DLE operates two parallel brands: its traditional anime production arm and a new generative AI brand, AI Kaeru Otoko Shōkai, launched in June 2026 to repurpose the studio's 2000s catalog. The studio is also involved in the KING OF PRISM franchise, which is holding nationwide live-viewing events in June 2026.
Anime studio DLE announced a new brand called AI Kaeru Otoko Shōkai in June 2026, which will use generative AI to create short anime based on the studio's older 2000s properties, including Kofun Gal no Coffy and Dokan-kun. The first short debuted on the day of the announcement, with new shorts released every Wednesday on YouTube, TikTok, and X. The brand operates parallel to DLE's existing traditional anime brand, marking a formal move by the veteran studio to repurpose its back catalog through generative AI.
Separately, DLE is involved in the KING OF PRISM franchise, which will host two live-viewing events on June 28 at Keio Arena Tokyo, simulcast at movie theaters nationwide. The daytime show, KING OF PRISM Pretty Boys SPECIAL THANKS PARTY!, starts at 14:30 and commemorates the series' 10th anniversary. The night show, KING OF PRISM SUPER LIVE Prism☆Tours!, begins at 18:30 and marks the first anniversary of the film KING OF PRISM-Your Endless Call- Mi~nna Kirameke! Prism☆Tours. Both events feature a cast of 18 performers including Junta Terashima, Soma Saito, and Tasuku Hatanaka. Advance lottery tickets for the live viewing are available via Ticket Pia until May 23:59, with general sales opening June 13 at noon and theater counter sales starting June 26 if seats remain. Daytime attendees receive a SePTENTRION drama CD as a gift. New key visuals show SePTENTRION and WITH in event T-shirts, and new merchandise using 3DCG illustrations will be sold.
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Disney+ will stream the documentary "Documentary of Endless SHOCK -Behind the Scenes of the Final Performance-" from September 23, followed by three stage performance videos from the 2024 final year at the Imperial Theater starting September 30. The musical "Endless SHOCK," created and starring Koichi Domoto, ran from 2000 to 2024.
Moonlighter 2: The Endless Vault left early access and reached its full official release on September 2, 2026. The roguelite sequel, which moved from pixel art to an anime style, is available on PC, Nintendo Switch 2, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S. A physical edition for Switch 2 and PS5 is scheduled for December 10 via Sega.
Independent developer GasaiGames opened the Steam store page for PomoIdle Arena on September 4. The game blends a Pomodoro timer with idle and command battle elements. Resources accumulate while the timer runs, funding character growth and online battles. A browser version is available for free.
Polden Publishing announced on September 4 that Studio Bitdot's Needle In A Haystack Simulator will support Japanese. The game literalizes the English idiom about a needle in a haystack: players sift through five million pieces of hay to find a single needle. Treasures found along the way can be sold for tools that expand search capacity. Online co-op is supported. The game launches on Steam in Q4 2026, with price undecided.
Sega will release the package edition of Moonlighter 2: The Endless Vault for PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch 2 in Japan on December 10, 2026, priced at 5,400 yen (5,940 yen with tax). Sega signed a co-publishing agreement with UK publisher Silver Lining Interactive and will handle manufacturing and sales of the package title in Japan. The action RPG and management sim sequel is developed by Spanish studio Digital Sun.
The week of August 31 to September 6, 2026, brings a heavy slate of new game releases across Japan and North America, led by two major action titles. Capcom's Onimusha: Way of the Sword launches on September 4 for PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch 2, priced at 8,990 yen. The sword-fighting action game is set in early Edo-period Kyoto transformed by miasma, with players controlling swordsman Miyamoto Musashi, who bears the Oni Gauntlet and battles the supernatural Genma. Stages recreate real landmarks like Kiyomizu-dera Temple and Yasui Konpira-gu Shrine. A pre-order bonus offers an omamori charm and sword fittings set usable in-game. The Blood of Dawnwalker, a dark fantasy action RPG from Rebel Wolves, arrives on September 3 for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S at 9,790 yen. It stars a Dawnwalker who lives as a human by day and a vampire by night, with day and night gameplay duality as a key attraction. Also releasing this week are Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty Complete Edition, My Hero Academia: All's Justice, and Moonlighter 2: The Endless Vault.
