Sep 2
Pluto TV is adding two dedicated anime channels, more than 1,300 hours of programming, and several English dubs debuting this month. The free ad-supported service will carry dubbed versions of One-Punch Man and Kenichi: The Mightiest Disciple, which Pluto says makes it the only free streaming platform with either dub. New channels It's Anime and Big A Anime launch this month. The expansion targets younger viewers, who account for nearly half of all anime viewing hours on the platform.
Aug 28
RetroCrush will add several Viz Media anime films and series to its service, including Naruto the Movie: Ninja Clash in the Land of Snow, Sailor Moon R: The Movie, Bleach the Movie: Hell Verse, Hunter x Hunter: Phantom Rouge, Hikaru no Go, Accel World, both Captain Tsubasa series, and Vampire Knight.
Aug 11
The second season of Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon -Shining Theater Shinagawa Tokyo- opened August 3 at Shinagawa Prince Hotel Club eX. The new story pits the Sailor Guardians against Queen Valsia, an AI-powered enemy who steals Usagi's heart and alters her friends. New songs and direct gift-giving were added. A double cast splits into Team Gold Moon and Team Silver Moon.
Jun 23
New original illustration goods for Sailor Moon, featuring the Super Sailor 10 soldiers in Smile and Kiss versions, will be released sequentially from June 30, 2026. The lineup includes phone tabs and straps, clear cards, aurora clear files, and an A5 binder, available at Sailor Moon store and select FamilyMart stores.
May 31
A survey commissioned by Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry estimated that sales of counterfeit anime and other character products caused ¥4.7 trillion (US$30.4 billion) in financial damages in 2025. The figure is the first to measure the impact of piracy on the merchandise market, as previous editions of the survey only calculated damages from digital content piracy. The survey was conducted by advisory firm PwC Consulting on behalf of the Content Overseas Distribution Association. In a separate finding, internet monitoring firm Adish identified at least 841 counterfeit anime merchandise items with prices totaling ¥22.2 million (US$140,000) being sold online for five top anime airing in the second quarter of 2025. The report also noted that overseas licensees struggle to combat counterfeits because anime companies often lack sufficient chain of title documentation to submit infringement claims. Separately, the newsletter reported that Aniplex acquired anime production planning company Egg Firm, and that a permanent Sailor Moon stage musical production will begin performances in April at Tokyo's Shinagawa Prince Hotel.
May 22
Anime Feminist examines how the North American adaptation of Sailor Moon was reshaped by 1990s Western pop feminism, a market-friendly "girl power" that emphasized individual aspiration over structural critique, and how the show's commercial packaging reflected different assumptions about empowerment than the original Japanese version.