Friday, 18 September 2026
Anime, manga, and games, with a take · A Yukimedia publication

← all stories

FF

The Final Fantasy series is active with the mobile spin-off Dissidia Duellum Final Fantasy, which added Tidus in June 2026, and the classic title Final Fantasy IX is being promoted in a summer sale on the Nintendo Store.

Synthesized from 30 Yomimono stories · updated Jul 2

The Final Fantasy series has two recent touchpoints from Yomimono coverage. Square Enix's smartphone game Dissidia Duellum Final Fantasy, a free-to-play action battle title that launched in March 2026, added Tidus from Final Fantasy X on June 30. The character is a Speed-type Water-attribute fighter with a limited-time gacha for exclusive abilities. Separately, Final Fantasy IX appears in a coordinated summer sale on the Nintendo Store alongside titles from Bandai Namco and Capcom, with discounts running through July 2026. These two items represent the only current facts about the series in Yomimono's reporting: a new mobile entry receiving a character update and a classic game being offered at a reduced price. No other Final Fantasy releases, announcements, or developments are covered in the available stories.

Key facts

Tidus added to Dissidia Duellum Final Fantasy
Tidus, protagonist of Final Fantasy X, joined the smartphone game Dissidia Duellum Final Fantasy on June 30, 2026, as a Speed-type Water-attribute character. ↗
Dissidia Duellum Final Fantasy release
The free-to-play iOS and Android action battle game launched in March 2026 and features warriors from the Final Fantasy series battling in modern Tokyo. ↗
Final Fantasy IX in Nintendo Store summer sale
Final Fantasy IX is one of the titles discounted in a summer sale on the Nintendo Store, part of coordinated sales from Bandai Namco, Square Enix, and Capcom. ↗

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
Final Fantasy IX · 2026-07-02

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

All coverage

12h ago

Action Xtreme Drops New Trailer For First-Person Film Bad Day At The Office

UK entertainment company Action Xtreme released the latest trailer for "Bad Day At The Office," an action film shot entirely in first-person perspective. Karl Davis wakes in a hotel room with no memory, finds a corpse in the bathtub, and when police knock at the door, a chain reaction begins. Karl and hotel maid Molly push into a world of chaos and conspiracy. John Hannah and Radha Mitchell star. UK release is set for October 30.

14h ago

ABEMA to Stream All 119 Episodes of The Powerpuff Girls Free, Five per Day

ABEMA announced it will begin streaming the anime The Powerpuff Girls from September 19, with all 119 episodes from Season 1 to Season 3 airing free at five episodes per day through October 12. Each episode's first streaming run starts alongside the broadcast, and broadcast episodes stay free to watch for 24 hours after they air. The series is based on an original work by Craig McCracken.

16h ago

Pop Team Epic Coffee Collaboration Comes To OK COFFEE

Original blend coffee and goods based on Bukubu Okawa's four-panel manga Pop Team Epic go on sale on the OK COFFEE EC site starting September 25, 2026. The project pairs an Indonesian and Colombian bean blend with drip packs, a latte base, bottle coffee, two mugs, acrylic coasters, and an acrylic muddler. The theme is "We Mixed Two People Who Are Dangerous When Mixed."

1d ago

Claude Fable 5.1 Solves 370-Year-Old Cyphral Distich Cipher in 44 Minutes

The AI model Claude Fable 5.1 deciphered the Cyphral Distich, a two-line cipher that had gone unread for over 370 years, in 44 minutes and 176,000 tokens. Researcher Gabe Jaffe wrote up the method. The cipher sits at the end of Sir Thomas Urquhart's 17th-century Logopandecteision, after a list of 32 "Proquiritations," and the model found the key in that number and the word "wish."

