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The gambling-themed manga series Kakegurui created by Homura Kawamoto (story) and Toru Naomura (art) will receive a stage play adaptation in Tokyo in September 2025. Moeko Kanisawa , a member of the Japanese idol group ≠Me (Not Equal Me) is cast as the protagonist, Yumeko Jabami. Kanisawa previously played the role of Harukaze Doremi, one of the main characters in the Ojamajo Doremi stage play performed by the members of the group in 2022, but this will be the first stage play in which she will play the lead role alone. The Kakegurui stage play's official website and X (formerly Twitter) opened with a teaser visual featuring Kanisawa as Yumeko. Teaser Visual The rest of the main cast members include: Ryota Suzui played by Seiichiro Nagata Mary Saotome played by Moka Koizumi Midari Ikishima played by Kurisu Oto Itsuki Sumeragi played by Misato Kawauchi Yuriko Nishinotoui n played by Fuyuna Asakura Yumemi Yumemite...

In the sports genre, only a few anime hit the mark, and Ace of Diamond is one such example. It is an underrated baseball anime, hailed for its themes. Yes, it follows some ironclad sports tropes, though, but it stands out.

The series will return in 2026, and we’re looking forward to it. Season 2 is much more promising, but there are some hidden references fans may have overlooked. So here are 5 Easter Eggs that make the series truly iconic.

1. The title gives it away

The name Ace of Diamond would trick you into believing its a reference to Blackjack or Baccarat but don’t be fooled. Yuji Terajima’s series alludes to the Baseball terminology and the trajectory of the protagonist within the title.

Eijun Sawamura | Credit: Madhouse, Production I.G

Ace is the best pitcher in baseball and a top-tier player. He holds the reins when he plays in the diamond field.

A special program streamed on YouTube today announced that Ace of the Diamond act II Second Season , the long-awaited anime sequel announced last year , will air on Japanese television in 2026 . The below teaser visual was also unveiled, along with additional details about the series' All-Star Game IV event. Voice actors Hiroaki Tajiri (Kenta Maezono), Shunsuke Takeuchi (Masashi Yuki) and Kensho Ono (Raichi Todoroki) were added to the lineup for All-Star Game IV, which will take place at Meiji Jingu Baseball Stadium in Tokyo on December 14, 2025, with tickets available at 15,000 yen for premium seating, 11,000 yen for S-level and 7,700 yen for A-level. Ace of the Diamond act II Second Season Teaser Visual Related: Ace of the Diamond act II Anime Sequel Announced Crunchyroll streams all of the Ace of the Diamond anime and describes the first episode of Ace of the Diamond act II like so: The Seido baseball club has been...

Get ready for some mystery—but only after dinner! The Dinner Table Detective is now airing, and you can enjoy both its opening and ending sequences any time you want. Check out the opening, set to "Montage" by Kento Nakajima: The Dinner Table Detective Creditless Opening Related: The Dinner Table Detective Anime Premieres on April 4 And the ending, set to "Rhapsody" by Billy Boo: The Dinner Table Detective Creditless Ending Mitsuyuki Masuhara ( Ace of the Diamond ) directs The Dinner Table Detective at studio Madhouse, with series composition by Mariko Kunisawa ( Bartender Glass of God ), character designs adapted for animation by Izumi Kawata and music by Takeshi Hama ( Maoyu ). The series is based on the novels by Tokuya Higashikawa. Amazon Prime streams the series, describing it thus: Rich heiress Reiko Hosho lives a double life as a novice detective, fighting crime under Inspector Kazamatsuri—also from a wealthy family. After work,...

A stage play adaptation of Eko Mikawa's baseball manga Oblivion Battery is set to perform in Tokyo and Osaka in October 2025. The play's official website and X (formerly Twitter) posted a teaser visual featuring the two lead actors — Ryousei Tanaka (Sadaharu Inui in The Prince of Tennis musicals) as Haruka Kiyomine and Yoshihiko Aramaki (Yamanbagiri Kunihiro in Touken Ranbu musicals) as Kei Kaname. Teaser visual Ryousei Tanaka wrote on his official X post after the announcement: "I'll be playing the role of Haruka Kiyomine in the Oblivion Battery stage play. I am honored to be a part of a work that is loved by so many people. I will do my best to create an unforgettable work!" Akira Yamazaki, who previously worked on an Ace of Diamond musical adaptation in 2022, will serve as director based on his own script. His recent works also include stage play adaptations of Hunter X Hunter...

