DeepSeek released the open model DeepSeek-V4.1-Flash-1017 on October 17, 2026, positioned as an updated, faster version of DeepSeek-V4.1-Flash. On the DeepSWE v1.1 coding agent benchmark it scores above GPT-6 Astra, GPT-6.1 Sol and Claude Fable 5 while keeping cost low, and it recorded the highest scores on multiple tests. Peak pricing is $0.3 per million input tokens and $1.2 per million output tokens, halved off-peak.
Traspect Inc. opened entries on October 16, 2026 for DESIGNERS COLLECTION - EDITION #001, a licensed merchandise open call under Seagulls In Japan, the Japan licensing project for Premier League club Brighton & Hove Albion, where Kaoru Mitoma wears #7. The first edition seeks T-shirt graphics themed on Japan-UK cultural exchange. Entries close November 30, 2026 at 23:59 Japan time. A listing reaching 100 pre-orders within 90 days goes into production, with 13 percent of the pre-tax sales price paid to the designer.
Wataritama Studio LLC released a free demo for the VTuber training simulation 'BuzztteVTuber: Go Viral in 2018?!' on Steam on October 10, 2026. The demo covers the first six months of the game, up to week 26, or ends early if the channel reaches 5,000 subscribers. Save data carries over to the full version. The game has players time-leap to 2018, the dawn era of virtual YouTubers, and aim to go viral within one year from zero subscribers. Players train five stats: talk, production, games, illustration, and singing, reading weekly trends to grow subscriber and viewer counts. A capture function pulls windows and virtual cameras from OBS and VTube Studio so players can show their own model on the in-game stream screen. The full version is scheduled for 2026 and is expected to enter early access. Pricing is undecided.
Blackbox Inc. announced that Quinte, its five-member 2.5D idol VTuber group under the Lovebox label, will perform in the night session of BirdLimeTrap vol.012 DAY1 on Sunday, October 11, 2026, at live house club Dorothy in Ekoda, Tokyo. All five members (Momosaki Milk, Tsuyami Rurina, Hano Ciel, Hanano Elenoa, and Kizuki Kira) will take the stage in their virtual forms. The night bill lists six acts total: Tsurigane Fuuri, Kuganami Wawon, LOCO, Shime Reon, Yakumo Utsuro, and Quinte. Doors open at 17:30 and the show starts at 18:00, with streaming tickets on sale through the organizer's ticket page for those who cannot attend in person. New merchandise goes on sale after the night session: a Quinte Group Acrylic Keychain at 1,500 yen and 3-card sets for Tsuyami Rurina, Kizuki Kira, and Hano Ciel at 500 yen each. Prior merchandise will also be available at the venue.
XREAL will run a booth at TOKYO Gaming-PC STREET 9 on Saturday, October 10, 2026 at LIFORK AKIHABARA II in Akihabara. The booth offers hands-on time with the AR glasses xbx a01+, the first model from XREAL's xbx sub-brand, priced at 43,980 yen tax included on the official online shop. The event runs 13:00 to 17:30 with free admission.
Bandai is taking preorders on Gashapon Online for CAPSULEVERSE ONE PIECE 01, part of a new figure brand built to be displayed with its capsules. The lineup has four types: Monkey D. Luffy, Monkey D. Luffy (Gear 5), Roronoa Zoro, and Sanji, each with an effect part. It is 800 yen per play, with preorders open until 23:59 on November 24.
MegaHouse will release the Super Asurada 01 machine head from Future GPX Cyber Formula at roughly 1/1 scale. Preorders open October 8, 2026 at 10:00 at hobby shops, online retailers, and Premium Bandai. The piece is about 130mm tall, uses three LR44 batteries sold separately, and each sensor eye lights up. A ball joint connects it to the base and the head moves. Premium Bandai orders include a FICCY Super License prop card. Release is set for May 2027 at 5,940 yen.
