Ado is an active singer who has contributed theme songs to two upcoming anime projects and performed a live stream of Rhythm Heaven Miracle Stars that drew over 1 million views.
Ado's recent activity centers on two major anime collaborations. She is performing the opening theme song "Shinka" for the anime adaptation of Reki Kawahara's light novel series Demons Crest, which will stream exclusively on Prime Video starting November 6, 2026. The song was written by Vocaloid producer Yuri Kanon. The series is based on the novel that began publication under Dengeki Bunko in 2022 and follows a child trapped in a mixed-reality death game. Production I.G handles animation production.
Ado also participated in the Nintendo Switch game Rhythm Heaven Miracle Stars, which launched on July 2, 2026. Tsunku, the composer and producer behind the Rhythm Heaven series, thanked Ado and Yui Sakurai for participating, attributing their involvement to their own experiences with Rhythm Heaven and a spiritual connection to his work. Ado streamed the game on her YouTube channel on July 15, 2026, performing a live rendition of the new song "Love me forever!" at the end of the approximately four-hour stream. As of July 16, the video had surpassed 1 million views and ranked first in trending game videos.
The Demons Crest anime marks the first time a Kawahara series launches as a global streaming exclusive rather than a traditional broadcast. The opening theme "Shinka" was previewed in the first promotional video released on July 5, 2026. Ado's involvement in both projects positions her as a featured musical contributor to two high-profile anime releases in the latter half of 2026.
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The FX Senshi Kurumi-chan TV anime will begin broadcasting and streaming on October 1, 2026. A main PV with new footage was released. The opening theme 'FX Senshi Kurumi-chan' is sung by Suzuki Aina as lead character Fukuoka Kurumi, and the opening and ending themes begin distribution on music services October 2. An advance screening of episode 1 with a cast talk show is set for September 27 at Ikebukuro HUMAX Cinemas.
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.
At CEDEC 2026, indie developer Omado argued that games do not become fun from ideas alone. Using his own Speltonael, he walked through seven refinements added during five months of solo development, from continuous cursor movement to deck-based spell selection, and said the finished game's fun came from polish, not the letter-dial concept. He warned that reading a hit back into its original idea is hindsight bias.
Cavico's plastic model kit HS Series 2 Kikai Seimei Ergiadoll Mecha Musume Buster Maiden Ver. UV Clear is accepting preorders on Amazon. The 1/12 scale kit stands about 116mm tall and uses 7 runners and 124 parts. Molded in five colors including UV clear, the clear parts glow under UV light. It comes with the Maid in Heaven large weapon and the Ray pier. Package art is by Yuto Kayama. Price is 3,913 yen, release scheduled for October 31.
The BUZZmod. action figure series is adding Madoka Kaname from the movie Puella Magi Madoka Magica the Movie: Walpurgisnacht: Rising. The 1/12 scale figure includes six interchangeable expression parts and a fabric ribbon replacement that keeps the back ribbon from blocking articulation. Reservations are open at Aniplex Online and other shops, priced at 12,000 yen, with release scheduled for March 2027.
The 31st Busan International Film Festival will screen 13 films in a new out-of-competition category, "Japanese Animation Special: Masterpieces of Madness, Exhilarating Prospects 12+1." The lineup spans 1958 to 2026, from The White Snake Enchantress and Belladonna of Sadness through Metropolis and Mind Game to four 2026 titles. The King and the Mockingbird, a French film that influenced Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata, also screens in the section.
Episode 21 of Daemons of the Shadow Realm brings the confrontation between Yuru, Asa, and the Daemons who deceived them. Kiri and Danji lied to Yuru for years, binding and controlling him, yet the betrayal carried no malice. Asa, who tried to kill Kiri in the first episode, now sees her as a victim. The episode reveals Asa's obsession with Yuru as a coping mechanism after a decade of isolation.
Kadokawa revealed the main promotional video for the FX Fighter Kurumi-chan television anime on Monday, confirming an October 1 debut. Aina Suzuki, who voices lead character Kurumi Fukuga, performs the opening theme "FX Senshi Kurumi-chan" and the ending theme. The anime is directed by Yuki Ogawa at Passione, with Kenta Ihara writing and overseeing the series scripts.
