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KAZ
KAZ is a roguelike action game released on July 14, 2026 for PC via Steam, with very positive reviews and widespread player reports of hand pain and keyboard breakage.
Synthesized from 30
Yomimono stories · updated
Jul 15
Independent developer HAKURO released the roguelike action game KAZ on July 14, 2026, for PC via Steam. Priced at 905 yen with Japanese text support, the game is controlled entirely with movement keys on a tile-based field. Players must eliminate all enemies within tens of seconds per round, then proceed to the next. The structure includes 25 themes with unique power-ups, six starting weapons, over 110 obtainable items, and five reflex-testing modes plus weekly and monthly challenges and an endless mode with online leaderboards.
As of July 15, 59 user reviews on Steam were 96% positive, earning a Very Positive rating. A Metacritic aggregate of seven reviews gives a score of 81. Reviewers praise the simple controls, high tempo, and dopamine-inducing exhilaration. However, user reviews are also filled with complaints of hand cramps, keyboard breakage, and warnings that people with tendonitis should not play. Some players reported breaking two keyboards while playing. The developer's store page describes the game as 'the ultimate psychedelic dopamine rush.' A release sale offers 15% off until July 28, bringing the price to 769 yen.
Key facts
- Release date
- July 14, 2026 ↗
- Steam user rating
- 96% positive (Very Positive) from 59 reviews ↗
- Metacritic score
- 81 from 7 reviews ↗
- Sale price
- 769 yen (15% off) until July 28 ↗
- Player health warnings
- Reports of hand cramps, keyboard breakage, and warnings against play for people with tendonitis ↗
Timeline
- Jul 15, 2026 Roguelike Action Game 'KAZ' Launches to Very Positive Reviews, Hand Pain Complaints
- Jul 14, 2026 Otakon to Host Background Art Director Kazuki Higashiji
- Jul 13, 2026 World Is Dancing Casts Yuusuke Kobayashi
- Jul 10, 2026 Kamen Rider Kabuto 20th Film Theme Song Performed by Original Cast Trio
- Jul 10, 2026 Kazuya Kamenashi's 'Zenigata Heiji' Gets NHK Terrestrial Broadcast in August
- Jul 9, 2026 Maaya Sakamoto Takes Over Motoko Kusanagi Role in New Ghost in the Shell TV Anime
- Jul 8, 2026 All 16 Volumes of Ultraman STORY 0 Manga Go Digital on July 9
- Jul 8, 2026 Red River Anime Casts Minami Takayama, Kazuhiko Inoue as Yuri's Parents
- Jul 6, 2026 Hetalia 20th Anniversary Exhibition WorldFesta Set for Tokyo and Osaka in Autumn 2026
- Jul 6, 2026 JoJo's Steel Ball Run Casts Tomokazu Sugita, Yoko Hikasa, Tomoaki Maeno
- Jul 5, 2026 Mika Pikazo Doujinshi 'Level Robochika' Gets TV Anime in 2027
- Jul 4, 2026 Studio Trigger Reveals 4th Imaishi-Nakashima Project at Anime Expo
- Jul 4, 2026 The Vermilion Mask Anime Reveals First Main Trailer and Cast
- Jul 3, 2026 Digital Version of Final Fantasy X-2.5 Novel Released
- Jul 3, 2026 All Former Arashi Members Now Have Individual Fan Clubs
- Jul 2, 2026 Puri Prince Announces Dennō Isu Tantei Charlotte ~Dead Man's Hand~ Short Anime
- Jul 2, 2026 Takehiko Inoue Draws Congratulatory Illustration for World Is Dancing Anime
- Jul 1, 2026 Tezuka Osamu No Sensō Live-Action Special Adds Cast, Sets August 12 Debut
- Jul 1, 2026 Honoka Murakami Posts Close-Up Photo, Fueling Speculation on New Work
- Jun 30, 2026 X VORDER RUNWAY Brings VTubers, Game Characters, and Real Artists Together in September
- Jun 30, 2026 Ace Combat Zero Port Included as Preorder Bonus for Ace Combat 8
- Jun 29, 2026 Junket Bank and Liar Game Unite in Collaborative Visual
- Jun 28, 2026 Gaudi: The Wind of Barcelona Revisited as Sagrada Familia Nears Completion
- Jun 28, 2026 Drifting Classroom Immersive Horror Event Set for Kazuo Umezu's 90th Birthday
- Jun 27, 2026 Patlabor EZY File 1 Retrospective Screening Set for July 26
