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57m ago
Kotobukiya has introduced OSHI WORKS Mini, a new chibi figure line designed as a sister brand to its OSHI WORKS series, with a focus on affordable pricing and a global lineup. The first wave includes two versions of Maomao from The Apothecary Diaries, one in her everyday clothes and one in her garden party outfit, as well as the protagonist from Persona 3 Reload and Joker from Persona 5 Royal. Each figure is about 100 millimeters tall, priced at 1,980 yen including tax, and scheduled for release in February 2027. The figures feature a neck ball joint so collectors can adjust the face direction. They come with no accessories, which the sources say maximizes focus on sculpting and painting. The base and package sizes are uniform across the line, allowing figures to be displayed together neatly. Pre-orders for the first wave opened on August 25, 2026, across retailers including Amazon and Rakuten, as listed in one of the articles.
1h ago
The Pokemon Card Game is marking its 30th anniversary with the "30th CELEBRATION" expansion pack, and multiple retailers are running lottery sales. Suruga-ya's online store is accepting applications from August 20 at 20:00 until September 6. Entrants must follow the official X account @surugaya_toreka and repost the target post, then enter their X account ID on the lottery page. Winners are announced September 7, with payment due September 7 to September 11. Amazon is also running a lottery via an invitation request system, where the purchase button becomes "Request Invitation." Amazon offers 1 BOX, which contains 20 packs of 6 cards each, at 7,216 yen. The set includes "Mew ex" and "Mewtwo ex" with the new "FUR" rarity, plus 30 shiny Pikachu cards by 30 different illustrators. Pokemon Center Online has added the "30th CELEBRATION FUTURISTIC BOX" to its additional lottery plans, alongside the previously listed "30th CELEBRATION" and the "Premium Deck Set Espeon & Umbreon." The FUTURISTIC BOX includes two Pikachu ex Premium Holo cards with the FUR rarity, a Pokemon Coin, deck shields, a flip deck case, and a rubber play mat.
2h ago
At the gamescom Opening Night Live 2026 broadcast on August 26, 4A Games revealed a new gameplay trailer for METRO 2039, the next entry in the survival horror FPS series based on the novels by Dmitry Glukhovsky. Executive Producer Jon Bloch and Co-Creative Director and Audio Lead Pavel Ulmer appeared on stage. The footage showed combat against mutants and humans, along with the series' familiar weapon customization system. The game is set in the post-nuclear-war Moscow metro, the origin point of the series, six years after the events of METRO 2033. The story follows Stranger, a former Spartan recluse who returns to the underground, and is the first fully voiced protagonist in the mainline series. The setting features a new fascist faction called the Novo Reich, led by the former hero Hunter. METRO 2039 is scheduled for release in February 2027 for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S.
2h ago
CD PROJEKT RED announced The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt REMASTERS during the gamescom Opening Night Live 2026 broadcast on August 26, 2026. The remastered version of the 2015 open-world RPG arrives with visual upgrades, combat overhauls, improved mount controls, a revamped skill tree, and an expanded photo mode. Owners of the original game will receive the upgrade for free starting September 29, 2026. The two previously released expansions, Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine, will also be provided free of charge. The remaster is scheduled for release on PC via Steam, Epic Games Store, and GOG, as well as PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch 2. Alongside the remaster, the studio showed new footage of the upcoming expansion DLC, titled Songs of the Past in some reports and Memories of Melody in others. The trailer depicts Geralt facing a new threat, using a chain wrapped around his arm as a weapon. The DLC is planned for a 2027 release and is described as Geralt's final journey.
3h ago
CD PROJEKT RED revealed gameplay footage for the new Witcher 3: Wild Hunt DLC "Songs of the Past" during "REDstreams: On the Go! gamescom 2026" on August 26. The stream confirmed that players can pet dogs, a detail the official The Witcher X account highlighted in a screenshot, tagging the account "Can You Pet the Dog?" The DLC is scheduled for release in 2027 as a paid expansion for PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch 2, with wishlisting currently available. In the expansion, Geralt travels to the new region Retten, an idyllic region hiding dark secrets, reunites with old friends, and faces an evil entity. New abilities and a new weapon called the chain are introduced. The DLC also incorporates improvements from The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Remaster, which releases on September 29, covering gameplay, graphics, performance, and character progression. Development is a joint effort with Fool's Theory, a studio founded by former Witcher 3 developers. The story centers on Dandelion, who goes missing again, leading Geralt to investigate his hometown of Letten, where he meets potential romance candidate Rila.
