Invincible season 4 cast: Full list of actors and characters
More brutal action and unpredictable twists await in the fourth chapter of Robert Kirkman's animated series.
Invincible is back! After only a year away from our screens, Mark Grayson (Steven Yeun) is about to be put through another gruelling ordeal in his superhero double-life. The (strictly) adult animated series has gone from strength-to-strength since its belated second season, finding a confident stride in terms of both storytelling and release pattern. Likewise, Mark himself has become a more competent and formidable hero before our eyes, having been forced to step up to the plate earlier than expected following the stunning betrayal of his father, Omni-Man (JK Simmons). Based on the comic books by The Walking Dead creator Robert Kirkman, Invincible has never failed to attract A-list talent to its cast – and season 4 is no exception! Lee Pace (Foundation), Danai Gurira (Black Panther) and Matthew Rhys (The Beast in Me) are making their series debuts, alongside a long list of returning favourites. If you're as excited as we are, read on to find out more about the Invincible season 4 cast. Invincible seasons 1-4 cast and characters You can find a brief guide to the Invincible cast below – and scroll on for more detailed profiles on each character and actor, including where you might have seen them before. Steven Yeun as Mark Grayson/Invincible Sandra Oh as Debbie Grayson JK Simmons as Nolan Grayson/Omni-Man Lee Pace as Thragg Danai Gurira as Universa Matthew Rhys as Dinosaurus Gillian Jacobs as Eve Wilkins/Atom Eve Andrew Rannells as William Clockwell Walton Goggins as Cecil Stedman Chris Diamantopoulos as Donald Ferguson Ross Farquand as The Immortal, Rudy Connors Jason Mantzoukas as Rex Splode Grey Griffin as Shrinking Rae Jay Pharoah as Bulletproof Ben Schwartz as The Shapesmith Kevin Michael Richardson as The Mauler Twins Mark Hamill as Art Rosenbaum Seth Rogen as Allen the Alien Clancy Brown as Damien Darkblood Sterling K Brown as Angstrom Levy Mahershala Ali as Titan Michael Dorn as Battle Beast Aaron Paul as Powerplex Simu Liu as Multi-Paul Jeffrey Dean Morgan as Conquest Jonathan Banks as Brit Kate Mara as Becky Duvall Xolo Maridueña as Fightmaster & Dropkick John DiMaggio as The Elephant Tzi Ma as Mr Liu Doug Bradley as The Technicians Christian Convery as Oliver Grayson View Affiliate Playlist on the source website Steven Yeun voices Mark Grayson / Invincible Who is Mark Grayson? Mark is of course, the titular Invincible himself, the 17-year-old son of Debbie and Nolan Grayson who has been grappling not only with how to become a superhero but also the shocking revelation of the truth of his father's presence of Earth in the season 1 finale. The synopsis for Invincible season 4 teases that Mark will have been "changed" by the events of the previous run, which ended in catastrophe, fuelling him to once again stand up and fight "to protect his home and the people he loves". Where have I seen Steven Yeun before? You probably known Yeun for his role as delivery boy Glenn Rhee in The Walking Dead, before going on to independent film fare like Burning, Okja, Sorry to Bother You and Minari, for which he was Academy Award-nominated. More recently, he faced off against Ali Wong in hit revenge thriller Beef (which earned both actors Emmys for their electric performances), before teaming up with legendary director Bong Joon-ho for Mickey 17. Earlier this year, he joined Ben Affleck and Matt Damon in Netflix original film The Rip. Lee Pace voices Thragg Who is Thragg? Thragg holds the title of Grand Regent of the Viltrum Empire. What else has Lee Pace been in? Pace currently plays a leading role on Apple TV's visually dazzling sci-fi series Foundation, which is based on the novels by Isaac Asimov. He'd previously ventured out into deep space for Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy and Captain Marvel, where he played menacing villain Ronan the Accuser. Pace's other noteworthy credits include The Hobbit trilogy, tech drama Halt and Catch Fire, plus cult favourite comedy Pushing Daisies. Danai Gurira voices Universa Who is Universa? An extraterrestrial threat who, by the looks of the first-look image above, will come to blows against Atom Eve. What else has Danai Gurira been in? Gurira's two most iconic roles are that of Michonne in The Walking Dead, which she recently reprised for miniseries The Ones Who Live, and Wakandan soldier Okoye in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Coming up, she'll be seen in heist film The Thomas Crown Affair (directed by recent Oscar winner Michael B Jordan) as well as Apple TV's adaptation of the Matchbox toy brand. Matthew Rhys voices Dinosaurus AKA David Anders Who is Dinosaurus? Dinosaurus is the alter-ego of David Anders, who can transform into a prehistoric beast at will. What else has Matthew Rhys been in? Rhys is probably best known for his acclaimed Cold War thriller The Americans, where he co-starred with Keri Russell, whom he later married in real-life. Previously, the actor had been known to viewers from US family drama Brothers & Sisters. More recently, he took on the title role for HBO's Perry Mason reimagining, before stepping into a sinister light for Netflix miniseries The Beast in Me, where he played a man accused of murdering his wife. He also appeared in BBC One's recent Agatha Christie adaptation Towards Zero. Sandra Oh voices Debbie Grayson Who is Debbie Grayson? Debbie is Mark's mother who was one of the only people in the world to know the double life of her husband, keeping his identity a secret alongside becoming a successful and experienced real estate agent. In season 2, we saw the long-term damage that Nolan's betrayal left on the Grayson family, with Debbie reluctantly joining a superhero support group – only to discover Nolan is responsible for most of the grieving individuals' pain there. To make matters worse, it seemed as though Mark is pulling away from her, leaving Debbie feeling very lonely. Where have I seen Sandra Oh before? If you're a Grey's Anatomy fan, you'll immediately recognize Oh as Dr. Cristina Yang, or potentially as Eve Polastri from BBC's Killing Eve. She's also a well-versed voice actor, lending her vocals to the likes of American Dragon@ Jake Long, The Proud Family, Phineas and Ferb, She-Ra and the Princesses of Power amongst many others. JK Simmons voices Nolan Grayson / Omni-Man Who is Nolan Grayson? Nolan is, or rather was, Invincible's equivalent of Superman as the archetypal hero of the world and member of the Guardians of the Globe... until he savagely murdered all of them, turned on Earth and was narrowly beaten by his own son, leaving him to flee his position as the installed Earth-based Viltrumite. Since then, he started up another family on the planet of Thraxa, giving Mark an unexpected half-brother in the form of Oliver Grayson. Where have I seen JK Simmons before? Everyone knows J.K. Simmons from something - Sam Raimi's Spider-Man trilogy, Juno, La La Land, Jennifer's Body, Burn After Reading, Law & Order, Counterpart, the list goes on and on. He's one of the best genre and character actors currently working. Gillian Jacobs voices Eve Wilkins / Atom Eve Who is Atom Eve? Also known by her human name as Samantha 'Eve' Wilkins, Atom Eve is one of Invincible's fellow teenaged superheroes and also one of his class-and-university mates. Eve is actually one of the show's most superpowered beings, with the ability to rearrange the molecules of anything into anything else – it's a little confusing to explain, but in practice, it makes total sense. In season 2, we see that just like Mark, she's still struggling to get used to the life of a superhero, as she fights with her parents and also engages in a reckless battle with a B-tier supervillain on a bridge, leading to a near-fatal accident involving civilians. In the comics, Eve becomes a very important character for Mark as he gets older, so it'll be interesting to see how much the show follows the same path. Where have I seen Gillian Jacobs before? Most people were likely introduced to Jacobs through Community, where she played eternal buzzkill Britta Perry - she's also had turns in the likes of Netflix's Love as Mickey Dobbs as well as Mimi-Rose Howard in HBO's Girls. Recently, she's appeared in the likes of Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty, The Bear and Transatlantic. Jeffrey Dean Morgan voices Conquest Who is Conquest? Introduced in season 2 episode 7, Conquest is an iconic comic book villain, a grizzled war veteran of the Viltrumite empire who faces up to Mark. Where have I seen Jeffrey Dean Morgan before? Jeffrey Dean Morgan is best known for playing Negan in The Walking Dead. He's also appeared in Supernatural, Grey's Anatomy and The Boys. Andrew Rannells voices William Clockwell Who is William Clockwell? William is Mark's 'guy in the chair', to borrow a phrase from the MCU's Ned Leeds. He's Mark's best friend and also one of the only people in the world to know his double life as the crime-fighting Invincible. He's also aware of the real truth behind what happened with Nolan around the time that Omni-Man went rogue, whereas most of the world believed that Nolan perished in an accident caused by Omni-Man's destruction around that time. Where have I seen Andrew Rannells before? Rannells is an acclaimed stage actor, best known for his role of Elder Kevin Price in Trey Parker and Matt Stone's The Book of Mormon opposite Josh Gad. He's also appeared in the likes of Hairspray, Jersey Boys, Hedwig and the Angry Itch and Hamilton, and most recently can be seen reuniting with Gad in Gutenberg: The Musical. His other non-stage work includes voicing Matthew MacDell on Netflix's Big Mouth, Veneer in Trolls: Band Together and a lot of English anime dubs. Walton Goggins voices Cecil Stedman Who is Cecil Stedman? Cecil heads the GDA - better known as the Global Defence Agency – which is essentially Invincible's version of SHIELD. It's a secret organisation that oversees all of the superheroes in the world, providing them with advanced tech, intel and assistance on intergalactic operations. Their number one was Omni-Man – now, Mark will have to do. Where have I seen Walton Goggins before? While Goggins's early career includes stints in The Next Karate Kid, Joy Ride, and House of 1000 Corpses, he really rose to fame as Detective Shane Vendrell on The Shield. He followed that up with the villainous Boyd Crowder on Justified as well as comedic heel-turns in Vice Principals and The Righteous Gemstones, both opposite Danny McBride. He also played a minor villain in Marvel's Ant-Man and the Wasp in 2018. More recently, Goggins's star has ascended even higher following an acclaimed turn opposite Aimee Lou Wood in The White Lotus season 3, and a transformative appearance as post-apocalyptic bounty hunter The Ghoul in Prime Video's Fallout. Ross Marquand voices The Immortal and Rudy Connors Who is The Immortal? The clue being in the name, The Immortal is an ancient superhero who is unable to be killed unless he is decapitated. He has a rich and vibrant personal history, having through a number of significant historical events including the Crusades, and supposedly became Abraham Lincoln at one point before going on to form the Guardians of the Globe. The Immortal in season 2 has become the new Guardians' leader, having been resurrected by Cecil after Robot's inability to lead the team functionally. He has a clear distrust of Invincible due to him being Nolan's son, which may lead to some unfriendly sparring down the line. Who is Rudy Connors? Rudy Connors is the human host of the hero known as 'Robot' - for a long time, he was a pretty mutated boy kept alive via an advanced healing tank, leading to the necessity of Robot to experience the world. However, after pinching a sample of Rex Splode's DNA and recruiting the help of the Mauler Twins, Robot was able to clone himself a human body, leading to none other than Rudy Connors. In Season 2, it's clear that Rudy has spent so much time in Robot form that he's still getting used to how to be human - handling emotions, asking out the likes of Monster Girl on a date. Comics fans will know that Rudy and Robot play a huge role in Invincible's future, so for now, keep a close eye on him. Where have I seen Ross Marquand before? Similar to Rhee, Marquand had his big outing first in The Walking Dead as Aaron. Since then, he's landed voice work on the strength of his vast array of impressions, including portraying Red Skull in Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame (taking over the role from Hugo Weaving). Jason Mantzoukas voices Rex Splode Who is Rex Splode? The most hot-headed of the Guardians of the Globe in more ways than one, teenaged Rex Splode has the ability to turn anything into an explosive device at the touch of his fingertips. More often than not, he seems to explode his interpersonal relationships than anything else though, as evidenced through his tumultuous relationship with Dupli-Kate. Where have I seen Jason Mantzoukas before? Another classic character actor, Mantzoukas has popped up in Parks and Recreation, Brooklyn Nine-Nine and The Good Place, alongside film roles in John Wick: Chapter 3, The Dictator and Sleeping with Other People. He's also a fantastic voice actor, lending his dulcet tones to the likes of Big Mouth, Star Trek: Prodigy and adult animated series Close Enough. If all of that wasn't enough, he's also the co-host of popular film podcast How Did This Get Made?. Malese Jow voices Dupli-Kate Who is Dupli-Kate? No prizes for guessing what Dupli-Kate's power is. Like the rest of the current Guardians of the Globe, Kate was a part of the Teen Team before having to step up due to Omni-Man's actions to the big leagues. While she was at one point dating Rex Splode, she seems to have moved onto greater pastures – that being, The Immortal. Where have I seen Malese Jow before? Jow got her start on Nickeledeon, appearing in shows like Unfabulous as Geena Fabiano as well as Big Time Rush. However, she also appeared in more adult fare including The Vampire Diaries as Annabelle 'Anna' Zhu and turns in other genre fare like The Flash. Jay Pharoah voices Bulletproof Who is Bulletproof? Bulletproof is... well, he's bulletproof. Literally. He's a newcomer to the Guardians of the Globe, having been invited to join by none other than head of the GDA himself, Cecil Stedman. Bulletproof joined the Invincible party from season 2, and has since become an established fixture. Where have I seen Jay Pharoah before? If you're a fan of Saturday Night Live, you'll definitely recognise Pharoah. Having been enlisted as a performer on SNL between 2010 and 2016, he was cited as No. 55 on Rolling Stone's greatest SNL cast members. He's had roles in animated films Sing and The Mitchells vs. The Machines, plus horror satire The Blackening and psychological thriller Unsane (directed by prolific filmmaker Steven Soderbergh). Ben Schwartz voices The Shapesmith Who is The Shapesmith? Continuing the narrative thread of the failed Mars mission in season 1, The Shapesmith is the identity formed by the Martian who assumed astronaut Rus Livingston's persona upon the rocket's return back to Earth. Where have I seen Ben Schwartz before? Schwartz is an acclaimed voice actor, known for his work as Dewey in the Ducktales reboot, Sonic the Hedgehog in Paramount's film franchise, plus DC League of Super-Pets and Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Movie. However, you probably know him best as the scene-stealing Jean-Ralphio Saperstein in Parks and Recreation. Kevin Michael Richardson voices The Mauler Twins Who are The Mauler Twins? The Mauler Twins are probably the most recurring villain in the show after Omni-Man. The rowdy blue scientists who constantly accuse the other of being a clone have been instrumental to the plot of Invincible seasons 1 and 2 so far, firstly for the creation of Rudy Connors, then for turning Angstrom Levy into a monstrously intelligent (and horrific-looking) being, with psychosis as a mild side effect. While it seemed that who was the clone and who wasn't was finally over, after burn marks were left on of their faces, we went back to square one after the clone murdered his original maker. We'll likely see the Mauler Twins again very soon. Where have I seen Kevin Michael Richardson before? While you likely haven't seen Kevin Michael Richardson before, you've definitely heard him. He's lent his voice to Lilo and Stitch, The Super Mario Bros. Movie, Family Guy, American Dad, The Cleveland Show, The Simpsons, Futurama, Teen Titans, Ratchet & Clank, The Batman to name just a few. Aaron Paul voices Powerplex Who is Powerplex? Powerplex is a super-powered villain first encountered by Invincible in season 3. What else has Aaron Paul been in? Paul became famous around the world for his performance in crime drama Breaking Bad. He went on to reprise his role of Jesse Pinkman in sequel film El Camino and prequel series Better Call Saul. Paul went on to voice loveable misfit Todd in Bojack Horseman and, in 2023, starred in Black Mirror season 6 episode Beyond the Sea. More recently, he's entered another super-powered world by taking the lead role in hit video game Dispatch. Simu Liu voices Multi-Paul Who is Multi-Paul? Multi-Paul is the brother of Dupli-Kate, who shares the same power set as her – that being the ability to spawn copies of themselves. However, Paul went down a villainous path in life rather than becoming a superhero like his sister. What else has Simu Liu been in? Liu is probably best known for his leading role in Marvel Studios blockbuster Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. He also starred in Canadian sitcom Kim's Convenience and had a supporting role in 2023's hit film Barbie as one of the film's numerous Kens. Christian Convery as Oliver Grayson Who is Oliver Grayson? Oliver is the son of Omni-Man and Andressa, Empress of Thraxa, which also makes him Mark's half-brother. What else has Christian Convery been in? Convery rose to fame on Netflix's young adult fantasy drama Sweet Tooth. He also played a supporting role in anarchic 2023 action-comedy Cocaine Bear. Mark Hamill voices Art Rosenbaum Who is Art Rosenbaum? Art is the superhero tailor, having designed costumes for both Omni-Man and of course, Invincible. He is one of the few friends that many of the superheroes have, due to the length of time he spends with them designing their costumes to be just right for their specific abilities. He's instrumental in helping Debbie to uncover the truth behind what Nolan was up to, and as a result, he's just as lonely as Debbie was, having betrayed one of his closest friends in the process for the greater good. Where have I seen Mark Hamill before? I mean, apart from Star Wars? And The Joker across most non live-action Batman projects? Or Lord Ozai in Avatar: The Last Airbender? Or Skips from Regular Show? Really, it's easier to tell you the geeky projects Mark Hamill isn't involved in at this point. Clancy Brown voices Damien Darkblood Who is Damien Darkblood? Damien was the private detective hired by Cecil to tail and uncover the truth behind Omni-Man's strange behaviour throughout season 1. He also happens to be a demon who escaped from hell and for some reason, chose to take up P.I. work as his new-found career. Unfortunately, he picked up the wrong case in the form of tailing Nolan, as it led to Cecil banishing him back to Hell in order to avoid revealing Nolan's truth too early. Perhaps that was a mistake. Where have I seen Clancy Brown before? You probably know Clancy Brown from The Boys spin-off Gen Z as Professor Brink, or perhaps in Dexter: New Blood as Kurt Caldwell. While you might recognise Brown for his live-action work, you've definitely heard his voice performances: he's Mr. Krabs from Spongebob Squarepants, among many other roles. Sterling K Brown voices Angstrom Levy Who is Angstrom Levy? Angstrom Levy is a scientist with a bit too much ego and not enough restraint. Coming from a dimension in which Mark did join his father and take over Earth, Angstrom is their only savior - his power to open portals to other dimensions allows him to accumulate knowledge on how other dimensions were able to defeat Mark and Nolan so that he may be able to return to his own dimension and save the day. However, how does one hold all of that knowledge? Well, the Mauler Twins concocted a botched operation to supplant all the versions of Angstrom's self into his mind - however, Invincible arrives, quickly gets the wrong end of the stick, and annihilates the machine. That's Angstrom Levy in the ground, right? Oh no. Instead, he's the literal definition of 'Big Brain' - and now bloodthirsty for revenge. Where have I seen Sterling K Brown before? Multi-Emmy winner for his work on The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story and This Is Us, Brown is one of the most versatile American actors currently working in television. He currently stars in Hulu/Disney+ thriller Paradise. In addition to his many TV credits, he's appeared in high-profile films such as The Predator, Waves, Frozen II, American Fiction, and Black Panther. Jonathan Banks voices Brit Who is Brit? Brit is a veteran superhero introduced in Invincible season 3. What else has Jonathan Banks been in? Banks is best known for playing Mike Ehrmantraut in Breaking Bad, its sequel film El Camino and its prequel series Better Call Saul. He also had a regular role in the fifth season of cult sitcom Community. Invincible seasons 1-3 are available to stream on Prime Video now. Sign up for Amazon Prime for £8.99 a month. Add Invincible to your watchlist on the <a id="OWA8b702c45-bee9-94e4-f018-57518e78041b" title="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" href="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-outlook-id="449c28d9-909e-4aab-b6b8-153454f55d5e" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-linkindex="0">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.
