← all stories

1

5h ago

HP Puts Nvidia's RTX Spark in Two Laptops and a Mini Desktop at IFA 2026

At IFA 2026 in Berlin, HP announced the HP OmniBook Ultra 16, the HP OmniBook X 14, and the compact HP OmniDesk, all built around Nvidia's RTX Spark. The laptops offer a choice of a 20-core N1X CPU with a 6144-core Blackwell RTX GPU or an 18-core N1X with a 5120-core GPU. Both ship in fall 2026; pricing will be given closer to launch.

13h ago

MAPPA EXPO 15th Anniversary Adds Free Audio Guide Narrated by Kenjiro Tsuda

MAPPA's 15th anniversary exhibition runs September 16 to December 7, 2026 at YURAKUCHO MUSEUM in Yurakucho, Tokyo. A newly recorded audio guide features Kenjiro Tsuda, Rie Ueda, Yui Ishikawa, and Asami Seto, free with an admission ticket and played by scanning a QR code on a smartphone. The English version has no voice actor narration. A 30-second commercial narrated by Tsuda uses footage from Chainsaw Man: Reze Arc, Attack on Titan The Final Season, and Jujutsu Kaisen.

13h ago

Gun Interactive Says Horror Inc. Sued It Over Friday the 13th Royalties

Gun Interactive announced on August 28 that Horror Inc. is suing the developer over royalties from Friday the 13th: The Game. Gun says it has paid more than $18 million and that Horror Inc. approved accounting reports; Horror Inc. wants about $4 million more over accounting methods. Gun argues the 2016 litigation shrank the game's revenue and says it will fight the suit. The complaint was filed in the Central District of California.

13h ago

Bandai Adds HUNTER×HUNTER to HG Gashapon Line in October

Bandai will release HG HUNTER×HUNTER Vol.1 in October 2026, priced at 500 yen per play with tax included. The lineup has four types: Gon, Killua, Kurapika, and Leorio, each about 7.9 cm tall and posed holding equipment such as fishing rods and yo-yos. Sales start sequentially on October 9 at the Gashapon Bandai Official Shop and Gashapon Official Shop @ASAKUSA.

13h ago

Prime 1 Studio Opens Pre-Orders For A 1/3-Scale Elder Predator Statue

Prime 1 Studio's Museum Masterline is producing a 1/3-scale Elder Predator statue from the 1990 film "Predator 2," standing about 94cm tall and weighing roughly 42.74kg. It is priced at 521,290 yen, with a DX version at 556,490 yen that adds wrist blades, a shoulder cannon with a light-up laser sight, and a silver logo plate. Pre-orders run from September 10 to November 10, 2026, ahead of a release planned for January to April 2028.

15h ago

Kujibikido Opens Mob Psycho 100 III Eating Together Online Lottery

KADOKAWA's online lottery service Kujibikido is running the Mob Psycho 100 III Eating Together Online Lottery, with sales starting Thursday, September 17, 2026 at 12:00 and ending Thursday, October 15, 2026 at 11:59. The lottery uses newly drawn illustrations themed around eating together and is tied to the 10th anniversary of the TV anime series. Each draw costs 770 yen including tax, with shipping fees separate, and every draw wins a prize. The S prize is a choose-one BIG fabric wall hanging in five types. Lower tiers include choose-one acrylic panels in five types, acrylic stand figures in five types, acrylic keychains in twelve types, and can badges in twelve types. A repost campaign gives three people a complete twelve-type can badge set. Buyers of the 10-draw set get a random mini bromide, and on October 10, Arataka Reigen's birthday, the same set also includes a birthday-day-only mini bromide.

17h ago

MSI Japan Sets September 17 Retail Launch for Cyborg 15 C13W Gaming Notebook

MSI Computer Japan will release the retail model Cyborg-15-C13WFO-5899JP from its Cyborg 15 C13W gaming notebook line starting September 17, at open price. The machine pairs a Core i7 CPU with an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 Laptop GPU running at up to 70W, and weighs about 1.98 kg. Ports include Wi-Fi 6E, wired LAN, USB3.2 Gen2 Type-C and HDMI, with USB PD charging supported.