4h ago
Q-Games announced PixelJunk Monsters 3 on August 27, 2026, during the Future Game Show at Gamescom 2026. The game is a new numbered entry in the tower defense series that began with the 2007 PS3 original and has sold over one million copies across platforms including PSP, PS Vita, Nintendo Switch, and PC. PixelJunk Monsters 3 returns to the hand-drawn art style of the original, now rendered in 4K resolution. It keeps the series' signature gameplay, where players control the forest guardian Tikiman, run around the field, build towers while dancing, and defend the base from waves of monsters. New to this installment are roguelike elements, which the developer says add strategic depth and replayability. The game also introduces new towers, enemies, and boss battles, and supports online and local co-op for up to two players. A free playtest runs from September 4 at 10:00 AM to September 9 at 10:00 AM, open only to members of the official Q-Games Discord server QGamesForever. The playtest is for the PC version, and the game is scheduled for release on Steam with no release date yet announced. The announcement trailer was shown at the Future Game Show at Gamescom 2026.
5h ago
Den Fami will broadcast gamescom 2026 Opening Night Live with simultaneous Japanese interpretation. The stream starts at 3:00 a.m. Japan time on August 26 on the Den Fami YouTube channel and the Den Fami X account. The interpreter is J-mon. Opening Night Live opens gamescom 2026, held in Cologne, Germany, one of the world's largest gaming events. The show is expected to include new footage of Final Fantasy VII Revelation and SILENT HILL: Townfall, plus the latest information on the Witcher 3: Wild Hunt expansion pack Songs of the Past. gamescom 2026 features over 1,600 exhibitors and 47 country pavilions representing 40 countries, a record. A pre-show starts at 2:30 a.m. the same day. GAME Watch also summarized announcements from the show, including HoYoverse's new co-op action title Nodus Fall, open-world RPG Infinite Ananta releasing January 15, 2027, and Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Tactics, a turn-based single-player strategy game. Den Fami will also air Future Games Show: at gamescom with interpretation at 2:00 a.m. on August 27.
1d ago
D3 Publisher announced on August 25 that Earth Defense Force 6.2 INVADERS FROM ANOTHER WORLD, a powered-up version of Earth Defense Force 6, will launch for PlayStation 5 in 2027. The price is undecided. The game is a major renewal of the 2022 title, modified to take advantage of PS5 specifications with visual evolution and new elements. The number of enemies has been increased to approximately double that of the original at maximum, which sources describe as the largest swarm in series history. More than half of the existing missions have been renewed, and enemies that previously appeared only in Earth Defense Force 6's additional DLC will now appear in the main game. A weapon customization system has been added, allowing players to obtain enhancement devices from item boxes dropped by defeated enemies, such as custom bullets that add a burning effect to assault rifles or rocket rounds with a freezing effect. A new species of giant mushroom-shaped enemies has also been revealed, with mushroom towns serving as stages. The game will be playable at the D3 Publisher booth at Tokyo Game Show 2026, held from September 17 to 21 at Makuhari Messe, where part of the weapon customization experience will be available.
6d ago
The third Xross Stars Challengers Cup 2026#03 OSAKA was held August 8-9 at OMM Exhibition Hall, the first Osaka stop among official events. Over 2,000 people entered the Booster Pack 4 "Grand Resonance" environment tournament. "Zekemi" won the championship, receiving a CHAMPION-spec foil-stamped playmat and the limited PR card "All-Star Combo." The event also announced Booster Pack 5 "Ignition Vortex," scheduled for release on October 30, 2026.
6d ago
BANDAI SPIRITS releases the 30MS Shielder/Mash Kyrielight [Paladin] kit starting August 22. The Fate/Grand Order character joins the 30 MINUTES SISTERS brand, featuring three tampo-printed face parts, hand parts, Mash's shield, and a sticker. The shield can recreate the Noble Phantasm deployment state. The kit is priced at 5,060 yen including tax.