The Steam store page for Needle In A Haystack Simulator is now live. The game hides one needle among 5,000,000 pieces of hay and supports online co-op for up to 8 players. Playtest applications are open, and the release window is Q4 2026. Creator Nas confirmed the co-op support on social media.
Game Spark reports on a hands-on session with Chronoscript: The Endless End, an exploration action adventure from Shueisha Games and developer Desk Works, shown at gamescom 2026. The game mixes 2D Metroidvania-style action on manuscript paper with 3D mansion exploration, featuring character design by Mari Shimazaki.
Amazon Japan is holding a Kindle Books 99 Yen Sale until September 3, with four manga series priced at 99 yen per volume: Air Master, Iron no Linebarrel Kanzenban, Hana no Keiji -Kumo no Kanata ni-, and Kurosagi. Bundle purchases are available, with all 28 volumes of Air Master costing 2,772 yen.
Nas announced the official title and Steam store page for Needle In A Haystack Simulator on August 28, 2026. The game tasks players with finding one needle among 5 million pieces of straw. A teaser posted on August 22 has surpassed 52.58 million impressions. Release is planned for Q4 2026.
Bandai Spirits has announced the full lineup for its upcoming Ichiban Kuji Precure ~Endless Grace~ lottery, set for sequential in-store release starting September 26, 2026. Online sales begin October 19, 2026. The headline prizes are two approximately 17 cm figures: the A Prize Cure Dream and the Last One Prize Milky Rose, both sculpted in transformation poses and designed to be displayed together. The lottery spans 14 prize tiers in total, including the palm-sized PUNY BEANS deformed figure series covering all six members of the Yes! Pretty Cure 5 GoGo! team, plush mascots of fairies Coco, Nuts, Milk, and Syrup, a CureMo-inspired card case, bag charms, pouches, hand towels, and stickers. Several tiers, including the fairy plush mascots, character charms, and daily items, are selectable, allowing winners to choose their preferred variant rather than relying on random draw. A Double Chance Campaign offers a Cure Dream and Milky Rose figure set to 50 winners. Each draw costs 770 yen including tax.
Shueisha Games brought four playable titles to gamescom 2026, which opened August 26 in Cologne, Germany. The lineup includes the newly titled survival craft RPG Wild Wild Eden, the soul triage adventure UN:Me, the boss battle action game BAKUDO, and the exploration action adventure Chronoscript: The Endless End. A fifth title, CONQUISTA: Tide of Wills, was covered separately. Wild Wild Eden, developed by Malaysia's Magnus Games Studio, offers open-world survival with a focus on taming nearly any monster as a mount or base helper. The game was announced in 2023 under a working title and received its official name in July 2026. UN:Me, from the creators of the Caligula series, had its worldwide first playable showing at the event. BAKUDO, developed by Taiwan's SAYIL GAMES, introduced a new high-difficulty boss and an ADV-style school segment. Chronoscript, from Desk Works of RPG Time fame, announced a public Steam demo for late August.
Shueisha Games released the demo for Chronoscript: The Endless End on Steam on August 21, 2026, alongside a new trailer. The demo lets players experience the opening of the exploration action adventure, in which the protagonist editor is trapped inside manuscript paper, up to the point of meeting a vampire who is a writer. The demo covers exploration of a field where hand-drawn 2D stages overlap with a 3D-rendered Western mansion, and formidable bosses appear along the way. Clearing the demo's main story unlocks Extra: Boss Challenge Battle, which allows players to take on more challenging fights and also unlocks skills. The full game is scheduled for release in Fall 2026 on PlayStation 5 and Steam. The game is developed by DeskWorks, a small team focused on unique art styles and gameplay. Supported languages include Japanese, English, Traditional Chinese, Simplified Chinese, Korean, French, Italian, Spanish, and German. The demo is available on a dedicated Steam page, and a separate trailer for it has been published.
Developer handlebardev announced Handlebar, a first-person downhill cycling roguelike, on August 19. Players race down automatically generated mountain paths, pass through portals to warp between tracks, and collect upgrades attached to the handlebars. The game is in development for PC via Steam, with no release date set.