Amazon's Prime member service Amazon Luna is giving away two PC games at no cost until November 5, 2026: the GOG.com version of DOOM (2016) and the Epic Games Store version of Five Nights at Freddy's: Into the Pit. Claiming either title within the window keeps it permanently. The GOG build of DOOM is single-player only, with no multiplayer or SnapMap.
MBC Game Studio announced its debut title 1001 Threads of Mizan at Gamescom 2026's Opening Night Live. The co-op action-adventure supports up to three players and ships on PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch 2. Creative Director Lars Bonde, who spent eight years at Ubisoft on Watch Dogs and Watch Dogs 2, told Automaton the game is set in the world of One Thousand and One Nights.
Yen Press announced six new licenses on Friday: the light novels Kafka's Journey, Oh Boy, Was I Wrong About Her, and The Returned Tyrant Princess Rewrites Her Dark Past, plus the manga Lilies in Love for 101 Days, Lord Hades's Vernal Honeymoon, and Desire of the Untouchable Flower. Kafka's Journey is written by Chizuru Mizushina with illustration by Haruyuki Morisawa.
Sunny Side Up will release Happy Kuji "Disney 101 Dalmatians" at FamilyMart stores from 10:00 on October 17, 2026, at 880 yen including tax per draw. The lottery, tied to Dog Day on November 1, guarantees original goods built around Dalmatian patterns and red accents across 11 prize tiers plus a Last Prize. The A Prize is a big plush of the parent dogs Pongo and Perdita at adult-dog size, about 60cm in total length. The B Prize is a blanket, the C Prize is a tote bag in six designs, the D Prize is a kinchyaku pouch in nine designs, and the E Prize is a scarf in nine designs. Lower tiers include fur charms, canvas art, picture-matching cards, tin mirrors, multi cases, and sticker sets. The Last Prize, given to whoever draws the final ticket, is a plush set of the puppies Lucky, Rolly, and Patch. Availability may differ by store.
Bandai will release a new gashapon figure brand called CAPSULEVERSE in the fifth week of October 2026, starting with two sets priced at 800 yen per play. The first set, CAPSULEVERSE Mobile Suit Gundam 01, has four types: the Gundam, Char's Custom Zaku II, Amuro Ray, and Char Aznable. The second set, CAPSULEVERSE Godzilla, also has four types: Godzilla (1974), Mechagodzilla (1974), Godzilla (1954), and Godzilla (2023). Each figure comes with a relief-style background that shows the world of its work, and the figure stands against that backdrop. Placing two figures from the same set back to back lets their battles cross over inside the capsule. Bandai has not yet announced further sets beyond these two. Both sets are scheduled for the same release window.
Onkyo has released the CP-TWS01F, a second collaboration model of fully wireless earphones with Bocchi the Rock!. The single model carries four change modes for Hitori Gotoh, Nijika Ijichi, Ryo Yamada, and Ikuyo Kita, each with newly recorded voice guidance totaling 22 words per character, or 88 across all four. Qualcomm's QCC3072 chipset, aptX Adaptive, noise canceling, ambient sound, game mode, and IPX4 waterproofing are included. Orders and product displays are available at ONKYO DIRECT ANIME STORE in Akihabara from Friday, October 2, 2026.
Doyusha is adding two racing prototypes to its electric RC car series. The 1/14 Toyota GAZOO Racing GR010 Hybrid WEC is about 352 x 143 x 93 mm, has switchable speeds of 7-9 km/h and 9-11 km/h, takes five AA batteries in the body and two in the transmitter, and costs 14,080 yen. The 1/24 Ferrari 499P is about 208 x 85 x 58 mm and costs 5,478 yen. The 1/24 Volkswagen Beetle returns at 5,478 yen. All three are scheduled for release in October 2026.
AK Interactive is releasing two 1/35 scale Trabant 601S plastic model kits, with Japanese sales handled by Platz. The first kit reproduces the Trabant 601 two-door sedan and can be built as either the civilian or police version, with over 80 parts, a 3D-printed seated driver figure, and 6 marking options. The second is the 601S rally version, also over 80 parts, with a helmeted 3D-printed driver figure and 3D-printed wheels. Both are priced at 12,650 yen and scheduled for December 2026.
