SNK released an animated trailer for Fatal Fury City of the Wolves teasing Rick Strowd, Duck King, Kim Kaphwan, and Laocorn Gaudeamus. The company previously announced season 3 will launch in July. The game debuted in April 2025 and has received multiple DLC characters since launch.
HoYoverse's closed beta test for Honkai: Nexus Anima, a new Honkai series game, features creature collection, exploration in Iatown, and auto-chess style battles. Players bond with Nexus Anima creatures, use their skills for traversal, and deploy them in strategic auto-battles. The branching main quest changes based on choices. Honkai series characters appear as Mirror Heart supports. The Evolution Test runs July 9-27.
Nintendo announced on July 14 that the Nintendo Museum in Uji City, Kyoto, will begin selling Nintendo Switch 2 merchandise at its Bonus Stage shop from July 15. Items include T-shirts, mugs, a ballpoint pen, a ring notebook, a pin set, and game software package stickers for Mario Kart World and Donkey Kong Bananza. The museum, which focuses on Nintendo's history, will now carry current-generation console merchandise.
Crunchyroll announced that its online store will become exclusive to Mega and Ultimate Fan subscription tiers starting in August. The company will announce a cutoff date for the current store version. Select items are now designated final sale, and returns will only be accepted for damaged or defective products. The updated store will feature curated drops and exclusive merchandise.
SD Gundam G Generation Eternal will add two new UR units from Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury on July 16. The units are Darilbalde (Season 2 spec) (EX) paired with Guel Jeturk, and Michaelis (Season 2 spec) (EX) paired with Shaddiq Zenelli. The game is available on iOS and Android.
Anime Feminist's review of Mebius Dust's first episode finds the original anime cluttered with forgettable characters, rushed pacing, and unclear worldbuilding. The show, a 2019 contest winner produced by Doga Kobo, fails to distinguish its superpowered capture-the-flag premise from other action anime, leaving the reviewer underwhelmed.
LINE stamps and a phone theme for the TV anime Kōri no Jōheki are now available. The stamps feature characters Koyuki, Miki, Minato, and Yota in key scenes, while the theme uses a fresh design. The first season aired from April to July 2026, and the second season is set for October. The merchandise is produced by Creative Plus and costs 250 yen for stamps and 370 yen for the theme.
Otakon announced it will host background art director Kazuki Higashiji at its 2026 event. Higashiji has worked on Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, Maquia, Angel Beats!, Hanasaku Iroha, and Charlotte. The convention also announced a policy change banning fan art sales in the dealers room, directing dealers to the artist alley instead.
NEXON Games' IO Division, the team behind Blue Archive, showed its new game Project RX to the public for the first time at Anime Expo 2026 in Los Angeles. A booth featured voice-recognition rock-paper-scissors interactions with characters. A vlog captured producer interviews where they said the team aims to avoid competing with Blue Archive and is not leading with combat content. Project RX is also scheduled for Tokyo Game Show 2026 in September.
The first episode of My Stepmother and Stepsisters Aren't Wicked aired, introducing Miya Nakamura who, after her mother's death, moves in with her stepmother and stepsisters. Contrary to fairy tale expectations, they are warm and welcoming, though Miya remains suspicious. The episode is praised for its heartwarming tone and Kujira's voice performance as the stepmother.
Anime Feminist reviews the first episode of Hanaori-san Still Wants to Fight in the Next Life, where former Demon King Ryusei and Hero Meteor are reincarnated as a teacher and high school student. The review praises the show for handling the age-gap romance with self-awareness, avoiding ickiness by having the characters view each other as former enemies rather than teacher-student. The reviewer found it charming and hilarious, already preordering the manga.
THQ Nordic and Campfire Cabal announced that Expeditions: Samurai will enter early access on August 7, 2026, for PC via Steam. A new trailer introduces eight companions. The game uses early access to incorporate stealth, environmental interaction, dynamic portraits, controller support, and co-op. Developer Campfire Cabal was formed by series creative director Jonas Wæver after leaving Logic Artists, which had shifted focus to NFTs. Full release is planned for Q1 2027.
