Free Comic Book Day 2020 extends to Free Comic Book May due to coronavirus

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Every year, Free Comic Book Day brings a plethora of free comics for your reading pleasure during the first Saturday of May. Since everyone’s staying home because of coronavirus concerns, Free Comic Book Day will take over the entire month of May.

Revealed today, Diamond Comic Distributors told comic book retailers in an email, "With restaurants and other businesses closing and many areas implementing event restrictions, we know that Free Comic Book Day will be impacted to varying degrees throughout the world. With the books already printed and en route, we have worked with our publisher partners to give retailers as much flexibility as possible in their handling of this event.

To minimize the impact on our primary distribution operations, prioritizing the distribution of weekly new comics and restocks, a number of FCBD titles will be included with each regular weekly shipment for the next several weeks. These titles will be invoiced at no charge, as we extend the billing out approximately 90 days, to the first week in August. The books may not be in separate boxes from the rest of the shipment, except when full cases are shipping.

With a longer period to utilize the books before being invoiced, retailers will be free to use the books in whatever manner suits their individual marketing needs, beginning May 2, 2020. We anticipate stores needing to be creative in how they hold events, perhaps having to distribute the books in new ways or to smaller groups of customers than the single big day you typically experience. To that end, we will be referring to the event as 'Free Comic Book MAY' and retailers can use their online Comic Shop Locator Service / FCBD profiles to update customers on their plans.”

This year's Free Comic Book Day May features a slew of free comics from Critical Role, The Legend of Zelda, and The Tick. You can head here to check out the full list of comics.

'Star Trek: TNG'-inspired improv show The Improvised Generation returns to Impro Studio this weekend

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Popular Star Trek: The Next Generation-inspired improv series The Improvised Generation will make its return to Los Angeles’ Impro Studio this weekend.

Every Sunday night in March and April, people can watch the ongoing adventures of the crew of the USS McGinley. The cast for the sixth season of The Improvised Generation features a mixture of familiar and new faces. Aliza Pearl, Paul Hungerford, Sara Mountjoy-Pepka, Scott Palmason, Laurie Jones, Rob Ullett, Lissette Jean-Marie, and Arlo Sanders will take part of the show. Hector Navarro (DC Universe, El Rey Network) will join as a special guest.

The Improvised Generation takes place at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are on sale at Impro Studio’s website. You can follow The Improvised Generation on Facebook and Twitter for any updates. The Impro Studio is located on 1727 North Vermont Avenue, which is a few blocks away from the Vermont/Sunset Station.

Technical improvisers for The Improvised Generation are Cory Wyszynski, Douglas Charles Hampton, and Raishel Wasserman. The Improvised Generation is directed by Aliza Pearl, Paul Hungerford, and Sara Mountjoy-Pepka.

You can watch the first five seasons of The Improvised Generation below.

Photos: Stars come out for My Hero Academia: Heroes Rising L.A. premiere

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Last night, the L.A. premiere of My Hero Academia: Heroes Rising took place, and some familiar faces made their way to the event. You can check out photos of the event, which were taken by photographer Joe Scarnici for Getty Images/Funimation Films, below. If you missed the livestream, you can also check that out below.

Tickets for My Hero Academia: Heroes Rising, which hits theaters for a limited time starting on February 26, are on sale right now. This is the follow up to 2018’s My Hero Academia: Two Heroes, which earned $5.7 million at the North American box office.

My Hero Academia: Heroes Rising’s official synopsis reads: “Class 1-A visits Nabu Island where they finally get to do some real hero work. The place is so peaceful that it’s more like a vacation … until they’re attacked by a villain with an unfathomable Quirk! His power is eerily familiar, and it looks like Shigaraki had a hand in the plan. But with All Might retired and citizens’ lives on the line, there’s no time for questions. Deku and his friends are the next generation of heroes, and they’re the island’s only hope.”

My Hero Academia: Heroes Rising English dub trailer released

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My Hero Academia: Heroes Rising arrives in theaters across the United States new week, and Funimation are getting fans excited with an English dub trailer. Released yesterday, the 90-second trailer finds Class 1-A running into trouble while at Nabu Island. You can check it out below.

