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Renta!'s original BL vertical comic 'Seishun no Yarinaoshi wa Isekai de' will air on TOKYO MX from January 2027 as an Anicomi, Papyless's motion comic format that adds motion and audio to manga. Tomohito Takatsuka plays Fuwa Makoto and Ryuichi Kijima plays Thanatos. The adaptation adds generative AI to some cuts. A key visual and teaser PV were released with the announcement.
New stills from Shadow Work show Yoshitaka Hara of timelesz as Matsubara Koji, a suspect in the murder case at the center of the film. Shadow Work adapts Hiromi Sano's novel and stars Riho Yoshioka and Nao as women tied to a shelter for abuse survivors. Director Ryuhei Yoshino told Hara to blink as little as possible to make the character unsettling. The film opens September 25.
Naoki Azuma, the creator of Keishicho Zoshi and Dragon & Ape, launched GLITCH WITCH on Kodansha's YanMaga Web website this week. The manga is set in the world of Masamune Shirow's Ghost in the Shell, with Shirow credited for the original concept. New chapters update every other Wednesday. The launch follows the Science SARU television anime, which ended its 10-episode run on Tuesday.
Lighthouse Studio, the CARTA HOLDINGS group company behind the game media site Kamigame Koryaku, will bring its game-specialized VTuber agency UraLogi Game Company to Tokyo Game Show 2026 with a first-time booth at Hall 01-C12. The five talents, who stream entirely in 3D, will hold live real-time chat sessions on the public days and hand out booth-limited goods. TGS 2026 runs September 17-21 at Makuhari Messe, marking the event's 30th anniversary and first five-day run.
Naoko Yamada and director Abel Góngora traveled to Mongolia for location scouting ahead of Science SARU's Jaadugar: A Witch in Mongolia, touring museums of Mongolian history and consulting experts on Mongolian and Persian history who supervised the project. The pair also did a homestay in a traditional dwelling and tried horseback riding. Yamada said the manga's 13th-century Persia and Mongolia setting and its basis in a true story drew her to the project.
Dark Machine the Animation revealed three additional cast members and an October 13 debut on Fuji TV. Nao Tōyama, Nonoka Ōbuchi, and Rei Nakashima join as members of team Stellatus, an idol unit and rival to Kairi's Carbuncle team. The staff also showed mecha designs for three of Kairi's machines.
Naoki Hamaguchi, director of the Final Fantasy VII remake trilogy, told a PAX West 2026 panel that the project is an attempt to pass FF7 to the next generation rather than a simple remake. He said the goal is a work that keeps producing new fans 20 to 30 years from now. The panel also covered the graphics direction and new mysteries added to the story. The finale, Final Fantasy VII Revelation, launches April 8, 2027.
Frontier Works released a promotional video for the television anime based on Atamoto's Tanuki to Kitsune manga, revealing the first footage and the voice cast. Misaki Kuno plays Tanuki, Nao Tōyama plays Kitsune, Toshiyuki Morikawa plays Ōkami, Maria Naganawa plays Usagi and the narrator, and Takuma Nagatsuka plays Kuma and Usagi. The anime premieres October 4 on TV Tokyo's Animori program. The franchise has 1.35 million copies in circulation.
The October issue of Shogakukan's Ciao magazine announced that manga creator Nao Maita will launch a new manga in the magazine's February 2027 issue on December 28. The announcement did not reveal the manga's title or other details. The same issue published the final chapter of Maita's Shining! manga.
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."
The official Fukushima Prefecture YouTube channel began streaming Sunao Katabuchi's new anime short, Fukufuku no Chizu, with English subtitles on Monday. The short is the second brand movie for the prefecture's variety magazine Fukushima Map. It follows a French philosopher who gets lost in Fukushima and discovers the region's culture through detours.
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.
Science Saru released a 25-minute making-of video for Jaadugar: A Witch in Mongolia, the series based on Tomato Soup's manga A Witch's Life in Mongol. The video features director Naoko Yamada, director Abel Gongora, and character designer Kenichi Yoshida discussing how they translated the manga's artwork and pacing into animation.
