Ahead of the holiday season, Amazon just dropped the price on a current generation LG OLED TV. Right now you can order a massive 77" LG Evo C5 4K OLED Smart TV for $1,996.99 with free delivery. The 77" size is rarely discounted to under $2,000 and if you simply cannot wait until Black Friday (for example, you want to get it in time to watch Ohtani in the World Series), then you won't find a better price on a comparable TV. The C5 is LG's current generation 2025 model.77" LG Evo C5 4K OLED Smart TV for $1,997LG's OLED TVs have been our favorite TVs for console gaming for three years running thanks to their outstanding image quality, low input lag, and high refresh rate. The 2025 C5 uses LG's proprietary Evo panel, which is significantly brighter and offers a wider color gamut than traditional W-OLED TVs. Aside from higher production costs, there's no downside to this technology; the C5 boasts the near-infinite black levels, near-infinite contrast ratio, and near-instantaneous response times you'd expect from any OLED TV This is easily the best TV for streaming 4K HDR content in its intended glory. The LG C5 has the necessary gaming features as well, including a native 120Hz panel that can be pushed to as high as 144Hz, HDMI 2.1 inputs for running PS5 games in 4K at up to 120fps, variable refresh rate (VRR) and auto low latency mode (ALLM). The C5 is also lightweight for its size because the rear cabinet housing is made of a composite fiber; for example, this 65" model weighs only 36 pounds without the stand, making it much easier to wall mount.How to Follow IGN Deals RecommendationsThe IGN Deals team has over 30 years of combined experience finding the best discounts and preorders available online. If you want the latest updates from our trusted team, heres how to follow our coverage:Sign up for our IGN Deals NewsletterSet IGN as a preferred source in GoogleFollow us on social mediaIGN Deals on XIGN Deals on InstagramIGN Deals on FacebookIGN Deals on TiktokEric Song is the IGN commerce manager in charge of finding the best gaming and tech deals every day. When Eric isn't hunting for deals for other people at work, he's hunting for deals for himself during his free time.

A Song of Ice and Fire has been solidified as a defining work of fiction over the past 27 years. George R.R. Martins fantasy book saga ascended into the zeitgeist through an ongoing series of bestselling novels and HBO's adaptation of unprecedented success. And its pop culture prevalence persists thanks in part to HBO's excellent follow-up series, House of the Dragon and the upcoming Knight of the Seven Kingdoms spinoff.With House of the Dragon Season 3 and A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms both coming out in 2026, now is a great time to dive into the source material and visit Westeros through the lens of its architect. For those whove yet to read A Song of Ice and Fire novels (and its companion books), weve put together this guide on how to read all the Game of Thrones books in chronological order.Jump to:Game of Thrones books in chronolgical orderGame of Thrones books by release dateUpcoming GoT booksHow Many Game of Thrones Books Are There in the Series?George R.R. Martin has published five novels in his A Song of Ice and Fire saga. Hes working on two future volumes in the series: The Winds of Winter and A Dream of Spring. And while those books are still in the works from Martin, fans continue to worry that they will never actually be finished.Martin has published several ASoIaF companion works as well, including three Dunk & Egg novellas (collected in 2015s A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms), three Targaryan-focused novellas (collected and expanded upon in 2018s Fire & Blood), and a world compendium titled The World of Ice & Fire. More on all of these below.Game of Thrones Book SetsIf you're a fan of physical media, one of the best ways to enjoy the Game of Thrones books is as a set. There a few different book sets that you can buy to get all of the books all at once, but the most display-worthy set is the leather-bound version that was meant to sit upon a shelf.How to Read the Game of Thrones Books in Chronological OrderWith series newcomers in mind, these brief plot synopses contain only mild spoilers such as broad plot points and character introductions.1. Fire & BloodFire & Blood, the source material for HBOs House of the Dragon, is a history of the House Targaryen 300-year reign in Westeros. Unlike the A Song of Ice and Fire novels, Fire & Blood isnt told from the perspective of characters involved in the plot; rather its framed as a recounting of the Targaryen dynasty by a character named Gyldayn, an archmaester of the Citadel who lived toward the end of the Targaryen reign into Robert Baratheons. While this sets Gyldayns act of writing around the start of A Song of Ice and Fire (ASoIaF), the actual events recounted in the archmaester's history begin 300 years before A Game of Thrones and span roughly 150 years the second 150 years of the Targaryen reign are expected to be covered in Fire & Blood Volume 2.Fire & Blood spans the lifetimes of six Targaryen