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After a decade in development, “Jujutsu Kaisen” helmer Park Sunghoo is readying “Bullet/Bullet,” a high-stakes anime series premiering exclusively on Disney+.

The post-apocalyptic adventure follows Gear, a junk dealer with a secret double life as a thief. Partnering with Qu-0213, a multi-personality robot, and Shirokuma, a gambling-addicted polar bear, the trio operates as elite thieves-for-hire until rescuing a mysterious girl puts them on a collision course with their society’s power structure.

Park, who recently won best original anime at the Crunchyroll Anime Awards, directs from a script by Aki Kindaichi (“Uma Musume: Cinderella Grey”). The production features character designs by chief animation director Takahiro Yoshimatsu and concept/mechanical designs from Hidetaka Tenjin.

Marina Inoue voices protagonist Gear, with Kazuhiro Yamaji as Shirokuma. The cast also includes Rie Kugimiya as Nosa-Nee and Kana Hanazawa as Kaw-Nee.

Rapper Chanmina contributes the opening theme “Work Hard,” while Tokyo rock band Newspeak provides ending theme “Glass Door.

Disney stock jumped 10% on Wednesday as the company reported strong second quarter earnings and said a new theme park in Abu Dhabi was on the way. CEO Bob Iger did not volunteer comments and was not asked about tariffs in light of US president Donald Trump’s flip-flop remarks this week.

The media giant beat Wall Street estimates as overall revenues climbed 7% year-on-year to $23.6bn and operating income increased by 15% to $4.4bn. Adjusted earnings per share increased by 20% to $1.41 after net income swung from a $20m loss in the year-ago period to $3.3bn.

In a prepared statement, Iger and his...

The hit horror-thriller series Gannibal, which centers on a remote village’s secret tradition of eating children alive, was always an unlikely choice as Disney’s first big-budget, live-action streaming series produced in Japan, a country with deep ties to the House of Mouse’s classic, family-friendly brand. Production of the show’s first two seasons also ran over schedule and over budget — but Disney’s big bet on the series appears to be paying off.

Gannibal has become Disney+’s most-viewed title in Japan since the launch of its second season on March 19, and it surpassed 1 million hours streamed within just nine days of release, a new record for the service in the country (in the U.S., Gannibal streams exclusively on Hulu).

“To be fully transparent, it did take us by surprise when this IP was first offered to us,” says Gaku Narita, Disney’s executive director of original content in Japan.

The highly anticipated second season of the Japanese folk horror series, Gannibal, has arrived, continuing the chilling narrative that captivated audiences worldwide. This article provides an overview of Season 1, insights into the Season 2 plot, detailed cast information, the complete release schedule, and streaming platforms where you can watch Gannibal (Season 2).

What Happened in Gannibal Season 1?

In Season 1, police officer Daigo Agawa relocates with his wife, Yuki, and daughter, Mashiro, to the secluded village of Kuge. Initially seeking a tranquil environment, Daigo soon uncovers the village’s sinister underbelly. The mysterious death of an elderly woman, attributed to a bear attack, raises suspicions when Daigo discovers human bite marks on her body. His investigation leads him to the Goto family, a powerful clan rumored to engage in cannibalism. As Daigo delves deeper, he confronts the horrifying reality of the village’s dark traditions and the Goto family’s malevolent influence.

Plot...

Producer Yamamoto Teruhisa, best known for the Oscar-winning “Drive My Car,” is throwing his weight behind “White Flowers and Fruits,” the debut feature from emerging Japanese director Sakamoto Yukari.

The film is selected for the Hong Kong — Asia Film Financing Forum (Haf), the project market that operates concurrently with Hong Kong FilMart.

The Japanese-language drama, currently seeking additional funding and festival screenings, explores the aftermath of a suicide at a Christian girls’ boarding school. The story follows Anna, an outcast who discovers her deceased roommate’s diary and encounters a ghostly flame embodying her spirit. After consuming the flame, Anna gains extraordinary dance abilities and begins unraveling the mystery behind her friend’s death.

