HITO is a commercial interactive AI virtual human service launched by Aww Inc. on June 9, 2026, targeting labor shortages and inbound tourism needs in Japan.
Aww Inc. began offering HITO, an interactive AI virtual human, on June 9, 2026. The service uses real-time voice AI for natural conversation and supports up to 15 languages. It is designed to handle facility guidance and customer service, targeting labor shortages and inbound tourism needs across industries including transportation, hotels, and medical institutions.
The launch addresses a predicted 6.44 million worker shortage in Japan by 2030. HITO packages virtual human technology as a labor replacement tool, aiming to fill gaps in customer-facing roles. The service is positioned as a commercial product for businesses, not a consumer entertainment app.
No further details about pricing, deployment numbers, or specific client partnerships have been disclosed. The announcement is the only story about HITO in the Yomimono archive, so its market reception and any updates remain unrecorded.
Synthesized by Yomimono from the cited Yomimono stories below, each itself sourced, then editorially reviewed. Every fact links the story it came from.
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Indie circle Yoru Roji released a new trailer for the pixel art adventure 'In a World Without People' and a major update to its Steam demo. The game follows robot Libera, who wakes up after human extinction and decides to shut itself down. The demo update improves graphics, story, sound, and overall experience. The full release is planned for 2026.
Kadokawa has announced that the second cour of the television anime adaptation of Hiromu and raemz's light novel series Chitose Is in the Ramune Bottle will debut in October 2026. The news came on July 10, alongside a new promotional video for the upcoming part. The first cour, which aired from October to March, experienced multiple production delays, including a postponed sixth episode and a split broadcast of the final three episodes in spring. The second cour continues the story of the popular high school student Saku Chitose, who is asked to help a withdrawn classmate return to school. The announcement also included a visual for a collaboration event with the real-world setting of Fukui prefecture, scheduled to run from August 21 to November 8. The series is directed by Yuji Tokuno at feel., with Naruhisa Arakawa supervising scripts alongside original author Hiromu. Sumie Kinoshita handles character design, and Yoshiaki Fujisawa composes the music. The voice cast includes Shogo Sakata as Saku Chitose, Manaka Iwami as Yuko Hiiragi, Hina Youmiya as Yua Uchida, and others. Yen Press licenses the English release of the light novel and manga. The second cour's exact premiere date within October has not yet been specified.
Axel Entermedia revealed the key visual for Touken Ranbu - ICE BLADE -, the first ice show based on the Touken Ranbu franchise. The event runs October 3-4 at Yoyogi National Gymnasium in Tokyo. Top skaters including Kaori Sakamoto, Takahito Mura, and Keiji Tanaka perform alongside voice actors. The story involves a five-headed dragon attacking a honmaru and an Ice Spirit awakening. Ticket sales begin July 3.
Furyu has opened pre-orders for a 1/7 scale figure of Hitori Goto from Bocchi the Rock! in a live-stage pose. The figure stands approximately 24cm tall on a base with amp, speakers, and truss details. Pre-orders run from July 6, 2026, with a March 2027 release date and a price of 24,970 yen.
Beneath the Tangles reviewed the first episode of The World's Strongest Rearguard, an isekai anime now streaming on Crunchyroll. The story follows Atobe Arihito, who reincarnates in a fantasy world after a bus accident and receives a unique class called Rearguard. The review calls the episode passable but unremarkable fantasy fare.
Toy Story 5 opened in Japan on July 3, 2026, following a record-breaking US debut that earned approximately $160 million in its opening weekend. The film's worldwide box office has surpassed $585 million, exceeding the final totals of Toy Story and Toy Story 2. The Japanese dub cast includes Alice Hirose as the new character Lily Pad, with comments from the actress and details on theater bonuses.
The official website for the To You in the Beyond anime film announced that Naohito Fujiki has joined the cast as Nishina, the homeroom teacher of protagonist Kazuki Tsukigase. The film, directed by Junichi Wada at TMS Entertainment, opens in Japan on October 9.