rulers, beginning with Aegon I Targaryen and his conquest of Westeros. Within these 150 years, The Dying of the Dragons (aka The Dance of the Dragons) occurs, which is the tale told in HBOs House of the Dragon.Fire & Blood includes and expands upon three ASoIaF novellas previously published by Martin: The Princess and the Queen, or, the Blacks and the Greens (2013), The Rogue Prince (2014), and The Sons of the Dragon (2017).The recently published The Rise of the Dragon, meanwhile, is a condensed and illustrated version of Fire & Blood.2. A Knight of the Seven KingdomsA Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is a collection of three novellas starring a hedge knight named Ser Duncan the Tall (Dunk) and his squire Aegon V Targaryen (Egg). Their adventures are set roughly 90 years before the events of A Game of Thrones, and will serve as the basis for the next Game of Thrones TV adaptation, also called A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. Its not essential reading, as its not part of (or even set during) the mainline novels, though the novellas are great for anyone looking for further adventures and/or new perspectives in the Seven Kingdoms. A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms compiles three novellas: The Hedge Knight (1998), The Sworn Sword (2003), and The Mystery Knight (2010).3. A Game of Thrones The book that started it all in 1996, A Game of Thrones is the first ASoIaF novel. It's the readers introduction to the world of Westeros, its surrounding regions, its prominent families, and many of the colorful characters that comprise the series heroes and villains.A Game of Thrones is set during the reign of Robert Baratheon, following Roberts Rebellion and the end of the Targaryen dynasty. It sets into motion the War of the Five Kings, during which five men stake their claim to the Iron Throne. Political scheming, backstabbing, familial strife, and bloodshed follow themes common throughout the entirety of ASoIaF.The story is told through points of view that alternate from chapter to chapter. Excluding the prologue, the point-of-view characters in A Game of Thrones are Eddard Stark, Catelyn Stark, Sansa Stark, Arya Stark, Bran Stark, Jon Snow, Tyrion Lannister, and Daenerys Targaryen, whose story unfolds across the Narrow Sea in the eastern continent of Essos.Martins novella Blood of the Dragon is largely repurposed material from the Daenerys chapters in A Game of Thrones, hence its exclusion from this list.4. A Clash of KingsA Clash of Kings continues the War of the Five Kings. The pronounced kings rally their banners, the Lannisters attempt to solidify their power in Kings Landing, Jon Snow marches north of the Wall with the Nights Watch, and Dany navigates a foreign land.Excluding the prologue, the point-of-view characters in A Clash of Kings are Catelyn Stark, Sansa Stark, Arya Stark, Bran Stark, Jon Snow, Tyrion Lannister, Daenerys Targaryen, Theon Greyjoy, and Davos Seaworth.5. A Storm of SwordsThe third ASoIaF novel, A Storm of Swords, essentially brings the War of the Five Kings to an end, save for some lingering claimants and conflicts.As the war dies down in the Seven Kingdoms, the Stark children navigate crises near and far while Jon Snow ventures with wildlings beyond the Wall. In the East, Dany learns to lead.Excluding the prologue and epilogue, the point-of-view characters in A Storm of Swords are Catelyn Stark, Sansa Stark, Arya Stark, Bran Stark, Jon Snow, Tyrion Lannister, Daenerys Targaryen, Davos Seaworth, Jaime Lannister, and Samwell Tarly.Martins novella Path of the Dragon is largely repurposed material from the Daenerys chapters in A Storm of Swords, hence its exclusion from this list.6. A Feast for CrowsPicking up after the events of the previous novel, A Feast for Crows runs concurrently with the fifth novel, A Dance with Dragons. Several of the series' most beloved characters Jon Snow, Tyrion Lannister, Daenerys Targaryen are saved for the following book, which focuses on the characters at the Wall and across the Narrow Sea. In their absence, Feast focuses on new and returning characters politicking in Kings Landing, the Iron Islands, and Dorne as winter arrives in Westeros."It dawned on [Martin] that the book had become too big to publish in a single volume, the author published in an afternote for A Feast for Crows. As such, the story was split into two books (Feast and Dance) with each book telling all the story for half the characters, rather than half the story for all the characters.Excluding the prologue, the point-of-view characters in A Feast for Crows are Sansa Stark, Arya Stark, Jaime Lannister, Samwell Tarly, Cersei Lannister, Brienne of Tarth, Aeron Greyjoy, Victarion Greyjoy, Arianne Martell, Asha Greyjoy, Areo Hotah, and Arys Oakheart.Martins novella Arms of the Kraken is largely repurposed material from the Iron Islands chapters in A Feast for Crows, hence its exclusion from this list.7. A Dance with DragonsA Dance with Dragons brings back the beloved point-of-view characters missing from Feast and picks up after the events of the third book, A Storm of Swords. As Martin notes in his