Meet the cast of One Piece season 2: All the characters in Netflix live-action series
This swashbuckling show has a cavalcade of new cast members to get to know.
One Piece season 2 is officially here, with new and returning characters taking us on an adventure to the Grand Line. Despite Oda himself asking for changes, the live-action series remains faithful to the source material, with its cast members closely channeling the energy of their animated counterparts. So, dive into the major players of season 2, including the Straw Hat Pirates and the Baroque Works. Read on for all you need to know about the cast of One Piece. One Piece cast and characters The full cast list for One Piece is as follows: Iñaki Godoy as Monkey D. Luffy Mackenyu Arata as Roronoa Zoro Emily Rudd as Nami Jacob Romero Gibson as Usopp Taz Skylar as Sanji Aidan Scott as Helmeppo Jeff Ward as Buggy Peter Gadiot as Shanks Steven John Ward as Dracule Mihawk Craig Fairbrass as Chef Zeff McKinley Belcher III as Arlong Lera Abova as Miss All-Sunday Awdo Awdo as Mr. 1 Sophia Anne Caruso as Miss Goldenweek Charithra Chandran as Miss Wednesday Werner Coetser as Dorry Rob Colletti as Wapol David Dastmalchian as Mr. 3 Cole Escola as Bon Clay Mark Harelik as Dr. Hiriluk Daisy Head as Miss Doublefinger Mikaela Hoover as Tony Tony Chopper Jazzara Jaslyn as Miss Valentine Anton David Jeftha as K.M. Camrus Johnson as Mr. 5 Ty Keogh as Dalton Callum Kerr as Smoker Daniel Lasker as Mr. 9 James Hiroyuki Liao as Ipponmatsu Xolo Maridueña as Portgas D. Ace Brendan Murray as Brogy Mark Penwill as Chess Sendhil Ramamurthy as Nefertari Cobra Julia Rehwald as Tashigi Clive Russell as Crocus Katey Sagal as Dr. Kureha Rigo Sanchez as Dragon Yonda Thomas as Igaram Joe Manganiello as Crocodile/Mr. 0 Read on for more details on each cast member and who they portray. One Piece season 2 cast: Who are the new characters? Lera Abova plays Miss All-Sunday Who is Miss All-Sunday? One of the most popular characters from the beloved manga – particularly in the cosplay community – Miss All-Sunday is a high-ranking agent within Baroque Works and a major antagonist for the Straw Hat Pirates. Working directly under the organisation’s mysterious leader, Mr. 0, she serves as the vice president of the criminal syndicate. However, fans will know that there’s far more to her than meets the eye… Where have I seen Lera Abova before? Prior to her casting in One Piece season 2, Abova most recently starred in Ethan Coen’s comedy caper Honey Don’t!, as well as the Netflix film Exterritorial, Luc Besson’s spy thriller Anna, and the TV spin-off Pitch Perfect: Bumper in Berlin. Sophia Anne Caruso plays Miss Goldenweek Who is Miss Goldenweek? The partner of Mr. 3 (David Dastmalchian), Miss Goldenweek is another Officer Agent working for Baroque Works. She harnesses her unique talents as an artist to create "Colour Traps" with her paints, using them to induce powerful, suggestion-based hypnosis. Where have I seen Sophie Anne Caruso before? Best known for her role in Paul Feig’s Netflix film The School for Good and Evil, Caruso has also appeared in David Bowie: The Last Five Years and Smash. Charithra Chandran plays Miss Wednesday Who is Miss Wednesday? Another Officer Agent and former bounty hunter working for Baroque Works, Miss Wednesday’s partner is Mr. 9 (Daniel Lasker). Like Miss All-Sunday, there’s more to her than meets the eye – she may not be entirely loyal to the organisation. Fans of the series will recognise her true identity and her eventual connection to the Straw Hat Pirates Where have I seen Charithra Chandran before? Fans of Netflix’s Bridgerton will know her best as Edwina Sharma, the "diamond of the season" in the second season. She is currently starring in Gurinder Chadha’s Christmas Karma and can also be seen in the prequel sci-fi series Dune: Prophecy. Werner Coetser plays Dorry Who is Dorry? A major figure in the Little Garden arc, Dorry the Blue Ogre will become an ally of the Straw Hat Pirates in the second instalment, coming to their aid on Elbaph. An incredibly strong and honourable giant with impressive sword skills, he was formerly the captain of the feared Giant Warrior Pirates alongside Brogy the Red Ogre. The two have an amusing long-standing rivalry over the size of fish they caught. Where have I seen Werner Coetser before? The South African actor is best known for his role as Bernard Jordaan in the television soap 7de Laan, and has also appeared in the series Diepe Waters and Getroud met Rugby. Rob Colletti plays King Wapol <img src="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2026/03/OPS2Unit09318RC-a34b9d1.jpg" width="3600" height="2400" alt="Rob Colletti as Wapol stands encased in heavy, fur-lined armour in One Piece season 2, snow drifting through the warm-lit interior as he faces forward with a commanding, menacing presence." title="Rob Colletti as Wapol stands encased in heavy, fur-lined armour in One Piece season 2" /> Who is King Wapol? A major villain for Luffy and the Straw Hat Pirates, the formidable “Tin-Plate” Wapol is the former tyrannical ruler of Drum Kingdom. He fled when the Blackbeard Pirates attacked and later turned to piracy - and even toy making. He also possesses a unique Devil Fruit power: the Baku Baku no Mi (aka the Munch-Munch Fruit), which allows him to eat anything and turn it into a weapon. King Wapol dresses in tin-plate armour and a hooded cape, and his menacing recent character reveal certainly lives up to expectations! Where have I seen Rob Colletti before? Best known for playing Dewey Finn in the first Broadway touring School of Rock: The Musical, Rob Colletti also stars in Netflix’s The Many Saints of Newark. David Dastmalchian plays Mr. 3 Who is Mr 3? Partnered with Miss Goldenweek (Sophia Anne Caruso), Mr. 3 is an Officer Agent working for Baroque Works and a main antagonist in the Little Garden arc. He considers himself a "master of strategy" and is a highly intelligent individual, ranked above Mr. 4 and Miss Merry Christmas. He possesses the intriguing ability to control wax after eating the Doru Doru no Mi (Wax-Wax Fruit), which allows him to turn his foes into "living statues." Where have I seen David Dastmalchian before? The actor has an impressive CV, particularly in sci-fi, superhero, and horror genres, with roles in Dune, The Suicide Squad, Murderbot, and Late Night with the Devil. Mark Harelik plays Dr. Hiriluk Who is Dr Hiriluk? The adoptive father and mentor of the beloved reindeer-boy hybrid Tony Tony Chopper, Dr. Hiriluk is a former thief from Drum Island who plays an integral role in the story. He is driven by his belief that he can find a cure for all diseases and by his mission to create a miracle cure to heal the island’s spiritual "heart-sickness." Season 2 co-showrunner, writer, and executive producer Matt Owens previously told TUDUM that the character will be "a big part of the season" as the season 2 writers’ room first came together. Where have I seen Mark Harelik before? Preacher fans will recognise Harelik as the bearded God, while the TV stalwart has also starred in shows including Castle Rock, Perry Mason and The Morning Show. Mikaela Hoover plays Tony Tony Chopper <img src="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2026/03/ONEPIECEnS200223120R-f54bb5b.jpg" width="2700" height="1800" alt="Tony Tony Chopper appears wide-eyed in One Piece season 2, bundled in his signature hat as he stands against a snowy forest backdrop, his small antlers and soft fur dusted with frost." title="Tony Tony Chopper appears wide-eyed in One Piece season 2, bundled in his signature hat as he stands against a snowy forest backdrop, his small antlers and soft fur dusted with frost." /> Who is Tony Tony Chopper? A fan favourite character, Tony Tony Chopper is a deer who gained the ability to talk and shift into a deer hybrid, after eating the Hito Hito no Mi - a Devil Fruit. The adorable animated character from Drum Island - first revealed at the Tudum: A Global Fan Event - is inspired by his adoptive father and takes up medicine, becoming the Straw Hat’s doctor. Where have I seen Mikaela Hoover before? A frequent collaborator with director James Gunn, Hoover has starred in Superman as Cat Grant, along with Guardians of the Galaxy and The Suicide Squad. Jazzara Jaslyn plays Miss Valentine Who is Miss Valentine? Partnered with Mr. 5 (Camrus Johnson), Miss Valentine is another Baroque Works Officer Agent. She possesses the Kilo Kilo no Mi Devil Fruit, giving her the impressive ability to change her body weight from 1 kg to 10,000 kg. Where have I seen Jazzara Jaslyn before? Fans of HBO’s Warrior TV show will know her as Eliza Pendleton, along with television shows Professionals and Lioness. One Piece season 2 and 3 cast: Who are the returning characters? Iñaki Godoy plays Monkey D Luffy Who is Monkey D Luffy? Luffy is none other than the captain of the Straw Hat Pirates and also holds the Gomu Gomu no Mi fruit, enabling him to transform his body into rubber at will. Despite being a relatively young pirate, Luffy's immense spirit and optimism is often what draws people into signing onto the Straw Hat Pirates' crew. Where have I seen Iñaki Godoy before? Prior to his casting in One Piece, Godoy has had roles in the likes of La querida del Centauro alongside Who Killed Sara?, with smaller credits such as MexZombies and The Imperfects filling out his recent acting history. Emily Rudd plays Nami Who is Nami? Nami is the navigator of the Straw Hat Pirates, and the second person to ever join the crew. Originally, Nami was a part of the Arlong Pirates gang, but eventually joins forces with the Straw Hat Pirates to defeat Arlong and become their expert navigator. Unlike Luffy and Zoro's dreams of becoming the best in their profession, Nami actually dreams of creating the biggest map of the world. Where have I seen Emily Rudd before? Rudd starred opposite Sadie Sink in Fear Street: 1978, and also starred in the likes of Moonshot and Hunters. Mackenyu Arata as Roronoa Zoro Who is Roronoa Zoro? Better known as the expert swordsman of the Straw Hat Pirates (hence the name Zoro), Zoro is a bounty hunter-turned-pirate who joins up with Luffy and the crew after being saved from execution by the young adventurer. Where have I seen Mackenyu Arata before? Before One Piece, you probably best know Arata from his role as Cadet Ryoichi in Pacific Rim: Uprising - he's also been in a number of live-action anime adaptations including Tokyo Ghoul: 'S'. Jacob Romero Gibson plays Usopp Who is Usopp? If you couldn't tell by the slingshot, Usopp is the expert sniper of the Straw Hat Pirates. He's widely regarded as one of the funniest characters of the show because of his foolishness and comical cowardice. What's interesting about Usopp is, at one point, it was planned for him to become the vice-captain of the Straw Hat Pirates instead. Where have I seen Jacob Romero Gibson before? A relative newcomer, Gibson has had short appearances in the likes of Grey's Anatomy and All Rise, alongside the television series Rap Sh!t. Taz Skylar plays Sanji Who is Sanji? Sanji is the extravagant cook of the Straw Hat Pirates and is actually a former prince of the Germa Kingdom due to his background as part of the Vinsmoke Family. Unlike many of the other crew members, who seek fame and fortune, Sanji’s ultimate dream is to find 'All Blue', a so-called chef’s paradise. It’s said to be the location where all four of the different oceans meet, and where the rarest animals supposedly exist. Where have I seen Taz Skylar before? Skylar has popped up in the likes of The Lazarus Project, Boiling Point, The Kill Team and even Villain opposite Craig Fairbrass, making this a fun reunion for the pair. Aidan Scott plays Helmeppo Who is Helmeppo? Helmeppo is Captain Morgan's incredibly annoying son who uses the power of his father to get others to do what he wants. Despite this super grating personality, many fans of One Piece have mentioned that Helmeppo's appearances are often some of the best of the early parts of the anime. Where have I seen Aidan Scott before? Apart from The Kissing Booth 2 and The Power, Scott has also starred in The Fix and Action Point. Jeff Ward plays Buggy Who is Buggy? He's not quite Art the Clown, but Buggy is still pretty menacing. He is the leader of the Buggy Pirates Crew, and a formidable foe due to his ability to split his body into different pieces thanks to his Devil Fruit. As you can see, he's got a somewhat unique appearance to him. Where have I seen Jeff Ward before? If you're a horror fan, you may remember Ward from Brand New Cherry Flavor, or perhaps you're more of an Agents of Shield fan - where he played Deke Shaw. Peter Gadiot plays Shanks Who is Shanks? Shanks plays a pivotal role in One Piece, as his interactions with a young Luffy are what inspire the hero to start his own crew when he's older. He serves as the captain of the Red Hair Pirates. Where have I seen Peter Gadiot before? You probably best know Gadiot from his stint on cannibal thriller Yellowjackets, and he's also appeared in the likes of Queen of the South and Matador as well. Steven Ward plays Dracule Mihawk Who is Dracule Mihawk? Dracule has quite the reputation, known throughout the world of One Piece as the supposed 'world's strongest swordsman'. A former member of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, he shares a connection with Zoro - in that the green-haired swordsman sees Dracule as the ultimate barrier between him and his dream. Where have I seen Steven Ward before? Ward has appeared in shows such as Vagrant Queen and Inconceivable, alongside Catch Me A Killer and Dinner to Die For. Craig Fairbrass plays Chef Zeff Who is Chef Zeff? Chef Zeff is the head chef and owner of the Baratie, a floating restaurant. He's also essentially the father figure to Sanji, inspiring him to seek out the mystical All Blue. Where have I seen Craig Fairbrass before? Fairbrass is no stranger to some high-stakes action, having a long-running role in the Rise of the Footsoldier franchise — including Rise of the Footsoldier: Vengeance. He's also featured in EastEnders, A Violent Man and Villain. McKinley Belcher III plays Arlong Who is Arlong? If you thought Buggy was the oddest person you'd see on this list, think again. Arlong is none other than the captain and leader of the Arlong Pirates, the gang that Nami is originally a part of when we are introduced to her. Where have I seen McKinley Belcher III before? You may have seen him in Marriage Story or Mapplethorpe, but if you're an Ozark fan, you will definitely recognise him as Agent Trevor Evans. Check out more of our Fantasy 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.
Your ultimate guide to the Jujutsu Kaisen anime viewing order!
With season 3 on the way, now is an ideal time to catch up with the smash-hit anime series Jujutsu Kaisen! This hugely popular dark fantasy series is based on the manga by Gege Akutami, starring a high school student named Yuji, who gains magical powers and joins a secret society of sorcerers. In later arcs the plot focuses more on Yuji's mentor Gojo, and as we enter season 3, the anime is about halfway through adapting the manga's 30-volume run. Whether you're a fan of the manga, the anime adaptation, or both, you may be wondering which storylines have been covered so far. If so, you should check out this guide to watching every Jujutsu Kaisen arc in order, including some recent updates regarding what to expect from season 3. What arc is Jujutsu Kaisen currently in? Jujutsu Kaisen season 2 aired its final episode in December 2023, concluding the Shibuya Incident arc. In the manga, this storyline took place over seven volumes or 53 chapters, concluding in chapter 136. In season 3 the anime series is set to adapt the Culling Game arc, a lengthy battle royale storyline that fans have been anticipating for years. Every Jujutsu Kaisen arc in order Since the original manga published its final volume in 2024, fans know more or less what to expect from future seasons of the anime series - unless, of course, it radically departs from the source material. Here's our guide to the story arcs we've seen so far, covering the prequel movie Jujutsu Kaisen 0, and the first two seasons of the TV series: Cursed Child Arc - Jujutsu Kaisen 0 Chapters 0-1 to 0-4 / Jujutsu Kaisen 0: The Movie Season 1 Fearsome Womb Arc - Chapters 1-18 / Episodes 1-8 Vs. Mahito Arc - Chapters 19-31 / Episode 9-13 Kyoto Goodwill Event Arc - Chapters 32-54 / Episodes 14-21 Death Painting Arc - Chapters 55-64 / Episodes 22-24 Season 2 Gojo’s Past Arc/Hidden Inventory Arc - Chapters 65-79 / Episodes 25-29 Shibuya Incident Arc - Chapters 79-136 / Episodes 30 - 47 Itadori’s Extermination Arc - Chapters 137-143 / Episodes TBD Perfect Preparation Arc - Chapters 144-158 / Episodes TBD Culling Game Arc - Chapters 159-222 / Episodes TBD Shinjuku Showdown Arc - Chapter 223-267 / Episodes TBD Final act and epilogue - Chapter 268-271 / Episodes TBD This leaves us ready to begin the Culling Game arc in season 3, a storyline that ran for 62 chapters in its original format. View Green Video on the source website Jujutsu Kaisen season 3 is now confirmed to begin in January 2026, although the exact premiere date hasn't been announced yet. The show's creators also released a compilation movie in May 2025, covering the "Hidden Inventory/Premature Death" story arcs from season 2. And there's a Shibuya Incident compilation film on the way, jogging everyone's memory in time for season 3 next year. How to watch Jujutsu Kaisen season 2 in the UK You can stream Jujutsu Kaisen season 2 on Crunchyroll in the UK. You can catch Jujutsu Kaisen on Crunchyroll. Sign up to Crunchyroll from $7.99 per month with a 14-day free trial. Check out the rest of our Sci-Fi and Fantasy coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to see what’s on tonight. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Gintama can look a little confusing, but we promise it's easier than it looks to watch this sci-fi series.
Developed by creator Hideaki Sorachi in 2003, Gintama follows the a space samurai known as Gintoki Sakata, a self-established freelancer who works alongside his friends Shinpachi Shimura and Kagura in a store to help pay rent. Oh, and the Tokyo they live in has been conquered by aliens. Because why not? If that sounds a little wacky, then it's because it is. But that's what makes the series so memorable in the first place. Fun fact: Gintama is cited as one of the best-selling manga series of all time, with over 55 million copies in print alone. But it isn't just the manga that's popular. Gintama's anime, which began in December 2003 and only ended in June 2019, has had its home entertainment releases consistently in the top ten rankings of DVDs and Blu-rays. If that isn't worth bragging about, then we don't know what is. Gintama is also coming back in a major way with a brand new spin-off series: Gintama '3-Nen Z-Gumi Ginpachi-sensei. Its first trailer was revealed earlier in the year, but its launch is set to come sometime in October 2025. Of course, some fans may be wondering if you need to watch everything Gintama to understand it. If that's you, then you're in the right place. Read on to learn the best way to watch this expansive anime (though not quite as expansive as One Piece) in order. Should I watch Gintama in chronological order? Gintama can seem a little confusing initially due to all the slightly different wordings of each season, with some being cited as ‘sequel series’ – but in actuality, they’re all seasons of a singular show just branded slightly differently to reflect each season’s different tone and style. Here’s the best way to watch all of Gintama in order: Gintama episodes 1 - 57 Gintama: The Movie (this serves as a remake of episodes 58 - 61) Gintama episodes 62 - 201 Gintama’ episodes 1 - 51 Gintama’ Enchousen episodes 1 - 53 Gintama: The Movie: The Final Chapter: Be Forever Yorozuya Gintama° episodes 1 - 51 Gintama. episodes 1 - 12 Gintama.: Slip Arc episodes 1 - 13 Gintama.: Silver Soul Arc 1 - 26 Gintama: The Semi-Final Gintama: The Final What episodes of Gintama should I skip? Given how extensive the anime is in terms of episodes, there’s a surprisingly low number of episodes that serve as ‘filler’, but as always, there are at least a few that you can trim if you’re looking to get a straight-up story. The first two episodes of the original Gintama series are skippable because they’re more just celebrating that the manga has been adapted to anime, rather than setting up any kind of story. You can also skip episodes 58-61, as Gintama: The Movie exists, serving as a direct remake of that run of episodes. While you can still watch them if you like, The Movie has far better animation. Where can I watch Gintama in the UK? The best way to currently watch Gintama is through Crunchyroll. Otherwise, its seasons are available to purchase through Amazon on DVD and Blu-ray. View Green Video on the source website Check out more of our Anime 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.