19h ago

Bandai Spirits Reissues Three Advance of Z Gunpla Kits on Premium Bandai

Bandai Spirits is reissuing three Gunpla items: the HG 1/144 Hizack Custom (A.O.Z RE-BOOT Ver.) at 3,080 yen, the MG 1/100 MS-14C Gelgoog Cannon (MSV Color), and a Gundam Decal DX 09 set for the ADVANCE OF Z series. Pre-orders open on Premium Bandai at 11:00 on Thursday, September 10, 2026, with the Hizack Custom scheduled to ship in January 2027.

1d ago

iPhone 18 Pro Adds Variable Aperture to 48MP Main Camera

Apple announced the iPhone 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max on September 9. The main camera gains a variable aperture with four steps, from F1.48 to F4, controlled by six laser-cut blades. Pre-orders open September 12, with release on September 18. Japanese pricing starts at 219,800 yen for the 256GB Pro.

1d ago

Flying Carpet Combat Drives Co-Op Action in 1001 Threads of Mizan

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.

1d ago

BT21 Angel Charm Gashapon Returns at Bandai Official Shops

Bandai is re-releasing the BT21 Mejirushi Accessory Angel ver. gashapon, limited to Gashapon Bandai Official Shops. The set is a re-sale of the product released in January 2026. It includes seven angel-themed charms, one for each BT21 character, at 300 yen per pull including tax, with a release planned for the second week of September 2026.

1d ago

Sushi Tomica Line Adds Six Topping Cars with October Release

Takara Tomy has opened Amazon reservations for Tomica Dream Tomica Sushi Tomica Sono Ichi, a set of six sushi-topping cars: ootoro, maguro, tamago, ika, anago, and ebi. Each car comes with a differently patterned sushi plate. The rice body hides a driver's seat, lights, a license plate, and a rice-grain emblem. Price is 909 yen each, release October 24, 2026.

1d ago

ThinkAR's AiLENS V1 Smart Glasses Demoed at SoftBank Booth in Shizuoka

ThinkAR Japan exhibited its AiLENS V1 AI smart glasses at the SoftBank booth on the public day of TECH BEAT Shizuoka 2026, held July 23-25 at Granship in Shizuoka City. The demo centered on real-time translation displayed in the wearer's field of view. The glasses support 76 languages, weigh about 38g, and run up to 10 hours on a charge. SB C&S has sold them in Japan since June 5, 2026.

1d ago

Super Asurada SA-01/C Joins Variable Action Line with New Molds

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.

2d ago

100 Girlfriends Episode 34 Turns Kishika's Introduction into a Kendo Battle Royale

Episode 34 of The 100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really, Really Love You Season 3 completes Kishika's introduction by having her challenge every other girlfriend to a kendo battle royale. The fight is a non-lethal balloon-popping game, but the animation is fluid and fast. Iku loses on purpose, Kusuri goes down despite her references, and Naddy and Yaku nearly win. Hahari then offers Kishika 'nursery nutrients,' and she accepts.

2d ago

Dramatic Capture Series 8th Set Pairs Grimlock and Ratchet

Takara Tomy's Dramatic Capture Series DinoBot Island part 1 is the 8th set in the line, a two-figure package with Grimlock and Ratchet. Both figures transform fully, Grimlock from robot mode to a mechanical Tyrannosaurus and Ratchet from robot mode to an ambulance. The set includes weapons, a sword for Grimlock, and flame effect parts. Preorders open September 9, 2026, at 17,050 yen including tax, with release planned for late February 2027.

2d ago

VTuber Viral Sim Sends Players Back to 2018

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.

2d ago

Super Night Riders S1 Reboots the 2016 Racer With Distance-Based Scoring

miyu.works released Super Night Riders S1 on Steam on September 1, 2026. The checkpoint-style racer, inspired by 1980s arcade games such as Super Hang-On, is a reboot of the studio's 2016 game. Players control Alice, the Red Rider, racing against a time limit where distance matters more than ranking. The game costs 1,200 yen, with a 15 percent launch discount to 1,020 yen until September 15.

2d ago

MS IGLOO Gunpla Sets Return With March 2027 Premium Bandai Orders

Premium Bandai opens reservations September 8 at 11:00 for three Gunpla kits tied to the MS IGLOO OVAs, all shipping in March 2027. The Zaku Ground Combat Set and Ground Combat Gundam Ground Combat Set, both from MS IGLOO 2: Gravity Front, cost 3,080 yen each. The EX Model Hildolfr from MS IGLOO: The Hidden One Year War returns at 8,580 yen.