“What particularly intrigued me about this project was how the script places the protagonist at the center, allowing the film to effortlessly transition between horror and coming-of-age genres,” Yamamoto explained. “Despite these shifts, it consistently portrays...

Japanese series Gannibal features a lot of elements that recent horror movies became famous for: cults, horrifying secrets, cannibalism — and that was only Season 1. Now, the streaming platform is gearing up to release the new season of the series, and protagonist Daigo Agawa (Yûya Yagira) is on a mission to get to the bottom of whatever is happening inside Kuge Village. A trailer was released to delve deeper into the story, and Hulu debuts Season 2 on March 19.

Hulu has existed in the streaming world for quite some time. As one of the original streaming services out there, it continues to offer its subscribers a substantial catalog of films and television shows to choose from. With plenty of old favorites, the platform also produces a host of original narratives that audiences continue to enjoy. Its offerings next month prove to be no different.

With comedies and true crime dramas in abundance, viewers won’t need to venture far from Hulu in order to enjoy some bingeworthy shows. Whether audiences want to laugh or cry, the platform has something to fit whatever mood they might be in. As always, the streaming service will have a plethora of choices for viewers of all ages to enjoy next month.

'Deli Boys' (Season 1) Stream on March 6

Created by Abdullah Saeed, Deli Boys is a Hulu original comedy series that follows two Pakistani-American brothers,...

While February was a busy month for Disney+, March is going to be more crowded for this popular streaming platform. Disney+ is already home to many popular titles, from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, and National Geographic, the list is endless. More new series and movies have lined up in the month of March.

The official logo of Disney+ | Credit: Disney+

The list is endless when it comes to the lineup of movies and series between March 1 and 31. From Daredevil: Born Again to the release of a dystopian punk rock opera film O’Dessa, starring Sadie Sink from the famous Stranger Things, March has a lot to offer to people looking for good source entertainment on Disney+.

Let’s look at everything that Disney+ has to offer to its audience in March 2025.

March 1 Gilmore Girls season 1 to 7 March 3 Malawi Wildlife Rescue Season 2 Episode 1-6 March 4 Poster of Daredevil: Born Again | Credit:...

The Hulu March 2025 premiere schedule has been announced and can be viewed below. The streaming service has also revealed the titles that will leave next month.

The 97th Oscars will stream live on Hulu and the award-winning film Anora, directed by Sean Baker and starring Mikey Madison, will begin streaming on the service.

The Hulu Originals for the month include Am I Being Unreasonable? Season 2, Bill Burr: Drop Dead Years, Control Freak, Deli Boys, Gannibal Season 2, Good American Family, Hyper Knife, Last Take: Rust and the Story of Halyna, and O’Dessa.

The 97th Oscars Highlights

A look at the originals, exclusives and premieres that are part of the Hulu March 2025 lineup.

The 97th Oscars: Livestream (Streaming March 2)

Hosted by Conan O’Brien, the Oscars will air live on ABC and stream live on Hulu on Sunday, March 2, at 4 p.m. Pt, with the official live red carpet show airing at 3:30 p.

Disney+ unveiled its expansion into Japanese unscripted content with Traveling with Snow Man (working title), alongside its launch of new Japanese originals including Bullet/Bullet and Cat’S Eye.

Additionally, Disney+ confirmed that the second season of Japanese live action original Gannibal will premiere on March 19, 2025.

Disney+ said that it will expand into Japanese unscripted content, in collaboration with Nippon TV.

The new partnership will see the launch of Japanese travel reality show, Traveling with Snow Man (working title) in 2025, featuring Japanese pop group Snow Man, who are represented by talent agency Starto Entertainment. The show will follow the J-pop group as they embark on an adventure.

