Alice in Borderland season 3 ending explained: Who is the Watchman?
As Arisu and Usagi return to Borderland, what does the ending mean for them and the series?
Netflix’s Japanese thriller series Alice in Borderland is back for season 3. It's been almost three years since season 2 dropped, with the games taking on new gruesome and mind-bending shapes, and an original story thrown into the mix. Season 2, which finished adapting the manga the show is based on, explained Borderland as a near-death experience shared by all the people near Shibuya Station and the iconic Scramble Crossing when the meteor hit. At the start of season 3, time has passed and Arisu and Usagi are finally together. Arisu works at a counselling centre helping people deal with trauma while Usagi does consulting work. Arisu only has vague memories of what happened to him, but Borderland, and its mysterious Citizens, aren’t done with him yet. Alice in Borderland season 3 ending explained: Who is the Watchman? Alice in Borderland has always been a show which messes with your head, from the laser beam fire and the Find the Witch gamer of season 1, to Mira’s tall stories of VR games and aliens in season 2. It’s in this weird landscape that we find out another layer to the world Arisu keeps finding himself in. As with previous series, the first few episodes of season 3 are all about the spectacle of the games and light on lore. But as the series comes to its end, things get wacky really fast. At this point, Arisu just wants answers and, honestly, so do we! That’s also when Ken Watanabe (Inception, The Last Samurai, Batman Begins) appears in the most unexpected cameo ever, and proceeds to offer up more questions than answers. Dressed in a black bowler hat and smart Western clothing, he adds another layer to the mythology of the series. Playing a character identified as 'the Watchman’, Watanabe’s character is neither the god of Borderland nor the Joker. As he tells Alice while they play one final game, the Joker is just a card. Rather, he’s a psychopomp, a figure who guides souls into the afterlife, offering Arisu a simple choice between life and death. Why does he do this? Well it turns out he doesn’t want to die, to find out what comes after either, and so the games are a way to keep him almost entertained. He just wanted to talk to someone like Arisu who had survived many brushes with death. But, he warns, not only does everyone have to stand where Arisu is, at the crossroads between two worlds, but something bigger is coming, something even Arisu won’t be able to fight against. And it’s going to kill a lot of people. Of course, Arisu says he wants to be with Usagi, even if it means having only a short time in the world of the living. So he jumps into the water to rescue her from the death vortex. In the scuffle, he manages to save her while Ryuji is trying to drag her to the world of death with him. Unfortunately, Arisu doesn't make it, and ends up dying in the bed next to a comatose Usagi. She does get a sweet moment with her dad, Shiganori, that feels richly deserved, even if this series is the first time we’ve ever gone near her trauma, as seasons 1 and 2 focused almost completely on Arisu. And, from that moment, dying doesn’t feel so dark and terrifying, merely a natural part of existence. Oh and Arisu finally calls her Yuzuha, Usagi’s first name, which is just so sweet. Who is Ryuji? Arisu meets Ryuji Matsuyama, a wheelchair-bound researcher, at a university. Ryuji is researching the shared experiences of people like Arisu, people who have played the games. Except Arisu can’t remember much, only that he went on a journey to a far-off land. But Ryuji grows obsessed, and eventually finds a way to reach Borderland and become a citizen. We eventually learn the root of his obsession; a student he helped with an experiment that lead to her death. Ryuji was unable to bring her back when things went wrong, and became obsessed with the world of the dead. His obsession eventually led to a car accident which rendered him unable to walk and forced into a wheelchair. View oEmbed on the source website When Ryuji finds Borderland, via a game of Old Maid with some mysterious men who electrocute anyone who loses, he becomes the ‘winner’ of their game. We never truly learn who these figures are, outside of the ‘citizens’ from season 2 who decided to leave the real world and become permanent residents in the abandoned city where they can play games with the visitors. They’re not gods, they’re not even demons; they just like games and Arisu has been the best person they’ve had playing in ages, so they use Ryuji to get him back to Borderland. Collective Delusion or NDE? Ryuji’s obsession is what fuels this series. He kidnaps Usagi to drag Arisu back to Borderland. Ann, the forensic scientist from The Beach in season 1, helps him with an overdose of medication. Now back in Borderland, Arisu finds himself drawn into the deadly games anew. The first game is set at Hikawa Shrine. Hikawa means ‘fire river’, and the game involves players drawing fortunes whilst arrows rain down over them. Meanwhile, Usagi is having trouble with the death of her father. After Ryuji drags her to Borderland, she joins his group in the games. This includes avoiding colourful lasers which slice people in two and a poison-filled subway car game. She later discovers Arisu and his group are playing the same game in the opposite direction. The final game forces the remaining players, including Arisu, Ryuji and Usagi (revealed to be pregnant), to play a game where they get to see all the possible futures that could be in store for them. When each player runs out of points, they get a moment – a brief, beautiful and almost cruel moment – of perfect happiness before being taken out by an exploding collar, a move reminiscent of both Battle Royale and season 1's third episode, when Arisu loses Chōta and Kanabe. Arisu eventually becomes the winner when he volunteers to stay in Borderland while pushing Usagi and the others through a door which leads ‘back’ to the real Shibuya. Except this is a fake out and the city implodes, becoming a ruined flooded mess. He tries to rescue the others, only to be presented with a unique choice by a new figure: The Watchman. What could happen next? It feels like Arisu and Usagi’s story is done; we see the sakura blossoms of spring and the pair picking names for the new member of their family. We even get some cameos from our favourite other cast members, both from this season but also from earlier ones, including Kuina and, of course, Chishiya! It’s especially sweet when he asks Arisu what makes his life worth living, and it’s clear all of them have learned and grown from their experience in Borderland. Everything seems great for them but there’s still the promise that this won’t be our last trip to the weird world of Borderland. This is echoed in the final moments of the final episode, when earthquakes rock Tokyo, along with the rest of the world. It’s something which feels just a touch too close to real life, as there have been several big earthquakes and tsunami warnings around the world recently. This is when the series shifts again. We leave Tokyo and, instead, focus on a US diner which looks to be in Los Angeles, with a waitress whose face we never see. Only her nametag, which identifies her simply as ‘Alice’. But, as two patrons ask for a table by the window, it’s hard not to wait for a truck to smash into it. Nothing happens but it’s clear we’re not done yet and a new crop of visitors are about to get visas for a new variant of Borderland. Alice in Borderland did have a sequel manga, Alice in Borderland: Retry, which inspired elements in this series, though it's mostly an original story. However, the manga also had a spin-off; Alice on Border Road, which follows a girl named Arisu/Alice Kojima and sees her playing games in another version of Borderland based on Kyoto. The idea that the games are an event shared by multiple people is revisited after an accident at Nihonbashi Intersection in central Tokyo, which drags 12 people into Borderland. Season 3 borrows from this, including how time works in the real world versus how it works in Borderland. Ann even gives Arisu an idea of how long he has to find Usagi before he dies for real. It’s also clear memory doesn’t transfer well between the two places, with the characters of Border Road needing physical items they can’t possibly own on their person to trigger their memories. Similarly, within the series, Ryuji is the only one who seems to have some of his memories even if he doesn’t always seem fully there either. But sometimes it's hard to tell whether he’s lost or just acting. Either way, the continuation of the series will no doubt be down to ratings, leaving the series closed enough that fans will be happy with the outcome, but with just enough room to offer up a new protagonist and a new version of Borderland. Alice in Borderland season 3 is available to stream on Netflix. Sign up for Netflix from £5.99 a month. Netflix is also available on Sky Glass and Virgin Media Stream. Add Alice in Borderland to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Sci-Fi coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what’s on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Alice in Borderland season 3 is close to perfect - but still offers more questions than answers
