Anime
Smile Up President Noriyuki Higashiyama Steps Down – News
© SMILE-UP
The official website for Smile Up, the agency formerly known as Johnny & Associates, announced on Monday that President and Representative Director Noriyuki Higashiyama is stepping down from his position. Managing Director Akira Abe is also stepping down. The change will take place on October 1 after both of their terms expire. Masayuki Yamada, a lawyer who currently serves as an executive in charge of compliance, will become the new President and Representative Director. Takayuki Jin will be the new Managing Director. Smile Up’s Board of Directors decided that it would be appropriate to change the structure as it anticipates dealing with legal procedures and decisions in the future.
Amidst the changes, Smile Up will continue to be responsible for handling the compensation measures for sexual abuse victims of the agency’s late founder Johnny Kitagawa, a process that started in November 2023. The company will shut down after the compensation measures are completed.
Higashiyama announced in October 2023 that the Johnny & Associates agency would change its name to Smile Up starting on October 2023, as part of the company’s “vision” to earn back fans’ trust.
During that time, the Johnny & Associates agency established a separate new entity Starto Entertaintment in December 2023 to oversee talent management operations.
Kitagawa’s Allegations
Higashiyama had previously stated in September 2023 when the agency publicly admitted for the first time that Kitagawa did sexually abuse a large number of aspiring pop star teenagers from the 1970s to 2010s that the company would not change its name.
At the press conference that September, then-president Julie Keiko Fujishima stated she was retiring as president, but will remain the representative director and owner of the company. The agency stated it is taking measures to compensate for the damage caused and prevent reoccurrences.
After the September press conference, sponsors in Japan announced they would not renew contracts with Johnny’s, or indicated they would disassociate themselves from the agency. More recently, NHK stated last week that it will “not make new requests to entertainers from … [the agency] to perform in its programs for the time being.” This policy will extend to the popular New Year’s Eve music program Kohaku Uta Gassen.
Meanwhile, more alleged victims had also come forward with stories of abuse, including former Kis-My-Ft2 member Kyohei Iida. Kyodo News reported that Higashiyama said during the press conference in 2023 that the committee established to oversee the compensation measures had “so far received consultations from 478 sex abuse victims, with 325 of them seeking compensation.”
March 2023 BBC Report Leads to External Probe
In March 2023, the BBC released an hour-long documentary titled Predator: The Secret Scandal of J-Pop, which detailed “a long history of allegations of sexual abuse, made by boys in [Kitagawa’s] agency” and why “the Japanese media remained largely silent.”
In April 2023, Kauan Okamoto, a Japanese-Brazilian singer and songwriter, held a press conference and claimed Kitagawa abused him about 15 to 20 times between 2012-2016 when he was still a member of the agency, and said he knew at least three other people who had also been abused.
After OKAMOTO’S press conference, a group of fans and idols held a press conference that May stating they had sent a petition to Johnny & Associates calling on the company to apologize and launch an investigation.
An external probe set up in late May 2023 to investigate Kitagawa concluded that August that Kitagawa sexually abused members of the agency for decades, and that the agency had covered up Kitagawa’s behavior. Kitagawa’s family members had allegedly known what he was doing and did not do anything to stop him.
Kitagawa’s Death and Past Allegations
Kitagawa died at 87 in July 2019 due to a subarachnoid hemorrhage (a form of stroke). Fujishima then became president in September 2019.
Kitagawa founded Johnny & Associates in 1962 after establishing the male idol group Johnnys. Johnny & Associates went on to establish and manage many male idol groups such as SMAP, Arashi, Tokio, KinKi Kids, V6, KAT-TUN, and Hey! Say! JUMP. The members of idol groups under the management of Johnny & Associates are collectively known as “Johnny’s.”
Kitagawa previously faced allegations of sexual misconduct during his career. The Shukan Bunshun magazine published 14-week expose in 1999 detailing accusations of child abuse and sexual exploitation. However, the accusations never resulted in formal criminal charges. Kitagawa and Johnny & Associates sued the magazine, and the magazine lost the first trial in March 2002. However, the magazine effectively won its Tokyo High Court appeal in July 2003. The High Court’s decision stated the alleged victims’ testimonies were “generally consistent” and “specific, frank, and detailed.” The decision also stated Kitagawa had “no concrete counterargument or rebuttal evidence.”