Unitcom released three LEVEL∞ gaming PCs on August 19 as recommended configurations for Granblue Fantasy: Relink - Endless Ragnarok. The AMD Ryzen and Radeon builds start at 229,700 yen, support BTO customization, and are verified through actual gameplay.
Small Mill's idle RPG Path of Idle: Old Gods Rising, released August 13 on Steam, has surpassed 10,000 peak concurrent players. SteamDB data shows the count rising from 7,789 on release day to 10,366 by August 16. User reviews sit at 75% positive from 601 reviews, rated Mixed.
Virtual idol group SO.ON project LaV will release its 12th single, "Endless Sky," on August 14, 2026. The song is an answer song to their debut track "SYNC LINK LIVE!!" and marks their fifth anniversary. Lyrics are by Kyoko Oyama, with composition by Hirotaka Hayakawa and Shuji Kondo, and arrangement by Kondo.
Riddle Kamimura released the 26th and final chapter of the Mikiri Kara Hajimeru Garyū Kenjutsu manga adaptation on August 8. The series, based on Hisumi's light novel, launched in Mag Garden's Mag Comi website in June 2023. Mag Garden published the fourth compiled volume in October 2025.
TOMORROW X TOGETHER's third VR concert tour, 'TOMORROW X TOGETHER VR CONCERT: ENDLESS RIDE,' began screening on July 31 in Tokyo and Fukuoka. The tour will visit seven cities nationwide through September. The VR concert features 12K video and 7.1ch audio, with performances in virtual spaces like a pink desert and an upside-down cityscape.
BiteMe Games announced Desktop Island: Idle Together!, a desktop idle slow-life sim for PC via Steam, launching in December. It supports solo and up to five-player online co-op without a host, syncing shared island changes automatically. A playtest is live now through August 16.
Third Wave Corporation, under its GALLERIA brand, began selling recommended PCs for GRANBLUE FANTASY: Relink - Endless Ragnarok on July 31, 2026. The lineup includes three desktop models with AMD Ryzen CPUs and Radeon graphics cards, available at Dospara stores and online.
At CEDEC 2026, Cygames engineers Satoshi Hirate and Tatsu Miki explained how they built the battle system for Granblue Fantasy: Relink and its Endless Ragnarok expansion. The team aimed for battles where every player can fight stylishly, managing 84 character-style variations through rapid iteration and a two-tier AI system.
Crunchyroll announced it is adding an English dub for the television anime of Umiharu's The Daily Life of a Middle-Aged Online Shopper in Another World manga. All 13 episodes debut in English on Tuesday. The dub staff includes director Caitlin Glass, producer Samantha Herek, script adapter James Cheek, mixer Matt Grounds, and engineer Jeremy Woods.
11 bit studios and Digital Sun announced on August 5 that Moonlighter 2: The Endless Vault will officially launch on September 2, 2026. The sequel, which entered Early Access on PC on November 19, 2025, will leave Early Access with version 1.0, concluding the main story and adding new weapons, armor, and endgame content. The game is available on PC (Steam and Microsoft Store), PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch 2, and is also on PC and Xbox Game Pass. To mark the release date announcement, the original Moonlighter is being distributed free on Steam until August 9. The 2018 action RPG, developed by Digital Sun, combines dungeon exploration with shop management, and has a 'Very Positive' rating on Steam from about 17,000 reviews. The free distribution period is August 5 to August 9, and the game will remain in players' libraries permanently. A free demo of Moonlighter 2 is also available on all platforms, and pre-orders have started on PS5 and Nintendo Switch 2.
Shueisha Games will release Chronoscript: The Endless End for PlayStation 5 and PC via Steam in fall 2026. The game is a new exploration action title from Desk Works, the developer behind RPG Time: The Legend of Wright. In it, an editor named Fredrick G. Muller is bitten by a mosquito and wakes up inside a manuscript written by Viola S. Chambers, a thousand-year-old vampire. The player explores a 2D paper world that sits within a 3D Western-style mansion, and the two dimensions affect each other. Books stacked outside the manuscript can cover parts of the field, and pages can fall in real space during battles. The game uses a Metroidvania structure, with new actions gained by defeating bosses. The demo included three abilities: Page Wing Leap, a double jump; Ink Immersion, which lets the player dive into ink stains; and Sightseer Midge, which shows the map as the writer's room. Defeating enemies grants enhancement items used at checkpoint chairs to improve six categories. The demo's tutorial boss, the Foolish Reading Librarian Insect, took three attempts to defeat. A separate Extra mode offers a harder boss, the Condemning Opera Director, with two additional actions unlocked.
