Hey, everyone!

Here’s what’s going in the world of Anime today:

• Baki Hanma vs. Kengan Ashura Crossover anime announced.

• The new Yu-Gi-Oh Millennium Ring replica plays over 80 Bakura voice clips.

• Jujutsu Kaisen teams up with Crunchyroll and Marshmello to create a new merch line.

Baki Hanma vs. Kengan Ashura Crossover

During their AnimeJapan 2024 presentation, Netflix announced that Baki Hanma VS Kengan Ashura will hit the streaming service later this Summer!

If you're unfamiliar with these two anime, they are action-packed martial arts anime. Based on the Baki manga series, Baki Hanma is centered on the epic life-and-death clash between protagonist Baki Hanma, the youngest underground fighting champion, and his father Yujiro Hanma, the "strongest creature in the world." Also based on a popular manga, Kengan Ashura tells the story of humble office worker Kazuo Yamashita, who encounters mysterious martial artist Ohma Tokita and gets wrapped up in the "Kengan" matches, in which corporations settle business disputes by betting large sums on seasoned fighters.

Baki Hanma is currently on its third season of the anime run for Netflix, and Kengan Ashura fans are waiting for the second half of the second season to release. While it's unsure if the crossover is a series or a film, what is evident from the first teaser trailer and the first teaser poster is that the two main lead fighters from both series, Baki Hanma and Oma Tokita, will step into the same arena for the first time.

Baki Hanma VS Kengan Ashura will debut worldwide on Netflix on June 6th. How or why the two leads will cross paths has not been revealed, so how the plot will be unveiled could be pretty interesting. As for art style, what we see so far seems to favor Baki Hanma's 2D animated aesthetic rather than Kengan Ashura's CG animation style.

You can watch the teaser trailer here.

Bandai Releases Yu-Gi-Oh Millennium Ring Replica with 80 Voice Clips

Yu-Gi-Oh fans looking to complete their Millennium Items collection are in luck! You can now get your hands on a toy replica of the Millennium Ring (usually donned by the possessed Bakura Ryou in the anime) packed with audio clips.

Officially dubbed the "Yu-Gi-Oh!: Millennium Ring - Complete Edition," the plastic replica will be released as part of Bandai Namco's Group Premium Bandai toy line. The product is set to feature well-known voice lines from Ryo Bakura, Yami Bakura, and Bandit King Bakura. Users can switch between the voice modes by pressing and holding the line button, allowing various duel-specific quips to be played, like Yami Bakura's formation of the Spirit Message when playing the Destiny Board card and the sound of Bandit King Bakura's spirit ka, complete with Diabound's special ability activation sound.

If the voice lines weren't enough, various songs featured in the Yu-Gi-Oh anime series will complement them. The "Vague Apprehension" and "The Impending" background themes will be available, as will the series' fifth opening theme song, "Overlap." The replica will allow users to mix and match songs and dialogue lines and overlay them, recreating the anime's iconic atmosphere during any IRL duel.

The replica gold medallion comes with a 39" neckstrap, and when not being worn in duels, it can be displayed on its included black pedestal. Priced at $72, the replica is set to be released in September 2024. Pre-orders are currently open and will close on May 27th, 2024, on the Bandai website. This will be the third "Complete Edition" Millennium Item that Premium Bandai will release. Previously, fans could get their hands on the Millennium Puzzle and Rod, which retailed for a similar price.

Jujutsu Kaisen Teams Up with Crunchyroll & Marshmello for New Line

Producer/DJ Marshmello has teamed up with Crunchyroll for a new Jujutsu Kaisen merchandise collaboration entitled "Drop Curses and Beats," featuring T-shirts, sweatshirts, and more.

The Marshmello x Jujutsu Kaisen line, announced on social media via Crunchyroll and Marshmello, will be the second official merchandise collaboration between Jujutsu Kaisen and DJ/producer Christopher Comstack, aka Marshmello, after their first line dropped in October 2023. The "Style & Sorcery" collaboration featured eight unisex t-shirts and a sweatshirt in sizes S-2XL that was completely sold out.

The collaboration also includes a special poster design that combines several Jujutsu Kaisen scenes, including Sukuna's Malevolent Shrine and Yuji Itadori, paired with the Marshmello logo. The poster design is available on the "Poster T-shirt," priced at $37.99, and "Poster Hoodie," priced at $74.99. Additionally, the Marshmello online shop has two exclusive items, including one of only 500 autographed copies of the poster, priced at $55.00, and a Jujutsu Kaisen trucker hat, priced at $34.00.

The Marshmello x Jujutsu Kaisen line releases TODAY on the Crunchyroll store and Marshmello Music online.

This Week's New Release

Studio Apartment, Good Lighting, Angel Included

The original manga series by matoba is currently being serialized in Square Enix's Monthly Shonen Gangan, and six collected volumes are presently released in Japan. Yen Press releases the manga in English and describes the series as such:

Shintaro Tokumitsu is a high schooler living alone, but things take an unexpected turn when a girl named Towa shows up on his balcony! Not only is she incredibly pure and sweet, but there's something different about her—something divine. Just who is Shintaro's new roommate, and what adorable high jinks lie in store?!

View the trailer here.

Release Date: 3/30/24

An Otaku’s Commentary