Today, Funimation will livestream the Los Angeles premiere of the film with hosts Emma Fyffe, Matt Acevedo, Jacki Jing, Cheyenne Ewulu, and Lauren Moore. The crew will be interviewing the cast of the film along with some special guests. The broadcast will begin at 6 p.m. PST/9 p.m. EST on their Twitch and YouTube channels.

Tickets for My Hero Academia: Heroes Rising, which hits theaters for a limited time starting on February 26, are on sale right now.

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, Kaguya-sama: Love is War win big at Crunchyroll Anime Awards 2020

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The fourth annual Crunchyroll Anime Awards took place today, and anime fans around the world couldn’t wait to see who’d leave the awards with some major wins.

Ufotable’s Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba walked away with the highly coveted Anime of the Year award. The anime also earned awards for Best Fight Scene (Tanjiro & Nezuko vs. Rui) and Best Boy (Tanjiro Kamado). Also gaining three awards for the night is Kaguya-sama: Love is War, which won for Best Comedy, Best Couple (Kaguya Shinomiya & Miyuki Shirogane), and Best Ending Sequence. Earning two awards apiece are Mob Psycho 100 II (Best Animation, Best Opening Sequence), THE PROMISED NEVERLAND (Best Antagonist, Best Fantasy), and The Rising of the Shield Hero (Best Girl, Best Performance by a Voice Actor - English).

You can check out the full list of winners and re-watch the event below.

Anime of the Year

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba

Carole & Tuesday

Mob Psycho 100 II

O Maidens in Your Savage Season

Vinland Saga

The Promised Neverland

Best Animation

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba

Attack on Titan Season 3

Mob Psycho 100 II

Sarazanmai

Vinland Saga

Fate/Grand Order Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia

Best Boy

Bruno Bucciarati in JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Golden Wind

Hyakkimaru in Dororo

Kanata Hoshijima in Astra Lost in Space

Shigeo “Mob” Kageyama in Mob Psycho 100

Tanjiro Kamado in Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba

Naruzou Machi in How Heavy are the Dumbbells You Lift?

Best Girl

Carole in Carole & Tuesday

Chika Fujiwari in Kaguya-sama: Love is War

Emma in The Promised Neverland

Kohaku in Dr. STONE

Nezuko Kamado in Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba

Raphtalia in The Rising of the Shield Hero

Best Score

Hiroyuki Sawano for Attack on Titan Season 3

Mocky for Carole and Tuesday

Go Shiina and Yuki Kajiura for Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba

Tatsuya Kato, Hiroaki Tsutsumi, and YUKI KANESAKA for Dr. STONE

Yugo Kanno for JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Golden Wind

Kevin Penkin for The Rising of the Shield Hero

Best Director

Tetsuro Araki & Masashi Koizuka for Attack on Titan Season 3

Kiyotaka Suzuki for Babylon

Shinichiro Watanabe & Motonobu Hori for Carole and Tuesday

Yuzuru Tachikawa for Mob Psycho 100 II

Kunihiko Ikuhara for Sarazanmai

Shuhei Yabuta for VINLAND SAGA

Best Character Design

Tsunenori Saito, Original Character Design by Eisaku Kubonouchi for Carole and Tuesday

Satoshi Iwataki, Original Character Design by Hiroyuki Asada for Dororo

Yuko Iwasa for Dr. STONE

Yuko Yahiro, Original Character Design by Aka Akasaka for Kaguya-sama: Love is War

Kayoko Ishikawa, Original Character Design by Miggy for Sarazanmai

Takahiko Abiru, Original Character Design by Makoto Yukimura for VINLAND SAGA

Best Protagonist

Emma in THE PROMISED NEVERLAND

Hyakkimaru in Dororo

Saitama in One-Punch Man Season 2

Senku in Dr. STONE

Tanjiro Kamado in DEMON SLAYER: KIMETSU NO YAIBA

Tohru Honda in Fruits Basket

Best Antagonist

Ai Magase in Babylon

Angela in Carole and Tuesday

Askeladd in VINLAND SAGA

Garou in One-Punch Man Season 2

Isabella in THE PROMISED NEVERLAND

Overhaul in My Hero Academia Season 4

Best Fight Scene

Emperor Crimson vs. Metallic in JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Golden Wind