“The new show builds on the growing enthusiasm amongst Japanese audiences towards unscripted content and exemplifies the shared ambitions of Disney, Nippon TV and Starto Entertainment to spotlight the most exciting talent from Japan to global audiences, and to cooperate in new and innovative ways,...

“Star Wars: Visions,” a Lucasfilm anthology series of animated shorts from around the world celebrating the mythology of Star Wars through different cultural perspectives, will return for a third season, Disney said on Wednesday.

The new season was announced at the annual Walt Disney Company Asia Pacific Showcase held in Singapore, where Marvel Studios’ president Kevin Feige was a surprise guest.

“Star Wars: Visions Volume 3” will debut in 2025 on the Disney+ streaming service. The upcoming series will feature both new and returning anime studios and return to Japan to celebrate the world of anime through the elements and mythos of Star Wars.

The Singapore event, which also featured Dana Walden, co-chairman of Disney Entertainment and continues Thursday local time, also saw the unveiling of several previews and sneak peeks not previously shown to Asia Pacific consumers or business media.

These included song previews from upcoming movies “Mufasa: The Lion King,...

A decades-old unproduced screenplay set during Japan’s 1868-’69 civil war has been dusted off and given thoroughly modern action-movie treatment in Kazuya Shiraishi’s “11 Rebels.” A highly entertaining and highly blood-drenched take on the trusty old tale of crooks and miscreants embarking on a military suicide mission on the promise of being pardoned should they happen to survive, “11 Rebels” has just the right balance of spectacular swordplay, revenge-fueled drama and double-crossing political intrigue.

After opening the Tokyo Film Festival, Shiraishi’s lusty samurai slash-’em-up will march into Japanese cinemas on Nov. 1. A slightly different version of the film has been acquired for North America by specialty distributor Well Go USA. Fans of FX’s smash-hit “Shogun” series should find plenty to like about this handsomely produced tale set in the dying days of feudal Japan. In the broader scope of samurai cinema, it combines the chamber...

In recent years, anime as a genre has grown tremendously and is considered to be the new cool. With tons of shows to choose from that will make you laugh, cry, or something that will make you sit at the edge of your seat whilst biting your nails in anticipation, the choices are just endless.

A still from My Hero Academia. Credits: Studio Bones

It looks like Disney has finally understood that people have grown bored of superhero fever and have decided to jump into the trend of making anime. The organization had shared a title that surely added to its popularity. After all, it was based on a best-selling manga.

The project is called The Fable, and it is based on the manga of the same name that has taken the world by storm. Safe to say, the project is a success for it helped them capture the Asian...

Megan Thee Stallion will take on hosting duties at an awards show for the first time as she takes the lead role at the 2024 MTV Video Music Awards, the network announced Thursday.

The artist previously hosted “Saturday Night Live” and co-hosted “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.”

Megan is up for five awards herself during the VMAs, the most of any hip-hop artist, including best collaboration — a nom shared with GloRilla, with whom she’s been out on tour — and best hip-hop. Her MTV VMAs wins go back five years, when she first won best power anthem with the song “Hot Girl Summer.”

In June, she released her third album, “Megan” — her first as an independent artist, on her own Hot Girl Productions label (with distribution by Warner Music Group). Her latest single, “Mamushi,” has reached 150 million streams, following the No. 1 Billboard Hot 100 success earlier in the year of “Hiss,...

Megan Thee Stallion and Yuki Chiba have dropped a sexy and sinister new video for their viral hit, “Mamushi.”

The video was filmed in Japan and also stars the actor, Shô Kasamatsu, who’s appeared in shows like Tokyo Vice and Gannibal. Kasamatsu plays a patron who shows up to a very exclusive and steamy-looking spa, where Megan ostensibly works, but really finds her victims.

Throughout the clip, Meg transforms into a giant snake — mamushi is a venomous pit viper found in Japan — that attacks the less-than-savory patrons while Chiba...

