The 1988 Akira film returned to North American theaters in 4K and IMAX on September 4, 2026, earning an estimated US$3,175,000 over the Labor Day weekend, and NHK E-TV rebroadcast it in Japan on July 18. Creator Katsuhiro Otomo now runs his own feature animation studio, Oval Gear, whose first film is in production.
Akira in 2026 is two things at once: a 1988 film that keeps getting reissued, and a creator whose name keeps turning up attached to other people's projects. The film itself had a busy year. Crunchyroll and Sony Pictures Entertainment put it in select U.S. and Canadian theaters in 4K and IMAX on September 4, in Japanese with English subtitles and with an English dub. Box Office Mojo put the U.S. opening weekend at an estimated US$3,175,000 over the Labor Day holiday. In Japan, NHK E-TV aired the film on July 18 at 2:00 PM, after an earlier terrestrial broadcast on the same channel on January 3, 2026 at 10:00 PM, with simultaneous and catch-up streaming on NHK ONE.
The reissues also revived a familiar confusion about the title. Ahead of the July 18 broadcast, first-time viewers again mistook "Akira" for the hero's name. The hero is Kaneda, leader of a biker gang; Akira is a cryogenically preserved psychic being.
The bigger structural news is on the production side. Director and manga artist Katsuhiro Otomo founded Oval Gear, a Tokyo animation studio focused on feature-length work, with a first project already in production and staff hiring under way. The studio announcement was the first official word on his projects since the 2019 reveal of the sci-fi film Orbital Era, and it followed a gap in feature directing that ran back to Steamboy in 2004.
Separately, the film's imagery stayed in circulation. MNNK Bro., the unit of Takashi Murakami and rapper JP THE WAVY, released the single "SHUTOKO TOKYO" on May 22 with a music video that connects the Shuto Expressway to the world of Otomo's manga. The film also turned up as a stated influence for director Travis Knight on Masters of the Universe, alongside Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind. In an Anime Anime Bike Day poll run August 7 to 11, Akira's Shotaro Kaneda placed third among bike-riding characters with about 7 percent support.
Synthesized by Yomimono from the cited Yomimono stories below, each itself sourced, then editorially reviewed. Every fact links the story it came from.
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When a claim about Akira was confirmed, debunked, or disputed against open-web sources. The record stays even after a claim drops off the facts list.
The second cours of the Please Excuse My Younger Brothers anime begins October 2, with a third promotional video and second key visual showing both new theme songs. Yoko Hikasa joins the cast as Azusa Yashiro. Neguse. performs the opening theme "LOVE & LIKE" and MEminor performs the ending theme "Mabataki." The anime runs 24 episodes across two consecutive cours.
Shogakukan's Weekly Shonen Sunday announced on September 16 that Shinta Harekawa's manga Akira Failing in Love has over 1 million copies in circulation worldwide. The romantic comedy launched in the magazine in August 2024, and its eighth compiled volume shipped the same day as the announcement. Viz Media publishes the series in English, with the fourth volume out September 8.
Toei Animation's Dragon Ball Super: Beerus, a reconstructed version of the original Dragon Ball Super anime, will begin airing on Fuji TV and its affiliates on October 11 at 11:15 p.m. JST, taking over the timeslot previously held by One Piece. Crunchyroll will stream the series with subtitles starting October 11 in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, with new weekly episodes simulcast with the Japanese broadcast. Netflix will stream the series in the United States on October 17, and in selected countries October 14. In Japan, Amazon Prime Video and U-NEXT will stream episodes 30 minutes after broadcast. The first episode will screen in advance at a Dragon Ball Super: Beerus panel at New York Comic Con on October 8. The staff includes composition and direction arrangement by Matsuto Seya, character design by Tadayoshi Yamamuro, editing by Eiichi Nishimura, compositing direction by Yosuke Motoki, and music by Norihito Sumitomo. Koichi Yamadera returns as Beerus. MEGATERA ZERO performs the opening theme, and VK Blanka performs the ending theme. The series features new and redrawn cuts, a reconstructed story, and re-recorded dubbing.
