The Mushoku Tensei smartphone and PC game Chronicle of Echoes, released July 27, will run a limited pickup gacha for the new five-star character Summer Maiden Roxy from August 13 to August 31. The gacha includes a private time feature. A live stream, Cloecho Info Bureau Vol. 1, airs August 26.
Kimura Information Technology will hold nationwide auditions from August 8 to August 31, 2026, to recruit four members for NEXTALE, a new male dance and vocal VTuber group. Artist MASHIHO will judge and produce the debut. The group plans three consecutive digital singles and a reveal at JAPAN EXPO THAILAND in 2027.
CCMC Co., Ltd. announced a free update for Koro-san's Home WAN! Derby, the hololive fan-made action game on Steam. The update adds Kuma-rin's Home WAN! Derby Mode, where players control Houshou Marine's mascot Houshou Kuma-rin, plus new magic pitches, pitchers, arranged BGM, and an RTA ranking function. A 20 percent off sale runs from August 8 to August 17, 2026.
The wotagei performance group Zero kara Uchishi Hajimemasu. will make a guest appearance at the Grand Final of STAGE:0, Japan's largest high school eSports tournament, on August 15 at COOL JAPAN PARK OSAKA WW Hall. They will use NGK Corporation's LED-equipped EnerCerLight BANGLE for the first time instead of penlights.
Sony Semiconductor Solutions and TSMC signed a definitive agreement to establish Advanced Vision Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd. in Koshi City, Kumamoto Prefecture. Sony will be the sole controlling shareholder and contribute about 465 billion yen in assets, while TSMC contributes roughly 282 billion yen in cash. Mass production of smartphone image sensors is scheduled to begin in 2029.
Torn Banner Studios released version 1.0 of No More Room in Hell 2 on August 12, 2026, ending an early access period that began in October 2024. The full release includes the Armageddon update, adding a Survival mode with three maps, a Raven Rock objective map, Solo Mode, a Rescue Beacon item, Merits currency, and Weekly Assignments. The game supports up to 8 players and is available on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S.
Apparel brand glamb released its fifth capsule collection based on the anime JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Golden Wind. All nine unisex items, including T-shirts, hoodies, shirts, a riders jacket, and a bangle, are available at glamb Tokyo, the official online shop, and Premium Bandai.
The comedy duo Haraiti, made up of Yuki Iwai and Tasuku Sawabe, has been appointed promotional ambassadors for the TV anime True Samurai Legend YAIBA. The announcement came on August 8, designated YAIBA Day. An official interview with the pair and a commemorative quiz video on YouTube accompanied the news.
Fashion brand GLOBAL WORK has released a limited collection of 14 items based on the movie Toy Story 5, now on sale since August 5, 2026. The lineup includes unisex T-shirts, checkered shirts, denim pants, kids' wear, a denim hat, and a mini shoulder bag, all featuring character visuals and designs.
Sony Interactive Entertainment announced on August 11, 2026, that the PlayStation 5 Digital Edition Marvel's Wolverine Battle Yellow Limited Edition will launch on September 15 via Amazon.co.jp. The bundle is priced at 96,980 yen including tax and commemorates the PS5 software Marvel's Wolverine, also scheduled for release on September 15. The console features a design inspired by the Battle Reborn Suit and claws created by Insomniac Games. It includes a matching DualSense Wireless Controller and a product code to download the full game. The DualSense Wireless Controller will also be sold separately for 12,480 yen. For owners of the PS5 slim version or PS5 Pro, console covers similar to the limited model will be available for 9,980 yen each. The covers support both disc-drive and disc-less PS5 models. All peripherals are scheduled for release on the same date, September 15, and will be sold at PlayStation retailers nationwide. Sony Interactive Entertainment detailed the full lineup in a PlayStation.Blog post.
Karoshi Electric Corporation is developing Kaido Genkai: An Anime Racing RPG, an open-world racing and exploration game with 1990s Japanese anime-style graphics. A demo is now playable on Steam, with the official release date to be announced. Players explore a nostalgic rural Japan, challenge rivals, and unlock 19 vehicle types.
