Josh A. Stevens
Anime PR and writer who loves Pokémon and is a massive Mari Okada fanatic. By-lines at Anime UK News, Crunchyroll etc. He/Him.
www.joshastevens.com
- RuriDragon is getting an anime by Kyoto Animation!!!! I always felt that an adaptation was inevitable, but that is such a perfect match. I can’t wait! youtu.be/Fw0gYw_rMHc?...
- It’s only recently that I got into Avatar (thanks MTG), but Paramount no longer giving “The Legend of Aang: The Last Airbender” a theatrical release is disheartening. A traditionally animated film from a major studio would have been really cool to see. www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general...
- Also, while not direct comparables, did Paramount not see how well “Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle” and “Chainsaw Man: Reze Arc” performed this year? Even without the huge audience numbers in Asia, there’s enough crossover, and clearly demand for teen/young adult animation. Crazy.
- “Kaiju Girl Caramelise” is finally getting an anime! Fun fact: I wrote a short film based on the manga for my Screenwriting: Adaptation class back at uni. I only had 20-pages, so could only adapt Vol. 1 and needed an original ending. It was the highest grade of my entire degree.
- The finale of Pokémon Legends: Z-A is the most intense and cinematic in series history, with a mix of absurdity and poignancy that speaks to the game’s strong character writing. So much discussion has focused on the technical aspects, but Game Freak deserves props for the story.
- I won’t say much due to spoilers, but it’s a shame to see a major outlet criticise Pokémon Legends Z-A for supposedly not having a certain something, only for my time with the game to make me realise that they clearly didn’t finish the game’s story :/
- With JRPGs in particular, there’s always been a discussion on how much a critic has to play before writing a review. I’ve had these discussions myself back when I used to review games. So, I do appreciate that. Pokémon narratives are pretty short by JRPG standards, though…
- Yeah, maybe you should ask that Floette all about it 💀
- Sanji when he’s leaving the Baratie to join the Straw Hats.
- With “My Adventures with Superman” leaving Channel 4, I finally made time to watch it, and wish I had sooner. It’s really heartfelt, and it pays homage to anime in a way that feels more charming than usual attempts by western media. I just hope HBO Max launches in the UK in time for Season 3.
- I’ve been watching “My Adventures With Superman” before it disappears from Channel 4, and I’ve been loving all the subtle anime references, but a nod to OUTLAW STAR was not on my bingo sheet. Series was already great with Lois and Kara, but now it’s undeniably the GOAT.
- Fire Emblem Among Us shadow drop certainly isn’t how I expected to end the day. www.nintendo.co.jp/corporate/re...
- I always held the belief that Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle should have been a TV anime instead, and seeing the first movie hasn’t changed my mind. Especially as I wouldn’t have been distracted by a kid recording bits on his phone, or the two phones that went off…
- Condensed into a movie, certain moments weren’t allowed the space to soak like they would have in a TV anime. The pacing was atrocious. Despite essentially just being one fight after another, it felt like a slog. I wonder if it was only a film so the CG animators could flex lol
- I already have Virtual Boy on Nintendo Switch and Switch 2???
- Pretty sure I could do nuts things with this in my Choco deck…
- Let's talk mechanics of #MTGxSpiderMan, starting with Web-slinging as seen on Spider-Man India! Cast spells for a cheaper cost by also returning a tapped creature you control to its owner's hand. #MTGxSpiderMan
- He is fat and silly, like me. New friend. #PokemonLegendsZA
- Caught up with the Turkey! anime, and episode 6 did not hold back. Damn. How is this anime so peak?
- Disappointed to learn that Marvel Comics are doing blind bags for “Ultimate Endgame” Issue 1 - especially because the variants I’d want are blind bag only! Just feels greedy. Why is everything a blind bag/box these days? www.marvel.com/articles/com...
- Once in a while, you experience a film that makes you ask “What am I doing with my life?”. For the first time in years, I rewatched Princess Mononoke, in IMAX, and… wow. Wild to remember this was once a PG, though. Upped to a 12A, I’m surprised that the dismemberment and blood didn’t earn it a 15.
- Right as the film started, I heard a little kid excitedly recognise Totoro in Ghibli’s logo. I wonder what he made of it. Perhaps he’ll grow up to be a film buff, or to be in therapy…
- I stand with Charithra Chandran. Racists will never find the One Piece.
- Kaede has always been close to my heart. Years ago, I wrote for Crunchyroll about how she helped my own social anxiety. This was long overdue. This film is so CUTE. Watching Kaede do her best, and learn it’s normal to be different… I just want to give her a hug and support whatever she wants to do.