Good Smile Company is taking preorders for the Robo-Do Evangelion Unit-01 Pseudo-Shin Awakening Form, a figure of the form Unit-01 takes in Evangelion: New Theatrical Edition. It stands about 25cm tall on a die-cast frame with roughly 48 points of articulation. Red armor parts use UV fluorescent paint, the eyes have an LED light-emitting feature, and the left arm uses transparent material. Accessories include a halo effect, A.T. Field effects, an open-mouth head, and a core-exposed chest part.
Double H Productions has released Tape 101: Liminal Descent, a psychological horror game set in liminal spaces shaped by the five stages of grief from Elisabeth Kubler-Ross: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. Players use an RC car to enter ventilation ducts, gaps under doors, and crevices, collecting items and activating devices. Each chapter reflects one stage of the model. The game is available on Steam at 15 percent off until September 26.
Psychic Force 2012 was playable at Tokyo Game Show 2026, weeks after Konami revealed a 2027 release for Switch, PS5, and Steam. The trial version is limited to four Arcade Mode stages, with all 13 characters selectable from Might to Burn to Keith. The 360-degree movement, wide field, and long-range psychic exchanges that defined the original remain intact in the current-gen build.
Sunny Side Up will release the Happy Kuji "Disney 101 Dalmatians" at FamilyMart from 10:00 on Saturday, October 17, 2026. A single draw costs 880 yen including tax. The lottery lines up 11 prize tiers plus a LAST Prize, built around Dalmatian patterns with red accents. The A Prize is a set of big plush toys in two types, shaped as the parent dogs Pongo and Perdita at roughly 60 cm in total length. The rest of the tiers run from a blanket and six types of tote bag through drawstring bags, scarves, fur charms, canvas art, picture-matching cards, can mirrors, multi cases, and sticker sets. The LAST Prize, handed to whoever draws the final kuji, is a plush toy set of the three puppies Lucky, Rolly, and Patch, each about 25 cm long. Sunny Side Up announced the release to mark Dog Day on November 1. Availability may differ by store.
UGREEN Japan released the AI-equipped NASync iDX 6011 and iDX 6011 Pro on September 15. Prices are 398,880 yen for the 32GB model, 499,880 yen for the 64GB, and 899,880 yen for the Pro 64GB. The lineup runs AI processing locally inside the NAS, offering universal search, conversational search through the assistant Uliya, document summarization and translation, photo organization, and voice memo transcription.
Two Nissan Silvia S15 cars run by Evangelion Racing are being recreated as Tomica die-cast mini cars. Tomica Eva RT Unit-01 Nissan Silvia is modeled on the Unit-01 car shown at the 2024 NISMO Festival at Fuji Speedway, and Tomica Eva RT Unit-02 Nissan Silvia on the Unit-02 car active at 2025 events including Super Taikyu and FORMULA DRIFT JAPAN. Pre-orders open September 16, 2026 at 17:00 on Saporto Store, with release planned for early December 2026 to early January 2027 at 1,500 yen each.
Cosmo Machia has announced that Psychic Force 2012 will be released in 2027 for PS5, Nintendo Switch and PC via Steam, with a teaser PV put out for Tokyo Game Show 2026. The game debuted in arcades in June 1998 and was built around a 360-degree all-range battle inside a cube-shaped field. Content of the port and any added elements have not been revealed.
Double H Productions will release Tape 101: Liminal Descent on PC via Steam on September 19, the studio announced in September. The psychological horror game sends players through liminal spaces built from repeating beige corridors, tiled passageways, and empty offices. Its main tool is a small camera-equipped remote-controlled car, which players drive into ventilation ducts and under doors to collect items and activate devices in places a person cannot reach. The developer says the spaces themselves work as puzzles: layouts shift as chapters progress, and players observe patterns to find a route forward. The world is structured around the five stages of grief described by psychiatrist Elisabeth Kübler-Ross, covering denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance, with each stage expressed as a location. Double H Productions is a two-person indie studio made up of Suversa and Nana. A free demo is available now on the Steam store page.
