AnimA's original character Naophilia is being produced as a 1/6 scale figure by SSR FIGURE, with pre-orders open and a February 2027 release scheduled.
Illustrator AnimA's white-haired elf girl Naophilia is now available for pre-order as a 1/6 scale painted figure from SSR FIGURE. The figure is offered in two editions: a Standard Edition at 13,850 yen and a Deluxe Edition at 19,430 yen. Both editions include a lenticular postcard bonus, while the Deluxe edition adds interchangeable body parts and a second figure body. The figure is scheduled for release in February 2027.
This figure release represents the most recent public activity involving AnimA as an illustrator. No other projects or announcements have been reported since this pre-order opened.
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Anime Anime reports that Nukitashi The Animation is available for unlimited streaming in full on DMM TV, with all 11 episodes included. The official site states the series is exclusively distributed on DMM TV and Anime Festa. The TV anime, based on Qruppo's game and produced by Passione, aired in July 2025.
The anime production technology event Anitsuku 2026 will take place October 3 at UDX GALLERY NEXT and UDX GALLERY in Akihabara, Tokyo. Admission is free with prior registration, and web applications open the same day. The 12th edition carries the theme 'Passing the Power of Creation to the Next Generation' and plans 14 sessions from studios including Toei Animation, MAPPA, Orange, and Sanzigen.
The television anime of Kotobukiya's Arcanadea plastic model series will debut in January 2027, airing on TV Asahi and 24 stations across Japan in the NUMAnimation block, plus BS Asahi. Keiichirō Kawaguchi directs at Yokohama Animation Lab, with Atsuhiro Tomioka overseeing scripts. New cast includes Nobunaga Shimazaki, Konomi Inagaki, Mai Kanno, and Moka Kanzaki.
At gamescom 2026 Opening Night Live, HoYoverse announced Nodusfall, a new multiplayer action game with realistic graphics and a dark fantasy setting. The next day, a preview event let media and influencers try the game. Nodusfall is a four-player co-op action game where players hunt giant mythological monsters. The demo featured a warrior, an archer, and a spellcaster, with roles like damage dealer, tank, and support. Combat uses an Xbox controller with standard attacks, dodges, and lock-on, plus Divine Skills that charge a gauge and deliver powerful effects. The first boss was Qiongqi, a beast from Chinese classics, who fled mid-fight, leading to a second boss, the dragon Maldrake. The developers said characters are not obtained through gacha but unlocked by playing. Monetization will focus on cosmetic items. The game is free-to-play on PC, with other platforms and the release date undecided. Pre-registration has begun on the official website. The developers aim for a "wide entrance" with low barriers for new players and a high skill ceiling for veterans. They also plan a large RPG-style story map and small-scale PvP content.
The staff of A Returner's Magic Should Be Special Season 2 released the first promotional video on Friday, August 21, 2026. The trailer confirms the sequel will premiere in Fuji TV's +Ultra programming block in October 2026, airing Wednesdays at 24:45, effectively Thursdays at 12:45 a.m. Crunchyroll will stream the new season. The anime's website also announced an advance screening at Shinjuku Wald 9 in Tokyo on October 3. The first season began re-airing on Fuji TV and Kansai TV in July 2026. Rock band FLOW returns to perform the opening theme "Sorrow," following their Season 1 song "GET BACK." krage will perform the ending theme "Everlasting." Taishi Kawaguchi returns to direct at Arvo Animation, with Takamitsu Kouno composing and writing scripts. Main cast members include Takuma Terashima as Desir Herman, Sayumi Suzushiro as Romantica Eru, Natsumi Fujiwara as Pram Schnaizer, and Asami Seto as Azrest Kingscrown. Yen Press describes the story: Desir Herman returns thirteen years to the past to prevent humanity's downfall.
ANIMAX MUSIX 2026 announced its third batch of artists for the two-day Yokohama Arena event on November 20 and 21. Day 1 adds Taisei Miyagawa and Mori Calliope. Day 2 adds Utahime Dream All Stars and Yoshino Nanjo. Ticket sales for early bird and lottery advance begin August 19.