Sources: Smile Up via Hachima Kikо̄, NTV News via Yahoo! News,
>
© Eiichiro Oda/Shueisha, Toei Animation
The last episode of the anime for this year aired on Fuji TV on Sunday, with the anime continuing next year. The Dragon Ball Super: Beerus anime will take over One Piece‘s Sunday 11:15 p.m. timeslot on Fuji TV, starting on October 11.
The Elbaph arc of the One Piece anime debuted in Japan on April 5. Crunchyroll is streaming the arc.
Toei Animation and One Piece anime producer Ryūta Koike announced in October 2025 that the anime was reducing its annual episode output to a maximum of 26 episodes moving forward starting in 2026. Following the conclusion of the Egghead arc last year, the anime took a three-month production hiatus from January-March 2026. The anime returned in April 2026 for the first of two cours (quarters of a year) with the start of the new Elbaph arc.
According to Toei Animation, the new schedule allows episodes to “incorporate more content, tempo, and pacing of the manga while continuing to leverage the unique storytelling that is only possible with animation.” Historically, with only few exceptions, the anime has aired most weeks since its premiere in 1999. However, the pace has slowed considerably over the years.
© BIRD STUDIO/SHUEISHA, TOEI ANIMATION
Dragon Ball franchise executive producer Akio Iyoku stated that work on the Dragon Ball Super: Beerus television anime series started a few years ago and is an “enhanced” edition of the Dragon Ball Super anime that features a reconstruction of the story, and includes new and redrawn cuts.
The official announcement of the anime stated:
The project features extensive new cuts, revisions to existing scenes, a complete re-rendering of all footage, newly recorded dubbing with added score and sound effects, and a full reconstruction of the story. Living up to the name ENHANCED, this edition employs the latest visual expression to deliver greater power and immersion across all scenes, especially the battle sequences. The result is an ENHANCED edition that expresses Akira Toriyama‘s original idea and worldbuilding more accurately, that will be broadcasted with highly satisfying quality.
The staff describes the story:
Several years have passed since the fierce battle against Majin Buu, and Earth has finally regained a brief moment of peace. At the same time, Beerus, the God of Destruction, awakens from his long, deep sleep. Even Kai and Supreme Kai, aware of Beerus’s overwhelming power to destroy entire planets, watch his awakening with great fear… Meanwhile, Beerus hears rumors of a Saiyan who defeated Frieza—and suddenly appears before Goku.Targeted by Beerus, the strongest being in the universe, Earth is in grave danger. Thus begins an Earth-shattering cosmic battle between the God of Destruction and Goku and his allies—a conflict that will shake the entire universe.
Dragon Ball Super premiered in July 2015 and aired for 131 episodes until March 2018. Funimation and Crunchyroll streamed the series as it aired, and Funimation released the series on home video. Funimation debuted the English dub to its streaming service in December 2016. The English dub premiered on Adult Swim‘s Toonami block in January 2017.
Sources: One Piece anime’s X/Twitter account, Oricon News
>
Will the horse girls achieve Most Speaking Characters in a Short-form Animation Series Based on a Video Game?
The Uma Musume Pretty Derby franchise boldly announced on Sunday that it is going for the Guinness World Record for the “Most Speaking Characters in a Short-form Animation Series Based on a Video Game” with the new short anime series Umayuru Full Gate! The staff said that Guinness World Records will reveal if Umayuru Full Gate! has broken the record in March 2027.
© Cygames, Inc.
Umayuru Full Gate! is the sequel to 2022’s Uma Yuru. The anime premiered on the franchise‘s YouTube channel on Friday. Episodes follow broadcasts of PakaLive TV.
The Uma Yuru anime series premiered in October 2022.
The Uma Musume Pretty Derby mobile game inspired both Uma Yuru and Uma Yuru: Full Gate! The Uma Musume Pretty Derby game launched in February 2021 for iOS and Android. The game was originally slated for a release in winter 2018, and was delayed in order to raise the game’s quality. The game launched on PC via DMM Games in March 2021.
Uma Musume Pretty Derby‘s English version launched for iOS and Android devices in June 2025. The game won Best Mobile Game at The Game Awards 2025.
