Wednesday, 9 September 2026
Anime, manga, and games, with a take · A Yukimedia publication

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AIR

Key's visual novel AIR is currently available on Steam as part of a Summer Sale promotion, with no recent announcements regarding new adaptations, ports, or other developments.

Synthesized from 30 Yomimono stories · updated Jun 28

Key's visual novel AIR appears in the Steam Summer Sale 2026 as one of 17 titles from the Visual Arts brand, discounted up to 65% off until July 10. The sale bundles AIR alongside other Key classics such as Kanon, CLANNAD, Little Busters!, and Summer Pockets. No other Yomimono stories published in the coverage period address AIR directly, and no new adaptations, sequels, or merchandise have been announced for the title.

The absence of dedicated coverage for AIR in the recent news cycle suggests the property is in a quiet period, with no new anime, game ports, or anniversary events reported. The Steam sale represents the only current activity tied to the visual novel, and it is a routine seasonal promotion rather than a targeted campaign for AIR specifically.

Key facts

Steam Summer Sale inclusion
AIR is one of 17 Key visual novels discounted up to 65% off in the Steam Summer Sale 2026, running until July 10. ↗

Timeline

Synthesized by Yomimono from the cited Yomimono stories below, each itself sourced, then editorially reviewed. Every fact links the story it came from.

Facts

Noted
included in Steam Summer Sale 2026 promotion with discounts up to 65% off · 2026-06-27

Structured graph also available as JSON at /public/entities/air. CC BY 4.0.

All coverage

2h ago

Takuya Eguchi, Hiroyuki Yoshino, Masahiko Tanaka Join Dreamland Anime

The TV anime adaptation of Reno Lemaire's French manga "Dreamland" has added three new cast members ahead of its October 17 premiere. Takuya Eguchi will voice Savana, a foul-mouthed, quick-tempered charismatic fighter; Hiroyuki Yoshino plays Saba, an easygoing art college student; and Masahiko Tanaka voices Yung, a mysterious old man who knows Dreamland's secrets. The series follows Terrence, a boy who lost his mother in a fire and, after overcoming his fear of fire within a nightmare, awakens as a Dreamer who travels the dream world. The original manga is a cult favorite in France with over 800,000 copies in print. The anime will air in the ANiMAZiNG!!! slot on ABC TV and TV Asahi affiliates across 24 stations nationwide. Production is handled by Ellipse and La Chouette Compagnie, with directors Juan Pablo Machado and Joe Celse at the helm. The Japanese localization features sound direction by Soichiro Kubo and production by Tohokushinsha and Amuse Creative Studio.

9h ago

Airframe Ultra Arrives November 5 with Demo Live on Steam

Airframe Ultra, the hoverbike battle racer from Videocult and publisher Akupara Games, launches November 5, 2026. The game is set in Mega City West, a ruined future metropolis where riders pilot floating machines called Airframes through underground races, using pipes, chains, plasma torches, and swords to attack rivals. It supports split-screen and online multiplayer, plus customization for the Airframe and rider. A demo is now live on Steam.

11h ago

Kameoka Mayor Appears Bound in Tape for City Mystery Game

Kameoka City launches a free interactive mystery game, 'Kameoka City Mayor Katsuragawa Kidnapping Case,' on September 18, tied to the 43rd National Urban Greenery Fair in Kyoto Tanba. Participants play police officers for one hour, solving puzzles via LINE and smartphones across a course from JR Kameoka Station to Hozugawa Park. The sitting mayor appears bound in the main visual. Nozomi Kubota of Creator's NEXT produces, following his 2024 brainwave art project at Sanga Stadium by KYOCERA.

1d ago

Pocket Pair Reveals TGS 2026 Booth Giveaways and Merchandise

Pocket Pair published the giveaway and merchandise lineup for its Tokyo Game Show 2026 booth on September 8. TGS 2026 runs September 17 to 21 at Makuhari Messe, with general public days from September 19 to 21. The main booth offers a Kigurumi Tsupper Nyan PR card for the Palworld Official Card Game, a limited T-shirt featuring Pals from version 1.0, and a junk towel depicting Bushigael taking a bath. A Palworld x Red Bull collaboration vending machine distributes Red Bull cans with a limited sticker using a newly drawn N'dakoala illustration. The merchandise booth sells a ball-chain plush currently available overseas, a Paripidon one-point T-shirt, a mug, and a tumbler. Purchase bonuses include a Kigurumi Okocho PR Soul Card for purchases of 3,000 yen or more, an Okocho Shopper Bag for the first 100 people who buy 20,000 yen or more of Palworld Official Card Game booster packs, and a 3D Seal for any single purchase. The roles for all 23 official cosplayers were also revealed, and a food truck in the outdoor food court hands out 3D Seals and original wet tissues with food purchases.