prelude to A Dance with Dragons, Feast and Dance are parallel divided geographically, rather than chronologically. However, it does eventually move beyond the events of Feast, making it the novel set furthest in the ASoIaF chronology.In a Dance with Dragons, a new Lord Commander runs the Night Watch, Dany navigates the burdens of power, the Greyjoys move east, a Martell flies too close to the sun, Brienne reunites with an old friend, Arya continues her training, Tyrion's on the lam, and a new claimant to the Iron Throne appears.Excluding the prologue and epilogue, the point-of-view characters in A Dance with Dragons are Jon Snow, Tyrion Lannister, Daenerys Targaryen, Bran Stark, Arya Stark, Theon Greyjoy, Quentyn Martell, Davos Seaworth, Barriston Selmy, Asha Greyjoy, Cersei Lannister, Jaime Lannister, Jon Connington, Victarion Greyjoy, Areo Hotah, and Melisandre.A Dance with Dragons was published in 2011. Readers have been waiting 11 years for its follow-up, The Winds of Winter (more on this below).Bonus: The World of Ice & FireThe World of Ice & Fire is a companion compendium to the ASoIaF novels. Its a great coffee table book, full of illustrations and a deep history of Martins world dating back to the arrival of the First Men in Westeros during the Dawn Age (some 12,000 years before A Game of Thrones).The history extends through the Targaryen reign and Roberts Rebellion. It includes family trees for the Targaryens, Starks, and Lannisters, as well as information on the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros, the Free Cities of Essos, and lands beyond. How to Read the Game of Thrones Books by Release DateA Game of Thrones* (1996)A Clash of Kings* (1999)A Storm of Swords* (2000)A Feast for Crows* (2005)A Dance with Dragons* (2011)The World of Ice & Fire (2014)A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms (2015)Fire & Blood (2018)*A Song of Ice and Fire novelsUpcoming Game of Thrones BooksA Feast for Crows: The Illustrated EditionMartin recently revealed the cover of the next illustrated edition of A Song of Ice and Fire. A Feast for Crows: The Illustrated Edition is set to arrive on November 4, 2025. This comes five years after the third book got the illustrated treatment.The Winds of WinterMartin has two novels left to publish in his planned seven-book A Song of Ice and Fire saga. The sixth (and next) book, The Winds of Winter, will pick up after the events of A Dance with Dragons.Martin has already published several blogs about and preview chapters from Winds, revealing there will be point-of-view chapters from Tyrion, Cersei, Sansa, Arya, Theon, Barriston Selmy, and others.The author said with The Winds of Winter, ASoIaF will move "further and further away from the television series." More recently, Martin said the novel, despite being "13 years late," is "still a priority," and admits he doesn't feel great about missing deadlines and disappointing fans. He previously said he was 75% done with Winds and predicted it will be over 1,500 pages.A Dream of SpringThe final ASoIaF book is to be titled A Dream of Spring, should Martin complete and publish it.Fire & Blood Volume 2In addition to writing the mainline saga, Martin has confirmed he is working on the second volume of Fire & Blood. The Targaryen history is planned as a two-part series, with this second volume presumably covering the second 150 years of the family's 300-year reign.Future Dunk & Egg NovellasMartin has also expressed his desire to write additional Dunk & Egg novellas. He said these wouldnt be published until he completes work on Winds of Winter, though it has always been [his] intent to write a whole series of novellas about Dunk and Egg, chronicling their entire lives.The fourth Dunk & Egg novella (unfinished as of 2024) is set in Winterfell, according to Martin, and involves a group of formidable Stark wives, widows, mothers, and grandmothers that I dubbed the She-Wolves. He added, The final title, when I finish the story, will be something different. There's also another Dunk & Egg novella that I've got roughed out in my head, with the working title The Village Hero. That one takes place in the Riverlands. There's no telling when I will have time to finish either of these, or which one I will write first. I don't expect I will know more until I've delivered The Winds of Winter.Martin has notes and fairly specific ideas for other Dunk & Egg adventures in addition to the tentatively titled She-Wolves and Village Hero. Martin even provided potential titles for these stories in a comment on his blog: The Sellsword, The Champion, The Kingsguard, The Lord Commander, and several more in between.An HBO series following the duo's adventures is in the works, with Season 1 being an adaptation of the first novella, The Hedge Knight. Development on A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is being led by Steve Conrad (Prime Video's Patriot), and the show is expected to premiere on Max and HBO in 2026.For more, check out the best fantasy books reading list or pick up one of the best reading lights. Jordan Sirani covers games, shows, and movies as a freelance writer for IGN.