2d ago

Sega Fave Unveils BLOFFFu Hybrid Plush Toy Line With 36 Character Types

Sega Fave Corporation will release BLOFFFu, a hybrid toy that combines a plush with a molded body, on Friday, October 16, 2026, the company announced. The lineup has 36 character types under official license, spanning Sanrio Characters, Disney, Pixar, Marvel, The Powerpuff Girls, Tom and Jerry, Gremlins, Sesame Street, Peanuts, SpongeBob SquarePants, SONIC & FRIENDS, and the anime titles Urusei Yatsura and Magical Angel Creamy Mami. Counting the three sizes, 59 products go on sale. The sizes are BIT, MOD, and DEKA. Each body ships with a dedicated item tied to its character, and the BIT size also includes a PERCH that holds the toy in place for display. Three BLOFFFu original characters, the twin figures Ziggg and Amuuu and the cat Myafffu, arrive at launch. A limited-time POP UP STORE runs from October 16 to November 1 at THE [ ] STORE on the second floor of MIYASHITA PARK in Shibuya, Tokyo. The SONIC & FRIENDS series gets an early domestic rollout on October 2 at SEGA STORE TOKYO and SEGA STORE OSAKA.

4d ago

Konami Opens Preorders For Yu-Gi-Oh! OCG Sinful Spoils Complete File Set

Konami will take orders for "COMPLETE FILE -The Sinful Spoils Hunter-" starting September 15. The Yu-Gi-Oh! OCG item collects 98 card types built around the Sinful Spoils story, including a new "'The Sinful Spoils Hunter' Diabellstar" plus "Astellerh of the White Forest" and "Rzelet of the White Forest" in Prismatic Secret Rare with Overframe. It costs 22,000 yen and ships at the end of March 2027.

4d ago

Bandai Opens 280-Unit Gashapon Shop at Sanyo Expressway Parking Area

Bandai Namco Experience, Bandai Namco Amusement, and West Nippon Expressway Service Holding's Kansai Branch opened a Gashapon Bandai Official Shop at the Ougo Parking Area outbound line on the E2 Sanyo Expressway on Friday, September 11, 2026. The store holds 280 capsule toy units and covers 49.5 square meters. It runs 24 hours, with staffed hours from 9:00 to 17:00 for benefits and campaign handling.

4d ago

Final Fantasy X 25th Anniversary Exhibition Opens At Lumine Zero In Shinjuku

The exhibition FINAL FANTASY X MUSEUM -Ko no Kioku- runs from September 12 to September 27 at LUMINE ZERO in Shinjuku, Tokyo, marking 25 years since Final Fantasy X. It is built around 10 themes, with a Zanarkand photo spot featuring Tidus's sword Fratanity, a Macalania Woods area screening Tidus and Yuna scenes, Nobuo Uematsu's production notes, and early storyboard drafts including Yuna's speech.

Sep 11

Hololive Pop Up Shop Tours Five Cities Starting October 3

Cover Corporation will open the "hololive production official pop up shop" at Ikebukuro PACKS from Saturday, October 3, 2026, with cooperative operation by MOVIC Co., Ltd. The tour covers Tokyo, Nagoya, Fukuoka, Osaka, and Sapporo, beginning with Ikebukuro through Sunday, November 1, 2026. Nagoya runs Friday, November 6 to Monday, November 23, 2026. Fukuoka follows Friday, December 11 to Sunday, December 20, 2026, Osaka Saturday, January 9 to Sunday, January 17, 2027, and Sapporo Friday, March 19 to Sunday, March 28, 2027. Original merchandise based on newly drawn bus guide visuals will be sold, with regional products: Tokyo carries three talents, and each later city carries two. Some hololive official goods and licensed merchandise will also be available. Admission restrictions using LivePocket-Ticket- are planned for the first two days in Ikebukuro, with possible numbered tickets afterward depending on crowding. Locations for Nagoya onward and business hours are to be updated on the special site.

Sep 11

ANIAFF Returns in November with Kenji Kamiyama All-Night Retrospective

The Aichi Nagoya International Animation Film Festival announced its second edition, running November 13 to 18, 2026, at venues in Nagoya. The all-night program centers on a Kenji Kamiyama retrospective, including The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim and selections from Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, with Kamiyama attending. Honami Yano, whose Eri was selected for Cannes Directors' Fortnight, created the main visual.

Sep 10

Cho Gavan V-Cinext Adds Enako, Reo Nagatsuma, Ryojiro Tsuji as Survivors

The V-Cinext Cho Uchu Keiji Gavan Infinity VS Lya has announced three guest cast members: cosplayer Enako as the psychokinetic Nitocris, 7ORDER's Reo Nagatsuma as the fire-wielding Randy, and stage actor Ryojiro Tsuji as the electricity-wielding Carter. All three play members of Survivors, an anti-government group on Planet Arcam, and clash with Reiji Doki and Kentaro Yasui's Fuma Kumu. Character visuals, comments, and a teaser trailer are out. A limited theatrical run starts Friday, December 11.