Kadokawa announced on Wednesday that the television anime of Syuu and Nanna Fujimi's light novel series Victoria of Many Faces will receive a second season and a new special episode. The announcement came alongside a new visual. The first season premiered on TV Tokyo and its affiliated channels on July 7 and concluded with its ninth episode on Tuesday. A recap episode is scheduled for next Tuesday. The anime is directed by Nobukage Kimura at Studio DEEN, with Naohiro Fukushima overseeing series scripts and Mina Osawa designing the characters. The cast includes Chika Anzai as Victoria, Shion Wakayama as Nonna, Yōhei Azakami as Jeffrey, and Kenji Nojima as Lancome. Haku. performs the opening theme song "Isshin," and KI_EN performs the ending theme song "En no Tsuki." The light novel series began on the Shōsetsuka ni Narō website in December 2021, and Kadokawa published the fourth volume on June 25. A manga adaptation by Komo Ushino launched on Kadokawa's Flos Comic website in December 2022, with its seventh compiled volume shipped on July 17. Yen Press publishes both the light novel and manga in English.
Ikkado Ito's The Long Summer of August 31 manga is getting a television anime by SHAFT and a live-action series adaptation, the manga's official X/Twitter account announced on Monday. The account also revealed an ultra teaser visual for the anime. Seven Seas Entertainment publishes the manga physically, while Kodansha's K MANGA service publishes it digitally.
Kadokawa revealed on Sunday a teaser trailer, teaser visual, character visuals, and the February 19, 2027 opening date for the upcoming anime film based on Tsurumaikada's Olympic ice-skating manga Medalist. The film will tell a story set after the end of the television anime's second season, with the cast and staff from the TV anime returning. The first season premiered in Japan on the "NUMAnimation" programming block on TV Asahi and 23 affiliated channels in January 2025, with Disney+ streaming it. The second season debuted on January 24 on the same block and ended on Sunday. Hulu is streaming the anime in the U.S., and Disney+ is streaming it in other countries and territories. The second season featured the returning cast and staff, with Hazuki Nakamura as art director and Kentaro Kashiwagi as compositing director of photography. The anime's second season opening theme was "Cold Night" by girl group HANA, and the ending theme was "Rookies" by Conton Candy. Japanese figure skater Rika Hongo took part in motion capture filming alongside the first season's Akiko Suzuki, who choreographed the skating routines. Tsurumaikada launched the manga in Kodansha's Afternoon magazine in May 2020, and Kodansha published the 15th compiled volume on July 22.
Ado and original Morning Musume. member Natsumi Abe appear in the documentary "10 Years After Losing His Voice: What Tsunku Wants to Convey Now About 'Happiness'" during 24-Hour Television 49. The documentary accompanies the drama "Happiness Exists," based on Tsunku's life after losing his vocal cords to laryngeal cancer, airing August 29 and 30, 2026.
Collaboration menu items launch August 28, 2026 at T-Joy affiliated theaters and others nationwide. The Walpurgisnacht: Rising Popcorn Box features Madoka Kaname and Homura Akemi in a stained-glass style and lights up. A Kyubey Clear Bottle with the character's face on the lid sells at T-Joy theaters only, alongside a Madoka drink.
UniJapan announced on August 20, 2026 the first batch of IP holders for the second Tokyo IP Market: Adaptation & Remake, held at TIFFCOM 2026. Eight publishing and film companies, including KADOKAWA, Shochiku, Toei, and Square Enix, will meet film producers from Europe, the U.S., and Asia seeking live-action adaptation and remake rights for Japanese IP. The event runs October 28-30 in Tokyo.
FREEing is accepting reservations for a re-release of the Akemi Homura Bunny Ver. 1/4 scale figure from Puella Magi Madoka Magica the Movie: Rebellion. Originally released in December 2021, the figure features Homura in an original-design one-piece dress with bunny ears. The Madoka Kaname Bunny Ver. is also open for reservations.
Publisher Owlcat Games announced on August 27 that Another Angle Games' turn-based strategy RPG Shadow of the Road will launch on November 12 for PC via Steam, Epic Games Store, and GOG.com. The game is set in 1868 Japan, split by civil war between the Tokugawa Shogun's faction and Emperor Meiji's supporters backed by the British East Nippon Company. Players guide ronin Satoru and Akira through turn-based combat against steam-powered mechanical soldiers and enemies with modern guns. A demo is available on Steam.