Good Smile Company announced eight new cast members for its original anime Jyuо̄ Mujin Dandivine and revealed the October 7 premiere on Tokyo TV, BS11, Gunma TV, and Tochigi TV. The cast additions include Nao Tōyama, Misaki Kuno, and Katsuyuki Konishi. The story is set 20 years after the robot Dandivine defeated the Aposdoll.
NBC Universal revealed two new cast members for the television anime of Otsuji's My Stepmother and Stepsisters Aren't Wicked manga on Monday. Hiroki Nanami plays student council president Sadame Mikuriya, and Nao Toyama plays vice-president Hachi Ura. The characters appear in the anime's eighth episode on August 26.
The dragon girl raising roguelite DRAPLINE will leave early access and launch its full version on Steam on September 24, 2026. Publisher Vaka announced the release on August 26 alongside a soundtrack containing over 30 tracks composed by developer Kanao. The game, which entered early access in June 2025, carries a 96% positive rating across more than 1,700 Steam user reviews, an Overwhelmingly Positive status, and has sold over 50,000 copies. The full version adds a new mode called DRAGON'S DISCIPLINE, which is unlocked after playing the existing DAYS OF TORNADO mode to a certain point. The new mode leads to the game's true ending and includes 25 new endings, each with its own illustration, that branch based on how the player raised the dragon girl. DRAGON'S DISCIPLINE is described as being so substantial that DAYS OF TORNADO appears to be merely the first half of the overall game. The price rises from 1,200 yen to 1,680 yen at launch, with a 20% off sale running until August 31. The game will also appear at Tokyo Game Show 2026 at the Vaka booth.
Director Sunao Katabuchi, known for In This Corner of the World and Mai Mai Miracle, said the anime industry's expansion is not good for its human workers. He cited heavy freelance outsourcing, unknown conditions for freelancers, and a weak yen that makes overseas outsourcing difficult. He warned the industry cannot train new talent or preserve skills, and that AI may lower budgets.
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.
The trailer for Yamato yo Towa ni REBEL3199 Chapter 7: Rainbow Reincarnation, the final chapter of the series, has been released. The chapter opens in Japanese theaters on October 30, 2026. Blu-ray and DVD volume 7 details were also announced, with pre-orders starting July 31, 2026.
Magic: The Gathering opened order sales for the Hatsune Miku collaboration deck, Secret Lair Commander Deck: Hatsune Miku, on Rakuten Books on August 11. The 24-hour order window runs until August 12 at 12:29. The deck costs 25,300 yen including tax, with delivery planned within 2027.
The anime adaptation of Ezogingitune and DeeCHA's I Became a Legend After My 10 Year-Long Last Stand light novel series has cast Naoto Kobayashi as Garuvu, a sacred wolf beast. The character debuted in the anime's sixth episode on Monday. The series premiered in July on multiple Japanese platforms and Crunchyroll.
Wizards of the Coast announced the pre-constructed Commander deck 'Secret Lair Commander Deck: Hatsune Miku' on August 5. Orders placed on Secret Lair between 1:00 AM and 11:59 PM on August 11 will be made-to-order, with delivery expected within 2027. The $149.99 deck includes 14 borderless cards illustrated by KEI, Naoki Saito, and Hachi.
Masanao Kawajiri's feature debut 'Cherry and Virgin' premiered at Fantasia Festival. The film follows two inexperienced artists who meet on a dating app, using rotoscoped performances and manga panel-style illustrations to depict their sexual anxieties. Kawajiri discussed the film's lengthy crowdfunded development, which was extended by the pandemic.