Game Spark played MBC Game Studio's 1001 Threads of Mizan at gamescom 2026 and spoke with the team. The co-op action adventure adapts One Thousand and One Nights, casting players as three heroes who ride flying carpets and fight Jinn to restore the Knights of Mizan. The demo showed aggressive combat, soulslike boss encounters, and a carpet system that drives both movement and battle.
MegaHouse is releasing the Super Asurada SA-01/C from the OVA Future GPX Cyber Formula 11 in its Variable Action series, using some new sculpting and new molds. The figure is based on the Super Asurada 01 Ver.2.0 body model from January 2024 and reproduces the variant's rear wing end shape and undertray changes. Preorders open September 10, 2026. The Premium Bandai edition includes an acrylic figure with newly drawn art of Kazami Hayato and Breed Kaga. Price is 26,400 yen, release May 2027.
Wataritama Studio announced the PC management sim "Kako de Buzutte VTuber -2018 kara nara Buzurerun ja!?" for Steam, launching within the year. Players time travel to 2018 and try to go viral as a VTuber in one year, raising five stats and reading weekly trends. Failing resets subscribers and money but keeps skills. Clearing the game unlocks Reality Mode.
XREAL is running a three-category design contest for the front frame of its xbx a01+ AR glasses, open September 7 to October 13, 2026, with 3D printer maker Bambu Japan as sponsor. The Idea category takes concept posts on X, the DIY category builds on free white mock frames posted to TikTok, and the Maker category asks 3D designers to model compatible frames on MakerWorld. The Maker grand prize includes production of the winning design as an official accessory.
Automaton played a pre-alpha co-op demo of 1001 Threads of Mizan at gamescom 2026. The writer chose Malik, a tank who fights with a shield that splits into two. The flying carpet is the standout feature: it handles movement, evasion, attack, and teammate rescue, and it sits at the center of combat design. Three-player co-op against large bosses worked naturally without pre-assigned roles. The game is in development for PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch 2. Release timing is undecided.
Bandai's Vender Division launches Karkeshi GP, a new gashapon series reviving the classic Karkeshi toy. Two products, NISSAN Selection 01 and MAZDA Selection 01, release in the first week of September 2026. Each is a 24-type capsule lineup at 400 yen per play. The NISSAN set covers eight models from the R32 Skyline GT-R to the S30 Fairlady Z; the MAZDA set runs from the 787B to the SAVANNA RX-7.
G.S.Collection's [SC] line is releasing a 1/7 scale figure of Hatsune Miku based on the main visual of the 'Hatsune Miku Symphony 2025 Yokohama・Kobe Performances' full orchestra concert. The figure, called 'G.S.Collection [SC] Hatsune Miku Symphony 10th Anniversary Ver.', is priced at 55,000 yen and ships in January 2028.
At gamescom 2026, MBC Game Studio revealed its debut work, an action adventure based on One Thousand and One Nights. It supports solo play up to 3-player co-op and features seamless switching between magic carpet flight and ground combat. A demo was shown to media at the studio's closed booth.
MBC Game Studio announced its debut title, '1001 Threads of Mizan', during the gamescom 2026 Opening Night Live broadcast on August 26, 2026, Japan time. The game is a co-op action-adventure inspired by 'One Thousand and One Nights' (Arabian Nights), set in an Arabian-style fantasy world. Players control one of three heroes, Yusra, Malik, and Sufyan, who are gathered by the storyteller Scheherazade to stop an ancient king of the Jinn from destroying humanity out of revenge. The core gameplay involves movement and aerial combat on flying carpets, with battles against giant Jinn that tower dozens of meters high. The game supports solo play and co-op for up to three players, with free drop-in and drop-out. A pre-alpha playable build is being shown at gamescom 2026, and the release date has not yet been announced. The game is planned for PC via Steam and Epic Games Store, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch 2, with cross-platform support also planned.