A few more mysteries about The Dinner Table Detective have been solved, as the upcoming mystery anime's latest trailer today revealed an April 4, 2025 at 23:30 Jst premiere date and previewed the series' ending song, "Rhapsody" by Billy Boo. The Dinner Table Detective Trailer The Dinner Table Detective anime's confirmed cast is as follows: Reiko voiced by Kana Hanazawa (Mitsuri in Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba ) Kageyama voiced by Yuki Kaji (Eren in Attack on Titan ) Kazamatsuri voiced by Mamoru Miyano (Dazai in Bungo Stray Dogs ) Related: The Dinner Table Detective Anime Reveals Cast, Staff and Release Date in First Trailer Based on the novels by Tokuya Higashikawa, Mitsuyuki Masuhara ( Ace of the Diamond ) directs The Dinner Table Detective at studio Madhouse, with series composition by Mariko Kunisawa ( Bartender Glass of God ), character designs adapted for animation by Izumi Kawata and music by Takeshi Hama ( Maoyu ). The story follows Reiko, the...

As One Piece creator Eiichiro Oda has continued to work with Japanese rock band Glay for art and design with the band's 30th anniversary, the collaboration goes even further today with both a new set of album covers drawn by Oda and a music video using his character designs for the band. First, check out the music video for "Brighten Up": a CG-animated video based on Oda's artwork from the band's 30th anniversary key visual. The song was first released in October 2024 on Glay's 17th album, Back to the Pops : Related: One Piece Live-Action Series Reveals Dragon Actor and More for Season 2 The album covers designed by Oda will be used for an upcoming "Best of" collection: As for what songs will be included in this collection... well, that's up to you! Voting is now open for fans' favorite songs, divided up by release date: 1994-2009 and 2010 and onward.

Following the adaptation's announcement last month, the first trailer and key visual for The Dinner Table Detective anime today revealed a planned April 2025 start as well as the mystery series' main cast and production staff. The Dinner Table Detective Teaser Trailer The Dinner Table Detective Key Visual The Dinner Table Detective anime's confirmed cast is as follows: Reiko voiced by Kana Hanazawa (Mitsuri in Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba ) Kageyama voiced by Yuki Kaji (Eren in Attack on Titan ) Kazamatsuri voiced by Mamoru Miyano (Dazai in Bungo Stray Dogs ) Reiko Reiko Kageyama Kazamatsuri Related: Nazotoki wa Dinner no Ato de Mystery Novels Get Anime Adaptation Based on the novels by Tokuya Higashikawa, Mitsuyuki Masuhara ( Ace of the Diamond ) directs The Dinner Table Detective at studio Madhouse, with series composition by Mariko Kunisawa ( Bartender Glass of God ), character designs adapted for animation by Izumi Kawata and music by Takeshi Hama ( Maoyu ). The story follows Reiko,...

The brides are getting their first stage play, starring the 11 idols of Hinatazaka46's 4th Generation. And all of them will have their turn playing one of the Nakano quintuplets! A stage play adaptation of The Quintessential Quintuplets was announced today, and will feature music and dance numbers. Each of the lead quints will be double- or triple-cast as one of the Nogizaka46 sister group's idols. Related: The Quintessential Quintuplets Takes on Hawaii New Special Anime Trailer Starring in the show will be: Ichika Nakano: Nanami Konishi, Kirari Takeuchi Nino Nakano: Tamaki Ishizuka, Rio Shimizu Miku Nakano: Sumire Miyachi, Rina Watanabe Yotsuba Nakano: Yoko Shogenji, Honoka Hirao, Kaho Fujishima Itsuki Nakano: Mitsuki Hiraoka, Haruka Yamashita More cast members will be announced at a later date. Akira Yamazaki, who has also staged 2.5D productions of Ace of the Diamond and Hunter x Hunter , will write and direct the stage play.