3d ago

hololive Production Opens 10th Anniversary Countdown Special Site

Cover opened the hololive production 10th anniversary countdown special site on September 7. The site counts down the days and hours until the company's 10th anniversary on September 7, 2027, and features messages from CEO Motoaki Tanigo and talents including Tokino Sora. It also links to the news program hololive Next.

3d ago

Gamera 1996 Gets Two 1/700 Plastic Model Kits From X PLUS

X PLUS is taking pre-orders on Amazon Japan for two 1/700 scale unpainted plastic model kits of Gamera from the 1996 film "Gamera 2: Legion Invasion". The flight version captures the high-mobility form with arms spread like wings, transparent jet nozzle parts, and a display base. The standard version stands about 10cm tall. Both are scheduled to release November 30, 2026.

3d ago

XREAL Opens xbx a01+ Frame Design Contest With Official Accessory Prize

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.

3d ago

Flying Carpet Drives Combat in 1001 Threads of Mizan Preview

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.

5d ago

Grow Up Show: Sunflower Circus Arc Gets Promo Video and Key Visual

The staff of Grow Up Show: Sunflower Circus released a promotional video and key visual for the Circus Collection arc on Saturday. The arc began with the 10th episode on the same day. The anime is set in late 1950s and early 1960s Japan, following the Sunflower Circus troupe.

5d ago

KAMITSUBAKI Singer Isekai Joucho Opens Fan Club 1209Carat.

Virtual singer Isekai Joucho launched her official fan club, 1209Carat., on September 5 and opened membership recruitment. The annual fee is 10,000 yen and the monthly fee is 800 yen. The club offers advance ticket reservations, exclusive videos, galleries, wallpapers, newsletters, and birthday messages. Annual plan members receive a physical membership card and card holder.

5d ago

MAYLA Blouse Inspired by 2B From NieR:Automata Ver1.1a Opens Pre-Order

Fashion brand MAYLA has released a blouse inspired by 2B from the TV anime NieR:Automata Ver1.1a. Available in Cruel Black and Virtuous White, the blouse features ribbons with embroidered YoRHa unit emblems and a chest-inspired cut. Pre-orders run until October 5 at 5:00 PM.

5d ago

Pixel 11 Pro XL Review Makes the Case for Big Screens

An ASCII.jp editor reviewed the Google Pixel 11 Pro XL, praising its 6.8-inch OLED screen for making maps, videos, and text easier to read. The review highlights the Tensor G6 chip, a triple 50-megapixel camera setup, 5115mAh battery, and 226g weight, calling the large-screen comfort unmatched by smaller phones.

5d ago

Cardcaptor Sakura Clear Card Sakura [Seige] Figure Launches

Kotobukiya is releasing a 1/7 scale figure of Sakura Kinomoto from "Cardcaptor Sakura: Clear Card" in her [Seige] costume version. The figure captures flowing ribbons and skirt movement, holds the Dream Wand, and includes Kero-chan beside her. It is priced at 24,200 yen and is scheduled for release in April 2027.

6d ago

Beach Invasion 1944 Free on Epic Games Store Until September 7

AIx2 Games began giving away its WWII coast defense FPS 'Beach Invasion 1944' for free on the Epic Games Store on September 4. The giveaway runs until September 7 at 18:20. Players who add the game to their library during the period keep it permanently. The game supports Japanese display.

6d ago

iPhone 18 Pro Prices May Rise 10 to 20 Percent, TrendForce Says

Apple is expected to announce the iPhone 18 Pro series at a special event on September 9 (September 10 in Japan), and price projections from Taiwan's TrendForce suggest a significant increase over the current models. According to TrendForce's smartphone market research released September 3, the iPhone 18 series could cost 10 to 20 percent more than the previous generation. U.S. outlet MacRumors applied TrendForce's earlier June forecast of a 14 to 18 percent rise to these projections, estimating the iPhone 18 Pro will start at 1,249 to 1,299 dollars, or roughly 220,000 to 230,000 yen in Japan, while the iPhone 18 Pro Max could start at 1,349 to 1,399 dollars, about 230,000 to 250,000 yen. That would mark an increase of roughly 25,000 to 35,000 yen over the current iPhone 17 Pro, which starts at 1,099 dollars (194,800 yen in Japan), and the iPhone 17 Pro Max at 1,199 dollars (214,800 yen in Japan). TrendForce attributes the higher prices mainly to surging memory costs, which it says could rise nearly 400 percent year over year for the 256GB Pro model in the third quarter of 2026. Total component costs for that model are seen climbing about 38 percent year over year.