- Jun 27, 2026 Pokémon Horizons Anime Adds Yū Serizawa and Kazuki Ura to Cast
- Jun 27, 2026 Live-Action High School Family Film Delayed to January 2027
- Jun 26, 2026 Mobile Police Patlabor Novel 'Sushi-ya no Goto' Pop-Up Shop Opens in Shinjuku
- Jun 25, 2026 Amazon Kindle Sale Offers Champion Series Manga at 99 Yen Each
- Jun 25, 2026 Are You a Landmine Chihara-san Anime Adds Cast, Delays to January 2027
Synthesized by Yomimono from the cited Yomimono stories below, each itself
sourced, then editorially reviewed. Every
fact links the story it came from.
Facts
- Release
- game · 2026-07-14 · 2026-07-15
- Noted
- Priced at 905 yen · 2026-07-15
- Noted
- supporting Japanese text · 2026-07-15
- Noted
- 59 user reviews on Steam were 96% positive · 2026-07-15
- Noted
- A Metacritic aggregate of seven reviews gives a score of 81 · 2026-07-15
- Noted
- user reviews are also filled with complaints of hand cramps, keyboard breakage · 2026-07-15
- Noted
- A release sale offers 15% off until July 28 · 2026-07-15
Structured graph also available as JSON at /public/entities/kaz.
CC BY 4.0.
All coverage
2h ago
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1d ago
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1d ago
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1d ago
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2d ago
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3d ago
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3d ago
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3d ago
The Yu-Gi-Oh! franchise's official YouTube channel began streaming a special animated video on Monday promoting "KAZUKI TAKAHASHI: YU-GI-OH! ART WORKS," an exhibition devoted to the late manga creator. The event runs from December 12, 2026 to February 21, 2027 at Creative Museum Tokyo. The short brings Yugi and other familiar characters together in Domino City, with Blue-Eyes White Dragon appearing alongside Seto Kaiba. Eri Osada directed, Hiroko Utsumi handled the storyboard, Takahiro Kagami was character designer and 2D drawing director, and Haruka Taira was art director. Konami animation handled production. The project was made by the Yu-Gi-Oh! anime series production committee for the 30th anniversary of the original manga's serialization. Takahashi launched Yu-Gi-Oh! in Shueisha's Weekly Shonen Jump in 1996; the manga ran until 2004 and was collected in 38 volumes. He died in 2022 at 60.
5d ago
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5d ago
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5d ago
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5d ago
Aniplex released the second cast-reveal PV for the original TV anime Kaze wo Tsugu Mono on September 12. The video carries the first character voices for Ryohei Kimura as Shinpachi Nagakura, Ayumu Murase as Heisuke Todo, Shinba Tsuchiya as Sanosuke Harada, Takeo Otsuka as Keisuke Yamanami, and Yasuyuki Kase as Kamo Serizawa. Comments from the five actors were also released.
5d ago
Producer Kazutaka Iida discussed the use of AI in the second season of "VIVANT," the TBS Sunday Theater drama, in remarks tied to Episode 17, which aired on September 6. Iida said the show's AI element, including the AI Hayato operated by the Self-Defense Forces unit Bekihan, has what he called a bigger aim than the era's inevitability or its function as an information organizer. That aim, he said, is making characters' emotions stand out more: the combination of the group's mechanical quality with AI heightens the inhuman atmosphere so that scenes of people feeling for others read as more human. In Episode 17, protagonist Nogi Yusuke, played by Masato Sakai, made a move applying AI technology. Iida also said Episode 17 drew more emotional comments on social media than the episodes up through Episode 16, and that he considers the episode the essence of the series.