Paradox Interactive announced during the gamescom Opening Night Live 2026 broadcast on August 26 that Transport Fever 3, developed by Urban Games, will release on September 29, 2026 for PC via Steam, Epic Games Store, and GOG.com, as well as PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. The game is the latest entry in the Transport Fever series, in which players build and manage logistics networks spanning railways, roads, and sea routes across four environmental areas: temperate, desert, tropical, and subarctic. It features over 250 types of trains, buses, trams, trucks, ships, and airplanes, with day/night cycles and weather systems. The title was first announced in May 2025 with a budget of $24 million, approximately 3.7 billion yen at the time, funded from internal resources, with 90% allocated to game development. Publishing duties were confirmed in May this year. Alongside the standard edition, a Deluxe Edition includes real vehicles such as the Concorde, London Bus, and TEE, plus landmarks like the Eiffel Tower and Taj Mahal, and wild animals including orcas and Komodo dragons. A Collector's Edition with a statue, art book, and card game is also available. Pre-orders began today, with a 10% loyalty discount for Transport Fever 2 owners.
NOTHING NEW began streaming a trailer on Thursday for the We Are Aliens anime film. The trailer highlights the Heisei era, the time period when the main characters meet. The film, directed by Kōhei Kadowaki, stars Ryōta Bandō as Tsubasa and Amane Okayama as Gyōtarō as young adults. It opens in Japan on September 25.
The October issue of Kadokawa's Monthly Shonen Ace magazine published the final chapter of Waka Sanada's manga adaptation of Teika's The Delinquent Girl Beside Me Suddenly Dyed Her Hair Black light novel series on Wednesday. The fourth and final compiled book volume ships in late November. One Peace Books publishes the series in English.
The October issue of Kadokawa's Shonen Ace magazine announced that Shiwasu Hoshikawa's Bungo Stray Dogs STORM BRINGER manga will go on a long-term hiatus due to Hoshikawa's health. The magazine will reveal when the manga will continue in a later issue.
Episode 20 of Daemons of the Shadow Realm shows Ivan winning a four-on-one fight but paying a price, as his sword's daemon-draining power backfires when used on strong enemies like Left. The episode also names the third major faction as Nishino Village, which has been pulling Hayato's strings.
The special edition of the weekly magazine anan, issue 2510, will feature Madoka Kaname and Homura Akemi from the anime film Puella Magi Madoka Magica the Movie: Walpurgisnacht: Rising on its cover when it hits shelves on Wednesday, September 2, 2026. The cover uses a newly drawn illustration by Kazuki Kawada, the film's main animator, and is credited to the animation studio Shaft. The artwork carries over the cloud imagery from the film's key visual, depicting Madoka in her magical girl form and Homura as a devil smiling gently at each other, with sunlight pouring through gaps in the clouds. The issue includes eight pages of film-related content, headlined by a dialogue between Aoi Yuki, the voice of Madoka Kaname, and Chiwa Saito, the voice of Homura Akemi. It also features solo interviews with new cast members Shion Wakayama and Tomoyo Kurosawa, a dialogue between chief director Akiyuki Shinbo and character designer Ume Aoki, and interviews with scriptwriter Gen Urobuchi and Inu Curry's Doru Nushi, who also drew a new illustration for the issue. The magazine is priced at 880 yen and includes term explanations and character introductions.
KADOKAWA is streaming the 2001 live-action horror film 'Otogirisou' for free on its YouTube channel Kadokawa Cinema Collection from August 21 at 8:00 PM to September 4 at 7:59 PM. The film adapts Chunsoft's classic sound novel of the same name, a Super Famicom title released in March 1992 that established the sound novel genre. Directed by Ten Shimoyama, known for the Netflix live-action 'ERASED' and 'SHINOBI,' with scripts by Goro Nakajima and Takenori Sento, the film stars Megumi Okina as Nami. In the story, Nami learns of her biological father's death and visits his mansion deep in the mountains with her former lover, game creator Kohei, to uncover the secret of her birth. There she confronts shocking truths, including her father's true identity and the existence of her twin sister. Actress Kae Okunuki plays the dual roles of Nami and Naomi, a character deeply connected to her birth. The original game, released by Chunsoft in 1992, was the first publishing title from the company and the first entry in its sound novel series, with a scenario by Hideyoshi Nagasaka, a writer who won the Edogawa Rampo Prize. The film version inherits the game's setting and motifs while reconstructing the story with original elements.