Full spoilers follow for Season 3, Episode 2, "Monster Traits."Last week's One Punch Man Season 3 premiere saw heroes and villains alike sit around indoors engaging in a cornucopia of exposition. It was far from a triumphant return to the engaging blend of humour and action fans were waiting for. But now that the table's been set, there's a lot more to dig into this week in Episode 2, Monster Traits.The city is divided. The monster threat looms large, and the citizens don't all have our heroes' backs. Protest signs on the streets wielded by the Monster Worship Party read Obey the monsters and Cooperate with the monsters. Their proposed solution to the monster problem? To offer up sacrifices at regular intervals to the monsters to appease and satiate them. Call it portion control.Into this scene strolls Garou increasingly likeable in his brooding internal conflict who finds himself unimpressed and frustrated by the protestors' attempts at sucking up to their oppressors. If they're already grovelling like this, what hope does he have of making a serious impact?Well, the serious impact can wait. Like the Yakuza series Kazuma Kiryu, Garou decides to pass up a streetside scrap in favour of a meal, taking a seat in a restaurant for a nice steak. And another steak. And a salad. And a drink. Turns out hunting heroes works up quite an appetite.Saitama is at his most unhinged in his expressions in this episode, and it finally feels like J.C.Staff has remembered the appeal of the series characters.Also enjoying a hearty meal out is Saitama, who appears to have misplaced his wallet. Did he leave it in the grocery store earlier? No clue. Well, he could call his friends. Nope, they're broke too. Here were served up prime One Punch Man situation comedy, as our hero finds himself desperate to avoid turning to criminal ends to escape his predicament.Saitama is at his most unhinged in his expressions in this episode, and it finally feels like J.C.Staff has remembered the appeal of the series characters, as everyone internally monologues, forgets what they were meant to be doing, and crosses paths at the most individually inopportune moments. Its all a lot of fun.After successfully outrunning his bill, Garou's food hits his stomach and he finally remembers what he's meant to be doing bringing back a hero's head for the Monster Association to prove himself as their new leader. However, instead of proving himself as a villain, he manages to make himself an everyday hero to a bullied young boy who he's crossed paths with before. Saitama is determined to prove his heroism too. In their fated first encounter, Saitama unwittingly engages Garou for dine and dashing without realising who he is. Swiftly knocking him out with his titular move, these hijinks return us to what makes One Punch Man special, applying the presence of hero battles and organisations to an everyday Japan and seeing how the two interact and clash.Thats enough fooling around; time to up the ante. In walks King the Ripper an urban legend of a monster that Garous young companion immediately recognises. King the Ripper is a compelling presence, capping every sentence with ghostly (and insincere) whispers of apology. And here comes the animation budget too! Its a production tempo thats starting to have a charmingly amusing effect now that were two weeks in winking at the audience knowingly, acknowledging what were after and what to place the emphasis on. Its a meta gag reminiscent of adultswims Aqua Teen Hunger Force for example, and fits well with the shows overall humour.The episode closes with some revelations, proclaimed verbally by Gyoro-Gyoro from atop his puffy throne. Like Garou, Lord Orochi was once human and he was created by Gyoro-Gyoro. The master plan is to train Garou to be a second Orochi. King the Ripper will be the test of whether Garou has what it takes. He tasks Garou with killing the kid, and their personal philosophies clash. Their ensuing scuffle is the first proper fight scene weve had this season, all flashy close-ups and flowing particles. The battle commences. And credits.After a clunky slow start, One Punch Man Season 3 is beginning to find its groove. All it needed was to get some meat on its bones.

There is no storyteller on Earth like Junji Ito. Since his professional manga debut in 1987, he's been terrifying readers with his macabre tales and chillingly iconic creations. The brilliantly talented mangaka has rightfully become one of the most well known horror storytellers of his generation, and for good reason. Junji Ito's beautifully illustrated comics hide deep, devastating secrets, and each tale he weaves haunts and horrifies in the most unique way. Junji Ito Collections Available NowTo narrow down Junji Ito's massive oeuvre to just 13 of his most bone-chilling offerings was no easy feat. While most of the scariest Junji Ito's short stories can be found as scans online, his short stories are also compiled into physical collections. Some collections, like Tomie and Uzumaki, contain stories that follow a specific narrative, while others, like Shiver and Smashed, include standalone stories collected by theme.The Scariest Junji Ito StoriesFrom ominous ghost stories, heart-twisting gothic horror, and grotesquely bizarre modern fables, here are the 13 most terrifying stories from one of the masters of horror manga, Junji Ito.13. The Beautiful Boy at the CrossroadsIto often writes of love and how it can curse us. The firstand throughlinestory from his Lovesickness collection is a great example of just that. We meet Ryusuke on a train. The teen boy is moving back to his hometown after years away, but the simple notion of it haunts him.The devastating reason for that will soon be revealed, but in the meantime, his arrival coincides with a trend of young women seeking out "crossroads fortunes." Soon the bodies of school girls who ask strangers for their fortunes begin to turn up brutally murdered; but who is to blame? How does it connect with Ryusuke's pass? This wonderfully chilly mystery is one of the most memorable of Ito's tales and introduces one of his scariest creations.12. Village of the SirenTurning his hand to folk horror, Ito crafts another bleak homecoming in Village of the Siren. In the wake of a strange phone call from his parents and an ominous apparition at his window, Kyochi decides it's time for a family reunion. Alas, when he returns he finds that the once livelythough ruralvillage has turned into a ghost town.Life now revolves around a strange factory of unknown origin, and even weirder are the all-consuming sirens that emanate from it each night. If you love a story about strange