YSS is a virtual-born artist who performs live in real venues and produces their own music, visuals, and merchandise, as profiled by KAI-YOU in June 2026.
YSS is a virtual-born artist who operates without major-label backing, producing their own music, visuals, and merchandise. A June 2026 profile by KAI-YOU, part of TuneCore Japan's MEDIA NETWORK project, paired YSS with fellow virtual artist Suu Kiuha to discuss how they build self-contained creative worlds across digital and physical spaces. The feature covered both artists' concepts, production methods, and influences, but did not specify YSS's real name, debut date, discography, or upcoming projects.
The profile is the only Yomimono story about YSS. It does not mention any label, agency, management, or future releases. The coverage focuses on the broader trend of independent virtual artists rather than on YSS's individual career milestones. No other stories in the cluster reference YSS or provide additional biographical details.
Synthesized by Yomimono from the cited Yomimono stories below, each itself sourced, then editorially reviewed. Every fact links the story it came from.
During a July 7 shareholder briefing, Pearl Abyss CEO Heo Jin-young confirmed that DLC for Crimson Desert is 'basically considered as paid,' with pricing and release details to be clarified in Q3 2026. On multiplayer, Heo acknowledged player interest but cited technical challenges and said investigations are ongoing. An INVEN reporter cautioned against expecting a near-term implementation.
Salamander Pictures and Nippon Animation will premiere their nearly eight-minute anime short 20001 An Earth Odyssey in competition at the Fantasia International Film Festival on July 18. The festival runs in Montreal from July 16 to August 2. The short is the first original project from Taiki Sakurai's Tokyo-based studio Salamander Pictures. Sakurai, who previously worked at Production I.G. and spent seven years building Netflix's anime business in Japan, left the streamer to focus on riskier original work. The sci-fi comedy follows three aliens who arrive on Earth 20,000 years after humanity vanishes and misinterpret every artifact they find, treating a playground as a sacred site and an umbrella as advanced technology. Sakurai describes the short as a family-friendly comedy with a meditation on history and archaeology. The production involved art director Jessie Liu from Los Angeles, animators from Korea and France, and Maru Animation. Sakurai plans to expand the concept into a series of five-minute episodes and is seeking partners after the festival premiere.
The 30th Fantasia International Film Festival will screen multiple anime premieres including the world premiere of CloverWorks' three-part collection Grotesqqque, two episodes of the live-action Junji Ito series, and several short films, along with the North American premiere of A New Dawn and the Canadian premiere of cocoon. The festival runs July 16 to August 2 in Montreal.
A feature on Brigandine Abyss highlights the involvement of Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance director Masayuki Horikawa and composer Rei Kondoh, along with other series veterans. The tactical RPG borrows heavily from Fire Emblem's aesthetic and mechanics, including a blue-haired protagonist, laguz-like monsters, and grid-based combat. NIS America is publishing the game, which offers Story and Mission modes.
Happinet and Adglobe will release the fantasy war simulation Brigandine: Abyss on August 27, 2026 for Nintendo Switch 2, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. The turn-based strategy game features 25 factions and over 100 unit types. A demo update arrived July 8, with additional demos for consoles coming July 30.
The final US trailer for Christopher Nolan's 'The Odyssey' has been released, along with the announcement of simultaneous IMAX screenings. The film, an adaptation of the ancient Greek epic, stars Matt Damon, Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Robert Pattinson, Lupita Nyong'o, Zendaya, and Charlize Theron. It is the first feature film shot entirely with IMAX film cameras.
Seven Seas Entertainment announced 16 new licenses at its Anime Expo panel on July 4, 2026. The slate spans multiple imprints and genres, including light novels, manga, manhwa, and audiobooks, with releases scheduled from March through June 2027.
Universal Pictures has released 'The Odyssey: Defy the Gods,' the official Roblox game for Christopher Nolan's upcoming film 'Odyssey,' on Roblox and other platforms. The multiplayer nautical action-adventure game lets players sail with companions, gather supplies, and overcome obstacles like storms and whirlpools. An event offers the limited gold avatar item 'Helmet of Agamemnon.' The game carries an 18+ age rating on Roblox.
