The Elusive Samurai Season 2 is set to premiere on July 13 on Fuji TV, with returning staff at CloverWorks and streaming on Prime Video.
The Elusive Samurai Season 2 has its premiere locked in for July 13 on Fuji TV, with a main promotional video that previews the opening theme song "Onigoto" by Kento Nakajima. The second season continues with director Yuta Yamazaki and character designer Yasushi Nishiya at CloverWorks, maintaining continuity from the first season. Prime Video will stream the series.
The announcement confirms the full creative team and a concrete broadcast date, giving viewers a clear timeline for the return of the anime adaptation of Yūsei Matsui's manga. The opening theme reveal and promotional video offer the first extended look at the new season's content.
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Insomniac Games community marketing director James Stevenson said the X algorithm amplifies negative reactions and that the relentless attacks are bad for mental health. The criticism includes videos comparing the game to PS2 action titles. Marvel's Wolverine launches September 15, 2026 for PS5.
Bandai Spirits revealed the full lineup for Ichiban Kuji Splatoon 3 Third Wave, a no-loser prize lottery themed on the Nintendo shooter. Prizes include an ink-shooting Splattershot light, a 50cm Inkling cushion, a Gachi Hoko tote bag, a Salmon Run gold egg laundry net, and more. The lottery launches August 22, 2026, at 750 yen per draw.
shu3 has announced Death Game Report, a mystery adventure game with a Steam page now open. It is scheduled for release on September 1 for PC at 500 yen. Players restore records of students who died in a death game on a deserted island, using only the Records of the Dead, the Student Roster, and the Map of the Island to identify each cause of death, weapon, and perpetrator. shu3 describes the gameplay as Obra Dinn plus Type Help. His previous game, Dete Oide, Neko, holds an Overwhelmingly Positive rating on Steam.
SpaceX has officially completed its acquisition of Anysphere, the developer of AI coding tool Cursor, after signing an all-stock agreement in June. The deal values Anysphere's equity at $60 billion. Cursor announced the completion on August 14, saying it will gain access to SpaceX's GPU fleet and release models like Grok 4.6 at lower costs.
Episode 7 of Kaiju Girl Caramelise turns its attention to Minami, who becomes the focus of public scrutiny after a photo of him kissing Harugon spreads. The episode frames the media attention as a reaction to queer visibility, and continues to read Kuroe's kaiju transformation as a metaphor for trans experience.
Fuyumi Ono's Twelve Kingdoms fantasy novel series is finally getting an e-book release. Kindle editions will be distributed sequentially on Amazon.co.jp starting September 17 and October 15, 2026, with the new volume Yūmei no Kishi scheduled for December 11, 2026. The initial batch includes Mashō no Ko, Tsuki no Kage, Kage no Umi Parts 1 and 2, and Kaze no Umi, Meikyū no Kishi.
Denfaminicogamer hands-on with the Nintendo Switch 2 version of Elden Ring, the Tarnished Edition, reports no frame drops or stutters in TV or handheld modes. Graphics matched other platforms, controls responded immediately, and the trial ran smoothly from start to finish. The game launches August 28.
Hasegawa is re-releasing its 1/72 scale plastic model kits of the F-14 and MiG-29 fighter aircraft from the OVA Macross Zero, with new prices. Both kits are scheduled for release on October 21, 2026, and include markings for the U.N. Spacy and Anti-U.N. Alliance aircraft.
ABEMA will stream all 26 episodes of A Certain Magical Index III, all 12 of A Certain Scientific Accelerator, and all 25 of A Certain Scientific Railgun T for free from August 18 to 20. Each show remains free to watch for one week after its broadcast.
SkySet Entertainment will stream the Go Forward television anime and its sequel Massugu ni Ikō: Melon Pan-hen on August 18, the 23rd anniversary of the anime's debut. The stream includes Japanese audio with English subtitles and an English dub, available in the US, Canada, UK, New Zealand, and Australia.
Anime News Network reviews episode 5 of The Elusive Samurai Season 2, titled "The Unyielding." The episode sees Tokiyuki face a real failure on the battlefield, as his troops achieve small victories but miss the larger enemy strategy. The review notes the arc's impact is diluted by being spread across a month of episodes.