Sep 10
The live-action film account for Mari Okazaki's Will I Be Single Forever? manga announced a second film titled Tenten Zutto Dokushin de Iru Tsumori?, set to debut on Amazon Prime Video on October 23. The film has an original story and centers on three single women: 30-year-old Yamada, 38-year-old Shiba, and 46-year-old Shimizu. Sumi Morika, Ryuya Wakaba, and Yu Kashii lead the cast, with Yuko Hakota directing.
Sep 8
The staff for the television anime of Umikaze Minamino's Nia Liston: The Merciless Maiden light novel series revealed the second promotional video on Tuesday, along with four new cast members and confirmation that the series will run for two consecutive cours. The new video previews the opening theme song "Respawn!!" by VTuber Tsunomaki Watame. The four new cast members are Kōichi Sakaguchi as Bendelio, Junichi Suwabe as Hyurence Altoire, Maaya Uchida as Sharro White, and Kazuyuki Okitsu as Asuma. The anime premieres October 6 on Tokyo MX at 9:25 p.m. JST, followed by BS NTV and MBS, and will stream on ABEMA, d Anime Store, and U-NEXT after broadcast. HIDIVE will stream the series as it airs. An advance screening of the first three episodes is set for September 22 at the esports TOKYO BAY studio. Motoki Nakanishi directs at KONAMI animation, with Haruta Segi as assistant director, Gigaemon Ichikawa on series scripts, and Naoki Endō composing the music. The cast includes Honoka Inoue as Nia Liston, Fūka Izumi as Rinokis Funk, Rina Honnizumi as Hildetora Altoir, Rina Hidaka as Reliared Silver, Taku Yashiro as Anzel, Yōko Hikasa as Fressa, and Satoshi Hino as Gandolf Rogen.
Sep 7
NYLON JAPAN unveiled on September 7 the cover visual for the special edition of its November issue, featuring Madoka Kaname and Homura Akemi in newly drawn illustrations tied to the film 'Puella Magi Madoka Magica the Movie: Walpurgis no Kaiten,' which has been in theaters since August 28. The special edition is scheduled for release on September 28 and is available for pre-order on Amazon and other retailers. The cover art, created under the fashion theme 'fairytale x street,' depicts the two characters leaning together like models, described as an edgy and cute world view with a sentimental yet dark atmosphere. The issue includes a long interview with Kazuki Kawada, who handles visual concept design, where he answers exclusive fashion-related questions. It also features a fashion shoot with Eiko Kano, known from the series' audio commentary projects, presenting a visual themed around 'God and demon Kano' in a dark and aesthetic style. Kano discusses his love for the Madoka Magica series and his 'aesthetics of love.' The special edition includes a two-page spread on thick paper, and merchandise using the new illustration is planned, with details to be announced later.
Sep 6
Square Enix announced Fullmetal Alchemist merchandise featuring dot art by Kazuko Shibuya, creator of dot characters for games including the Final Fantasy series. Items go on sale October 1 at TSUTAYA IP bookstores and October 14 at the Fullmetal Alchemist x Yomi no Tsugai Exhibition Hokkaido venue, with early release at Tokyo Game Show 2026.