Castlevania: Nocturne season 2 – Release date, trailer, latest news
When will we be going back to the castle?
It's almost time to return to one of Netflix's most popular anime franchises, Castlevania, in the form of Castlevania: Nocturne season 2! The hype is building even more with the recent release of a new trailer, as fans wait to see what's in store for Richter and the vampire hunters. For one thing, co-showrunner Kevin Kolde recently told Tudum that season 2 features "the biggest, craziest Castlevania fight scene ever", which is quite the promise given what has preceded it. This new season will see Richter and co joined by Alucard, as they race to stop Erzsebet Báthory's dark and terrible plans for the world. The series is loosely based on the popular Castlevania games, and like its predecessor has been praised for its visual style and its willingness to lean into some pretty gnarly violence. But when will season 2 be releasing on Netflix, and what can fans expect? Read on for everything we know about Castlevania: Nocturne season 2. Castlevania: Nocturne season 2 release date It was confirmed in December 2024 that the second season of Castlevania: Nocturne would debut on Thursday 16th January 2025. Seeing as the original Castlevania series was widely acclaimed as one of the best anime projects Netflix had produced in a while, and thanks to the rave reviews of the first season, Netflix officially announced on 6th October 2023 that Castlevania: Nocturne would be returning for a second season. The show was initially announced to be in development on Deadline on 16th April 2021, with reports stating that the show would be set during the French Revolution and would feature new characters, rather than continuing with the original troupe from Castlevania. Almost a full year later, at Netflix's 2022 Geeked Week, the title was unveiled as Castlevania: Nocturne. Another year later, we had the official cast announcement on 27th July 2023, and finally, the first season of Castlevania: Nocturne released onto Netflix 28th September 2023. This second season is arriving around 16 months later. Castlevania: Nocturne season 2 plot The official logline for Castlevania Nocturne season 2 is: "Now joined by the legendary Alucard, Richter Belmont and his band of vampire hunters are in a desperate race against time. "Erzsebet Báthory, the Vampire Messiah, who already seems invincible, seeks the full power of the goddess Sekhmet so she can plunge the world into endless darkness and terror." Castlevania: Nocturne season 2 cast There was a bit of a change-up behind the scenes for Castlevania: Nocturne – Clive Bradley has replaced Warren Ellis as the new writer for the series, with Kevin Kolde, who also was the co-executive producer on the original series, stepping in as the new showrunner. In terms of the cast, the following are expected to return for season 2: Edward Bluemel as Richter Belmont Pixie Davies as Maria Renard Thuso Mbedu as Annette Sydney James Harcourt as Edouard Nastassja Kinski as Tera Renard Zahn McClarnon as Olrox Franka Potente as Erzsebet Báthory/Sekhmet James Callis as Adrian 'Alucard' Tepes Richard Dormer as Emmanuel / The Abbot Iain Glen as Juste Belmont Aaron Neil as Mizrak Castlevania: Nocturne season 2 trailer You can watch the latest trailer for Castlevania: Nocturne season 2 right here: View oEmbed on the source website Castlevania: Nocturne season 1 is available to watch on Netflix. Season 2 will release on Thursday 16th January 2025. You can 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 Fantasy coverage or visit our TV Guide or Streaming Guide to find out what to watch tonight. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
The Apothecary Diaries season 2 release date, cast, latest news
The Apothecary Diaries season 2 is on its way!
Adapted from a Japanese light novel series, The Apothecary Diaries has grown into a multimedia phenomenon. At present, the original novels have inspired two manga adaptations and an ongoing anime series, with the anime set to begin its second season in 2025. Taking place in Tang dynasty China, The Apothecary Diaries is a historical mystery drama with a twist. Protagonist Maomao is a girl who was raised to become an apothecary, but her life is turned upside down when she's kidnapped and forced into indentured servitude. Working at the Imperial Palace, she winds up using her apothecary skills to solve mysteries, mentored by a powerful palace eunuch named Jinshi. Following its popular first season in 2023, The Apothecary Diaries anime will return for season 2 in 2025. Read on to learn everything we know about the upcoming second season! The Apothecary Diaries season 2 release date Season 2 of The Apothecary Diaries is set to premiere on Crunchyroll on 10th January 2025. The show's production studio TOHO Animation hasn't confirmed how many episodes will air this season, but it's expected to be somewhere in the region of 24 episodes - much like season 1. Is there a trailer for The Apothecary Diaries season 2? Crunchyroll has released a teaser trailer for The Apothecary Diaries season 2, promising plenty of enigmatic drama around the Imperial Palace. View oEmbed on the source website The Apothecary Diaries cast: Who's playing who? At present, the show's original Japanese voice cast are expected to return for season 2. This includes: Aoi Yûki as Maomao Kaiji Tang as Jinshi Katsuyuki Konishi as Gaoshun Hiroshi Yanaka as Luomen Megumi Toyoguchi as Hongniang You can catch The Apothecary Diaries season 1 on Crunchyroll 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.
Dragon Ball Daima: Release date, plot, trailer, latest news
A big return for some unexpectedly small heroes.
Great news for anime fans worldwide - Dragon Ball Daima is officially coming to Netflix! The streaming giant announced the huge news along with a release date for the upcoming series. The long-awaited series, which features work, story, and character designs from the late Dragon Ball creator Akira Toriyama, will see Goku, Supreme Kai, Glorio, and Panzy journey into a mysterious world. The trailer gave us a big hint about what to expect, including some new and returning characters. Read on to learn everything we know about Dragon Ball Daima, including plot details, returning cast, and release date. Dragon Ball Daima release date Dragon Ball Daima will start on Crunchyroll on 11th October. It'll be coming to Netflix shortly afterwards – on 14th October in Asia and globally on 18th October. An announcement from the streaming giant reads: "Dragon Ball DAIMA is coming to Netflix! "Prepare for a new Dragon Ball adventure as Goku, Supreme Kai, Glorio, and Panzy journey into a mysterious world! With original work, story, and character design by Akira Toriyama. Starting October 14 in Asia, and globally on October 18 — release date may vary by country." View oEmbed on the source website Who will be in Dragon Ball Daima? While the voice cast is unknown, we do know that the following characters will appear in Dragon Ball Daima: Goku Bulma Chi-Chi Piccolo Mr Satan Krillin Android 18 Marron Yamcha Oolong Puar Supreme Kai Master Roshi What is the plot of Dragon Ball Daima? A synopsis for the anime reads: "Due to a conspiracy, Goku and his friends are turned small. In order to fix things, they'll head off to a new world! "It's a grand adventure with intense action in an unknown and mysterious world. Since Goku has to make up for his petite size, he uses his Nyoibo (Power Pole) to fight, something not seen in a long time." Is there a trailer for Dragon Ball Daima? Yes! The most recent trailer for Dragon Ball Daima can be seen below: View oEmbed on the source website Dragon Ball Daima will be released in October 2024. 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 release date, cast, plot, trailer, latest news
Big fan of Pacific Rim or Godzilla? Missing your big monster fix? Well, Crunchyroll has the anime for you - Kaiju No. 8. Despite the manga having begun just a few short years ago, in 2020, Kaiju No. 8 has quickly escalated through the ranks - and currently has over 11,000,000 copies in circulation. It's no surprise that an anime adaptation was soon on the way afterwards, then, and with the manga receiving laudable praise for its unique premise, well-written characters and striking artwork, we expect the anime will be a monster-sized hit too. Here's everything we know about Kaiju No. 8, including release dates, trailer and cast. Kaiju No. 8 release date Kaiju No. 8 is very nearly here - and will hit Crunchyroll on 13th April 2024. New episodes will be available weekly on Saturdays at 3pm BST. View oEmbed on the source website Dubs will also be released in multiple different languages - English, Latin American Spanish, Portuguese, German, French, Italian, Castilian Spanish, Hindi, Tamil and Telugu. Ahead of the season premiere, fans have been given sneak peeks at the show on social media - and it looks completely epic. Kaiju No. 8 cast The following cast members are set to appear in Kaiju No. 8: Masaya Fukunishi as Kafka Hibino/Kaiju No. 8 Asami Seto as Mina Ashiro Wataru Katoh as Reno Ichikawa Fairouz Ai as Kikoru Shinomiya Kengo Kawanishi as Soshiro Hoshina Yuki Shin as Iharu Furuhashi Keisuke Komoto as Haruichi Izumo Shunsuke Takeuchi as Aoi Kaguragi What is the plot of Kaiju No. 8? The official synopsis for Kaiju No. 8 reads: "In a world plagued by creatures known as Kaiju, Kafka Hibino aspired to enlist in The Defense Force. "He makes a promise to enlist with his childhood friend, Mina Ashiro. Soon, life takes them in separate ways. "While employed cleaning up after Kaiju battles, Kafka meets Reno Ichikawa. Reno’s determination to join The Defense Force reawakens Kafka’s promise to join Mina and protect humanity." Series creator Naoya Matsumoto was also present at Crunchyroll's industry panel at the 2023 New York Comic Con panel, and more than happy to give audiences a little explanation into the inner workings of the series: "[Kaiju No. 8] is a story about someone struggling in a harsh world without ever giving up, in the hopes of leading people into an even slightly brighter future. "To anyone dealing with the complexities of reality that reads this manga, I hope it can help make your future a little brighter, too." The basic outline of Kaiju No. 8 is actually a little similar to Spider-Man – 32-year-old Kafka Hibino is a blue-collar worker who dreams of a more aspirational life, fighting alongside his longtime friend Mina Ashiro. However, he's instead tasked with cleaning toilets. That is, until he accidentally finds himself at the centre of a life-changing accident that gives him the ability to transform into a human-like kaiju. Basically, instead of Spider-Man, he's Godzilla-Man. The series is being directed by Shigeyuki Miya (director and character designer of Onihei; director of The Kawai Complex Guide to Manors and Hostel Behavior) and Tomomi Kamiya (Yotsuiro Biyori). Kaiju No. 8 trailer The latest trailer for Kaiju No. 8 can be seen below: View oEmbed on the source website Kaiju No. 8 is coming to Crunchyroll on 13th April 2024. Check out more of our anime coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to see what's on tonight. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Avatar: The Last Airbender live-action cast – Full list of characters
Netflix's new live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender has come to an explosive end, setting up a second season. The Netflix show, based on the original Nickelodeon cartoon, features an all-new cast led by Gordon Cormier, who takes on the role of Aang, the young airbender who comes to discover he's the Avatar – the one person capable of mastering all four elements. Meanwhile, Daniel Dae Kim plays Fire Lord Ozai, ruler of the Fire Nation, while Elizabeth Yu portrays Azula, and Kiawentiio appears as Katara. Fans of the original cartoon will likely be wondering how the live-action cast compares to their cartoon counterparts – and there have certainly been some changes made to the characters we know and love. Here's everything you need to know about the cast of Avatar: The Last Airbender's incredible live-action cast as the Netflix series arrives. Alternatively, why not read more about that ending, as we break it down with the help of some of the incredible cast, or check out our review to find out what we thought and how the new series compares with the original. Avatar: The Last Airbender cast - Who stars in the live-action series? Gordon Cormier as Aang Kiawentiio as Katara Ian Ousley as Sokka Dallas Liu as Zuko Daniel Dae Kim as Fire Lord Ozai Paul Sun-Hyung Lee as Uncle Iroh Elizabeth Yu as Azula Ken Leung as Commander Zhao Amber Midthunder as Princess Yue Lim Kay Siu as Gyatso Arden Cho as June Maria Zhang as Suki Danny Pudi as The Mechanist Ruy Iskander as Lt Jee Tamlyn Tomita as Yukari Casey Camp-Horinek as Gran Gran George Takei as Koh A Martinez as Pakku Irene Bedard as Yagoda Joel Oulette as Hahn Utkarsh Ambudkar as King Bumi Nathaniel Arcand as Chief Arnook Meegwun Fairbrother as Avatar Kuruk Yvonne Chapman as Avatar Kyoshi CS Lee as Avatar Roku Lucian-River Chauhan as Teo Momona Tamada as Ty Lee Thalia Tran as Mai Ryan Mah as Lt Dang Hiro Kanagawa as Fire Lord Sozin François Chau as The Great Sage Randall Duk Kim as Wan Shi Tong Gordon Cormier plays Aang Who is Aang? Aang is none other than the titular Last Airbender, who was frozen in a big old block of ice until Katara and Sokka come across him, thawing him out and setting in motion some pretty epic and near cataclysmic events (though that's not Aang's fault). It's quite a culture shock for Aang to discover that he is the last of his tribe and that the Fire Nation now rule supreme, and he sets out with the help of Sokka and Katara to end the war, and restore the balance once and for all. Recently opening up to RadioTimes.com about taking on the character, Cormier said: "I definitely wanted to keep Aang's energy and I think the show is very dedicated to the cartoon and that's basically what our script was made out of." However, he added that there are limitations when it comes to playing Aang in live-action. He said: "I feel like Aang has changed in the sense that his face can't do all these crazy things. I remember in the Ember Islands, all the characters, when they see it, their faces go wild. In live-action form, you can't really do that." Where have I seen Gordon Cormier before? You probably don't know Gordon from much at all - outside of the 2020 TV adaptation of Stephen King's The Stand, Avatar: The Last Airbender looks poised to be Cormier's big worldwide debut onto everyone's screens. Daniel Dae Kim plays Fire Lord Ozai Who is Fire Lord Ozai? Ozai is the MVP of the Fire Nation, ruling over the destructive tribe as their sole, tyrannical leader. He's also the father to Zuko and Azula, and of course, Iroh's younger brother. It's clear that the Fire Nation is something of a dysfunctional family, but you don't want to cross Fire Lord Ozai as it's made clear many times in the animated series - and in the new live-action show. Speaking to RadioTimes.com, Kim said of his approach to Fire Lord Ozai: "What was really interesting to me about Ozai was a couple of things. "One was his role as a father. As one myself, and as someone who has tried to guide two children – two boys, in fact – the choices that Ozai made were the start for me in exploring the character. What were his intentions? Where did they go wrong? What does he want for this character? What, in the end, does he really want from Zuko?" Kim added: "I started there and I also explored his own sense of ambition – why does he want to throw this world out of harmony? Why does he want to throw it out of balance so much? What is the source of this desire to conquer the entire world? "I looked to our politicians and our political situation to start that exploration." Where have I seen Daniel Dae Kim before? Kim has actually been involved in The Last Airbender before, having voiced the role of General Fong in Book 2 of the anime, alongside The Legend of Korra where he voiced Hiroshi Sato. Outside of the Airbender universe, he's appeared in David Harbour's Hellboy reboot, portrayed Johnny Gat in the Saints Row videogame series, starred as Jin-Soo Kwan in Lost, and of course, squared off against Freddie Highmore in The Good Doctor. Kiawentiio plays Katara Who is Katara? Katara, alongside her brother, is one of the few remaining water benders adrift and in search of a new home after the fall out from a vicious Fire Nation attack, which left the pair without a mother. While Aang is the most physically powerful, it's undeniable that Katara is the emotional powerhouse of the troupe, keeping the trio anchored and making sure that above all else, they're getting what they need to done. Chatting to RadioTimes.com about how Katara and Sokka's characters develop, Kiawentiio said: "I remember that we wanted to touch on the conflicts of siblings. "I remember Albert [Kim, showrunner] wanting that to be included a lot. They're on this path growing together but they have such different identities, they're going through their own things, they're bumping heads. It's almost like they're trying to out-leader each other." Where have I seen Kiawentiio before? Similar to her co-star Cormier, Kiawentiio is another upcoming actress, best known for her role in season 3 of Anne with an E before this. She was one of 200 indigenous Canadian actresses to audition for that role, making it clear that she's someone to watch as she steps into the role of Katara. Ian Ousley plays Sokka Who is Sokka? Sokka is the slightly headstrong older brother of Katara who tries to protect her whenever he can. At one point, he attempted to become the pseudo-leader of their tribe after their father went off to war, but was unsuccessful in becoming the full leader. While he lacks the emotional intelligence of his sister, he more than makes up for it in his courage and willingness to do what is right for others. Previously chatting about how his character will differ, Ousley and co-star Kiawentiio suggested Sokka is less "sexist" in the new series. Kiawentiio told Entertainment Weekly: "I feel like we also took out the element of how sexist [Sokka] was. I feel like there were a lot of moments in the original show that were iffy. There are things that were redirected just because it might play a little differently [in live-action]." Co-star Ousley concurred: "There's more weight with realism in every way." Where have I seen Ian Ousley before? Before being cast as Sokka, Ousley had stints on Apple TV+'s Physical, Disney+'s Big Shot, 13 Reasons Why and Young Sheldon. Much like his co-stars, this appears to be his big worldwide break. Dallas Liu plays Zuko Who is Zuko? A former member of the Fire Nation tribe, actually the Crown Prince and the son of Fire Lord Ozai and temporarily exiled, Zuko is something of a hot-head (pun intended) who is set out on a quest to capture the one thing that threatens the Fire Nation's dominance - the Avatar. Accompanied by his Uncle Iroh, Zukko plays a pivotal role in Aang, Sokka and Katara's journey, firstly as a clear and present danger to their quest - but as the world evolves, some enemies becomes friends, and some friends may even become foes. Chatting to RadioTimes.com about the complexity of his character, Liu said: "I think as far as Zuko's father, I wanted to show the relationship - even though they don't really interact in our series, except during a flashback - I wanted to show how much he really does admire and trust his father. He's obviously so unaware that his father is this terrible person. "It shows how blinded he is in his journey that you see with Uncle Iroh." Where have I seen Dallas Liu before? Liu is no stranger to adaptations, with his first ever acting role in the film adaptation of Tekken, after being referred to the audition process by one of his martial arts teachers. From there, he's played roles in Hulu comedy PEN15 as well as hit Marvel Cinematic Universe entry Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, as Katy's younger brother, Ruihua. Paul Sun-Hyung Lee plays Uncle Iroh Who is Uncle Iroh? Uncle Iroh is a bit of an outlier within the Fire Nation, and especially within Zuko's family, being the older brother of Fire Lord Ozai. Unlike the rest of the fiery family, he keeps a constant level head, and is often understand as Zuko's guiding light, like an emotional safety net keeping him from falling into the eternal hellfire of anger and evil that has consumed his father. Iroh plays a very important role as the series develops, especially as it begins to reach the endgame of the ultimate showdown between the Avatar and Fire Nation - but to say how would be too big a spoiler. Chatting to RadioTimes.com, Lee said he would have liked to see Ozai and Iroh's brotherhood explored slightly more. He said: "It's a very interesting relationship that isn't really mentioned in the animated series as well. You know the history - that Iroh was next in line to be the Fire Lord and he suffers a tremendous loss when his son is killed, Iroh completely withdraws, lets his younger brother usurp him and take the crown so to speak, and he goes on a different path, he's labelled a coward by the members of the Fire Nation and he's really happy to just get out of the spotlight. In that moment there's a certain amount of introspect where he figures out who he is and what he wants. He sees the errors in the way he used to believe. "He was very much the Dragon of the West... When he suffers that loss, that gives him a pause and that shift in perspective leads him to his joint exile with the crown prince Zuko as a replacement for the son that he lost. "He prioritises these relationships, family, compassion, kindness, as things