Japanese sci-fi classic The Human Vapor — directed by Godzilla creator Ishirō Honda and released in 1960 — is set to receive a contemporary reimagining as a live-action series courtesy of Netflix and Toho Studios. The remake project marks the first time the global streamer and Japanese studio giant are collaborating.

The series is being co-helmed by a Korean-Japanese creative dream team. Korean filmmaker Yeon Sang-ho (Train to Busan, Hellbound, Parasyte: The Grey) is serving as the film’s executive producer and co-scriptwriter, while Japan’s Shinzo Katayama (Missing, Siblings of the Cape, Disney’s Gannibal) will direct. Japanese stars Shun Oguri (Godzilla vs. Kong) and Yu Aoi (Wife of a Spy) will co-star in the series.

The third and final film of Toho’s “Transforming Human Series” of cult sci-fi classics from the 1950s and 1960s, The Human Vapor tells the story of a man turned into a gaseous mutant by a radiation experiment gone awry.

Netflix has forged its first ever partnership with Toho, Japan’s leading film studio, to remake 1960 science fiction feature The Human Vapor.

Human Vapor will be written by Yeon Sang-ho, the South Korean filmmaker behind hit zombie thriller Train To Busan, and directed by Shinzo Katayama of Disney+ drama-horror series Gannibal and 2021 feature Missing.

While plot details remain under wraps, the original centres on the victim of a scientific experiment who can transform himself into gas and uses these powers to commit robberies and kill those who stand in his way. It was directed by Ishiro Honda and featured effects by Eiji Tsuburaya,...

Japanese stars Oguri Shun (“Godzilla vs. Kong”) and Aoi Yu (“Rurouni Kenshin: Final Chapter Part I – The Final”) are set to reunite on screen after 23 years in “Human Vapor,” a new Netflix series produced in collaboration with Toho. The duo last worked together in 2001’s “Ao to Shiro de Mizuiro.”

“Human Vapor” is a modern reimagining of the 1960 sci-fi thriller of the same name. The original film, directed by Honda Ishirō of “Godzilla” fame, tells the story of a librarian who gains the ability to transform into a gaseous state after being subjected to radiation experiments. Using his newfound powers, he embarks on a series of bank robberies to financially support a struggling dancer he admires. The film is renowned for its exploration of power structures and societal oppression.

Yeon Sang-ho, known for “Train to Busan” and “Hellbound,” is set to executive produce and has co-written the script alongside...

“After the mysterious disappearance of a countryside cop, the role is reassigned to Officer Daigo Agawa. He finds the remote village quaint, and he looks forward to an easygoing post among the warm and welcoming citizenry. Then… He gets a call. The body of a local grandmother has been found. The scene immediately sows doubt for the young policeman. A human bite mark has been left on the corpse, and any voiced suspicion of Agawa's is met with a strange, sudden, and intense hostility. The scene immediately sows doubt for the young policeman. A human bite mark has been left on the corpse, and any voiced suspicion of Agawa's is met with a strange, sudden, and intense hostility. Something dark is lurking under the idyllic facade of the charming mountain village. But can Officer Agawa spare himself and his family from it?” (Ablaze Publishing)

There's something sinister going on in Kuge Village.

Japan’s Free Stone Productions has secured international sales rights to upcoming drama Promised Land and is launching the feature at Hong Kong Filmart.

It marks the feature directorial debut of Masashi Iijima and is based on a novel of the same name written by Kazuichi Iijima.

Set in a mountainous region of northern Japan in 1983, the story is centred on traditional hunters known as the Matagi, who track and kill wildlife every winter. The film follows two young men with opposing views who venture out in search of a bear, despite the introduction of a hunting ban by Japan’s environmental agency.

Gannibal's artwork builds tension expertly through panels and expressions. The characters in Gannibal feel like real people, making the story compelling. Ablaze's latest horror manga release, Gannibal, is a must-read for fans of the genre.