Daytona International announced on August 17 that its select shop FREAK'S STORE will release 16 types of collaboration items with the character content Puppet Sunsun starting August 21. The lineup includes sauna goods made with the popular brand SAUVENIR, as well as clothing and miscellaneous items. The sauna items feature Sunsun in a sky-blue color scheme and include a sauna mat, hat, towel, and storage bag. Other items include clear pouches, mesh tote bags, and apparel such as long-sleeve and short-sleeve shirts, sweatshirts, and T-shirts inspired by capsule hotel and super public bath in-house wear. A sweatshirt featuring both Sunsun and Nonnon is also part of the lineup. Five items, including the sauna bag, sauna pouch, sauna mat, sauna set, and all-over clear pouch, are reservation sales and web-only, with delivery scheduled for around mid-September. The items will be sold at select FREAK'S STORE locations and the official online store Daytona Park starting August 21 at noon. Customers who purchase at physical stores receive a hand mirror novelty, while supplies last. Some stores, including Shibuya, Kyoto, and Nagano, will not carry the collaboration items.
GOKKO Co., Ltd. will release the vertical short drama 'Tagusari Brothers' First Contact 'D-day ~The Day Sin Disappears~' on the app POPCORN on Friday, August 7, 2026. The 50-episode crime suspense stars Jitsuko Uchida as a forensic examiner forced to kill her aunt after her daughter is taken hostage. Hitomi Kuroki, Daichi Imae, Satoshi Jimbo, and Atsuko Hashiyasume also appear. The story is a prequel set two years before the TBS Friday Drama 'Tagusari Brothers'.
Chaomoon launched the 2D platformer MMORPG Soul's Remnant in early access on Steam on August 13. The free-to-play game, built over 10 years by two developers, has reached a 'Very Positive' rating with 80% positive reviews from 490 reviews and a peak of 4,367 concurrent players. Developer Chaomoon discussed the project on Reddit.
SuperGroupies is selling Blue Archive collaboration goods modeled on five Arius Branch School students: Saori, Atsuko, Hiyori, Misaki, and Subaru. The lineup totals 10 items, with body bags at 18,700 yen and long wallets at 15,400 yen each. Reservations run from August 17 at 16:00 to September 14 at 12:00, with delivery scheduled for early January 2027.
Publisher Jungle Game Lab and developer Zzangdol Games released No Results Found on Steam on August 14. The free immersive simulation adventure game casts the player as a government religious researcher reinvestigating the Nine-Armed Octopus Cult, one year after all 227 members drowned during a ceremony. It holds a Very Positive rating with 99% of roughly 300 user reviews positive.
AbleYou showed UpBRELLA at Busan Indie Connect Festival 2026. The 2D puzzle platformer stars a witch who uses an umbrella to glide, bounce, and trigger switches. Developer Kim Yunu said the three-person team builds puzzles around one tool, with influences including the knowledge-based game Ooo.
Sega and Colorful Palette added STEAKA's new song "Stardust Rain" to Project Sekai Colorful Stage! feat. Hatsune Miku on August 15, 2026. The unit song features KAITO and MORE MORE JUMP! and is available to all players through the in-game Present feature. The 3DMV and 2DMV are on YouTube.
BANDAI SPIRITS has revealed the full lineup for Ichiban Kuji Hololive ~RPG Style~, a no-losing character lottery featuring four members of the VTuber agency Hololive Production in original RPG-themed costumes. The prizes include figures of Ayame Hyakki, Subaru Oozora, Flare Shiranui, and Noel Shirogane, each based on newly drawn illustrations. Additional goods include acrylic visual boards, a mug, Chokonokko chibi figures, can badge sets, aurora acrylic stands, rubber charms, and pixel art acrylic stands. The Last One Prize, awarded to the person who draws the final ticket, is an acrylic visual board. A Double Chance Campaign offers a set of four Chokonokko figures through a separate lottery. The lottery is scheduled for sequential release starting September 5, 2026, at Lawson, Ministop, bookstores, hobby shops, official Ichiban Kuji shops, and Ichiban Kuji ONLINE. Each draw costs 850 yen including tax. Online sales begin at 5:00 PM on September 7, 2026. The product page on the Ichiban Kuji Club website lists all prizes with images.
Bandai is releasing two new HUNTER×HUNTER figure lines featuring the Phantom Troupe. The S.H.Figuarts Chrollo Lucilfer figure is now available for pre-order from August 3, 2026, at Amazon, AmiAmi, Bic Camera, and Yodobashi Camera. The figure includes various expression parts, a materialized book, and interchangeable wrist parts. It can reproduce scenes such as actions activating Nen and the iconic pose with his hand in his cloak. The manufacturer's suggested retail price is 9,900 yen including tax, with release scheduled for February 2027. Separately, Bandai's Gashapon figure HG series Vol.2 features four Phantom Troupe members: Chrollo, Hisoka, Feitan, and Machi. Each figure is about 9 cm tall and costs 500 yen per play. Sales begin on Gashapon Online from 11:00 AM on Tuesday, August 18, 2026, and run until 11:59 PM on Monday, August 24, 2026. Delivery is scheduled for around late December 2026, though the figures may appear at capsule vending machines nationwide before delivery.