When Alice in Borderland launched on Netflix as the streamer's first big Japanese production, adapting the popular manga by Haro Aso, it was the perfect mix of surreal confusion and brutal death games. More so, when you consider Squid Game wouldn’t become the viral sensation it is now for another year. Season 2 seemingly ended the narrative with Arisu and Usagi as they met in the real world for the first time. We also got to watch Arisu change from a stroppy teenager with a love of games to a man with purpose and people he cares about. Now, sometime later, the pair are married and creating a life together. However, Usagi still has unresolved trauma relating to her father’s suicide. Arisu, meanwhile, keeps running into people who seem to know him from somewhere far away and who were involved in the meteorite strike on Shibuya. Arisu works in a counselling centre, where he is asked about a journey by researcher Ryuji and mysterious games. He can’t remember but it’s clear that’s not completely true. Then, when Usagi disappears, Arisu has a vision of a man trying to get him to return, in almost Jigsaw fashion, in order to play more games, and he won’t take no for an answer, leaving Arisu with a Joker card which is enough to trigger his memory of that other place, Borderland, and the games he won. Ryuji Matsuyama, the mysterious new character teased in the trailers, and the series synopsis, is a unique new addition. He’s determined to discover Borderland and the games mentioned by former visitors due to his own trauma. Still, he’s not a particularly likeable character, and it’s unclear if he’s helping Usagi or just using her to fulfil his own obsession. Ryuji is also this season’s wild card, pun very much intended. We know little about him except that he is obsessed with near-death experiences. He’s also a wheelchair user, which adds an interesting layer to the games' mechanics. Up until now, we’ve only seen able-bodied people in Borderland, and Ryuji's inclusion forces the games to be a little more imaginative, particularly when it comes to the Spades. Borderland continues to be both beautiful and eerie. Seeing this version of Tokyo, deserted and almost autumnal, gives heavy 28 Days Later vibes as well as this sense that it really is a liminal space, outside of time and a quieter, analogue copy of the real world. The series continues to use its signature mix of set pieces, inventive camera work and CGI to give this sense that Borderland is otherworldly, from the iconic laser beams to the lack of working technology and deserted streets. This mix of technology and games manages to keep viewers off-kilter in the best way possible, and might even have viewers rewind to Mira’s various prepositions in the finale of season 2. Could Borderland actually be a VR game? Is it truly a shared NDE? Was she really lying or just messing with Arisu’s head? The design of the world never realty gives you firm answers, instead forcing survival from impossible odds and brutal punishment in the form of laser beams from heaven if players break the rules or lose their game. View oEmbed on the source website The games continue to be the highlight of the season and Arisu’s particular gift for game theory really shines, echoing back to the first game of season 1 before he and his friends understood exactly how dangerous Borderland is. There’s no option for appeal or to ask for a manager; there is just the games, life and death. This season does try to define some of the rules that Borderland operates on, even if it can break them later, and it appears to take many of them from the manga sequel, Retry, and the direct spin-off Alice on Border Road. However, you don't need to have read these to understand these rules; if you loved seasons 1 and 2, then go right ahead and lose yourself in Arisu and Usagi’s adventure as they once again fight for their lives. The games themselves continue to be deadly and inventive, packing an emotion gut punch when you least expect it. It’s easy to forget that some of the best games are the ones which mess with the heads of those playing, but this season reminds us of that deftly. Indeed, some of the most fascinating games are ones we only see moments of. Especially as the series likes to remind viewers that Borderland has a lot of people wandering in it, playing different games at the same time, even if there doesn’t seem to be a shared event like the meteor strike. Locations are also one of this season's great strengths, from the unique, to the inventive to the iconic as settings for games. There is also a noticeable step up in set pieces and CGI, some of which looks a tad surreal, but it works to constantly keeps watchers guessing about the nature of the world itself. That isn’t to say the six episode lag – oh no, far from it. As with prior seasons, viewers are on a rollercoaster ride, and once things start moving, they don’t stop until the credits roll. The majority of the episodes focus on the characters, their stories, their survival and the games themselves, so anyone looking for answers, and some more questions for good measure, should enjoy the flow, knowing the final episode is the place to go for lore. Alice in Borderland continues to be one of Netflix’s more popular series. Yes, this season does end Arisu and Usagi’s stories, with some nice nods to earlier seasons scattered through the episodes too, but there’s still enough to explore should Netflix decide to renew the series. This season is pretty much unique material, with elements taken from the spin-off manga, Retry. Given that Aso wrote a spin-off manga in the same universe, it’s easy to see how this could be adapted should the ratings be high enough. Here’s hoping we’ll be returning to Borderland again soon. Alice in Borderland season 3 will be released on Netflix on 25th September 2025. Sign up for Netflix from £5.99 a month. Netflix is also available on Sky Glass and Virgin Media Stream. Add Alice in Borderland to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Fantasy coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what’s on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Kaiju No. 8 season 2 release date, trailer updates, latest news
After roaring onto our screens in 2024, the Kaiju No. 8 anime will soon return for season 2!
As you can probably guess from the title, the anime series Kaiju No. 8 is a must-watch for fans of kaiju cinema. Echoing the long-running Godzilla franchise (not to mention Pacific Rim), this show takes place in a world where giant monsters regularly attack human civilisation. To protect humanity, a Defense Force (armed with super-suit) battles these creatures and cleans up after their attacks. The story's protagonist Kafka Hibino has long wanted to become a Defense Force hero, but after failing the entrance exams and embarking on a disappointing career in the clean-up crew, he finds himself facing an even greater challenge: kaiju-based superpowers. After accidentally ingesting a monstrous parasite, Hibino gains the ability to transform into a humanoid kaiju - an ability he must hide while making his latest attempt to join the Defense Force. Following season 1, fans are surely excited to tune in for more kaiju adventures. Read on for everything we know about Kaiju No. 8's upcoming second season! Kaiju No. 8 season 2 release date Kaiju No. 8 season 2 will premiere on 19th July 2025. As with season 1, the new season of Kaiju No. 8 will stream internationally on Crunchyroll alongside its initial release in Japan. The show's production company hasn't confirmed an episode count yet, but since season 1 lasted for 12 episodes, we can expect a similar count this time around. Kaiju No. 8 season 2 voice cast The original Kaiju No. 8 voice cast are expected to return for season 2: Kafka Hibino - Masaya Fukunishi/ Nazeeh Tarsha (English) Reno Ichikawa - Wataru Kato Ninhon / Adam McArthur (English) Mina Ashiro - Asami Seto / Katelyn Barr (English) Kikoru Shinomiya - Fairouz Ai / Abigail Blythe (English) Soshiro Hoshina - Kengo Kawanishi / Landon McDonald (English) Iharu Furuhashi - Yuuki Shin/ Ben Georg Stegmair (English) Haruichi Izumo - Keisuke Komoto / Howard Wang (English) Is there a trailer for Kaiju No. 8 season 2? You can watch the trailer for Kaiju No. 8 season 2 here! View oEmbed on the source website What is the plot of Kaiju No. 8? Dorky underdog hero Kafka Hibino yearns to join the Japanese Anti-Kaiju Defense Force, but unfortunately he's stuck with an underwhelming job as a cleaner. This all changes, however, when he ingests a parasite that lets him transform into the titular Kaiju No. 8. Season 1 sees him struggle with his new kaiju form (which he naturally has to keep secret) while joining the Defense Force as a cadet. But by the end of the season, the secret is out, leaving Hibino in a kind of probationary status as the Defense Force decides to use him as an asset instead of treating him like a kaiju threat. Check out more of our Fantasy coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what’s on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Re:Zero season 3 release schedule – When is episode 14 out on Crunchyroll?
Subaru and Emilia are back in a new season of everyone's favourite isekai adventure!