The ABEMA Anime Matsuri 2026 event on Saturday announced that Tetsu Kariya and Akira Hanasaki's Oishinbo manga is getting a new television anime titled Shin Oishinbo. Shinei Animation announced the series at its 50th anniversary stage presentation. The manga launched in 1983 and has been on hiatus since 2014. A previous Shinei Animation adaptation ran for 136 episodes from 1988 to 1992.
Kadokawa's new video for the Hello, I Am a Witch and My Crush Wants Me to Make a Love Potion! anime names Hiro Shimono as Tien and Akira Sekine as Villaura, and sets an October 5 television and streaming launch. Centimillimental performs the opening theme "Kanawanai" and Rainy the ending "Mada Uso ni wa Naranai." The series airs on AT-X, Tokyo MX, BS NTV, and RKB Mainichi Broadcasting, with MBS following on October 6.
A discussion between composer Akira Yamaoka and Tarsier Studios narrative director David Mervik and CEO and producer Andreas Johnsson covers how horror games create fear. Tarsier developed REANIMAL, a horror adventure published by THQ Nordic with single-player and co-op play, in which players control orphaned siblings trying to rescue a missing friend and escape an island of monsters. Steam user reviews stand at 13,486, 78 percent Very Positive.
The 4K re-release of Katsuhiro Otomo's Akira earned an estimated US$3,175,000 in the United States over the Labor Day holiday weekend, according to Box Office Mojo. Crunchyroll and Sony Pictures Entertainment began screening the film in select U.S. and Canadian theaters in 4K and IMAX on September 4, in Japanese with English subtitles and with an English dub.
Anime Anime's Bike Day reader poll, held August 7-11 with 244 responses, ranks anime characters known for riding bikes. Chiharu Hagiwara of Detective Conan took first with about 17% support, followed by Bungo Stray Dogs' Chuuya Nakahara at about 9% and AKIRA's Shotaro Kaneda at about 7%. The survey marks the first in two years.
Stormind Games announced on August 18 that Remothered: Red Nun's Legacy, the final chapter in the Remothered trilogy, will launch on October 27. The game is a third-person survival horror title influenced by the Clock Tower series, set in a Sicilian convent where the legend of the Red Nun originated. Players control Susan, whose daughter has gone missing after six girls disappeared in Sicily; she follows a clue from an audio tape to the Ashmann family mansion on Mount Etna. The gameplay involves exploring the mansion, solving puzzles, and using hypnotic abilities such as retrocognition, mirror abilities, and moth control. Players must also hide from and evade terrifying pursuers, striking back at decisive moments. The Red Nun, a recurring monster in the series, reappears. Akira Yamaoka, known for his work on the Silent Hill series, composes the music. The game is scheduled for PC via Steam, Epic Games Store, and GOG.com, as well as Nintendo Switch 2, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S, with Japanese display planned. It follows Remothered: Tormented Fathers (2018) and Remothered: Broken Porcelain (2020), and can be enjoyed as a standalone despite concluding the trilogy.
Nijimen published a complete list of theme songs from the Katekyo Hitman Reborn! TV anime, covering all openings and endings from the 2006 broadcast through its 203-episode run. The list includes 8 opening themes and 17 ending themes, performed by artists such as SPLAY, LM.C, CHERRYBLOSSOM, and character duets like Sakura addiction.
A television anime adaptation of Aito Aoyagi's novel Red Riding Hood: A Detective Story, also known as Little Red Riding Hood Encounters a Dead Body During Her Journey, was announced on Monday via a new official website. The site revealed a teaser trailer, teaser visual, main cast, and staff. Yume Miyamoto voices Red Riding Hood, and Akira Sekine voices Pinocchio. Itsurō Kawasaki, known for Baban Baban Ban Vampire, directs and writes the script at BENTEN Film. Manami Minakata and Yūko Yahiro design the characters. The story follows Red Riding Hood as she travels through a fairy-tale world, solving crimes with her clever mind. The teaser trailer includes the line, "Why is your criminal plan so sloppy?" Futabasha published the novel in August 2020. A manga adaptation by Tanakanoka ran in Monthly Action and later moved to Web Action, ending with its fourth volume in June 2025. The franchise has also been adapted into a live-action Netflix film titled Once Upon a Crime.
