The official website for the live-action film of Ryō Nakama‘s High School Family: Kokosei Kazoku (Kōkōsei Kazoku) manga announced seven more cast members for the film on Thursday.

The newly announced cast members are (top row, left to right):

(second row, left to right):

Viz Media and MANGA Plus are both publishing the series in English digitally, and MANGA Plus describes the story:

Spring is in the air, and Kotaro is about to begin his first year of high school. He’s full of hope and anticipation of a wonderful life at his new school, only to have his dreams crushed by…his family?! Isobe Isobee Monogatari ~ Ukiyo wa Tsuraiyo creator Ryō Nakama‘s latest series combines family and school life gags, making it feel familiar but also fresh and new. This new genre of comedy will be sure to make the grade!

The film stars (left to right in visual right):

Tôichirô Rutô (live-action Violence Action, G Men, Ossan’s Love) is directing the film based on a script by Europe Kikaku‘s Makoto Ueda (The Tatami Galaxy, Night is Short, Walk On Girl, Penguin Highway).

The film will open in Japan on January 8, a delay from the film’s originally planned fall 2026 opening.

Nakama launched the manga in Shueisha‘s Weekly Shonen Jump magazine in September 2020 and ended the series in Weekly Shonen Jump in February 2023.  Shueisha published the11th and final volume in July 2023. Viz Media is also publishing the manga in compiled volume form digitally.

Nakama previously published the Isobe Isobee Monogatari ~Ukiyo wa Tsurai yo~ manga in Weekly Shonen Jump from October 2013 to October 2017. The manga inspired two net anime series and a stage play.

Sources: High School Family: Kokosei Kazoku live-action film’s website, Comic Natalie

Toei Animation turned 70 on July 31, and the animation studio released a special video to celebrate the anniversary. The video offers a retrospective on Toei Animation‘s history and works, decade by decade:

Toei Animation also opened a 70th anniversary website with a comprehensive history of the studio’s productions and a message from its president Katsuhiro Takagi:

We would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to the countless pioneers and employees, whose daily efforts, have made this possible, and above all, to our many fans and all stakeholders for their warm support. Without forgetting our gratitude for the past 70 years, we will treat this milestone as a steppingstone toward our 100th anniversary, renew our resolve, and continue to take on new challenges so we can deliver anime to people all over the world.

Toei Animation officially began operating under that name on July 31, 1956. The studio’s first feature-length animation production was The White Snake film in 1958, and Its second was the 1959 film Magic Boy. The studio then animated its first TV production, 1963’s Ōkami Shōnen Ken. Since then, it has worked on several popular anime series including the Gegege no Kitarō franchise, the Dragon Ball franchise, One Piece, the Precure franchise, the Mazinger Z franchise, Cutie Honey, the Galaxy Express 999 franchise, Fist of the North Star, Sailor Moon, Slam Dunk, Ojamajo Doremi, the Digimon franchise, and the Saint Seiya franchise. Toei Animation‘s most recent production is this year’s Star Detective Precure! TV series.

Sources: Toei Animation‘s X/Twitter account, Toei Animation‘s YouTube channel, Toei Animation 70th Anniversary’s website via Comic Natalie

McDonald’s streamed a teaser video for an upcoming collaboration with the popular Sanrio character Hello Kitty and the King of the Monsters, Godzilla, on Tuesday. The short video features Hello Kitty dressed in a Godzilla outfit swimming towards a boat carrying a Happy Meal box.

McDonald’s then teased the crossover toys on Wednesday:

McDonald’s captioned the video: “cute meets kaiju 08.18” so start scanning the horizon next Tuesday.

Sources: McDonald’s Instagram account via Attractions Magazine