2d ago

Kaiji Swamp Arc Goes Free on Yanmaga Web Until September 13

Yanmaga Web is offering the Swamp arc of Tobaku Hakairoku Kaiji free until September 13. The free run covers chapters 48 through 134, in which Kaiji, entrusted with a large sum by his comrades, takes on a pachinko machine called the swamp at a casino. The publisher said it arranged the urgent release with author Nobuyuki Fukumoto's permission after the arc drew attention. The manga ran in Weekly Young Magazine from 2000 to 2004.

2d ago

Nanajigen Seitokai! Album Nanajigen Kairou Drops November 11 with Animate Bonuses

The Nijisanji VTuber unit Nanajigen Seitokai! will release its new album Nanajigen Kairou on November 11, 2026, in three editions. First press limited A includes a bonus Blu-ray and six replica canvas-style cards; limited B carries a remastered CD and six replica profile sheets. All editions include a serial code for a lottery into the January 23, 2027 live event. Animate offers a six-piece aurora sticker set and runs a release campaign from November 10 to 16.

2d ago

Airframe Ultra Battle Racer Launches November 5 on PC

Akupara Games and Videocult will release the battle racing game Airframe Ultra on November 5 for PC via Steam, Epic Games, and GOG.com. The retro-styled racer has players piloting hover vehicles at high speed, dismounting at midpoints for combat, then racing again to settle the score. Up to eight players can race online, and split-screen play with friends is supported.

5d ago

My Girlfriend's Friend Anime Sets October 4 Debut

The television anime adaptation of Jura's manga My Girlfriend's Friend will premiere on Tokyo MX on October 4 at 25:05, effectively October 5 at 1:05 a.m. New cast members are Riho Sugiyama as Miyuki and Ryōka Yuzuki as Kaori's mother. Airots performs the opening theme 'Gingira' and Ceui performs the ending theme 'False Love.' The 'Complete Deregula' version streams on AnimeFesta starting October 5.

5d ago

OneXFly APEX Air Portable Gaming PC Launches in Japan on September 11

Tenku will release ONE-NETBOOK's OneXFly APEX Air portable gaming PC in Japan on September 11. The variation model of the OneXFly APEX carries Intel's Arc G3 Extreme SoC, 32GB of memory, and 1TB of storage for 298,000 yen. The 8-inch 120Hz LCD unit weighs about 639g without the battery, down from roughly 699g. Reservations are open, and the unit will appear at the ONE-NETBOOK booth at Tokyo Game Show 2026.

5d ago

NVIDIA Releases PAIR, a Free Tool That Routes AI Tasks Across Your Local Network

NVIDIA has released PAIR (Personal AI Router), a free virtual inference router that detects compatible PCs on a local network and assigns AI inference jobs to them. It works with Ollama and LM Studio and needs no new API. In a demo running five subagents with Qwen 3.6-35B-A3B, a three-machine cluster averaged 8 minutes 48 seconds versus 18 minutes on a single RTX Spark PC.

5d ago

Yumekairo Talk Fest Lets Fans Chat One-on-One with AI VTubers

KLab will hold Yumekairo Talk Fest, an online event where fans can have one-on-one conversations with four talents from its AI VTuber agency Yumekairo Production. The event runs September 12 and 13, 2026, with Yumeminana, Tsukimado Romi, Koguma Komame, and Hanazaki Mimoza each holding a one-hour slot. Applications open September 5 at 12:00 on the Raidori platform.

6d ago

Cook Kawasaki & Hop Star Amiibo Released, Chaos Event Announced

The Kirby Air Ride amiibo Cook Kawasaki & Hop Star launched on September 3 at Nintendo Store and other retailers for 6,600 yen. A limited in-game event, Super Spicy! Cook Kawasaki Army, runs September 10-15, featuring City Trial team battles where players and CPU opponents are all Cook Kawasaki.

