Latest news with #ToeiAnimation
Time Out
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time Out
Bangkok goes super saiyan with Dragon Ball exhibition
2025 is the year Japanese pop culture takes over Bangkok. Fresh off the nostalgic 100% Doraemon & Friends Tour and the intense Attack on Titan Final Exhibition, the city is now bracing for a true legend: Dragon Ball. And this isn't just any fan event – it's the official launch of the Dragon Ball Asia Tour, with the Big Mango as its very first stop. Taking place until October 19, the showcase is licensed by Capsule Corporation Tokyo and Toei Animation and can be found at Attraction Hall on the sixth floor of Iconsiam. Spanning more than 2,000 square meters, it's a tribute to one of the most legendary franchises in anime history all under the concept 'Heroes Rise'. Fans can expect an immersive journey through all four arcs of the Dragon Ball saga from original to Super. Iconic battle scenes are brought to life through elaborate set recreations and interactive displays. Whether it's stepping into the arena of the World Martial Arts Tournament or standing on the battlefield of Planet Namek, you'll feel like you've jumped straight into the anime. The exhibition also features life-sized character statues, including Goku, Vegeta, Frieza and Cell, each sculpted with attention to detail and mid-battle energy. You can strike your best fighting pose alongside them or just bask in the aura of a Super Saiyan up close. But this isn't just about nostalgia. Visitors can test their strength and agility in combat-themed mini games, practice the fusion dance or unleash their very own Kamehameha. Using the exhibition's mobile app, fans can take on missions to collect Dragon Balls that unlock special in-exhibit rewards. And of course, the experience wouldn't be complete without exclusive merch. The show offers a range of limited-edition collectibles available only on-site Created by Japanese manga artist, Akira Toriyama, Dragon Ball began as a manga in 1984 and quickly evolved into a global powerhouse, spawning countless anime series, films, games and merchandise. For over four decades, its characters have transcended generations, becoming symbols of perseverance, friendship and the endless pursuit of strength. Even now, the franchise continues to inspire, with both kids and grown-ups shouting 'Kamehameha!' and dreaming of going Super Saiyan. So, as the Dragon Ball Asia Tour powers up in the heart of the capital, it's time to celebrate the heroes we grew up with and the timeless energy they continue to bring to fans around the world.
SoraNews24
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- SoraNews24
New service lets you get calls from anime magical girls to say goodnight and that they love you
PreCure offer encouragement and praise for a monthly price. Every magical girl anime series has its own distinguishing hook, twist, or quirk, but something that almost all of them share is a positive atmosphere. Sure, there have been a handful of dark deconstructions of the genre, but if we're talking about classic, orthodox aspects of magical girl series, the heroines are symbols of hope, embodying the attitude that as long as you believe in yourself and your friends, things will turn out all right in the end. And for those who need a more direct pep talk, there's now a service where the stars of the biggest contemporary magical girl anime will call you on the phone to encourage, comfort, and even say they love you. Earlier this year, Pretty Cure, a.k.a. PreCure, started its newest arc, You and Idol Pretty Cure, introducing a cast of five new magical girls. Now Toei Animation and Media Active are getting ready to launch the Moshimoshi! Pretty Cure Phone service ( moshimoshi being the standard telephone greeting in Japanese). To use the app, you select which character you'd like to receive a phone call from, and also what kind of mood has you wanting to hear from them, after which they'll call you back. Options include 'I want to be praised,' which could get you a call in which your favorite Cure tells you how proud she is of you for doing your best. 'I want to be cheered up,' might instead have the magical girl reassuring you by saying that she's always on your side. There's also 'I want to be encouraged,' as well as morning wakeup calls and before-bed good night calls. Preview images also include the selection 'Fan service for you♡' followed by the phrase ' Daisuki da yo ,' which can mean either 'I love you' or 'I like you a lot,' depending on context. These aren't AI-generated messages, either, as the designers say the PreCure voice actresses have recorded new dialogue lines for Moshimoshi! Pretty Cure Phone . It should be pointed out that the Moshimoshi! Pretty Cure Phone website describes it as a 'virtual phone' app, since the whole thing runs though the Internet, not the phone network. Still, the interface is designed in a way that mimics the operations and visuals of a phone call to cultivate a sense of immersion. Moshimoshi! Pretty Cure Phone is free to download, and users have access to a 'You kept your promise' call from the Cures for free as well. However, the majority of the service requires a subscription, with two tiers available. For 330 yen (US$2.30) a month, the Moshimoshi Course provides full access to calls from one character of the user's choice, while stepping up to the 660-yen-a-month Motto! Moshimoshi Course gives full access to all five Cures, plus a bonus cafe mini game. New wakeup calls are scheduled to be added every month. The ostensible target market of the PreCure franchise is adolescent and younger girls. However, as is sometimes the case with such anime, there's also an adult male fanbase, and some online commenters have been wondering if maybe that's who Moshimoshi! Pretty Cure Phone is really targeting, seeing as how most of the kids who watch PreCure are too young to have their own smartphone. Considering that the You and Idol Pretty Cure cast are the franchise's 20th generation of magical girls, it would seem like there's also plenty of potential to draw in more subscribers by including characters from much farther back in the anime's 21-year history further down the line. In any case, there's no official upper-age restriction mentioned on the app's iOS or Android pages (here and here), though, so grown-up fans are apparently free to enjoy Moshimoshi! Pretty Cure Phone too, with the service scheduled to launch on September 1. Source: PR Times, Moshimoshi! Pretty Cure Phone official website, Jin Top image: PR Times Insert images: Google Play, PR Times ● Want to hear about SoraNews24's latest articles as soon as they're published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!