Square Enix will show new footage of Final Fantasy VII Revelation, the concluding chapter of the Final Fantasy VII Remake series, during gamescom Opening Night Live on August 26 at 3:00 AM JST. Director Naoki Hamaguchi is scheduled to appear at the event, which is hosted by Geoff Keighley. The game was first announced during Summer Game Fest 2026 in June. Revelation features an open world that players explore from the airship Highwind, with destinations including Midgar's outskirts, green islands, and the ninja nation of Wutai. Characters parachute from the Highwind to reach these areas. The story reunites the party around Cloud to save the planet. New gameplay elements include a Weight Mode that slows time for strategic action selection, and a Wear System where costumes grant special abilities. The game is scheduled for release in spring 2027 on Nintendo Switch 2, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Windows, Steam, and Epic Games Store. Hamaguchi posted on X that he looks forward to showing what the team has prepared.
Final Fantasy XIV director Naoki Yoshida commented at the Berlin Fan Festival on fan requests to remake Final Fantasy VI, VIII, and IX, saying the scale is unreal and such projects could become four- or five-part series. His remarks followed Final Fantasy VII Remake director Naoki Hamaguchi clarifying that media outlets exaggerated his comments about Final Fantasy VI.
Takeru Kirishima's manga adaptation of Hakubi Kokuto's Sekigan Renkin Kenshi no Yarinaoshi Kitan light novel series has ended. The final chapter appeared in Kadokawa's Monthly Shonen Ace magazine on Friday, and the third compiled book volume will ship on September 26. The story follows adventurer Yoruichi Yashiro after he loses an eye and is branded a failure.
Square Enix director Naoki Hamaguchi said the Final Fantasy VII Remake series is selling several times more than expected following the announcement of Final Fantasy VII Revelation at Summer Game Fest 2026. In an interview with Automaton, Hamaguchi said the official announcement and trailer received a very good response, with over 30 media interviews in North America and Europe plus additional interviews in China. He noted that the PC market, particularly in Simplified Chinese-speaking regions, has become incredibly strong, comparable to English-speaking regions. Hamaguchi also discussed how user feedback from Final Fantasy VII Rebirth influenced development of the new title, including making mini-games skippable and adjusting rewards. He said the development team has retained over 90% of its staff across the trilogy, a fact that surprised overseas observers. Regarding physical releases, Hamaguchi said he personally favors physical versions and that Square Enix is positively considering a physical package for Final Fantasy VII Revelation, though platform regulations and media capacity are under discussion. Final Fantasy VII Revelation is scheduled for release in spring 2027 on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC.
Naoki Yoshida, producer of Final Fantasy 16 and Final Fantasy 14 at Square Enix, said during a talk panel at the Final Fantasy XIV Fan Festival 2026 in Berlin that remaking Final Fantasy 6 or Final Fantasy 8 could result in a four-part or five-part series. The panel, held July 25-26, featured Yoshida and Final Fantasy 7 Remake director Naoki Hamaguchi discussing games that influenced them. Hamaguchi cited Final Fantasy 6 as his reason for entering the game industry, but noted that media often misreports such answers as an announcement of a remake. Yoshida responded that he understands the desire for remakes of other Final Fantasy titles following Final Fantasy 7, but the scale of such projects is considerable. He mentioned Final Fantasy 6, Final Fantasy 8, and Final Fantasy 9 as examples, suggesting a remake could become a four-part series, or five parts if done poorly. Hamaguchi reflected on the decade-long development of the Final Fantasy 7 Remake trilogy, crediting his team's stability for allowing the project to reach completion, and cautioned against casually committing to a similar undertaking.
Manga creator Kyō Yoneshiro will launch a new manga titled Netsuzō: Chijin no Ai, based on Junichirō Tanizaki's 1924 novel Chijin no Ai (Naomi), in the next issue of Weekly Big Comic Spirits on August 3. The story follows a salaryman who takes in a teenage waitress, with unexpected consequences.
Masanao Kawajiri's original film Cherry and Virgin won Special Mention of the Jury in the Satoshi Kon Award for Excellence in Animation at the 30th Fantasia International Film Festival. The film had its world premiere at the festival and is scheduled to open in 2027. The award section is named after the late director Satoshi Kon.