Furyu will release a prize figure of Hatsune Miku in the Racing Miku 2025 Sepang Ver. design, based on an illustration by Kei Mochizuki. The figure, part of Furyu's Muchutto Figure prize brand, depicts Miku in a summer racing style, holding a water gun and posed as if dashing forward. The approximately 20cm tall sculpt captures an energetic expression with a wink and detailed clothing. It will be available as a prize starting in the 4th week of August 2026. The figure is part of the Hatsune Miku GT Project, which features Miku as a racing mascot. The announcement was covered by Dengeki Hobby Web and Inside, both noting the figure's dynamic pose and appeal. The prize will be distributed through Furyu's prize lineup, with details available on the official product page. Fans of the Racing Miku series and collectors of prize figures can expect this summer-themed addition to arrive later this month.
Phoenixx Inc. began free distribution of the puzzle adventure game The Apple Looks Up on Steam on August 17, 2026. Developed by EASYHUMAN, the game is set in the Infinite Library, a place where all events of the present, past, and future are recorded. The player controls an amnesiac protagonist who receives 13 trials from Mimir, the angel librarian. The core mechanic involves reading books to collect words, then rewriting sentences to alter the laws of the world. For example, changing a book's text can modify gravity or the size of objects, allowing the player to solve puzzles and escape each room. The game supports Japanese and English, with full voice support in Japanese. It is priced at free, and the Steam store page is live. The publisher describes it as a new-sensation puzzle adventure where words are used as a weapon to bend physics. The game also includes a narrative layer, as the true purpose of the library and Mimir's motives are revealed as trials are cleared.
Phoenixx released the PC game Cat Meow-tilation on Steam on August 17, 2026, at no cost. The title is a cat capture game developed by EASYHUMAN. Players take on the role of a fish-headed alien called the U-O Alien, who visits Earth to collect cat data and save their home planet from an invasion by mouse-type creatures. The gameplay is built around a variation of the children's game Red Light, Green Light, known in Japan as Daruma-san ga Koronda. Players hide inside cardboard boxes, wait for cats to approach, and then pop out to startle them, creating an opening to capture them with a mysterious light. The game includes features such as combo bonuses for capturing multiple cats at once, a Maneki Neko bonus that triggers at score thresholds, items to lure or stop cats, and adjustable camera angles. It supports Japanese and English and is available for one player.
Universal Pictures and Happinet Media Marketing have set the home video release schedule for The Super Mario Galaxy Movie. Early download sales begin August 19, rental distribution starts September 16, and 4K UHD, Blu-ray, and DVD editions arrive October 16. The 4K UHD plus Blu-ray set is priced at 7,590 yen, while the Blu-ray plus DVD set costs 5,390 yen. Steelbook editions of both sets are also available, at 8,690 yen and 6,490 yen respectively. All prices include tax. The download and physical editions include over 60 minutes of bonus footage, such as making-of material and world introductions, plus highlight segments featuring the cast and staff. The download version's content varies by sales site. The film is the sequel to the 2023 The Super Mario Bros. Movie, with Mario and Luigi embarking on a mission to save the universe. The Japanese voice cast includes Mamoru Miyano as Mario, Tasuku Hatanaka as Luigi, and Arisa Shida as Peach. The theatrical release, which opened April 24, has recorded domestic box office revenue of 7.9 billion yen and worldwide revenue over 1 billion dollars.
The movie Mobile Suit Gundam Hathaway's Flash: The Witch of Kirke began rental and purchase streaming on Amazon Prime Video on August 17, 2026. The second chapter of the Hathaway's Flash trilogy, it is available for 550 yen to rent and 2,550 yen to buy, with no Amazon Prime membership required. Prime members can stream it at no extra cost starting August 31 at 0:00. The film is set in U.C. 0105, 12 years after Char's rebellion, and follows Hathaway Noa, leader of the anti-Earth Federation movement Mafty, as he prepares to attack the Adelaide conference. The story also centers on Gigi Andalusia, a girl with mysterious powers, and Federation officer Kenneth Sleg, who plots against Mafty. The film, which runs 1 hour 46 minutes, has been in theaters since January 2026 and has surpassed 2.5 billion yen at the box office, according to Inside and Anime Anime. The Prime Video Anime official X account promoted the release with a post suggesting viewers could learn from Hathaway, which drew heavy criticism online.
Bandai will release the 9th series of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Niformation sticker wafers on August 24. The set includes 32 sticker types, including one secret, featuring characters from Parts 1-2 and Steel Ball Run. It also includes all five 5th Rare stickers and foil-stamped JJR cards.