Business Upturn
30-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Business Upturn
Is ‘Dragon Ball Super' returning for season 2? Everything we know so far
By Aman Shukla Published on July 30, 2025, 19:17 IST It's been seven years since Dragon Ball Super wrapped up its first season, and fans are still holding onto hope for a second. The series, which ran from 2015 to 2018 and ended on a high note with the unforgettable Tournament of Power arc, left viewers wanting more—and honestly, who wouldn't want to see what Goku and the gang get up to next? But fast forward to July 2025, and there's still no official word from Toei Animation about a second season. So, where does that leave us? Here's everything you need to know. The Current State of Dragon Ball Super Season 2 As of late July 2025, there's still no green light for Dragon Ball Super Season 2. The first season, with its 131 episodes from 2015 to 2018, set a high bar, but Toei Animation hasn't dropped any solid news about a sequel. That said, the Dragon Ball Super manga, drawn by Toyotarou, keeps rolling out new chapters, giving fans plenty of story to adapt. A special one-shot manga chapter dropped in February 2025, spotlighting Goten, Trunks, and Clean God as a lead-up to the Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero movie. It got people talking again. Akira Toriyama's passing in March 2024 hit hard, pausing the manga after Chapter 103. But Toyotarou's still in the game, with another one-shot planned for February 20, 2025, in V-Jump. That kind of activity keeps the dream of a new anime season alive, as the manga's got enough juice for fresh episodes. Potential Release Date for Season 2 Best guess? Maybe late 2025 or 2026. Dragon Ball Daima, a side anime with kid-sized Goku and crew, wrapped up in 2024. It wasn't a Super sequel, but with it done, Toei might turn its attention back to Super. The manga's got two big arcs ready to go, which could fuel a new season. On the other hand, some hurdles—like legal stuff after Toriyama's passing or needing more manga chapters—could push things out to 2028 or later. It's a waiting game. Ahmedabad Plane Crash Aman Shukla is a post-graduate in mass communication . A media enthusiast who has a strong hold on communication ,content writing and copy writing. Aman is currently working as journalist at
Los Angeles Times
21-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
A viral cafe in Little Tokyo brings an epic anime series to life
The Cortez family piled out of their car and stretched their legs. Finally, after an hour and a half drive from their Long Beach home, they had made it to Little Tokyo — specifically, to One Piece Cafe. 'I was just sitting in the car like, 'I'm going to be at the One Piece Cafe,'' said Cammy Cortez, who was introduced to the popular manga and anime franchise by her older brother and now runs a 'One Piece' fan account on X. 'It's going to be a good day.' Timed to the Los Angeles Anime Convention, the largest exposition dedicated to Japanese pop culture in North America, the new permanent restaurant is the second official location of One Piece Cafe, in collaboration with Toei Animation, from Andy Nguyen, a serial entrepreneur behind several themed restaurants. The first One Piece Cafe opened in Las Vegas in May 2024. 'One Piece' follows the adventures of protagonist Monkey D. Luffy, who dreams of becoming the Pirate King, and his band of Straw Hat Pirates as they seek the 'One Piece' treasure. Fans of the anime have flocked to the Little Tokyo storefront, eager to try Japanese dishes inspired by 'One Piece' characters like Sanji's 'Diable Jambe' Chicken Katsu Sando, with 24-hour brined chicken served on sweet honey milk bread, and Zoro's Onigiri, in honor of the character's love of rice and a nod to his precision as a swordsman. The interior dons a nautical theme, with walls that mimic the wooden deck of a pirate ship and characters depicted inside portholes. Branded merchandise includes Luffy's signature straw hat, themed key chains and even a 'Wanted' license plate. Drinks, ranging from slushies to matcha horchata, come in collectible cups. 'It's not [like] just they slapped the name 'One Piece' onto a random restaurant,' said customer Imelda Cardenas. 'They really did it justice with the interior and the menu, and the merch they sell inside is really great too.' Initially premiering in 1999, the 'One Piece' anime has 1,136 episodes and counting, with ardent fans deeply immersed in the lore. The manga, by creator Eiichiro Oda, is the bestselling manga of all time. New audiences were also introduced to the franchise in 2023, when Netflix released a massively successful live-action rendition of the anime. 'If you're a fan of 'One Piece,' then you think it's the best anime of all time,' explained Karime Benmbarek, who came with his older brother Yassine from Northridge to experience the Little Tokyo restaurant. 