rituals, unusual cults, and the occult then this is the sort of story you'll gobble right up. If you enjoy horror that breaks taboos, then you'll certainly be satisfied as the death count here is huge and features a rarely seen demographic of victims.11. I Don't Want to Be a GhostWhen Shigeru kindly picks up a beautiful wandering woman from the side of a road, his life is changed. Although Shigeru worries at first about her bloodied and disoriented state, she explains it away. Days later, the two begin a secretive affair despite the fact that Shigeru is married and expecting a baby. Blinded by his new acquaintance's beauty, he's willing to overlook how often his lover appears covered in blood and the fact that she claims to "love his ghosts." Her real desires are darker than anyone could have foreseen and Shigeru of course doesn't realize until too late. 10. The Strange Hikizuri SiblingsOne of the funniest of Ito's creations, this bleakly humorous slice of life story follows an unhinged set of siblings who take great pleasure in tormenting and terrorizing each other and unsuspecting victims. Over two tales collected in Lovesickness, we meet some of the unlucky people who come into their path including an old school friend of their most beautiful member and a photographer. While their schemes can have deadly consequences, the Hikizuri siblings are generally rather hapless, though you wouldn't want to be invited to their table for dinner.9. The Mystery of the Haunted HouseThe arrival of a haunted house turns a town upside down when derision turns to terror as each new visitor enters its doors. Two young boys become entangled in the proprietor's twisted games after they try to sneak in for free. Upon exploring the ghoulish halls they discover a true house of horrors, one filled with victims who claim to be the owner's family.There's a dark comedy to this one, which comes from another of Ito's recurring characters, the scheming creeper Souichi Tsujii. But there's nothing funny about his heinous crimes. The Mystery of the Haunted House is a wild ride that will delight fans of haunt culture.8. Honored AncestorsFamily often comes up in Ito's tale, and Honored Ancestors might feature his most psychedelically deranged yet. On a seemingly normal evening Risa is brought home by her close friend Makata who claims that the young girl is suffering from amnesia and couldn't remember where she lived. According to doctors, her amnesia has been caused by immense emotional stress. Risa becomes more and more distressed as she becomes haunted by visions of a giant caterpillar... but what does it all mean? The truth revolves around Makata and his family's strange traditions which are revealed in Ito's dementedly awful fashion as the tale comes to a close. It's one family reunion that you'll never forget, though you'll wish you could.7. UzumakiLikely the most famous of Ito's many works, Uzumaki has been deemed a classic for a reason. Weaving a supernatural curse into a ghost story that centers around a small town, Kurouzu-cho, which is haunted not by spirits but instead by spirals, this is a uniquely spooky tale. It also helps that Ito's distinctive linework does an epic job of making the usually unassuming shapes into something utterly terrifying.Uzumaki features many of Ito's favorite themes like obsession, paranoia, and the mundane becoming utterly bizarre. The impact of Uzumaki cannot be overstated, with multiple video game and film adaptations and a highly-anticipated anime adaptation in development. Unfortunately, the most recent Uzumaki TV adaptation fell flat, scoring very low marks in IGN's own review.6. Fashion ModelWhile many of Ito's stories are slow burn haunters, this is a more in your face horror tale that reveals its monster from the earliest pages. Like our next entry, Tomie, Fashion Model has become one of Ito's most popular long-running tales. When a young man sees a bizarre model in a magazine whose mouth is filled with dagger-like teeth, he becomes consumed by her image. He can't stop thinking about her, about why she was hired, and why she fills him with an all-consuming existential terror.Life moves on, and he and some friends begin casting for a student film. It's here that the model reemerges back to the forefront of his life in brutal and all too real fashion. This is a great entry into both the Ito and monster horror canon.5. TomieProbably Ito's most famous creation, the stunningly beautiful Tomie was murdered by her classmates only to reappear the next day. Since then she's been terrorizing readers and lovestruck men for years. There's a collected edition of Tomie tales where you can read her story from her earliest to most recent appearances, and each one is more delightfully dark than the last. Her ever shifting true face is the thing of nightmares, but Ito's striking illustration style has also made her a perennial pop culture figure.Even if you've never read an Ito story, you've likely already seen Tomie as a sticker, tattoo, or t-shirt. Ironically, in her stories it's near impossible to catch her beauty in an image unless you want to see her true face too.4. House of the MarionettesPuppets have always held a particularly creepy place in horror and Ito uses that to his advantage here in this ghastly story about a strange family obsessed with marionettes. It all begins when a young girl named Kinuko befriends the son of a family of puppeteers. Becoming close with one of the two sons, Haruhiko, she visits the home immediately becoming wary of a large marionette named Jean-Pierre.Years later Haruhiko and Kinuko reconnect and get married. But when they're called back to the former's family home, they make an awful discovery. This is one of the most classical of Ito's stories, but it will still shock and surprise at every turn.3. Used RecordEerie and atmospheric, Used Record tells the story of an odd record which hypnotizes and entices the listener. When Ogawa buys the vinyl, she quickly becomes obsessed as does her friend Nakayama when she hears it. Soon, all the pair can do is listen to the song again and again. But there's only one copy, which means that the girls are on a tragic path.The thing that makes this story so terrifying is the relatable fact that we've all had that one song that we can't stop listening to. Ito just takes it to the next, supernaturally nightmarish level. And for that reason, this wonderfully drawn tale ends up being just as addictive as the song at its center.2. GreasedGrowing up above her family's barbeque restaurant by Mount Fuji, Yui is sick of the grease that has slowly but surely accumulated, coating their home. While she