The staff for Dark Machine the Animation unveiled the second promotional video on Wednesday. The video reveals four new cast members playing players from rival e-sports teams, previews the opening theme song "Sonzai Riyū Kai" by BUCK-TICK, and announces the anime's October television premiere. The series will be available for TV and streaming via Fuji TV.
Toei Animation turned 70 on July 31 and released a special video celebrating its history, decade by decade. The studio also opened a 70th anniversary website with a production history and a message from president Katsuhiro Takagi, who thanked fans and staff and framed the milestone as a step toward the studio's 100th anniversary.
Nintendo announced a new capsule toy line, "Fruit Keychain Collection Animal Crossing," for the Animal Crossing series. The keychains will be sold at the official directly managed stores Nintendo TOKYO, OSAKA, KYOTO, and FUKUOKA starting in September. The product features keychains of fruits that appear in the Animal Crossing series. The product image also shows keychains of a "Bell Bag" and a "Beehive," with the beehive appearing to come with a "Medicine" attachment. Before the general release, advance sales are planned starting August 14 at two locations: the "Animal Crossing: Hokkaido Airpo Island Pop-Up Event in New Chitose Airport" and the Nintendo POP-UP STORE in SAPPORO "Animal Crossing: Daimaru Depa Island." Nintendo made the announcement on August 13 via its official store account on social media, which included a product image showing the keychain designs. The capsule toy format means customers receive a random fruit keychain from the collection.
THQ Nordic released REANIMAL - The Prisoner on August 8, the first of three planned DLC chapters for Tarsier Studios' co-op horror game. The expansion introduces new protagonists, the Soldier and the Prisoner, in a war-torn city. It holds a Very Positive rating on Steam with 84% positive reviews from 177 user reviews at the time of writing.
TOKYO MX will broadcast 'Eiga Yes! Pretty Cure 5: Kagami no Kuni no Miracle Daibouken!' on August 9 at 19:00. The 2007 film introduced the Miracle Light support item and the dark warrior team Dark Pretty Cure 5, whose members were voiced by actors later cast in other Pretty Cure series.
TVer began a limited free streaming run of three Precure films on August 2: Hugtto! Precure, Star Twinkle PreCure, and Healin' Good PreCure. The end date is not yet announced. The lineup includes the 15th anniversary crossover film featuring 55 Precure characters with original voice casts.
Toei Animation established Eterna Animation in 2025 as an in-house production brand for original IP development. Its first production, the short film Foxing: Kitsuné-tsuki, premiered at the Fantasia International Film Festival in Montreal. Director Takeru Shinozuka, a veteran animator, makes his directorial debut with the film.
TOHO animation announced on Tuesday that Kamome Maruyono's comedy gourmet manga Dokagui Daisuki! Mochizuki-san is receiving a television anime adaptation. Animation studio Passione is producing the anime. TOHO revealed the adaptation at the end of a one-hour cooking video loop that began streaming on Tuesday, and Maruyono drew an illustration to celebrate the announcement. The manga centers on Mikoto Mochizuki, a woman with intense enthusiasm for eating enormous quantities of food. The ongoing series launched simultaneously in Hakusensha's Young Animal Zero magazine and the Young Animal Web manga site in May 2024. Hakusensha published the first compiled book volume in October 2024, and will publish the fourth volume on September 29. The manga was nominated in the 18th Manga Taisho awards in 2025, and was included on the list of top 20 manga for male readers in the 2026 edition of Takarajimasha's Kono Manga ga Sugoi! guidebook. It also ranked #8 in the top 10 series in the Web Manga category of the Next Manga Awards 2024, and was the inaugural winner of that year's new Nichirei Prize.
Bandai Namco Entertainment, Shueisha, and Toei Animation announced on Sunday that the One Piece Day '26 event will stream worldwide on YouTube, with X and LINE added as free livestream platforms this year. The two-day event takes place at Makuhari Messe in Chiba, Japan on August 22-23. The August 22 stream runs from 6:15 p.m. to 7:45 p.m. JST, and the August 23 stream runs from 10:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. JST. The livestream will be archived for a limited time. The event includes the final results of the second WORLD TOP 100 character popularity poll, with rankings 100 through 31 announced on August 22 and the top 30 on August 23. A prediction campaign called WORLD TOP 100 The King of Guesses launched August 3 on the ONE PIECE BASE app, letting fans predict the final top 30 characters for digital rewards and a chance at prizes. The August 23 program features three One Piece News segments, a One Piece Card Game special panel, the finals of the 8th One Piece Knowledge King competition, an Elbaf Arc voice cast panel, and a live concert with Hiroshi Kitadani, Maki Otsuki, Aina The End, and 36km/h.