Bandai Spirits is releasing a special edition of the MGSD Wing Gundam Zero from Mobile Suit Gundam W: Endless Waltz, featuring a new manufacturing technique called Structural Coating. The kit, named MGSD Wing Gundam Zero EW [Structural Coating/Black], changes all outer armor to black and gray molded colors. Internal parts use Structural Coating, a process that creates iridescent colors visible through gaps in the dark armor, similar to the surface of soap bubbles or CDs. The effect varies by viewing angle, and no two kits will have the same finish due to the processing. The wings have a five-layer structure with individual articulation, and when deployed, they expose internal structural coating plating and clear parts with reflection-cut processing. The kit includes a shield, twin buster rifle, and beam saber, and can transform into Neo Bird mode via part replacement. Pre-orders open on Premium Bandai on July 24, 2026, at 12:00 JST. The price is 12,100 yen (tax included), with shipment scheduled for November 2026.
Hawk Studio Entertainment announced the dark fantasy action RPG 'Godless Dawn' on July 18. The game is being developed solo by Turkish developer Celal Sahin using Unreal Engine 5. It features a Souls-like combat system with multiple weapon types and magic. The setting blends medieval European castles with Eastern temples. A PC release via Steam is planned for the first quarter of 2027.
Inversenet's FRONTIER brand began selling gaming PCs verified by Cygames for 'Granblue Fantasy: Relink - Endless Ragnarok' on July 17. The systems feature an AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D CPU and Radeon RX 9000 series GPU, with two case options: the compact FREXAR X series or the full-tower GHL series. The PCs have passed Cygames' verification standards for comfortable play of the expansion.
HYBE JAPAN announced the third VR concert tour by TOMORROW X TOGETHER, titled 'ENDLESS RIDE,' to be held in seven cities starting July 31. The tour includes first-time stops in Hiroshima and Miyagi. Produced by AMAZE, the concert features 12K video, 7.1ch surround sound, and new one-on-one communication elements. It is part of the 'HYBE JAPAN VR NEXT STAGE 2026' project, which expands the VR concert lineup and screening locations.
Mateo Covic, solo developer of cooperative game Paddle Paddle Paddle, stated on X that Steam's refund policy is easily abused. He claims over 55,000 refunds have been processed, with some users posting positive reviews while requesting refunds after clearing the game in under two hours. Covic supports refunds for legitimate issues but calls for system changes to prevent abuse. The claim lacks public evidence, as noted by GamesRadar+.
Cygames released GRANBLUE FANTASY: Relink - Endless Ragnarok on July 9, 2026, for PC, PS4, PS5, and Nintendo Switch 2. The large-scale expansion for the 2024 action RPG adds a new story, four playable characters (Beatrix, Eustace, Garanza, and Maglifrira), a roguelike single-player mode, a summon system that lets players control primal beasts, and a new difficulty level called CHAOS. The Standard Edition costs 6,930 yen, the Special Edition costs 9,900 yen, and an upgrade kit for original Relink owners costs 3,960 yen. Separate DLC unlock tickets for the characters Fraux and Fediel are also available for 330 yen each. On Steam, the expansion and original Relink together peaked at about 38,000 concurrent players, and the upgrade kit holds a 94% positive rating from 185 reviews. According to Automaton, the expansion was not part of Cygames' original post-launch plans but was developed in response to player feedback. A free demo is available on all platforms.
Sony Interactive Entertainment announced the July 2026 PlayStation Plus free games lineup on July 2. The three titles are Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III - Cross-Gen Bundle, For the King II, and CrossCode. All are available to all PlayStation Plus subscribers from July 7 to August 3.