worries abouts its effects, her violent and abusive brother Goro embraces the cooking oil that creates it, drinking it from the bottle until his face becomes covered in large, grotesque pustules.Goro's obsession with the grease and his sister's hopes of surviving it are deeply entangled in this, one of Ito's most stomach-churning tales which will threaten both your lunch and your sleep cycle. Truly, this is the kind of story you have to mentally prepare to read, so don't take checking this one out lightly.1. The Hanging BalloonsWhat makes The Hanging Balloons Ito's scariest story? Well, it's one of his most bizarrewhich is where the mangaka excelsand it also manages to feel utterly claustrophobic and inescapable in the best way. After the unexpected suicide of a celebrity school girl inspires a spate of copycat deaths, people begin to report seeing imposing balloons in the sky.But these are no ordinary balloons. In fact, reports claim it's the giant inflated head of the woman who died. Many more of the balloons soon appear, chasing those whose faces they wear. Instead of strings, metal nooses swing beneath them. What is their purpose? If they catch up with those who they resemble, they catch and hang them... This is a psychedelic night terror come to life.What's Next for Junji Ito? As of right now, there no upcoming Junji Ito stories in the works, according to the official page at Viz.com. The most recent new release is the Moan: Junji Ito Story Collection that just came out in early October. It features six new stories from the legendary author. Here's a quick synopsis of what to expect from the product page:"A dark evil lurks in the unreachable depths of a pipe, groaning out moans that echo through the house of a germophobe mother and her daughters. In another tale, flowers blooming in the shape of eyeballs are only the beginning of the strange phenomena surrounding a mysterious transfer student. Could he have supernatural abilities? Also, a man in a village deep in the mountains shares memories of his wife. What happened to her after she said she would give freely of her blood?"Outside of the manga, a Junji Ito Crimson TV anime was announced during Japan Expo 2025. There aren't yet any details about cast or an official release date, though.Looking for more manga guides? Take a look at our guide to the best manga for beginners or dive into some of the best free manga websites and apps. You can also check out our updated guide on where to buy manga if you're looking for physical copies of Junji Ito's work.Rosie Knight is an Eisner-winning journalist, author and comics writer. She co-hosts Crooked Medias X-Ray Vision podcast, discussing pop culture from superhero movies to prestige television to the best fantasy novels and, of course, comics.

In celebration of the United States' 250th anniversary next year, Walt Disney World and Disneyland's Soarin' will be transformed into Soarin' Across America in Summer 2026. This new "bi-coastal offering will showcase the United States - from sea to shining sea - highlighting some of the country's natural beauty and iconic cityscapes."As detailed by Disney Parks Blog and a wonderful video that sees Patrick Warburton once again acting as our chief flight attendant for this experience, Soarin' Across America will be the new show to see at both Disney World's EPCOT and Disneyland's Disney California Adventure for a limited time.As with other versions of Soarin', Soarin' Across America will feature everything that makes this attraction so beloved, including "the flight, the sights and score, even the scents!" Disney also shared that Walt Disney Imagineering is currently hard at work capturing more than a "dozen breathtaking locations for the new flight."Our goal was to offer guests a sampling of the diversity of Americas beauty and urban wonders with the hope it would paint an emotional portrait for the nations Semi-quincentennial celebration, Tom Fitzgerald, Portfolio Executive Creative Director and Chief Storytelling Executive, Walt Disney Imagineering, said.Contrasting shots of different American locales scenic wonders, amazing cities, and the beauty of the coasts. The use of the physical landscape of the United States as a unifying element, Bernice Howes, Executive Creative Media Producer for Walt Disney Imagineering, added. Then, using continuous camera movement to smoothly transition between these scenes, linking them together to show the geographical whole of the nation, from natural locations to large cities to national monuments that represent America the beautiful.Soarin' Across America is just one of the many ways The Walt Disney Company will be celebrating the United States' 250th anniversary and will be part of its new initiative called "Disney Celebrates America." This initiative will kick off on Veterans Day (November 11) and will run through the July 4, 2026, weekend. At its heart, Americas story is one of imagination, ambition, and possibility the same ideals that have guided Disney since the beginning, said Robert A. Iger, Chief Executive Officer, The Walt Disney Company. This celebration honors both a nation and a spirit that never stops dreaming about whats next.'Disney Celebrates America' will culminate with a 24-hour, multi-platform broadcast of the same name, "highlighting Americas 250th anniversary events nationwide across Disneys linear networks and streaming platforms, including Disney+, Hulu, ABC, Disney Channel, ESPN, Freeform, FX and National Geographic, ending with a special evening fireworks broadcast from Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resort."Disney will also continue to support U.S. military service members, veterans, and their families, and it will expand its long-standing partnership with the nonprofit Blue Star Families with a $2.5 million donation to "strengthen military and veteran families across the country."Military families will also be offered special movie screenings of new releases on military bases and in key markets, live coverage of celebrations and activations featuring veterans and active military service members, special offers to Disney World, Disneyland, and Disney Cruise Line, and support for veterans entering the civilian workforce.For more, check out all the biggest reveals from Destination D23, all the details on Disney World and Disneyland's ticket price increases, and our exclusive chat with Disneyland president Thomas Mazloum on the park's past, present, and great big beautiful DisneylandForward.Adam Bankhurst is a writer for IGN. You can follow him on X/Twitter @AdamBankhurst, Instagram, and TikTok, and listen to his show, Talking Disney Magic.