Sep 5
The new anime adaptation of Osamu Akimoto's long-running comedy manga Kochikame, titled New Kochikame: Katsushika-ku Kameari Kouenmae Hashutsujo, will air on Fuji TV and stream across multiple platforms in 2027. The project marks the 50th anniversary of the original manga's serialization. The main cast was announced during a live-streamed event on September 5 on the Jump Channel, with Fukushi Ochiai voicing protagonist Ryotsu Kankichi, Shouta Aoi as Keiichi Nakagawa, M·A·O as Reiko Akimoto, and Raiko Sakamoto as Daijiro Ohara. Akitaro Daichi directs the series, with animation production by Gallop, the studio behind the earlier Kochikame TV anime. A character PV, which reveals the new cast's voices for the first time, and a key visual were released alongside the announcement. Original creator Osamu Akimoto expressed delight at hearing the characters again, noting the art has evolved to a modern style while remaining impactful and funny. The cast announcement event, titled "Start! Reiwa Kochikame Grand Strategy," remains available as an archive on YouTube.
Sep 4
The official website for Sunrise and Production I.G's Sōkō Kihei Votoms Haiiro no Hexe revealed the cast, character designs, and a 30-second trailer for the two new Armored Trooper Votoms films. Shinichirō Miki, Yūki Kaji, Yūichi Nakamura, and others join the cast. Miyuki Sawashiro plays the feared AT pilot Ash Vamps, known as the Grey Witch.
Sep 4
Colopl will end the Devil May Cry collaboration content in the Steam version of KAZUMA KANEKO'S TSUKUYOMI after finding that internal confirmation procedures were deficient. Steam store sales paused on September 4, 2026. Players who already bought the game can keep playing during the pause. A patch expected around late September will remove the collab content. Refund handling is still being confirmed. The Switch version is unchanged and keeps the collaboration.
Sep 4
Sunrise's 50th anniversary Armored Trooper Votoms film The Grey Witch, directed by Mamoru Oshii, revealed its full main cast. Shinichiro Miki, Yuki Kaji, Yuichi Nakamura, Tomokazu Sugita, Takahiro Sakurai, and Sumire Uesaka join previously announced Miyuki Sawashiro and Mafumi Ando. Set at the end of the Hundred Years War, the film opens nationwide November 20, 2026, and a 30-second trailer was shown.
Sep 4
Archipel will hold The Tenth Mosaic, a two-day game culture festival, on September 22-23 at Tokyo Nichi-Futsu Gakuen. The lineup includes talks with Kazutaka Kodaka and Masafumi Takada, a Rez 25th anniversary session with Tetsuya Mizuguchi and Ken Ishii, a horror panel with Keiichiro Toyama and Frederic Raynal, and a Persona 30th anniversary talk. Shuhei Yoshida curates an indie legacy showcase with 15-plus titles, and music sets include Yuzo Koshiro and Saori Kobayashi. Several talk sessions have already sold out.
Sep 3
Netflix has released 10 scene photos from its upcoming series "Downtime," which stars Mayu Matsuoka and Riisa Naka in lead roles and depicts the light and shadow of the cosmetic surgery industry. The series is set to stream worldwide on September 17. The released photos show Matsuoka as plastic surgeon Fumi Numata and Naka as charismatic cosmetic surgeon Rin Toyama performing surgery, alongside appearances by Shotaro Mamiya, Minami Tanaka, Reiji Nakagawa, Kōki, Hana Amano, Yumi Adachi, Naoko Ken, and Shunsuke Kazama. The special makeup for patients is handled by a team led by Amazing JIRO, known for work on the Netflix series "I'll Fall into Hell." Custom-made prosthetics applied to each actor reproduce the process from immediately after surgery through the recovery period to the final result. The production is supervised by Takasu Clinic, with detailed fact-checking and guidance conducted for all cosmetic surgery depictions. Director Yuki Saito, known for "Unmet: A Neurosurgeon's Diary," teams with screenwriter Junya Ikegami, who worked on "The Blood of Wolves" and "The Queen of Villains." Producers include Harue Miyake of "Tokyo Swindlers" and Katsuhito Motegi, who directed "The Queen of Villains." The series also published a keyword list explaining industry terms such as "Chokubi" and "Shadow Doctor."