After a brief winter hiatus, Re:Zero - Starting Life in Another World is back with the second half of season 3, exploring a thrilling new storyline titled the Counterattack Arc. Adapted from a Japanese light novel series by Tappei Nagatsuki, Re:Zero introduces an unlikely hero in the form of Natsuki Subaru, an unemployed loner with no particular skills or prospects. However, his life turns upside down when he's magically transported into a fantasy universe. In this parallel world he meets a beautiful half-elf woman named Emilia, who becomes the show's other lead character. After attempting to save her life - and temporarily dying in the process - Subaru discovers that he now has the ability to turn back time and undo his own death. It's a crucial talent in his new life, and he ends up teaming up with Emilia for a series of adventures. If you're looking to catch up with Re:Zero, all of the available episodes are currently available to stream on Crunchyroll. But if you prefer to watch your anime in dubbed format, you'll have to wait a little longer for the dubbed versions of season 3 episodes to arrive. Otherwise, here's the release schedule for the next Re:Zero - Starting Life in Another World episodes! Re:Zero season 3 release schedule: When is episode 14 on Crunchyroll? Re:Zero season 3 episode 14 will premiere on Wednesday 12th March 2025. In the UK, you can expect this episode to arrive at 3:30pm. Re:Zero season 3 release schedule: When are new episodes out? Beginning on 5th February 2025, the second half of season 3 covers the Counterattack Arc. Here's the expected release schedule for the rest of season 3: Episode 9 - City Scramble - 5th February 2025 Episode 10 - The Battle to Conquer Greed - 12th February 2025 Episode 11 - Liliana Masquerade - 19th February 2025 Episode 12 - Regulus Corneas - 26th February 2025 Episode 13 - The Warrior's Commendation - 5th March 2025 Episode 14 - 12th March 2025 Episode 15 - 19th March 2025 Episode 16 - 26th March 2025 Re:Zero season 3 – What is the Counterattack Arc? View oEmbed on the source website Taking cues from the original Re:Zero light novel series, the Counterattack Arc sees Subaru, Emilia and their friends take on the Witch Cult, a villainous organisation that recently resurrected the supernatural warrior Kurgan. The most recent episode saw Kurgan battle Emilia's ally Garfiel. One of the main antagonists this season is Regulus Corneas, a manipulative Sin Archbishop who embodies the concept of greed. He's had controlling relationships with hundreds of women, and holds a great deal of power within the Witch Cult. Where can I watch Re:Zero season 3? Re:Zero is now streaming on Crunchyroll. The first half of season 3 covered the the Attack Arc, while the last eight episodes explore the Counterattack Arc, beginning on 5th February 2025. Who's in Re:Zero season 3? Yūsuke Kobayashi as Subaru Natsuki Rie Takahashi as Emilia Aimi Tanaka as Ryuzu Birma Haruka Tomatsu as Fortuna Kōhei Amasaki as Otto Suwen Maaya Sakamoto as Echidna Mamiko Noto as Elsa Granhiert Nobuhiko Okamoto as Garfiel Tinsel Arai Satomi as Beatrice Ishida Akira as Regulus Corneas Aya Yamane as Liliana Masquerade With the Counterattack Arc expected to last for two months, fans have three more episodes to look forward to this year. Re:Zero's creators haven't made any announcements yet about the show's future, but we're hoping to hear about a potential fourth season soon. Re:Zero is available to watch on Crunchyroll. Check out more of our Fantasy coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what’s on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
What could the Joker card mean in Alice in Borderland season 3? All the theories
As the first teaser for Alice in Borderland season 3 drops online, we ask the important questions about the gang's latest adventure and the final game against the Joker card!
Netflix Japan recently dropped a new teaser trailer for some of its upcoming series, including the hit show Alice in Borderland, which is back after a two-year break for season 3! Based on the manga by Haro Asō, the hit series follows teenager Ryohei Arisu, who has a thing for puzzles, and two of his friends as they find their way to a mysterious alternate Tokyo where they are forced to play deadly games based on the four suites of a Western card deck. The first look at season 3 prominently shows a Joker card - but what could it mean? Read on for all the clues! What could the Joker card mean in Alice in Borderland season 3? A signal that the mystery of Borderland will finally be solved The Joker was first teased way back when season 3 was first announced. It's the final card in the deck and a recent addition, having been added to the French-suited deck during the American Civil War. It's known as a wild card, unlike the face and number cards. The manga posits Borderland as purgatory, a literal space in between. The people who die there, like Arisu's friend Chōta and Karube, who died early in season 1, don't make it back to the real world. This card could also intrinsically be tied to the reality of Borderland as the mystery of this oddly deserted, deteriorating place has never quite been solved. A supernatural sign In season 1, we met Dealers, humans who agreed to work for whatever powers control this world, and assist with the set-up of the games. We got to see a brief cold open from two girls, Momoko and Asahi, who went deep underground below the Metro to a massive area full of screens and people apparently controlling the games, only for Alice and co to find the space empty and abandoned later. Similarly, the sky lasers which murder those who overstay their visa or refuse to partake in games has never been explained, and they certainly seem to demonstrate either cool futuristic science-y weapons or some kind of divine power. Mira also spun quite a few stories for Arisu and Usagi during their final game, which was more about her messing with their heads than it was croquet. She was actively trying to psych Arisu out with tales of mental institutions, aliens and a future VR game played 500 in the future, but what if some aspects of her stories had truth to them? She leaned heavily into a realistic explanation but what if the answer is closer to the supernatural, in keeping with the original manga. Maybe the Joker is a god or a devil, but one way or the other, we will find out. The Joker is a wild card but also the final one in the deck. Arisu and his friends have played every game, won every victory, but the prominence of this card in the marketing suggests there is a final boss to be defeated. Perhaps the Joker, snubbed as the only card not to have been featured as a game, is the one who summons them back in order to settle a score or force Arisu into a game, with his own life or, more likely, Usagi's life at stake. It would certainly explain her apology and why she is seen crying in the trailer. A call back to Borderland The first two seasons covered the original manga, including adapting its ending. However, when season 3 was announced last year, no one quite understood how the next season would work. Would it spin the story in a new direction or would it adapt the storyline for the short two-volume sequel, Alice in Borderland: Retry, which featured an adult Arisu (now working as a counsellor and married to Usagi, in labour with their child) back in Borderland after getting hit by a falling sign during a storm? We know the season will have probably have eight episodes, and the trailer features a voice-over of a man begging Arisu to come back to the 'beautiful' world of Borderland. We know from season 2 that some people decided to stay past their visas, becoming residents of Borderland and serving as Kings, Queens and Jacks, as bosses of their own games. Perhaps the Joker is calling them back, or else maybe someone else Arisu knows has now become a permanent resident there. Importantly, given the revelations of season 2, we get to see a portal-like opening contrasting literal night and day, suggesting it is possible to step from Tokyo to Borderland and back again via means other than physical trauma and near death. View oEmbed on the source website Arisu looks a little different as well, which suggests some time has passed, so perhaps we will get aspects of Retry, which features an older, married Arisu. Usagi is also briefly seen crying and apologising, but it's hard to say why she's upset. But if the third season is set several years after the end of season 2, then the pair may of reignited their feelings and could easily be married by this point. Alice in Borderland, unlike many other adaptations of manga series which have taken the main story and spun it off for a new televisual medium, has always stayed close to the original source material, so here's hoping Retry will appear in some way in season 3. It would certainly work well with this idea of a final game and a way to return back to Borderland. Alice in Borderland season 3 will air on Netflix in September 2025. Check out more of our Fantasy coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what’s on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Cassandra ending explained: Is Cassandra dead in Netflix series?
We breakdown Netflix's latest binge-worthy sci fi series, the German-language mini-series Cassandra, and answer those burning questions about season 2.