City Connection announced Jajamaru's Hyakki Yakouden, a new hack-and-slash action game in the Ninja Jajamaru-kun series, during the Pixel Arcadia showcase streamed on August 25, 2026. The game is set for release in 2027 on Nintendo Switch 2, PS5, and PC via Steam, where a store page opened the same day. The title was first teased at the City Connection 20th Anniversary Thanksgiving Festival in December 2025, but this announcement revealed the platforms and shifted the release window from 2026 to 2027. Developed jointly by City Connection's team, which worked on the previous Jajamaru's Yokai Daikessen, and Amazing, known for Venus Eleven Vivid!, the game follows Jajamaru as he searches dungeons for the kidnapped Princess Sakura. Players use over 300 types of equipment, including ninja swords, kusarigama, and shuriken, and pass through glowing torii gates to trigger Hyakki Yakou Parades with special battle rules. Clearing dungeons teaches ninjutsu, and a base room allows stat and equipment upgrades, plus furniture that affects stats. The story culminates in a fight against the yokai general Nuraripiyoko. Western publishing is handled by Clear River Games.
TMXN Games began a limited-time test on Steam for its new multiplayer action game Among Shadows on August 25, 2026. The test runs until 18:00 JST on August 31. The game is set in a medieval fantasy world and combines werewolf-style social deduction with extraction action RPG mechanics. Players join the Secret Fire Order, a group assembled from around the world, and are sent to plague-ravaged lands to purify infection sources. Among the order, Dark Priests have infiltrated, secretly spreading infection and sabotaging operations. At night, a discussion phase lets players identify traitors, while Dark Priests can spread false information. If infection spreads too far, the Blood Moon rises, shifting the order's objective to escorting the lord's party to an extraction point while fighting waves of zombies. Dark Priests win by taking down the lord. The test features the stage Fog Moon Island, once a prosperous shipping route now nearly devastated by plague. Among Shadows is scheduled for release on September 25, 2026, and supports Japanese display.
The production team behind the theatrical anime Sekiro: No Defeat released new scene cuts and an official interview with director Kenichi Kutsuna on August 27, ahead of the film's limited three-week theatrical run starting September 4. The all-hand-drawn 2D animated film, based on FromSoftware's action game Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, is produced by Qzil.la Inc., with production handled by KADOKAWA Corporation and planning by Arch Inc. The film carries a PG12 rating. The newly released cuts focus on the melancholic bond between the protagonist Wolf, voiced by Daisuke Namikawa, and his young lord Kuro, voiced by Miyuki Sato, depicting the tragic fate shared by the pair as they seek the Mortal Blade. The film's story centers on the curse of immortality, the Dragon's Heritage blood that Kuro carries, and the disease Dragonrot that spreads as a consequence. Genichiro Ashina, voiced by Kenjiro Tsuda, is portrayed as a man who sought immortality not for selfish reasons but to save his dying homeland. The theme song is "Blu" by Ryuichi Sakamoto.
Kogado Studio announced on August 27, 2026, its new visual novel "Sugar Lies," a short-form ADV themed around lies that depicts a summer boy-meets-girl story. The Steam version is scheduled for release at the end of 2026, with the Nintendo Switch version arriving in spring 2027. Download versions for both platforms are priced at 2,860 yen (tax included), while the Switch physical version costs 4,000 yen. The game is produced by the team "S:OWLS," which previously made "To the Fading Mirror Flower." The protagonist, Akito Nagatsuki, is a university freshman who despises lies and has a peculiar constitution that makes him ill, sometimes vomiting, when he senses others' acting or lies. The heroine, Yui Sakuramiya, is a former child prodigy actress who always plays the image others desire; she is voiced by Ikumi Hasegawa. Also appearing is Akari Yukihira, a laid-back childhood friend and stage actress since childhood, voiced by Hikaru Iida. A playable prologue demo will be available at Tokyo Game Show 2026 from September 17 to 21 at the Konami Digital Entertainment booth, and a special stream featuring the producer and Hikaru Iida will air on September 18.