Illustrator CheLA77's original characters Bunny Police 01 and Bunny Police 02 are now figures from Luminous Box. Pre-orders are open at AmiAmi for 27,700 yen each, with release scheduled for June 2027. Both 1/6 scale figures feature the characters' plump, curvaceous body lines.
Mahjong Pros Publishing licensed two manga at Anime NYC: Snap Call Kirinji, a drama about an online mahjong player forced to play for cash to support his daughter, and Riichi Mahjong 101, a strategy guide by Uzaku G. Both release in January 2027 in digital and print.
Good Smile Company's MODEROID DX-SCALE line is getting a large Evangelion Unit-01 kit from Evangelion: New Theatrical Edition. Standing about 260mm tall, it features movable joints, molded colors, clear parts, pre-painted parts, and decals. Some armor reacts to blacklight. A LUMINOUS SET EDITION, sold at the Good Smile Company official shop, adds a glowing head and two blacklight stands. Both release in June 2027.
TEAC Corporation's ESOTERIC brand will release the T-01 analog turntable, which adopts the proprietary non-contact drive system ESOTERIC MagneDrive. Shipments begin at the end of September. The T-01 inherits the design philosophy of the Grandioso T1 but integrates the MagneDrive System into the chassis in a two-piece configuration with a downsized power supply unit for easier installation.
D4 Enterprise began distribution of EGG Console The Legend of Heroes III: The White Witch Renewal PC-9801 on the Nintendo eShop on August 20, 2026. It is the 112th title in the EGG Console series, priced at 980 yen including tax. The game is an RPG originally released by Nihon Falcom in 1994, based on the original The Legend of Heroes III with system and game balance improvements, carrying the Renewal name in its title. Players control Julio, a timid boy, and the heroine Chris as they set out on a pilgrimage as part of a village coming-of-age ceremony, eventually becoming interested in the White Witch and approaching the mystery surrounding her. The game uses a top-down random encounter system with auto-battle, and early on there are few allies and some difficult battles, but adjusting battle settings from the command menu allows fighting according to the situation. It is a long story consisting of 9 chapters, and the prologue and chapter 1 alone reportedly have more volume than the previous work. The EGG Console version includes a Scene Select mode allowing use of data from immediately after the start of each chapter, and a Gallery mode for viewing the manual and package design from the time.
Premium Bandai will run a lottery sale for the Future GPX Cyber Formula Super Asurada 01 Circuit Mode NEON Ver. from August 20 to September 7, 2026. The 4,290 yen figure includes a display case and etched nameplate. Lottery winners can apply for the MegaHobby EXPO 2026 Zenis Asurada ride experience.
Good Smile Company has opened pre-orders for the Robodo series figure of Evangelion Unit-01 in its awakened form from the Evangelion: New Theatrical Edition films. The figure stands about 25cm tall, uses a die-cast frame with roughly 48 articulation points, and features UV fluorescent paint and an LED eye function. Pre-orders run until September 23, with shipping scheduled for June 2027.
Premium Bandai is accepting preorders for the Gigantic Series Godzilla (2001) 25th Anniversary Ver., a large figure measuring about 78 cm in length and 40 cm in height. It commemorates the 25th anniversary of the film Godzilla, Mothra, King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack. The figure features battle damage paint and is priced at 78,100 yen. Preorders close on August 16 at 23:00, with shipping planned for October 2026.
Bandai is reviving the SD Command Wars Carddass line with a premium set called Mission Box 01 GARMS, available for preorder on Premium Bandai. The set includes 40 prism and gold foil cards plus an 8-page booklet, priced at 7,000 yen, with delivery scheduled for November 2026.
MegaHouse unveiled prototypes at Wonder Festival 2026 Summer for the LEGEND'S FACES COLLECTION line, featuring Godzilla (2016) Fourth Form in normal and heat ray emission versions, sculpted by Kenichi Tanaka. A colored sample of Hedorah from the INSIDE FANTASY Series was also shown, with reservations planned for August.