Netflix has been majorly adding to its sci-fi roster with the Black Mirror-eque Cassandra to tide us over until the actual series returns later this year. Cassandra is a German-language mini-series which follows the Prill family, who move into an abandoned house. They discover it’s an early example of the Internet of Things, a smart home with the titular AI, built sometime in the '70s. Except that’s not what Cassandra actually is – the truth is a lot more complicated. But what happens in Cassandra, what is the fate of the Prill family and will there be a season 2? Cassandra ending explained: What happened to Cassandra and is she dead? By the end of the series, Cassandra's physical body is killed, as she believes that releasing her "soul" will help her go to wherever her children are. So what turns Cassandra into the series’ version of Glados? Well, she wants to replace Sam as the children’s mother figure, which can be seen early on in how to adopts Juno as her special little girl and cultivates an almost friendship-based relationship with the older Peter. Samira is also the one who feels Cassandra’s wrath more than David, who is a tad clueless about the whole situation although we also see his mask slip and reveal his true personality towards the end of the season. But, come the end of the season, Cassandra pits the two parents against each other. With Sam in the hospital for an imagined mental breakdown, Cassandra torments the rest of the family by convincing David he needs to kill Sam in order to protect the kids. When Sam eventually returns to the house, he goes full-slasher mode and this is where we discover Cassandra’s secret. She also had a daughter. Sam finds herself in a room she’s never visited before, discovering the corpse of Cassandra’s daughter, Margarethe. Born at home, Horst was going to take her away due to her facial disability but eventually agreed not to if Cassandra promised to keep the baby locked away in their house, lest the world discover her disability and look down on the family. So Cassandra began to raise their daughter in secret, keeping her in the hidden room away from neighbours and household visitors. Horst, meanwhile, was focused on his project to digitise the human mind, and possibly even the soul. This leads Cassandra to ask him to use her as a test subject so that she never has to leave her family and always be there for Magarethe. Uploading her mind to the cloud kills Cassandra’s physical body. Peter is repulsed by his mother’s new form–although he still loves her. Horst soon finds his eye wandering to Brigit, whom he eventually moves into the family home. Eventually, Cassandra tries to prevent them from leaving, leading to Horst and Peter’s deaths in the chaos when Peter fights his father for the steering wheel so Peter can go home to his mother. Brokenhearted at Peter’s death, Cassandra turns herself off which, ultimately, leads to Magarethre starving to death as no one is there to feed and care for her. Back in the modern timeline, Sam is fighting for her kids as well as trying to remind Cassandra why she became a digital being to begin with. To be a mother and to protect her children. This eventually works, the family escape although Sam will never see David the same way as she did prior to the events of the series. Cassandra burns the house down, believing that destroying her ‘body’ will release her soul to go to wherever her children are. We can only hope she gets her wish as the fire destroys the house and the Prill family escape. What exactly is Cassandra? Initially, we see Cassandra her on screens and rolling around the house on a movable unit with a TV screen showing Cassandra’s face, serving as the series’ version of Alexa or Siri. She initially scares the crap out of the Prills, but then begins helping the family in small ways and they begin to accept her. Cassandra interacts with them through mounted screens or her creepy robot form, which allows her to go outside and mow the grass to watch over the children. Cassandra is mostly helpful, such as introducing Juno to music and helping her deal with the death of her pet, but there are moments when a more vicious side bubbles up, such as injuring Samira (whom she is obviously threatened by) or the pettiness of refusing to open the fridge unless Fynn’s visiting classmate says 'please'. Yes, it’s funny but it also suggests a darker side to Cassandra and that feeling of unease proves correct when Cassandra tries destroying the family and getting Samira committed to a mental hospital. The six-episode series has two timelines: the modern one following the Prill family (Samira, David, Juno and Fynn) and a mid-'70s one introducing the Schmitts (Cassandra, Horst, Peter and Magarethe). Samira discovers relics of the Schmitts as early as episode 1, including an image of a dancing couple where the woman has more than a passing resemblance to Cassandra, but believes this woman and the house’s AI are separate beings. It turns out they’re not. While the series never specifically shows how Cassandra becomes the AI we meet in episode 1, it’s implied her mind is uploaded to the house’s server. We also discover that Cassandra’s husband and son died escaping from the house when their car hit a tree. Horst’s mistress, Brigit, and their son survive, but we don’t find out their fate. Here’s hoping they were able to live their best lives away from the house. Will there be a season 2 of Cassandra? Given the finality of the ending and Cassandra’s 'death', probably not, especially in the wake of Netflix's habit of cancelling viral series unexpectedly. Cassandra is streaming on Netflix now. Check out more of our Fantasy coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what’s on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
13 of the best anime characters of all time
Rankings rule in Japan, but here we're going to suggest some of our writers' most beloved characters from anime series.
From Sailor Moon and Sword Art Online to Demon Slayer, Attack on Titan and Death Note, the world of anime has introduced us to some of the fiercest, most interesting and most iconic characters on TV. Often based on well-known manga, these incredible characters are brought to life by voice actors and animators alike. So, as you look for your next anime watch, here are 13 of the best anime characters of all time. Read on! 13 of the best anime characters of all time Usagi Tsukino/Sailor Moon The original Sailor Guardian, Sailor Moon's Usagi, goes from a cry-baby to a queen across the course of five seasons. If you count the Crystal timeline and have seen the Cosmos movies, she really goes through the wringer. However, she also grows as a person and as a force against evil, fighting everything from the monster of the week to the true evil of Chaos. Sakura (Cardcaptor Sakura/Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle) View oEmbed on the source website For many who missed Sailor Moon, Sakura is THE first magical girl, albeit in her Cardcaptor version. Regardless, Sakura is strong and loyal, she is smart and kind, and this goes doubly so in her Tsubasa incarnation. Light Yagami (Death Note) Light Yagami is the original sexy psychopath. He is single-minded on his quest to become Kira, the God of a New Reality, but everyone who’s watched Death Note knows he’s a fascinating character with a compelling arc and a rather disturbing habit of murdering everyone around him. Eren Yeager (Attack on Titan) He might be a Titan some of the time, but he’s also an important member of the Survey Corps and a valuable friend. Eren’s character arc was one of the reasons Attack on Titan went utterly viral and helped catapult anime into the mainstream, even if it’s also dark and terrifying at times. Asuna (Sword Art Online) Every MMO needs a heroine and, though thrown together in unlikely circumstances, Asuna is one of SAO’s most beloved heroines. A clever fighter, a brave adventurer, Asuna follows Kirito and their guildmates through adventures online and off. Kirito (Sword Art Online) The original MMO bad-arse has to be the 'Beater', Kirito. He is one of many humans trapped in Aincrad by its evil developer, and has to fight through the 100-floored dungeon in order to return to the real world. Yet that’s not the end of their troubles, only the beginning, with even more MMO worlds to explore. Belldandy (Ah! My Goddess) View oEmbed on the source website One of the original harem comedies, Belldandy is not just a first-class goddess, she’s first in the heart of Keiichi Morisato and – thanks to the calming vocals of the Goddess of Voice-actors, Kikuko Inoue – she occupies a special place in the hearts of '90s anime fans around the world. Sheeta (Laputa/Castle in the Sky) Sheeta starts of the film as a prisoner but, after escaping and meeting Pazu, she goes on a journey of self-discovery which ends with the destruction of much of the floating city of Laputa. Nezuko (Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba) The ultimate demon girl, Nezuko might spend much of her early days in a basket hiding from the sun, but her arc is one of the most interesting. Demon Slayer's Tanjiro spends his time training and trying to find a way to restore her to human form, but it's Nezuko who manages to convert so much without speaking a word and, even when she uses her demonic abilities, it's in service of or to protect her brother or other humans. Howl Pendragon (Howl's Moving Castle) The original sorcerer who has many names but only one moving castle. Howl has everything that makes Ghibli heroes work, from a mysterious past and a tragic backstory to the ability to wield magic and a fiery heart. Yes, that is a Calcifer joke. Motoko Kusanagi (Ghost in the Shell) View oEmbed on the source website The original cyborg, Motoko Kusanagi remains one of the most popular anime characters, thanks to a continuous stream of anime adventures. She’s even been featured in an anti-terrorism poster in Tokyo. Though living in a cybernetic body, Motoko has never forgotten her humanity, and along with being one of the original badass anime characters, she will continue to rank highly in popular anime character polls. Kagome (InuYasha) Everyone has a favourite spiritual character, but Kagome is not just any shrine maiden. Thrown back into the Sengoku period from modern-day Tokyo, she believes in helping everyone, but also becomes a kick-arse archer as the series goes on. Even better, she continues to grow as a person and as a priestess into the sequel series, Yashahime. Violet Evergarden (Violet Evergarden) For many anime fans, broken and bruised Violet Evergarden is the quintessential anime heroine, not just because of her character designs but because her arc is all about understanding the concept of love in all its forms. Through the anime series, the OVAs and the feature film, Violet goes from a causality of war to a skilled auto-memory doll who helps others find the words they cannot. You'll smile, you'll sob, but you'll also follow Violet on her complete journey – and be glad of it at the end. Check out more of our Fantasy coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what’s on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcat.
Hellbound season 2 ending explained: What does the mass decree mean?
Hellbound's tale of the human reaction to being dragged to hell is back this week – we explain that ending and what it means for a possible season 3!