The latest Steam mega-hit is Escape from Duckov, a PvE looter shooter partly parodying Escape from Tarkov but largely doing its own thing to great success.Escape from Duckov, released on October 16, is the latest from developer Team Soda of Snake Force and Soda Crisis of fame. Published by China's bilibili, and now the publisher's highest-rated Steam release, the game combines top-down shootouts with extraction shooter-adjacent "raids" and scavenging, all done up in cute ducky wrapping. And boy has it worked.According to a Steam post from Team Soda, Escape from Duckov had sold over 500,000 copies as of October 19. At the time of writing, it's currently the fourth top-selling game on Steam's rankings, right behind three variably massive shooters: actual extraction shooter Arc Raiders, Counter-Strike 2, and 7 million seller Battlefield 6 at the top.SteamDB reports that it has 117,473 people playing right now, with a concurrent peak of 182,509 earlier today. Holy flock.Escape from Duckov is sitting at 5,969 Steam user reviews at the time of writing, averaging a sterling 95% positive. Bilibili's backing has no-doubt helped over 4,200 of those reviews are in Simplified Chinese, indicating the game has a huge Chinese audience but folks the world over have demonstrably clicked with the cute and simple formula.I'm sure it also helps that this game is only $18 at full price, and just $15.83 at its current 12% discount (available through October 30)."This game is like quack, can't put it down," writes Steam reviewer Chad. (Damn, I was gonna make that joke.) We were also quite taken with the game during its Steam Next Fest showing earlier this year, with it even winning over our extraction shooter-averse Ali.With five maps, over 50 weapons, an upgradeable base, skill tree and crafting progression, and multiple difficulty modes, Escape from Duckov feels precision-engineered to be hard to put down. The devs reckon you'll find "50+ hours of content for a single playthrough," with Steam Workshop support offering player-made additions for those who want them.Some Chinese devs played Stardew Valley and loved it, but wanted something more "carefree" now their anime life sim RPG is tearing up Steam Next Fest, and it's hard to put down.

Pokemon Legends Z-A made two systemic changes that have allowed Magikarp, patron saint of latent potential, to shine like never before. Firstly, with this new installment, The Pokemon Company leaned into cooldown-based, real-time combat that can directly involve the player character. Secondly, it gave Magikarp a gun.One of the OG first generation Pokemon, Magikarp has long been treated, both by fans of the games and by actual citizens of the Pokemon universe in the anime, as something of a placeholder. A bookmark. A seedling. Something you check in on every now and then to see if it's turned into a Gyarados yet. Its signature move, Splash, accomplishes nothing, and its base moveset has never included any of the usual Water-type showstoppers.That changed with Pokemon Legends Z-A, at least for one Magikarp. Around the game's rendition of Lumiose City, you can encounter wild Alpha Pokemon red-eyed apexes of their species. And deep in the waters of the city's Vert Plaza park, or possibly splashing menacingly around the grass, prowls an Alpha Magikarp capable of using Hydro Pump, one of the stronger and better-known Water-type attacks (even if its inaccuracy makes it less popular competitively).Wild Pokemon can and will attack you personally, Hydro Pump has impressive range, and Alpha Pokemon hit hard for their level. You can probably see where this is going: straight to an involuntary pressure washing.This particular Magikarp's monumental achievement obtaining a move normally reserved for its competitively successful evolution has earned it its own entry in the storied halls of Bulbapedia. It also has planted seeds of fear in the hearts of Lumiose park goers, and after nearly 30 years as the butt of a joke, I think its violence is justified. (Note: our US managing editor, Rollin, was "the victim of this exact thing last night.")YOU WERE NOT KIDDING LMAOOO https://t.co/vl7mC9bGAE pic.twitter.com/4uRsGIRKUqOctober 17, 2025 Stories and videos of this Magikarp's power have been spreading around the Pokemon community since the release of Legends Z-A. May it inspire other Magikarp to step up, try harder, and turn into Gyarados just a little bit faster.Our Pokemon Legends Z-A review returned a 4/5, with Catherine praising its slice-of-life feel and memorable characters.Pokemon Legends: Z-A's real-time combat changes make one of the series' best non-damaging moves basically redundant and one of the coolest Gen 6 Pokemon "utter garbage."