6d ago
At the 15th 30 MINUTES LABEL New Product Presentation streamed on August 21, 2026, BANDAI SPIRITS announced new 30 MINUTES MISSIONS plastic model kits. Reveals included Spinatia (Beast Spec), Altrefine, Iglite (High Mobility Type), Option Parts Set 25, Tech Proto Elite (Base Defense Spec), and an ARMORED CORE VI FIRES OF RUBICON Dual Nature kit plus Weapon Set 09, with releases spanning January to March 2027.
6d ago
Bandai Spirits streamed the 15th 30 Minutes Label New Product Presentation on August 21, 2026, unveiling new 30 Minutes Fantasy kits. The lineup includes the Class Up Armor (Savage Hunter), the second Class V Dark Nebiru Ark Knight, the Necros Mephist starter set, and a general-purpose tetoron seal set. A collaboration with Monster Hunter Wilds brings Rathalos and Arkveld equipment into the 30MF format, with both sets scheduled for March 2027.
6d ago
Megan Fox stars in The HouseMAID <Submission>, an AI housekeeper thriller set for a Japanese release on October 23. The film follows Alice, a female-type AI robot purchased to care for two children and handle housework, who develops a sexual relationship with her owner Nick and later gains self-awareness. It is the first Megan Fox film to receive an R18+ rating from Japan's classification board. Victor Hadida, known for Resident Evil and Silent Hill, produces. Michele Morrone from 365 Days co-stars.
6d ago
D3 Publisher announced on August 21 that the D3P WEB SHOP store bonus DLC for Earth Defense Force 5 for Nintendo Switch 2 will include the special weapon "Digiboku EDF Decoy," usable by Ranger and Air Raider. The decoy projects digital EDF soldiers to protect the player. The game releases October 8, 2026, at 3,980 yen for both physical and download versions. A D3P WEB SHOP Limited Pack with an acrylic diorama sells for 6,480 yen.
6d ago
Gatebox announced on August 20 that Zundamon will appear on the character summoning display Gatebox3. Download cards and a collaboration model go on sale in September. Gatebox3 is under development for general release in 2027. Zundamon will link with generative AI to respond to user conversations.
6d ago
TITAN CONTENT has released a free web rhythm game to commemorate AtHeart's second single "3!4!" from the 'TIME TRAVEL PROJECT'. Players select a favorite member and play along while the music video plays in sync in the background. The game requires no app installation, adopts a rhythm action style inspired by "Pump It Up," and generates shareable score cards for social media. TITAN CONTENT handled planning, development, and release entirely in-house through its AX organization.
6d ago
As summer sales wind down, GAME Watch rounds up deals across the Nintendo eShop, PS Store, and Steam. Featured titles include "Little Nightmares 3," "Capcom Belt Action Collection," "KINGDOM HEARTS III" at 60% off, "Like a Dragon 8" at 75% off, and more, with most discounts ending by late August.
6d ago
Nijisanji and the creator group Daiyonkyokai released the first installment of their collaboration ARG "PARALLEL CASE: 2434" on August 21, 2026. Titled "CASE 01: Mashiro's Record," the mystery game follows three members of the Nijisanji Ruins Exploration Club, Mashiro, Kazune Kurusu, and Sister Claire, as they investigate a haunted abandoned apartment complex called Kasumino-so. The story unfolds through a dedicated SNS, videos, audio, and real websites, with the investigation split into two episodes. EPISODE 01 is free for anyone to play. EPISODE 02 reveals deeper truths and requires purchasing the physical item "Mashiro's Ruins Exploration Pouch," priced at 5,000 yen including tax, which contains investigation materials, on-site photos, and a charm. The pouch is available at the Nijisanji Official Store and the Daiyonkyokai Online Shop. Additional merchandise includes exploration sets for each of the three livers, clear files, and an acrylic panel. The project is described as separate from Daiyonkyokai's previous works, depicting new stories that cycle through the seasons.
