Nerds and Beyond

A second season of Witch Hat Atelier is confirmed! After the explosive finale of season 1, BUG FILMS is beginning work on a second season of the hit fantasy series. Season 2 of the series will air on Crunchyroll worldwide (excluding Asia). No release window has been revealed. In a world where only born witches can cast spells, Witch Hat Atelier follows the adventures of Coco, a bright-eyed girl determined to become a witch in a world where magic is a closely guarded secret.

As a novice to the world of Dungeons and Dragons (D&D), Critical Role’s The Legend of Vox Machina has made a fun, chaotic, albeit raunchy show for adults who love D&D or those who just love a well-written, animated series. Among critics for four seasons in a row, The Legend of Vox Machina has earned 100% on Rotten Tomatoes. If you aren’t aware, Critical Role is a group of friends and professional, seasoned voice actors who dive into the world of D&D.

Following the April 17 release of their 11th full-length studio album, Between Us, Arkells embarked on their most recent tour of the same name. The Canadian band, from Hamilton, Ontario, played 3 nights in Toronto – in a throwback to their 20-year history and roots in this city, they played shows at 3 progressively larger venues – Lee’s Palace, History, and finally, RBC Amphitheater.

YUNGBLUD’s show at The Anthem on Sunday, June 7, was a long time coming. After cancelling the rest of his tour, including his Washington, D.C. show last year, the Yungblud Army was so incredibly excited to finally see him this year, and the excitement was palpable. Openers The Warning helped bring in an amazing energy to prepare for what was about to be the best show I’ve seen this year.

Fans crowded the hallways at Fan Expo Denver at the Denver Colorado Convention Center, and were thrilled to see reunions of some of their favorite franchises! One of those big reunions included many actors from The Lord of the Rings franchise who appeared for photo ops, autographs, and Q&A panels. Some of the guests included Orlando Bloom, Elijah Wood, Sean Astin, Dominic Monaghan, Billy Boyd, Karl Urban, John Rhys-Davis, and Miranda Otto.

There is no denying that Witch Hat Atelier is pure magic. The series, produced by BUG FILMS and written by Kamome Shirahama, has charmed the hearts of audiences this anime season with the story of Qifrey and his four apprentices, Coco, Agott, Richeh, and Tetia. After a terrible mistake, Coco is shoved into the world of magic she once revered from afar, making all attempts to learn everything she can to right her wrong.

Daemons of the Shadow Realm is one of the anime spring 2026 season’s breakout successes. Written by Fullmetal Alchemist‘s Hiromu Arakawa, the series centers on twins Yuru and Asa as they navigate a world filled with supernatural beings known as Daemons. The series is full of shocking twists and charming humor, along with a familiar theme of family.

Dr. STONE SCIENCE FUTURE is ready to take its final bow. Season 4 Cour 3 is underway, and a goodbye to our favorite scientist and team is right around the corner. We sat down with two members of the English voice cast — Senku’s Aaron Dismuke and Gen’s Brandon McInnis — to discuss the end of an era … and what prop they would steal from the series. Dr. STONE SCIENCE FUTURE and all previous seasons are available to watch on Crunchyroll. New episodes premiere Thursday at 7:00 AM PT / 10:00 AM ET.

Mary 24th marked only the third date of Dance Gavin Dance’s new tour, in support of their 2025 Pantheon album cycle, and their second tour through Toronto in as many years did not disappoint. This time DGD brought a well-established group of progressive and post-hardcore bands on the tour with them; starting with Novelists from Paris, the (now) female-fronted band has been active since 2013 and has 5 full-length albums.

A few nights ago, fans in Toronto were treated to a great night of German Electronicore from Electric Callboy (previously known as Eskimo Callboy). A comedic six-piece whose fans are known to embrace their neon 80’s styled workout gear, mullet wigs, and ability to not take themselves too seriously. While the roughly 7,000 capacity stadium was not sold out, the committed contingent who came to show their support did not allow the small coliseum to feel empty in any way.