he thinks can only bring balance and peace back to the world." Where have I seen Paul Sun-Hyung Lee before? You likely recognise Lee from the television adaptation of Kim's Convenience, where he plays family patriarch Appa - this was the role in which he rose to fame, winning multiple Canadian Screen Awards for his heartwarming-but-hilarious portrayal. He's also appeared in Disney's The Mandalorian and Ahsoka as Captain Carson Teva, as well as the reboot of Degrassi: The Next Generation. Elizabeth Yu plays Azula Who is Azula? If Zuko is closer to Iroh, then Azula is definitely closer to Ozai. An incredible mastermind of not only firebending, but war tactics, psychological torment, and much more, Azula is set upon by her father to retrieve Zuko and Iroh from their own quest to capture Aang. There's an inherent deceptiveness and evil to Azula that constantly lurks just beneath her every sentence or every action - as her own brother says, she always lie. Fans of the anime know just how true this is - live-action fans, you've got a lot to learn. Speaking to RadioTimes.com, Yu explained: "I think it was really important for me to be able to showcase the amazing writing of her origin story that we have in this first season and all these new layers that we're able to add onto her story. "I think being able to see her dynamic with her dad while Zuko is out trying to find the Avatar and also her friends and that vulnerability that she has with these people specifically before she gets released out into the world, that was the most fun part." Where have I seen Elizabeth Yu before? Yu recently starred in May December alongside Charles Melton and Julianne Moore as one of their children, Mary Artherton-Yoo. Apart from that, she's almost completely brand-new onto the scene of acting, making her debut as Azula something that could cause her to explode onto the scene with a fiery brilliance. Ken Leung plays Commander Zhao Who is Commander Zhao? Zuko isn't the only person chasing after Aang, there's also Commander Zhao. Another contingency plan put into place by Ozai, Commander Zhao is your classic evil soldier - he's ambitious, ruthless, confident to the point of arrogance and willing to annihilate anyone in his way in order to achieve his goals. Sound familiar to another well-placed official in the Fire Nation? Zuko and Zhao butt heads multiple times over the course of the series, both in their pursuit for Aang and their bitter hatred for one another, proving that while the Fire Nation as a whole is a powerful, dominant force, there's more than a little dissent in the ranks. Where have I seen Ken Leung before? Leung's recent film work includes M Night Shyamalan's beach-based horror Old and screenlife thriller Missing, but he's much more known for his work on the small screen including bullish businessman Eric Tao on Industry (above), The Blacklist, The Night Shift, and lending his voice to HBO Max's Velma. Amber Midthunder plays Princess Yue Who is Princess Yue? Princess Yue is the princess of the Northern Water Tribe, and ends up entangled with Sokka. Their connection grows after Zhao arrives in the area, and she plays a vital role throughout the first major storyline of The Last Airbender series. Where have I seen Amber Midthunder before? Most people probably know Midthunder as the incredibly striking Naru in Dan Trachtenberg's Prey, and prior to that, she featured in Roswell, New Mexico as well as FX's Legion. She's on a roll when it comes to bigger, more fantastic parts - as is clear with the live-action adaptation of The Last Airbender. Lim Kay Siu plays Gyatso Who is Gyatso? Gyatso is Aang's guardian and mentor during his childhood and a member of the Council of Elders. He's also one of the greatest airbenders. Aang constantly calls on his wisdom during his journey as the Avatar. Where have I seen Lim Kay Siu before? Lim is best known for his role in the movie Night Watch alongside Pierce Brosnan and Alexandra Paul. He's also appeared in Anna and the King and is well known for his roles in several Singaporean films. Danny Pudi plays The Mechanist Who is The Mechanist? The Mechanist is an inventor who Aang, Sokka and Katara meet at a crucial time. But is there more to him than meets the eye? Where have I seen Danny Pudi before? Pudi is best known for his role as Abed Nadir in Community, as well as roles in Mythic Quest and DuckTales. Arden Cho plays June Who is June? June is a bounty hunter who travels the Earth Kingdom and Fire Nation. Where have I seen Arden Cho before? Cho is best known for playing Kira Yukimura in Teen Wolf and Ingrid Yun in Netflix's Partner Track. Utkarsh Ambudkar plays King Bumi Who is King Bumi? King Bumi is the elderly king of Omashu – and someone Aang knows very well. Where have I seen Utkarsh Ambudkar before? Ambudkar is known for roles in Pitch Perfect, Blindspotting, Brittany Runs a Marathon and Tick, Tick...Boom! Meegwun Fairbrother plays Avatar Kuruk Who is Avatar Kuruk? Kurk is one of the past Avatars, who Aang meets in the Spirit World. He is after advice from his predecessor – but just how helpful he'll be is another matter. Where have I seen Meegwun Fairbrother before? Canadian actor Fairbrother is known for roles in series like Skymed, D dot H, Helix, and Hemlock Grove. Yvonne Chapman plays Avatar Kyoshi Who is Avatar Kyoshi? Kyoshi is another of the past Avatars that Aang asks for advice. Where have I seen Yvonne Chapman before? Chapman is also known for the series Street Legal, Kung Fu, and Family Law. CS Lee plays Avatar Roku Who is Avatar Roku? Roku is also a past Avatar who Aang goes to for help. Where have I seen CS Lee before? Lee is known for roles including Dr Ba in The Sopranos, and Vince Masuka in Dexter. He'll also appear in season 6 of Cobra Kai. Lucian-River Chauhan plays Teo Who is Teo? The mechanist's high-flying son. Where have I seen Lucian-River Chauhan before? He has previously appeared in a handful of TV series, including Jane and Heartland. Momona Tamada plays Ty Lee Who is Ty Lee? An energetic teenager. She is one of Princess Azula's best friends. Where have I seen Monona Tamada before? Fans will likely recognise Tamada from her breakout role as Claudia Kishi in season two of Netflix's The Baby-Sitters Club. Thalia Tran plays Mai Who is Mai? Another one of Princess Azura's closest friends. Where have I seen Thalia Tran before? Tran has previously appeared in Station 19 and Council of Dads. Avatar: The Last Airbender is available to stream on Netflix now. You can check out the best series on Netflix, best movies on Netflix or visit out TV Guide for more to watch. Try Radio Times magazine today and get 10 issues for only £10 – subscribe now. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Avatar: The Last Airbender: Release date, trailer for Netflix series
Time to start getting obsessed with Avatar: The Last Airbender again – the Netflix live-action version is almost here! The live-action series will revamp the iconic story with an all-new cast, including Gordon Cormier, who's starring as Aang, as well as the incredible Daniel Dae Kim, who's taking on the role of the villainous Fire Lord Ozai. The final trailer for the series has been released and gives us a glimpse at Avatar Kyoshi, who tells Aang that he must master the Avatar state and hints at just how powerful the youngster will become. Read on to learn everything we know about Avatar: The Last Airbender live-action, including release date, cast and the latest trailer. Avatar: The Last Airbender live-action release date Avatar: The Last Airbender live-action will drop on Netflix on Thursday 22nd February 2024. It's a small way the show is paying homage to the original, which was released on 21st February 2005. Last year, we got our first look at Netflix's live-action series at its TUDUM event in Brazil, introduced by none other than the quartet of main stars, who teed up their exciting teaser. Since then, we've had another update from Netflix on 17th October 2023, with some beautiful first-look stills at some of the characters, as well as our first release window. Avatar: The Last Airbender live-action stars While the animated series had an incredible bunch of stars featuring Mark Hamill and Mae Whitman, the Netflix live-action adaptation has set its sights on a batch of well-known and fresh faces to give us what looks to be a strikingly life-like comparison to their animated counterparts. The series stars: Gordon Cormier as Avatar Aang Dallas Liu as Prince Zuko Kiawentiio Tarbell as Katara Ian Ousley as Sokka Paul Sun-Hyung Lee as General Iroh Daniel Dae Kim as Fire Lord Ozai Hiro Kanagawa as Fire Lord Sozin Ken Leung as Commander Zhao Maria Zhang as Suki Elizabeth Yu as Princess Azula Casey Camp-Horinek as Gran Gran Amber Midthunder as Princess Yue Arden Cho as June Danny Pudi as the Mechanist A Martinez as Pakku Irene Bedard as Yagoda Joel Oulette as Hahn Nathaniel Arcand as Chief Arnook Meegwun Fairbrother as Avatar Kuruk Tamlyn Tomita as Yukari Yvonne Chapman as Avatar Kyoshi Utkarsh Ambudkar as King Bumi CS Lee as Avatar Roku Lucian-River Chauhan as Teo James Sie as the Cabbage Merchant Ruy Iskandar as Lt Jee Momona Tamada as Ty Lee Thalia Tran as Mai Ryan Mah as Lt Dang François Chau as The Great Sage Lim Kay Siu as Gyatso George Takei as Koh Randall Duk Kim as Wan Shi Tong New star Cormier said of the series: "Avatar: The Last Airbender live action I feel like is going to bring everything you know and love about the original series back to life. "And hopefully [it will] just bring a bunch of new fans who have never heard [of] the show before into this universe, and to me that’s pretty exciting. I’m a fan of the show personally, and I’m just as excited for this as you guys are." Meanwhile, Katara star Kiawentiio Tarbell recently gave us an insight as to what we can expect from her on-screen brother, Sokka (played by Ian Ousley). She said: "I feel like we also took out the element of how sexist [Sokka] was. I feel like there were a lot of moments in the original show that were iffy. There are things that were redirected just because it might play a little differently [in live-action]." View Green Video on the source website Co-star Ousley concurred: "There's more weight with realism in every way." Kim also recently opened up to RadioTimes.com about his villain, Fire Lord Ozai. He said: "What was really interesting to me about Ozai was a couple of things. "One was his role as a father. As one myself, and as someone who has tried to guide two children – two boys, in fact – the choices that Ozai made were the start for me in exploring the character. What were his intentions? Where did they go wrong? What does he want for this character? What, in the end, does he really want from Zuko?" Kim added: "I started there and I also explored his own sense of ambition – why does he want to throw this world out of harmony? Why does he want to throw it out of balance so much? What is the source of this desire to conquer the entire world? I looked to our politicians and our political situation to start that exploration." Avatar: The Last Airbender live-action plot We expect that the first season of Netflix's live-action adaptation will take inspiration from the first season of the animated show, and based on Netflix's synopsis, which you can read below, that seems to be the case. "Water. Earth. Fire. Air. The four nations once lived in harmony, with the Avatar, master of all four elements, keeping peace between them. But everything changed when the Fire Nation attacked and wiped out the Air Nomads, the first step taken by the firebenders towards conquering the world. With the current incarnation of the Avatar yet to emerge, the world has lost hope. "But like a light in the darkness, hope springs forth when Aang, a young Air Nomad – and the last of his kind – reawakens to take his rightful place as the next Avatar. "Alongside his newfound friends Sokka and Katara, siblings and members of the Southern Water Tribe, Aang embarks on a fantastical, action-packed quest to save the world and fight back against the fearsome onslaught of Fire Lord Ozai. "But with a driven Crown Prince Zuko determined to capture them, it won’t be an easy task. They’ll need the help of the many allies and colourful characters they meet along the way." The cast recently chatted to RadioTimes.com, teasing just how faithful the series will be. <img src="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2024/02/AVTR00848marketingstills20240110.jpgAVTR00848marketingstills20240110-9f4c9cf.jpg" width="3600" height="2400" alt="Ian Ousley as Sokka, Gordon Cormier as Aang, Kiawentiio as Katara in Netflix's Avatar: The Last Airbender" title="Ian Ousley as Sokka, Gordon Cormier as Aang, Kiawentiio as Katara in Netflix's Avatar: The Last Airbender" /> Lizzy Yu, who plays Azula, said: "I feel like this is the first time we've ever gotten to see these action scenes so big and lively like this. Everybody loves the original action scenes from the show because they are so dramatic and I feel like in our show, we do capture that, the gravity of what they're all fighting for and also it looks so cool." Ken Leung, who plays Commander Zhao, added: "When you have animation, it's two-dimensional, there's all this stuff you can do that you cannot do [in live-action], but when it is live-action, you bring in human energies – the chemical combination of two human beings and that cannot be replicated in a drawing. "I hope fans who love the animation will take that creative leap with us and embrace that newness to it." How many episodes will Avatar: The Last Airbender consist of? The live-action series of Avatar: The Last Airbender will consist of eight episodes. Directors will include Michael Goi, Jabbar Raisani, Roseanne Liang, and Jet Wilkinson. Is there a trailer for Avatar: The Last Airbender live-action? Yes! The final trailer for Avatar: The Last Airbender hints at just how powerful Aang will become as he attempts to master all four elements Check it out below: View oEmbed on the source website Avatar: The Last Airbender is coming to Netflix on 22nd February 2024. You can check out the best series on Netflix, best movies on Netflix or visit out TV Guide for more to watch. Try Radio Times magazine today and get 10 issues for only £10 – subscribe now. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Masters of the Universe: Revolution – Release date and latest news
It's felt like an age since the follow up to Masters of the Universe: Revelation, subtitled Revolution, was announced back in 2022, but finally, it's almost here. Masters of the Universe: Revolution, which continues Kevin Smith's follow-up to the original 1983-1985 series He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, will arrive on Netflix this week, following its critically acclaimed predecessor. Chris Wood, Mark Hamill, Liam Cunningham, Lena Headey, Tony Todd and more will be returning to their roles, while new stars joining the series include iconic Star Trek actor William Shatner. But when will the animated series be streaming on Netflix, who does it star and what is it about? Read on for everything we know about Masters of the Universe: Revolution. Masters of the Universe: Revolution release date Masters of the Universe: Revolution will be released on Thursday 25th January 2024. The initial announcement for the sequel series was made during Netflix's Geeked Week 2022. Rob David, executive producer and Mattel vice president recently said of the series: "We’ve been building to this ultimate battle [between He-Man and Skeletor]. "Their battle, especially in Revolution, encapsulates every theme of Masters of the Universe: magic vs technology, good vs evil, self-empowerment vs duty to others. It’s all there in every punch." Masters of the Universe: Revolution cast – Who's returning? Typically, you would expect most of the voice cast of a sequel series to stay the same, and to an extent that's true - we have Chris Wood returning as He-Man, as well as Mark Hamill returning as Skeletor. However, there are some changes and newcomers, with William Shatner being cast in an as-yet undisclosed role, Meg Foster cast as new character Motherboard, the ancient sorceress of technology, and Keith David cast as Hordak, leader of the Evil horde. This actually marks a return for Foster to the He-Man universe, having originally played Evil-Lyn in the 1987 live-action version. Meanwhile, Melissa Benoist is taking over Sarah Michelle Gellar's role as Teela in the sequel series, while Diedrich Bader, Liam Cunningham, Lena Headey, Griffin Newman, Tiffany Smith, Tony Todd will be returning, having starred in Revelation. What's the plot of Masters of the Universe: Revolution? Masters of the Universe: Revolution is picking up just after the 2021 series, exploring the climatic conflicts surrounding He-Man and Skeletor's continuing rivalry for rulership over Eternia, with Meg Foster's Motherboard one of the latest creations by Hordak, who He-Man fans will know from the original 1980s She-Ra animated series. The official synopsis for the series says: "It’s technology versus magic when He-Man and the heroic warriors face the forces of Skeletor and something more in Masters of the Universe: Revolution – the new epic chapter in the battle for Castle Grayskull! The newly mechanised Skeletor, armed with the might of Motherboard, attacks the heart of Eternia while Prince Adam grapples with a new responsibility and what that means for him as He-Man! Adam is forced to choose between the scepter or the sword, and a life as either the King or the Champion! "Meanwhile, the new Sorceress Teela searches for the secret of Snake Magic in the mists of Darksmoke to rebuild a magic realm and help He-Man hold off the greatest threat Eternia has ever faced: the return of the despot Hordak, the ruthless leader of the Horde Empire!" Masters of the Universe: Revolution trailer You can watch the full trailer for Masters of the Universe: Revolution right here: View oEmbed on the source website Masters of the Universe: Revolution will be released on Thursday 25th January 2024. Masters of the Universe: Revelation – Part One and Two are both available to watch on Netflix. Sign up for Netflix from £4.99 a month. Netflix is also available on Sky Glass and Virgin Media Stream. Visit our Sci-fi and Fantasy hubs for more news and features, or find something to watch with our TV Guide. Try Radio Times magazine today and get 10 issues for only £10 – subscribe now. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Spy x Family season 2 release schedule: When is the final episode out?
Everyone's favourite spy family is back for another fantastic season in Spy X Family season 2. Part of the reason why everyone has fallen in love with the Forger family is the mashup between the absurd comedy and humour alongside its classic, retro spy comedy feel, and it's not hard to see why. Having quickly rocketed to the top of many people's Top Animes of 2022 lists, people have been dying to know just when we can expect a season 2. Finally, season 2 of Spy x Family began on Saturday 7th October 2023, and not only do have season 2 to look forward to, but also the announced movie Spy x Family Code: White, releasing on Friday 22nd December 2023. Here's everything we know about Spy x Family season 2's release schedule. When is season 2 episode 13 of Spy x Family released? The final episode of Season 2 of Spy x Family, titled ‘Part of the Family’ was released on Crunchyroll on Saturday 23rd December 2023. Spy x Family season 2 release schedule This is the expected release schedule for Spy x Family season 2, with the episodes dropping weekly on Crunchyroll. Episode 1 - 'Follow Mama and Papa' - Saturday 7th October (out now) Episode 2 - 'Bond's Strategy to Stay Alive / Damian's Field Research Trip' - Saturday 14th October (out now) Episode 3 - 'Mission and Family / The Elegant Bondsman / The Heart of a Child/Waking Up' - Saturday 21st October (Out Now) Episode 4 - ‘The Pastry of Knowledge / The Informant's Great Romance Plan II’ - Saturday 28th October (Out Now) Episode 5 - ‘Plan to Cross the Border’ - Saturday November 4th November (Out Now) Episode 6 - ‘The Fearsome Luxury Cruise Ship’ - Saturday 11th November (Out Now) Episode 7 - 'Who Is This Mission For?' - Saturday 18th November (Out Now) Episode 8 - 'The Symphony Upon the Ship' - Saturday 25th November (Out Now) Episode 9 - 'The Hand That Connects to the Future' - Saturday 2nd December (Out Now) Episode 10 - 'Enjoy the Resort to the Fullest / Bragging About Vacation' - Saturday 9th December (Out Now) Episode 11 - 'Berlint in Love / Nightfall's Daily Life' - Saturday 16th December (Out Now) Episode 12 - 'Part of the Family' Saturday 23rd December (Out Now) How to watch Spy x Family season 2 in the UK Spy x Family season 2 is available to watch on Crunchyroll in the UK. What time are new episodes of Spy x Family released? New episodes of Spy x Family are typically released on Crunchyroll soon after the episode's release in Japan, typically late Saturday night or early Sunday morning. How many episodes will there be in Spy x Family season 2? Unlike the first season which featured 25 episodes, it's been confirmed that Spy x Family season 2 will only feature 12 episodes. View Green Video on the source website You can catch Spy x Family season 2 on Crunchyroll. Check out the rest of our Sci-Fi and Fantasy coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to see what’s on tonight. Try Radio Times magazine today and get 10 issues for only £10, PLUS a £10 John Lewis and Partners voucher delivered to your home – subscribe now. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Shaun the Sheep co-creator reveals the series almost didn't happen
Peter Lord recently spoke to RadioTimes.com about the history of Aardman Animations.