Bandai Namco Filmworks announced a new Gundam television series, Mobile Suit Gundam RG XARX-ZERO, at San Diego Comic-Con on July 23, 2026. The series is directed by Kenji Kamiyama, known for Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, who also handles series composition. Animation production is by SOLA ANIMATION. The series is part of the RG Project, a multimedia initiative that also includes the action game GUNDAM ROGUE ORBIT. The anime is set in a new timeline separate from the Universal Century and Common Era, beginning in A.A. (After Apocalypse) 45. Humanity abandoned Earth after an alien ecosystem called the Apocalypse overran the planet. The protagonist, Ray Azumi, a war orphan, pilots the Gundam Zero. Takeo Otsuka voices Ray Azumi. The series is scheduled to launch in 2027. The anime takes place roughly 100 years before the events of the game. Kamiyama stated the project allowed him to create a Gundam from scratch in a new timeline.
Takara Tomy Arts will release the Animal Crossing Mocchi-Mocchi GameStyle plush series on August 8, 2026, at Nintendo TOKYO, OSAKA, KYOTO, and FUKUOKA stores. The line includes eight character and item motifs in plush L and ball chain mascot types. Early sales begin July 25 at a pop-up event in New Chitose Airport.
The original soundtrack for the horror adventure game Reanimal has been released on digital streaming services. The album contains 33 tracks by composers Christian Vasselbring, Jacob Carlsson, and Stefan Almqvist. The soundtrack is available on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, YouTube Music, Steam, Epic Games Store, and GOG.
At Anime Expo 2026, Kyoto Animation director Minoru Ota and producer Satori Senami gave interviews about their new series Sparks of Tomorrow. Ota described his informal mentorship at the studio, while Senami explained the producer's role in forming committees and budgets. The show premiered July 5 after a long silence since its 2018 announcement.
The second online lottery for 'The Birth of Kitaro: The Mystery of GeGeGe' opened July 17, 2026, with a summer beach theme. Character designer Yokatabe Tōko drew new illustrations of Kitaro's father and Mizuki relaxing on the beach. Prizes include foil-stamped acrylic art boards, acrylic stands, keychains, clear file sets, and hologram badges. The lottery runs through August 16, 2026, at 880 yen per play.
Baskin-Robbins will hold additional sales of the Animal Crossing Special Set starting July 23 via the 31Club app. The set, which includes eight ice creams and a Bell Bag lunch bag, sold out at many stores during the ongoing campaign. Purchases are limited to one per app ID, and sales continue until July 31 or while supplies last.
Illustrator AnimA's white-haired elf girl Naophilia is now available for pre-order as a 1/6 scale painted figure from SSR FIGURE at AmiAmi. Two editions are offered: a Standard Edition at 13,850 yen and a Deluxe Edition at 19,430 yen. Both include a lenticular postcard bonus, with the Deluxe adding interchangeable body parts and a second figure body. Release is scheduled for February 2027.
HoYoverse's closed beta test for Honkai: Nexus Anima, a new Honkai series game, features creature collection, exploration in Iatown, and auto-chess style battles. Players bond with Nexus Anima creatures, use their skills for traversal, and deploy them in strategic auto-battles. The branching main quest changes based on choices. Honkai series characters appear as Mirror Heart supports. The Evolution Test runs July 9-27.
The 1987 Dragon Ball theatrical film Sleeping Princess in Devil's Castle will air on TOKYO MX on July 19, 2026 at 20:00. It is the second broadcast in a series following last year's airing of the first Dragon Ball film. The film features Goku and Krillin rescuing a sleeping princess from demons.