Sep 10

PLAYISM To Publish Seal-Fishing Action RPG Sea Sniffers

Active Gaming Media's publishing brand PLAYISM will publish Sea Sniffers, a seal-fishing action RPG from Blastmode and MP2 Games. Players control Kiwi and seal partner Momi, who investigate a report from Rumira Laboratory, collect over 100 sea creatures, upgrade equipment, and gather ships at shipyards worldwide. A playable demo runs at Tokyo Game Show 2026, September 17 to 21 at Makuhari Messe, Hall 7 booth 07-C06. The Steam release is scheduled for 2027.

Sep 10

Futabasha Releases Elma ASMR Video For Dragon Maid Spin-Off's 100th Chapter

Futabasha released an ASMR video for "Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid: Elma's OL Diary" on September 10, read by Yuki Takada, who voices Elma. The video marks the spin-off's 100th chapter and depicts Elma encouraging a listener. Volume 12 of the series, drawn by Ayami Kazama from a story by coolkyousinnjya, also went on sale that day.

Sep 10

Living on Plain Pasta Launches on Steam for PC at 200 Yen

Granité Works released the short adventure game Living on Plain Pasta on PC via Steam on September 10. Players choose two ingredients from three or four options to cook for a drunken senpai whose life is falling apart, and the senpai's reactions change with each dish. The game drew attention on X as a "trashy Coffee Talk." It costs 200 yen, with a 40% discount to 120 yen until September 25.

Sep 9

Keighley and Cerny Co-Found Nova Games Foundation to Fund Young Creators

Geoff Keighley, the host and producer of The Game Awards and Summer Game Fest, and Mark Cerny, the lead architect of the PS4 and PS5, have co-founded Nova Games Foundation, a nonprofit that funds young game creators. The foundation runs a fellowship program for university graduates who want to move directly into original game development after finishing school. It partners with 13 universities worldwide and targets games with artistic, literary, or social value. Each year Nova selects 20 fellows and gives each $100,000, with up to $500,000 in additional support for especially promising projects. Fellows receive mentoring and promotion from industry leaders. Developers keep ownership of their work, choose their own publisher and platform, and Nova takes no equity and requires no repayment. The foundation is independent of Keighley's events and of PlayStation. Per Game File, both men donated several million dollars at the founding and plan to keep funding it. Keighley said he has avoided commercial investment in games because of his industry position and seeks no financial return. Cerny, aware of his late career, said he wants to give back to the next generation. Applications open in December 2026, with details due mid-September.

Sep 8

Manga Up! Global Adds Three New Manga Titles

Manga Up! Global added three manga to its service this week: Dragon and Flower: The Timid Princess and the Ice Sword's Loyalty, I Was Sacrificed to a Vampire, But He Spoils Me Instead!, and Wildcard Alchemist: Building the Ultimate Guild With a Divine Fluffy Beast and Random Alchemy Skill. The titles arrived on Saturday, Monday, and Wednesday, and all three already have compiled volumes shipping in Japan.

Sep 8

Bokura wa Uchujin Trailer Reveals adieu Theme Song Sasakure

The new trailer for the anime film Bokura wa Uchujin is out, built around the theme song "Sasakure" by adieu, the artist name of actress Moka Kamishiraishi. Yaffle wrote, composed, and arranged the track. The trailer reveals a previously unseen section of the song. The film is Kouhei Kadowaki's first feature-length anime, produced by the 2022-founded label NOTHING NEW, and follows the 30-year friendship of Tsubasa and Kyotaro. It premiered at Cannes and was selected for Annecy's feature competition.

Sep 8

Palworld Card Game First Set Passes 4.4 Million Packs Shipped

Bushiroad announced the Palworld Official Card Game's first booster pack, Dawn of Palpagos, has surpassed 4.4 million packs in worldwide cumulative shipments. The two-player trading card game launched July 30 with over 50 Pal cards in new illustrations, including Zoe and Lily. At Tokyo Game Show 2026, the Pocketpair booth will display all first-set cards and preview illustrations from the second set, Awakened Legend, due October 30.