Takara Tomy will release the board game Dragon Quest Life Game on October 24 for 7,150 yen. Preorders are open on Amazon. Players become adventurers, gather gold with companions, and the one with the most gold at the end wins. The game includes familiar monsters, job changes, and small medals.
USERJOY Technology announced on August 17 that Genseiroku Remake will launch on September 10 for PC via Steam. The tactical SRPG, a remake of the 1998 original, preserves the classic atmosphere and structure while updating graphics. A demo released July 23 holds a Very Positive rating on Steam, with 84% of 376 reviews positive. The team is incorporating demo feedback into final optimizations.
This week's new game releases in Japan and North America are headlined by two major titles on August 20: the soulslike action RPG Mortal Shell II and the remake STEINS;GATE RE:BOOT. Mortal Shell II launches on Steam, PS Store, and Xbox Store for 6,480 yen, with Devout Edition early access starting August 17. It is set in a ruined world where the corpse of a fallen goddess became the foundation of faith; players become a Harbinger who dons the remains of warriors called Shells to inherit their abilities, combat styles, and memories. STEINS;GATE RE:BOOT is a complete remake of the 2009 Xbox 360 original, with characters, backgrounds, and event stills redrawn from line art and all in-game voices re-recorded. It is based on the STEINS;GATE ELITE scenario with adjusted pacing, and costs 6,380 yen on Steam, PS Store, and My Nintendo Store. Other notable releases this week include The Sinking City 2 and Starsand Island on August 18, plus Bubble Bobble Sugar Dungeon Boost and RyzaChat: AI Ryza on August 20.
Razer and Sanrio have announced the Pompompurin Edition of the Razer Kraken Kitty V2 BT gaming headset. The product page is live on Target's official online store, with sales starting October 4 local time. The headset reproduces Pompompurin's droopy ears and golden look.
The two Silent Möbius theatrical anime films, released in 1991 and 1992, will get their first domestic Blu-ray box set on December 25, 2026. The Anniversary Premium Box includes both films, a framed reproduction of new art by creator Kia Asamiya, a three-sided box, and a booklet, priced at 22,000 yen.
BANPRESTO is releasing monitor-top prize figures of Scanty and Kneesocks from New Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt. The two demon sisters arrive as crane game prizes on August 27, 2026. Each figure stands about 12 cm tall and recreates the characters' demonic expressions.
On August 16, the Touhou Project fan game 'Internet Survivor Survivors' launched on Steam. The game is based on the song 'Internet Survivor' by Beat Mario's music circle COOL&CREATE. It is a top-down roguelite action game where the player controls Flandre Scarlet, who has become a streamer, and fights through waves of internet-themed enemies. The game costs 1,760 yen, with a 15% discount to 1,496 yen until August 31. The core mechanic uses viewer count as a life bar: defeating enemies increases viewers, taking hits decreases them, and hitting zero results in a game over where Flandre's smartphone breaks. Players collect likes and coins to upgrade weapons and abilities, aiming to survive until the time limit and achieve one million subscribers. The game features seven characters, including Remilia Scarlet as the final boss, a 'super famous charismatic streamer'. Character illustrations are by Nikorashika. The song itself is a 2022 arrangement of 'U.N. Owen Was Her?' and was first teased as an April Fools' joke on April 1, 2026, before this real release.
The Hollywood Creative Alliance awarded Witch Hat Atelier the Best Anime Series prize at the 2026 Astra TV Awards on Saturday in Los Angeles. The anime beat four other nominees, including Sakamoto Days and JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: STEEL BALL RUN. English dub cast members received nominations in voice acting categories.
Bandai Spirits' S.H.Figuarts line is releasing an action figure of Motoko Kusanagi from the TV anime Ghost in the Shell: The Ghost in the Shell. The figure is based on the new anime's character design and features a flexible articulation system that captures the movements of her full-body prosthetic. It includes four interchangeable face parts, multiple hand options, a Seburo M5 and C-25, a replacement gun holster, and a bangs part with visor. The figure stands about 140mm tall and is made of PVC and ABS. It is priced at 9,900 yen including tax and is scheduled for release in January 2027. Pre-orders are open at retailers including Amazon, AmiAmi, Bic Camera, and Yodobashi Camera. The new anime, produced by Science SARU, has been airing since July. Motoko Kusanagi is voiced by Maaya Sakamoto, with Daisuke Aramaki voiced by Daisuke Yamaji, Batou by Hiroki Yasumoto, and Togusa by Yuichi Nakamura. The figure is designed to pair with the separately sold ROBOT魂 <SIDE GHOST> Tachikoma, which can carry the figure in its rear cockpit.