Levi vs. Beast Titan in Attack on Titan Season 3

Mob vs. Toichiro in Mob Psycho 100 II

Tanjiro & Nezuko vs. Rui in Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba

Thorfinn vs. Thorkell in VINLAND SAGA

Ushiwakamaru vs. Tiamat in Fate/Grand Order Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia

Best Couple

Baki Hanma & Kozue Matsumoto in BAKI

Kaguya Shinomiya & Miyuki Shirogane in Kaguya-sama: Love is War

Mafuyu Sato & Ritsuka Uenoyama in Given

Reo & Mabu in Sarazanmai

Rika Zonazaki & Shun Amagi in O Maidens in Your Savage Season

Ymir & Historia in Attack on Titan Season 3

Best Comedy

Aggretsuko

How Heavy are the Dumbbells You Lift?

Isekai Quartet

Kaguya-sama: Love is War

Sarazanmai

My Roommate is a Cat

Best Drama

Stars Align

Carole & Tuesday

THE PROMISED NEVERLAND

Fruits Basket

VINLAND SAGA

Babylon

Best Fantasy

DEMON SLAYER: KIMETSU NO YAIBA

Sarazanmai

Ascendance of a Bookworm

Attack on Titan Season 3

THE PROMISED NEVERLAND

Astra Lost in Space

Best Opening Sequence

Kiss Me in Carole & Tuesday

Touch Off in THE PROMISED NEVERLAND

99.9 in Mob Psycho 100 II

Kawaki wo Ameku in Domestic Girlfriend

Inferno in Fire Force

Mukanjyo in VINLAND SAGA

Best Ending Sequence

Hold Me Now in Carole & Tuesday

Chikatto Chika Chikaa♡ in Kaguya-sama: Love is War

Torches in VINLAND SAGA

Stand By Me in Sarazanmai

Veil in Fire Force

Sayonara Gokko in Dororo

Best Performance by a Voice Actor (English)

Faye Mata as Aqua in Konosuba - God’s blessing on this wonderful world!

Billy Kametz as Naofumi in The Rising of the Shield Hero

Laura Bailey as Tohru Honda in Fruits Basket

Kyle McCarley as Shigeo "Mob" Kageyama in Mob Psycho 100 II

Casey Mongillo as Shinji Ikari in Neon Genesis Evangelion

Erica Mendez as Retsuko in Aggretsuko

Best Performance by a Voice Actor (Japanese)

Yuichi Nakamura as Bruno Bucciarati in JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Golden Wind

Yukino Satsuki as Ai Magase in Babylon

Yuuko Kaida as Isabella in THE PROMISED NEVERLAND

Mamoru Miyano as Reo in Sarazanmai

Yusuke Kobayashi as Senku in Dr. STONE

Saori Hayami as Shinobu Kocho in DEMON SLAYER: KIMETSU NO YAIBA

New English voice actors for My Hero Academia: Heroes Rising announced

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With the Los Angeles red carpet premiere of My Hero Academia: Heroes Rising happening in a few days, Funimation have unveiled who will be voicing the new characters in the film.

Taking over the voice of Mahoro is Dani Chambers, who is best known for providing the voices of Iris in Ace Attorney, Naoko in Cardcaptor Sakura: Clear Card Arc, and Fai in Endro~! Voicing Katsuma is Maxey Whitehead, who has provided the voices of Crona in Soul Eater, Juzo Suzuya in Tokyo Ghoul, and Alphonse Elric in Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood.

Funimation have also revealed Zeno Robinson will lend their voice to Hawks. Robinson is best known for portraying Cyborg in Young Justice, Kelby in Cannon Busters, and Superalloy Blackluster in One Punch Man.

The red carpet premiere, which takes place on Wednesday, February 19, will be livestreamed. My Hero Academia: Heroes Rising will arrive to theaters for a limited release starting on February 26. Tickets are on sale right now.

Crunchyroll Anime Awards Marathon kicks off on February 10

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With the Crunchyroll Anime Awards arriving next Saturday, the company unveiled the lineup for their marathon on Thursday.