Anime and manga accounts celebrated International Cat Day on August 8 with cat-themed art and messages. Participants included Cyberpunk 2077, Pragmata, Inherit the Winds, Black Torch, Akira Failing in Love, Kodansha, and Kojima Productions, among others.
Bandai Namco Filmworks streamed a teaser for Nijiiro no Rinne, the seventh film in the Be Forever Yamato: Rebel 3199 project, using Akira Fuse's "Ai Yo Sono Hi Made" from the 1980 Be Forever Yamato film. The film opens in Japan on October 30.
The staff for Jaadugar: A Witch in Mongolia revealed three new cast members on Thursday. Akira Ishida plays Dayir, Inori Minase plays Khulan, and Shōya Chiba plays Kurtogan. The characters appear in the anime's sixth episode on Saturday.
The television anime adaptation of Kureha's The Ogre's Bride light novel series has added Akira Ishida and Misato Fukuen to its cast. Ishida voices Senya Kiryūin, Reiya's father, and Fukuen voices Sara Kiryūin, Reiya's mother. Both characters appeared in the fourth episode on Saturday. The anime premiered July 4 in Japan and streams on Crunchyroll.
The Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards inducted late manga creator Akira Toriyama into the Eisner Hall of Fame on Friday at San Diego Comic-Con 2026. He was one of 16 nominees and was selected alongside Chris Ware, Colleen Doran, and Jeff Smith. Manga creator Go Nagai was also inducted as a pre-selected Judges Choice honoree.
Shintaro Kago's short story "Blood Harvest" from the Brain Damage collection won the Eisner Award for Best Short Story at the 2026 Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards. The same book's "The Curse Room" was also nominated. The awards were announced Friday evening during San Diego Comic-Con 2026.
Toei producer Toshinari Yanaka and PLEX designer Akira Yamamoto discussed the creation of the movie-exclusive form Kamen Rider Zezt Agent Dream in an interview with Cinema Today. The form appears in the film "Kamen Rider Zezt: Farewell Mission," which opens July 24 as a double feature with "Super Space Sheriff Gavan Infinity: The Day the Sun Cried." Yanaka said the design team deliberately changed the face for the first time in a movie-exclusive form, breaking from the TV series approach of keeping the face consistent across forms so global audiences would recognize the character. Yamamoto explained that bubble-like motifs on the body represent the "fleeting dream" of the CODE agents, who unite only briefly. The form also introduces a waist cape, a first for Kamen Rider Zezt. The base color is white, which Yamamoto proposed to convey that the powers of the differently colored agents mix into white light, while turquoise accents maintain Zezt's identity. The design process for the series as a whole pursued a "subtractive" approach, removing accumulated armor details to emphasize the modified-human aesthetic of Kamen Rider. Yanaka noted that placing the transformation belt on the chest, another series first, made bike scenes easier to film from multiple angles.
The July 18 broadcast of 'AKIRA' on NHK E-TV has resurfaced a common misconception among first-time viewers: the title is often mistaken for the protagonist's name. The actual hero is Kaneda, leader of a biker gang, while Akira is a cryogenically preserved psychic being. The article explains why the confusion occurs, citing Kaneda's strong visual impact and the pattern of titles like 'Lupin III'.
The first period of the Tales of series 30th anniversary collaboration cafe, produced by ufotable and Production I.G, will run from July 28 to August 23, 2026. The cafe will be held at three venues: Machi★Asobi CAFE TOKYO, ufotable Cafe / Machi★Asobi CAFE Kitakyushu, and ufotable Cafe TOKUSHIMA. A total of 188 newly drawn illustrations covering all mothership titles were created for the project, with Akira Matsushima and Tokuyuki Matsutake serving as main key animators. The illustrations were first announced in April 2026. Newly revealed artwork for Tales of Phantasia, Tales of Destiny, Tales of Eternia, and Tales of Xillia has been posted on the special website, with additional illustrations scheduled to be added each month. The cafe will offer menus and goods themed around the illustrations, with details for the first period to be announced later. An online instant-win lottery using the illustrations, called ufotableWEBSHOP lottery, will also be held, with further information to follow.