Sep 8

Yu-Gi-Oh! OCG Reveals 10 New Cards for Original Artwork Collection Pack

The official Yu-Gi-Oh! site revealed 10 new cards for the special pack Yu-Gi-Oh! ORIGINAL ARTWORK COLLECTION, a set that gathers cards that appeared in the original manga or were inspired by memorable scenes. The reveal includes Aroma Tactics and a new Enemy Controller. The pack is scheduled for September 26, 2026, priced at 396 yen per pack.

Sep 7

Shin Megami Tensei V / V Vengeance Art Book Gets ebtenDX Pack with Acrylic Panel

The Shin Megami Tensei V / V Vengeance official art book is up for pre-order at ebten. The volume collects art from both games, centered on Masayuki Doi's illustrations of characters and demons, with a cover drawn new for the book and setting materials and early sketches shown for the first time. The ebtenDX pack adds an A4 acrylic panel of the cover art with Doi's digital signature and an A6 illustration card as an Atlas D Shop bonus. Release is November 11, 2026.

Sep 7

PROJECT R.E.D. Adds Gavan Infinity Laser Ver. Sofubi and DX Horned Beast Hekikaku

Bandai opened product pages for two new PROJECT R.E.D. items tied to Ultra Space Sheriff Gavan Infinity. The Gavan Infinity Laser ver. soft vinyl figure, priced at 1,100 yen, ships September 19, 2026. The DX Horned Beast Hekikaku, a roughly 200mm figure with a scissor open-close gimmick and an Egorgia set, costs 4,400 yen and releases October 3, 2026. It combines with the DX Horned Beast Enkaku and Omega Horn.

Sep 6

Wandance Stage Play Runs in Tokyo in March 2027

Coffee's Wandance manga is getting a stage play titled Wandance on Stage, running from March 19 to 28, 2027, at the MoN Takanawa: The Museum of Narratives Box1000 in Tokyo. THE JET BOY BANGERZ member Taki will star as Kaboku. Imagine Ito will direct and write the script. Auditions for ensemble dancers will be held in fall.

Sep 4

The World's Finest Assassin Season 2 Video Reveals New Cast and January Debut

Kadokawa streamed the first main promotional video and key visual for the second season of The World's Finest Assassin Gets Reincarnated in a Different World as an Aristocrat on Friday, confirming a January premiere. The video introduces two new cast members: Sumire Uesaka as Epona Rhiannon and Yūsuke Tonozaki as Neusche Gephis. Masafumi Tamura returns to direct at SILVER LINK, with the rest of the core staff back.

Sep 3

Opposite Me and You and earth music & ecology Launch Second Collaboration

The TV anime Opposite Me and You and fashion brand earth music & ecology launch a second collaboration. Pre-orders open September 4, 2026, at 18:00 on STRIPE CLUB. New Tempura items join the returning Yeti line, plus eco-bags, acrylic keychains, and earrings. The reservation period runs until September 16, 2026.

Sep 2

DIFF.3D Personalized Shoes Go on Sale at 25,000 Yen

DIFF., the Mizuno spin-off founded in 2022, began selling DIFF.3D on September 1, 2026. The shoe is auto-designed from 3D foot scans via the DIFF.ENGINE system and manufactured with 3D printing, no molds. Price is 25,000 yen excluding tax, delivery about 10 days after foot data is confirmed. Traditional full-order shoes in Japan run about 200,000 yen and take over three months.

Aug 31

Yu-Gi-Oh! WCS2026 Closes With Korean Team Called By Army Taking Master Duel Crown

Yu-Gi-Oh! WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 2026 ran three days from August 28 at Tokyo Garden Theater, with finals for all four divisions held August 30 before a live audience. In the Master Duel Division, Korea's team Called By Army beat Japan's Glory Future in the only 3-player team battle of the event. Japanese player Taku won the Duel Links (RUSH DUEL) Division.