There are so many things that make you "you," and I think one of the most idiosyncratic is the way you sign your name. Whether you dot your Is with hearts or cross your Zs, the little particularities of your signature are special. Those who try to forge it are often no-good scammers after your credit card info, your soul, or your love for Nier creator Yoko Taro.None of it is fair. None of it is right. "What's in a name?" asks Juliet. The keys to your house, Shakespeare! So, Yoko Taro offers fans some sagely advice: don't buy random, $250 signatures purporting to be his online, because they might not be."This autograph is a fake," Yoko responds on Twitter to a post sharing a Vinted link for a supposedly signed copy of the Nier Reincarnation soundtrack. "I include small unknown features in my real autographs to prevent reselling, so I can tell when one isn't genuine.""I've confirmed that nearly half of the autographs being resold are actually fake," he continues, "so please don't buy them."He, rightfully, doesn't explain what kind of "small unknown features" he adds to his real autographs to be able to distinguish them from imitations, but I'm guessing they might be deliberate imperfections. Or, perhaps Yoko Taro only feels like he's being "authentic" when he is reportedly "trembling" while signing his name on a young woman's thigh.In any case, keep your money unless you verify a signed item is the real deal, or you're in front of Yoko Taro himself in which case you can take out both your money and your thighs.Humanity ascends as the latest Nier: Automata collab has 2B sit on your desktop in DLC for a Steam app that thousands of people use every second.

Nearly 16,000 93% positive Steam reviews later, co-op survival crafting game Necesse has reached the hallowed land of version 1.0.Originally released in Steam early access all the way back in December 2019, Necesse combines procedural world generation, top-down action and boss fights, base building, and a robust settlement system to create a sandbox of gathering, crafting, and adventuring that you can play alone or with friends on servers that can hold hundreds of players.Necesse has drawn reasonable comparisons to Terraria for its overall style and its love of dungeons, but its perspective, progression, and NPC systems are meaningfully distinct. It's also packing an "infinite seamless world," enabling even greater wanderlust."To celebrate the launch, we are running a 50% discount on Necesse on Steam," developer and self-publisher Fair Games ApS announced. The game is $7.49 through October 30, or even cheaper if you buy it bundled with another survival game.As it happens, Steam just rolled out a new feature that makes bundles more visible. Necesse has paired with Palworld, Core Keeper, Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor, Tinker Lands, and Guntouchables in discrete bundles. I already own Palworld, so I can just buy that bundle to get Necesse for $6.74. That's the sale that's not on sale, baby.Communications director John "Bucky" Buckley of Palworld developer Pocketpair was out championing the full release of Necesse earlier this week. "Absolute banger," he wrote. "Lots of depth to the game, super fun to play solo or co-op and the village building aspect is insanely addictive."The 1.0 launch has clearly had an effect. According to Steam's top sellers ranking, Necesse has flown up to 17th place, just behind roguelike breakout Megabonk.Beating Hades 2, Megabonk, Dying Light: The Beast, and everyone else, the most powerful Steam release of the past month is an open-world physics sandbox with 27,000 gilded reviews.

It's an early Christmas for RPG heads, particularly those with an appreciation for Bethesda games, as Steam has discounted the Fallout Franchise Bundle by 71%.The big Fallout bundle includes the RPG that started it all: 1997's Fallout, as well as Fallout 2, Fallout Tactics, Fallout 3, Fallout: New Vegas, Fallout 4, and Fallout 76. You also get every DLC released for all of those games, totaling more than 15 bonus packs.The standard retail price tag for the bundle is $147.94, but it's not uncommon to see 20% discounts here and there. Right now, however, it's available at 71% off its normal price, knocking the bundle's cost all the way down to $43.56.The pre-Fallout 3 Fallout games were a little before my time, and I've never taken the time to go back and play them, so this could be a good opportunity to catch up on the series' origins while we wait for Fallout 5... or the heat death of the universe, whichever comes first.Seriously, we're probably going to be waiting quite a while for Fallout 5. BGS is working on The Elder Scrolls 6 right now, with the most optimistic possible release date falling sometime in 2026, and lord only knows how long it'll take from pre-production to shipping with Fallout 5, realistically placing the sequel's launch sometime in the 2030s.Thankfully, it does seem like Fallout 5 is next up on the list of upcoming Bethesda games, so there's some hope we'll all live to see the day it comes out.