Sep 3
The Kazuki Takahashi: Yu-Gi-Oh! Art Works Exhibition announced that purchases of its Ticket with Exclusive Merch bundle will include the three Egyptian God cards, Slifer the Sky Dragon, Obelisk the Tormentor, and The Winged Dragon of Ra, with a special finish based on their original manga designs. The cards cannot be used in the trading card game.
Sep 2
The live-action film of Ryō Nakama's High School Family: Kokosei Kazoku manga has revealed its theme song artist, Yuzu, in a new trailer. The film stars Yuno Nagao, Shingo Katori, Jun Saitō, and Riisa Naka. Directed by Tôichirô Rutô, it opens in Japan on January 8, delayed from fall 2026.
Sep 2
VALTRA, the VTuber agency operated by GSC, will run seven projects in September 2026 as all four of its talents reach their first anniversary. The slate includes anniversary and birthday streams, three continued collaborations with HUK, the official channel of the Hyogo Prefecture Horse Racing Association, and a commentary appearance at a Line Strike community tournament. The September 25 HUK stream is the 10th total, marked by a commemorative naming race.
Sep 2
Jujutsu Fest 2026, the finale event closing the Jujutsu Kaisen anime's fifth anniversary, ran August 29-30 at K Arena Yokohama. Day 2 brought the full cast on stage, ALI opening with 'LOST IN PARADISE,' a Takada-chan live set, the Demmy Awards, and a music relay through the Culling Game. In closing remarks, Yuji Itadori voice actor Junya Enoki said he wants to deliver the animation's continuation soon.
Sep 2
The Jujutsu Kaisen anime closed its 5th anniversary with Jujutsu Fest 2026 at K Arena Yokohama on August 29 and 30. Day 1 brought the main cast on stage, live songs from Who-ya Extended, KITANI TATSUYA and jo0ji, a fan-voted awards corner, and a new super teaser visual for TV anime Season 4, the Culling Game Part 2, centered on Ryomen Sukuna. Yuichi Nakamura told the crowd to wait for the next season to begin.
Aug 29
The BL manga Ao to Ao by Roji is being adapted into a live-action drama starring Naoya Kusakawa (ONE N' ONLY) and Hidekazu Chinen in double lead roles. It airs on BS Asahi and other channels from October 5, with early streaming on Lemino starting at 10:00 the same day. The story follows two high school friends who become adults with mutual unrequited love over eight years.
Aug 29
Regit One announced that Kazuki Kawamura, the men's 1500m Japanese record holder, has joined the marathon and track and field Q&A app Runvox as a respondent. Kawamura will answer questions from runners on training, speed, race management, conditioning, and form. He set the Japanese record in 2021 and won the 2023 Japan Championships.
Aug 28
Ninomiya Kazunari, who plays Nokoru in VIVANT Season 2, spoke at the Sunday Theater VIVANT PREMIUM SUMMER PARTY event on August 23 at the National Yoyogi Stadium First Gymnasium before 11,000 fans. Asked whether his screen time was reduced from Season 1, he asked producer Iida Kazutaka directly, who confirmed Nokoru appears more in Season 2. Iida added that based on Ninomiya's social media posts and the number of times he has eaten Midoriyama's tantanmen, there is still more to come.
Aug 28
The Last Blossom, the first original feature-length anime from Odd Taxi director Baku Kinoshita, opens in select U.S. theaters this weekend. GKIDS, the film's North American distributor, is releasing it for two nights only, August 30 and 31, in Japanese with English subtitles. The film premiered in competition at the 2025 Annecy International Animation Film Festival before opening in Japan last October under the title Housenka. The story follows Akutsu, a former yakuza serving a life sentence, who recounts his life to a sarcastic talking flower growing from a tin can. Kinoshita directed and designed the characters, reuniting with Odd Taxi writer Kazuya Konomoto, who wrote the original story and screenplay. Animation was handled by Studio CLAP, known for Pompo the Cinephile. In an interview with Anime Herald, Kinoshita discussed his interest in criminals as people who live in the moment, the Balsam flower as a wiser-than-human philosopher, and why the song Stand By Me appears in the film. He also noted that he currently leans toward television work because it offers more room to develop stories.