- It’s also amazing to see such inclusive portrayals of neurodivergence - especially in anime. Uzuki Hirokawa’s role was brief, but her hyperactivity and lack of filter gave her an unmistakable charm that really added to the film’s message that it’s normal to be different.
- I finished my rewatch of “Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai” as my latest treadmill watch, so it’s time to take a day off, sit back, and rediscover peak.
- Why did Kaiju No. 8 use stock audio of an elephant for what is clearly a reptilian kaiju?
- Reposted by Josh A. StevensI should not be trusted with interchangeable figures.
- Tragedy. I messed up trimming my beard, so it all had to go. I look like Nathan Lane from Austin Powers, and when I showed Mum the clip, she agreed 💀 RIP beard. youtu.be/vg-ywBSbQXg?...
- I can’t believe that “KPop Demon Hunters” wasn’t given a theatrical release. Not only is the film absolutely phenomenal, but it should have been insanely marketable. The film is so full of charm, genuinely 🔥 songs, and incredibly slick animation. Sony Pictures Animation are on a roll.
- Anyway, if you’re into young women using song to secretly protect the world from otherworldly creatures, give Symphogear a go! Here’s why you should watch it: www.crunchyroll.com/news/feature...
- It’s admittedly weird seeing #UmaMusume blow up in the west, when I spent years feeling like I was one of the few people who realised how amazing it is. Anyway, if you’re enjoying the game, watch the anime. Pretty Derby Season 2 is peak.
- For you, the day David Dastmalchian was cast as M. Bison was the greatest day of your life. But for him, it was Tuesday.
- In conversation with “The Anthem of the Heart” and starring a mind-reading hedgehog, I finally watched #Fureru - the latest anime film from from the creators of “Anohana”. Read my review: www.joshastevens.com/post/fureru-...
- Sat down to watch #Fureru, and the disc opens with a message (written and verbal) about an audio-described version that will play automatically, unless you go to the menu. This is apparently common with Japanese home ent releases lately. A really intuitive way of handling accessibility features!
- You can’t convince me that Joseph Kosinski has not seen “The First SLAM DUNK”, and I am serious. #F1TheMovie
- It took a few decades, and corporate buyouts, but Manga UK is finally selling manga.
- You’re not the boss of me.
- Spoiler alert omg.
- The judgmental stare of someone who doesn’t pay their taxes. #MarioKartWorld
- Good to get Inspector Souffle’s thoughts on Elon Musk’s acquisition of a social media network, even if it is a few years too late. (From “Syd Craft: Love is a Mystery”).
- A good friend told me to get on @denizcamp.bsky.social’s Absolute Martian Manhunter, and emphasised that I needed a physical copy. Camp already earned my trust with The Ultimates, but… wow. Waiting for the reprint was worth it. The aesthetic and vibe is the definition of cool. Everyone, buy this.
- Sad to learn my local Vue Cinema is closing, because Cambridge City Council has to turn every piece of land into labs. Vue's reclining seats were a godsend for my Mum's mobility issues, and the location was great for people from the villages. www.cambridge-news.co.uk/news/cambrid...
- Fortunately, Cambridge isn't starved for cinemas - we still have The Light, the Arts Picturehouse, and the recently opened Everyman. However, losing another major exhibitor (after Cineworld's exit some years back) will hurt in its own way.
- I still remember the days of the Warner Cinema, where statues of Looney Tunes characters lined the walls of the lobby, and a giant board on the outer Grafton wall listed the movies that were playing. Those were the good ol' days...
- Sinners is an incredibly layered and culturally rich film of two halves, with a transcendent soundtrack that can be enjoyed even by horror weenies like myself. Is it worth all the hype, though? Read my full review: www.joshastevens.com/post/sinners...
- Florence Pugh confidently showcases that she can lead even a charismatic ensemble cast in Marvel Studios’ Thunderbolts*, becoming the highlight of an otherwise uneven film about moving forward from trauma and regret. Read my full review: www.joshastevens.com/post/thunder...
- Overheard in a book store: “Manga is so expensive and small, so I just read online… this one’s good” and then he showed his friend Solo Levelling. …
- The real tragedy of “The Apothecary Diaries” is that the other concubines have to compete against Gyokuyō, and that’s just not possible because she’s already perfect 🫶
- So, The Apothecary Diaries is House M.D. but in feudal China? Got it.