SpaceCan has announced Concrete Carnage, a post-apocalyptic truck racing game heavily influenced by the original 1997 Carmageddon. Set in the toxic wasteland of Hexagon, players take on the role of 'gleaners' who run over pedestrians, crush rivals, and transport cargo. The game features six modes, eight trucks, real-time deformation, and a repair system. It is scheduled for release on PC via Steam.
DÉ DÉ MOUSE released the VOCALOID song "Beelzebub no Gretel" on July 15, 2026. The track is a dark fairy tale adaptation of Hansel and Gretel, serving as a sequel to his earlier song "Yugami Odoru" based on Andersen's The Red Shoes. The music video was created by the artist using collaged images and his own illustrations. DÉ DÉ MOUSE is known for his "melody cut-up" technique and has been active in VOCALOID production since 2025.
Game Spark's daily roundup of notable Steam games highlights three titles that have been in Early Access or officially released within the last three days and have over 100 review ratings. The list includes Stackflow, a Tetris-roguelike puzzle game that graduated from Early Access; Electoral Carnage, a free 2D fighting game featuring political satire; and Little Incrementisle. The editorial team curates the list regardless of genre.
Shaun Hammond Business Solutions released a new demo update for the PC survivor-like shooter Antivirus Survivors 2003 Professional, adding UI improvements, new weapons and enemies, and volunteer language support. The update is expected to be the last before the full game launches in the third quarter of 2026.
Riot Games announced League of Legends Classic, a new mode recreating the early LoL experience based on Season 3, launching July 30. It features 60 champions, slower combat, the classic Summoner's Rift map, returning items and runes, and a community voting system called Council. Yasuo is banned from the mode.
Fuji Television released the Blu-ray and DVD of the short puppet series "Puppet Sunsun" on July 15. The show, which airs weekly on the morning program "Mezamashi TV," is now available in deluxe and regular editions. The deluxe set includes an NFC keyholder, a diorama acrylic stand, and a postcard set. Bonus footage includes the show's TV commercials and a performance from the 2025 FNS Kayousai.
A documentary titled "Critical Path," released on YouTube, follows SpaceX engineers during the final week before the Starship V3 launch in May 2026. It captures a one-day delay caused by a quick disconnect failure, the team's round-the-clock repairs, and the eventual successful launch, dummy satellite deployment, and controlled splashdown. The film emphasizes the pressure and iterative problem-solving behind the mission.
Bilibili showcased a simulation RPG based on the long-running Hong Kong manhua The Ravages of Time at Bilibili World 2026. The game, titled Three Kingdoms: The Ravages of Time, focuses on Sima Yi and Liao Yuan Huo (later Zhao Yun) and features a strategist card system. A closed beta for PC and Android begins July 23 in mainland China.
Techland has cancelled the PS4 and Xbox One versions of Dying Light: The Beast, citing that the game cannot deliver the best experience on last-generation hardware. The open-world zombie survival horror title was released in September 2025 for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S. The developer said the game relies on current-gen processing power and memory, and that porting it would require too much compromise. Refunds are available for those who planned to play on the affected platforms.
TV Asahi producer Kazuki Endo presented a special screening of the anime Tenmaku no Jadougal at Japan Expo 2026 in Paris on July 10, 2026. The event screened Acts 1 through 4, including Acts 3 and 4, which had not yet aired in Japan. Before the screening, Endo discussed the adaptation process, the decision to commission Studio Science SARU, and the production team's location hunting in Mongolia. The team, including chief director Naoko Yamada and director Abel Gongora, stayed with nomadic families in gers to research 13th-century Mongol culture. Endo also described close collaboration with original author Tomato Soup, who provided reference materials and historical verification with multiple experts. The anime airs Saturdays at 11:30 p.m. on TV Asahi's IMAnimation slot across 24 stations and streams on Crunchyroll in over 200 countries. The original manga won first place in the women's category of Kono Manga ga Sugoi! 2023 and the Comic Division Grand Prize at the 55th Japan Cartoonists Association Awards. The venue was packed with fans, and applause followed the screening.