6d ago

Aoshima Adds Tiger-Color Kawasaki Z1A and Honda Gorilla Kits to The Bike Line

Aoshima Bunka Kyozai-sha is adding two kits to its 1/12 scale The Bike plastic model series, both due in January 2027. The Kawasaki Z1A 900 SUPER4 '74 reproduces the 1974 export model in tiger color, with rubber tires, vinyl pipes, and metal screws. The Honda Z50J Gorilla '78 recreates the 1978 catalog specification of the long-running Monkey derivative. Prices are 3,520 yen and 1,540 yen, excluding tax.

6d ago

Suou Patra Bunny Ver. 1/6 Figure Now Available for Pre-Order at AmiAmi

AmiAmi has opened pre-orders for the Suou Patra Bunny ver. 1/6 Scale Complete Figure from Furyu's F:NEX brand. The figure is priced at 24,750 yen including tax and is scheduled for a June 2027 release. It stands roughly 300mm tall including the bunny ears. The sculpt was supervised by Suou Patra herself and carries her signature heart-motif bunny ears and a tray of imitation crab.

6d ago

LOST10 Adds Yuki Saito and Kenji Iwaya as Two Cast Slots Remain

TBS's Friday drama LOST10 has added Yuki Saito and Kenji Iwaya to its cast, bringing the announced roster to eight. Saito plays Harune, a family member of a missing mountain tour participant. Iwaya plays Awashima, a police chief and the boss of Ryusei Yokohama's detective. The final two cast members will be revealed on September 11. The show starts in October.

6d ago

Aoshima Re-Releases 1/24 DeLorean DMC-12 Plastic Model Kit

Aoshima is re-releasing the DeLorean DMC-12 as a 1/24 scale plastic model kit in its The Supercar series. Pre-orders are open at AmiAmi and AmiAmi's Yahoo! store at 4,110 yen, against a reference price of 5,720 yen. The kit is scheduled for September 2026 and includes opening gull-wing doors, a reproduced engine, and decals.

6d ago

ATS MODELS Puts the SUBARU IMPREZA WRX (GC8) in 1/64 Scale

ATS MODELS is taking pre-orders on Amazon.co.jp for a 1/64 scale SUBARU IMPREZA WRX (GC8) 1997 model in black and white. Each finished product sells for 6,930 yen including tax and is scheduled to ship on January 31, 2027. The model reproduces the flared body, hood air intake, sport wheels, and large rear wing of the 1990s rally car, with a hood that opens to reveal the EJ20 engine. A display base and clear case are included.

6d ago

MG Mass Production Hyaku Shiki Kai and Heavy Gundam Return to Premium Bandai

Bandai Spirits is re-releasing two Master Grade kits from the MSV line through Premium Bandai. The MG 1/100 Mass Production Hyaku Shiki Kai and the MG 1/100 FA-78-2 Heavy Gundam open for pre-order on September 4, 2026 at 11:00. The Hyaku Shiki Kai is priced at 6,490 yen and ships in February 2027, while the Heavy Gundam is 5,390 yen and ships in March 2027.

Sep 3

Comedian Seiya to Guest Star in Ranma 1/2 Season 3

The staff for the third season of the new Ranma 1/2 anime announced that Seiya of comedy duo Shimofuri Myojo will guest star in an unannounced role and serve as promotional ambassador. The season premieres on NTV on October 3 and streams on Netflix. An advanced screening will be held that day with three voice actors.

Sep 3

Dragon Quest Weapons Collection Vol. 1 Launches on Square Enix E-Store

Square Enix released Dragon Quest Weapons Collection Vol. 1 on the Square Enix e-Store on September 4. The figure set reproduces Dragon Quest series weapons at 1/12 scale and includes six types: Sword of Roto, Shield of Roto, Club, Edged Boomerang, Dragon Killer, and Mirror Shield. Each purchase contains one randomly selected type, and a box set of six units is also available.

Sep 3

Hasegawa Re-Releases Three 1/72 VF-1J Battroid Kits

Hasegawa will re-release three 1/72 scale VF-1J Battroid plastic model kits between November and December 2026. The lineup includes the Armored Valkyrie, the Armored Valkyrie "Operation Bulls-Eye Part 2," and the Super Battroid Valkyrie "Milia." Each kit features Hideki Tenjin package art and specific decals.