Aug 30

Baki Gaiden: Kaioh Retsu Isekai Spin-Off Gets TV Anime

TMS Entertainment announced on Monday that Baki Gaiden: Kaioh Retsu wa Isekai Tensei Shitemo Ikkō ni Kamawan, the isekai spin-off of Keisuke Itagaki's Baki franchise, is receiving a TV anime adaptation. The announcement came via TMS Anime's YouTube channel and Comic Natalie. The manga centers on the Kenpo-style master Retsu Kaioh, who reincarnates into another world after losing his life in a battle with swordsman Musashi Miyamoto. In the new world, Retsu sets out to prove the strength of Chinese martial arts against swords, magic, and powerful creatures. The manga launched in Akita Shoten's Monthly Shōnen Champion magazine in 2020. Eiji Mutsui is drawing the manga, while Keisuke Itagaki and Sai Ihara are credited for the original concept and story, respectively. As of August 2026, the series has surpassed 2 million copies in circulation across print and digital editions. Akita Shoten published the first compiled book volume in May 2021 and the 16th volume on March 6. The 17th volume will ship on September 8. TMS Entertainment continues its involvement with the franchise following Baki, Baki Hanma, and BAKI-DOU.

Aug 30

Truck-kun Is Supporting Me From Another World?! Puts an American Spin on Isekai

Strange Scaffold released Truck-kun is Supporting Me From Another World?! for PC and Xbox Series X|S on July 29. Players drive a truck that runs over townspeople, turning them into monsters sent to Carissa, who defeats them for experience points. The goal is to obtain the Scroll of Resurrection from the Skeleton King. The game does not support Japanese and costs 2,300 yen.

Aug 29

Fun2 Studio Brings XR Rhythm Fitness Game Puffit GO! to Startsphere Taipei 2026

Taiwan-based Fun2 Studio will exhibit its XR rhythm fitness game Puffit GO! at Startsphere Taipei 2026, held September 3 to 4, 2026. The game has players wear Meta Quest and punch targets in time with music. It is available on the Meta Quest Store for US$14.99 with a free 30-minute trial. The game also supports MR, letting real spaces become play areas.

Aug 29

Stability AI Raises $76 Million in Series B Round

Stability AI announced a $76 million Series B round on August 25, bringing total funding under CEO Prem Akkaraju to $232 million. New investors include Electronic Arts, Sony Music Group, Universal Music Group, Warner Music Group, AMD Ventures, and Pacific Alliance Ventures. Funds will support product development, applied research, and professional services.

Aug 29

Yandere Escape Game AI2U Puts LLM Characters in Charge of the Puzzle

AlterStaff released AI2U: Last Together Until the End ~Yandere Cat-Ear AI Girlfriend for PC and Mac on August 13. The escape adventure pits players against yandere characters driven by large language models, who react in real time to spoken or typed dialogue. The game is available for 1,700 yen, with a 30 percent discount to 1,190 yen until August 27.

Aug 29

AI2U Developer Talks LLM Escape Game, Character Feature Requests

AlterStaff founder Wengu Hu discussed AI2U: I'll Stay With You to the End ~Yandere Cat-Ear AI Girlfriend, a PC/Mac escape adventure released August 13. The yandere characters run on LLMs and react to player speech or voice input. The project began as a 2023 itch.io prototype called Yandere AI Girlfriend Simulator, built in three weeks with Vivianna Yan. The game is on sale until August 27.

Aug 29

New BE@RBRICK 400% Lineup Includes Captain America, Moff Gideon, Alien

Dengeki Hobby Web reports a new batch of BE@RBRICK 400% figures from MEDICOM TOY. Captain America (Winter Soldier Ver.), Winter Soldier, and Moff Gideon ship in September 2026. Alien, Curious George COSTUME Ver., and Masters of the Universe arrive in December 2026, with reservations open until September 10.

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

One Piece LUFFY's Adventure Memories Vol. 4 Opens Reservations August 27

BANDAI SPIRITS opens reservations on August 27 for the 4th edition of its closed box figure series LUFFY's Adventure Memories. The 86mm ABS figures feature hydrographic transfer designs tied to One Piece adventure memories, including a commemorative Volume 1 design. Boxes of 10 include all variants, one of which is a secret figure based on the WORLD TOP 100 key visual.