Horror manga has exploded in popularity recently, and any Western fan looking for a new series to sink their teeth into should be on the lookout for Ablaze's upcoming English publication of Gannibal. Though the manga isn't quite as eldritch and inscrutable as other popular horror series, it's still an exceptionally tense manga that will have readers frightened and eager to turn the page in equal measure.

Coming from writer and illustrator Masaaki Ninomiya, Gannibal Volume 1 releases in English on April 9th from Ablaze. The series follows a young cop named Daigo, his wife Yuki, and their daughter Mashiro as they move to the small rural town Kuge located on the edge of a forest.

Exclusive: Show Kasamatsu, one of the stars of Max’s acclaimed crime drama Tokyo Vice, has taken on new representatives at Brookside Artist Management and CAA.

Currently in its second season, Tokyo Vice follows Jake Adelstein (Ansel Elgort), a Western journalist working for a publication in Tokyo who takes on one of the city’s most powerful crime bosses. Also starring Ken Watanabe and Rachel Keller, the show executive produced by Michael Mann has Kasamatsu portraying Yakuza gang enforcer Akiro Sato.

Next up, the actor will be seen starring alongside Jacob Elordi in the TV adaptation of Richard Flanagan’s novel The Narrow Road to the Deep North, which Justin Kurzel is helming for Prime Video Australia.

Prior to Tokyo Vice, Kasamatsu has been an in-demand actor in Japan across film and television. In addition to the series Love You as the World Ends, The Naked Director, and Followers, all...

Gannibal, a horror manga by Masaaki Ninomiya, is being localized in English by Ablaze. The first volume will be available on April 9th in print and digital formats. The ongoing mystery of the series, combined with stellar artwork, will excite horror fans for years to come.

Masaaki Ninomiya's horror manga, Gannibal, is receiving an English localization. It will be published by the comic publisher Ablaze, with the first volume expected to arrive later in April. The series caught attention recently thanks to a highly successful Kickstarter funding, showing how strongly fans of the series wish to own official copies of their own.

The first volume of Gannibal will come out on April 9th, and will be available in both print and digital formats, including limited copies of special hardcover editions available via the Gannibal Backerkit Pledge Store. Afterward, Ablaze plans to release the remaining volumes quarterly.

It will be an...

Portland, Or – Comics and graphic novel publisher Ablaze unleashes the dark horror of Gannibal beginning this April. The manga series drew wide attention when it raised nearly $100,000 during a Kickstarter campaign last year. Fans can still get the exclusive hardcover editions through the Gannibal Backerkit Pledge Store:

https://masaaki-ninomiyas-gannibal.backerkit.com/hosted_preorders

Ablaze is proud to offer Gannibal in print and digitally to readers everywhere with its Vol 1. Tp debut under the Ablaze Manga imprint April 9th. New volumes will be published quarterly.

Gannibal is an intense 13-volume series created by Masaaki Ninomiya that originally was published in Japan by Nihon Bungeisha. Gannibal was also adapted into a live-action series, directed by Shinzo Katayama (director of J-horror movie Missing) with Season One streaming now on Disney+/Hulu and starring Yuya Yagira, Sho Kasamatsu, and Riho Yoshioka. Season Two is in production and will be releasing later this year.

Gannibal,...

Disney Apac’s former content chief Jessica Kam-Engle has exited to launch a Banijay Asia venture in Southeast Asia.

The veteran exec has been named EVP & Business Head of CreAsia Studio, which will sit within Banijay Asia and focus on creating local originals and producing adaptations of Banijay formats.

Kam-Engle will report to Dhar, and is responsible for driving business strategy and growth in Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Philippines, Vietnam and Thailand.

The producer and studio exec is known for runs at HBO Asia, Warner Media Entertainment Networks, MTV Networks/Viacom, MGM Gold Network, Dow Jones Newswires, and Celestial Pictures.