Medicom Toy's MLE brand will release fashion items based on the TV drama Ikebukuro West Gate Park in November 2026. The lineup includes T-shirts, a raglan sleeve T-shirt, a crew neck sweatshirt, a hoodie, a cap, and a stadium jacket, all featuring the I.W.G.P. logo or G-BOYS mark. Orders are open at the MEDICOM TOY OFFICIAL STORE until August 16.
Nijisanji VTuber Lauren Iroas held his first one-man live, FACE, on July 30, 2026, at Tokyo International Forum Hall A. The setlist mixed tracks from his April mini-album No One with Vocaloid classics and 2010s and 2020s hits. He performed covers including Ado's Toukou and PinocchioP's God-ish, and changed into a prince-style costume mid-show.
Sakuga Blog published production notes for Jaadugar: A Witch in Mongolia, detailing the team's location trip to Mongolia, the hiring of two Mongolian sumo wrestlers as voice actors, and the presence of several cultural advisors. Chief director Naoko Yamada and series director Abel Gongora led the scouting trip, grounding the story in physical realities.
The television anime adaptation of Manabu Yashiro's Tank Chair manga will premiere on October 4 at 11:00 p.m. JST on Tokyo MX, followed by broadcasts on BS11, CBC, and MBS. Bandai Namco Filmworks revealed the main promotional video, key visual, additional cast, staff, and theme song artists on Wednesday. Yurina Amami joins the cast as Dr. Radio, a genius scientist living in hiding in an abandoned radio tower, and Gen Sato plays Uzu, a mysterious newcomer who joins Class A of the Academy. The opening theme is "DALALA" by reggae-punk band SiM, and the ending theme is "SYNC" by Daoko. The anime is directed by Tadahiro Yoshihira and Hiroaki Ando at Polygon Pictures, with character designs by Yuki Moriyama and music by Masaru Yokoyama. The story follows Shizuka Taira, who takes on dangerous assassin jobs to wake her comatose brother Nagi, a strong assassin who must face killing intent to recover. The cast includes Kouki Uchiyama as Nagi, Minori Fujidera as Shizuka, Gakuto Kajiwara as Naozumi Kurosaka, and Saori Hayami as Toko Kurosaka.
Nijimen's otaku-selected ranking of characters voiced by Hiroaki Hirata places Sanji from ONE PIECE first with 133 votes, ahead of Wild Tiger from TIGER & BUNNY. The top six entries match last year's order, while Re-Destro from My Hero Academia enters the list at ninth.
ANYCOLOR announced Inui Toko Celebration Goods, commemorating the Nijisanji liver reaching 1 million YouTube subscribers. Pre-orders run from August 7 at 7 PM to September 7 at 11:59 PM at the Nijisanji Official Store. The lineup includes five items, with shipping scheduled for late November 2026 or later.
Nijisanji VTuber Kanae held his second solo live, Solitude, on July 31, 2026, his first solo live in over three years. The show featured eight guests, including Kaede Higuchi, Sara Hoshikawa, and secret guest Toko Inui. Kanae appeared nervous at the start, but the setlist mixed his own songs with covers.
Nijimen published the results of its 2026 reader survey ranking characters voiced by Yohei Azakami. Lewis Smith from Brave Bang Bravern! took first place with 457 votes, followed by Guel Jeturk from Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury and Rinne Amagi from Ensemble Stars!!. The top five stayed the same as last year but shifted order.
ASUS Japan announced on August 12 that it will release the ROG Swift OLED PG34WCDN, a 34-inch ultrawide gaming display, in Japan on August 14. The display is the first from the Republic of Gamers brand to use an RGB stripe OLED panel, a departure from conventional QD-OLED layouts. ASUS says the RGB stripe arrangement reduces color fringing and makes text, lines, and kanji appear sharper, which benefits both gaming and productivity tasks like document editing. The panel is curved at 1800R, has a 3440x1440 resolution, a 21:9 aspect ratio, and a 360Hz maximum refresh rate. The intermediate response time is 0.03ms. The display supports NVIDIA G-SYNC and AMD FreeSync Premium Pro. ASUS applies its BlackShield film to the panel, which the company claims improves scratch resistance by 2.5 times compared to existing QD-OLED panels and boosts black level recognition in bright rooms by up to 40%. The monitor includes the ASUS OLED Care Pro burn-in prevention system with a proximity sensor that darkens the screen when the user steps away. Inputs include one DisplayPort 2.1, one USB Type-C with DisplayPort Alternate Mode, and two HDMI 2.1 ports, plus a KVM function for sharing a mouse and keyboard between two PCs. The suggested retail price including tax is 232,920 yen.