NHK E-TV announced a rebroadcast of the 1988 theatrical anime "AKIRA" on July 18, 2026, at 2:00 PM. The broadcast will air on NHK E-TV and will also be available for simultaneous and catch-up streaming on NHK ONE. The previous terrestrial broadcast of the film on NHK E-TV occurred on January 3, 2026, at 10:00 PM. The film is based on the manga by Katsuhiro Otomo, who also directed and co-wrote the screenplay. Animation production was handled by Tokyo Movie Shinsha, now TMS Entertainment. The production spanned three years with a budget of 1 billion yen, using approximately 150,000 cels drawn by 1,300 staff members. The film adopted a pre-scoring method for voice recording, with Otomo directing the voice actors. The announcement on X by the official NHK Anime account generated excitement, with fans posting reactions such as "What!?!?!?!?!" and "If you haven't seen it, you should." The film is set in Neo Tokyo in 2019 and follows Kaneda and Tetsuo as they confront the mysterious being known as Akira.
Crunchyroll and Sony Pictures Entertainment will release Katsuhiro Otomo's Akira anime film in select U.S. and Canadian theaters in 4K and IMAX on September 4. The release will be available in Japanese with English subtitles and with an English dub.
The final chapter of the HiGH&LOW film series, "HiGH&LOW THE New World," was announced on June 24 at a 10th anniversary event in Tokyo. HIRO, the series' planner and producer, surprised attendees with a teaser video and confirmed the film will release in 2027. The story takes place several years after the 2017 film "HiGH&LOW THE MOVIE 3 / FINAL MISSION." Returning cast members include AKIRA as Kohaku, NAOTO as Jesse, and Alan Shirahama as Bernie, all reprising roles after nine years. Kazuma Kawamura and Hokuto Yoshino also join the cast. Directors Norihisa Hiranuma and Motoaki Kuba are helming the project. Hiranuma stated that the film will feature overseas artists and cast members. The teaser video, now on YouTube, shows hand-to-hand combat and armed groups, suggesting a harsher world. The series has drawn 6.21 million cumulative viewers and earned 8.9 billion yen at the box office. A live event, "HiGH&LOW 10th ANNIVERSARY FEVER," will be held at K-Arena Yokohama on September 22 and 23, featuring LDH artists including EXILE THE SECOND and THE RAMPAGE.
DCXforce has established a think tank called New Strategy Institute by DCXforce (NSI), led by CSO Akira Amano. Its first report introduces the concept of Fandomain Capital, which treats brand-fan relationships as a form of capital for SNS marketing in the AI era. The report targets CMOs and brand managers, offering frameworks to measure and leverage this capital.
Wonderplanet announced on June 22, 2026, that founder Tomoki Tsunekawa resigned as President and CEO due to health reasons, becoming Director and Founder. Akinori Sato, formerly Director, COO, and CFO, succeeded him as President and CEO. Sato outlined three focus areas for the next three years: expanding major IP collaborations, restarting original title development, and refining the hybrid casual platform SEED.
TV Asahi unveiled the first promotional video for the Magic Repo Man anime, revealing the cast, additional staff, and an October television premiere. The series adapts Masakichi and Shingou Iijima's manga about a boy who can loan magic points and later collects debts with interest. The anime premieres in October on TV Asahi and affiliates.
Nine types of kitchen goods and accessories inspired by the DELICIOUS Restaurant from the Dragon Ball anime will go on sale June 19 at Jump Shop locations and online. Items include melamine fried rice plates, Chinese spoons, can-shaped glasses, hand towels, clear pouches, and acrylic keychains featuring Goku, Bulma, and Shenlong.
Director Travis Knight discussed his love for Japanese culture in a new interview for the upcoming film Masters of the Universe, citing influences from Hayao Miyazaki's Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind and Katsuhiro Otomo's Akira. Knight, CEO of Laika Studios, said his early works were shaped by Akira Kurosawa, Princess Mononoke, Spirited Away, and the manga Lone Wolf and Cub.