Game Spark and Inside have published their weekly roundups of new game releases for the week of July 6, 2026, covering both the Japanese and North American markets. The headline titles this week are 'Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced', 'GRANBLUE FANTASY: Relink - Endless Ragnarok', and 'Palworld', all scheduled for release on July 9 and July 10 respectively. 'Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced' launches on July 9 for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S. 'GRANBLUE FANTASY: Relink - Endless Ragnarok' also arrives July 9 on PC, PS5, PS4, and Nintendo Switch 2. 'Palworld' follows on July 10 for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S. Other notable releases include 'Echoes of Aincrad' (July 9 on PS5, Xbox, PC; July 10 on PS5, Xbox, PC), 'Digimon Story Time Stranger' (July 9 on Switch 2 and Switch), 'Wuthering Waves' (July 10 on Xbox Series X|S), and 'College Football 27' (July 9 on PC, PS5, Xbox). The lists also include dozens of smaller indie and digital-only titles across all platforms.
Duo Forge Games announced 'Unboxed: Idle Case Tycoon', an idle game about opening loot boxes for weapon skins. Players open cases, collect skins across six rarity tiers, and earn passive income. Features include an auto-opener, vault building, a skin market, betting, trade-ups, prestige, and offline earnings. The game is scheduled for release on PC via Steam.
Bandai Spirits announced a collaboration between the online shooter Apex Legends and three Real Grade Gunpla kits, which will be sold exclusively at Gundam Base stores and GUNDAM SIDE-F starting July 25. The lineup includes the RG 1/144 Freedom Gundam -Apex Legends Crypto Ver.-, priced at 4,400 yen; the RG 1/144 Wing Gundam Zero EW -Apex Legends Valkyrie Ver.-, also 4,400 yen; and the RG 1/144 Gundam Epion -Apex Legends Alter Ver.-, priced at 5,500 yen. Each kit features a color scheme inspired by an Apex Legends character: the Freedom Gundam uses white, yellow-green, and black for Crypto; the Wing Gundam Zero uses black and orange for Valkyrie; and the Gundam Epion uses light blue and black for Alter. All three kits include original Apex Legends marking stickers and come in full-color packaging. The collaboration was announced on July 1 and the kits will be available at physical Gundam Base locations and GUNDAM SIDE-F.
Daichi Watanabe, Daichi Asai, and Shunsuke Kazama have been cast in the drama "Tokyo middle 30," a Japanese remake of the Chinese drama "Nothing But Thirty." The series stars Riisa Naka, Non, and Mai Fukagawa as three women whose lives intersect again after growing apart. The new cast members play the men who influence their stories. The drama premieres July 22.
The fashion brand MAYLA launched a collaboration jewelry line with King of Prism -Your Endless Call- on June 22, 2026. The collection includes seven character-color crown rings and a winged-heart bangle, sold individually at the MAYLA official online store. Each ring is engraved with the character's name.
Gerrymandle is a free browser puzzle where players click hexagonal tiles to draw electoral districts and make the blue team win a majority of seats. A new puzzle is released once a day. The game teaches gerrymandering mechanics through play.
The idle fishing game Fish to Dish: Idle Sushi has received a major update for its first anniversary, adding a collaboration with Dave the Diver. Players who upgrade their sushi restaurant to level 15 can encounter Dave, who will dive for fish and return with his catch. The update also includes character skins, a yacht, and new decorations.
Cygames released a demo for Granblue Fantasy: Relink - Endless Ragnarok on June 18 across Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, and PC. The demo includes early story content, four quests with online cross-play, and a tutorial. Playing the demo grants rewards for the full game, which launches July 9.
Inside Games published a review of two rock-oriented songs from Gakuen Idolmaster: 'ENDLESS DANCE' and 'Sunfaded'. The piece notes that 'ENDLESS DANCE' features a bright, hard-hitting riff and was composed by Yoshikatsu Shuto of KEYTALK, while 'Sunfaded' nearly drowns out Hiro Shinozawa's voice.
Bandai announced a renewed version of the Wing Gundam Zero (EW) from "New Mobile Report Gundam W Endless Waltz" as part of the GUNDAM UNIVERSE line. The figure, priced at 4,400 yen, is set for release in October 2026 and features a UNIVERSAL REACTION FRAME for improved articulation, plus weapons and effect parts.