The game’s concept begins with Uma Musume (Horse Girls), girls endowed with excellent running capability, and who aim to become top idols and compete in the national sports entertainment show “Twinkle Series.” Players take the role of both teacher and trainer for the girls in the Nihon Uma Musume Training Center Gakuen (Japan Horse Girls Training Center Academy) and help them make their debut.
Uma Musume: Cinderella Gray, the latest anime of the franchise, aired for two cours (quarters of a year) with a break in between from April to December 2025.
Sources: Uma Musume: Pretty Derby’s X/Twitter account
>
Viz Media revealed a new teaser trailer, a new key visual, and the cast for the anime of Keigo Shinzō‘s Hirayasumi manga (a co-production with Shogakukan-Shueisha Productions Co., Ltd and Production +h.) on Monday.
© Keigo Shinzo/Shogakukan/Hirayasumi Project
Yūma Uchida stars as Hiroto Ikuta, Mayu Takahashi as Natsumi Kobayashi and Rikako Aikawa as Hanae Wada.
© Keigo Shinzo/Shogakukan/Hirayasumi Project
Viz describes the human drama story:
At 29 years old, carefree Hiroto Ikuta doesn’t have a girlfriend, a full-time job, or a plan for the future—and he couldn’t be happier. Hiroto’s breezy attitude isn’t easy for everyone to understand, though. In a world filled with anxiety, confusion, and grief, Hiroto and the people around him are all just doing their best to figure out this thing called life.
Kei Suezawa (Fate/Grand Order The Movie Divine Realm of the Round Table: Camelot – Wandering: Agateram, FLCL Progressive) is directing the anime at Production +h. Naoyuki Asano (Urusei Yatsura, Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken!, Mr. Osomatsu) is designing the characters. Mika Nishimura (Dead Dead Demon’s Dededede Destruction, Typhoon Noruda) is the art director. Kaori Sawada (What Did You Eat Yesterday?, When Spring Comes) is composing the music.
The anime will premiere in January 2027 in Japan on the NHK General channel. Viz Media also announced in English a 2027 release.
Viz Media and Japan Society are also hosting the world premiere screening of the first episode at Japan Society’s location in New York City on October 7 at 7:00 p.m. EDT. Composer Kaori Sawada and producer Junichi Katsutani will be in attendance with Viz Media‘s Community Manager Godswill Ugwa as panel host.
Shinzō launched the manga in Shogakukan‘s Weekly Big Comic Spirits magazine in April 2021. Shogakukan published the manga’s ninth compiled book volume on July 30, and the series has over 1.1 million copies in circulation worldwide. The manga was nominated for the 15th Manga Taisho awards in January 2022, ranked #18 in the 2023 edition of Takarajimasha‘s Kono Manga ga Sugoi! (This Manga Is Amazing!) guidebook in December 2022, nominated for the 27th Annual Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize in February 2023, and nominated for Best Continuing Manga Series in the 2nd American Manga Awards.
The series also inspired a live-action series, which premiered on NHK in November 2025.
Denpa has licensed Shinzō’s Holiday Junction collection of short manga. The book contains seven one-shot
manga. Shogakukan shipped the book in Japan in July 2016.
Source: press release
>
New York Times Executive Fatally Shot by In-Laws, Police Say
J.J. McCarthy: New York Giants trade for Minnesota Vikings quarterback after Jaxson Dart’s season-ending injury | NFL News
World Grand Prix Darts: Luke Littler in shock first-round exit as defending champion loses to Luke Woodhouse | Darts News
-
movies4 months agoSearch For Canadian TV Actor Stewart McLean Now Homicide Investigation
-
Fashion9 years agoThese ’90s fashion trends are making a comeback in 2017
-
Fashion9 years ago
According to Dior Couture, this taboo fashion accessory is back
-
Fashion9 years ago
Model Jocelyn Chew’s Instagram is the best vacation you’ve ever had
-
Fashion9 years ago
Emily Ratajkowski channels back-to-school style
-
Fashion9 years ago
9 Celebrities who have spoken out about being photoshopped
-
Anime4 months agoRurouni Kenshin: Hokkaido Arc Manga Takes 1-Issue Break – News
-
Anime3 months agoHIDIVE to Stream English Dubs for The World Is Dancing, The Forsaken Saintess and Her Foodie Roadtrip in Another World, The Dangers in My Heart: The Movie Anime – News