The staff of Star Wars: Visions Presents - The Ninth Jedi revealed the Japanese voice cast on Friday. The limited series spinoff from the Star Wars: Visions project will premiere on August 5 on Disney+ and Hulu. The cast includes Chinatsu Akasaki reprising her role as Lah Kara, along with new cast members Nao Ōmori, Tetsuo Kanao, Hiroshi Naka, Maaya Sakamoto, Nobuyuki Hiyama, Shinichirō Miki, and others. Kenji Kamiyama returns as supervising director and series script supervisor, with Shunsuke Tada directing.
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.
Crunchyroll announced the English dub cast and staff for the television anime of Hekiru Hikawa's Hanaori-san Still Wants to Fight in the Next Life. The same-day dub will premiere on July 11, with Kelly Greenshield and Mauricio Ortiz-Segura among the cast. The anime debuts on Japanese TV and streams on Crunchyroll in multiple regions. LIDEN FILMS handles animation production.
Nao Maita's Shining! manga will end in two more chapters, according to the August issue of Shogakukan's Ciao magazine. The series, which launched in July 2023, follows elementary school girl Nene who meets popular actor Taki. The eighth compiled volume shipped in April, and the ninth volume is scheduled for July 24.
The horror experience exhibition '1999 Exhibition: Memories of That Nonexistent Day' will be held in Osaka from July 11 to September 27. It is a touring version of the 2025 Tokyo exhibition that attracted 100,000 visitors. The exhibition is the first project from creative unit Bermuda 3, which includes SIREN scenario writer Naoko Sato, novelist Sujikin, and film director Masaki Nishiyama. Last Wonder is co-organizing.
Science Saru's anime adaptation of the manga 'Jaadugar: A Witch in Mongolia' premiered on Crunchyroll on July 4 after screening at the Annecy Festival. Naoko Yamada is executive producer, Abel Góngora directs episodes. The series follows a slave in 13th-century Persia. The team consulted a cultural advisor and visited a mosque to ensure respectful portrayal of Islamic, Persian, and Mongolian cultures.
Naoto Morita, who developed control technology for soft HAPS at the University of Tokyo, co-founded Velocity Aero Works in 2025. As CTO, he aims to reach the stratosphere with a domestically produced aircraft with a wingspan of 30 meters. The report from ASCII.jp details his transition from academic research to startup leadership, with the goal of commercializing the soft HAPS technology for stratospheric flight.
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.
Sunao Katabuchi and Madhouse's Mai Mai Miracle anime film aired on NHK Educational on June 20 and earned a 0.6% household rating in Japan's Kanto region. The rating is based on Video Research data and does not include later recordings.
The anime adaptation of Hekiru Hikawa's manga 'Hanaori-san Still Wants to Fight in the Next Life' released its second promotional video on June 24, 2026. The trailer previews the opening theme 'High Maintenance Girl' by Masayoshi Ōishi and the ending theme 'Very Good Encounter' by Maaya Uchida, who also joins the cast as Meru Tsumugina. The anime stars Jun Fukuyama as Ryusei Narukami and Akira Sekine as Meteor Hanaori. The supporting cast includes Seena Hoshiki, Hitomi Ueda, Sora Tokui, Nene Hieda, Rie Takahashi, Hiromi Igarashi, Ayasa Itō, and Yōko Hikasa. Hideyo Yamamoto directs the series at LIDENFILMS, with series composition by Yukie Sugawara and character design by Yousuke Okuda. The story follows Ryusei, a former demon king reincarnated as a NEET gamer, who reunites with the hero who defeated him, now a high school girl. The anime is scheduled for a global release in July 2026, with advance streaming in Japan on d Anime Store and ABEMA.
Nijisanji's Mito Tsukino will appear as a guest vocalist on Hakushi Hasegawa's new album "Sunao na Kimochi Album," releasing August 28 via Flying Lotus' label Brainfeeder. The album features a non-stop connected tracklist and contributions from tofubeats, Akkorinrin, and I-Land. Jacket art is by manga artist George Asakura.
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.