Most recently, she was Head of Content and Development for Disney+ in Apac, during which time she commissioned more than 60 original series such as Korean dramas Moving, Big Bet and Connect; Japanese live action Gannibal; and Chinese-language series Taiwan Crime Stories and Delicacies Destiny. She left the business last year.

Can U.S. audiences connect with a supernatural thriller about South Korean spies tasked with protecting their superpower-enhanced children from harm by malicious government agencies? Disney is about to find out.

“Moving,” an elaborate drama that blends espionage, conspiracy and fantasy themes, emerged over the summer as international Disney+’s first Korean-language hit. The series, which stars Ryu Seungryong, Lee Jungha, Go Younjung, Zo Insung and Han Hyojoo, has also clicked in Japan, Hong Kong and other Asia Pacific region markets. As of Dec. 13, Disney will test the waters for the show in the U.S. as English-dubbed episodes of “Moving” premiere on Hulu. Episodes is also available on Hulu with English-language subtitles, for those who prefer.

Disney is among the many Western media conglomerates exploring South Korea’s vibrant media marketplace with local-language series production. As it builds out Disney+ and related platforms, the mighty Mouse House is investing...

The eerie inspiration for the Disney+/Hulu series of the same name, Masaaki Ninomiya’s 13-volume horror manga Gannibal will make its English-language debut from Ablaze, and with the Kickstarter campaign for the new release of the popular manga now live, we're thrilled to unveil the chilling cover art for volumes 4–7!

Below, you can check out the cover art for volumes 4–7 of Gannibal, as well as the covers for volumes 1–3. We also have the official press release with additional details, and to support the publication of this horror manga and to learn more, visit:

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/ablazepub/masaaki-ninomiyas-gannibal-horror-manga-series-in-english?ref=3ihx7b

Press Release: Portland, Or – Comics and graphic novel publisher Ablaze is bringing Masaaki Ninomiya’s modern day horror manga masterpiece Gannibal to Kickstarter. The bestselling 13-volume horror manga series, published in Japan by Nihon Bungeisha, has become a worldwide hit with publications in France, Italy, Germany,...

Top Japanese star Yagira Yuga was front and center of streamer Disney+’s plans when it gave a green light to a second season of drama-horror series “Gannibal.”

The creepy show, in which Yagira portrays a damaged police detective on the heels of a gangster-like family in a troubled village, has been a ratings winner in terms of minutes watched for the streamer. And, on Sunday, it earned Yagira win an Asian excellence prize at the Busan International Film Festival’s Asia Contents Awards & Global Ott Awards.

He spoke to Variety about the newly-started production of the second season.

Where does Season Two kick off?

In Season One, we saw the surfacing of many secrets including those of the village and the villagers. In season two we see most of these secrets resolved. I hope you can catch the nuance there.

How did you get back into character? Was its...

Big-budget, Korean-language fantasy-crime-action series “Moving” emerged as the big winner on Sunday at the Asia Contents Awards & Global Ott Awards, claiming six prizes, including the ‘best creative’ prize.

The Disney+ original, which debuted in August, also received the best visual effects award and the best writer award, which was presented at the Busan Cinema Centre’s main stage to webtoon artist turned filmmaker Kang Full. Actor Ryu Seung Ryong, who portrayed a father with a superpower attempting to save his family, was awarded the best lead actor prize, while the show’s Lee Jung Ha was named best newcomer and Go Youn Jung was named best actress.

The 20-episode series has received critical acclaim for its narrative structure, dynamic action sequences and breathtaking storytelling. It became the most viewed Korean original series across Disney+ and Hulu and had the most viewed series finale ever on Disney+ across parts of Apac,...

Superhero spy series wins six awards including the top prize.

Korean Disney+ series Moving led the pack at the revamped Asia Contents Awards & Global Ott Awards in Busan on Sunday (October 8), winning six prizes including the top award.

The superhero spy series won best creative, best writer for Kang Full, best lead actor for Ryu Seung-ryong, best newcomer actor for Lee Jung-ha, best newcomer actress for Go Yeon Jung and best visual effects. It won all the awards for which it was nominated.