The marathon, which begins on Monday, February 10 at 9 a.m. PST, will include episodes of popular anime series such as Mob Psycho 100 II, My Roommate is a Cat, and Kemono Friends 2. You can check out the full list of shows airing during the marathon below. This event, which will be streamed on Crunchyroll’s Facebook and Twitch accounts, will conclude on Friday, February 14 at 6 p.m. PST.

The following day (February 15), the Crunchyroll Anime Awards will take place at 5 p.m. PST. WWE Superstar Xavier Woods (a.k.a. Austin Creed) will host the show alongside Crunchyroll’s Tim ‘T-Time’ Lyu. Aside from finding out who wins the big awards, fans will be greeted by previews of forthcoming anime series. Fans can view the event live on Crunchyroll’s Facebook, Twitch, and YouTube accounts. You can check out last year’s Crunchyroll Anime Awards below. More information about the awards, including the list of nominees, can be found here.

Crunchyroll Anime Awards marathon lineup

Mob Psycho 100 II 

Sarazanmai 

The Rising of the Shield Hero 

given 

Ascendance of a Bookworm 

My Roommate is a Cat 

KONOSUBA -God’s blessing on this wonderful world! Season 1 English Dub + OVA 

BLACKFOX 

Katana Maidens ~ Mini Toji 

Girly Air Force 

Hakata Mentai! Pirikarako-chan 

Kemono Friends 2 

Shonen Ashibe GO! GO! Goma-chan

Netflix developing live-action adaptation of 'One Piece'

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Popular anime series One Piece is getting the live-action treatment thanks to Netflix.

Announced today, the streaming service will air a 10-episode series being produced by Tomorrow Studios, which is the same company working on the live-action Cowboy Bebop series. No release date or casting announcements have been made.

Debuting in 1997, One Piece is the highest-selling mange series ever and helped spawn a popular anime adaptation. The franchise is also big when it comes to video games. On March 27, One Piece: Pirate Warriors 4 will be released on the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Microsoft Windows, and the Nintendo Switch. This is the sequel to 2015’s One Piece: Pirate Warriors 3. Last year, One Piece: World Seeker was released on the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Microsoft Windows. A smartphone game titled One Piece Bon! Bon! Journey!! is slated to be released this spring.

Rock anime Listeners reveal teaser trailer

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Anime and rock and roll will collide with the forthcoming series Listeners. Today, a teaser trailer for the project was unveiled to the public.

The series, which is being produced by Slow Curve, was co-created by Kagerou Project creator JIN (a.k.a. Shizen no Teki-P) and writer Dai Sato, who’s worked on Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex and Eureka Seven. Outside of Kagerou Project, JIN has produced a trio of albums alongside Kagerou Project, including 2018’s Mekakucity Reload. JIN will be producing the music for this series with the help of L!th!um, who will be composing the tunes.

The anime’s official description states, “On a stage where there is no music called “music,” the two artists portray the excitement and joy of rock music and the great youth symphony in which the soul is swirling. A mysterious girl Miu with a single boy and an input jack in her body. The story begins with the encounter between the two, and follows the journey that will never be forgotten while freely intermingling legends that remain in rock history.”

On February 1st, there will be a special livestream titled Listeners Gig #1, which shall be hosted by Jin, Dai Sato, Slow Curve’s Tachi Hashimoto, and Myū voice actor Rie Takahashi. This event, which will be streamed on Periscope and YouTube, will give viewers around the world an in depth look at the forthcoming series. Things kick off for North American viewers at 7 a.m. EST./4 a.m. PST (9:00 p.m. JST).

You can follow Listeners on Twitter for any updates.

Log Horizon returns for season three in October 2020

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When the second season of Log Horizon ended in 2015, fans were hoping for another season. After waiting nearly five years, they got their wish thanks to NHK and Studio DEEN.

Yesterday, NHK revealed a third season of the show, which is slated to debut this October on NHK Educational. The third season is titled Log Horizon: Entaku Hōkai (Log Horizon: Fall of the Round Table) , which is the same name as the 2017 web-novel. A physical version of the novel was slated for 2019, but it has been delayed. Everyone who worked on the first two seasons will return for round three.

More information on the third season will be announced soon. Until then, you can watch the first two seasons of Log Horizon on Hulu and Crunchyroll.