Over the past four months, 48 people have been arrested for trespassing at a former IBM office complex in Somers, New York. Thirty of those arrested were teenagers. A fire was started by trespassers in March, and one man was charged with felony possession of a loaded gun and theft. The complex, designed by I.M. Pei, has been abandoned since 2016. Local police attribute the surge to a viral TikTok video from winter 2025.
The weekly Readers Corner column from Beneath the Tangles highlights six manga volumes, including full reviews of Gals Can't Be Kind to Otaku! Vol. 2 and Reincarnated in a Mafia Dating Sim Vol. 4.
Bandai Spirits is offering the HG 1/144 Gouf Ignited (Heine Westenfluss Custom) from Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Destiny via a Premium Bandai lottery. The kit uses the SEED Action System for articulation, includes the Slayer Whip in two states, and recreates the red-hot blade with molded colors. The lottery runs until July 21, with winners announced July 23. The kit is not a Premium Bandai exclusive.
Annapurna Interactive and developer Marumittu Games released the puzzle adventure game 'D-topia' on July 14, 2026, for PC via Steam, Epic Games Store, and Microsoft Store, as well as Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S. The game is set in the residential facility D-topia, an AI-managed utopia designed to maximize human happiness. The player takes on the role of a facility maintenance worker, solving puzzles to fix glitches and resolve residents' problems. Players can switch between the visually optimized paradise and the real world 'Blockside' to uncover the truth behind the facility. The player's choices determine the happiness of residents and the future of humanity. The price is 2,300 to 2,350 yen (tax included), with a 10% launch discount available on digital storefronts. The game features a branching story with multiple endings based on player decisions. Marumittu Games is a Kyoto-based indie studio founded by former Q-Games and Level-5 developers.
In a new This Week in Anime column, ANN's Coop and Lucas examine the summer 2026 season's least interesting debuts, focusing on two isekai titles: The World's Strongest Rearguard and The Insipid Prince's Furtive Grab for The Throne. Both are criticized for being boring, derivative, and cynically produced, with Rearguard earning a half-star rating in ANN's preview guide.
Arcade Oven is developing Littlehaven, a healing simulation game that combines interior design and village building. Players can freely customize furniture without grid restrictions, adjusting rotation, size, and color. The game also features narrative discovery: residents' pasts are revealed through personal items like diaries and photos. Wishlist registration is available on Steam; release date is to be announced.
KADOKAWA's online lottery service Kujibikido will offer a Kakuriyo no Yadomeshi lottery from July 21 to August 18, 2026. Prizes include A5 character fine graphs, mugs, clear posters, mini shikishi, and can badges, all using illustrations by series artist Laruha. A repost campaign on X gives three winners a set of BIG can badges.
Refractive Entertainment's action RPG 'Luminary' has surpassed 50,000 wishlist registrations on Steam ahead of its Early Access release on August 11. The game, developed by two people, features open-zone exploration, combat, mining, fishing, animal capture, and town restoration with drop-in/drop-out multiplayer. Originally scheduled for late July, the launch was delayed to avoid a crowded release window. A launch week discount is planned following a 'very positive' demo reception.
NPO OcuFes and PanoraPro announced OcuFes Reboot, a free hands-on XR event on November 3, 2026, at Akihabara UDX. The event marks 10 years since 2016's VR元年, when three major VR headsets launched. Applications for exhibitors and sponsors are open until July 6. An evening networking event, Revival! VR Festival, is also planned.
Pre-orders for the renewal package of the 1/7 scale Yatogami Tohka figure in her full spirit outfit, based on an illustration by Tsunako, are now open at Rakuten Books. The figure is part of the Fantasia 30th Anniversary Project and features Tohka wielding the great sword Sandalphon. The renewal package is priced at 24,200 yen, with a selling price of 21,527 yen at Rakuten Books. Distributor is KADOKAWA.