Scroll down for full list of winners

It marks the latest boost for the 20-episode series, which...

Disney+ superhero series Moving was the big winner at Busan Film Festival’s Asia Contents Awards & Global Ott Awards, scooping six prizes, including Best Creative and Best Writer for Kang Full.

The series also took Best Lead Actor for Ryu Seung Ryong, who portrays a father with a superpower attempting to save his family, Best Newcomer Actor (Lee Jung Ha), Best Newcomer Actress (Go Youn Jung) and Best Visual Effects.

Best Ott Original was awarded to Weak Hero Class 1, which is being broadcast simultaneously on platforms including Kocowa in the U.S. and iQiyi in the U.S. and Taiwan.

Netflix Indian series Scoop, directed by Hansal Mehta, won awards for Best Asian TV Series and Best Lead Actress, for Karishma Tanna’s performance. Best Reality & Variety was won by Let’s Feast Vietnam, produced by Bhd Vietnam Media Corp, and Netflix Korea’s Physical: 100.

Hsueh Shih-Ling won the Best...

Disney has given a green light to a second season of Japanese drama -horror series “Gannibal.”

Set in a fictional Japanese village, season one of Gannibal saw recently relocated police officer Agawa Daigo arrive in his new home a broken man. Wrestling with his guilt over an event that traumatized his daughter, things started off promisingly for the new arrival before a series of alarming events quickly led Agawa to the horrifying realization that something was deeply wrong with the villagers and the mysterious Goto family.

Yagira Yuya (“Nobody Knows”) is confirmed to return in the starring role of police officer Agawa, while Kasamatsu Sho returns as Goto Keisuke, the head of the Goto family, and Yoshioka Riho as Agawa Yuki, Agawa’s strong and supportive wife. Yagira’s performance in the role has earned him a nomination as best actor in the Busan International Film Festival’s Asia Contents Awards & Global Ott Awards.

More is in store for fans of Disney+’s first Japanese horror-thriller series, Gannibal. The House of Mouse revealed Thursday that the hit Japanese original has been renewed for a second season, dropping a teaser trailer that offers a peek at what’s to come (see it below).

The first season of Gannibal was a pillar title for Disney+’s push into Japanese live-action series production. Following its release in December 2022, it became the streaming service’s most-watched locally produced original series in Japan ever. Gannibal‘s star, Yuya Yagira, also earned a best actor nomination at the Busan International Film Festival’s upcoming Asia Contents Awards & Global Ott Awards.

Starring some of the biggest names in the Japanese screen industry, Gannibal‘s second season will see the return of Yagira as police officer Daigo Agawa; Show Kasamatsu as Keisuke Goto, the head of the Goto family; and Riho Yoshioka as Yuki Agawa,...

Comics and graphic novel publisher Ablaze prepares to end 2023 on a strong note as it details a compelling collection of new titles set for December release as well as advance solicitations for a pair of notable February debuts.

Manhwa and webtoon inspired graphic novels are well represented with the launch of The Awl, a moving and socially conscious series about the struggles of workers at an oppressive Korean big box superstore as they strive for better lives and working conditions. The series is a recipient of the Korean Cartoon of Today Prize. Also in December, the stylish and macabre feast of Zombie Makeout Club returns! Collecting Volume 2 of the popular Webtoon in print for the first time. The manhwa action continues as readers are invited to also catch Vol. 2 of Get Schooled, and Vol. 2 of Terror Man, both based on hit Korean webtoon action dramas.

December further offers advance soliciations...

First up comes Shakespeare Manga Theatre from the legendary Osamu Tezuka.

The first of 4 titles from the most famous manga pioneer to join the Ablaze catalog.

Another new series joins the Ablaze Manga catalog with the English language debut of Gannibal, a terrifying manga horror series by Masaaki Ninomiya, on which the acclaimed Hulu TV show is based.