At gamescom Opening Night Live 2026, broadcast on August 26, Paradox Interactive announced Afterworld, a new grand strategy game for PC via Steam. Developed by Paradox Development Studio, the in-house team behind the Crusader Kings and Europa Universalis series, Afterworld is set in a post-apocalyptic North America where players lead a settlement of survivors. The game begins with managing a small group, and players can choose from multiple origins, such as shelter dwellers emerging from nuclear shelters or fanatics seeking a goddess. Early goals center on survival: gathering food, water, and fuel. As players explore the ruins of the pre-collapse civilization, they rediscover lost technology and evolve their tech, while the terrain remains the same American continent but resource locations and groups change each playthrough. Players can trade, absorb, or plunder opposing groups, and as the settlement grows, they can establish laws and religion. Mutated humans exist, and how to treat them is the player's choice. Immortal ancients who lived before the collapse also appear, and confronting them is one of the game's goals. The game is directed by Dan Lind, previously director of Hearts of Iron IV. The release date is undecided, and the store page indicates Japanese display support is planned.
T-SPARK has previewed TOYRISE items to be announced at Tokyo Toy Show 2026, held from August 27 to August 30 at Tokyo Big Sight. The previews cover four franchises: Mashin Hero Wataru, Mado King Granzort, Absolute无敌 Raijin-Oh, and Shinkansen Henkei Robo Shinkalion. A Shinkalion with design concept by Shoji Kawamori was teased via silhouette on August 25 and appears as a gray prototype at the show. The T-SPARK official X account revealed image visuals for all four lines on August 26, with Wataru and Granzort shown together at the T-SPARK booth. The event's business days, August 27 and 28, are for trade visitors only; the general public can attend on August 29 and 30 with advance tickets at 2,000 yen or same-day tickets at 2,200 yen. Dengeki Hobby Web's breaking reports from the Takara Tomy booth confirmed the Kawamori Shinkalion prototype, plus items from Raijin-Oh, Neon Genesis Evangelion, Wataru, and Granzort. Other Takara Tomy displays included a Captain Tsubasa: Tatakae Dream Team and ZOIDS collaboration, SYNEGENEX Evangelion Prime Unit-02, and Transformers-related items such as Adamas Machina Magna Regulus.
Paradox Interactive announced LEGO Skylines during the gamescom Opening Night Live 2026 digital event on August 26, 2026. The city-building game is developed by Iceflake Studios, the studio that took over development of Cities: Skylines II from Colossal Order. Players place LEGO block characters, buildings, and flora and fauna to build their own cities at a relaxed pace, from a grand metropolis to fine details. The announcement trailer showed LEGO-built cities with police and firefighters active in the scenes, and events such as fires are likely to occur. LEGO Skylines is planned for release on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC via Steam. A release date has not been set. The game's connection to Cities: Skylines is notable because Iceflake Studios currently works on Cities: Skylines II, which has led to speculation that LEGO Skylines could be a LEGO version of the established city-builder series.
CONVERSE TOKYO and Puella Magi Madoka Magica release their collaboration items on August 21, 2026. The lineup includes T-shirts, acrylic stands, glass necklaces, and original art. Artist Samehoshi drew new artwork of the six magical girls for the project. Sales run at CONVERSE TOKYO stores and the official online store.
Publisher UNSUBSCRIBE and developer NoShadow have set a September 4 local time Early Access launch for the top-down hardcore survival RPG Scavland, with the Japanese release following on September 5. The game will be available on PC via Steam, and the store page lists planned Japanese text support. Scavland is set in the world of Zalesye, a region devastated by a mysterious fog called the Mist, where players take on the role of a Vulture scavenging the remnants of the old world. The game blends open-world surface exploration with auto-generated underground bunkers, featuring a day-night cycle, radiation-contaminated water, and environmental hazards that require careful planning. Players must manage health, hunger, and thirst while engaging in tactical combat with firearms, melee weapons, stealth, and suppressive fire. At Early Access launch, over 25 weapon types and more than 300 attachments will be available, but ammunition is scarce and weapons have durability that can cause jams or permanent failure. The game includes 10 factions whose treatment of the player changes based on reputation and choices. Act I of a planned three-act story is included, with the Early Access period slated for 12 to 24 months and future plans for Acts II and III, new regions, creatures, factions, weapons, and a co-op multiplayer mode.
