Pikachu Named Ambassador of Osaka
Pikachu and Hello Kitty are the cultural ambassadors of Osaka, Japan.
The Verge reports Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono adorned the pair of mascots with the honour in a bid to promote the country's bid to host The World Expo in 2025.
The expo takes place every five years to discuss universal challenges of our time, and the location is chosen by the Bureau International des Expositions.
Dubai is set to host in 2020 while France, Russia, and Azerbaijan are Japan's competition to hold the expo in 2025.
What this new title means for the mascots is unclear at this time, with Kono simply asking that the duo "...represent Japan and proactively (promote) the attraction of Osaka inside and outside of the country.”
The Next IGN Mystery Box Theme is Rebels
Now that Rivals boxes have been shipped, it's time to reveal December's box theme! It's all about anarchy this month as we celebrate some of the most infamous Rebels in pop culture.
This mystery box contains five hand-picked items including popular rebels such as Deadpool, Han Solo, Jessica Jones and more. It also features an exclusive IGN tee featuring a different take on characters from a video game we all know and love.
Numbers for the box are very limited and it's on sale now, so make sure you order yours today! You have until 11 December to sign up until the boxes ship for Christmas.
Agents of SHIELD Star Breaks Down Season 5 Premiere’s Biggest Shocker
Tonight’s two-hour Season 5 premiere of Agents of SHIELD, "Orientation," featured a big twist at the mid-point and then followed that up with another doozy as it came to an end. IGN attended a press event to talk to the cast about the big developments.
Warning: full spoilers ahead!
The team found themselves transported into space for unknown reasons by way of yet another weird, teleporting liquid-pillar. It wasn’t until the team explored the space station, called the Lighthouse, that they realized they were also in the far future and the Earth had been destroyed. The Lighthouse was drifting in space just outside the remains of Earth, close enough that chunks of debris and even a school bus could be seen floating by.
Queen Biopic Halts Production Due to Bryan Singer’s ‘Unexpected Availability’
Fox's Bohemian Rhapsody halted production because its director is currently unavailable.
The Queen biopic, starring Rami Malek of Mr. Robot, had been filming in London. Sources told The Hollywood Reporter director Bryan Singer failed to return to the set following a Thanksgiving break.
In a statement to the BBC, Fox said the unexpected absence was due to a "personal health matter" for the director and his family. The Hollywood Reporter cites unnamed sources supporting a strained relationship between the director and the film's star and producers.
Dragon Ball Super Dub is Coming to Funimation Next Week
Dragon Ball Super's English dubbed episodes will be available for online streaming starting next week on FunimationNow.
According to the Funimation announcement, the first 39 dubbed episodes are coming to the anime streaming site on December 5. Other Dragon Ball Super episodes will be released in 13 episode batches two weeks after the final episode of that group airs on Toonami.
The first batch of episodes cover the story arcs from both of the recent movies, Resurrection 'F' and Battle of Gods, and more.
Nintendo Voice Chat Episode 384: The Last Big Game of the Year: Xenoblade Chronicles 2
Welcome to Nintendo Voice Chat, Episode 384!
In today's episode, Filip shares his experience with Xenoblade Chronicles 2. Plus, we dive into Splatoon 2's update, Yooka Laylee, Nine Parchments and Aces of the Luftwaffe Squadron and more.
As always, you can watch NVC here on IGN and on our YouTube channel (subscribe and hit the bell!) or listen to it on your commute in audio format. If you enjoy the show, share it with other Nintendo fans, make a constructive comment, and give us a thumbs up or leave us a review.
Netflix Picks Up Sabrina the Teenage Witch Horror Series
Netflix has picked up the Sabrina the Teenage Witch horror series for two seasons after its previous development at The CW.
Deadline reports the series will be inspired by The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina comic book and will be much darker than the 1996 Sabrina TV show starring Melissa Joan Hart. Instead, this new take will have a tone similar to The Exorcist, focusing on Sabrina’s struggle being half-witch and half-mortal.
The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina. Art by Robert Hack. (Archie Comics)
First Look at Robin in DC’s Titans Revealed
WBTV has debuted the first look of actor Brenton Thwaites in costume as Robin from 2018's Titans series.
Check out Thwaites in the photo below, adapting Robin's iconic look for the live-action streaming show.
Brenton Thwaites as Robin
Laura Jean Shannon designed the Robin suit for the show, having previously worked on costumes for Black Lightning, Iron Man, The Jungle Book, and more.
Opinion: Arrowverse’s “Crisis on Earth-X” Topped “Invasion”
The CW just wrapped up what looks to be an annual tradition, as all four Arrowverse shows joined forces for a massive crossover called "Crisis on Earth-X." While not a perfect crossover by any means, "Crisis on Earth-X" offered a massive dose of superhero fun and a surprising amount of drama for good measure. And ultimately, "Crisis on Earth-X" set a higher standard for what these crossovers can achieve than last year's "Invasion!"
"Crisis" already had one big advantage out of the gate that "Invasion!" lacked last year - the scope was bigger. All four shows were equal participants in the crossover, whereas Supergirl only briefly connected to the events of "Invasion!". But that's not the true reason "Crisis on Earth-X" was more successful. This year's crossover succeeded because it found ways to meaningfully impact the casts of all four series. It's hard to argue that the events of "Invasion!" had much lasting impact on the heroes of the Arrowverse. But with "Crisis on Earth-X," it's impossible to ignore the ramifications on several key players.
Assassin’s Creed Origins Update Adds Horde Mode
Assassin's Creed Origins has a meaty update for December that will add new modes, enemy scaling, and more.
Ubisoft announced Assassin's Creed Origins will receive an update this month adding a Horde mode, an increased difficulty setting, enemy scaling, and a few new quests for the open-world action-RPG.
A new event quest will be added pitting players against endless waves of enemies in the Cyrene arena. The quest, titled Here Comes a New Challenger, is recommended for players Level 32 or higher. The update will also introduce another new quest, which Ubisoft is leaving as a surprise, but it may involve a mount with feathers.