Salamander Pictures and Nippon Animation will premiere their nearly eight-minute anime short 20001 An Earth Odyssey in competition at the Fantasia International Film Festival on July 18. The festival runs in Montreal from July 16 to August 2. The short is the first original project from Taiki Sakurai's Tokyo-based studio Salamander Pictures. Sakurai, who previously worked at Production I.G. and spent seven years building Netflix's anime business in Japan, left the streamer to focus on riskier original work. The sci-fi comedy follows three aliens who arrive on Earth 20,000 years after humanity vanishes and misinterpret every artifact they find, treating a playground as a sacred site and an umbrella as advanced technology. Sakurai describes the short as a family-friendly comedy with a meditation on history and archaeology. The production involved art director Jessie Liu from Los Angeles, animators from Korea and France, and Maru Animation. Sakurai plans to expand the concept into a series of five-minute episodes and is seeking partners after the festival premiere.
HoYoverse released character details and a promotional video for Nanafi, a girl from the town of Iatown who dreams of traveling between dimensions, voiced by Saho Shirasuna. The closed beta test, the Evolution Test, began on July 9, 2026.
Toei Animation's Eterna Animation brand short film FOXING: Kitsuné-tsuki will screen at three festivals, including a competition slot at Fantasia IFF for the Satoshi Kon Award for Excellence in Animation. The film follows character designer Shinano as she encounters her discarded creations. Takeru Shinozuka makes his commercial directorial debut, writing and designing the characters. The short also screens at Indy Shorts Film Festival and RIFFA. Eterna Animation launched this year for Toei's 70th anniversary, focusing on original works.
A 20th anniversary exhibition for the TV anime The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya will be held at Sunshine City in Ikebukuro, Tokyo from August 10 to 30, 2026. The event features a retrospective corner with setting materials and a replica of the SOS Brigade clubroom, and a corner on the series' cultural impact. Original goods, admission bonuses, and a limited "Brigade Chief Armband" item will be available.
Anime News Network published a five-part roundup of Tanabata greetings from across the anime, manga, and video game industries on July 7, 2026. The collection includes wishes and illustrations from official accounts for series such as Bungo Stray Dogs, Detective Conan, My Hero Academia, Sakamoto Days, Doraemon, Chibi Maruko-chan, Hell's Paradise, and Dragon Quest. Video game franchises like Final Fantasy, Monster Hunter, and Like a Dragon also participated, alongside creators including Hideo Kojima, Yuki Kaji, and Shoko Nakagawa. Several series tied their posts to new releases: the second season of Yoroi Shin Den Samurai Troopers premiered on July 7, My Happy Marriage released a special Tanabata illustration and announced a three-episode special for 2026, and My Stepmother and Stepsisters Aren't Wicked began airing on July 8. The roundup also features greetings from manga titles like Chiikawa, MARRIAGETOXIN, and Smoking Behind the Supermarket with You, as well as from studios Tatsunoko Production and Square Enix.
The official Evangelion side novel Evangelion ANIMA, written by mechanical designer Ikuto Yamashita, is being adapted into an audiobook. Volume 1 is available on Audible, with subsequent volumes releasing from around August 2026. Narrator Sasaki Aitani voices multiple characters.
Toei announced on July 6 that it will stream all 49 episodes of the 1996-1997 TV anime Hell Teacher Nube for free on its Toei Animation Museum Channel on YouTube, starting July 20 with 8 episodes released weekly. The free streaming celebrates the anime's 30th anniversary. A new anime adaptation aired in summer 2025.
The staff of the second season of the Black Clover anime revealed a new promotional video on Sunday, July 5, 2026, which previews the opening theme song by rock band WANIMA. The video debuted at Anime Expo 2026 on Saturday, July 4, where the first episode of the new season also had its world premiere. The opening song is titled "Kienai Riyuu" (The Reason That Won't Disappear). The second season will debut on TV Tokyo in October 2026. Ayataka Tanemura, who directed episodes 153-170 of the original Black Clover anime and the 2023 film Black Clover: Sword of the Wizard King, will direct the new season. Studio Pierrot returns to animate the season. Crunchyroll will stream the anime. The Black Clover anime originally aired 170 episodes from October 2017 to March 2021. The manga, created by Yuki Tabata, launched in Weekly Shonen Jump in February 2015 and concluded on May 1, 2024, after transferring to Jump GIGA in 2023.