When it comes to iconic Aardman Animations characters, after Wallace & Gromit, Shaun the Sheep isn’t far behind. First introduced in the Wallace & Gromit short A Close Shave back in 1996, Shaun had his first full solo outing in 2007, with the first season of his self-titled spin-off show. Since then, there have been over 150 episodes, two movies, an adorable spin-off - Timmy Time - for toddlers, video games and live theatre. Shaun has even been to space, having been one of the lucky passengers on Artemis 1 back in 2022, as part of the European Space Agency's work. While it’s clear now how remarkably universal the fusion of Aardman’s warm humour with the everyday farmyard antics is, not everyone was sure that the studio could pull off the strong, silent approach in the beginning. Speaking exclusively to RadioTimes.com during a recent in-depth chat about the studio's 50-year history, Aardman co-founder Peter Lord revealed that not everyone was sure about the mischievous mute sheep at the beginning. Read more: Wallace & Gromit creators look back on 5 decades of Aardman Animations Chicken Run sequel director explains hidden Wallace & Gromit reference "There were naysayers with Shaun the Sheep," he explained. "There were people that said, 'You can’t make a series without any words, you know, that’s not possible.' "And then subsequently they said, 'You can’t make a movie with characters that don’t say any words!' And in both cases, we did, and people loved it." According to the Science and Media Museum, Shaun the Sheep has actually gone on to become Aardman’s most successful animated character in the history of the company, having been broadcast in over 170 different countries, while stage shows of the farm have been put on in the likes of Cairo, Saudi Arabia and Qatar. In Japan, an exhibition set within the world of Shaun the Sheep garnered over 30,000 people in just five days. Little sheep, big audience. "Had you asked them, 'Do you want a series without any words in?' they may not have said yes," Lord continued. "But when they see it, when they see the potential – that’s the joy of art, isn’t it?" View Green Video on the source website Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget 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 Film coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to see what's on tonight. Try Radio Times magazine today and get 10 issues for only £10 – subscribe now. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Wallace & Gromit creators look back on 5 decades of Aardman Animations
Nick Park and Peter Lord discuss the studio's legacy as its latest film Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget arrives on Netflix.
'Is Aardman running out of clay?' was the worry on every British person's mind not too long after a Daily Telegraph report came out claiming such a horror – fortunately, the fears of a clay drought weren't entirely founded. "It is true that we heard that production was going to cease so we basically just stockpiled," Peter Lord laughs during an exclusive interview with RadioTimes.com. "We stockpiled! So wherever you go around the studio, there's piles of modelling clay wherever you look." As Lord explains, the clay houses Aardman are in touch with are developing vats of clay by the 100 kilos, and while they do need some clay, their heroes' pint-sized appearances mean it's much less than you'd expect. "I mean... how many chickens are there in Dawn of the Nugget? I think it's around 300 or something. So it's not a very, very large number." The animation studio was co-founded in 1972 by Peter Lord and David Sproxton, with little plasticine bundle of joy Morph bouncing into the world in 1977. When you watch the early one-minute Morph shorts, everything Aardman has come to be known for is right there – its universal, charming humour anchored by a character with such vivid humanity it truly feels alive. In that same year, Aardman created Down and Out for the BBC – its first foray into adult animation, using vox pop recordings and animating them – the Animated Conversations and Conversation Pieces series would lay the groundwork for the iconic Creature Comforts, yet another idea with infinite steam to keep going, as Park agrees: "The joy of Creature Comforts is that it's the sort of thing that can run and run, as we will never run out of people to interview." All of this tinkering with adult animation led Aardman to a most unexpected place: 1980s Yugoslavia. "We visited a festival in Zagreb, and everything [animated] there was designed for an adult audience," says Lord. "That was an absolute revelation for us. From then on, we knew about this world, and it became part of our worldview." This revelation, combined with Channel 4's brief for new programming for new audiences, allowed Aardman to flourish within what Lord describes as an '80s and '90s renaissance of British independent animation. You might be surprised by the naughtier tone of Aardman's adult animations, especially the likes of Angry Kid and Rex the Runt – Lord certainly is self-aware of the company's perception: "I am smart enough to know that most of our audience sees us within a very delightful, colourful fun box." Watching both shows back now, they feel perfectly positioned to fit within 2023's adoration of adult animation – but back in the late '80s, examples of this genre were few and far between. When Lord speaks about this time, there's a clear fondness for it, so why haven't they done more of it? "I am perfectly happy with us doing slightly weird, abrasive stuff – I just think, as a business reality, there's unfortunately not much demand for it," he says. "There's also not much funding for it now either – if we were to make something like Angry Kid again, we'd have to make that very clear to our audiences. We don't want to traumatise families!" If you've ever tried stop motion, it takes a very long time, and an awful lot of patience. So why does Aardman do it? Because the team absolutely love it. "I mean, we love the collaborative hands-on physical nature of stop motion – why wouldn't we? For us as the makers, it's the greatest joy of it." Park has at times spoken about how 'giving a character a soul' is the true art of animation, and while he noted it's tricky to explain, he detailed that process. "Direct contact with the figure allows you to put something of yourself and what you see in others into the puppet. Honest, true observations and flawed, well-observed human traits can be expressed through sculpting." Read more: Chicken Run 2 director says Mrs Tweedy wasn't always returning as villain Chicken Run sequel director on why some roles were recast and not others Park's outlook on animation makes sense when you take a step back and look at his most famous creations, Wallace and Gromit. Much of the world the inventor and his canine apprentice operate in is lifted from Park’s own childhood in Preston. Their house is the old mill house Park's grandmother lived in, with many of their household possessions modelled after items Park would find in both his mother and grandmother's houses throughout the '60s and '70s. Many of Aardman's characters are remarkably expressive despite their muteness – Morph, Shaun the Sheep, and of course Gromit to name a few. While Morph and Shaun were envisioned from the beginning to be voiceless, Gromit's silence comes from a last-minute improvisation. Originally, Peter Hawkins, known for lending his voice to the Daleks in Doctor Who and Captain Pugwash, was signed up to imbue Gromit with his own bravado. However, when it came to filming A Grand Day Out, Park was unable to access Gromit's mouth – thus, Gromit became Wallace's silent companion instead. There's also the endeavour of taking a myriad of influences and distilling them into something uniquely Aardman that the company embarks on every time they approach a new project. For The Wrong Trousers, which celebrates its 30-year anniversary this year, Park and co were inspired by the works of William Heath Robinson, Jesús Blasco's The Wombles and Frank Bellamy's Thunderbirds, alongside the surprisingly adult tales of The Lodger and The Ladykillers for the villainous Feathers McGraw. However, almost all of them have one thing in common – they all seem to be creations inhabited with a certain kind of soul, just as Park animates his own characters. It's creative challenges like these that drive the company's love of stop motion animation – Aardman has staked claim to having created both the smallest stop motion ever, a commercial for Nokia called Dot, and the biggest stop motion ever, Gulp also for Nokia: "The camera was on a cliff looking down at the beach, but then that wasn't big enough so we put the camera on top of a cherry picker crane on top of the cliff." However, that's not to say they're CG-averse – there are the likes of Flushed Away and Arthur Christmas of course, experiments in full CG. Lord noted that the studio’s workflow shifted quite a bit due to the more hands-off nature of CG: "It gets to a similar place, but it doesn't have the warmth, you know? The warmth of human company, of interaction, working and collaborating." You may be surprised to know that even in Aardman's fully stop motion endeavours, there's some sneaky CG you'd probably never spot. "In Dawn of the Nugget, there's a lot of CG, it's almost entirely in the background. There's a lot of it, but it disguises itself." What's clear is that no one at Aardman sees CG as a threat, but instead as a collaborative tool to help accentuate their stop motion efforts further. It has allowed them, if anything, to expand their fingerprint-indented clay worlds even further. "There's nothing that we hate more in stop motion than extras," Lord says. "If we have 50 chickens walking around casually, that's like a month's work! So we're disinclined to do that." The company has worked with the likes of Dreamworks, StudioCanal and Sony in the past to release its films, but this marks the first time it's ever partnered with a streamer – how's it going? "Maybe of all the people we've worked with, they've embraced most simply and clearly the fact that we're a British company making British animated films," Lord mentions. When you look at the last few years of animation, Pinocchio, The Mitchells vs. the Machines, Wolfwalker, The Sea Beast – many of the notable ones come from streamers, while theatrical animation appears to be wobbling a little, even at a juggernaut like Disney. Although Aardman is grateful for Dawn of the Nugget's theatrical release, they seem to echo this idea of streamers as a safe haven for animation, as Lord explains: "That's the terrifying thing about the theatrical model, you get this little window and if it doesn't take off instantly in the first weekend, in a weird way it almost disappears immediately, which is heartbreaking. But with the streamers, you know it's there, and it doesn't need to find its audience in the first week." It's clear the partnership affords Aardman not just security, but also a chance to widen their ambition – their partnership together to support and train up to 1,000 emerging animators and UK-wide talent is something woefully missed given the lack of funding not just for developing creatives, but especially developing animators today. We've barely scratched the surface of Aardman – to truly chronicle all of its magnificent efforts would likely take as long as it does to make five minutes of Chicken Run 2. But what does Aardman's legacy mean to Peter Lord and Nick Park? For Lord, he reflects on the very first days of Aardman. "I can remember being 23 when we started out, and you stand there with a vision, I wouldn't even say a dream… to be able to keep going, to have a bit of money at the end of the week, that was the ambition." For Park, whose own life, memories and childhood are so wrapped up in all of his work, Wallace and Gromit especially, it’s a very close-to-home memory that he cherishes most. "The statue of Wallace and Gromit in my hometown, Preston. That is such a treat." The pair of them are resolute on one simple truth – they're absolutely bowled over to this day by the fact that not only do people around the world know Aardman, but they hold their characters very near and dear to their heart. "There are so many [moments], it's incredible that after all this time it hasn't run out of steam, but it hasn't yet!" Park exclaims. Lord takes a moment to reflect, leaning back in his chair – looking around the room at the various Aardman paraphernalia upon the walls. "To build this small, cosy animation empire, I suppose you could call it, to create characters that people love and remember, and will always remember, that's pretty amazing. That is pretty amazing." View Green Video on the source website Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget 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 Film coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to see what's on tonight. Try Radio Times magazine today and get 10 issues for only £10 – subscribe now. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Scott Pilgrim Takes Off cast: Meet the characters of Netflix anime series
Scott Pilgrim fans, rejoice! After 13 long years, new Pilgrim content awaits us in only a matter of days. It's been a long time coming, as well, with the news of Netflix's upcoming anime, Scott Pilgrim Takes Off, first being announced back in January 2022. Well now, fans of Bryan Lee O'Malley's acclaimed graphic novel series and Edgar Wright's cult movie will be elated that the franchise is getting a brand new iteration in the world of anime and even better – the entire cast are reprising their roles (this time as voice actors). Director Edgar Wright revealed that he floated the idea of the cast's return in a simple email with the subject line “Scott Pilgrim… to be continued?” to the 2010 cast. “Hearing the actors play their parts again was emotional, heartwarming, and hilarious,” Wright told Netflix. “We’re giving them an opportunity to revisit something that meant a lot to them, but they also are bringing their years of experience, their perspective on these characters, and it leads to awesome stuff.” Of course, that means that Michael Cera will be reprising his lead role as Scott while the rest of the cast includes the likes of both Captains Marvel and America themselves, Brie Larson and Chris Evans. Fans were recently treated to their first glimpses of the cast in the the official trailer and opening credits, which were also released on YouTube. It's no secret that the cast of the 2010 film clearly enjoyed working on it, having taken part in previous 10th anniversary events for the film including a table read-through, but to have everyone back for this project shows just how beloved the film was not just by fans but by everyone involved. Read on for all you need to know about the cast of Scott Pilgrim Takes Off. Scott Pilgrim Takes Off cast and characters The full cast for Scott Pilgrim Takes Off is as follows: Michael Cera as Scott Pilgrim Mary Elizabeth Winstead as Ramona Flowers Satya Bhabha as Matthew Patel Kieran Culkin as Wallace Wells Chris Evans as Lucas Lee Anna Kendrick as Stacey Pilgrim Brie Larson as Envy Adams Alison Pill as Kim Pine Aubrey Plaza as Julie Powers Brandon Routh as Todd Ingram Jason Schwartzman as Gideon Graves Johnny Simmons as Young Neil Mark Webber as Stephen Stills Mae Whitman as Roxie Richter Ellen Wong as Knives Chau Michael Cera plays Scott Pilgrim Who is Scott Pilgrim? Well, the titular character, of course. The 23-year-old bass player of up-and-coming band Sex Bob-Omb, he is our window into this world of interdimensional highways, vengeful exes and awesome guitar riffs. Although he does bounce a little from girl-to-girl throughout his history (Envy to Knives to Ramona), there's a sincere lovability to Scott throughout the graphic novels that many of the characters including Kim Pine, Ramona Flowers and even Stacey Pilgrim remark on. Although Cera's embodiment of Scott in the film does feel markedly different from the graphic novel, it's hard to see anyone else playing Pilgrim these days. Where have I seen Michael Cera before? Where haven't you seen Michael Cera before? Maybe you know him from his earlier work in indie films like Superbad with Jonah Hill, Youth in Revolt and Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist, as well as Juno with Elliot Page and bigger blockbuster fare like This is the End or, most recently, his turn as one-of-a-kind doll Allen in Barbie. He's also popped up in a variety of television including Arrested Development, Children's Hospital, Black Mirror and Twin Peaks: The Return. Mary Elizabeth Winstead plays Ramona Flowers Who is Ramona Flowers? Ramona is the ultimate 'It Girl'. A 24-year-old package deliverer whose hair changes from week-to-week, and who also holds claim to one of the most robust collections of tea in Toronto. Throughout both the graphic novel and 2010 film, Ramona is presented to us as this mysterious yet immensely cool person who we gradually get to know as Scott encounters each of her evil exes - even just having evil exes should tell you a lot about her complicated past. When developing the character for Wright's adaptation, Winstead claimed that she received a list of 10 secret facts revolving around Flowers's past. However, due to the secretive nature of the list itself, to this day it's still unknown what all of the facts are. While she did reveal one secret - that Ramona had a younger brother who died, and the shoelaces she wears on her neck in the graphic novel are a remembrance - series creator O'Malley has since denied this being canon to the story. Basically, if it's not in the books, it's not canon. Where have I seen Mary Elizabeth Winstead before? While many were likely introduced to Winstead through her depiction of the live-action Ramona Flowers, you may also know her from another superhero-focused movie, Sky High. If you're a horror fan, you'll definitely remember her from Final Destination 3, or perhaps even her role in TV horror series Wolf Lake. Since Scott Pilgrim vs the World, she's gone on to star in big-budget fare like 10 Cloverfield Lane, Fargo and Birds of Prey, and most recently plays Hera Syndulla in Disney Plus's Ahsoka. Satya Bhabha plays Matthew Patel Who is Matthew Patel? The first of Ramona's evil exes that Scott has to face off with, who also introduces him to the concept of the League of Ramona's Evil Exes - however, he has to do this in person, as Scott repeatedly ignores his emails. Despite only dating for a week-and-a-half, Ramona left such an impression on Matthew that he's willing to fight pretty much everyone that she dated since. This is a little ironic as Ramona broke up with Matthew due to seeing him as a little childish - I'd say interrupting a hard-earned gig at the Battle of the Bands to win over your now-adult ex-girlfriend from her new boyfriend shows he hasn't grown up that much. Despite only being in Wright's 2010 adaptation for three or four minutes, Bhabha leaves a lasting impression - as he's the only character in the entire film to get his own musical segment, inspired by Bollywood soundtracks. Watching Cera dodge fireballs as Bhabha spits literal bars of fire against a backdrop of demon cheerleaders pretty much sets up the zany, video game-like fights that are to come throughout the film very well. Where have I seen Satya Bhabha before? Most people likely know him from New Girl, if not Scott Pilgrim vs the World, where he plays Shivrang, CeCe's husband-to-be until Schmidt crashes their wedding and proclaims his love. Since then, he's also starred in Sense8 as Habib and coming-of-age film Dude alongside Lucy Hale. Kieran Culkin plays Wallace Wells Who is Wallace Wells? Wallace is none other than Scott's gay roommate, who Scott essentially freeloads off of throughout the series. The pair share a double bed instead of two separates, as they're both too poor to afford their own (very relatable). What's clear in both the graphic novels and the film is that Wallace has an impossibly strong charisma that enables him to get involved with whoever he wants - including Stacey Pilgrim's past and present boyfriends, much to her chagrin. Although the origin of Wallace and Scott's friendship is never fully explored, we do get a hint into how they met in Book 2 of the graphic novel series, as Wallace tells Kim that it's a "really gay story". The character of Wallace has actually been confirmed to have been based on O'Malley's own former roommate, Chris Butcher, and serves as a loving homage to the time they spent together. Where have I seen Kieran Culkin before? Most people now recognise Kieran as the jester of the Roys, Roman Roy from Succession. Long before that, he starred as Matthew Banks in both Father of the Bride 1 and 2, alongside appearances in Movie 43 and one of Steven Soderbergh's latest features, No Sudden Move. Chris Evans plays Lucas Lee Who is Lucas Lee? Lucas is Ramona's second evil ex, and surprisingly shares a number of traits with real-life actor Chris Evans. Both are big, buff actors who star in beloved blockbuster action movies, although Evans is known to be a lot nicer than Lucas Lee. Lee is yet another high-school boyfriend that Ramona quickly runs Scott through - she was infatuated by him briefly due to his skateboarder persona, but soon lost interest as she cheated him on for Todd Ingram (but more on that later). Because Lucas and Scott's fight in the graphic novel is relatively short, in the movie, Wright pumped up the stakes a considerable amount by giving Lee nine stunt doubles, essentially appearing as though he could clone himself. Scott is actually unable to best Lucas in hand-to-hand combat, but skillfully assessing his inflated ego, challenges Lee to an all-but-certain fatal grind down an icy rail, to which he accepts - and explodes into coins. Where have I seen Chris Evans before? Well, before the MCU, you might know him from cult comedy Not Another Teen Movie, Fantastic Four or Danny Boyle thriller Sunshine. But after the MCU? The Avengers, Captain America: Civil War... the list goes on, honestly. Evans has quickly become one of Hollywood's most charming A-listers, still finding time to star in a range of projects including Bong Joon-ho's Snowpiercer, Rian Johnson's Knives Out and even a few TV projects - like Defending Jacob on Apple TV+. Anna Kendrick plays Stacey Pilgrim Who is Stacey Pilgrim? Stacey is the younger sister of Scott, and, of course, knows everything about him and his life - often moments after he's discovered things himself. Despite the age difference between the pair, Stacey repeatedly calls Scott 'little brother', usually due to the fact that Stacey is the more responsible and mature of the pair even with her younger age. She has a tenuous friendship with Wallace, from whom she gets much of her information. However, that relationship is often strained when Wallace steals away her latest beau-to-be. The character of Stacey is also based on another real-life counterpart from O'Malley's life, his own sister - also called Stacey. However, this character was perhaps a little too on-the-nose for the creator, as he's expressed in recent years that Stacey Pilgrim would be the one character he'd remove from the series if possible, as he believes it to be too close to his actual sister - at the very least, he wishes he could change her name. Where have I seen Anna Kendrick before? Just before Scott Pilgrim vs the World, she netted a role in the Twilight saga as Jessica Stanley, and soon after would lead the properly successful Pitch Perfect franchise alongside Rebel Wilson and Brittany Snow. Most recently, she has turned to directing, as