Aug 28
KAMITSUBAKI STUDIO and Kazuhide Oka's music x indie game project ANMC released the Nintendo Switch version of the SF adventure Platonica Space on August 27, 2026. The regular price of 1200 yen is 996 yen until September 9. A Steam demo covering Episode 1 also launched today.
Aug 28
Director Kazumi Akio spoke with Anime Expo about the second season of From Old Country Bumpkin to Master Swordsman. He said the season's theme is that people can always develop and move forward even as they age. He also discussed the relaxed recording environment, his path into anime via CG work, and his study of Western swordsmanship.
Aug 28
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
At Anime Expo 2026, illustrator Mika Pikazo discussed her creative evolution, from focusing on visual appeal to understanding characters from the inside. She also touched on her mixed media project RE:BEL ROBOTICA, which began as a doujin and now includes a serialized online story, two novels, and an upcoming TV anime from Amute Creative Studio.
Aug 28
The official account for the 'Kazuki Takahashi Original Art Exhibition YU-GI-OH! ART WORKS' announced on August 28 that the exhibition will run from December 12, 2026, to February 21, 2027, at CREATIVE MUSEUM TOKYO. The event presents more than 370 original manuscripts and color illustrations by Kazuki Takahashi, spanning his roles as manga artist, illustrator, designer, and game creator. The display is organized into five chapters: CHARACTER DESIGNER, GAME CREATOR, MONSTER DESIGNER, STORYTELLER, and Journey's End. Each chapter highlights different aspects of Takahashi's work, from iconic characters and weekly game concepts to monster designs from the Duelist Kingdom and Battle City arcs, and materials from the 2016 film 'Yu-Gi-Oh!: The Dark Side of Dimensions,' for which he served as original author, scriptwriter, character designer, and executive producer. Some works will be shown for the first time. The venue will also sell merchandise, including relief plates of Blue-Eyes White Dragon and Dark Magician, and cushions featuring the Stone Tablet of the Lost King's Memories. Admission is by reserved time slot with a cap per session, and tickets go on sale via E-Plus on September 14, 2026. General admission costs 2,200 yen, with reduced prices for students. A special ticket with the bonus item 'Proof of the Duel King' is available for 3,900 yen.
Aug 25
Arc System Works producer Takeshi Yamaguchi and director and lead battle designer Kazutoshi Sekine gave interviews about MARVEL Tokon: Fighting Souls, the Marvel fighting game published by Sony Interactive Entertainment and released in August 2026 on PS5 and PC. The game uses a 4v4 tag battle system, and Sekine said the format was chosen to express the Marvel team-up world and to deepen team tactics through many character combinations. The game supports both traditional command inputs and simple one-button controls such as Quick Skills and Link Attacks, so players can start with a single character. The team confirmed Phoenix Cyclops as the first Year 1 DLC character, currently in development. The interview also covered Deadpool's parody easter eggs, which Sekine said are not all discovered yet, and PC performance. Yamaguchi said two emergency patches were released on August 10 and August 21 to reduce CPU load and frame drops, and the team considers the CPU load now comparable to or lighter than other Arc System Works fighting games.
Aug 23
HarperCollins' KAZÉ US manga imprint announced at Anime NYC that it will launch in fall 2027 with 3-5 titles, then release 5-8 titles in 2027, 20-25 in 2028, and 25-30 in 2029. The imprint also plans to expand to Brazil and Spain in 2027, and will publish HarperCollins Japan originals, manhwa, manhua, and original English manga.
