at an unnecessary risk of harm." Dame Nicole called for the proposal to be scrapped, saying: "I cannot stress (enough) the lack of consideration for victims' safety and how many lives are being put in danger because of this proposed change. "You are not sent to prison for four years if you do not pose significant risk to your victim or the wider public. Re-releasing them back into the community after 28 days is simply unacceptable." Shadow justice secretary Robert Jenrick accused the government of removing an 'important deterrent', adding that a fixed-term recall of 28 days is 'pitiful'. Despite already releasing thousands of inmates after serving just 40 per cent of their sentence to ease overcrowding, Ms Mahmood said the additional measures are needed to prevent the 'total breakdown of law and order'. If they run out of prison cells police would be forced to stop making arrests and trials would be halted, she warned. The prison population in England and Wales stands at 88,087, leaving the prison service just five months away from running out of space entirely. Those in jail on recall has more than doubled since 2018 to 13,600. Over half have been recalled for non-compliance with licence conditions, such as failure to keep in touch with probation and failure to reside in approved premises. Around 20 per cent are recalled for a further offence. Ms Mahmood also announced the Ministry of Justice had received treasury funding of £4.7bn for three new prisons as part of a 'record prison expansion'. However, she admitted we 'cannot build our way out of this crisis', adding the prison population is increasing by 3,000 each year – the equivalent of two entire prisons. It is hoped the new measures will help buy the government time until reforms from a sentencing review, being led by former justice secretary David Gauke, bed in by next Spring. He is expected to recommend major changes to ease overcrowding in the long-term, including shorter sentences, early parole for good behaviour and tougher punishments outside of prison.
Powys County Times
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Powys County Times
Government facing backlash over prison recall changes to free up jail space
Ministers are facing a backlash from victims and domestic abuse watchdogs over planned changes to prison recall which would see some offenders released within a month to free up jail space. Under emergency measures announced by the Justice Secretary, some criminals serving sentences between one and four years will be returned to custody only for a fixed 28-day period. Offenders are recalled to prison if they commit another offence or breach licence conditions, such as by missing probation appointments, when they are released early but remain on licence. Shabana Mahmood said the changes were necessary to curb overcrowding as she warned jails are on track to be down to 'zero capacity' by November. The plans were criticised by victims commissioner Baroness Newlove and domestic abuse commissioner Dame Nicole Jacobs, who said lives would be in danger as a result of the decision. Baroness Newlove said: 'Victims will understandably feel unnerved and bewildered by today's announcement. 'If the Probation Service, the secretary of state and the Parole Board have all judged these individuals to pose a risk of harm to the public, then reducing time served on recall can only place victims and the wider public at an unnecessary risk of harm.' Dame Nicole called for the proposal to be scrapped, saying: 'I cannot stress (enough) the lack of consideration for victims' safety and how many lives are being put in danger because of this proposed change. 'You are not sent to prison for four years if you do not pose significant risk to your victim or the wider public. 'Re-releasing them back into the community after 28 days is simply unacceptable.' Shadow justice secretary Robert Jenrick said Labour was 'making the problem worse'. He said: 'Under Labour's new rules, instead of being recalled to serve the rest of their sentence, they'll be given a fixed-term recall of a pitiful 28 days. 'They are then released, with no reassessment of risk or Parole Board oversight. 'That is not justice. It's a recipe for the breakdown of law and order. 'By telling prisoners that they will never serve their full sentence, even if they reoffend, the Justice Secretary has removed an important deterrent.' Andrea Coomber KC, chief executive of charity the Howard League for Penal Reform, said the recall change is a 'logical step to take' when the recall population is rising so quickly, and said the upcoming sentencing review is a chance for 'a lasting solution to this mess'. 'There is no time to lose, and only bold reform will do,' she said. Ministers say the scheme will exclude people convicted of serious violent or sexual offences, as well as terrorist and national security crimes. The exclusions will focus on offenders managed under Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (Mappa) at Level 2 or 3, the PA news agency understands. Mappa is used to manage certain sexual and violent offenders in the community, with only the most complex or high-risk individuals put at Level 2 or 3. It is hoped the emergency measures will free up 1,400 prison places and 'buy time' before sentencing reforms expected to come into force next spring. Legislation to bring in the changes is expected to be introduced in the coming weeks. Ms Mahmood also announced three new prisons will be built, starting this year, as part of a 'record prison expansion', but admitted 'we cannot build our way out of this crisis'. 'The consequences of failing to act are unthinkable, but they must be understood,' she said. 'If our prisons overflow, courts cancel trials, police halt their arrests, crime goes unpunished and we reach a total breakdown of law and order.' The latest weekly prison population in England and Wales was 88,087, 434 below the last peak of 88,521 inmates on September 6, recorded just before the Government began freeing thousands of prisoners early as part of efforts to curb overcrowding.