Sep 2

Hololive ART JAM!!! Fair Opens with Member-Drawn Self-Portraits

Animate's Hololive Production ART JAM!!! Fair in animate opened August 29 at the Ikebukuro main store and Osaka Nipponbashi, running through September 13. Nine Hololive members drew self-portraits displayed at large scale, alongside merch including acrylic stands, can badges, mini canvas boards and coach jackets. A Gallery D.N.A. exhibition at Ikebukuro's first floor runs through September 27. The report previewed the venue the night before opening.

Sep 1

Matsuken Samba II VRChat Costume and Dance Motion Launch September 9

ARROVA will sell a Matsuken Samba II costume and dance motion with music as VRChat digital fashion on the TOKYO AVATAR GATE marketplace starting September 9, 2026 at 17:00. The items are based on 3D model and motion data from Ken Matsudaira's previous virtual live performances, with ARROVA producing and V Inc. handling the VRChat costume and gimmick implementation. Material data comes from Sanki Promotion and Shogakukan. Three products go on sale: a set combining the kimono costume with the dance motion and music gimmick for 1,650 yen, and the costume alone or the gimmick alone for 1,100 yen each. The gimmick lets desktop users dance the Matsuken Samba II along with the music. A limited-time event runs in the TOKYO AVATAR GATE world on VRChat from September 12 to October 2, 2026. During the event, an 'All-Night Matsuken Time Signal' plays the song once an hour at five minutes past, and twice an hour on Fridays. The world also holds a hunt for 10 hidden Mini Matsuken figures and a photo spot with Ken Matsudaira's 3D model and a gold flurry filter.

Aug 30

WorldX Launches KAIROS, an AI Video OS for Japanese Corporate Video Production

WorldX Inc. announced KAIROS, an AI Video Operating System for enterprises that supports video communication for Japanese companies. KAIROS integrates planning, generation, review, and multi-format distribution into a single workflow based on corporate knowledge, aiming for high efficiency and cost optimization in corporate video production.

Aug 29

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 National Championship Air Races Set for October 13

Xbox Game Studios announced at the XBOX @ gamescom Broadcast 2026 that National Championship Air Races for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 will release on October 13 local time. The simulation lets players race through the skies of New Mexico. A separate City Update 16: Italy began free distribution for all owners the same day.

Aug 29

Airbus Mars Rover Runs on a Steam Deck at London Simulation Facility

Video from Airbus's Mars simulation facility, Mars Yard, shows a Steam Deck being used to manually operate a rover unit called Codi. The footage, published on Nebula, shows influencer Tom Scott controlling the rover with the handheld during a tour. Airbus uses the facility to test self-propelled Mars rovers in a reproduced Martian environment.

Aug 29

Cairn Free DLC On the Trail Adds Marco as Playable Character

The Game Bakers revealed the first DLC for rock climbing sim Cairn at gamescom 2026. The free expansion, On the Trail, is a prequel set a year before the main story. It adds Marco as a playable character, introduces Deep Water Soloing, and is scheduled for PC and PlayStation 5 release after a slight delay.

Aug 29

PG Unleashed Nu Gundam Clear Expansion Set Pre-Orders Open

Premium Bandai opened pre-orders for a PG UNLEASHED 1/60 Nu Gundam expansion set with clear exterior parts and six Fin Funnels, priced at 16,500 yen with shipment in December 2026. Reprints of the MG Sazabi Ver.Ka and RE/100 Nightingale Funnel Effect Set and the RE/100 Jagd Doga (Quess Air Unit) also began.

Aug 29

Four Manga Kindle Volumes On Sale For 99 Yen Each At Amazon

Amazon Japan is holding a Kindle Books 99 Yen Sale until September 3, with four manga series priced at 99 yen per volume: Air Master, Iron no Linebarrel Kanzenban, Hana no Keiji -Kumo no Kanata ni-, and Kurosagi. Bundle purchases are available, with all 28 volumes of Air Master costing 2,772 yen.

Aug 28

Jounetsu Tairiku Trails Horror Writer Suneji Ahead of Midsummer Season

TBS's documentary program Jounetsu Tairiku will feature horror writer Suneji, who became a symbol of the recent horror boom after her debut web novel, About a Certain Place in the Kinki Region, surpassed 22 million page views and later sold over 1 million copies as a book. The show followed her since May, capturing her daily life and work during the busy midsummer horror season. It airs August 30 at 23:10 on MBS/TBS, with streaming on TVer.

