Sometimes,romance animeenthusiasts just want a conventional story that focuses on two people falling in love with no prominent distractions, third wheels, or gimmicks, where the audience only really knows how one of them feels and hopes the other likes them in return. There can be strong hints of reciprocity, but nothing outright to eliminate doubt. Unfortunately, the start ofCrunchyroll’s 2025 winter season didn’t have much to offer fans looking for this kind of straightforward romance, with the first two weeks debuting series that either didn’t put enough emphasis on any actual romance or relied too much on these aforementioned distractions....

I am terrible at roleplaying in video games, and, despite its promise of offering a truly next-gen open-world experience,Cyberpunk 2077has not fixed that. I’m not sure where my struggles with roleplaying come from, whether it’s the limitations of the game stifling my imagination - getting stuck in terrain or NPCs running out in front of my car definitely don’t help - or whether I’m simply ill-equipped to totally embody a role, especially one that’s already laid-out, such as V....

Warning! This post contains SPOILERS for Absolute Wonder Woman #2 Undoubtedly, the first members ofAbsolute Wonder Woman’srogues gallery look far more dangerous (and way bigger) than the foes typically faced by DC’s main Amazon hero. Having debuted with darker and very different origins in a reality created by Darkseid, Absolute Wonder Woman’s mission to protect Earth has also been redefined. To that end, the threats facing this new version of Diana are all kinds of horrifying and intense....

James Gunn’sDC Universemay soon have its John Stewart Green Lantern for the newLanternslive-action series. It has been a busy week for one of DC Studios' most anticipated projects on the Chapter 1 Gods and Monsters slate, as theLanternsseries is busy casting their leads. Earlier this week,Kyle Chandler was cast as Hal Jordan, but the HBO drama is still looking for John, and now it appears the search may soon be over....

Tom Holland’s Spider-Man plays a key role in the story of Robert Downey Jr.‘sDoctor Doom, according to a newMarvel Cinematic Universetheory.Holland and RDJ are forever linked in the MCU. As has become well-known, the MCU version of Spider-Man had Downey’s Iron Man as his mentor. That led to some hilarious and emotional moments in some of theMCU’s best movies. However, the chemistry between Downey and Holland would be cut short when Iron Man died in 2019’sAvengers: Endgame....

New toys based on the live-action adaptation ofHow to Train Your Dragonwill allow fans of the franchise to take the movie’s iconic dragons, and their riders, home with them. From Spin Master, this line of toys was created using actual digital assets from the film, making them an authentic reproduction of what audiences will see on screen. The toys themselves will begin hitting shelves May 1, a month before the movie’s June 13 release date, with select toys becoming available for purchase at Universal Studios Hollywood and Universal Orlando Resort....

Warning: This article contains SPOILERS for Heretic (2024) The butterfly that appears inHeretic’s ending may seem like a relatively minor detail, but this animal’s appearance is central to the movie’s symbolic story.A24’s religious horrorHereticis a densely packed movie, which is quite a feat considering the story has only three named characters. For the majority of its runtime, the unbearably tenseHereticfollows Mormon missionaries Sister Barnes and Sister Paxton, played by Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East, as they attempt to convert Hugh Grant’s seemingly sweet Mr....

The Accountant 2director Gavin O’Connor details how the long-awaited sequel expands the sibling dynamic between Ben Affleck and Jon Bernthal’s characters. After they wound up on opposing sides in the original movie,2025’sAccountantsequelsees Affleck’s autistic book-cooker Christian and Bernthal’s security specialist Brax joining forces to solve the mystery of Ray King’s death. Their brotherly endeavor puts them in danger, however, as assassins zero in on the pair. WithThe Accountant 2dropping a new trailer ahead of its SXSW premiere,ScreenRantspoke to O’Connor, who returned for the sequel after helming 2016’s original....

Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteousoffers so manyromance options, from a succubus archer with wings to an ancient queen sustaining her youth with a special elixir. The most adventurous of them all though is surely Camellia. Despite throwing up red flags at every turn, many players (likeMiskatonic) just can’t say no to her ‘charms’. The Camellia romance is unlike any other you’ve seen in an RPG before (and for that, it’sbetter). She’s not at all what she appears, though it becomes clear eventually....

1989’sBatmanchanged the collective perception of Batman, his costume, his gadgets, and even the Batcave in ways that I and many other viewers appreciate. 1989’sBatmanis still considered a classic to this day, even in the arguably saturated superhero film landscape, but it is difficult to overstate how influential the movie is. It may be easy to see 1989’sBatmanas a quaint film by today’s standards, but the movie’s reimagining of the Batman mythos, gargantuan marketing campaign, and overwhelming success paved the way for the modern superhero blockbuster and changed the way tentpole movies are promoted....

The Straw Hat Pirates are among the most beloved crews in theOne Piecefranchise, and with good reason. Not only are they the main characters of this world-famous series, but they are also among the kindest and funniest pirates in Bluestar. Most impressive of all, they have accomplished several monumental feats, despite being a relatively small team. While there is no doubt about Luffy’s friends being a part ofone the strongest crews in the world, they are also among the least organized organizations in the series....

It should not come as a shock that the manga industry has seen a huge uptake in popularity outside of Japan in recent years. For many years, the West has been one of the biggest consumers of the medium, and it is easy to see. From streaming services to fast-food chains like McDonald’s, anime is everywhere you look. Countries like the U.S.A. have been seen as the most profitable for companies such as Shueisha, but that reputation is starting to change....

One ominous line fromStar Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menacehas become so much more meaningful inStar Wars, and a recent retcon inStar Warsmovies and TV showshas only proven that so much more.The Phantom Menacehad significant ground to cover as the first addition toStar Warsfollowing the original trilogy—largely consideredStar Wars’best movies, even to this day. Thrillingly,Star Warsmanaged to set up the original trilogy while also bringing plenty of new ideas and characters to the table....