Studio Trigger announced additional all-night marathon screenings of the TV series SSSS.GRIDMAN and SSSS.DYNAZENON at Cinemart Shinjuku in Tokyo. The SSSS.GRIDMAN event will take place on February 28, 2026, and will screen all 12 episodes plus the Anime Mirai short "Denkou Choujin Gridman: Boys Invent Great Hero." The SSSS.DYNAZENON event is scheduled for March 14, 2026, and will show all 12 episodes along with the live-action short "Gridknight Fight." Both screenings will include talk shows featuring director Akira Amemiya, producer Tomoyoshi Asou from Tsuburaya Productions, and MC Naoki Koyama from Pony Canyon. Tickets cost 4,500 yen each, excluding tax. Attendees will receive exclusive illustrated postcards: one by Akira Amemiya featuring Akane Shinjo for the Gridman event, and one by Masaru Sakamoto featuring Gauma for the Dynazenon event. Random finger puppet FIXER BEAM color variants will also be distributed. Online ticket sales begin on February 13 for the Gridman event and February 27 for the Dynazenon event.
Anime Anime has compiled a guide for streaming Dragon Ball Daima, the new TV anime from Akira Toriyama. The series is available on DMM TV, U-NEXT, Amazon Prime Video, Netflix, Hulu, d Anime Store, Lemino, and TSUTAYA DISCAS, but not on Disney Plus. DMM TV is recommended for its low price and free trial.
The television anime adaptation of Akira Ozaki's manga "Uchi no Otouto-domo ga Sumimasen" has revealed additional cast members, theme song performers, and a second promotional video. The series is scheduled to premiere on July 4 at 12:00 a.m. on Tokyo MX, Gunma TV, Tochigi TV, BS11, and other stations, running for two consecutive cours. Voice actors Daisuke Ono and Aya Endou join the cast as Isao Narita and Saho Narita, respectively. The opening theme "Aikotoba" is performed by the band DISH//, while singer-songwriter Reira Ushio performs the ending theme "Clover." Both songs are previewed in the new promo. Hitoshi Nanba directs the series at studio Lay-duce, with Megumi Shimizu handling series composition, Shiori Hiraiwa designing characters, and Gin composing the music. The manga began serialization in Shueisha's Bessatsu Margaret in January 2020, and its 14th volume was published in July last year, with the 15th volume due June 25.
The unit formed by contemporary artist Takashi Murakami and rapper JP THE WAVY released their fourth single 'SHUTOKO TOKYO' on May 22. The music video, directed by New York duo BRTHR, connects the Shuto Expressway with the world of Katsuhiro Otomo's manga 'AKIRA.'
Katsuhiro Otomo, creator of Akira, launched a new Tokyo-based animation studio called Oval Gear. The studio is already producing its first feature film. The announcement is the first official word on Otomo's projects since the 2019 reveal of the sci-fi film Orbital Era, which may now be in production at Oval Gear.
Square Enix's Manga UP! Global service added an English simulpub of The Cruel King I'm Marrying as a Substitute Bride is My First Love?! on Wednesday. The series adapts Aoi's web novel of the same name, with art by Akira. The story follows Kanae Yano, a 28-year-old woman summoned to another world. A duke and his daughter, who looks identical to Kanae, ask her to act as a body double and marry King Eugene Eistalotte, a ruler known as the Cold-Hearted Wolf. Unable to return home, Kanae agrees. When she meets the king, she discovers his true identity, setting up a fantasy romance about reuniting with a first love. Akira began the manga on Square Enix's Japanese Manga UP! platform in March 2025. The third collected volume shipped in Japan on April 7. Aoi first published the web novel on the TellerNovel platform in October 2021. The Fandom Post notes Aoi has nine works to their name since debuting in 2007, while Akira has seven works since 2020.
Director and manga artist Katsuhiro Ōtomo has founded a new animation studio called Oval Gear. The studio will focus on feature-length work. Its first project is already in production. The company is hiring animators and production staff as it builds out its team. Ōtomo is best known for the 1988 film Akira, which he directed and wrote based on his own manga. His other directing credits include the anthology Memories, the steampunk feature Steamboy, and the science-fiction story Roujin Z. He also contributed to Perfect Blue, the psychological thriller directed by the late Satoshi Kon. The formation of Oval Gear marks a return to feature animation for Ōtomo, whose last full-length directorial work was Steamboy in 2004. The studio name and its immediate hiring push suggest a permanent production base rather than a one-off project team. No release window or title for the first film has been shared.