Aug 28

New Fairy Princess Minky Momo OVA Adds Four Cast Members

The official website for the new Fairy Princess Minky Momo OVA announced four more cast members on Friday: Show Hayami as the King of Diginarsa, Kikuko Inoue as the Queen, Kazuyuki Okitsu as Momo's father, and Mie Sonozaki as her worrywart mother. The OVA opens in Japanese theaters on November 13.

Aug 28

The Delinquent Girl Beside Me Suddenly Dyed Her Hair Black Manga Ends

The October issue of Kadokawa's Monthly Shonen Ace magazine published the final chapter of Waka Sanada's manga adaptation of Teika's The Delinquent Girl Beside Me Suddenly Dyed Her Hair Black light novel series on Wednesday. The fourth and final compiled book volume ships in late November. One Peace Books publishes the series in English.

Aug 28

Matsuken Anime Sets August 29 Debut, Casts Ken Matsudaira and Sumire Uesaka

Tatsunoko Production announced the short anime project Matsuken Anime will debut August 29 on YouTube. Ken Matsudaira voices the title character Matsuken, and Sumire Uesaka voices his dog companion Matsu Inu. Daisuke Namikawa voices other characters. The project adapts Matsudaira's 'Matsuken Samba' songs into stories where good triumphs over evil.

Aug 21

Nike Air Force 1 x LEGO Set Recreates the Sneaker With 1,093 Bricks

LEGO Group and NIKE announce a new collaboration set recreating the Nike Air Force 1 sneaker from 1,093 bricks. It includes an astronaut minifigure that performs a 360-degree dunk when a dial is turned. General sales begin September 1, 2026, at 15,980 yen. Four other NIKE x LEGO sets are currently on sale.

Aug 21

Fairy Princess Minky Momo OVA Adds Tomohito Takatsuka, Yōko Hikasa

Tomohito Takatsuka and Yōko Hikasa have joined the cast of the new Fairy Princess Minky Momo OVA, playing the young man Rubato and the boy Peter. The OVA, titled Mahō no Princess Minky Momo Akogare no Yume e Magokoro no Duo, opens in Japan on November 13. It is the franchise's first new OVA since 1994's Minky Momo in The Station of Your Memories.

Aug 20

Pocketpair Brings Its Largest Ever Booth to Tokyo Game Show 2026

Pocketpair will exhibit at Tokyo Game Show 2026 with its largest booth in company history, featuring life-size statues of Pals like Sekhmet and Nyansie, a moving Jetdran statue, and dark humor exhibits including cages and a Mokoron holding a machine gun. The booth includes photo spots, an assault event, a cosplay stage with 23 cosplayers, and playable demos of Windrose and Never Grave.

Aug 20

Disney Twisted-Wonderland Anime Teaser Adds Fairouz Ai as Yuuka

Disney+ presented a teaser promotional video for Episode of Savanaclaw, the second season of the Disney Twisted-Wonderland The Animation series, on Thursday. The teaser introduces Fairouz Ai as the voice of Yuuka Hirasaka, a high school student who excels at judo and the protagonist of the second season. On the way home from a judo tournament, she encounters a mysterious carriage that whisks her away to Twisted-Wonderland. Episode of Savanaclaw will begin streaming exclusively on Disney+ in December 2026. The first season, Episode of Heartslabyul, debuted exclusively on Disney+ in October 2025, and the overall anime will run for three seasons. The seasons adapt the original game's accompanying manga under the titles Episode of Heartslabyul, Episode of Savanaclaw, and Episode of Octavinelle. The anime's English dub debuted on Disney+ and Hulu on the same day the anime premiered. Takahiro Natori is serving as chief director and series script supervisor, and Shin Katagai is directing at Yumeta Company and Graphinica. Yoichi Kato is credited as the main writer. Hanaka Nakano and Akane Sato are designing the characters. Takumi Ozawa, the composer of the game, is also composing the music in the anime itself.