Japanese indie team Kizami Lemon Toast opened the Steam store page for their gambling roguelike "Trinity! Super Abnormal Chaos Gambling Game ~Ultimate Chaos Gambling Battle~" on July 14, 2026. The game, scheduled for release on PC (Steam) within 2026, mixes playing cards, mahjong tiles, and hanafuda cards into a single hand. Players bet money and aim to form hands across these three games, with original combinations like "Weak Blackjack" (total 20) and "Fake Royal Straight Flush." A wallet system limits how much money can be held; exceeding the capacity risks an explosion that ends the round. Players can spend bet money to exchange cards, improving their hand but reducing their stake. The game will be exhibited at Tokyo Game Dungeon 13 on August 8, 2026. A free browser version is already available on unityroom. The team consists of Toast (programming), Amabe Reikizami (sound), and Gyakufunsha Remontaro (art). Toast previously made the horror adventure "Shokuzai o Sai no Kawara de Ko Usagi to," which logged 40,000 page views.
Ueni Trading, through its character collaboration brand GARRACK, announced a Japanese-made mechanical watch inspired by the Fuchikoma from Ghost in the Shell. The watch uses raden (mother-of-pearl inlay), a traditional lacquerware technique, to depict the AI-equipped thinking tank on the dial. The design incorporates Fuchikoma details into each component: indices resemble its wheels, hands represent its arm parts, and a see-through back case bears the Ghost in the Shell logo. The dial is hand-finished by craftsmen, with no two pieces identical due to the natural shell material. The watch features an automatic winding MIYOTA movement, a leather strap, and 5 ATM water resistance in a 42 mm case. Pre-orders open July 17, 2026, and the watch releases July 31, 2026, priced at 79,200 yen (tax included). The raden work was handled by Takeyuki Musashikawa, fourth-generation head of the Musashikawa Workshop in Takaoka, Toyama Prefecture, a bearer of Takaoka lacquerware tradition. The project required high-level techniques due to the many small shell parts needed to reproduce the character's details.
Princeton professor Arvind Narayanan, in a keynote at ICML 2026, argued that AI should be viewed as 'normal technology' like electricity, which takes decades to diffuse. He warned that the idea that productivity gains from AI will lead to mass unemployment contradicts economic data, citing the Jevons paradox. Instead, job roles will slowly transform, requiring organizational adaptation over many years.
The Russo brothers (Anthony and Joe Russo) are producers on the Netflix psycho-thriller The Whisper Man, starring Robert De Niro and Adam Scott. The trailer and US key visual were released. The film is based on Alex North's best-selling novel about a crime novelist whose son is kidnapped, linked to a serial killer called The Whisper Man. It also stars Michelle Monaghan and Owen Teague. Directed by James Ashcroft from a screenplay by Ben Jacoby and Chase Palmer, The Whisper Man streams exclusively on Netflix from August 28.
The HG 1/144 Geara Doga (Heavy Armed Type), previously sold only at Gundam Side-F in Fukuoka, will be available on Premium Bandai. Orders open July 14, 2026, for December 2026 shipment. The kit features a newly sculpted backpack for the heavy armed specification and a special finish on the Lange Bruno gun barrel. Price is 3,850 yen. Quantities are limited.
The review of episodes 14-15 of Welcome to Demon School, Iruma-kun Season 4 highlights themes of acceptance as characters like Ameri and Lead help others feel included. Naphula's social anxiety is addressed by the girls' group, while Lead helps Asmodeus realize he is not an outsider. Iruma's influence spreads through his friends.
Fashion brand SuperGroupies is collaborating with Nintama Rantarou on two Otomo Petit Bag models inspired by the Ninjutsu Academy teachers and the Tasogaredoki Ninja Army. Reservations open July 14, 2026, at 4:00 PM JST. Each bag costs 17,600 yen and includes a matching photo holder. The interior features hidden motifs and customizable space for fan items. Delivery is estimated for mid-November 2026.
Solafune CEO Ren Uechi participated in a roundtable with Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi and other officials at the IVS2026 startup conference in Kyoto on July 1. The meeting, which Koizumi also posted about on social media, involved discussions on the company's AI-driven geospatial intelligence platform. Solafune focuses on integrating GEOINT, OSINT, and SIGINT for policy support and business development.
STORM, a gaming PC brand operated by ITC, is running a 'Big Clearance Sale 2026' with coupons up to 60,000 yen off select models. The white S2-98X3D857 features a Ryzen 7 9800X3D CPU, RTX 5070 GPU, 32GB DDR5 memory, and 1TB NVMe SSD. The coupon code '26KESSAN60000' brings the price down from 434,800 yen. The sale ends when stock runs out.