Bandai Namco Filmworks announced the 35th anniversary festival "Glory Winners" for the Future GPX Cyber Formula series, scheduled for January 9, 2027, at Misato City Cultural Hall in Saitama. The event will feature daytime and evening sessions with cast members Junichi Kanemaru, Kotono Mitsuishi, Sho Hayami, and Toshihiko Seki, plus session-specific guests. Theme song artists Hironobu Kageyama, Aki Misato, and Dynamite Shige will perform live. Tickets cost 9,800 yen for all reserved seats, with the fastest advance reservation period running from August 5 at 5:00 PM to August 23 at 11:59 PM. MegaHouse will release two new products: the Cyber Formula Collection -Heritage Edition- DX, reproducing the rollout set of the new machine Zenis Asurada AKF-S0/G, and the Super Asurada 01 Circuit Mode NEON Ver. in cyber colors. The new short anime, a direct sequel to the 1998 OVA SIN, is directed by Mutsumi Fukuda and features machine design by Shoji Kawamori. A life-size Zenis Asurada model will be displayed at MegaHobby EXPO2026 on September 26, 2026, with a riding experience featuring Asurada's voice actor Kenichi Ono.
D4 Enterprise released the 109th EGG Console title for Switch, Dragon Slayer LEVEL 2.0 PC-8801, on the Nintendo eShop for 880 yen. The action RPG, originally by Nihon Falcom in 1984, features adjusted balance, new mechanics, and a Gallery mode with original materials.
Premium Bandai has opened reservations for the "Gigantic Series Godzilla (2001) 25th Anniversary Ver.," a large-scale figure commemorating the 25th anniversary of the 2001 film "Godzilla, Mothra, King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack." The figure measures approximately 78cm in total length and 40cm in total height. It features cloudy white eyes, a full-body sculpt, and added dirt paint and battle scars inspired by the film's fight scenes. The price is 78,100 yen (tax included). Reservations are open until 23:00 on August 16, 2026, or until the preparation quantity is reached. Shipping is scheduled for October 2026. Separately, Bandai Spirits revealed the full lineup for "Ichiban Kuji Godzilla: The Most Terrifying Monster King Chronicles," which includes a Godzilla (2001) Owakudani Appearance ver. figure as the A prize, sculpted by Yuji Sakai. The lottery also features Battra (Larva) and Godzilla Junior figures, plus a Last One prize of a Godzilla (2001) Night Battle SOFVICS Heat Ray Emission ver. The Ichiban Kuji launches from July 25, 2026, at Ministop, Daily Yamazaki, and other outlets, at 900 yen per draw.
Good Smile Company has opened pre-orders for a Hatsune Miku plastic model kit in its PLAMATEA series. The non-scale model stands approximately 150mm tall and features articulated joints for posing. It includes a pre-painted "smile" face, plus three additional expression faces (smile, open mouth, and chibi face) that require decal application. Accessories include an action tie, a microphone, and multiple interchangeable wrist parts. Color separation is achieved through molded colors, pre-colored parts, and some stickers. Markings can be applied using either stickers or decals. The kit also comes with a base that has an articulated support rod. The prototype was created by Takenouchi Kenkyusei, with production cooperation from TEAM NAVEL (Unitec). The price is 6,300 yen (tax included). Pre-orders are open until September 2, 2026, and the kit is scheduled for release in January 2027.
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.
Good Smile Company announced six new Brickroid figures from the Rebuild of Evangelion films, including Evangelion Unit-01 Awakened Ver., Unit-00, Unit-02 Beast Mode Second Stage, Mark.06, the Fourth Angel, and the Tenth Angel. A Building A + Base Set also joins the lineup. The Evangelion figures release in December 2026, and the building set in November 2026.
KAYOU+ will release the limited AIMVISION Edition_001 KOHAKU collection on July 25, 2026, limited to 3,000 serial-numbered sets. The theme is amber, with a special mechanical pencil, pen case, ruler letter opener, eraser case, and A5 notebook. It commemorates the brand's first anniversary.