Aug 19

Iruma-kun Gets Chocolate-Themed LAFARY Goods on September 11

Anime 'Mairimashita! Iruma-kun' and LAFARY are releasing collaboration goods on September 11, 2026. The lineup features nine items with newly drawn chocolate-themed illustrations, including badges, acrylic stands, tapestries, and T-shirts. Store sales have purchase limits and numbered tickets, while online orders run through September 30.

Aug 19

Palworld and No Man's Sky Collaboration Hopes Rise After Hello Games CEO Responds

Hello Games CEO Sean Murray responded warmly to a post about a potential Palworld collaboration, after Pocketpair publishing head John Buckley had repeatedly expressed interest. Murray's heart reaction marks the first positive response in an exchange that had seemed one-sided, raising hopes for a collaboration between the two games.

Aug 18

Camera-Equipped AirPods Appear Close to Release, macOS Files Suggest

Files in the macOS Tahoe 26.7 release candidate reveal Apple is developing camera-equipped AirPods, codenamed B790. A demo video shows the Visual Intelligence feature, letting Siri answer questions about the wearer's surroundings. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman suggests a release as early as September 2026, possibly alongside the iPhone 18 Pro.

Aug 18

XASTAR Crowdfunding for 2nd Album and One-Man Live Passes 95% of Target

Rock unit XASTAR, formed by V-singer MaiR and guitarist FKBC, launched a crowdfunding campaign on August 8 for their 2nd full album and 2nd one-man live. The target is 10 million yen, with 95% already collected. The live will be held at harevutai and streamed via Z-aN. The album is slated for spring 2027, featuring guest artists for the first time, starting with Asano Ruri.

Aug 18

Takeuchi's teamtaku CUP TAKE AIR 2026 Set for October 12 in Iiyama

Taku Takeuchi's teamtaku CUP TAKE AIR 2026 will be held October 12 at Iiyama Schanze in Nagano Prefecture. The event features seven ski jumping categories, a talk show with Noriaki Kasai, Sara Takanashi, and others, plus music and activities. Advance tickets go on sale August 18 at 6 PM.

Aug 17

Yume Nairai Stars in Devil Cafe Film and Writes Its Opening Song

Yume Nairai, head of human resources firm Yuinaira, appears in the film Devil Cafe: Welcome to Finis, opening August 16, 2026, and wrote, composed, and sang its opening theme, "Flower Bud." The film adapts the Chiba TV drama Devil Cafe and stars Mahiro Yamaguchi.

Aug 15

Kairosoft Steam Bundle Nears Catalog Completion With Final Two Bundles

Kairosoft announced that only six pure Kairosoft games remain outside its Steam bundles, and launched a like challenge to release the final two bundles. If the official X post reaches 5,000 likes by August 16, the 15th and 16th bundles will be released, completing the catalog. As of August 15, likes were around 2,300.

Aug 14

Low-Budget Repairs Launches on Steam

Simplicity Games and PlayWay S.A. released Low-Budget Repairs, developed by Gray2RGB, on Steam on August 14. The game is a renovation simulation where the player runs a small business in 1990s Poland and earns money by cutting costs through sloppy work. Players can thin paint with water, lay tiles without a level, and use cheap tools to maximize profit. The goal is to finish jobs quickly so the shoddy work is not discovered. The trailer also shows breaking into houses, stealing items, and spray-painting graffiti. The game is priced at 2,500 yen, with a 25% discount to 1,875 yen until August 28.

Aug 12

Tank Chair Anime Sets October 4 Premiere, Adds Yurina Amami and Gen Sato

The television anime adaptation of Manabu Yashiro's Tank Chair manga will premiere on October 4. Bandai Namco Filmworks revealed the main promotional video, key visual, additional cast and staff, and theme song artists on Wednesday. Yurina Amami joins the cast as Dr. Radio, a genius scientist hiding in an abandoned radio tower, and Gen Sato plays Uzu, a mysterious newcomer to the Academy's Class A. The opening theme is "DALALA" by reggae-punk band SiM, and Daoko performs the ending theme "SYNC." The anime airs on Tokyo MX at 11:00 p.m. JST on October 4, followed by BS11, CBC on October 5, and MBS on October 6. Tadahiro "Tady" Yoshihira and Hiroaki Ando direct and write scripts at Polygon Pictures, with Yuki Moriyama designing characters and Masaru Yokoyama composing music. The cast includes Koki Uchiyama as Nagi Taira, Minori Fujidera as Shizuka Taira, Gakuto Kajiwara as Naozumi Kurosaka, and Saori Hayami as Touko Kurosaka. The manga began on Magazine Pocket in November 2022 and moved to Monthly Shonen Sirius in November 2024.