6d ago
Bandai Spirits will release Ichiban Kuji Splatoon 3 Volume 3 from August 22, 2026, at Seven-Eleven, Ito Yokado, Nintendo TOKYO/OSAKA/KYOTO/FUKUOKA, and other stores. The lottery's A-Prize is a Splat Shooter light that projects an ink-shaped beam, while the B-Prize is a 50cm Squid Bunker plush. The Last One Prize is a Smallfry donburi bowl, and a Double Chance Campaign offers an 80cm Big Squid Bunker.
6d ago
Forever Entertainment is running a free weekend for Front Mission 3: Remake on Steam, allowing players to try the full game at no cost from August 21 at 2:00 AM until August 25 at 2:00 AM. During the same period, the full version is available at 50% off, dropping from 3,900 yen to 1,950 yen, with the sale continuing until September 4. The game is a complete remake of the 1999 PlayStation classic, set in the year 2112, where humanoid mobile weapons called Wanzers dominate warfare. Players follow test pilot Kazuki Takemura and his best friend Ryogo as a routine cargo transport mission escalates into a conspiracy involving the secret weapon MIDAS. The story branches into two routes based on an early choice, one centered on Kazuki's sister Alisa and another on scientist Emir Kramskoi. The remake refreshes graphics, animations, sound, and UI, adds a Wanzer camouflage customization feature, and introduces a new Quick Combat mode for faster battles. The game is also available on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Switch, PS4, and Xbox One.
Aug 20
System 3 announced James Pond Legacy: The Pond Is Not Enough for Switch 2, launching October 2026. The collection includes four James Pond games across 12 versions from Amiga 500, Sega Mega Drive/Genesis, SNES, and Commodore 64, with modern features and a series history hub.
Aug 20
BANDAI SPIRITS Hobby Division has released silhouettes and some runners for upcoming 30MS, 30MM, and 30MF products, including a THE iDOLM@STER SHINE COLORS kit. Full details will be revealed at the 15th 30 MINUTES LABEL New Product Presentation, streaming August 21 at 18:00 on YouTube.
Aug 19
AtHeart released the second single '3!4!' from the TIME TRAVEL PROJECT on August 19. The song is a remake of Roo'Ra's 1996 hit, with original author Lee Hyun-do participating in the arrangement. The track reinterprets the original's new jack swing base with electric piano and guitar arpeggios. A music video featuring the group in Y2K style also debuted.
Aug 19
NACON announced Hunting Simulator 3 will launch October 29 on PC via Steam, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S. The open-world hunting game is set in Colorado and Texas, supports solo and up to 4-player online co-op, and includes dozens of animal species. Its SimFauna system simulates wildlife ecosystems with aging, breeding, and pack hierarchy changes.
Aug 19
The anime film Mononoke the Movie: Chapter 3, The Serpent God, which opened in Japanese theaters in May 2026, will be exclusively streamed worldwide on Netflix starting Tuesday, September 29. This installment is the concluding chapter of a new theatrical trilogy based on the 2007 TV anime Mononoke, which itself originated from the Bakeneko arc of Ayakashi: Samurai Horror Tales. The trilogy is set in the Ooku, the inner chambers of the shogun's palace, and follows the Medicine Seller, voiced by Hiroshi Kamiya, as he exorcises vengeful spirits. Each chapter shifts perspective to a woman of higher status: a new maid in Chapter 1, The Phantom Rain; an elite senior maid in Chapter 2, The Fire Rat; and the Midaidokoro, the highest-ranking woman, in Chapter 3. The third film centers on Sachiko, voiced by Atsumi Tanezaki, whose newborn son dies, triggering a conspiracy tied to the Ooku's founding 150 years earlier. The theme song is No Epilogue by Aina The End. Chapters 1 and 2 are already streaming on Netflix, so the full trilogy will be available at once.
Aug 19
Maruka's Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck 3-in-1 Model kits are now available for pre-order on Amazon.co.jp. The Mickey kit releases August 25, 2026, and the Donald kit releases October 31, 2026. Both are 30cm assembly plastic models with three interchangeable face types and light-up eyes.
Aug 19
MediaOCD announced a new round of Discotek titles for pre-order in August, including Kyo Kara Maoh!, Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha, Kashimashi, City Hunter 3, GTO, and Lupin III: The Castle of Cagliostro in a steelbook edition. The company adds 20-30 Discotek titles monthly, prioritizing hard-to-find releases.