Sep 3

Stick Figure Mini-Game Bundle 1+2 & Extreme Hits Switch 2 on December 3

D3 Publisher announced the Switch 2 release of "Those Games You've Seen Somewhere, Made with Stick Figures-Can You Clear Them? 1+2 & Extreme" for December 3, 2026. The bundle combines three mini-game collections previously available on PC, PS5, Switch, and PS4, totaling 16 game types and 655 stages. It costs 2,980 yen for both package and download versions.

Sep 3

ROBOT魂 MSM-10 Zock ver. A.N.I.M.E. Announced With LED Mono-Eye

Bandai Spirits announced the ROBOT魂 MSM-10 Zock ver. A.N.I.M.E. figure, the final Mobile Suit Gundam mobile suit to join the line. It features a large scale, a mono-eye with LED light-up gimmicks, and movable iron nails. Pre-orders open September 4, 2026, with shipping scheduled for March 2027.

Sep 2

KADOKAWA Releases Amagami Konomi's First Middle School English Study Book

KADOKAWA released "Learn with Amagami Konomi and Suki! Middle School English Words & Phrases 1800" on September 1. It is the first study reference book by Amagami Konomi, a self-produced VTuber with over 840,000 YouTube subscribers, supervised by Kawai Juku English teacher Yuma Moriya. The 224-page volume covers middle school vocabulary, phrases, and conversation expressions, with fill-in-the-blank dialogues and a red sheet to hide answers.

Sep 2

The Long Summer of August 31st Gets TV Anime and Drama Adaptations

The manga The Long Summer of August 31st will receive both a TV anime and a TV drama adaptation. Shaft, known for Puella Magi Madoka Magica and the Monogatari series, handles the anime's animation production. The manga by Itou Hitokado has run in Kodansha's Morning since March 2023 and reached volume 13 as of August 2026.

Sep 2

Fate/stay night 1/12 Heroic Spirit Armament Record Vol.1 Ships in September

Toys Cabin will release Fate/stay night 1/12 Heroic Spirit Armament Record Vol.1 in September 2026. The line reproduces weapons from popular Fate/stay night servants at 1/12 scale, including the iconic Excalibur and Gae Bolg. Four weapon types ship with dedicated display bases. Each draw costs 500 yen including tax.

Sep 2

D1AL-ogue+ Dev Diary Reveals Orca Repair Animation and Frey Plushie

The August dev diary for D1AL-ogue+ is out. Orca's repair animation is complete, Michelle gets an animation for new content, a new SNS feature joins the news and community functions, and the series' first merchandise, a Frey plushie by Good Smile Company, is up for preorder until October 7. The diary does not mention the crowdfunding the developer had planned.

Sep 2

Metal Armor Dragonar 40th Anniversary Brings HI-METAL R Dragonar 1 With Cavalier 0

Bandai Spirits opens pre-orders on September 1 for the HI-METAL R Dragonar 1 & Cavalier 0 set, a 40th anniversary release for Metal Armor Dragonar. The Dragonar 1 uses a new outer sculpt, and the set bundles the large Cavalier 0 option parts, a hybrid shield, laser swords, and a dedicated base. It costs 29,700 yen and ships in February 2027.

Sep 2

Macross 45th Anniversary Line Adds VF-1S Roy Focker Special with Super Pack

Bandai Spirits has announced the Origin of Valkyrie VF-1S Valkyrie Roy Focker Special + Super Pack Set 45th Anniv. Preorders open September 1 at general retail, with release planned for March 2027 at 19,800 yen. It is the second entry in the revived line, following the VF-1J Valkyrie 45th Anniv. that began preorders August 3.

Sep 2

Threezero Opens Reservations for Rusted Fallout T-60 Power Armor Figure

Threezero has opened reservations on Amazon Japan for a new 1/6 scale T-60 Last Power Armor figure from the Fallout game series. The figure features a rusted, weathered paint finish, an articulated inner skeleton, swappable magnetic armor parts, and an LED-lit helmet. It is priced at 86,900 yen and scheduled for release on December 31, 2026.

Sep 2

Karkeshi GP Gashapon Series Returns With NISSAN and MAZDA Selections

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.