Aug 22
Snoozy Kazoo announced on August 22 that Rizz Dungeon: Skeleton Key to My Heart is delayed from September 17 to 2027. The studio said the September date was set out of necessity, to release before its funds ran out, and it had been cutting characters and features to make that deadline. Turnip Boy series sales performed better than expected, so the studio no longer needs to rush and plans to restore cut content.
Aug 21
The film 'Hibagon☆Project,' a town-promotion movie based on the UMA Hibagon, is in production with a planned spring 2027 release. Filming is underway in Saijo-cho, Shobara City, Hiroshima Prefecture, where the 1970 sightings occurred. The cast includes Chika Hiraoka, Sakurako Suei, Robert Scott, Megumi Mori, and Ryuji Harada. Takeharu Mikami, editor-in-chief of 'Mu,' will appear as himself.
Aug 20
Kazuhiko Shimamoto's Kamen Rider Black x Kamen Rider ZO was released on August 20, 2026. The 240-page volume includes the side story Kamen Rider Black PART Imitation 7 and Kamen Rider ZO, with newly drawn opening pages and illustrations, plus a 15,000-character interview with Ishimori Pro's Masato Hayase. It is priced at 2,200 yen.
Aug 14
NO MORE Inc. and Coamix Inc. will run 'UMEZZ HORROR HOUSE ~Drifting Classroom and Thought Experiment Exhibition~ Scariest ver.' from August 19 at GALLERY ZENON in Kichijoji. The limited-time version adds new cast horror performances and enhanced spatial staging to the immersive event based on Kazuo Umezz's manga. Tickets go on sale August 14 at 20:00.
Aug 14
KAMITSUBAKI STUDIO and Kazuhide Oka's ANMC project released the Steam version of Platonica Space on August 14, 2026, priced at 1,200 yen with a 17% discount until August 27. The Switch version launches August 27 at the same price, with a discount until September 9. The game follows five amnesiacs exploring an endless room-filled space, recovering fragmented memories through memory spots.
Aug 14
The live-action film adaptation of Ryo Nakama's High School Family: Kokosei Kazoku manga has added seven cast members, including Yoshihiko Inohara as Tatsuya Aoyama and Naoto Takenaka as Tomohiro Kiryu. The film is directed by Toichiro Ruto from a script by Makoto Ueda and opens in Japan on January 8, delayed from fall 2026.
Aug 14
The Television Academy announced the winners for juried categories in the 78th Annual Emmy Awards. Character designer Takashi Okazaki won for Outstanding Individual Achievement In Animation for his work on The Duel: Payback, an anime short in the Star Wars: Visions Volume 3 anthology. The award will be presented on September 6.
Aug 14
The staff for the Nia Liston: The Merciless Maiden television anime announced that VTuber Tsunomaki Watame will perform the opening theme song "Respawn!!". The anime debuts on October 6 on Tokyo MX, BS NTV, and MBS, with HIDIVE streaming as it airs. A new situation visual was also revealed.
Aug 11
A Makoto-chan pop up store will run at Hakaba no Garou in Nakano and online from August 20 to September 15, 2026. The event sells original apparel and goods, including T-shirts, a hoodie, jersey, cap, waist bag, handkerchief, pouch, tenugui, tumbler, plate, pin badge, stickers, and a poster. The store also features photo spots and a message board.
Aug 11
The Weekly Shonen Magazine 36-37 combined issue will feature the live-action Blue Lock cast on both front and back covers, timed to the film's August 7 release. The movie's official YouTube channel also posted a special talk between Fumiya Takahashi and Ura Kazuki, who play and voice Yoichi Isagi respectively.
Aug 10
The September issue of Shogakukan's Petit Comic magazine announced that Kazumi Kazui will launch the new manga Anata no Koto ga Ki ni Iranai in the next issue on September 8. The story follows a girl who wants a normal life but is chased by a suspicious journalist. The first chapter runs 54 pages with a color opening page.