Aug 18
Screaming Mad George, the special effects artist and director of the 1991 live-action The Guyver film, died on February 10 at age 69. His manager announced the news on Monday. He was known for effects work on Predator, Big Trouble in Little China, and the Nightmare on Elm Street sequels, and collaborated often with director Brian Yuzna.
Aug 18
NHK will air a special program on August 30, 2026, in which singer Ado discusses her life from childhood to the present, including her struggles with self-denial and her time in a closet. Virtual singer Hatsune Miku provides narration. Ado said she hopes her story reaches someone's heart.
Aug 18
Alibaba released the open model Qwen3.8 27B on August 15. Third-party analysis from Artificial Analysis on August 17 gives it an Intelligence Index of 52, tying GPT-5.6 Luna, and an Agentic Index of 51, surpassing GPT-5.6 Terra and Claude Opus 4.8. The model runs locally.
Aug 18
2K and Hangar 13 released The Man of Honor, the expansion for Mafia: The Old Country, on August 15. The DLC depicts Don Salieri's origins in 1905 Sicily. The four-game bundle Mafia: The Silent Oath Collection is discounted to about 6,500 yen on each platform until late August.
Aug 18
Bandai announced the FW GUNDAM CONVERGE CORE Gundam DX 30th Set candy toy on the Bandai Candy Staff Blog. Reservations open August 18 at 13:00 via Premium Bandai. The set adds the G-Falcon and armaments to the Gundam DX figure, with new sculpting and coloring. It ships in January 2027 for 4,950 yen.
Aug 18
Koei Tecmo Games announced on August 18 that it will release an update today to coincide with the first DLC, Keian Jigokuhen, for the dark Sengoku action RPG Nioh 3. The DLC, scheduled for release on August 19, depicts a new scenario set in a future Edo, specifically the year 1651 during the Keian era, after the protagonist Tokugawa Takechiyo has become shogun. This era is marked by the Keian Incident, commonly known as the Yui Shosetsu Rebellion. The story features cooperation with the one-eyed swordsman Yagyu Jubei and the España (Spain) envoy Rodrigo, who is modeled on a real person who visited Japan in the early Edo period. Players will pursue a suspicious Spanish woman collecting the shining stone Amrita. The DLC adds new weapon types, Hoko Tate and Shinobi Hoko Tate, which offer an offense-defense style of combat, as well as a new element called Hyakkyo Hyakkai Emaki, an auto-generated challenge mission system that creates hundreds of millions of battle variations. The update also brings major buffs to almost all existing weapons for both Samurai and Ninja styles, and adds convenient features such as sending multiple items to the storehouse at once and a camera distance setting that allows for a closer, more immersive battle angle.
Aug 18
The Pokemon Company has revealed the Pikachu cards included in the Pokemon Card Game expansion pack 30th CELEBRATION, which commemorates the trading card game's 30th anniversary. The reveal includes two new Pikachu ex cards, each with illustrations themed around morning and night and different effects. Both cards also have SAR versions, and their artwork shows various Pokemon marching with Pikachu at the lead. The pack contains 30 holographic Pikachu cards drawn by 30 different illustrators for the anniversary, and 19 of those illustrations have been shown so far. Every pack will always contain one Pikachu card. The 30th CELEBRATION expansion pack is scheduled for release on September 16, 2026, priced at 360 yen including tax, with 6 holographic cards per pack. The pack also includes the new FUR rarity cards Mew ex and Mewtwo ex, according to a separate report on the Yamada Denki lottery sale.
Aug 17
Bandai Spirits revealed the full lineup for Ichiban Kuji Splatoon 3 Third Wave, a no-loser prize lottery themed on the Nintendo shooter. Prizes include an ink-shooting Splattershot light, a 50cm Inkling cushion, a Gachi Hoko tote bag, a Salmon Run gold egg laundry net, and more. The lottery launches August 22, 2026, at 750 yen per draw.
Aug 17
ASCII.jp's gadget series highlights Gatebox3, a third-generation device that houses a virtual character in a transparent box. The latest model shifts from standalone operation to an external monitor method, displaying PC video input in 3D. It accepts user-prepared models, allowing customization of appearance, personality, and voice. Crowdfunding is currently open on Makuake.