Aug 11

MTG Hatsune Miku Commander Deck Order Sales Open on Rakuten Books

Magic: The Gathering opened order sales for the Hatsune Miku collaboration deck, Secret Lair Commander Deck: Hatsune Miku, on Rakuten Books on August 11. The 24-hour order window runs until August 12 at 12:29. The deck costs 25,300 yen including tax, with delivery planned within 2027.

Aug 11

Low-Budget Repairs Final Trailer Previews Cut-Corner Renovation Sim

Simplicity Games, Gray2RGB, and PlayWay released the final trailer for Low-Budget Repairs, a home renovation simulation set in a 1990s Polish housing estate. Players run a profit-driven business, thinning paint and skipping levels. The game launches on Steam on August 13.

Aug 10

K MANGA Adds Camp Master Extraordinaire as Simulpub Title

K MANGA added Yuno Yozakura and Ryōsuke Sano's Camp Master Extraordinaire as a simulpub title on August 5. New chapters update on Wednesdays, with the first 49 chapters available now. The series launched on Kodansha's Magazine Pocket in July 2025, and Kodansha shipped the fourth compiled volume on June 9.

Aug 10

Fairy Tail 20th Anniversary Ichiban Kuji Features Natsu, Lucy, Happy Figures

A new Ichiban Kuji lottery celebrating the 20th anniversary of Hiro Mashima's Fairy Tail manga will launch in Japan this October. The "Ichiban Kuji FAIRY TAIL 20th ANNIVERSARY" offers figures of Natsu Dragneel, Lucy Heartfilia, and Happy under the MASTERLISE line, marking the first time these characters have been made as MASTERLISE figures. The lottery also includes a Last One prize of Erza Scarlet as a MASTERLISE figure, available to the person who draws the final ticket, and a Double Chance Campaign offering 30 of the same Erza figures. Additional prizes include desktop mascots of Lucy's celestial spirits Aquarius and Virgo, acrylic stands featuring manga cover designs, clear posters, and sticker assortments. Each draw costs 850 yen including tax. Store sales begin October 3, 2026, with online sales starting October 5, 2026. The Double Chance Campaign runs until the end of January 2027. The announcement follows the recent short-term serialization of Fairy Tail: Re:Fantasia in Weekly Shonen Magazine, also part of the 20th anniversary celebration.

Aug 10

Corsair Cove Sells 100,000 Copies in Three Days

Hooded Horse and Limbic Entertainment announced that Corsair Cove, a pirate city-building strategy game for PC, has sold 100,000 copies within three days of its August 1 release. The game is available on Steam, Epic Games Store, and Microsoft Store, with a 25% launch discount on Steam and Epic.

Aug 9

Why the Original Little House on the Prairie Ended by Blowing Up the Town

The original Little House on the Prairie series ended with a shocking two-hour special in which the residents of Walnut Grove dynamite the entire town. The finale was written and directed by Michael Landon, who also played Charles Ingalls. Landon chose the explosive ending to protect the set's legacy after learning NBC planned to reuse it for other productions.

Aug 8

NIGHT HIKE Makuhari Adds 40 Artists for New 3M DJ Stage

The music and art festival NIGHT HIKE 2026 in Makuhari announced its third lineup: 40 artists for a new DJ stage called 3M (MAKUHARI MEGA MIX). Each day, 20 performers get three minutes each for a 60-minute nonstop set. The lineup includes past NIGHT HIKE performers such as Yoshida Yase, KAIRUI, and D.watt.

Aug 8

Hatsune Miku Returns to Magic: The Gathering in Secret Lair Commander Deck

Wizards of the Coast announced the pre-constructed Commander deck 'Secret Lair Commander Deck: Hatsune Miku' on August 5. Orders placed on Secret Lair between 1:00 AM and 11:59 PM on August 11 will be made-to-order, with delivery expected within 2027. The $149.99 deck includes 14 borderless cards illustrated by KEI, Naoki Saito, and Hachi.