The staff of the anime film Sekiro: No Defeat began streaming main feature footage on August 21, 2026, focusing on the battle between protagonist Wolf and Gyoubu Masataka Oniwa, the warrior guarding the great gate of Ashina Castle. The clip shows Gyoubu on his horse Onikage, announcing himself with the line from the game, and attacking with a cross-bladed spear while Wolf uses the shinobi prosthetic and grappling hook. The film is fully hand-drawn 2D animation, produced by Qzil.la with Kenichi Kutsuna directing in his feature-length debut. The screenplay is by Takuya Sato, character design by Takahiro Kishida, and music by Shuta Hasunuma. The cast reprises roles from the game, including Daisuke Namikawa as Wolf and Miyuki Sato as Kuro. The film will screen in Japanese theaters for three weeks starting September 4, 2026, with a PG12 rating. Crunchyroll will stream it worldwide excluding Japan, China, Korea, Russia, and Belarus in 2026. The theme song is Ryuichi Sakamoto's "Blu."
The Madoka Magica and Monogatari Series franchises have revealed a 12-episode crossover short project, Mahou Doujo Yotsugi Peace. Monogatari creator NisiOisin wrote the shorts, which stream in batches from August 20 to 23. The project celebrates the Madoka Magica film Puella Magi Madoka Magica The Movie: Walpurgisnacht: Rising, which opens August 28. The first three episodes are already streaming on the Aniplex YouTube channel.
Ado will perform the theme song for the Japan-U.S. co-produced film 'Bad Lieutenant: Tokyo,' starring Shun Oguri and Lily James and directed by Takashi Miike. The song is titled 'Raven Sky.' The main trailer featuring the song has been released. The film opens in Japan on October 23.
Stellar Jockeys and Gausswerks launched Brigador Killers into early access on Steam and GOG.com. The top-down rebel simulator, sequel to 2016's Brigador, has players fight as Team Anchor against corporate forces. Early access includes over 30 missions, with the full version planned after 2026.
KADOKAWA announced on August 20, 2026 that the PC version of the new KonoSuba game, KonoSuba: God's Blessing on This Wonderful World! - Prosperity in This Beloved City! (abbreviated Machisuba), will be distributed on DMM GAMES. The game is a smartphone and PC title based on the KonoSuba anime and original light novel, retaining the series' worldview and characters while offering an original story. Natsume Akatsuki, the original author, supervises production, and Kurone Mishima, the original illustrator, provides production cooperation. The genre is described as an "another world trouble life RPG." The smartphone version is available for pre-registration on the App Store and Google Play, with a 2026 release planned. To mark the platform decision, a special stage program, "Machisuba Special Stage in TGS2026," will be held at the DMM GAMES booth at Tokyo Game Show 2026 on September 20, starting at 15:00. The stage will feature Jun Fukushima, the voice actor for protagonist Kazuma, and KADOKAWA game producer Taiki Fujii, who will share the latest information and highlights. The event will be viewable on-site and via a YouTube live stream.
Metallica praised Ado on social media for opening her Summer Sonic 2026 Tokyo set and closing her Osaka set with the band's song "Enter Sandman." The band said watching younger generations find their way to their music never gets old and that they had never seen it done quite like Ado did. Ado quote-reposted the comments, saying she was so happy.
Singer Ado announced on August 19 that she will stream a live gameplay session of KONAMI's 'Silent Hill f' on August 21 at 8 PM JST. It is her first time with the series. She said she likes 'Higurashi no Naku Koro ni' and is looking forward to it. Fans anticipate her screams and reactions.
Blue Isle Studios announced on August 18, 2026, that Paradox Interactive will publish its survival craft game Guardians of the Wild Sky. The game features craftable airships, controllable dragons, and aerial battles. It is designed to be mod-friendly, with user mods available from day one of Steam Early Access, planned for 2027.