**Warning: Major spoilers for Hellbound season 2 ahead.** Hellbound, Netflix’s Korean urban fantasy series about religion, hell and the price that sinners must pay, is finally back after a three-year hiatus from our streaming queues. So, we're breaking down what happened, how it ended and what it could mean for an as-yet-unannounced season 3. Season 1 introduced us to a cast of characters living in an alternative future where ethereal 'angels' appear to announce the time of someone’s death – and that they are heading to hell. At the appointed time, three demonic creators called Executors appear to beat the victim to within an inch of their lives, then suck out what we can only presume is their soul before leaving burnt bones in their wake. Hellbound is a fascinating series because it focuses not on unravelling the mystery of these creatures, but instead on how humanity reacts to the sudden appearance of them. It's also worth noting that season 1 does make references to the world outside of Korea, but the main focus is on how the residents react to this very supernatural occurrence. Hellbound season 2 ending explained: What is the mass decree? It’s about now that viewers realise we’ve only seen resurrections and demonstrations in season 2; this is the first reappearance of the 'angels', and the first target is Lee Sugyeong herself, who has spent the last few hours playing Kim Jeong-chil for the fool he is. Each is appearing for a mass decree, sentencing hundreds to hell at their appointed times and setting up a potential season 3. Some characters we like, others we hate, and some we've just met. Each is now bound to go to the same place, albeit at different times. It’s a beautiful scene, but also chilling, as everyone from the good, the bad and the down-right ugly see themselves being sentenced. The series ends there, with the promise of an even more broken, religiously polarised world in season 3. We know it’s not been announced yet, but leaving things on such a cliffhanger means that we should see a season 3, even if it takes a while. What happened to Kim Jeong-chil? Unlike season 1, season 2 is one complete story. As season 1 was set from around 2020-2027, another four years has passed, sending us into the 2030s and a world forever changed by the threat of hell. Episode 1 sees Kim Jeong-chil somehow hanging on to power as the chairman of the New Truth. They’ve had Park Jeong-ja in their custody, and she is shellshocked; her appearance is wild and she seldom speaks, but it soon becomes clear she can sense the moments when others will die – prophesying to Jeong-chil about his own demise. New Truth dubs her 'the Resurrected One' and, as a new figurehead, the bestower of a new doctrine from God which they will write and she will parrot. He also begins an uneasy alliance with the Korean government and its figurehead, Secretary Lee Sugyeong, who easily makes him believe they are allies, but this comes back to bite him in the end. Min Hye-jin is now a part of a group which protects the quickly-growing Toughie, while continuing to help those she can, including Park Jeong-ja. Detective Jin Kyung-hun is looking after his cancer-ridden daughter until the New Truth’s former chairman is resurrected. Unlike Park Jeong-ja, Jung Jinsu is almost normal, except for the visions of the Executors he sees in mirrors. He also doesn’t have any apparent memories of hell, but, as no one knows what happened to him, is able to reappear and work his way into the Arrowhead, to help rescue Park Jeong-ja. The final episode sees the rescue going off with several hitches, as well as the death of Kim Jeong-chil. As chaos reigns, ethereal voices and glowing faces materialise in their dozens: 'angels' with melodic and mostly-female voices. What happened in season 1? Season 1 introduced us to several factions: we have a religious group – the New Truth – who turn these demonstrations of justice into the key doctrine of their sect. They are led by the calm and charismatic Chairman Jung Jinsu, a down-to-earth man who just wants others to understand God’s will and that they must rise above their sinful nature. We also have the Arrowheads, a militant wing closely tied to the New Truth who later break away, which is full of young people who take a righteous glee in violence. They are fanatics who force those they see as 'sinners' to suffer before they go to hell. Finally, we have the police, who view the inciting 'demonstration' as murder, and, via Detective Jin Kyung-hun, we get to see how normal society goes from curiosity about the strange, supernatural occurrence to fear and panic as Korea is twisted into a theocracy. The fascinating part about why this series works is South Korea has a very long relationship with religion, from its own shamanistic origins to a modern occupation with monotheism. Christianity, especially Protestantism and Catholicism, is huge there. However, there are also a huge number of new religious movements and cults which take Christianity and spin it off from just your regular mega-churches. The interesting part of Hellbound isn’t confirming if God is real and that these beings are 'angels' or 'demons'. Rather, it’s about how society reacts when people take it for granted that this is the case. New Truth believes it, the Arrowhead believes it, and while each may react differently, no one questions that either group has gotten this key piece of information wrong. Also, both claim, in their own fanatical and terrifying ways, to be the ones who understand God’s plan in dragging seemingly good people to hell, be it uncovering their sins or profiting off of the demonstrations. Season 1 was split into two distinct arcs, the first (episodes one to three) in which Korea comes to terms with the decrees and demonstrations, birthing the Arrowhead, which begins online with the local equivalent of TikTok and Twitch. It also focuses on Park Jungja, a mother of two who is given a decree and becomes a public example of the demonstration. In the frantic run-up to her own death, she is being chased by both factions as a figurehead for their own twisted beliefs. Jungja just wants to make sure her kids are protected, and if this means agreeing to the first public demonstration so that her kids will have money to live without her, then she’ll do it. We are also introduced to Min Hye-jin, who begins as Jeong-ja’s lawyer but, during the time skip in episodes 3 and 4, begins her own arc of change and becomes part of a new faction, which wants to help the damned. The first arc ended with the revelation that Jung Jinsu himself was given a decree, decades before this all started, and is now bound for hell himself; dragged away never to be seen again. View oEmbed on the source website The second arc focuses on a baby, Toughie, who is given a decree moments after her birth. The final episodes are a scramble to figure out how to save her, but also what this means for the established beliefs of both the New Truth and Arrowhead. Original sin, the idea that a baby is born tainted, was not previously a part of their doctrine, which sends the new leader, Kim Jeong-chil, into a panic. He’s no real chairman, and the video of Toughie’s decree sends him and his organisation into a doctrinal tailspin. The season ends with the death of Toughie’s parents, who sacrifice themselves to save their daughter, and the mysterious resurrection of Park Jeong-ja. Hellbound is streaming on Netflix. Check out more of our Fantasy coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what’s on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Will there be a Hellbound season 3 on Netflix?
You've just binged the terrifying South Korean thriller and the real question is not 'will we ever see hell?' but 'will there be a season 3?'
Netflix has a plethora of Korean series, but only one of them aims for Hell. Hellbound first debuted in 2021 and introduced a Korea where people get visited by a mysterious creature dubbed an angel, who gives them a time and a date and the promise that the poor viewer is bound for hell. It's now 2024 and the second season dropped this week with six new episodes. Now it's done, we're as sad as Miss Sunshine – but the real question is simple: Will there be a Hellbound season 3? We hope so, but right now there hasn't been an official announcement. We know that Netflix sometimes lets series end on an obvious cliffhanger, just like Hellbound season 2, only to axe the series to fan uproar. We're looking at you: Kaos, 1899 and others. At the end of the day, it's all about cost and ratings. Netflix has a big range of series set in Korea or by Korean productions and it tends to take a little longer to get series, just look at sci fi series The Silent Sea or historical zombie-fest Kingdom, neither have been officially canceled but they've also not had new seasons officially announced and rumours are flying they've been 'soft' cancelled, where series are just left to fade into obscurity. View oEmbed on the source website Even fan-favourite Squid Game has taken some time to get to us, and only after it attained universal critical acclaim. So, yes, we don't know, but we can only hope we'll get a season 3. Our advice is to binge both the seasons several times so that Netflix knows you want to see more. Which cast members could be in a potential Hellbound season 3? The following cast members could return for a potential season 3: Kim Sung-cheol as Jung Jinsu Kim Hyun-joo as Min Hye-jin Kim Shin-rock as Park Jung-ja Moon So-ri as Senior Secretary Lee Sugyeong Cho Dong-in as Pinwheel Im Sung-jae as Cheon Seh-yeong Yang Ik-june as Jin Kyung-hun Lee Re as Jin Hee-jung Hong Eui-joon as Kim Sung-jip What could the plot of a potential Hellbound season 3 be? Given that this season introduced Senior Secretary Lee Sugyeong and her nasty little plan to play everyone, especially the New Truth's chairman, for fools, it's safe to say now she's been told she's hell bound that we'll see her trying to get out of it. It's safe to say Min Hye-jin and Jin Kyung-hun will probably team up again, especially if it involves unravelling the mystery of Toughie from season one. She appears as an older girl in season 2, but there are still no answers about how she survived and, more importantly, why. Hopefully this means we'll learn more about Hell too! As season 1 showed us anyone can come back, it would be interesting to see if Park Jung-ja and Jung Jinsu will be the only ones resurrected but, more importantly, it would be good to know why when neither of them can be called particularly evil compared to many who had either gone to hell or are awaiting demonstrations. Either way, we'll be sure to update you as soon as we know more about Hellbound and whether it will get a season 3. What is Hellbound about? Hellbound is set in a future South Korea where 'angels' appear to tell people that they will die at a set time and date and also that they are bound for hell. Season 1 focused on society as it adjusted to this realisation, as well as on the factions which appeared as a result: the violent fanatical Arrowheads, the religious sect called New Truth and a smaller group of normal people determined to fight back. Season 2 takes place in the early 2030s and follows the continuing fight between religious groups, after several important figures who died in season 1 return from hell. Check out more of our Fantasy coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what’s on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
As the spirals continue to swirl, we ask if Junji Itō's masterpiece Uzumaki will get a second season.