her feature debut Woman of the Hour recently world premiered to critical acclaim at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival. Brie Larson plays Envy Adams Who is Envy Adams? There is a lot of debate over who the coolest person in Scott Pilgrim is, and it usually boils down to Envy Adams versus Ramona Flowers. Envy, better known as Natalie Adams, is one of Scott's few exes that we get a glimpse into - the pair dated during their time at the University of Toronto, where they played in a band alongside Stephen Stills. However, Natalie slowly began to change into 'Envy Adams', bringing the band in a new direction which Stephen and Scott weren't on board with, until they were eventually pushed out by her - and Kid Chameleon became The Clash at Demonhead. In a film filled with big stars, Brie Larson undeniably is one of Edgar Wright's greatest performances - her rendition of Metric's Black Sheep is endlessly iconic and is still fondly remembered today. In the film, Scott's eventual victory over Todd Ingram is cited as a kind of evening out of the break-up they had long ago - however, in the graphic novels, the reason for their bad blood is a little more ambiguous. For most of the series, it's suggested that it is due to Envy cheating on Scott, but a scene in the final book hints that a drunken argument at a party from Scott is what led to their ultimate demise. Where have I seen Brie Larson before? After Scott Pilgrim, Brie went on to star in 21 Jump Street, Don Jon opposite Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Short Term 12 with Rami Malek and indie darling drama The Spectacular Now, and achieved her first Oscar for her leading role in Room, which catapulted her to international fame and acclaim. More recently, she's known as Captain Marvel in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and her latest appearance in The Marvels is slated to debut in November 2023. Alison Pill plays Kim Pine Who is Kim Pine? Kim Pine is the incredibly talented drummer of Sex Bob-omb, and, of course, is best known as the "WE ARE SEX BOB-OMB!" line-screamer at the start of Edgar Wright's live-action adaptation. Kim and Scott have a history, with Kim being Scott's first-ever girlfriend all the way back in high school - Kim still feels wounded by the way Scott left things with her, and this is especially emphasised throughout the live-action flick through Alison Pill's brilliant deadpan performance both toward Scott and his relations. According to O'Malley, Kim is actually technically the first-ever Scott Pilgrim character he ever conceived - Scott Pilgrim just didn't exist at the time. In the 1990s, she was conceptualised to be part of a mutant super-team, but the character just didn't feel quite right for that world - O'Malley kept bouncing her around from one story to another until she finally found her place in the world of Scott Pilgrim. There is actually an animated prequel short on the Scott Pilgrim vs the World home entertainment release which explores the origin of Scott and Kim's relationship, with Scott yet again saving a girl from another vengeful, weirdly obsessive boy in the form of Simon Lee. Scott actually kicks Simon so hard that he's able to see the curvature of the Earth as he flies away from the pair. Where have I seen Alison Pill before? While Pill had a successful life as a child actor, she only really broke through to mainstream recognition toward adulthood with a supporting role opposite Lindsay Lohan in Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen. Since then, she's starred in feature films like Snowpiercer, Hail, Caesar! and Vice. In the world of TV, you may recognise her from Aaron Sorkin's The Newsroom, American Horror Story: Cult, Devs or even Star Trek: Picard as Dr Agnes Jurati. Aubrey Plaza plays Julie Powers Who is Julie Powers? Julie Powers is quite an interesting character to the world of Scott Pilgrim - what she does and how she connects people is how the plot keeps moving forward, but in actuality, Julie doesn't do all that much. The on-again, off-again girlfriend of Sex Bob-Omb member Stephen Stills, her multiple hosted parties enabled Scott and the gang to interact and meet many of the different characters throughout the graphic novels - Julie doesn't care much for anyone throughout the series, aside from another of Scott's exes, Envy Adams. Because Envy is eternally cool, of course. Aubrey Plaza plays Powers in the movie, and honestly, the character is more or less a 1:1 page-to-screen adaptation, from the look down to the personality. Looking back, there couldn't have been anyone else more perfect to play Julie Powers other than Plaza, so hats off to Wright and O'Malley. Where have I seen Aubrey Plaza before? Originally, Plaza was best known for the hilariously deadpan role of April Ludgate in Parks and Recreation, and gradually rose up through American indie films like Safety Not Guaranteed, The To Do List, Life After Beth and Ingrid Goes West opposite Elizabeth Olsen. However, her magnetic role as the Shadow King in Legion rocketed her to a new plane of stardom, with her recent roles including Guy Ritchie's Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre alongside dramatic turns in Emily the Criminal, Spin Me Round and Francis Ford Coppola's upcoming epic Megalopolis. Brandon Routh plays Todd Ingram Who is Todd Ingram? Todd is the rockstar blonde-haired third evil ex that Scott has to contend with - who just also happens to be dating his own ex-girlfriend, Envy Adams. What really rubs the salt in the wound is that, in many ways, Todd is the cooler mirror image of Scott, from his bass playing abilities to his current relationship with Envy. Ramona explains that the pair dated for a while, during which time Todd mysteriously disappeared and re-appeared, proclaiming himself to be a vegan and also gaining strange telekinetic powers. To prove his love for Ramona, he punched a hole into the moon, which the live-action adaptation actually includes as a little Easter egg. O'Malley has mentioned that Todd was his favourite evil ex to write and draw, and that he is meant to resemble Scott in some ways due to the parallels between their fashion, choice of instrument and even their names. If you'd like to know what kind of bass guitar Todd plays, it's a red Fender Mustang with a white racing stripe (the more you know). Where do I know Brandon Routh from? Routh portrayed Superman in the 2006 film Superman Returns, and has since reprised the role in The CW's now-defunct Arrowverse during their Crisis on Infinite Earths crossover. Routh was actually doubling up as he also played Ray Palmer/The Atom on Arrow, The Flash and even Legends of Tomorrow as a starring role. Outside of all things DC, Routh has appeared in Chuck, Partners and Chosen. Jason Schwartzman plays Gideon Graves Who is Gideon Graves? All the other evil exes are comparatively small fry compared to the big bad that is Gideon Graves. The leader and original founder of the League of Ramona's Evil Ex-Boyfriends, he is a successful music mogul under the name of 'G-Man', and contains one of the strongest powers in the entire series known as 'The Glow'. This enables him to manipulate people's emotions - including both Scott and Ramona's, which he does so multiple times throughout Volumes 6 and 7. Gideon is left unknown for most of the graphic novel series, first technically appearing in a blurry photo in Volume 3, alongside a shadow-y actual appearance in Volume 4, but it's not until Volume 6 that he makes his first full-on appearance. He's essentially the ultimate gaslighter through his additional powers of memory manipulation and observation. He and Ramona met at a party in New York, where he continually used her as an experiment for his new-found powers - but when Ramona finally had enough and left, he went on a drunken rant on Craigslist, attracting the attention of Ramona's other exes, and thus the League was born. Where do I know Jason Schwartzman from? Jason is one of Wes Anderson's longtime muses, having starred in Rushmore, The Darjeeling Limited, Moonrise Kingdom, The Grand Budapest Hotel, Isle of Dogs, The French Dispatch and the recent Asteroid City. Outside of Anderson Land, he's also been in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse as the villainous Spot, the fourth season of Fargo, and Netflix satire Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp. Johnny Simmons plays Young Neil Who is Young Neil? Young Neil, also known as Neil Nordegraf (bet you didn't know he had a last name!), is Stephen Stills's 20-year-old roommate who kind of hangs around with the Sex Bob-Omb crew and Scott - despite the fact they don't really know him that well outside of Stephen. He actually ends up briefly dating Knives Chau during Volumes 3 and 4 when Scott pushes her away to date Ramona, and thus Neil becomes her revenge rebound. What's interesting is that in Edgar Wright's adaptation, Neil's character is changed somewhat. Although his personality is still that of the quiet, slightly himbo-esque young adult, he's something more of an active fanboy for the band, hanging out at their rehearsals and cheering them on despite having little-to-no participation in the band itself - until his temporary replacement of Scott as bass player. Funnily enough, Young Neil's name is a spin on none other than Canadian singer Neil Young's name - Neil Young was initially in a band called Buffalo Springfield when he was just starting out, and do you know what one of those band members was called? Stephen Stills. That's right, it's a full circle moment. Where do I know Johnny Simmons from? Prior to Scott Pilgrim, Johnny appeared as Dylan Baxter in Evan Almighty, as well as Chip Dove in cult horror comedy Jennifer's Body (the boyfriend that gets chewed on by Jennifer in the pool). Since Scott Pilgrim, Simmons has appeared in adaptations like The Perks of Being a Wallflower, The Stanford Prison Experiment and other comedies like 21 Jump Street and The To Do List - opposite Scott Pilgrim co-star Aubrey Plaza. Mark Webber plays Stephen Stills Who is Stephen Stills? Stephen is the lead singer, guitarist and self-proclaimed 'talent' of Sex Bob-Omb, and friend of Scott from their University of Toronto days. In fact, it was during university that Stephen was in a band with Scott and Envy Adams called Kid Chameleon. He's undoubtedly one of the most emotionally mature and intelligent of the group, often driven to make decisions based on what's best for the band, sometimes at the cost of Scott's own personal beliefs or desires. In the film adaptation, Mark Webber plays up Stephen's anxieties and neuroses a lot more, worrying and fretting during crucial moments like just before they're set to go on at the Battle of the Bands. In fact, Stephen even pees himself a little when Gideon offers Sex Bob-omb a full musical contract after their face-off against the Katayanagi Twins. Where have I seen Mark Webber before? Honestly, it's probably Scott Pilgrim vs the World. While Mark has been in a wide variety of film roles, Scott Pilgrim appears to be his most significant to date. However, he does have something of a directing career as well, with feature films including The End of Love, The Ever After and Flesh and Blood. Mae Whitman plays Roxie Richter Who is Roxie Richter? Roxie Richter is probably the most unique of Ramona's exes, and not just because she's Ramona's only female ex. According to the original lore of the graphic novel series, Roxie was born on the moon and is also half-ninja, which explains her incredible speed, ability to teleport and the fact she can do literal magic. Her appearance is somewhat similar to that of a goth/emo type, with black markings under her eyes, a single fishnet fingerless glove and spiked wristband on her right hand. Ramona's history with Roxie is pretty brief and nondescript - for Ramona, Roxie was "just a phase" that she was going through, however for Roxie it was much more than that, leaving her hurt at the time. Yet, since then, Roxie went on to open an art gallery and rekindle a friendship with Ramona. Her weapon of choice, a sword with the ability to turn into a chain whip, is actually a reference to Ivy Valentine of the Soulcalibur series. Where have I seen Mae Whitman before? Whitman and Cera had actually worked together extensively before on Arrested Development, where she played Ann Veal. She's also the voice of Katara in the animated series of Avatar: The Last Airbender, voices various characters in Family Guy, and features in Young Justice, The Owl House, Invincible, Skull Island and as April O'Neil in the animated Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. In terms of live-action work, you can see Mae in the Netflix crime thriller Good Girls, alongside Parenthood as Amber Holt. Ellen Wong plays Knives Chau Who is Knives Chau? Knives Chau is the sweet, all-too-loving 17-year-old fling of Scott's. In fact, she describes herself as a 'Scottaholic', which should tell you all you need to know about their relationship together. While initially introduced as a quiet, typical school girl, she understandably snaps after discovering Scott cheating on her with Ramona, sending her down a bitter, obsessive path. Knives actually idolises Envy Adams, but is soon crestfallen after Envy instructs her drummer Lynette to kick Knives so hard that the highlights in her hair (as an attempt to mirror Ramona) literally fall out. Although she does attempt to get over Scott (or make him jealous, you decide) by dating Young Neil throughout Volumes 5 and 6, she ultimately decides to take on Ramona with her dual knives, with which she is remarkably skilled. Where have I seen Ellen Wong before? Since starring in Scott Pilgrim vs the World, Ellen has mostly gone into TV, starring as one of the main cast of The Carrie Diaries, Misaki Han-Shireikan in Dark Matter, Jenny Chey in Netflix's GLOW and Condor, a series adaptation of James Grady's novel Six Days of the Condor. View Green Video on the source website Scott Pilgrim Takes Off arrives on Netflix on 17th November 2023. Sign up for Netflix from £4.99 a month. Netflix is also available on Sky Glass and Virgin Media Stream. The 2010 Scott Pilgrim vs the World film is available to stream on ITVX. Check out the rest of our Sci-Fi and Fantasy coverage, or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to see what’s on tonight. Try Radio Times magazine today and get 10 issues for only £10 – subscribe now and celebrate the 60th anniversary of Doctor Who with a special issue of Radio Times. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Spy X Family Code: White – Release date, trailer, cast, latest news
Nothing better than spending Christmas with the family.
It's almost beginning to look a lot like Christmas, and TOHO Animation have a big gift for Spy X Family fans. Loid is a super spy, Yor is a loveable assassin, and their adopted daughter Anya is an even more loveable telepath. Together, they form the perfect spy family, and lean on each other's abilities to get the job done. The hugely popular anime has just returned on Crunchyroll for its second season after premiering on screens just a few weeks ago - however, as always, anime fans are desperate to know what more may be beyond the horizon. Currently, the closest thing we have to a third season is the trailer for Spy x Family Code: White, the upcoming feature adaptation of the show. Here's everything you need to know about the anime film, including cast, trailers, and release date. Spy X Family Code: White release date Spy X Family Code: White will officially be released on Friday 22nd December 2023. The first announcement of the film's existence came at the 2022 Jump Festa event back in December 2022, with a later announcement on 25th March 2023 revealing that the name of the Spy X Family feature film would be titled Spy X Family Code: White. Spy X Family Code: White cast Considering this is just the feature length version of the already-running anime, here is the cast for Spy x Family Code: White, which is basically just the cast of the show itself: Loid Forger - Takuya Eguchi (Japanese) Anya Forger - Atsumi Tanezaki (Japanese) Yor Forger - Saori Hayami (Japanese) Bond Forger / Narrator - Kenichiro Matsuda (Japanese) Sylvia Sherwood - Yūko Kaida (Japanese) Emile Elman - Hana Sato (Japanese) Yuri Briar - Kenshô Ono (Japanese) Fiona Frost - Ayane Sakura (Japanese) Franky Franklin - Hiroyuki Yoshino (Japanese) Henry Henderson - Kazuhiro Yamaji (Japanese) Damian Desmond - Natsumi Fujiwara (Japanese) Becky Blackbell - Emiri Kato (Japanese) Snyder - Banjo Ginga (Japanese) Type F - Shunsuke Takeuchi (Japanese) Dmitri - Tomoya Nakamura (Japanese) Luka - Kento Kaku (Japanese) What is the plot of Spy X Family Code: White? Production studios Wit Studio and CloverWorks have revealed the official synopsis for the film, and it sounds like quite a fun ride: "After receiving an order to be replaced in Operation Strix, Loid decided to help Anya win a cooking competition at Eden Academy by making the principal's favorite meal in order to prevent his replacement. "The Forgers decide to travel to the meal's origin region, where they set off a chain of actions which could potentially put the world's peace at risk." Spy X Family Code: White trailer On 25th June 2023, the first teaser trailer for Spy X Family Code: White was officially unveiled, and while it was only brief, it offered that brilliant blend of fun humour and bombastic action we've come to expect from the series. View oEmbed on the source website Since then, a more in-depth first-look was released by TOHO Animation on 29th October 2023, which shows off a hilarious Christmas market scene alongside a very delicious looking cake in a beautiful box. Could these things be connected? Perhaps. Perhaps not. View oEmbed on the source website Spy x Family Code: White will be released Friday 22nd December. You can catch Spy x Family on Crunchyroll. Check out more of our Fantasy coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. Try Radio Times magazine today and get 10 issues for only £10 – subscribe now and celebrate the 60th anniversary of Doctor Who with a special issue of Radio Times. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
There's a lot to learn about this heroine.
When it comes to Attack on Titan, there are three big names everyone needs to know. There's Eren Yeager, the protagonist turned main villain of the series, Armin Arlert, the noble soldier of the troupe, and, finally, there's none other than Mikasa Ackerman, the best soldier in the 104th Training Corps. Mikasa serves as one of the most important characters throughout Attack on Titan, in no small part due to her connection with Eren and, of course, due to her near-perfect skills as a soldier. With Attack on Titan season 4 part 3 special 2 having just premiered, and the series having finished once and for all with Mikasa playing a crucial role in the anime's ending, here's everything you need to know about Mikasa. Who is Mikasa to Eren In Attack on Titan? Mikasa has somewhat of a tragic backstory, with her parents being murdered in a robbery gone wrong at a very young age. If that wasn't bad enough, she's kidnapped by the same robber-murderers that killed her parents, leaving none other than Eren Yeager to come to her rescue. The pair have a complicated relationship with a very long shadow of death looming over them, having begun when Eren killed the two robbers holding Mikasa, and Mikasa shortly returning the favour when the third robber gets the upper hand on young Eren. This incident is actually where Mikasa gets her iconic scarf, a gift from Eren that she treasures forever onward. From that point on, Mikasa is adopted into Eren's family as his adoptive sister, devoting much of her career and life to the protection of Eren - she both idolises him and is infatuated with him, making their connection even more complicated. What is Mikasa's military history? Eren, Mikasa and Armin are all compelled to join up to the 104th Training Corps after the events of the Wall Maria destruction. Mikasa quickly masters the vertical maneuvering equipment and goes on to become the top ranked graduate in her class - she also is instrumental in ensuring that Eren passes the qualifying tests and graduates alongside her. Mikasa becomes a crucial member during the Battle of Trost District, during which Eren is seemingly devoured by a Titan - although Mikasa is intensely affected by this, she nonetheless pushes forward and continues to attempt to defeat the Titans and save the district. Mikasa saves Eren's life once more when it's revealed he is alive, transformed into a Titan. While the pair come close to being completely turned on by the elite team of soldiers, Mikasa swings the team to ensure they protect rather than kill Eren in Titan form. Why can't Mikasa turn into a Titan? The main reason why Mikasa can't turn into a Titan is because she is not a descendent of Eren, which the anime doesn't really go into but, instead, merely alludes to. The main reason that Eren is able to transform into a Titan is due to a complex, complicated political family history that ended with his father Grisha injecting Eren with the Titan Serum. Does Mikasa die at the end of Attack on Titan? View Green Video on the source website Mikasa is, of course, immensely conflicted through the two-part finale of season 4 part 3. It's never easy to go against the person you love, but it's even more difficult when you realise you might just have to kill them in order to save the world. Pretty big stakes. During the War for Paradis, it's unclear for a while if Mikasa even has in it to kill Eren - to be fair, it's a pretty huge decision given that their introduction to each other was by each of them taking a life to defend the other. While she attempts to appeal to Eren's compassionate side, recalling their first meeting and the kindness in his actions, it doesn't work - he's simply too far gone. Finally, she agrees to stop Eren once and for all, but once again stops short of agreeing to end his life. This contradiction hangs over much of special 1 and 2, with fans wondering how this tragic love story will end. It's during much of special 1 where Mikasa begins to reconsider her whole relationship with Eren, how she sees him and if, perhaps, he's always been this way and she chose not to see it. In perhaps the second special's most shocking moment, Mikasa finally takes a stand and decapitates Eren whilst he's in the Attack Titan's mouth. It's a devastating moment not just for their relationship but for the series as a whole - it's such a sacrifice for Mikasa's that Ymir stops powering the Titans, ending the War and saving the day. At the cost of the love of her life. In the epilogue of the show, we see Mikasa give Eren (well, Eren's head) a proper burial in where it all began for them - the Shiganshina District. We get a glimpse into what becomes of Mikasa beyond this closing moment in the ending credits, revealing that, despite this incredibly twisted and strange love story, she was able to move on. We notice her visiting Eren's grave with her husband, and later her whole family - she's even buried alongside Eren once she finally passes. Attack on Titan is available to watch via Crunchyroll and Funimation. Check out the rest of our Sci-fi and Fantasy coverage or visit our TV Guide to see what’s on tonight. Try Radio Times magazine today and get 10 issues for only £10 – subscribe now and celebrate the 60th anniversary of Doctor Who with a special issue of Radio Times. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Blue Eye Samurai: Release date, cast, trailer, latest news
Sharpen your blades, a new samurai has arrived.