Hololive member Yukihana Lamy will release her first nationwide album, Fleur de neige, on January 27, 2027. The regular edition costs 3,850 yen, and a limited edition with an acrylic stand and signed jacket costs 11,000 yen. The album includes 11 tracks, including her first original song.
HuyuPixel opened the Steam store page for Suna no Joou, a turn-based roguelike with cute dot art. The story follows a man-eating wolf, inexplicably dressed in a cross-dressing maid outfit, who stands up to protect a human girl. The release date is undecided, and Japanese and English are planned. Enemies act once per player action, dungeons change each attempt, and runs end with lost items but unlock new gear based on the floor reached.
A Pretty Store POPUP runs at SHIBUYA TSUTAYA 1F from August 22 to 31, 2026, themed around an airport departure with Pretty Cure. New products using new illustrations for the PRECURE TRAVEL! series and Futari wa Pretty Cure go on early sale at the venue, with 13 types of ticket-style cards offered as POPUP-exclusive novelties.
ANYCOLOR will sell the voice drama "VOLTACTION Voice Drama -Behind ELEVATE-" from August 20 at 5:00 PM on the Nijisanji Official Store and the NIJISANJI EN Official Store. The drama follows Kanata Fura, Hibari Watarai, Akira Shikinagi, and Seraph Dazzlegarden as they work on the song "ELEVATE" from their first full album. It costs 3,000 yen and includes wallpaper bonuses.
Bandai's Premium Bandai online store is accepting lottery orders for the HG 1/144 Gundam Leopard from After War Gundam X. The kit costs 2,420 yen including tax and ships in September 2026. It reproduces the inner arm gatling's transformation and combination with the left arm, plus other gimmicks.
AmiAmi has opened preorders for a new figure of Mea Kurosaki from To LOVE-Ru Darkness. The Union Creative figure shows Mea in her school uniform with an innocent expression, posed with her hips raised and skirt in motion. It is priced at 19,800 yen and scheduled for release in April 2027.
Game Spark traces Kim Hyung-tae's career from a boy who dreamed of being a manga artist to the founder of SHIFT UP and director of Stellar Blade. The profile covers his early rejection, his work on Magna Carta and Blade & Soul, and his decision to leave NCsoft to found SHIFT UP in 2013.
Takeshobo's BL label Qpa is collaborating with ZOZOTOWN on a merchandise collection. Six authors serializing works in Qpa created illustrations under the theme Black x Ribbon for 18 product types, including long-sleeve T-shirts, pouches with acrylic charms, and goods sets. Orders open August 14, 2026.
The TV anime adaptation of The Exiled Cheat Magician Uses His Cheat to Live a Carefree Second Life released an action PV. It shows the party facing the Phosphorescent Dragon in an unconquered dungeon. The anime premieres on TV Tokyo in October, produced by P.A.WORKS.
Sega Lucky Kuji for the TV anime Jujutsu Kaisen, themed on the Culling Game arc, launches in December 2026. The prize lineup runs from A to H plus a Last Lucky prize. The A through E prizes are face cushions of Yuji Itadori, Megumi Fushiguro, Yuta Okkotsu, Choso, and Naoya Zenin. Newly drawn art was revealed on the official X account.
Bandai's STRICT-G apparel line launched a new GRAFFITI series, with the first T-shirts featuring Gundam, Char's Zaku II, and Zaku II in spray paint style graphics. Each costs 5,830 yen and is available for preorder on Premium Bandai until August 16, with general sales at select stores.
New merchandise for the Evangelion 30th Anniversary Exhibition "ALL OF EVANGELION" at the Nagoya venue includes palm-sized plush mascots of Shinji, Rei, Asuka, Mari, and Kaworu, based on newly drawn illustrations and featuring key chains. The exhibition runs from September 4 to October 12, 2026, at PARCO HALL.
The One Piece x NBA MASTER STARS PIECE figure line opens reservations for its fourth wave. Yamato wears the Milwaukee Bucks uniform and Trafalgar Law wears the Golden State Warriors uniform. Both figures ship in January 2027 and are available through e-BANPRESTO on Premium Bandai. Two more characters are planned for the series.
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.
Bandai opened reservations for the ROBOT魂 <SIDE MS> MS-06J Wetlands Combat Zaku ver. A.N.I.M.E. ~MS MUSEUM~ at Premium Bandai. Priced at 11,000 yen, it ships in January 2027. The figure depicts the Zeon Zaku adapted for jungle and marsh operations during the assault on Jaburo, with museum-style display parts.