As horror manga goes, Uzumaki is a masterpiece. Written in 1998 by the legendary horror manga-ka Junji Itō (who also authored Tomie) it is one of the best examples of the J-horror genre and the anime adaption recently began airing on Channel Four in the UK on the same day as the US release. Uzumaki focuses on the town of Kurouzu-cho, whose townfolk have an odd obsession with spirals; which is where the series gets its name. With its black-and-white aesthetic, the series shares Itō’s distinctive art style and follows the adventures of Kirie Goshima and her boyfriend Shuichi Saito as they try to unravel the curse and save the townsfolk. So will the anime get a second season? Here's everything we know. Will there be an Uzumaki season 2? Simply put, we don’t know. The manga itself was quite short, published originally in three volumes – so the four-episode arc could actually be the end. However, fans of the series needing a bigger Uzumaki fix should also check out the film adaption from 2000 as well as the original manga, whose three volumes were published by Viz Media. Should a second season be officially announced, we'll be sure to let you know! View oEmbed on the source website When could a potential Uzumaki season 2 be released? We would expect there to be a big gap in between Uzumaki season 1 and any potential season 2, as season 1 took such a long time to be released. After being announced in 2019, the series went through multiple delays before finally being released in 2024. Who could return for a potential Uzumaki season 2? The following voice actors star in Uzumaki, and could return for a potential second season: Uki Satake as Kirie Goshima Shin-ichiro Miki as Shuichi Saito Mika Doi as Yukie Saito Takashi Matsuyama as Yoshio Saito Toshio Furukawa as Yasue Goshima Katsutoshi Matsuyazaki as Tokuo Katayama Tatsumaru Tachibana as Katsuki Isumura Ami Fukushima as Shiho Koichi Tochika as Ikue Yokota Is there a trailer for a potential Uzumaki season 2? As the series has not yet been renewed, there is no trailer as yet. We will update this page if any new footage drops. Check out more of our Fantasy coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what’s on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
13 of the best anime series and films of all time
It's a subjective subject, but here are our suggestion for the Award of Best Anime of all Time.
The best anime of all time – it seems like an easy question, right? We all have our favourites but let’s look at some of the most obvious entries for this lofty title. From Death Note and Sailor Moon to Naruto, Dragon Ball, and more, here is our list of the best anime of all time. Akira (1988) View oEmbed on the source website This has to be one of the classic top tier anime; a violent cyberpunk which helped introduce anime to the west. It had everything: a post-apocalyptic Tokyo, weird kids, paranormal overtones and bikes, lots and lots of bikes. You might need a philosophy degree to understand the subtle nuances of the film but it is doubtless a must-watch for new fans, as well as a much-loved classic to older fans. Ghost in the Shell (1995) Yes, the '90s was the decade of philosophical anime cyberpunk with the adventures of Motoko Kusanagi ands Batou. This film, produced by Production IG, is both beautiful in its animation but also has a haunting vocals of Kenji Kawai’s Making of a Cyborg which is now a classic anime theme. Death Note (2006-2007) This was one of those series which adapted an already classic manga and just make it *chef’s kiss*. Light’s dance with L through the series, the apples, the intrigue… It was like watching Sherlock figuring out who the murderer was but it’s him all the long. There are some masterful episodes and, yes, the ending does fall a tad flat but this is one anime that never gets old. Sailor Moon (1992-1997, 2014-2023) For many girls, Sailor Moon was their first exposure to the magical girl genre – not that Sailor Moon started it. Yes, the original '90s anime was lengthy, had filler episodes galore and even entire arcs which weren’t in the manga. Heck, most fans never saw Stars, the final season, legally due to its content, but Sailor Moon Crystal and the two sets of films: Eternal and Cosmos finally allowed those adults to finish the saga. Yes, the storytelling might be questionable, but for many it's pure nostalgia. Your Name (2016) Though not his first film, Your Name was Makoto Shinkai’s breakout hit outside of Japan. His film about teenagers switching bodies and the devastating impact of a comet on the small town of Itomori introduced an anime which captivated the world. Puella Magi Madoka Magica (2013-present) View oEmbed on the source website If Sailor Moon introduced the west to the magical girl genre then Madoka Magica was the one which subverted it. Yes, it was all fun and games until episode 3 (If you know, you know) but for us it’s the uplifting notes of episode 12, when Madoka ascends to divinity as the Law of Cycles. The third film Rebellion gets an honourable mention here, with Walpugisnight Rising next year! Spirited Away (2001) Most anime fans, when asked, will cite this film as their first Ghibli movie. Following the adventures of a young girl called Chihiro who accidentally steps into a strange world of spirits, witches and dragons, this film was the one entry which really exposed the world outside of Japan to Hayao Miyazaki and heralded the golden age we now live in where anime is global. My Neighbour Totoro (1998) Come on, admit it, we all wanted a Totoro growing up. If Ghibli is associated with Spirited Away as its break out, then Totoro is the unofficial mascot of the studio, closely followed by the Catbus. Totoro is short, it’s aimed firmly at a small human demographic and yet it also manages to be an all-round family film. Naruto (2000) If not the best anime, then Naruto is one of those series which helped make anime mainstream. Naruto is a brash young ninja with a very unique set of skills and his journey with his friends and his legacy remains as one of the most popular shonen anime ever. Dragonball Z (1986) See Naruto – but with the Dragonballs. And the legendary Akira Toriyama. Neon Genesis Evangelion (1995) Technically, this also falls into the ‘philosophical anime’ sub-theme, with its opening being the one song everyone is required by law in Japanese karaoke (or in our case, Taiko no Tatsujin). You might not know Japanese or understand what’s going on with Shinji, but everyone knows the first line of Cruel Angel’s Thesis. Violet Evergarden (2018) Originally a light novel series, this fantasy tale about a broken woman who writes for those who can’t comes from the much-beloved Kyoto Animation (KyoAni), who turned a light novel into a beautiful, heart-wrenching story of Violet’s quest to understand love. Oshi no Ko (2023-present) Yes, it’s very recent, but Oshi no Ko is one of those anime which caused ripples. On the face, it's about a fan (who's a gynaecologist, of all things) getting his dream reincarnation as Aquamarine, the son of his favourite idol (which is what oshi means). Together with his twin sister, Ruby, Aqua has to figure out who murdered him and also who his and Ruby’s father. The second season has ended and a third has just been announced. Frieren (2023) Frieren isn’t just 2023's biggest hit, it’s a meditation on time and humanity, in the form of an elven mage. Frieren was a member of the party which killed the Demon King, rather her story starts decades later after her friends have died and she takes on a new apprentice, Fern. The series has been renewed for a second season, but even now this is a good candidate for the best anime of the 2020’s at least. As always these are just suggestions. What’s your favourite anime of all time? Is it on this list? Check out more of our Fantasy coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what’s on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Need a new fantasy franchise to get into? Well we've got you covered on how to start with Fairy Tail.