The Puella Magi Madoka Magica franchise staff released a statement asking fans to refrain from posting spoilers for the upcoming film Puella Magi Madoka Magica The Movie: Walpurgisnacht: Rising on social media, streaming services, and other venues until September 12. The film opens August 28 in Japan with IMAX and regular screenings.
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.
Anime! Anime! reader poll for 2026 summer anime ending themes ran July 16-23, with sequels and second cours drawing the most votes. The ED for "Bungo Stray Dogs Wan! 2" took first place, followed by "Yomi no Tsugai" second cour and "That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime Season 4" second cour.
FREEing is re-releasing its 1/4 scale Madoka Kaname Bunny Ear Ver. figure from Puella Magi Madoka Magica the Movie: Rebellion. Reservations are open on Amazon.co.jp at 33,000 yen, with a scheduled release date of December 31, 2026. The figure stands approximately 410mm tall and includes an exclusive base.
A US federal court ruled that three YouTube channels that clip KADOKAWA anime and add Korean narration and commentary are not protected by fair use. The court ordered YouTube to disclose the channel operators' personal information. The operators have appealed to the Ninth Circuit.
ACROVE's game book label GameLib released the print edition of the official Hearts of Iron IV strategy guide on August 18, 2026. The book, titled "[Official Guidebook] Hearts of Iron IV Historical Route Strategy Guide: Japan/Germany Edition," is the first officially licensed strategy guide for Paradox Interactive's grand strategy game to be published in Japan. It is a B5-size softcover with 744 pages and costs 3,960 yen including tax. The guide focuses on the vanilla environment without DLC, version 1.17.5.2, and covers the historical routes for Germany and Japan. It includes over 1,000 pieces of information such as national focuses, technology research, division templates, and ship data. The print edition follows the digital version released on Amazon's Kindle Store on July 7, 2026, which is priced at 3,190 yen including tax. The book is designed so players can keep it open on a desk while playing, avoiding the need to switch between the game screen and strategy information. It also allows readers to annotate pages with sticky notes or markers to create a personal operations manual. The guide includes an exclusive interview with the Paradox development team and supervision by YouTuber Isaac Z.
Anime News Network's review of episode 19 reads the installment as a study of how Yuru and Asa think. Yuru, who walked into a trap to save Fake Asa and a village girl, must choose between the hostages and his long-held goal of finding his parents. Asa rescues the hostages and saves Fake Asa as a calculated move, putting her brother's need for the truth ahead of vengeance. Yuru responds by agreeing to meet her after the crisis.
Investment learning platform SOBA OTOME announced a partnership with Web3 pet care app LOOTaDOG. The collaboration combines financial education with Web3 entertainment to help investment beginners take their first step. The first joint project is scheduled to be revealed soon, with more content and community events to follow.
Sega began accepting advance applications on August 17 for the Stranger Than Heaven theater at Tokyo Game Show 2026. The theater, located inside the Sega/Atlus booth at Makuhari Messe, will screen music videos from the game, including unreleased tracks. The lottery applies only to screenings on the public days, September 19 to 21, and the application period runs until August 23. Applicants choose from three programs, each tied to a different character. Program 1 features Daito Makoto portrayed by Yu Shirota, Masaki Yu portrayed by Dean Fujioka, and Takashi portrayed by Satoshi Fujihara of Official HIGE DANdism. Program 2 features Shirai Keiko portrayed by Ado, and Program 3 features Susie Day portrayed by Tori Kelly. Applications are limited to one per person, and tickets cover only the applicant, not companions. Winners will be notified by email from late August to early September. A separate ticket for the TGS2026 public days is required for entry. Some screenings may allow visitors without reservations, and standby handling may be implemented depending on the day's conditions.
KADOKAWA and EXING will run the online streaming event #CSP歌枠バトル Powered by カラオケJOYSOUND for STREAMER from August 12 to August 25, 2026. A total of 84 creators using the CSP program will compete in daily live streams using the JOYSOUND karaoke service's scoring function for the highest score, the Best Singing Award, and a commercial slot at JOYSOUND locations nationwide.