BULKHEAD, the studio behind the upcoming 100-player FPS WARDOGS, posted a video titled "10 Reasons Not to Buy 'WARDOGS'" on August 12. The video lists early access content limits, price, expected player decline, and the studio's own history with Battalion 1944 as reasons to wait. The unusual approach is drawing positive reception for its honesty.
Noame Takii announced on August 10 that the yuri game 'Our Fake Marriage?' will be delayed. Banks refused deposits of revenue from Steam-distributed games, including the non-adult title, after reviewing documents. Shinsei Bank and Japan Post Bank both declined deposits. Takii is prioritizing the payment issue over release.
VTuber unit WeatherPlanet is collaborating with Sanrio Characters. Newly drawn goods will be sold at a pop-up store at SHIBUYA TSUTAYA from August 21 to September 11, 2026, with advance ticket distribution for the first three days. Items include trading badges, acrylic stands, plush mascots, and apparel.
King Gnu activated YouTube's new Station feature on their official channel on August 7, allowing 24-hour real-time video streaming with chat. The page includes the music video for "GO GHOST," the opening theme for the anime "Ghost in the Shell: THE GHOST IN THE SHELL." The song was digitally released on July 29 and surpassed one million domestic streams on its first day.
Bandai is releasing five new STRICT-G The Animation T-shirts based on Mobile Suit Gundam. The designs feature the Gundam, Char's Zaku II, Amuro Ray, Char Aznable, and Katz, Letz, and Kikka. Pre-orders open August 7 on Premium Bandai, with general sales starting August 8 at select STRICT-G stores.
Hobby Co., Ltd. released the Apple Watch game Daphnia: Ecological Observation Game on the App Store on August 3, 2026, priced at 600 yen. Players observe water flea growth, molting, egg laying, and reproduction, with walking generating energy for algae and wrist movements mixing the tank water.
Tamiya announced the 1/10 RC Clod Buster (2026), an electric RC car assembly kit scheduled for release on September 19, 2026. The monster truck features a twin-motor full-time 4WD drivetrain, 165 mm diameter tires, a resin body with plated grille and supercharger parts, and opposite-phase 4-wheel steering. It is priced at 46,200 yen and requires a radio, receiver, servo, batteries, and charger separately.
Pearl Abyss has released its Q2 2026 earnings materials, revealing that the first DLC for the open-world action adventure 'Crimson Desert' is aiming for a release within 2026. The DLC is intended to deliver a new gameplay experience, with specific content details, pricing, and release timing scheduled to be announced in Q3. The company has not decided the total number of DLCs or their release pace, focusing instead on the quality of the first DLC and its post-release performance. Future expansions will be determined based on user feedback, sales trends, development resources, and overall company schedules. The earnings report also showed that 'Crimson Desert' sold approximately 2.11 million units in Q2 2026, generating 136.1 billion won in revenue, about 70% of Pearl Abyss's total revenue. However, the company's overall revenue fell 41.4% quarter-on-quarter to 192.6 billion won, with operating profit down 68.1% to 67.6 billion won. In response, Pearl Abyss is preparing DLC, pricing strategies, and platform expansion to broaden the user base and achieve long-term sales growth. The Switch 2 version of 'Crimson Desert' is also in development, targeting a first-half 2027 release.
Game Freak announced the next patch for Beast of Reincarnation will implement DLSS 4 and FSR4, along with major adjustments to camera, subtitles, and event direction. The action RPG, released August 4, 2026, recently received update v1.005.000 with camera and subtitle fixes. Further patches will address player feedback.
Higgsfield AI released "The Cully Hill Boys," a 110-minute AI-generated feature film, on August 10. The production cost about $2 million, with roughly half going to AI compute. The film uses licensed likenesses and voices of real people, and all prompts and assets are public on Higgsfield.