Bandai Spirits will release the Ichiban Kuji Made in Abyss lottery sequentially from October 31, 2026, at 850 yen per draw. The A prize is a 22cm Bondrewd MASTERLISE figure, the B prize is a 16cm Nanachi & Meety Revible Moment figure, and the Last One prize is a Bondrewd MASTERLISE Last One ver. C through H prizes and a Double Chance Campaign will be announced later.
At the 2026 Annecy International Animation Film Festival, Nippon Animation held a 50th anniversary panel and unveiled three original series: the sci-fi black comedy 2001: An Earth Odyssey, the gourmet drama Taverna!!!, and the Alice in Wonderland reimagining Alices. Producer Taiki Sakurai and director Yumiko Yoshizawa presented the projects, which mark a shift toward adult-oriented content for the studio. A sizzle reel of classics like Heidi and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer drew applause.
Good Smile Company announced Nendoroid figures for Hololive twin VTuber unit FUWAMOCO, with Fuwawa Abyssgard and Mococo Abyssgard releasing simultaneously in November 2026. The figures include hand-holding parts for side-by-side display, plus optional items like doughnuts and microphones. Each costs 7,800 yen.
KAI-YOU profiles virtual-born artists YSS and Suu Kiuha, who perform live in real venues and produce their own music, visuals, and merchandise. The feature is part of TuneCore Japan's MEDIA NETWORK project, which helps independent artists pitch songs to media. Both artists describe their concepts, production methods, and influences.
Kwalee Labs, the developer of the well-received sci-fi FPS 'Luna Abyss', has laid off all staff and closed its doors just one month after the game's launch. CEO Hollie Emery announced the closure on LinkedIn, stating the decision was 'completely outside of our control.' The game had earned a 'Very Positive' rating on Steam.
Happinet's Brigandine Abyss, releasing August 27 on PS5, Nintendo Switch 2, Xbox Series X|S, and PC, offers a story mode with event battles tied to a weekly calendar, a mission mode not in the demo, and over 100 knight and monster units on hexagonal terrain. Early impressions highlight a balance of ease and challenge, with a villainous faction that turns into a resistance story.
EXNOA's DMM GAMES began official service for "Dot Abyss" on June 11, 2026, on iOS and Android. The idle RPG is the first title under the new Kumasan Black label, which Studio KUMASAN established to produce edgier content than its orthodox Creative Team KUMASAN line. Producer Yudai Hasegawa, who also served as creative director and handled planning, original concept, character settings, and scenario, said the label aims for works with "a bit of flair" that cannot be made through the usual route. The game combines smooth pixel art animation with a fantasy setting where players command up to 10 characters in auto-battles against monsters called Calamities emerging from a Great Hole. A Force Chain system lets players intervene manually by spending accumulated Mana on attacks, buffs, or healing. Pre-registrations exceeded 700,000, and all registrants receive Abyss Gems worth over 40 gacha pulls. Launch campaigns include ad trucks in Akihabara, Shinjuku, and Ikebukuro, plus a follow-and-repost campaign on X. The game has a Standard version and an R18 version with a Brothel facility featuring Live2D animations.
DMM Games' new title Dot Abyss, releasing June 11, is the debut work under the Kumasan Black label. The game features all female characters with exaggerated soft, squishy (mochimochi) designs, with clothing accessories that emphasize thigh plumpness. The developer describes it as a wholesome game, but the obsessive focus on mochimochi across every character makes that label feel questionable.
Section 9 Interactive, a studio founded by former Tarsier Studios developers, revealed a new demo for its debut title End of Abyss at Summer Game Fest 2026. The top-down sci-fi survival horror game features twin-stick shooting, resource management, and Metroidvania-style progression. A release date of October 1, 2026 was announced, with pre-sales now live on the Epic Games Store.
Epic Games Publishing announced during the Summer Game Fest 2026 livestream on June 6 that the horror adventure End of Abyss will launch on October 1, 2026. The game is developed by Sweden-based Section 9 Interactive, a studio founded by former members of the Little Nightmares development team. Players control a young combat engineer named Cel who descends into a forsaken underground facility to uncover the truth behind anomalies while confronting terrifying creatures. Pre-orders opened alongside the release date announcement. End of Abyss will be available on PC via the Epic Games Store, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S. The title was first revealed at Summer Game Fest 2025. The announcement included new footage showing confrontations with various creatures inside the facility.