Sometimes, you just can't beat a good old-fashioned samurai story. They've been around for a long, long time - from the masters of such tales including Akira Kurosawa's Seven Samurai and Ran to more recent additions like Takashi Miike's 13 Assassins, Sucker Punch's Ghost of Tsushima and more, these knights are fabled for their incredible agility, strength and, most of all, mystery. It's no surprise, then, that Netflix are looking to sharpen their already razor-sharp animation slate, as Blue Eye Samurai has landed onto Netflix with a sharp swipe, boasting some heavyweight creatives and top talent cast behind the voices. Here's everything we know about Blue Eye Samurai, including cast announcements, release dates and trailers. Blue Eye Samurai release date The series was first announced on Variety on 9th October 2020 as part of the first projects signed with an overall deal with writer and producer Michael Green, which also revealed he and Amber Noizumi would be co-showrunning the series. Since then, we've had the series officially drop onto Netflix on Friday 3rd November 2023, receiving rave reviews from both critics and audiences alike. View Green Video on the source website Blue Eye Samurai cast The cast for Blue Eye Samurai boasts an impressive number of names which includes: Maya Erskine as Mizu George Takei as Seki Masi Oka as Ringo Randall Park as Heiji Shindo Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa as Swordfather Brenda Song as Princess Akemi Darren Barnet as Taigen Kenneth Branagh as Abijah Fowler Stephenie Hsu as Ise Ming-Na Wen as Madame Kaji Harry Shum Jr as Takayoshi Mark Dacascos as Chiaki What is the plot of Blue Eye Samurai? Described as a "larger-than-life action adventure that takes place 400 years ago", Blue Eye Samurai follows a mixed-race master of the sword who lives a life in disguise while seeking revenge in Edo-period Japan. The series is produced by Michael Green, who also worked on the likes of Logan and Blade Runner 2049, alongside Jane Wu, who is directing the series, known for her work on Guardians of the Galaxy and Star Trek Beyond, so expect some awesome, high-budget action in store. Blue Eye Samurai trailer We had our first sneak-peek at the series on 21st April 2023, which you can see above. Since then, the series had its official debut at the 2023 Annecy Film Festival in June, where Netflix showed it off alongside the rest of their upcoming animation slate. Since then, we've had the official trailer for the first season of Blue Eye Samurai release onto Netflix 12th October 2023, check it out below. View oEmbed on the source website Blue Eye Samurai is available to watch on Netflix now. You can sign up for Netflix from £4.99 a month. Netflix is also available on Sky Glass and Virgin Media Stream. Find something to watch tonight with our TV Guide and Streaming Guide, or visit our Fantasy hub for more news and features. Try Radio Times magazine today and get 10 issues for only £10, PLUS a £10 John Lewis and Partners voucher delivered to your home – subscribe now. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Attack on Titan creator wanted to change controversial ending
Sometimes you want another shot at things.
After a decade, Attack on Titan is finally over - and the series's creator has had his say on that controversial season 4 part 3 ending. You may still be reeling from some of the finale's biggest surprises - we certainly are - and, of course, having such a monumental anime come to its final close has seen original series creator Hajime Isayama reflecting on the legacy of the titan manga and anime. One of the biggest points of contention leading up to the show's finale was undoubtedly the ending - was Isayama going to stick to what he had originally written in the manga's final chapter? Or would it be a significant break and take us down a new conclusion entirely? Speaking to the New York Times, creator Isayama explained: "The truth is, the situation with Eren actually overlaps in a certain sense with my own story with this manga. When I first started the series, I was worried that it would probably be cancelled. "It was a work that no one knew about. But I had already started the story with the ending in mind. And the story ended up being read and watched by an incredible number of people, and it led to me being given a huge power that I didn't quite feel comfortable with." When Isayama ended the manga back on 9th April 2021, it was an incredibly divisive finale, so much so that Isayama even had to put out a public statement in response to the fans' passionate response on his Instagram. Reflecting back on that now, he continued by saying: "It would have been nice if I could have changed the ending. Writing manga is supposed to be freeing. "But if I was completely free, then I should have been able to change the ending. I could have changed it and said I wanted to go in a different direction. "But the fact is that I was tied down to what I had originally envisioned when I was young. And so, manga became a very restrictive art form for me, similar to how the massive powers that Eren acquired ended up restricting him." While it's pretty conclusive that there won't be a surprise season 4 part 4, Attack on Titan fans need worry not - the Attack on Titan afterparty is in full swing, and you can get involved, if that sounds like your kind of thing. View Green Video 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. Try Radio Times magazine today and get 10 issues for only £10 – subscribe now and celebrate the 60th anniversary of Doctor Who with a special issue of Radio Times. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
One Piece's Shanks returns to anime in emotional reunion
Despite having just finished the Wano Country Arc, it seems that One Piece isn't taking its foot off the gas. The latest episode of One Piece, titled The World Will Burn! The Onslaught of a Navy Admiral, delved into the fallout after the fight between Kaido and Big Mom, alongside Luffy's Gear 5 upgrade. While the anime has been mostly focused on that epic confrontation between the would-be Pirate King and the dragon warrior, these recent episodes have been side-stories of sorts showing us what's been going on in the interim. This has included the reveal of the four new Emperors of the Sea alongside the now astronomically high bounty placed on the gang of 3 billion+ berries. However, the most surprising reveal has undoubtedly been the return of a fan-favorite character to the colourful animated seas. The episode showed none other than Red-Haired Shanks himself, Luffy's inspirational hero, returning to see just what Luffy has made of himself - and being quite impressed by the youngster's legacy too. We get a touching flashback which shows a toddler Luffy and a seemingly younger Shanks enjoying themselves atop a hill as the sun sets in front of the pair. View oEmbed on the source website Read more: One Piece release schedule: When is episode 1,082 released? When will Luffy's Gear 5 be animated in One Piece? So why is Shanks back? It's clear that he's going to play an instrumental role in the story for the remainder of Season 20 and perhaps 21 moving forward - we get more flashbacks to Shank's own life, giving us insight into how he stole the Gum-Gum Fruit before Luffy got his hands on it. These flashbacks initially make us think that maybe a Shanks/Luffy team-up is on the cards, only for Shanks to realize that Luffy is no longer the kid he looked after - he's the new competition in town. View Green Video on the source website One Piece will be available to stream on Crunchyroll. Check out more of our anime coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. Try Radio Times magazine today and get 10 issues for only £10, PLUS a £10 John Lewis and Partners voucher delivered to your home – subscribe now. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Pluto on Netflix release date, cast, trailer news
This Astro Boy spin-off is sure to make a planet-sized impact.
Before there was My Hero Academia, Attack on Titan, Dragon Ball Z and even Pokémon, there was Astro Boy. Widely regarded as the first popular Japanese animation that embodied the aesthetic that would go on to be coined as 'anime' all over the world, the original manga, written by Osamu Tezuka, appeared in 1952 and ran until 1968, soon becoming a national - then global - sensation. Astro Boy stands as one of the most successful manga and anime of all time, having sold over 100 million copies, the 1963 anime series becoming acclaimed in not just Japan but also the USA. So it's no surprise that Pluto, a spin-off of Astro Boy created by Naoki Urasawa and Takashi Nagasaki, long-time fans of the original robotic boy adventures, has finally been picked up for an anime adaptation - and by Netflix, no less. The series is noticeably darker than the more upbeat and outwardly heroic exploits of Astro Boy, unafraid of delving to the dark side of the world's robotics industry and the cybernetic beings that it has created. Pluto has since released onto Netflix and received critical acclaim by fans and critics alike, which means that we're likely to get a second season of the robot boy anime. Read on to learn everything we know about Pluto, including a release date, trailer and cast announcements. Pluto release date Netflix surprised Astro Boy fans on 14th February 2023 with the announcement that they would be producing an animated series based on the hit manga PLUTO, based on the creations of Urasawa and Nagasaki. Speaking about the series, Urasawa is clearly excited for fans to dive into what they've managed to create: "I applaud the courage of everyone that has taken on the challenge of making an anime based on Pluto. "I am excited about the birth of this new series to win over people's hearts. I hope that now, more than ever, Osamu Tezuka's message reaches the world." Since then, Pluto season 1 launched onto Netflix on 26th October 2023, and is available to watch in its 8-episode entirety. Whether there will be a second season of the show remains to be seen, but we'll be sure to update this page as soon as we know more. Pluto cast Below is the full cast for Pluto season 1: Gesicht - Shinshu Fuji (Japanese) / Jason Vande Brake (EnglisH) Atom - Yoko Hikasa (Japanese) / Laura Stahl (English) Uran - Minori Suzuki (Japanese) / Lisa Reimold (English) Mont Blanc - Hiroki Yasumoto (Japanese) / Keythe Farley (English) North No. 2 - Koichi Yamadera (Japanese) / Patrick Seitz (English) Brando - Hidenobu Kiuchi (Japanese) / Adrian Pasdar (English) Hercules - Rikiya Koyama (Japanese) / Richard Epcar (English) Epsilon - Mamoru Miyano (Japanese) / Keith Silverstein (English) Dr. Tenma - Eizou Tsuda (Japanese) / Keith David (English) Brau-1589 - Hideyuki Tanaka (Japanese) / SungWon Cho (English) Pluto - Toshihiko Seki (Japanese) / Fred Tatasciore (English) Helena - Romi Park (Japanese) / Mara Junot (English) Paul Duncan - Michio Hazama (Japanese) / Ron Bottitta (English) Dr. Hiroshi Ochanomizu - Toshio Furukawa (Japanese) / Mike Pollock (English) Adolf - Nolan North What is the plot of Pluto? Pluto is specifically based on the The Greatest Robot on Earth arc from 1964's Astro Boy, and takes place in a neo-futuristic world where humans and high-functioning robots are able to co-exist. However, after the world's seven most advanced robots and their human allies are slain in cold blood, it's down to Inspector Geischt to uncover the conspiracy that's afoot - all the while being a target himself. Co-author Nagasaki spoke about how he and co-creator Urasawa incorporated the original messages of Astro Boy into Pluto: "PLUTO inherits the philosophy of Tezuka and does not only merely convey a message of anti-war, but reminds us that there is suffering on both sides... but still, the only remaining answer is peace." How is Pluto related to Astro Boy? As mentioned, there is a strong connection between Astro Boy and Pluto - but it's not what you might think. While many would assume that Pluto is a prequel, teeing up the inevitable introduction of Japan's favourite robot boy, in actuality, Pluto is a retelling of Osamu Tezuka's original works by Naoki Urasawa, who's best known for manga including 20th Century Boys and Monster. It was originally conceptualised in 2003 and ran until 2009, as a cyberpunk-esque detective story revolving around robot detective Geischt as he attempts to unravel the wide-spanning murder mystery prevalent throughout Pluto season 1. Urasawa and Netflix were keen to ensure that the Pluto series honored Astro Boy as much as the manga did, and so Makoto Tezuka, Osamu's son, and his production company itself, allowed Urasawa and the streamer to use the Astro Boy franchise for their own work. Going a step further, they were also deeply involved in the production, overseeing to ensure it felt true to his father's original work. Is Pluto a good anime? Pluto season 1 has debuted to some serious critical acclaim, with Polygon labelling it "a strong contender for one of the best anime of the year" while Paste Magazine went as far to call it "a masterstroke of science fiction". It's not just critics who have been loving Pluto, as fans took to Twitter to praise the anime adaptation. View oEmbed on the source website View oEmbed on the source website Pluto trailer The official teaser trailer for Pluto was officially released on 2nd July 2023, and can be watched below. View oEmbed on the source website Then on 3rd October 2023, Netflix released the official full trailer for Pluto, showing off some epic visuals and awesome storytelling in store for Astro Boy fans. View oEmbed on the source website Pluto is available to watch on Netflix now. Check out more of our anime coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. Try Radio Times magazine today and get 10 issues for only £10, PLUS a £10 John Lewis and Partners voucher delivered to your home – subscribe now. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Is Attack on Titan finished? Final season explained
After a literal decade, the end of Attack on Titan is finally in sight. Fans have been on the edge of their seats for quite a while, after the revelation that the fourth season would be stretched across three years, each instalment becoming smaller as they went on. If the idea of jumping into Attack on Titan feels a little daunting, worry not, because we've got you covered. Are you a mega-fan who's hungry to know all the details around season 4 part 3? We've got that, too. But if you want to know if Attack on Titan is really, truly finished, read on to find out everything we know. Is Attack on Titan finished? Yes... and no, surprisingly. From the perspective of the anime, Attack on Titan is one episode away from finishing forever. The fourth and final season, set four years after Eren and his friends learn the truth about their world, has been split into three parts so far. The last chapter, Attack on Titan season 4 part 3, is being released as two specials, with the first released on 3rd March 2023. The final ever part of Attack on Titan will arrive on 4th November 2023 at midnight in Japan. However, from the perspective of the manga, there has been a surprising development. Despite having ended officially on 9th April 2021, on 6th October 2023 there was the surprise announcement that the Attack on Titan manga will receive a surprise 35th volume that will accompany the illustrated artbook Attack on Titan Fly. The final, final chapter is set to release on 30th April 2024, and will have 18 pages of story to ensure AoT fans get one last hit before the series is over for good. Is Attack on Titan Season 4 Part 3 the end? Attack on Titan season 4 part 3 is indeed the end for the long-running anime, which originally began a whole decade earlier on 7th April 2013. Since then, we've had 88 episodes over 10 years, with season 4 being by far the longest season, having begun on 7th December 2020 and only now just ending on 5th November 2023. Why is Attack on Titan's final season so long? While no official reason has been given for the massively extended fourth season of Attack on Titan, there are a few different conclusions that can be drawn. The first being that Studio MAPPA, the production company of season 4, are working on a number of high-level, extremely anticipated projects at the same time - including Chainsaw Man, One-Punch Man, Jujutsu Kaisen and Vinland Saga. As a result, the studio isn't in any hurry to rush any of those massive projects, meaning each of the shows mentioned have had slower output rates of episodes - but good things take time! There's also the increasing complexity of Attack on Titan's animation style as the story has progressed, as the stakes have been raised and pretty much everything has leveled up considerably. While there used to be one or two major set-pieces in a season, now we have one or two major set-pieces every episode, with season 4 part 3 pretty much being one gigantic non-stop action set-piece with a hell of a lot of story packed in. Will Attack on Titan become a classic? In many ways, Attack on Titan has already solidified itself as a modern classic. The manga itself has sold over 120 million copies into circulation, making it one of the best-selling manga of all time, alongside One Piece, Dragon Ball, Pokémon and Naruto. It's also a massive award winner, gaining accolades like the Kodansha Manga Award, Attilio Micheluzzi Award and Harvey Award. The anime has also gone on to receive widespread critical acclaim for nearly every element you can think of, from storytelling and animation to action sequences, voice acting and even soundtrack. It is the only anime series to ever be featured in TV Times's top 50 most followed TV series ever, and is the only Japanese title on the list. As well as that, it broke the Guinness World Record for most in-demand anime TV show, and even became the first ever non-English language show to earn the title of World's Most In-Demand TV Show, an accolade only achieved by the likes of The Walking Dead and Game of Thrones. Good company to be in. View Green Video on the source website Attack on Titan is available to watch via Crunchyroll and Funimation. Check out the rest of our Sci-fi and Fantasy coverage or visit our TV Guide to see what’s on tonight. Try Radio Times magazine today and get 10 issues for only £10 – subscribe now and celebrate the 60th anniversary of Doctor Who with a special issue of Radio Times. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
When it comes to adapting anime to live-action, there's unfortunately not the best of track records. One need only look at the likes of The Last Airbender, Dragonball Evolution, Death Note and Ghost in the Shell to recognise that it takes more than just taking a brilliantly told story in anime form and translating it across (though it's worth noting, all of these adaptations are American.) However, in recent years, there has been an uptick in successful anime to live-action adaptations, which includes James Cameron's Alita: Battle Angel, and perhaps the best modern example, Netflix's first season of One Piece which has received widespread acclaim and extreme demand for a second season (which may be arriving sooner than you think). Considering the incredible popularity of Attack on Titan, not to mention its long-running nature, has there ever been an attempt to bring the larger-than-life Titans into the real world? It may surprise you, but not only has it been done before, but there's another attempt on the world. Here's everything we know about a live-action Attack on Titan movie. Is there a live-action Attack on Titan? Yes, in fact, there are technically two live-action Attack on Titan films. We say technically because, actually, it's one movie divided into two parts – but since they're both feature-length, it's essentially two different movies, similar to Infinity War and Endgame. The first part was released on 14th July 2015 while the second film, which received the subtitle End of the World, released later that same year on 19th September 2015. The reviews of the two-part adaptation were mixed. There was clear praise for the skilful translation of the Titans' unsettling design to reality, alongside the decision to give the films a more B-movie style, but the changes implemented by series creator Hajime Isayama were criticised as unnecessary and detracting from the great story they had from the start. Are the Attack on Titan live-action films the same as the anime? As mentioned, there were a number of changes made by series creator Isayama that drew ire from fans and critics alike – slightly ironic, as he introduced some elements that would later be used in the manga. Some of these changes include Mikasa and Eren as a couple rather than being adopted siblings, Levi as a character is replaced entirely by Shikishima, alongside pushing the development of the world closer to the modern day unlike in the manga where civilisation and technology is a few hundred years behind. There are a surprising number of difference made in Part 1 and 2, and while it didn't entirely pay off, it's rare to have a series creator be so open to telling a different interpretation of their story. Is Warner Bros making a live-action Attack on Titan? Yes, you read that correctly - Warner Brothers is making a live-action adaptation of the iconic anime series. On 29th October 2018, Variety exclusively reported that It director Andy Muschietti would be taking on the challenge of adapting Isayama's beloved and extraordinary world of titans and soldier, with David Heyman of Harry Potter fame set to produce alongside Masi Oka and Muschietti's sister, Barbara. It's no surprise that Muschietti was tapped - for a long time, many decried Stephen King's It as being a novel that simply couldn't be adapted due to the complexities of Pennywise's multiple forms, the multiple dimensions that are explored, not to mention the simultaneous time periods that the story unfolds across. And yet, Muschietti delivered a film that not only exceeded fan expectations but debuted to critical and financial acclaim, so if anyone's equipped, we would say it's him. View Green Video on the source website Attack on Titan is available to watch on Crunchyroll. Check out more of our Fantasy coverage or visit our TV Guide or Streaming Guide to find out what else is on. Try Radio Times magazine today and get 10 issues for only £10 – subscribe now and celebrate the 60th anniversary of Doctor Who with a special issue of Radio Times. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Onmyoji on Netflix release date, cast, trailer and latest news
It's a really great time to be an anime fan and a Netflix subscriber. Over the past few years, the streamer has been massively upping their game with the likes of Castlevania and its spin-off Castlevania: Nocturne, Cyberpunk: Edgerunners, Baki and Kengan Ashura - not to mention the live-action adaptation of One Piece, which has since received rave reviews worldwide. It feels like anime is something that Netflix seems keen to capitalise and expand upon, and one of their latest upcoming anime is proof of that, in the form of Onmyoji. Adapted from the hit book series by author Baku Yumemakura, it delves into ancient Japanese folklore through the viewpoint of one particular character, an individual highly regarded not just in Japan, but also in China. Read on to learn everything we know about Onmyoji. Onmyoji release date Onmyoji will be released on Netflix on Tuesday 28th November 2023. Netflix first announced that they had not only acquired the rights but were part way through adapting Yumemakura's novel Onmyoji for an anime series at Netflix's 2022 TUDUM event. While it's been quiet for a while, we've had an exciting update this week - not only have Netflix released a gorgeous, sprawling trailer for the series, but they've also revealed that we'll be able to get stuck in very soon. Check out the trailer at the bottom of the page. Onmyoji cast Check out the voice cast below for Netflix's anime adaptation of Yumemakura's hit novel series: Abe Seimei - Daisuke Namikawa Minamoto Hiromasa - Shintarō Asanuma Tsuyuko - Yui Ishikawa Imperial Prince Atsumi - Kenji Hamada Kamo Yasunori - Daisuke Kishio Ashiya Doman - Rina Sato View Green Video on the source website What is the plot of Onmyoji? Adapted from the acclaimed novel of the same name, Onmyoji is set during the Heian period of Japan's history, and follows the story of Abe no Seimi. He's known as the most famous master of 'onmyoji', also known as a form of divination, and is such a widely respected and well-known figure in that part of the world that his legends spread to China and influenced that country's mythology, as well. In the anime, he's set to cross paths with Minamomo no Hiromasa, who will go on to become his silly-but-lovable sidekick as the pair travel across Japan as a kind of hybrid between detectives and oracles, encountering the strange and fascinating tales that Japan has to offer. Onmyoji trailer The trailer below gives off brushstrokes of Elden Ring, as the two are both influenced by a variety of different cultures' folklore. We also get to see a bit of the fun repertoire between Abe and Minamono, a relationship that is sure to make fans fall in love with the pair of them. View oEmbed on the source website Onmyoji is set to hit Netflix on Tuesday 28th November. You can sign up for Netflix from £4.99 a month. Netflix is also available on Sky Glass and Virgin Media Stream. Find something to watch tonight with our TV Guide and Streaming Guide, or visit our Fantasy hub for more news and features. Try Radio Times magazine today and get 10 issues for only £10 – subscribe now and celebrate the 60th anniversary of Doctor Who with a special issue of Radio Times. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
When is the Attack on Titan after party?