The final chapter of the HiGH&LOW film series, "HiGH&LOW THE New World," was announced on June 24 at a 10th anniversary event in Tokyo. HIRO, the series' planner and producer, surprised attendees with a teaser video and confirmed the film will release in 2027. The story takes place several years after the 2017 film "HiGH&LOW THE MOVIE 3 / FINAL MISSION." Returning cast members include AKIRA as Kohaku, NAOTO as Jesse, and Alan Shirahama as Bernie, all reprising roles after nine years. Kazuma Kawamura and Hokuto Yoshino also join the cast. Directors Norihisa Hiranuma and Motoaki Kuba are helming the project. Hiranuma stated that the film will feature overseas artists and cast members. The teaser video, now on YouTube, shows hand-to-hand combat and armed groups, suggesting a harsher world. The series has drawn 6.21 million cumulative viewers and earned 8.9 billion yen at the box office. A live event, "HiGH&LOW 10th ANNIVERSARY FEVER," will be held at K-Arena Yokohama on September 22 and 23, featuring LDH artists including EXILE THE SECOND and THE RAMPAGE.
Maaya Uchida will voice the mysterious girl Tsumugina Meru in the TV anime Hanaori-san wa Tensei shite mo Kenka ga Shitai. The second promotional video also reveals Masayoshi Oishi performs the opening theme, while Uchida sings the ending. The anime premieres July 11 on the ANiMAZiNG!!! block.
TV Asahi announced nine new regular cast members for its Thursday drama 'Dai Kūkō ~GATE24~,' starring Shuri, including Kaoru Okunuki, Sayaka Akimoto, Masaki Kaji, Shion Machida, Riku Kashima, Naoto Nishimura, Haru Tsubakihara, Seiichi Tanabe, and Mitsuru Fukikoshi. The series will also be distributed worldwide on Netflix. It premieres July 23.
MAPPA will produce the anime adaptation of Naoki Fujita's Beat & Motion manga, with a worldwide Netflix release scheduled for 2027. The announcement came during the studio's 15th anniversary livestream on June 19, which also revealed a teaser visual, a first trailer, and the main staff and cast. Yuki Komada directs the series, with Misaki Morie handling series composition and scripts. Kazunori Aoki is the character designer and chief animation director. Shuichiro Umeda voices protagonist Tatsuhiko Hirayama, a former aspiring animator who reconnects with his craft after meeting indie musician Nico Kashiwagi, played by Aya Gomazuru. The manga ran in Shueisha's Shonen Jump+ from February 2023 to January 2025, spanning six volumes. It originated as the grand prize winner of Shueisha's Million Tag competition, which guaranteed the winner a serialization and an anime adaptation. Viz Media and MANGA Plus publish the manga in English. The livestream also included new information on Chainsaw Man, Attack on Titan, and other MAPPA projects.
Sunao Katabuchi's 2009 theatrical anime "Mai Mai Shinko to Sennen no Mahō" will air on NHK E Tele on June 20, 2026. The film, based on Nobuko Takagi's autobiographical novel, follows the friendship of two third-grade girls in 1950s Yamaguchi Prefecture. Madhouse handled animation production, with Mayuko Fukuda and Nako Mizusawa voicing the leads.
A post from 2015 by X user Caleb correctly predicted the third title in the Final Fantasy VII remake series, Revelation, before the first remake was released. The post also came close on the second title, Rebirth, and loosely matched the first game's full name. The prediction resurfaced after Square Enix announced Revelation at Summer Game Fest 2026.
Beneath the Tangles' June 16th Reader's Corner features reviews of several new manga releases, headlined by the long-awaited English release of Naoki Urasawa's Billy Bat and the one-volume historical manga cocoon about the Himeyuri schoolgirls during the Battle of Okinawa.
Manga creator Naoki Urasawa illustrated the cover for Rodrigo y Gabriela's single "MON ster" and directed and animated its music video, which shows a timelapse of the cover being drawn. The track is based on Urasawa's manga Monster and will appear on the duo's upcoming album OurHome, out September 18.