Aug 5

Fairy Tail 20th Anniversary Ichiban Kuji Full Lineup Revealed

BANDAI SPIRITS has revealed the complete lineup for "Ichiban Kuji FAIRY TAIL 20th ANNIVERSARY," a no-loser character lottery commemorating the 20th anniversary of Hiro Mashima's manga. The lineup includes MASTERLISE figures of Natsu Dragneel, Lucy Heartfilia, Happy, and Erza Scarlet, marking their first appearance under the MASTERLISE brand. Newly announced items include desktop mascots of Lucy's Celestial Spirits Aquarius and Virgo, acrylic stands based on manga volume covers, clear posters using illustrations by Mashima, and sticker assortments. The lottery will be released sequentially from October 3, 2026, at convenience stores, hobby shops, bookstores, and official Ichiban Kuji shops, with online sales starting at 5:00 PM on October 5. Each draw costs 850 yen including tax. The Last One prize, awarded to the person who draws the final ticket, is an Erza Scarlet MASTERLISE figure, which is also available through the Double Chance Campaign. The announcement was made on the official Ichiban Kuji Club website run by BANDAI SPIRITS' Lottery Innovation Division.

Aug 4

Fairy Tail Returns With New Series Re:Fantasia and Togashi Art

Hiro Mashima's Fairy Tail is back in Weekly Shonen Magazine with a new short-term series, Fairy Tail: Re:Fantasia, which began serialization in the magazine's 35th issue released on July 29, 2026. The series is part of the franchise's 20th anniversary celebrations and marks Mashima's first appearance in the magazine in two years. To mark the occasion, a lineup of creators from across different publishers and editorial departments contributed illustrations of Fairy Tail characters. The contributors include George Morikawa of Hajime no Ippo, Koji Seo of Kaigo no Umi no Oto, Miki Yoshikawa of A Couple of Cuckoos, Atsuo Ueda of Fairy Tail: 100 Years Quest, Yudetamago of Kinnikuman, and Yoshihiro Togashi of Hunter x Hunter. Togashi's illustration of protagonist Natsu has drawn particular attention on social media, with fans commenting on its style. The compiled volume of Fairy Tail: Re:Fantasia is scheduled for release on October 16, 2026, in regular and special editions. The special edition includes a set of 16 postcards featuring the contributed illustrations. Mashima's nationwide signing events have also been announced, with dates in Sapporo, Tokyo, Nagoya, Osaka, and Hakata.

Aug 3

Garena to Launch Palworld Online Mobile MMORPG This Year

Garena announced on August 3 that it is developing Palworld Online, a mobile MMORPG based on Pocketpair's Palworld IP, with a release planned within 2026 for iOS and Android. The game is being made under an official license from Pocketpair and will rebuild the original survival crafting experience for smartphones, introducing a new story setting and original side stories alongside the core elements of capturing and raising Pals, exploration, and base management. As an MMORPG, Palworld Online features a seamless open world where players can form groups, build joint bases, engage in PvE and PvP content, challenge bosses in the open world, visit other players' bases, and search for rare Pals together. The mobile version optimizes the UI and controls for touch operations, supporting one-touch play across a range of device specifications. Garena's president, Terry Zhao, said the company aims to maintain the depth, immersion, and freedom of Palworld while delivering a mobile-optimized experience. Pocketpair's CEO, Takuro Mizobe, noted Garena's experience in global expansion, localization, and live service operations for mobile games. Palworld Online is scheduled for release on mobile in 2026, with further details on the service start date to be announced later.

Aug 2

Corsair Cove City Builder Launches on PC Stores

Hooded Horse released the city-building game Corsair Cove on July 31, 2026. The game is available on Steam, the Epic Games Store, and the Microsoft Store, and it can also be played through PC Game Pass. Developer Limbic Entertainment built the game around pirates who wash up on a remote island with almost no flat land, forcing players to construct towns vertically across steep cliffs and hills. Players combine bridges, zip lines, and elevators to move goods and people across the terrain. Facilities produce items such as alcohol and firearms, but each one requires specific materials, and the pirates need food, so players must set up supply chains. Resources the island cannot provide must be taken by raiding nearby islands, a task complicated by the kingdom's fleet and monsters that patrol the sea and may attack the town. Maintaining military strength before sailing is a stated priority. Pirate cohesion also matters: losing battles or running short on food lowers it, and in the worst case riots break out. Random event choices affect cohesion as well, so players make decisions based on the situation.