Girls' Fist!!!! Gt , the manga branch of the Girls' Fist!!!! media mix project, is getting animated! Starting today, the project's official YouTube channel will air a 13-episode short anime. The girls' rock band-themed project was launched in June 2018 with the first manga Girls' Fist!!!! illustrated by Bomi, based on an original story by Kiurian. The story is set in Matsumoto City, Nagano Prefecture, and centers on four high school girls who form a band to fulfill their dream of performing on stage at a music festival. The first manga was serialized in Kadokawa's Monthly DenPure Comic (a bonus booklet for Dengeki PlayStation magazine) and released two tankobon volumes. The second series, Girls' Fist!!!! Gt (illustrated by Najimi), has been serialized in Dengeki Twitter Magazine. Related: High School Girls Rock Out in Mixed-media Project Girls' Fist!!!! New Mv "Sayonara My Loneliness" The members of the project's South Matsumoto High Punk Rock Society,...

Baseball, basketball, and soccer remain the kings of sports manga, with some of the most popular titles to date falling under one of those three sports: “Slam Dunk,” “Diamond no Ace,” and “Blue Lock,” for example. Combat sports have also captured the attention of manga fans, with series like “Hajime no Ippo” being the longest continually running series of all time. With so many outstanding, long-running sports manga titles available, there are equal amounts of underrated gems that don't get the attention they deserve.

Here, we present 10 sports manga worth your attention, ranging from purist interpretations to absurd takes on popular and niche sports. These manga offer different experiences and approaches to the genre, so the following list is not ranked.

10. Run On Your New Legs (2019) by Wataru Midori

After an accident, Shouta Kikuzato's dreams of being a pro soccer player are crushed when he loses his leg. Withdrawing from others,...

The Ace of Diamond anime, which adapts the baseball manga by Yuji Terajima, first premiered just over a decade ago in 2013. Following the first and second seasons, the Ace of the Diamond act II anime aired from 2019 to 2020, and now it's officially getting a new sequel series. Details are light at the moment, but original creator Yuji Terajima shared a celebratory illustration on the show's social accounts. Related: Oblivion Battery Anime Loads the Bases with New Visual Crunchyroll streams all of the Ace of the Diamond anime and describes the first episode of Ace of the Diamond act II like so: The Seido baseball club has been invited to the spring invitational at the hallowed Koshien Stadium. Sawamura will finally stand on the mound! Standing between Seido and the national title are the winners of last year's summer tournament Komadai Fujimaki and their unstoppable ace Masamune Hongo. Can Seido triumph over Komadai?...

Haikyu!! recently released the movie Haikyu!! The Dumpster Battle which proved to be a major hit. As the movie only had a Japanese release, the film broke most Japanese box office records and is still having a massive impact in theaters. However, fans from all over the world were disappointed because the movie did not get a worldwide release.

Haikyu!! The Dumpster Battle

But to the surprise of fans, Crunchyroll has recently revealed that the film will be released in theaters throughout the world beginning May 30. The movie will be available in Japanese with English subtitles and will also be dubbed in English. While there is still time, for the movie to finally make a worldwide debut, there are other Sports Shonen anime, that fans can enjoy while waiting for the movie.

1. Kuroko’s Basketball Kuroko’s Basketball

Kuroko’s Basketball is one of the best sports Shonen anime series in the world.

Sports manga are perennially popular and provide profound insights into teamwork, determination, and the human spirit. Ace of Diamond excels in character development, showcasing the evolution of protagonist Eijun Sawamura in the world of baseball. Kuroko No Basket stands out for its over-the-top basketball scenes and the unique skill set of introverted player Kuroko.

Sports manga have always been one of the most popular genres in the medium, and they will continue to be so for a long time to come. They have always ranked in the best-selling manga ever, and have produced some of the most influential series ever that shaped the landscape of manga.

From the intense rivalries of high school basketball in Slam Dunk to the strategic complexities of tennis in The Prince of Tennis, these manga transcend their respective sports, offering profound insights into teamwork, determination, and the human spirit.

Related 10 Best Sports Anime of All...

Sports manga have always had a cultural impact, with series like Slam Dunk and Haikyuu!! influencing the popularity of basketball and volleyball in Japan and neighboring countries. Despite the rise in dark fantasy shnen in recent years, the success of Blue Lock and other sports manga shows that the genre is getting attention once again. New sports manga are incorporating other genres like coming-of-age and romance, making them even more appealing to a wider range of readers.

Shōnen sports manga have always been a cornerstone of the medium, and recent sales data proves that success is only growing. Great series like Ashita No Joe and Ace No Diamond are influential series that are quite popular, but with the increase in dark fantasy shōnen in recent years, like Jujutsu Kaisen and Chainsaw Man, the genre has been getting less and less attention.