Kyoto Animation's Sparks of Tomorrow, a project shelved after the 2019 arson attack, premieres on Netflix July 5. The first two episodes screened at Anime Expo 2026, followed by a Q&A with director Minoru Ota and producer Satori Senami. The series, set in an alternate-history Meiji-era Kyoto, follows a clumsy girl and an inventor as they navigate a steampunk world on the cusp of an electric age.
Takara Tomy Arts will release a new line of Animal Crossing plushies on August 8, 2026. The Mocchi-Mocchi- GameStyle lineup includes eight types: Tom Nook, Isabelle, K.K. Slider, Timmy & Tommy, Leaf, Fossil, Bell Bag, and Apple. Large plushies start at 5,489 yen, and ball-chain mascots are 1,650 yen each.
Oh-Ami is producing a 1/6 scale figure of Danimaru's original character J○ Vampire Ruri. The figure features a desk pose with removable clothing and interchangeable parts. A deluxe edition adds water splash effect parts and a bonus expression. Reservations are open on Amazon Japan for a September 2027 release.
Louis Clichy's debut feature 'Iron Boy' won the Jury Prize, Audience Award, and Gan Foundation Distribution Award at the Annecy International Animated Film Festival 2026. The film, which previously won a Special Jury Prize at Cannes, is set for a 2027 Japanese release. It follows a ten-year-old boy forced to wear an iron corset.
The second edition of the Animal Beach Ball pop-up shop for My Hero Academia runs June 27 to July 12 at Tokyo Anime Center in Shibuya. Newly drawn visuals feature Tomura Shigaraki, Dabi, and Himiko Toga holding animal beach balls. Goods include acrylic stands, concept necklaces, and mochocho collaboration items. Online sales begin June 29.
Toei Animation presented its next film project, the 2D-3D hybrid animated film Monkey Quest, at the Annecy Festival. Studio SANZIGEN is handling the 3D animation. The film follows a girl and her brother who free a forgotten protector of Earth. The cast includes Adam Devine, Elsie Fisher, and J.K. Simmons. The film is in post-production and aiming for a 2027 release.
Intelligent Animation, a new Los Angeles-based studio founded by former Syfy and ABC executives, announced its first two productions: animated adaptations of Tapas webtoons The Dragon Prince's Bride and The Prince's Personal Physician. Both series will premiere later this year on the short-form streaming platform aTwist. The studio combines traditional animation with AI-assisted tools but does not use AI for scripts, artwork, or voice performances.
Toei Animation's new Eterna Animation brand released a trailer for its short film Foxing: Kitsuné-tsuki. The film follows character designer Shinano as discarded creations from her past appear to her. Takeru Shinozuka directs and writes in his commercial debut. The short is set to debut this year.
DC Studios and Warner Bros. Animation announced three new animated projects during their first joint presentation at the Annecy International Animated Film Festival on June 25. The slate is led by Joker: Laugh Riot, the studio's first anime series. Yasuhiro Aoki directs the series at Sola Entertainment. The story follows the Joker after Batman is killed, sending him on a violent search for the murderer. The series is set for a worldwide release. Also announced was Absolute Batman, an adult animated adaptation of Scott Snyder and Nick Dragotta's bestselling comic. Snyder will serve as showrunner and executive producer, with Dragotta as a producer. The comic has sold over six million copies since its launch. The third project is Krypto, a family-oriented animated series from Chowder and Jellystone! creator C.H. Greenblatt. The series follows Superman's dog as he befriends a group of aspiring neighborhood criminals. The announcements were made during DC Studios and Warner Bros. Animation's Annecy showcase.
At the 2026 Annecy International Animation Film Festival, Nippon Animation held a 50th anniversary panel and unveiled three original series: the sci-fi black comedy 2001: An Earth Odyssey, the gourmet drama Taverna!!!, and the Alice in Wonderland reimagining Alices. Producer Taiki Sakurai and director Yumiko Yoshizawa presented the projects, which mark a shift toward adult-oriented content for the studio. A sizzle reel of classics like Heidi and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer drew applause.
Dunk Hearts released 'Digital Anima Electronic Life Raising Kit' on Steam on June 23. The game combines raising a desktop pet named Dejima with ARG-style investigation of real websites. It costs 700 yen, with a 30% launch discount until July 7.