Fairy Tail is one of those anime which has been going a while (as you can tell by our list of filler episodes)! But what if it’s your first time tackling the franchise where do you start? Here's how to watch Fairy Tail in order, plus what else you need to know if you're new to the show. How to watch Fairy Tail in order Start with the anime episodes and work your way through the seasons. ⁠Fairy Tail (2009) episode 1-175 ⁠Fairy Tail (2014) - episodes 176-265 Fairy Tail (2014) - episodes 267 to 275 ⁠All other movies/OVAs (Movie 1: Phoenix Priestess, Movie 2: Dragon Cry, OVAs 1-9) As for the OVAs, some of them are connected to the main story or, at least, adjacent and then there are ones that stand alone. A good example would be Fairy Academy: Yankee-kun and Yankee-chan, which is an alternate universe episode, while Fairy Tail x Rave is a crossover with author/mangaka Hiro Mashima's other series. And, if the season's right, you can check out Fairies' Christmas which is the obligatory festive episode. As for the movies Phoenix Priestess and Dragon Cry, we'd suggest checking them out after the major time skip event. There are dedicated fansites and, of course, the r/fairytail subreddit where fans go into some really in-depth detail on what to watch, but at the end of the day, it's all about how you want to enjoy the series that matters. Skip the filler episodes if you’re not into specific characters (they were a massive thing back in the day, when anime had episode counts in the 300s rather than just the more standardised 12 or 26 you get now). You’ve also got the manga to binge-read, so dive in and enjoy the media dopamine. What’s the plot of Fairy Tail? Fairy Tail is based on a manga series by Hiro Mashima which introduces a fantasy ream called Earth-land, where adventurers use their magic to earn money in return for helping the inhabitants. The titular Fairy Tail is a guild and the story follows one of its members Natsu Dragneel as he explores the kingdom of Fiore and meets a young mage named Lucy Heartfilia, who he invites to join the guild. Of course they end up attracting others and both the cast and the series get bigger as we go, through various media and spin-offs, with the series finishing its run in 2019. There are also movies and video games (several of which have been released or are due for release this year alone). How long is Fairy Tail? To give you an idea of how big this series is, there are 545 chapters, which were collected into a whopping 63 volumes. If you’re interested in the manga as a starting point then Kodansha took over the licensing from Del Rey in 2012 and the final volume was published in English in 2018. There are also a number of spin-off series including Fairy Tail: Ice Trail, Fairy Tail: Gaiden and others. When it comes to the anime, there are 328 episodes spread over nine seasons. There are also two films and nine Original Video Animation (OVAs, which are the anime equivalent of direct to video). View oEmbed on the source website Check out more of our Fantasy coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what’s on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
How Terminator Zero breathed new life into a tired franchise
In a new medium, is the Terminator finally back?
Warning: contains spoilers for Terminator Zero. Say "Terminator" and most people will start doing Arnold impressions or flinch when reminded of the most recent film entries in the franchise, Genisys and Dark Fate, which tried to use nostalgia instead of plot. Others, including your author, will bemoan the cancellation of The Sarah Connor Chronicles just when it was getting good. But Terminator Zero is not your average entry in the franchise. It’s also an anime. Yep, it’s finally happened: the marriage every movie and anime fan has been asking for since Ghost in the Shell! All fans of the franchise can agree that the first Terminator film, directed by James Cameron in 1984, was something special. The original had a truly fascinating premise, added to its gritty feel and the promise of an apocalypse heralded by computers and AI, things the 1980s were just beginning to use in day to day life. The original film was also what we’d now called a closed loop. All of the events happen and are locked in: John Connor would always be born to send Kyle Reese back in time to become his mother’s protector and his own father. Skynet would always send a Terminator back in time, which Sarah Connor will then defeat. Terminator 2: Judgement Day, which followed in 1991, continued the story and moved the focus to John Connor, the future hero of the Resistance, who tries to rescue his mother from a shiner Terminator, the poly-memetic alloy-based T-1000. Future films, television, video games and interactive experiences like the Terminator 2 3D: Battle Across Time ride at Universal Studios continued to focus on John and Sarah Connor. But, most importantly, in each instalment Judgement Day was delayed, moved but never avoided, as we, and the protagonists, hurtled into different futures. So, it’s 29th August, and another Judgement Day has come. This time in Tokyo, 1997. We meet the scientist Malcom Lee and his children, Kenta, Reika and Hiro, and their nanny, Misaki. Lee — haunted by nightmares where he sees the nuclear obliteration Sarah Connor saw in T2 — is trying to create his own AI, named Kokoro (Japanese for 'mind', but you’ll also sometimes find it translated as 'heart'), which he plans to use to prevent Skynet from destroying humanity. Yes, it’s before Judgement Day — the night before, actually — and Malcolm somehow knows about it… But we’ll get to that. In recent years, anime has become not only accepted but mainstream - it’s also cheaper to make than live action, has a narrative arc better suited to episodic content and takes much less time to make than the several-year cycle of a film. Terminator Zero has an all-star production, from being animated by Production IG (of the other best cyberpunk anime out there: Ghost in the Shell) and having Timothy Olyphant, Rosario Dawson, Sonoya Mizuno, André Holland and Ann Dowd as the English-language voice cast. The film adaptions of Terminator are all about the chase, the set pieces, the inevitability of the Terminator being destroyed in an impressive final act stand-off and Judgement Day still happening. The anime, however, is its own self-contained piece which has all the nods, tropes and Easter eggs you might want (such as the episodes being named after Terminator models and the appearance of a T-800), but manages to stand apart as its own televisual event, self-contained in its own narrative bubble. View oEmbed on the source website It’s important to remember here that the reason why the franchise endures and is so beloved, and berated in places, is because of the story it tells. Here, Zero keeps the core narrative: the chase, the humans trying to run from an impossibly powerful cyborg assassin and the desire to put off the end of humanity. But we also get a new family, with different dynamics, and the fascinating possible futures they came from. And, let’s be honest here, who doesn’t want to see a Terminator story set in Japan? The animation style works excellently when to comes to the grimy past of Tokyo, as well as the even grimier visual we get of the possible future Eiko, our Resistance time traveller, comes from. Even her Prophet says she has no fate, and yet this isn’t quite true, as Eiko’s future is just as set as Kyle Reece’s was in the first film. She’s the future parent of Malcom Lee himself, grandparents to his children — including Kenta, whose future self has his own complicated involvement with Skynet and Terminators but, in a nice twist, as a mediator for humanity with the machines, and not its Resistance leader. Perhaps the most interesting character is Kokoro, whom Malcom spends a lot of time having very deep philosophical conversations with. This marks the first proper time we actually get to see the world from the perspective of Skynet, which has always been labelled as Very Evil, and especially remote in that it’s not so much a character but rather an unescapable event. This is something particularly timely as 2024 has undoubtedly been the Year of AI, and yet somehow it hasn’t become sentient and Judgement Day-ed us yet. Yet being the key word here. The films present Skynet’s awakening and our destruction as inevitable, but we never get much of a character arc for it. Each time it turns on, humans try to turn it off, and Skynet reacts by unleashing Judgement Day. However, via Kokoro and, to a lesser extent, Misaki, we start to get more of an arc for Skynet. Indeed, these conversations between human and AI lean into an uncomfortable but valid narrative in which Skynet might actually have been right to destroy humanity. Yeah, sometimes the truth hurts. Kokoro herself, harking back to the name she chose, has different ideas warring inside her which parallel this idea of the intersection of mind, body and spirit. She’s aware of why Malcolm created her, but also wonders if his path to prevent Skynet’s creation using her is the right choice. She makes her choice, but it takes her creator’s death to do it. Terminator Zero works because it holds to the core tenets of the first two films and also tries to tell a self-contained story. Yes, it’s not original (it’s basically a mix of the storylines from the original films with a reskin for names and locations), but it does breathe new life into a very tired franchise - and with it, the hope of a more interesting future, both for the story and the franchise itself. Part of the reason why the first two films worked was their dark tone and violence. The anime replicates this particularly well; some stories need to be for adults only, and the animation style offers for a slick new take on a possible future with all the violence that contains, and revisits a familiar past but in the techno-haven of Tokyo. At its heart, all Terminator stories are not about humanity or about Skynet, but they are about people. We had the Connors and now we have the Lees, but the story is still a struggle for survival and for parents to understand their children. With reviews across the board being remarkably positive, we can hope that the Terminator franchise has finally found its true medium. It would be particularly interesting to see Kenta’s future in more detail, and whether it’s possible for Skynet and humanity to ever actually achieve the peaceful co-existence Kenta believes is possible. The storyline having a saviour of a different kind, not a fighter but a diplomat, also poses an interesting option for humanity’s future after Judgement Day, and it’s going to be very interesting to see how the story gets there. For now, though, we have the set-up for another season, which Netflix will probably do - they have the funds, and the reviews are actually positive for once. So here’s hoping for a continuation of the first interesting timeline since 1984! Terminator Zero is now streaming on Netflix. Sign up for Netflix from £4.99 a month. Netflix is also available on Sky Glass and Virgin Media Stream. Check out more of our Sci-Fi coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
As the mega-violent anime returns for season 2 part 2, we look to the future and ask: will there be a season 3 of Kengan Ashura?