Spiritale is taking orders for a 1/7 scale figure of Mirko from My Hero Academia. The figure depicts the pro hero seated on rocks with a hand forming rabbit ears. It includes two face plates, an original version and a provocative tongue-out version. Orders close September 7, with shipping planned for March 2027.
Google CEO Sundar Pichai announced on X that Gemini, the company's AI assistant app, has surpassed 1 billion monthly active users. Pichai called it the fastest-growing product in Google's history and the 14th Google product to reach the 1 billion user milestone. The figure covers the Gemini app alone and does not include AI users from other channels such as Google Search's AI mode, which also has over 1 billion monthly users. Google released usage data alongside the announcement: 63% of Gemini users speak directly to the assistant, over 150 million images are generated daily, and the iOS app has more than 100 million active users. Gemini's growth has been steady, with monthly active users exceeding 900 million at Google I/O in May and surpassing 950 million during the Q2 2026 earnings call last month. The milestone follows ChatGPT, which was reported to have reached 1 billion monthly users in June. Google continues to roll out new models, including Gemini 3.5 Flash, designed to improve coding and autonomous AI agent tasks, and has confirmed that Gemini 4 is in development.
miHoYo announced the termination of online services for the Steam Early Access desktop chill software 'BSide: Olivia Lin' about one month after launch. An offline version releases August 27, with online functions like writing letters and uploading MIDI stopping that day. Steam distribution and servers close August 31. Users must download the offline version and back up data by then.
OpenAI released a preview of the official ChatGPT desktop app for Linux on August 11, 2026. The Linux version includes ChatGPT, ChatGPT Work, and Codex, and supports Ubuntu, Debian, and Fedora distributions. It is the first time Codex is available through the ChatGPT desktop app on Linux, though native app control via Computer Use is not yet supported.
G.O.P announced on August 12, 2026 that the official title for its new project using the Alliance of Valiant Arms (AVA) IP is AVA RE:BIRTH. The PC online FPS is scheduled for release in fall 2026, narrowing the earlier window of within 2026. A teaser site and a roughly 15-second teaser movie launched alongside the announcement. The teaser movie shows the title logo emerging from darkness, with no background music, only gunfire and radio chat sounds to evoke the original battlefield experience. The name combines BIRTH to signal a new battlefield and RE to signify reproducing the excitement of the original game. G.O.P describes the project as a return to the original FPS experience, with smooth performance on older PCs. AVA began official service in 2010, set in a fictional European war with two factions, the EU and NRF, and up to 32 players per room. The announcement notes this is merely a prologue, with further details on new elements and the full game picture promised soon.
REJECT Inc., the company behind the esports team REJECT, announced a limited-time pop-up shop featuring merchandise for its affiliated VTubers. The shop will run from Saturday, August 22, 2026, through Sunday, August 30, 2026, at Shibuya MODI 2F, in the Calendar D05 space. Hours are scheduled for 11:00 to 20:00, subject to the building's business hours. The event will sell new products, including a SHIBUYA POPUP 2026 series with BIG acrylic stands at 2,200 yen, blister-style acrylic keychains at 1,200 yen, and can badges at 550 yen, each available in all 14 member types. Additional new items include uniform goods series acrylic stands, cheek puni can badges, Pukkuri stickers, Chokonto rubber figures, 3D ART MAGNETs, and RC Pape. Existing popular goods, such as Ventilation and Invasion apparel and Tenki Pururu themed items, will also be available. During the event, life-size panels and handwritten message cards of the 14 members will be displayed in the store space.
NC Corporation will release the Lineage 2M update SANCTUARY: The Miracle That Revives the Front Lines on August 26. The update includes a class reboot for the Orb weapon type, updates to Origin World and Reserve World, and an INTERLUDE coupon. Details arrive August 20.
PANDORA Inc. announced a second MARINA LYRICA store event at Karaoke Manekineko Shibuya Main Store on August 22 and 23, 2026. The event uses XR technology to let attendees meet and talk with VTubers Namiwa Pulu, Suzunami Hitode, and Tamanami Ulma. A free trial session for media and influencers is set for August 19. Tickets cost 3,300 yen per 20-minute slot.