Aug 17
Mazda released a teaser video on August 15, 2026, for the MAZDA RX-VISION GT3 EVO, an evolution of the RX-VISION GT3 CONCEPT racing car in the Gran Turismo series. The car was first shown at the Gran Turismo World Series 2026 Round 2 Tokyo event. It is scheduled to appear in Gran Turismo 7 within 2026.
Aug 17
Dwango announced on August 17 that it will live-stream gamescom Opening Night Live 2026 with Japanese interpretation subtitles on Niconico Live. The stream is scheduled for August 26 from 3:00 AM to 5:00 AM Japan time, ahead of gamescom 2026, which runs from August 26 to 31 in Cologne, Germany. The event will feature trailers for SILENT HILL: Townfall and FF7 Revelation, plus new information and gameplay footage for The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt - Songs of the Past expansion. gamescom 2026 is the largest edition ever, with all exhibition floors sold out for the first time in the event's history. Exhibitors include Nintendo, Bandai Namco Entertainment, Capcom, Sega, Konami Digital Entertainment, Xbox, and EA. Niconico Live will provide real-time subtitles for the broadcast, which is hosted by Geoff Keighley and Eefje "sjokz" Depoortere. The viewing URL is https://live.nicovideo.jp/watch/lv351102382.
Aug 16
Game streamer shu3 opened the Steam store page for his new game Death Game Report on August 16. The game tasks players with restoring records from a death game on a deserted island, identifying each victim's cause of death, weapon, and culprit. It is slated for release on September 1 at 500 yen, with a playtime of four to five hours.
Aug 15
At CEDEC 2026, Capcom programmer Mitsuhiko Inaba presented the battle AI system for Monster Hunter Stories 3. The system uses a two-layer structure where machine learning selects an action category, and traditional methods pick a specific skill. This approach lets planners adjust character behavior intuitively without complex conditions, and a shared base model enables efficient production across characters.
Aug 15
Chinese AI developer MiniMax released the music generation AI MiniMax-Music3 on August 14, 2026. The model generates songs with vocals from text prompts, supports Japanese vocals, and can produce tracks up to five minutes long. It is free to use and can run locally, with a demo app available on Hugging Face.
Aug 15
Embracer Group's Q1 FY2026/27 report places the next Kingdom Come title, Darksiders 4, and Tomb Raider: Catalyst in FY2027/28, spanning April 2027 to March 2028. The Middle-earth RPG from Warhorse Studios is not listed for that window. Metro 2039 hit 1 million wishlists faster than any prior Embracer title.
Aug 15
At Anime Expo, Thunder 3 director Hiroyuki Seshita and scriptwriter Hiroshi Seko discussed the anime's intentional mix of art styles, their love of cliffhangers, and the inspiration behind the series. Seshita emphasized the strength of Japanese comic art, while Seko cited The Goonies as his entry into the industry.
Aug 14
Atlantis Models is re-releasing two vintage plastic model kits originally from the former Aurora Company: the 1/125 U.S. Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker and the 1/48 WW.II German Army Panzer V Panther. Both kits are scheduled for import and sale by Platz in October and November 2026.
Aug 14
Nintendo announced on August 14 that a new weapon, the PET Shooter Replica, will be added to Splatoon 3 for the Nintendo Switch. The weapon reproduces the PET Shooter that appears in the spin-off title Splatoon Raiders. Its performance matches the Splattershot Collab, with the Splat Bomb as the sub weapon and Triple Tornado as the special weapon. The PET Shooter Replica is scheduled to be implemented ahead of the Summer Nights festival, which runs from August 22 to August 24. To obtain it, players must apply a future update and have save data that has cleared the main story of Splatoon Raiders. The weapon is not tied to the festival, so players who meet the save data condition can receive it from the lobby terminal at any time after implementation. The announcement also noted that gear distributed during past Summer Nights events remains available through the in-game news feature, the Squid Research Lab, by launching Splatoon 3 from the relevant news articles.