Aug 29

Shin Megami Tensei V Art Book Pre-Orders Open With New Doi Cover

KADOKAWA Game Linkage has opened pre-orders for the Shin Megami Tensei V / V Vengeance Official Art Book. The 288-page A4 volume collects character and demon illustrations by Masayuki Doi, setting art, image boards, and a directory of demons and characters. It releases November 11 for 4,400 yen, with an ebtenDX Pack limited edition at the Atlus D Shop.

Aug 28

Kumarn: The Wandering Spirit Brings Thai Folklore Horror to Steam and Epic Games Store

Wired Productions is developing 'Kumarn: The Wandering Spirit' with WereBuff Studio for Steam and Epic Games Store. The single-player adventure is based on Thai folklore and has a release date of 'coming soon.' Players control the young spirit Kumarn, cast out from a sanctuary, alongside companion Zeb, using wits and a sacred lamp to survive monsters that cannot be fought.

Aug 28

Magical Buffs Review Finds a Gloomy Palette Undermines the Comedy

Anime NYC 2026 coverage includes a review of Magical Buffs: The Support Caster is Stronger Than He Realized!, which opens with two episodes that look dark and gray even when the plot is not gloomy. The review criticizes the muted color scheme, the stretched pacing, and the underwhelming animation of the key fight scene. Wim's banishment from his party sets up a likable underdog story, though the reasons for his exile are hard to follow. The anime streams on Crunchyroll in January 2027.

Aug 28

Last Ditch Effort Brings Hand-Drawn Pixel Action to Steam in 2027

Moonwell Games' action game Last Ditch Effort was announced during the Future Games Show segment at gamescom 2026 in Germany, alongside its world-first footage. The game is a hand-drawn pixel-art action title set in a dark world devastated by endless war. Players control Igor Emmerich, the last survivor of a fallen knight order, who seeks the Gate, an object that grants any wish at a great cost, while pursuing his former master who aims to destroy the world. The Steam store page describes a highly responsive and expressive combat system, with animations created frame-by-frame using hand-drawn pixel art and no tween processing, an image interpolation technique. This approach aims to deliver weighty action. The game is scheduled for release on PC via Steam in 2027. The publisher, Trellis, presented the game during the broadcast on August 27, 2026. The Steam page notes the game contains adult content including pixel-art violence and bloodshed.

Aug 21

A Pen, Handcuffs, and a Common-Law Marriage Anime Sets January 2027 Debut

The television anime adaptation of A Pen, Handcuffs, and a Common-Law Marriage is set to premiere in January 2027, as announced on Friday. King Amusement Creative revealed a teaser promotional video, a teaser visual, and the main cast and staff. Tomoaki Maeno will voice Eiji Kirisame, a forty-year-old detective, and Inori Minase will voice Tsugumi Kuchinashi, a silent high school girl who communicates through doodles on a drawing pad, one of which proposes marriage. Takaaki Ishiyama directs the series at EMT Squared, with Shigeru Murakoshi overseeing series scripts, Miyuki Nakamura designing characters, Hiroto Morishita as sound director, and Kana Hashiguchi composing the music. The source manga, written by Shinichi Sawaragi and illustrated by Tank Gasuyama, began serialization in Hakusensha's Young Animal magazine in December 2022 and has 400,000 copies in circulation. Yen Press licensed the manga in English and released the first volume on March 24.

Aug 20

V Project Renamed StarToU, New Idol Group MacGuffin Revealed

Elementa announced on August 20, 2026 that the smartphone game previously known as V Project now has the official title StarToU. The immersive empathy 3D idol game is set in the near-future city of Hoshikawa, where a technology called Touch lets players share the first-person perspective and emotions of the idols. Alongside the title change, a new four-member idol group called MacGuffin was unveiled. The members are Tay, Yoora, Lim, and Noki, all over 180 cm tall, and the group focuses on hip-hop with a concept of rebellion against rules and pursuit of playfulness. They belong to the Rhythm Rebellion Label and operate as a self-produced group. MacGuffin contrasts with the three previously revealed trainees, LEE, Near, and OCT, who belong to the long-established agency Scoop Culture and have no group name yet. The game's systems include a rhythm game in the Music Space, where players cheer from the audience perspective, and the Star Notebook for tracking fan activities. A closed beta test is planned for some regions in the latter half of 2026, and pre-registration is open.