Spotify will label artist profiles whose identities are AI-generated with an AI Persona badge starting in September 2026. Music from these profiles will be excluded from algorithmic recommendations by default. Artists can self-report, or Spotify can assign the badge after review. The label is separate from how the music was made.
FURYU Corporation announced the second Nintama Rantaro lottery, "FURYU Kuji Nintama Rantaro Fuwari Sakura Mochipiko no Dan Ni," for winter 2027. The top prizes are BIG plushies of five fifth-year students: Hisashi Kukizaki, Kanemon Obama, Raizo Fuwa, Saburo Hachiya, and Hachizaemon Takeya. The first round launched March 14, 2026.
ANYCOLOR announced NijiFANTalk Vol.6, a members-only one-on-one talk event for the Nijisanji FAN CLUB, running September 26, 27, October 3, and 4, 2026. A total of 36 livers are scheduled to appear. Ticket applications open in two windows, with Premium Plan annual members applying first from August 10.
uyet published the second installment of its performance report on the VTuber-based regional revitalization initiative Machi Supa Project, covering activities in Hokota City, Ibaraki Prefecture. The report details content, results, and interviews with talent, local businesses, and officials, and is available to local government officials via the project website.
TV anime Gintama collaborates with Don Quijote and Apita stores for a new merchandise lineup launching August 22, 2026. The collection features newly drawn low-angle illustrations of five characters: Gintoki Sakata, Toshiro Hijikata, Sougo Okita, Kotaro Katsura, and Shinsuke Takasugi. Seven item types are available, ranging from trading badges and clear cards to acrylic stands, keyholders, clear files, desk mats, and a large badge. Prices range from 660 yen to 3,850 yen. A purchase bonus offers random illustration cards that connect into a single image when all five are collected.
VITURE will release the Pro 2 XR glasses in Japan on August 20, marking the company's fifth anniversary. The 63g frame is 16 percent thinner than the previous model, with independent diopter adjustment from 0 to -5.0D. The glasses feature Sony micro-OLED displays with 1080p resolution, up to 120Hz refresh rate, and 1600 nits brightness. The overseas price is $299.
A Puella Magi Madoka Magica x ANGEL BLUE pop-up shop runs August 26 to September 6, 2026, at three Tower Records locations and online. The event debuts newly drawn full-body and chibi illustrations of Madoka, Homura, Mami, Sayaka, and Kyoko wearing ANGEL BLUE clothing. Fifteen items go on advance sale, including trading can badges, bromides, acrylic cards, stands, and tapestries.
RK Music's KMNZ announced KMNPARTY vol.8, set for September 13 at Shibuya WOMB. The lineup includes virtual singer RIM from KAMITSUBAKI STUDIO and RK Music unit NUROJUNK, alongside DJs and rappers. Tickets go on sale August 8 at noon.
Kuroki Nagisa will appear on the August 15 episode of MUSIC TOURIST, hosted by Ryo'LEFTY'Miyata. The show covers her new song "Kamisama in the Tote Bag," released August 19, and its development as her first collaboration with an illustrated picture book. An autumn tour starting in Fukuoka is also planned.
KADOKAWA's online lottery service Kujibikido is offering an Akane-banashi lottery with newly drawn illustrations of Akane, Hikaru, and Karashi in modern Japanese-style clothing. Prizes include BIG acrylic stands, acrylic stand figures, keychains, bromides, and can badges. Sales run from August 19 to September 16, 2026, at 770 yen per draw.
Activ8 will take part in the Yokote Entertainment Creator Festival: Akita City Edition on August 16 at LiSH AKITA. The satellite event offers a VTuber career experience classroom, a creator corner, an oshi-katsu goods DIY corner, and a networking event, all free to enter with some activities requiring fees.
DeNA and The Pokemon Company announced that Seika and Gai from Pokemon Legends Z-A will join Pokemon Masters EX as new sync pairs starting August 14. Seika pairs with Mega Feraligatr, Gai with Mega Meganium. Yuria Eve voices Seika, Nobuhiko Okamoto voices Gai.