2023's best-selling manga has reignited hope that this...

We can count the number of anime based on light novels on our fingers because, as far as anime fans are concerned, there are only a handful of popular titles, such as Sword Art Online, Konosuba, and Spice and Wolf. However, there are numerous successful novels written by Japanese authors, and only a small percentage receive the desired adaptations.

Onmyoji, written by Baku Yumemakura, is a historical fantasy novel series that is among the most popular in both Japan and China. The novel inspired one of the most successful competitive games in China, Onmyoji Arena, as well as a few manga and animated films. With Onmyoji finally getting the anime treatment it deserves, fans of video games, novels, and manga are enthusiastic to see how it turns out. To that end, here's everything we know so far about the Onmyoji anime.

Onmyoji Anime: The Plot

Even though the anime is nearing its release date,...

A new trailer has been revealed for Kaiju No. 8 and it's already addressing early criticisms of the series in the best way. The upcoming anime is looking rather impressive, based on the trailer and the latest key visuals released for it. Kaiju No. 8 has managed to capture the attention of manga readers and its jump to anime could similarly prove successful.

Kaiju No. 8 has been serialized in Shonen Jump+ since 2020. Thus far, the series from Naoya Matsumoto spans ten volumes, but has not concluded. On YouTube, Toho Animation shared a glimpse at the upcoming anime adaptation, which is being produced by Production I.G. The adaptation was announced in 2022 and has been met with mixed reactions.

Kaiju No. 8 Could Be Better Than Fans Have Initially Thought

The trailer, which is the second released so far, has an explosive and bloody start. There is already a kaiju attack shown,...

A new trailer for Sailor Moon Cosmos has dropped that spotlights the film's fashionable villains.

Posted to the official YouTube channel for the franchise, the video provides glimpses of the transformation sequences and attacks of various members of Shadow Galactica, the evil empire ruled by Sailor Galaxia. It ends with a shot of Sailor Moon facing down her ultimate enemy.

Related: This Shojo Anime Spearheaded the Use of Magical Boys in the Magical-Girl Genre

Sailor Moon Cosmos Adds Nine New Cast Members

The trailer also confirms nine new members of the voice cast, including Sena Koizumi (Baki) as Sailor Iron Mouse, Ayumu Murase (The Case Study of Vanitas) as Sailor Aluminum Siren, Yōko Hikasa (Berserk) as Sailor Lead Crow, Haruka Kudō (Bungo Stray Dogs) as Sailor Heavy Metal Papillion and Mariya Ise (Fairy Tail) as Sailor Tin Nyanko. Shiori Mikami (Attack on Titan) voices Sailor Lethe, while Kanae Itō (God Eater) plays Sailor Mnemosyne.

There is an anime out there for everyone and a sport out there for everyone. The sports anime genre has blended the two and is now a strong niche in the anime industry. The diversity in the sports that become these series' focus ranges from more typical tennis or football games to ballroom dancing and archery.

Related: 10 Amazing Sports Anime Everyone Forgot Existed

Some sports series balance engaging action with excellent storytelling. These anime take more time to develop the characters and show their skills, sending them on journeys of betterment and expertise. Here, sports accentuate the story rather than become the main focus.

Aim For The Ace! Sport: Tennis

Aim for the Ace! follows the journey of Hiromi Oka, a high school student determined to improve her tennis skills after being inspired by a fellow student named Reika Ryuzaki. With the help of her coach, friends, and a can-do attitude,...

A new promotional video for the upcoming release of Sailor Moon Cosmos showcases one of the franchise's iconic transformation sequences.

Posted to the official Sailor Moon YouTube channel, the short video shows protagonist Usagi Tsukino's transformation from an ordinary middle school student into the winged Eternal Sailor Moon. Feathers, sparkles and lunary imagery appropriately feature throughout the sequence. Moreover, the creative team behind the new movies is calling on fans to help promote Sailor Moon Cosmos; individuals who share Sailor Moon-related photos on social media can win autographed posters, stickers and movie tickets.

Related: Sailor Moon Could Beat Dragon Ball Z's Son Goku

Sailor Moon Cosmos Serves as a Direct Sequel to Eternal

Split across two films, Sailor Moon Cosmos is a direct sequel to 2021's Sailor Moon Eternal, available to stream on Netflix. The story will depict the events of the "Shadow Galactica" arc of the...