Aug 18

Co-op Sabotage Game Layoff Revenge! Opens Steam Page

Gamirare announced Layoff Revenge!, a cooperative action game where fired employees sabotage their former boss within a 15-minute window. Players fill a RAGE gauge through acts like making floors slippery or swapping presentation slides for memes, while avoiding suspicious colleagues. Up to four players coordinate, bribe coworkers, and rescue caught teammates. A Steam page is live; release date is undecided.

Aug 14

Ex-Ubisoft Staff Announce Co-op Survival Game Out of Office!

Developer besszong. has announced Out of Office!, a co-op game for 2 to 6 players that uses proximity voice chat. Players are employees of an outdated tech company sent on a mandatory team-building training trip in a Nova Scotia national park. Early access is planned for spring to summer 2027 on PC via Steam, with Japanese display planned.

Aug 14

Jeff the Killer Film Adaptation Moves Forward With Tongal and Savanah Moss

A feature-length film adaptation of the internet horror character Jeff the Killer is in the works, with creator-driven studio Tongal and TikTok creator Savanah Moss producing. Moss, known for her horror-comedy short videos, will produce alongside Mark Korshak and Michael McKay. No director, screenwriter, cast, or release date has been announced yet.

Aug 13

Laid-Off Cheat-Granting Mage Anime Reveals Action Trailer, More Staff

The television anime adaptation of Asa Rokushima's The Laid-Off Cheat-Granting Mage Enjoys a Second Lease on Life released an action promotional video on Wednesday, August 12, and announced additional staff members. The anime is scheduled to premiere in October on TV Tokyo and affiliated channels. Newly revealed staff include chief animation director Min Ji Yu, monster design and action animation director Noboru Sugimitsu, main animator Kayoko Nabeta, color designer Kazu Doi, art director Tamako Kamiyama, and music composer Arisa Okehazama. Shū Honma is directing the series at P.A. Works, with Yōko Yonaiyama handling series scripts. The cast includes Daiki Yamashita as Rein Garland, Lynn as Lily Flambert, Yoshino Aoyama as Margaret Ells, Miyu Tomita as Mirabelle, Megumi Han as Elsie Zra, Konomi Kohara as Nina, Nobuhiko Okamoto as Hanbun, Makoto Furukawa as Cornelius, and Rie Shibata as the Mother of Assassins. The story follows Rein, an enchanter expelled from his guild because all their equipment is already enhanced, who reclaims his mana and turns a copper sword into a cheat-level weapon.

Aug 13

One Piece Manga Tops Oricon's Monthly Comic Ranking for July 2026

Oricon Inc. released its Monthly Comic Ranking for July 2026 on August 6, tracking estimated print sales at retail outlets across Japan from June 29 to August 2. The 115th volume of Eiichiro Oda's One Piece manga ranked first with 1,020,422 copies sold. The volume shipped in Japan on July 3. The One Piece manga has surpassed 600 million copies published worldwide as of the release of the 114th volume on March 4. The One Piece anime's Elbaf arc debuted in Japan on April 5, with Crunchyroll streaming the arc and planning to stream the English dub this fall. Yoshihiro Togashi's Hunter X Hunter volume 39 ranked second with 661,825 copies, marking its first volume in 22 months. The manga resumed serialization on June 29. Nekokurage's manga adaptation of Hyuganatsu's The Apothecary Diaries light novels ranked third with 254,908 copies. The top 20 list includes other notable titles such as Hiromu Arakawa's Daemons of the Shadow Realm at fourth and ONE and Yusuke Murata's One-Punch Man at fifth. The ranking reflects strong sales for long-running series and new releases alike.

Aug 11

OffKai Expo Gen5 Draws VTuber Fans to San Jose for Three Days of Japanese Pop Culture

OffKai Expo Gen5, billed as the largest VTuber event in North America, ran July 24-26 at the McEnery Convention Center in San Jose. The convention featured corporate booths, a flea market, live music, and panel talks, with an opening ceremony that included wotagei and maid cafe performances. Attendance last year was 6,900, a 130% increase, and this year's estimate nears 9,000.