Don't cry because it's over, party because it happened.
It's a bittersweet time for fans of Attack on Titan. As the series finale looms closer-and-closer, much like the Colossal Titan to Wall Maria, fans are feverishly wondering just how the anime will wrap up its story, and how close (or not) it will follow the manga's original ending. However, if you're feeling nostalgic and want to get together, share your favourite memories of the show and generally just have a good time with fellow AoT fans, well you're in luck. On 12th September, the official Attack on Titan website announced a special fan after party that is set to take place immediately following the final ever episode's premiere, so that fans can wallow in their sorrows together. However, it won't just be fans in attendance. Read on to find out everything we know about the Attack on Titan after party. When is the Attack on Titan after party? The Attack on Titan Worldwide After Party will begin on Sunday 5th November and continue all the way through to Wednesday 8th November, making it a four-day long celebration for all those who are grieving the end of this decade-long series. What is the Attack on Titan after party? As mentioned above, it's a four-day long celebration for all Attack on Titan fans to get together, reminisce about their favorite moments in the show alongside members of the cast and crew who plan to make appearances throughout the party. The party itself will be virtual, taking place on a gigantic cruise ship - not only will the cast be sharing their own stories about recording lines, but director Tetsurou Araki will be giving a talk titled Where It All Began, referencing the origins of the anime itself. How can I get tickets to the Attack on Titan after party? Tickets are available to purchase from Shingeki's website for 3,000 yen (or roughly £16) - but for those looking to splash out a little more and get an exclusive after party outfit, you pay 3,300 yen (or roughly £18) and get some special digs for your avatar. If you can't afford tickets, never fear - Shingeki have confirmed that there will be a special recorded "catch-up stream" which will be available to watch from 9th November all the way through to 20th November. Why did Attack on Titan end? Unlike a lot of different anime, there's a very simple reason for Attack on Titan coming to a close - the story is over! The original manga itself actually concluded its final chapter on 9th April 2021, meaning that it was just down for the anime to slowly close the gap (and boy has it been slow). However, we wonder if the ending might be changed compared to the original manga - when Isayama ended the manga back on 9th April 2021, it was an incredibly divisive finale, so much so that Isayama even had to put out a public statement in response to the fans' passionate response on his Instagram. "I am aware that the ending of Attack on Titan was quite controversial. I am open to receiving people's honest opinions. However, I would appreciate it if you'd be kind to me," he wrote. Check out more of our Fantasy coverage or visit our TV Guide or Streaming Guide to find out what else is on. Try Radio Times magazine today and get 10 issues for only £10 – subscribe now and celebrate the 60th anniversary of Doctor Who with a special issue of Radio Times. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
The dark fantasy series grabbed anime fans by the throat from the first episode. Based on the dark fantasy light novel series of the same name, Goblin Slayer is known for its gritty drama and dark undertones, causing the show to rocket in popularity and quickly become established as one of the most popular releases of 2018. The series follows a nameless warrior who has the sole mission of destroying all goblins. Along the way, he meets a group of friends, all taking traits from core fantasy archetypes, who become a dynamic hunting team as things get more intense. With season 2 having just finally returned to our screens in early October, fans are already desperate to know if we'll be getting a third season of the iconic monster hunting show. Read on to learn everything we know about Goblin Slayer season 3, including potential release dates, trailers and cast. View Green Video on the source website Will there be a Goblin Slayer season 3? As of writing, there is currently no official announcement of a third season of Goblin Slayer, but we'll keep this page updated as soon as new updates are revealed. It's possible that Goblin Slayer season 3 could be revealed at the end of the second season, with the season finale set to premiere22nd December 2023, so keep a close eye on any announcements around that time. When could Goblin Slayer season 3 be released? Goblin Slayer season 2's initial announcement was made during GA FES 2023, with new visuals and a teaser trailer being released at the same time. The gap between Goblin Slayer season 1 and season 2 was quite extensive - the first season premiered on 7th October 2018, while the second season only just premiered on 6th October 2023, a whole five years after the first season. Some fans are worried that due to the considerable gap between seasons, the popularity for the show may have waned just through the lack of awareness from the show's resting period. However, it's entirely possible that new studio Liden Films has thought about this beforehand, and there's a good chance that a Goblin Slayer season 3 announcement may be planned for just after the second season ends - to reassure fans that more is on the way. Goblin Slayer cast: Who could be back for season 3? Assuming that there's no behind-the scenes drama, here is who we could expect to return for Goblin Slayer season 3 - provided none of the below perish! Yuichiro Umehara as Goblin Slayer (Japanese)/Brad Hawkins (English) Yui Ogura as Priestess (Japanese)/Hayden Daviau (English) Nao Tōyama as High Elf Archer (Japanese)/Mallorie Rodak (English) Yuka Iguchi as Cow Girl (Japanese)/Brittany Lauda (English) Maaya Uchida as Guild Girl (Japanese)/Sara Ragsdale (English) Yūichi Nakamura as Dwarf Shaman (Japanese)/Barry Yandell (English) Tomokazu Sugita as Lizard Priest (Japanese)/Josh Bangle (English) Yōko Hikasa as Witch (Japanese)/Amanda Gish (English) Yoshitsugu Matsuoka as Spearman (Japanese)/Kyle Igneczi (English) Goblin Slayer season 3 plot: What could happen? We're not too sure on where exactly Goblin Slayer season 3 could go at the moment, as the anime's story could diverge from the manga's original storyline as we proceed through season 2. We'll be sure to update this page as soon as we hear any updates in regards to the story for Goblin Slayer season 2. At the very least, some goblins will be slain. Is there a trailer for Goblin Slayer season 3? There is currently no announcement teaser or trailer available for Goblin Slayer season 3 - this could change toward the end of the year, so check back then for a potential update. Check out more of our Fantasy coverage or visit our TV Guide or Streaming Guide to find out what to watch tonight. Try Radio Times magazine today and get 10 issues for only £10 – subscribe now and celebrate the 60th anniversary of Doctor Who with a special issue of Radio Times. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Let's take another trip with the Forgers.
Everyone has a favorite spy - but there's only one spy family. Loid is a super spy, Yor is a loveable assassin, and their adopted daughter Anya is an even more loveable telepath. Together, they form the perfect spy family, and lean on each other's abilities to get the job done. The hugely popular anime has just returned on Crunchyroll for its second season after premiering on screens just a few weeks ago - however, as always, anime fans are desperate to know what more may beyond the horizon. Read on to learn everything we know about a possible Spy x Family season 3. Will there be a third season of Spy x Family? No third season of Spy x Family has been officially confirmed yet, but given the immense popularity of the show alongside the film adaptation Spy x Family Code: White coming out in December 2023, it seems very likely that a third season is on the way. We'll keep this page updated with the latest updates and information as soon as we know more. When could Spy x Family season 3 be released? The first season of Spy x Family was released on 9th April 2022, and was separated into two different parts, with the latter premiering on 1st October 2022. The second season has just premiered a year later on 7th October 2023, so going by the predicted release windows, we could expect to see a third season of Spy x Family potentially premiere in October 2024, but we'll have to wait and see. Spy x Family cast: Who could be back for season 3? Bar any issues behind-the-scenes, it's safe to assume that the following Japanese and English-speaking voice actors will all return to voice the Forgers again in season 3. Loid Forger - Takuya Eguchi (Japanese) / Alex Organ (English) Anya Forger - Atsumi Tanezaki (Japanese) / Megan Shipman (English) Yor Forger - Saori Hayami (Japanese) / Natalie Van Sistine (English) Emile Elman - Hana Sato (Japanese) / Macy Anne Johnson (English) Yuri Briar - Kenshô Ono (Japanese) / Dallas Reid (English) Sylvia Sherwood - Yūko Kaida (Japanese) / Stephanie Young (English) Is there a trailer for Spy x Family season 3? There is no trailer for Spy x Family season 3 just yet because it hasn't even been officially confirmed! Currently, the closest thing we have to a third season is the trailer for Spy x Family Code: White, the upcoming feature adaptation of the show - you can check it out below. View oEmbed on the source website You can watch seasons 1-2 of Spy x Family on Crunchyroll. Check out more of our Fantasy coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. Try Radio Times magazine today and get 10 issues for only £10, PLUS a £10 John Lewis and Partners voucher delivered to your home – subscribe now. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Castlevania: Nocturne ending explained: Netflix spin-off recapped
Warning: Full spoilers ahead for Castlevania: Nocturne. Since Netflix's initial announcement of Castlevania: Nocturne back in 2022, fans have been dying to sink their teeth into the latest blood-filled instalment of the hit anime universe. Finally we got to explore the rollercoaster ride of Richter Belmont's quest to prevent the end of the world at the hands of Erzsebet Báthory and Drolta Tzuentes, two chillingly evil vampire warriors that have given Simon's encounter with Dracula in the original series a real run for its money. There's a lot packed into the final episode of Castlevania: Nocturne, 'Devourer of Light', setting up a potential season 2 with a big introduction in the episode's closing moments that is sure to drive fans wild with speculation as to how Nocturne could continue. Castlevania Nocturne ending explained: What happens to Erzsebet and Drolta? As teased by the show's synopsis, the mysterious 'Vampire Messiah' is none other than Erzsebet Báthory, based on the real-life Hungarian noblewoman and murderer of a similar name. There is also a character that resembles Erzsebet in Castlevania: Bloodlines, but ultimately Erzsebet is a whole new creation for Nocturne. Erzsebet seems set on following through with her promise to 'eat the sun', drinking the blood of none other than Sekhmet the Egyptian Goddess of war and medicine, but more notably, none other than the daughter of Ra, god of light, the sun, power. You name it, he ruled over it. This allows her to become the aforementioned 'Devourer of Light' understandably putting Richter, Tera, Mizrak and Annette on the back-foot when it comes to defeating her. From there, she begins to wreck havoc on the town with her right-hand woman Drolta leading a nightmarish army of vampires and night creatures through the town, hunting down the quartet of heroes. Does Maria Renard die? By this time, we now know that Abbot Emmanuel, Maria's father, has formed an uneasy alliance with the vampires and is creating the night creatures through his Forgemaster Machine. Maria being probably the kindest and most optimistic character in Nocturne, tries one last time to reach out to him and pull him back to the good side - and he, of course, realizes he can use her to gain favor with his evil vampire boss, instead. It's a complicated entanglement of sin, religion and morality - to Abbot, it seems that he can't have gone so far only to have gained nothing from it, and thus is pushed to the utter limits of humanity. The gang arrive in order to rescue Maria and destroy the Forgemaker Machine once and for all, and although they're successful in preventing Maria's sacrifice as Abbot has a moment of clarity, Drolta soon arrives to put a spanner in the works. It's an incredible scene with every member of the team engaging in some kind of fray, whether that's Richter and Maria tag-teaming Drolta or Annette fending off the Night Creatures. It looks like success may actually be on the cards for them - until Erzsebet walks into the abbey. Does Alucard appear in Castlevania: Nocturne? With Erzsebet's now god-like appearance, everyone is easily tossed aside and left to watch as they assume the new-found Devourer of Light is there to finish what Abbot began and kill Maria. However, Erzsebet has a much more sinister plan in store - she doesn't want to kill Maria, but in fact, wants to turn her into a vampire herself to add to her growing empire. Nobody has even an inch of power to stop this from happening, so Tera makes the ultimate sacrifice, offering herself up in place of Maria in order to give her daughter at least a chance of making it out of this nightmare alive. It's their only move, and Erzsebet is more than happy to take Tera instead as Abbot also loves her too, making her another worthy sacrifice. As Tera is transformed by Erzsebet, Richter, Maria and Annette barely make their escape - only to get immediately jumped by Drolta and her gang of vampiric goons. We already know Richter can't take her on alone, and the trio are exhausted from what transpired in the abbey so his fate seems all but certain. That is, until a huge, silver sword slides straight through Drolta's chest, with the wielder revealed to be a slender, pale man. Some fans will have recognized him immediately, but if you didn't, he simply tells the trio, "I am Alucard." Annette and Maria are essentially frozen to the spot, and even Richter is clearly in shock, having doubted Alucard's existence as a possibility. And it's on Alucard's return that Castlevania: Nocturne season 1 draws to a close, leaving us to wonder what possibly happens next. Castlevania: Nocturne is available to watch on Netflix now. You can sign up for Netflix from £4.99 a month. Netflix is also available on Sky Glass and Virgin Media Stream. Find something to watch tonight with our TV Guide and Streaming Guide, or visit our Fantasy hub for more news and features. Like this? You might want to try Outlander. Available now on Lionsgate+. Try Radio Times magazine today and get 12 issues for only £1 with delivery to your home – subscribe now. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Is Castlevania: Nocturne a sequel? Netflix's new anime explained
Things may not be as clear as they seem.
When Netflix released Castlevania onto the service back in 2017, it made waves throughout both the anime and gaming communities. Based on the popular games Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse and Castlevania: Curse of Darkness, the anime was widely acclaimed for its rich visual style, dipping heavily into the Gothic overtones of the original games, alongside its willingness to lean into some pretty gnarly violence with a beautiful score as the cherry on top of what was already quite an accomplished vision. The show went on to have three equally successful seasons, although it stumbled a little in the final season, generating a somewhat divisive reception based on the pacing as it reached its final episodes. However, that hasn't stopped Netflix from seeing the value in keeping the Castlevania train going, as Castlevania: Nocturne is right around the corner. This has led many fans to wonder though - is Castlevania: Nocturne a sequel series, or is it something else entirely? Read on to find out everything we know about the show, including whether or not you need to have watched Castlevania first. Is Castlevania: Nocturne a sequel to Castlevania? Yes and no. The original Castlevania series wrapped up relatively nice compared to a lot of other anime series - most of the bad guys got 'fixed', most of the good guys lived to see another day and it was as close to a 'happy ever after' tale that you could get from a Castlevania-related TV show. It's also worth noting that the events in Castlevania are set in the mid 1470s, whereas Castlevania: Nocturne is set to take place during the French Revolution, which is round about 300 years later, give or take. While we are talking about near-immortal beings like vampires here, given that most of the vamps that popped up in Castlevania were vanquished, leaving the (very mortal) humans left as possible returning characters, it seems quite unlikely that we'll be seeing anyone from Castlevania - though, there might be one or two. However, on the other hand, Castlevania is known for its remarkably expansive lore, and although it's unlikely to be a direct series, it wouldn't be a bad thing if you felt like brushing up on Castlevania to make sure you were primed and ready, just in case any unexpected faces pop up here or there (looking at you, Richard Armitage and Alejandra Reynoso). There have been rumours that Juste Belmont may make some form of appearance, who canonically is understood to have inherited the magical talent of their ancestor Sypha Belnades, which is a great example of how Castlevania: Nocturne could end up being vaguely linked to the original series. What is Castlevania: Nocturne about? Billed as the sequel series to Castlevania, Castlevania: Nocturne follows Richter Belmont, a descendent of main protagonists Trevor and Sypha from Castlevania, as he reluctantly teams up with a rag-tag group of misfits during the French Revolution to stop the apocalypse. Never a dull day if you're a Belmont. Nocturne's story takes from both Castlevania: Rondo of Blood and Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, somewhat polarising as twins given the former's critical acclaim and the latter being an initial flop financially, later becoming redefined as a sleeper hit due to its cult popularity. Where can I watch Castlevania: Nocturne? The show was initially announced to be in development on Deadline on April 16th 2021, with reports stating that the show would be set during the French Revolution and feature new characters rather than continuing with the original troupe from Castlevania. Almost a full year later, at Netflix's 2022 Geeked Week, the title was unveiled: Castlevania Nocturne. Another year later, we had the official cast announcement on July 27th 2023, and finally, Castlevania: Nocturne will be released onto Netflix on Thursday 28th September 2023. Here's the trailer to tide you over in the meantime. View oEmbed on the source website Castlevania: Nocturne is set to hit Netflix on Thursday 28th September. You can sign up for Netflix from £4.99 a month. Netflix is also available on Sky Glass and Virgin Media Stream. Find something to watch tonight with our TV Guide and Streaming Guide, or visit our Fantasy hub for more news and features. Try Radio Times magazine today and get 12 issues for only £1 with delivery to your home – subscribe now. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
One Piece season 2 confirmed by Netflix and creator Eiichiro Oda
Have you just finished the first season of Netflix's One Piece and are desperate for another pirate adventure? Well, never fear! Netflix has just confirmed that the series has been renewed for a second season. The announcement came from the official One Piece X account, and none other than One Piece creator himself, Eiichiro Oda... via a Den Den Mushi transponder. "Two weeks after the launch, I just received some great news... Netflix has decided to renew the show!" Oda mentioned one of the pivotal reasons for the series's renewal is the global response to the first season: "It seems people around the world have been enjoying the show, which makes the hard work from the production team truly worth it." However, it's worth noting that while season 2 has been confirmed, it might take a while to come to our screens: "The adventures of Iñaki and the live-action Straw Hats will continue onward! "It'll still take a while to get the scripts ready, so please be patient. From here on, it seems to me the Straw Hats will need a great doctor... We will see," Oda said. And, of course, just like how season 1 ended, the video message gave us a little tease as to who we can expect to pop up in season 2: none other than famed doctor of the seas, Chopper. View Green Video on the source website Although series creator Eiichiro Oda mentioned that the scripts would take a while to "get ready", One Piece's producers explained that the story for the second season is actually there to shoot as soon as the ongoing WGA and SAG strikes are concluded. In an interview with Variety, they gave hope to fans that a second season of adventure may not be years away: "Realistically, hopefully, a year away, if we move very quickly, and that is a possibility." One Piece is available to stream 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 anime coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. Try Radio Times magazine today and get 10 issues for only £10, PLUS a £10 John Lewis and Partners voucher delivered to your home – subscribe now. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.