Saber Interactive announced that Clive Barker's Hellraiser: Revival will launch on October 8, 2026, for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S. Two announcement trailers, a standard version and an uncensored extreme version, were released. Doug Bradley reprises his role as Pinhead. Pricing and editions were also revealed, with Deluxe Edition details coming later.
Mai Fukagawa has been cast in the Fuji TV drama Tokyo Middle 30, a Japanese remake of the Chinese series Nothing But Thirty. She plays Kaoruko Nagano, an elementary school teacher struggling with her relationship and life plans at age 35. The drama stars Riisa Naka and Non as the other two protagonists, and all three actresses are working together for the first time. The series begins July 22.
The film Gladiator II: The Voice of Heroes, directed by Ridley Scott and starring Paul Mescal as Lucius, began streaming on Netflix on June 15. The sequel to the 2000 film Gladiator follows Lucius as a gladiator fighting at the Colosseum. It was released in theaters on November 15, 2024.
Non has been cast as one of the lead roles in the Fuji TV drama "Tokyo Middle 30," marking her first regular role on the network in 14 years since "The Locked Room" (2012). The series, a Japanese remake of the Chinese drama "Nothing But Thirty," follows three women from local cities who moved to Tokyo and now face the gap between their dreams and reality as they approach age 35. Non plays Haruka Yamaji, nicknamed Harukyan, the second protagonist and best friend to Riisa Naka's character Maki. Haruka moved to Tokyo to become a musician but now works as an apparel store manager, is single, and begins a romance with a high-spec older man who visits her store. The drama is scripted by Ayako Kitagawa, whose credits include "Laid-Back Camp" and the live-action "Oshi no Ko." It premieres July 22 on Fuji TV, airing Wednesdays at 22:00. The third lead, an elementary school teacher named Kaoruko, has yet to be announced. Non and Naka are co-starring for the first time. Non said she was drawn to the script and described her character as carefree and impulsive but lovable. Producer Ue Shikanai praised Non as a "wonderful mid-30s adult woman" whose acting shows she loves the role.
Bandai Spirits will sell the HG 1/144 Gundam Sandrock Custom EW from Gundam Wing: Endless Waltz via lottery on Premium Bandai. The kit includes a soft-material beam-resistant coating cape and two giant heat shotels with red-hot clear parts. Applications open June 10-17, 2026, with shipment in July.
Riisa Naka will lead the Fuji TV drama series Tokyo Middle 30, premiering July 22. It is a Japanese original remake of the Chinese hit Nothing But Thirty, following three women in their mid-30s navigating love, work, and family in Tokyo. This is Naka's first lead role in a Fuji TV series and her first appearance on the network in 12 years.
Shueisha Games announced during the Future Games Show on June 7, 2026, that the exploration action-adventure game Chronoscript: The Endless End, developed by DeskWorks, will launch in fall 2026 for PlayStation 5 and PC via Steam. A prologue trailer debuted at the showcase, revealing for the first time the 3D character designs of the vampire writer Viola S. Chambers and the protagonist editor Frederick G. Müller, as well as a new stage set in Ancient Egypt. The game follows an editor who, after finishing a long-running series, receives a strange editing request and becomes trapped inside a manuscript world written by a vampire who has lived for a thousand years. Gameplay alternates between 2D spaces drawn on manuscript paper and 3D-rendered mansion interiors, with Metroidvania-style exploration and combat. The creative team includes Mari Shimazaki, known for Bayonetta and Ōkami, handling 3D character design, and composer Yasunori Mitsuda of Chrono Trigger and Xenogears fame, leading music production alongside Procyon Studio members Shunsuke Tsuchiya, Mariam Abounnasr, and guest composer Manami Kiyota.
Bandai Spirits announced an HG 1/144 scale plastic model kit of the Gundam Sandrock Custom from 'New Mobile Report Gundam Wing: Endless Waltz.' The kit includes a soft material anti-beam coating cape, heat shotels with red-hot clear parts, and a new W-series frame. It releases on June 6, 2026, for 4,180 yen.