Also launching comes The Agent, a full-color supernatural crime thriller by writer/creator, Mathieu Gabella, and artist Fernando Dagnino.

A new release by the acclaimed Italian creator, Zerocalcare, also debuts in November with the release of The Armadillo Prophicy.

The graphic novel was the creators first release and depicts a deeply personal story of how he coped with learning too late that a dear friend from his childhood had died, all while a giant armadillo represents his imaginary conscience.

Action fans will not want to miss Versus Fighting Story Vol. 1-2 Collected Set.

Portland, Or – Comics and graphic novel publisher Ablaze serves up a terrifying new manga thriller rich in tension and suspense as it announces Gannibal with the Vol 1 Tp volume set for a November 2023 publication date and Volume 2 scheduled for a February 2024 release.

Gannibal is an intense 13-volume horror manga created by Masaaki Ninomiya that was originally published in Japan by Nihon Bungeisha. Ablaze is proudly bringing this dark masterpiece to North America and English readers worldwide for the first time.

In Gannibal, Daigo Agawa is a resident police officer who has been recently assigned to the remote mountain village of Kuge. He is initially warmly welcomed by the villagers, but with the suspicious death of an old woman, he gradually becomes aware of the anomaly of the village and begins to suspect that “The people in this village are eating people.”

A terrifying thriller series rich in tension and suspense,...

Disney+ has announced a slate of Asia originals for the second half of 2023, including Korean dramas Moving and The Worst Of Evil and the latest project in its collaboration with Hybe, BTS Monuments: Beyond The Star.

The packed slate of originals also includes Japanese anime Tokyo Revengers: Teknik Arc, part of Disney’s collaboration with publishing house Kodansha, and hybrid live-action and anime series Dragons Of Wonderhatch.

Set to premiere on August 9, Korean drama Moving is based on Kangfull’s webtoon about a group of superpowered individuals on the run from government forces and a mysterious assassin. Ryu Seungryong, Han Hyojoo and Zo Insung head the cast.

Ji Changwook, Squid Game actor Wi Hajun and Lim Semi star in crime drama The Worst Of Evil, set in 1990s Seoul, where a rural police officer is recruited to help bring down a trafficking gang pushing a potent new drug.

Docu-series BTS...

Disney+ is preparing to launch its largest slate of new originals to date for the growth markets of the Asia-Pacific region, the Walt Disney Co. said Monday.

The lineup, which includes more than 20 new series and films, will roll out across the second half of 2023, with the bulk of the programming coming from Korea and Japan. Highlights include a new documentary about Korean supergroup BTS, several Korean crime thrillers and much-anticipated Japanese anime titles like Tokyo Revengers: Tenjiku Arc and Phoenix: Eden17.

Coming at a time of “rationalized” content spending across the industry, Disney’s continued commitment to localized originals for Asia-Pacific underscores the growing popularity of Korean drama and Japanese anime throughout the world, as well as the continued importance of the region as a long-term driver of revenue growth.

Disney tends not to release much data on the viewership of its international originals. But it provided some indicators...

Exclusive: Disney’s Carol Choi has seen it all in the East Asian entertainment business, working for the studio in various roles in China from 2006, then heading up The Walt Disney Company Korea, before being appointed Managing Director of The Walt Disney Company Japan. She currently wears two hats, also serving as EVP Original Content Strategy, across the Asia Pacific region.

Disney moved into Asian local-language content in a big way in 2021, unveiling a bumper slate of Korean, Japanese and Indonesian originals for its Disney+ and Disney+ Hotstar streaming platforms, followed by another wave of content announcements late last year. Choi oversees the studio’s long-term collaborations and partnerships with content creators and artists across the region, including a deal struck last year with Korean entertainment giant Hybe, home of the world’s biggest boy band, BTS.

Two shows under that deal are already streaming – concert film BTS: Permission To...