To promote Christopher Nolan's film 'The Odyssey', IMAX has created a popcorn bucket shaped like an IMAX film camera. Priced at $50, it sold out quickly after online sales began on June 4. The bucket includes a viewfinder showing a scene from the film in IMAX aspect ratio.
Game Spark published an early hands-on report for Happinet's upcoming strategy RPG Brigandine Abyss, detailing its defense battles, Mission Mode, and the opening of its story. The game launches on August 27 and features six factions, 24 countries with side stories, and a new multi-line defense system that challenges even series veterans.
The action-adventure title Luna Abyss, released May 22, 2026, has earned a Metascore of 80 on PC and 81 on PS5. Critics praise its combat, movement, and world design, while noting some visual roughness and limited weapon variety. The game is available on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S, and supports Game Pass.
GameSpark's latest Asian indie roundup, published May 31, 2026, highlights four titles from Chinese and Korean developers. The lineup includes the horror game '蛹月' (Pupa Moon) by CherryPink, now on Steam wishlists. It follows a girl named Su Li who wakes in a strange room and must escape monsters using a flashlight-like tool. The game features a revealing Chinese dress that can tear during action. Also featured is '万年レベル1プレイヤー' (The Eternal Level 1 Player), a 3D action roguelite by Tripearl Games and published by Smilegate, based on a Kakao web novel and webtoon. A demo is available on Steam, and PlayStation Store wishlisting has begun. The roundup includes 'Abyss: Everlasting', a dark fantasy turn-based RPG by IGNOST, sold only on STOVE with Korean language support and a SECRET PLUS adult version. Finally, '中国式地雷女' (Chinese-style Mine Girl), a visual novel by ZHONGXIA GAMES, has a release date of July 13, 2026, and will support Japanese text. The developer confirmed Japanese voice acting is not yet decided.
Northern Studio released a demo for the dungeon roguelike Abyss Ring on Steam. The game features randomly generated dungeons, a hunger system, and cooking mechanics that turn monster drops into dishes like orc tonkatsu and minotaur gyudon. Over 200 equipment types and skill progression through repeated runs are also included. The full release is planned for summer 2026.
Eisnid released its new PC title "Iris Odyssey: Pandora's Girl" on Steam on May 29, 2026. The game is a modern fantasy text adventure set in Shibuya. It follows Kazahana, an orphan girl searching for her missing brother Mitsuba, who awakens magical powers and meets Iris, a seasoned mage pursuing the criminal mage organization Sky Seeker. The story branches based on player choices, with Kazahana and Iris deepening their bond. The business model is free-to-play with item billing: the prologue through the middle part (over two hours of play) is free. The full main story is unlocked via a paid DLC called the Complete Package, priced at 2,980 yen. A launch sale runs until June 11, offering the Complete Package at 10% off (2,682 yen). An ASMR drama featuring Kazahana, titled "I will take care of your ears responsibly," is also available on DLsite for 1,980 yen.
NIS America released a playable demo for Brigandine: Abyss on Steam. The strategy RPG launches worldwide on PC August 26 and on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch 2 on August 27. The Xbox version is digital-only. A Deluxe Edition for Switch 2 and PS5 includes a mini art book and digital soundtrack.
The staff of the first film in the new Made in Abyss trilogy, Made in Abyss: Awakening Mystery, released a new teaser trailer on May 22. The film is set to open in Japan on October 23, 2026. Masayuki Kojima returns to direct at Kinema Citrus, with Hideyuki Kurata handling scripts and Kazuchika Kise and Yuka Kuroda returning as character designers. Kevin Penkin is back to compose the music. The confirmed returning voice cast includes Miyu Tomita as Riko, Mariya Ise as Reg, Shiori Izawa as Nanachi, and Misaki Kuno as Faputa. The film is a direct continuation of the 2022 television anime Made in Abyss: The Golden City of the Scorching Sun. Kadokawa first announced a sequel to that season in January 2023. To build anticipation, the two compilation films from 2019, Made in Abyss: Journey's Dawn and Made in Abyss: Wandering Twilight, are receiving a two-week limited revival screening in Japan starting in late May.