Vivienne Medrano, creator of 'Hazbin Hotel' and 'Helluva Boss', will direct and write the new theatrical animated film 'Prehistoria' for Warner Bros. Pictures Animation. The project was announced at the Annecy International Animated Film Festival as part of WBPA's strategy to work with online creators. The film is described as a fossil fantasy musical, set in a new world separate from Medrano's previous works.
HoYoverse will run a second closed beta test for its new auto-chess strategy game Honkai: Nexus Anima, called the Evolution Test, from July 9 on PC, iOS, and Android. Participant recruitment runs from June 22 to July 4, with selection by lottery from applicants who complete pre-registration and a survey. The test deletes all data after it ends. Alongside the announcement, HoYoverse released a new trailer titled Evolution PV 'Until the Day We Meet' and gameplay footage. The video shows multiple new characters, including Kiana and Blade, who are returning from earlier Honkai series entries. Honkai: Nexus Anima is the latest game in the Honkai franchise, following Honkai Impact 3rd and Honkai: Star Rail. It is an auto-chess-style title where players collect and battle creatures called Anima. The Evolution Test is meant to expand on the core systems and story, adding new characters, Anima, areas, and game design elements.
Kyoto Animation's upcoming television anime Sparks of Tomorrow will feature opening and ending theme songs by Luna Goami and Ginger Root, respectively, with both tracks set for global digital release in July 2026. The opening theme "Eureka Evrika," performed by Luna Goami, will be released on July 6, one day after the series premiere on July 5. The ending theme "Soarin'," by Ginger Root, will follow on July 13. The series is set in an alternate-history early 20th-century Kyoto where steam power dominates, following a boy fascinated by electricity and a girl carrying her late mother's memory. "Eureka Evrika" was composed by Hitomi Koto, who also handles the series' soundtrack, with lyrics written by Goami. Goami stated she was pregnant during production, which she said added emotional depth to the song's themes of life and rebirth. Ginger Root, the solo project of Cameron Lew, wrote, composed, and arranged "Soarin'" entirely himself. Lew described the project as a dream opportunity as a longtime anime fan. Sparks of Tomorrow will air in Japan and stream globally on Netflix.
Good Smile Fest 2026 Tokyo, held on June 6, 2026, featured a wide array of new figure prototypes and painted samples from Good Smile Company. The event included first-time exhibitions of polyester and polyurethane figures from 'New Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt,' a color sample of Cutie Honey from 'Cutie Honey Nova,' and figures from 'City the Animation' featuring Minami Mitori, Niikura, and Izumi Wako. In the game titles category, new items included a Nendoroid of Hideo Kojima, painted samples of Tidus and Yuna from 'Final Fantasy X,' and figures from 'Fate/Grand Order,' 'Steins;Gate,' and 'Bunny Garden 2.' The social game edition showcased numerous figures from 'Azur Lane,' including Howden Leeuw, New Jersey, Taihou, and Mogador, as well as items from 'Uma Musume: Pretty Derby' and 'Fate/Grand Order.' The event also displayed 'POP UP PARADE BEACH QUEENS' figures of Rei Ayanami and Asuka Langley Shikinami from 'Evangelion: New Theatrical Edition' and a prototype from 'Mononoke the Movie: The Medicine Seller.'
Autodesk is embedding AI tools like Flow Studio into 3ds Max and Maya, software widely used by Japanese CG anime studios. DandeLion Animation Studio president Kazuhiro Nishikawa acknowledged AI is unavoidable but stressed the need for controlled use. Toei Animation reiterated it does not actively use AI in production. DandeLion's upcoming adaptation of Eleceed will test Flow Studio for motion capture.
Lotte Chocolate and Shin-Ei Animation are partnering on a new web anime series for the Pie no Mi snack brand. Titled Pie no Mi: Oshi no Mori he Yōkoso, the series will premiere on the Lotte Chocolate YouTube channel on June 4 at midnight Japan Time. The cast includes Yumiko Kobayashi and Rie Hikisaka.
THQ Nordic announced on June 2 that the first chapter of the 'Reanimal' DLC 'The Expanded World' for Nintendo Switch 2 has been delayed from June 9 to September 30. The second and third chapters are also pushed back. The content itself remains unchanged. Other platforms keep their original release schedule.