JIVX has released densha, a free web app that lets users learn Japanese while watching a voxel-style Yamanote Line train run through Tokyo. The scenery changes with real time, weather, and season. JLPT N5-level sentences play with audio and subtitles over lo-fi music. Users can control pace, voice gender, and camera angle.
The Aretha Reunion Project crowdfunding campaign begins July 15 on CAMPFIRE, aiming to revive the 1990s RPG series. Tiers range from 10,000 yen to 100 million yen, funding jigsaw puzzles, a Game Boy collection, a drama CD, a YouTube anime, and a completely new game. The campaign runs through August 31 and uses an all-in method where rewards are delivered even if the goal is not met.
The second season of the anime adaptation of Shigeru Sagasaki's light novel is streaming exclusively on Amazon Prime Video worldwide. No other major service carries it, while the first season remains available on multiple platforms. TV broadcast began July 8, with streaming following July 9 and weekly updates every Thursday.
The California State Assembly is deliberating Assembly Bill 1709 (AB 1709), which would require social media platforms to restrict addictive features for users under 16. The bill targets design mechanisms such as infinite scroll, autoplay, algorithmic content recommendations, and notifications that extend usage time. Introduced in February 2026 by Assemblymember Josh Lowenthal, the initial version prohibited under-16s from creating or maintaining accounts on platforms with addictive feeds. After privacy concerns and the risk of isolating young users, a revised version allows operators to offer accounts without addictive features to under-16s, enabling continued communication with friends and communities. Services that cannot comply must delete those accounts. The bill explicitly lists addictive feeds based on usage history, automatic video playback, and any features designated by the California Attorney General. Operators must use age verification systems to determine user age and take reasonable measures to prevent displaying addictive features to under-16s. Willful violations carry civil penalties up to $50,000 per affected minor, negligent violations up to $25,000. An e-Safety Advisory Commission would be established to investigate age verification technology and privacy. The bill is scheduled for review by the Senate Appropriations Committee. Separately, the European Commission is considering similar restrictions for users under 13, with a bill expected after summer 2026.
The official website for the television anime of Kyouko Hikawa's From Far Away shōjo manga revealed the teaser video, visual, main cast and staff, and an October 4 premiere date. Tomoyo Kurosawa leads the cast as Noriko Tachiki, with Kentarō Kumagai, Yūichirō Umehara, and Eiji Takeuchi. Noriyuki Abe directs at Studio DEEN, with Rika Takasugi on series scripts, Eiji Abiko on character design, and Takeshi Hama on music. The anime debuts on Tokyo MX on October 4 at 24:00 JST.
Rapper Sonsi has released the music video for 'Omoidoori', a track from his debut album 'Nisemono'. The video was directed by Kazuki Ito, known for work with Yuki Chiba. The song is produced by Koshy and STUTS, the latter having provided the beat for Sonsi's breakthrough challenge on the audition program 'RAPSTAR 2025'.
M!LK member Yuto Sano appeared at a stage greeting for Toy Story 5 and smiled at the 'mellow' reaction to his character Smartie Pants, a high-tech toilet training toy. Sano performed a line from the film and recalled friends asking how to play with the unfamiliar toy. Social media users described the character as charming, and Sano expressed surprise at the positive response.
Several Final Fantasy games are at their lowest prices ever on Nintendo eShop and PlayStation Store. The Final Fantasy VII Rebirth Digital Deluxe Edition is 60% off at 3,256 yen, Final Fantasy XII The Zodiac Age is 1,914 yen on Switch, and the Final Fantasy I-VI Bundle is 5,503 yen. Most deals end July 15.
Kit9 Studio has temporarily suspended development of the psycho-horror adventure "The Coffin of Andy and Leyley" to address legal issues and malicious actors within the fandom. The studio is creating guidelines for use of its intellectual property that will encourage fan content while allowing stricter enforcement. The next update "Burial" is progressing smoothly and unaffected. The game is in early access on Steam.