Luffy Throws First Pitch, The Rise Of The Webtoon Industry, & More | Anime+ News Ed: 84 E: 189

This week on Anime+, Aray and Aunn round up all the biggest, weirdest, and most surprising stories in the anime and manga world. From major adaptations and industry plans to Luffy throwing a fastball and Kana Arima repping vegetables, it's a jam-packed episode full of hot takes and side tangents. 📰 Covered in this episode: 📚 The Beginning After the End launches a Kickstarter for print editions — and it's already crushing goals 🇰🇷 South Korea unveils a 5-year plan to become an animation powerhouse 🤖 Naver Webtoon introduces AI chatbots that let you talk to your favorite webtoon characters 🔥 Roll Over and Die is getting a TV anime — yes, that one 📉 Baki Rahen and Fly Me to the Moon go on hiatus — but don't panic just yet 😈 ‘Tis Time for “Torture,” Princess returns for Season 2 in January 2026 ⚾ Luffy throws the first pitch at Fenway on One Piece x Red Sox Day (gear drop when?) ☔ Protect yourself from the rain with Gundam shield umbrellas 💥 Kagurabachi continues its domination — now at 2.2 million copies in circulation ⚽ Aoashi scores a second season by TMS Entertainment, coming 2026 🫑 Kana Arima becomes a bell pepper ambassador… and no, it’s not an April Fool’s joke 🌙 Shohei Ohtani walks up to the Sailor Moon opening — anime culture in the MLB is real Call to Action: 🎧 Enjoyed the episode? Don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with your anime squad! Join the conversation using #AnimePlusPod on socials and let us know what’s your opinion on the webtoon industry growing! Links and Resources: 📰 Visit https://gfpods.com/anime-plus/ — your source for all anime and geek news featured in the show. Follow Us: 📲 Instagram:@animepluspodcast 🐦 Twitter: @Anime_plus_pod 🧵 Tiktok: @animepluspodcast Join Our Community on Discord: https://discord.gg/YZQUZQAKWa Listener Questions: 💬 Got a question or anime you want us to cover? Drop your thoughts on socials or join our Discord—link is in the episode description! Sources: The Beginning After the End Web Novels Get Kickstarter Campaign for Print Run https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2025-04-26/the-beginning-after-the-end-web-novels-get-kickstarter-campaign-for-print-run/.223939 South Korea Announces 5-Year Plan to Boost Animation Industry https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2025-04-27/south-korea-announces-5-year-plan-to-boost-animation-industry/.223952 Naver Webtoon Releases AI Chatbot for Webtoon Characters https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2025-04-27/naver-webtoon-releases-ai-chatbot-for-webtoon-characters/.223819 Roll Over and Die Novels, Manga Get TV Anime (Updated) https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2025-04-25/roll-over-and-die-novels-manga-get-tv-anime/.223927 Baki Rahen Manga Goes on Hiatus Until May 15 https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2025-04-28/baki-rahen-manga-goes-on-hiatus-until-may-15/.223975 Fly Me to the Moon Manga Goes on Hiatus https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2025-04-28/fly-me-to-the-moon-manga-goes-on-hiatus/.223977 'Tis Time for "Torture," Princess' Anime's 2nd Season Premieres in January 2026 https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2025-04-28/tis-time-for-torture-princess-anime-2nd-season-premieres-in-january-2026/.224001 Luffy to Throw 1st Pitch on Boston Red Sox x One Piece Theme Day https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/interest/2025-04-28/luffy-to-throw-1st-pitch-on-boston-red-sox-x-one-piece-theme-day/.224003 Deflect Rain With Gundam Shield Umbrellas https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/interest/2025-04-28/deflect-rain-with-gundam-shield-umbrellas/.223991 Kagurabachi Manga to Top 2.2 Million Copies in Circulation https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2025-04-29/kagurabachi-manga-to-top-2.2-million-copies-in-circulation/.224014 Aoashi Soccer Anime Gets 2nd Season by TMS Entertainment in 2026 https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2025-04-29/aoashi-soccer-anime-gets-2nd-season-by-tms-entertainment-in-2026/.223815 Oshi's no Ko's April Fool's Joke Is Real: Kana Arima Is a Bell Pepper Ambassador https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/interest/2025-04-29/oshi-no-ko-april-fool-joke-is-real-kana-arima-is-a-bell-pepper-ambassador/.224031 Sailor Moon Opening Plays as Baseball Star Shohei Ohtani's Walk-Up Song https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/interest/2025-04-30/sailor-moon-opening-plays-as-baseball-star-shohei-ohtani-walk-up-song/.224058