'Even if you're just a chill fan, you still feel the love through the community.' Restaurants themed around Japanese pop culture have recently gained footholds in L.A., with Gudetama Cafe and Hello Kitty and Friends Cafe — both within the Sanrio universe — opening in 2024. Local excitement for 'One Piece,' however, seems to be approaching the mainstream. In June, the Los Angeles Dodgers hosted a One Piece Night, featuring a limited edition 'One Piece' card drawn by Oda. The Los Angeles Lakers collaborated with 'One Piece' for their February matchup against the Clippers; exclusive merch from the match now resells for up to $250. ''One Piece' has a pretty big community, and especially with the Lakers and Dodgers collaborating with One Piece, L.A. is bringing anime into their culture as well,' said Yassine, who immediately alerted his younger brother after seeing a TikTok about the restaurant opening. The brothers bond over watching the show and, lured by the chicken katsu sandwich in particular, quickly made a plan to visit in person. Karime, who tried the chicken katsu sandwich and curry, said, 'I'd definitely come back — if my brother can take me.' As anime, manga and other elements of Japanese pop culture have become mainstream, the understanding of Little Tokyo as a place where people can engage in those interests has also skyrocketed, said Kristin Fukushima, the executive director of Little Tokyo Community Council. This interest in Japanese subcultures — evidenced in the virality of One Piece Cafe — can have a positive impact on other small businesses in Little Tokyo. After the Benmbarek brothers finished their meal, they planned to make a day of wandering through Little Tokyo. Another group of friends planned to hunt down a collectible in the nearby shops after visiting the restaurant. 'If you become more into anime and manga, that means you're seeing depictions of not just culture, but also food,' Fukushima said. 'So you have more people knowing what real ramen is versus the Maruchan instant ramen, or people who want real sushi and not just California rolls that they can buy in Ralphs.' 'I think it's just a growing familiarity with what Little Tokyo has to offer,' she said. 'Like, how do I further participate in this?' The timing of One Piece Cafe's opening comes as Little Tokyo is emerging from June's ICE protests. Located minutes from City Hall and the Metropolitan Detention Center, Fukushima said many small business owners found themselves in a 'lose-lose situation,' with images from the local news keeping people away from downtown out of fear. Fans of 'One Piece,' with its themes of friendship and freedom, are primed to be attuned to these tensions. 'I really like how 'One Piece' has a lot of nuanced messages about government powers and how oppressed people can come together,' said Daniel Orozco, who first learned about the restaurant at Anime Expo. 'It's really cool and especially relevant right now with everything going on politically.' Cardenas started watching 'One Piece' during the pandemic and quickly caught up by watching 12 episodes a day. Describing that time, she said, 'Everything was really scary and uncertain, and people just wanted answers and a distraction.' 'There's a message of hope in 'One Piece' because the protagonist Luffy wants to be the Pirate King, but underneath it all he's just fighting for justice,' she said. 'There's a lot of symbolism that can be taken into the real world.' One Piece Cafe is located at 241 S. San Pedro Street and open 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.
Geek Culture
14-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Geek Culture
World's First Official 'Dragon Ball' Store Goes Over 9,000 In Tokyo This Fall
Kamehameha! It's a wonder how Dragon Ball, one of the most beloved names in pop culture, hasn't gotten an official store after all this time, but things will soon change. In celebration of the franchise's 40th anniversary, Shueisha and Toei Animation have announced the opening of the first Dragon Ball store in the world later this year. In celebration of the DRAGON BALL 40th AnniversaryAnnouncing the world's first "DRAGON BALL STORE"! To open in Tokyo, fall of 2025https:// #DragonBall40th #dragonball #ドラゴンボール — DRAGON BALL OFFICIAL (@DB_official_en) July 13, 2025 The aptly-titled Dragon Ball Store is scheduled to launch in Tokyo, Japan, in the fall of 2025, featuring 'must-buy' items for fans that include limited-edition goods available nowhere else. Other information, such as the merchandise lineup and its exact location, will be unveiled 'shortly'. The well-loved franchise joins JoJo's Bizarre Adventure in welcoming a world's first store, with the latter coming to the sixth floor of Shibuya PARCO in Tokyo later this month. Created by the late Akira Toriyama, the Dragon Ball manga ran in Weekly Shonen Jump from 1984 to 1992 across 42 volumes. The first half was adapted into a 153-episode anime in 1986, while Dragon Ball Z continued the story from 1989 to 1996. The series is considered to be the most iconic part of the franchise, bringing memorable arcs focusing on Saiyan, Frieza, Majin Buu, and more to life. To date, it has sold over 160 million copies in Japan and 260 million copies worldwide, making it one of the best-selling manga series to date. Prior to Toriyama's unfortunate passing, the industry legend was reported to be working on the Dragon Ball Super manga, which went on a semi-hiatus, and the Dragon Ball: Daima anime that aired last October. Si Jia is a casual geek at heart – or as casual as someone with Sephiroth's theme on her Spotify playlist can get. A fan of movies, games, and Japanese culture, Si Jia's greatest weakness is the Steam Summer Sale. Or any Steam sale, really. akira toriyama Dragon Ball Store dragon ball z Japan