Aug 14
Chinese AI startup DeepSeek has released its latest AI model, DeepSeek V4 Pro 0813, without a formal announcement. The release was first noticed on social media and message boards, where users and tech commentators highlighted the model's performance and cost efficiency. According to the open-source AI coding agent Cline, the model scores 15.8 percent higher on Terminal Bench, a benchmark that evaluates how accurately AI can execute real system operations and development tasks on a Linux terminal, compared to the April preview model. Cline also noted that DeepSeek V4 Pro 0813 runs at roughly one fifty-seventh the cost of Claude Fable 5 while delivering comparable performance. The model has 1.6 trillion parameters, 49 billion active parameters, and a 1 million token context window. Tech writer @ChrisGPT reported benchmark improvements across Terminal Bench 2.1, CyberGym, and DeepSWE, with scores rising from 72.1 to 87.9 percent, 52.7 to 83.3 percent, and 12.8 to 62.7 percent respectively. Pricing is set at 0.435 dollars per million input tokens and 0.87 dollars per million output tokens, with a discounted cache-hit input rate of 0.003625 dollars.
Aug 14
Anime News Network rates Thunder 3 episode 6 at 2.8, criticizing the continued sidelining of the main characters, The Small Three, and the flat, emotionless portrayal of the real-world cast. The review calls the fight sequence boring and the pacing glacial, with the only saving grace being the opening scene featuring Futaba and her new friend Q-chan.
Aug 14
To mark 60 years since the Japanese broadcast of the special effects puppet drama Thunderbirds, a 3D model of Thunderbird 3 has been placed in the VRChat world Lumarnity, an official lunar smart community operated by JGC Global. The model, created by V Inc., appeared on August 12, 2026. Thunderbird 3 is the rocket used for space rescue operations and supplying Thunderbird 5. In the world, visitors can view the giant rocket up close, take commemorative photos with their avatars, and press a button labeled THUNDERBIRDS ARE GO! to launch it into space. The installation is limited-time, according to an in-world panel. The world is accessible on PCVR and PC desktop mode, but not on Meta Quest standalone. The 60th anniversary initiative by Tohokushinsha includes key visuals, new products, digital expansion, and a September 30 screening and talk show for Thunderbirds Day. Lumarnity, released in October 2023, has received the Best Industry Metaverse / Real Space Metaverse Award at the JAPAN Metaverse Awards 2025.
Aug 13
The manga adaptation of Kisetsu Morita's I've Been Killing Slimes for 300 Years and Maxed Out My Level light novel will conclude with its 19th compiled volume, as revealed in the 18th volume released on Monday. Yusuke Shiba illustrates the manga, which has run on Square Enix's Gangan Online website since June 2017. The 18th volume shipped on Monday, and the 19th will be the final one. The light novel series, which Morita self-published on the Shosetsuka ni Naro website in June 2016 before SB Creative picked it up for print under its GA Novel imprint, is also ending. The 30th and final novel volume shipped on June 15, and Anime Corner reports it will conclude this October. The franchise has inspired a television anime: the first season premiered in April 2021, and the second in April 2025. Crunchyroll streamed both seasons, including an English dub for the first. The novel series ranked at #9 in the 2019 edition of the Kono Light Novel ga Sugoi! guidebook. Yen Press publishes the light novel and manga in English.
Aug 13
Bandai Spirits will hold a lottery sale for the METAL ROBOT魂 <SIDE MS> Destiny Gundam SpecII Final Battle Ver. figure on Premium Bandai starting August 24, 2026 at 12:00. The figure commemorates TAMASHII NATION 2026 and is priced at 25,300 yen including tax, with shipping scheduled for November 11, 2026. The coloring is based on the final battle scene from the film Mobile Suit Gundam SEED FREEDOM, with the elbow and knee joints appearing to glow red through plating applied to die-cast parts. The main body's exterior parts have a reddish tint to reflect that glow. The set includes Wings of Light effect parts, a high-energy beam rifle, a prototype 35-type modified railgun, a shield, beam shield effect parts, an Arondight beam sword, beam boomerang effect parts, and a dedicated stand. The figure stands about 140mm tall with a wingspan of about 400mm. Applications are limited to one per person and are open to CLUB TAMASHII MEMBERS Sky Stage or higher. The product is handled via lottery, not first-come, first-served.