If you're looking for an ultra-violent gladiatorial games anime, then we have just the offering for you. As season 2 part 2 of Kengan Ashura hits Netflix this week, we look ahead to the future of the series, its sequel and ask the big question... Will there be a Kengan Ashura season 3? Read on to find out what we know so far. Will there be a Kengan Ashura season 3? Not exactly. Season 2 part 2 aired in Japan in September 2023, which is hitting Netflix on 15th August. There won’t be a third season, but there is a sequel manga in the works, which will receive an anime adaption. What is Kengan Ashura? It’s an anime adaption based on the manga by Yabako Sandrovich and illustrated by Daromeon. The manga was serialised on the website Ura Sunday between April 2012 and August 2018. There are 27 volumes, as well as sequel Kengan Omega, which began in January 2019 and has 22 collected volumes. Both series are licensed by Comikey. The anime follows the manga’s plot and focuses on fighters in Kengan matches, which is basically a cross between gladiatorial games and Fight Club. The games are run by CEOs of Japanese zaibatsu, massive business conglomerates who form the backbone of Japan’s business world. The manga follows Tokita Ohma, nicknamed Ashura after the demon of Hindu and Buddhist myth, after he is seen fighting by the CEO of Nogi Group in a street brawl which sees him defeat their current champion. The story follows Ashura as he rises through the ranks of the matches, using his special attack to devastate his opponents. Season 2 part 2 focuses on the ultra-violent finale of these games. Is there a trailer for Kengan Ashura season 2 and where can I watch it? There is. Check out the action-packed trailer below. View oEmbed on the source website Kengan Ashura is streaming on Netflix now. Check out more of our Fantasy coverage or visit our TV Guide or Streaming Guide to find out what else is on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to the Radio Times View From My Sofa podcast.
Terminator Zero: Release date, cast, trailer, latest news on Netflix anime
Is Judgement Day coming? We look at the anime adaption of everyone's favourite sci-fi franchise as it takes us where Terminators have never gone before: Tokyo!
Everyone knows Judgement Day is coming, and Terminator is finally getting what it needs - an anime series! The first season has eight episodes, and it looks to be taking the core mythology of the film franchise into a very different direction. This means it's an original story with no Connors or Arnie cameos in sight. That said, the trailers pay homage to some of the best parts of the film franchise, from battles with an unstoppable Terminator to the nuclear fires scene which so upset Sarah Connor in T2: Judgement Day. It’s an anime production created by Skydance, Production IG (of Ghost in the Shell, so you know it’s gonna look amazing!), Masashi Kudō and Mattson Tomlin. So, what do we know and how connected is this going to be the movies? Terminator Zero release date It’s coming to Netflix globally on 29th August 2024! Hardcore fans will recognise this date (on various years in different media) as Judgement Day, the day Skynet gains self-awareness and decides to destroy the human race! Terminator Zero plot Terminator Zero follows Malcom Lee, a scientist in 1997’s Tokyo, who is trying to create a way to stop Skynet with his own artificial intelligence project, named Kokoro. A Terminator, one of Skynet’s cybernetic assassins from a possible future, arrives to kill him and his life is turned upside down - but he's not alone. The resistance, humans from the future who are fighting to save themselves and change the future, send him a guardian — resistance fighter Eiko. With her, Lee must protect his work and his family, and try to stop Judgement Day from happening. Terminator Zero cast The series stars: Timothy Olyphant as the Terminator Rosario Dawson as Kokoro Sonoya Mizuno as Eiko André Holland as Malcom Lee Ann Dowd as the Prophet, the resistance’s mysterious leader Is there a trailer for Terminator Zero? Yes, we’ve got a teaser and a main trailer from Netflix. Check out the main clip below. View oEmbed on the source website Terminator Zero is coming to Netflix globally on 29th August 2024! Check out more of our Fantasy coverage or visit our TV Guide or Streaming Guide to find out what else is on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to the Radio Times View From My Sofa podcast.
Sailor Moon Cosmos: Release date, cast, trailer for Netflix two-parter
With Sailor Moon Cosmos finally hitting Netflix later this month, we take a look at the allure of Usagi's story and what fans can expect in the final arc of this much-loved anime series.
Sailor Moon, the beloved shōjo manga from Naoko Takeuchi, will see its last arc, Stars, released in the UK very soon. The two-part film, which was released cinematically in Japan in 2023, marks the first time British fans will get to see Sailor Moon and the Sailor Guardians fighting Sailor Galaxia, as the Stars arc of the '90s anime was never officially shown in the UK due to its content. Exciting stuff! Here's everything you need to know. Sailor Moon Cosmos release date Sailor Moon Cosmos will be released on Netflix on 22nd August 2024. Sailor Moon Cosmos plot The story of the films, adapted directly from the manga, finds Usagi thrown into a new battle after her boyfriend Mamoru (Tuxedo Mask) proposes and leaves Japan to study abroad. Usagi then crosses paths with the idol boyband the Three Lights, who are taking Japan by storm and just so happen to have transferred to her school in Azabu-jūban, Tokyo. What follows is a breathless chase to prevent the end of the universe as Sailor Galaxia begins to strip Usagi of her friends, leaving just a small girl named Chibi Chibi to help Usagi fight for her future, along with Sailor Guardians called the Starlights and their princess, Kakyū. The Bishōjo Senshi Sailor Moon manga began serialising in Nakayoshi magazine in 1991, with an anime adaption running pretty much simultaneously and animated by Toei. Both had major arcs, The Dark Kingdom arc, which served as the introduction to Sailor Moon and saw her battling against Queen Beryl, and the Black Moon arc, which sent the Guardians to the future and Crystal Tokyo guided by Chibi-Usa, Usagi and Mamoru’s future daughter. Back in the present, an eclipse heralded the start of the Dark Moon arc, where the mysterious Dead Moon Circus were hunting a strange winged horse named Helios and looking for a very special Dream. The original anime had several points where the story branched off from the manga and went its own way, such as the Doom Tree arc, and also the mini-arc at the beginning of Stars, where Queen Nehellenia was temporarily released from her mirror prison by Galaxia for a final showdown with the 10 Sailor Guardians. However, the Stars arc really branched off into its own timeline, with an epic six-episode climax which saw Usagi lose every one of her friends to Galaxia, leaving her broken and alone. It was only when Chibi Chibi revealed herself as the Light of Hope and turned into a sacred sword that Usagi remembered herself and used the power of love to redeem Sailor Galaxia from the power of Chaos. In 2014, Toei announced Sailor Moon Crystal, a remade adaption of the series which retold Usagi’s story directly from the manga. The success of seasons 1 to 3 then led to Sailor Moon Eternal, a two-part film which adapted the Dead Moon arc and was released on Netflix in 2021, making the first time many fans, including those in the UK, were able to watch the anime via legal streaming. Sailor Moon Cosmos follows the manga beat for beat, with the first half of the film focusing on the loss of the other Guardians and the second film seeing the remaining Guardians travel across the universe to Shadow Galactica’s base to face off with Chaos and Galaxia, as well as being reunited with Chibi-usa, her Guardians, and meeting the mysterious Sailor Cosmos. While it is a one-to-one adaption of the manga, there are some important nods to the '90s anime. This includes a re-recorded version of the '90s theme song, Sailor Star Song, as well the Three Lights’ Nagareboshi He and opening sequences for each half of the film which reference the iconic Stars opening sequences - making this a real treat for long-term fans seeking a nostalgia fest, as well as welcoming in a new generation who want to see how Usagi’s tale finally ends. As with Netflix’s other anime, there will be a subbed version and English/multi-language dubs, so you’ll be able to watch it however you prefer! The score will also be hitting all the usual music services in time for the release, and if you're after something to listen now, then check out the Sailor Moon Cosmos Theme Song Collection, which has all the tracks used in the two films, via the Official Sailor Moon YouTube channel. Sailor Moon Cosmos cast Kotono Mitsuishi, the iconic voice of Usagi Tsukino/Sailor Moon, announced after the two films were released that she would be retiring from her role as everyone’s favourite Sailor Guardian - but that doesn’t mean this is the end, as author and Manaka Naoko Takeuchi is still producing new art from the series, including a new art book, as well as hinting that she is working on something relating to the franchise. The English language cast includes many returning voices from Sailor Moon Crystal and Eternal, such as Stephanie Shah (Usagi Tsukino/Sailor Moon) and Robbie Daymond (Tuxedo Mask). So, with that in mind, add the films to your Watch List now and know that while this is the end of Usagi’s journey, it’s not quite the end of her story! Is there a trailer for Sailor Moon Cosmos? Yes! Check it out below: View oEmbed on the source website Check out more of our Fantasy coverage or visit our TV Guide or Streaming Guide to find out what else is on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to the Radio Times View From My Sofa podcast.