The live-action film adaptation of Mika Yamamori's manga "In the Clear Moonlit Dusk" has added two new cast members. Former Nogizaka46 member Yūki Yoda will play Yoshiko, the childhood friend of protagonist Kohaku Ichimura. Naohito Fujiki will portray Seiichi Takiguchi, the father of the other lead Yoi Takiguchi and the owner of a curry restaurant called "Nasu Oyaji." The film stars Shunsuke Michieda as Kohaku Ichimura and Seira Anzai as Yoi Takiguchi, with additional cast including Rintarō Mizusawa, Yuna Hoshino, Sayu Suzukawa, Takato Ōkura, and Tatsumi Asa. Kentarō Takemura is directing from a script by Yuichi Tokunaga, with music by Shū Kanematsu. TBS TV is overseeing production at TBS Sparkle, and TOHO is distributing. The film is scheduled to open in Japan on October 23. The manga, which began serialization in 2020 in Kodansha's Dessert magazine, has 10 compiled volumes and received an anime adaptation that premiered in January.
Capcom will stream a 30-minute Capcom Spotlight on June 26 at 6:00 a.m. on YouTube. The program will feature updates on Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twin Dragons of Destiny, Onimusha: Way of the Sword, and the large expansion Dragon's Dogma 2: Dark Arisen. Voice actor Takehito Koyasu narrates. Multiple streamers will host mirror streams.
Hiroshi Takahashi's Dustland, the official sequel to Crows and Worst, released its first volume on June 19. Eight figures including actor Shun Oguri and rapper R-Shitei contributed commemorative comments. The series runs in Young Champion and follows delinquent boy Asada Hibari in the Utsusemi district.
Kotobukiya is re-releasing its ARTFX J figure of Touko and Tepig from Pokémon Black and White. Based on a newly drawn illustration by artist Ariga Hitoshi, the 1/8 scale PVC figure features Touko in her signature hot pants and ponytail, with Tepig posed on flame-effect clear parts. It is priced at 15,400 yen and ships in November 2026.
Aww Inc. began offering HITO, an interactive AI virtual human, on June 9, 2026. The service uses real-time voice AI for natural conversation, supporting up to 15 languages and designed to handle facility guidance and customer service. It targets labor shortages and inbound tourism needs across industries like transportation, hotels, and medical institutions.
The first volume of the manga adaptation of the Gintama spin-off novel was released on June 4. The volume features an obi with a comment from original creator Hideaki Sorachi. The July issue of Jump Square includes a replaceable cover for the volume.
Yoshitoshi Shinomiya, a traditional Japanese-style painter who worked on flashback sequences for Makoto Shinkai's 'Your Name.' and contributed to 'In This Corner of the World,' has made his feature directorial debut with 'A New Dawn.' The film had its world premiere this week in the main competition of the Berlin International Film Festival. Set in a rural town, the story follows Keitaro, the son of a vanished fireworks artisan, who seeks a mythical firework called 'Shuhari' as a typhoon approaches and redevelopment threatens his home. Shinomiya said the project was triggered around 2016 when a field in front of his atelier was suddenly covered with solar panels, and his daughter asked if it was the sea. The film explores themes of inheritance, environmental change, and the erosion of traditional Japanese communal life. Shinomiya described the concept of 'Shuhari' as a three-stage process of mastery: follow the rules, break them, then transcend them. He said the ending is intentionally open, inspired by American New Cinema, and meant to leave audiences wondering about the characters after the film ends.
Yoshitoshi Shinomiya's feature debut "A New Dawn" premiered in competition at the Berlin International Film Festival, where it received a mixed review from The Hollywood Reporter. The film follows three childhood friends-Sentaro Obinata (voiced by Miyu Irino), his brother Keitaro (Riku Hagiwara), and their friend Kaoru Shikimori (Kotone Furukawa)-who band together to save a family fireworks factory from being seized by the municipality over unpaid debts. Shinomiya, a visual artist who worked on the watery flashback sequence in "Your Name," directed, wrote, and animated the film. The review describes the visuals as admirably original, with painterly backgrounds, traditional character animation, and claymation, but notes that the script lacks emotional heft. The climax features a massive firework device called the shuhari, executed with a mix of traditional and CGI animation. The film runs 75 minutes and was produced by Asmik Ace, Studio Outrigger, and Miyu Productions.
The first ice show for Touken Ranbu, titled Touken Ranbu - ICE BLADE -, has announced its full cast and schedule. Olympic silver medalist Kaori Sakamoto will appear as the original character Ice Spirit. Top skaters including Takahito Mura and Keiji Tanaka will perform as Touken Danshi alongside voice actors from the game. The show runs October 3-4 at National Yoyogi Stadium First Gymnasium.
The official website for the Magilumiere Magical Girls Inc. anime released the first promotional video for its second season on May 26, 2026, announcing a July 4 premiere on NTV in Japan. The video previews the ending theme song "BooooM!!!" performed by VTuber Marine Houshou. Two new cast members were revealed: Sayumi Watanabe joins as Iroha Akasaka, and Mariko Higashiuchi takes over the role of Hitomi Koshigaya, replacing Yumiri Hanamori, who stepped down. The season introduces several new staff members, including assistant director Hiroyasu Oda, sound director Yoshikazu Iwanami, and art director Shun Yoshii. Toshinori Fukushima directs the season at J.C.Staff, replacing first-season director Masahiro Hiraoka. Michiko Yokote handles series composition and scripts, while Masahiro Fujii returns as character designer and Makoto Miyazaki returns as composer. The first season aired from October to December 2024, and the manga by Sekka Iwata and Yu Aoki concluded in July 2025 with 160 chapters.
The television anime adaptation of Hitoshi Iwaaki's historical manga Historie will premiere in January 2027, with Nobunaga Shimazaki voicing the lead role of Eumenes. The announcement came via the July issue of Kodansha's Afternoon magazine on Monday, alongside a second teaser visual and the first promotional video. LIDEN FILMS is handling animation production. The cast also includes Ryota Suzuki as Eumenes' brother Hieronymus, Kazuya Ichijo as his father Hieronymus, Yuko Kaida as Teresila, Wataru Takagi as Charon, Satoshi Tsuruoka as Hecataeus, Anri Katsura as Trax, Tsuguo Mogami as Aristotle, Miki Kariya as Periala, Seiyu Fujiwara as Nicogenes, and Junya Enoki as Tormides. Iwaaki began serializing Historie in Afternoon in 2003 (some sources say 2004), and the manga has 12 compiled volumes as of June 2024, with over 4.7 million copies in circulation. The series previously won the 2010 Ministry of Cultural Affairs Media Arts Festival Award for manga, the 2012 Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize, and the Best General Manga category at the 49th Kodansha Manga Awards in 2025. Iwaaki noted he first conceived the story over four decades ago.
VAP will release a Blu-ray box set of the Eren the Southpaw television anime in Japan on September 16, 2026. The three-disc set is priced at 36,000 yen and contains the full series with Japanese audio and no subtitles. On-disc extras include promotional videos and clean versions of the opening and ending theme songs. The physical package adds a special booklet and an original story and manga. The anime, which adapts the manga by writer Kappy and artist nifuni, began its broadcast on April 7, 2026. Toshimasa Suzuki directed the series, with scripts overseen by Taku Kishimoto and character designs by Takayuki Goto. Production was handled jointly by Signal.MD and Production I.G. The cast is led by Shoya Chiba as Koichi Asakura and Yumi Uchiyama as Eren Yamagishi. The opening theme is "Funkin' Beautiful feat. ZORN" by ALI, and the ending theme is "New Walk" by Ima Murasaki. The original manga ran in Shonen Jump Plus starting in 2017 and is complete in 24 volumes, though it has not been licensed in English.