KAMITSUBAKI STUDIO's ASU and Wabami will sing "1314," an image song for Genshin Impact characters Sandrone and Columbina. The song is revealed during HoYoFair 2026 "Project: Nord Express," streaming on the night of September 20, after which the official movie premieres on ASU's YouTube channel. 4na wrote the lyrics and composed the track with Tasuku Maeda, who also arranged it.
The Yatomi Sousei Project added 13 acts to TOMIHAMA FES 2026, joining a first wave that already includes nobodyknows+, SEAMO and DA PUMP. The festival runs November 14 and 15, 2026 at Tomihama Ryokuchi in Yatomi, Aichi, with two paid stages and two free stages. Third advance sales opened on Ticket Pia and close September 26.
Square Enix director Naoki Hamaguchi told VGC that Final Fantasy VII Revelation will be around 200GB. The third and final part of the Final Fantasy VII Remake series is set for April 8, 2027. Vincent Valentine and Cid Highwind join as playable characters. The PS5 packaged version ships on a single disc, but playing it requires an internet connection and an additional data download.
The TBS Friday drama LOST10, starring Ryusei Yokohama, announced nine additional cast members and a character relationship chart ahead of its October 16 premiere. Yu Yoshizawa plays Endo, a Hokkaido Police instructor who becomes Komaru's superior, and Mirai Yamamoto plays Masu Tomo, a section manager at an insurance company tied to Oguri's character Nao. U-NEXT and Netflix will stream the series in Japan, with Netflix planning worldwide distribution.
Kojima Productions announced on September 17, 2026, during the Xbox Tokyo Game Show 2026 Broadcast, that Bill Skarsgård will play the lead in PHYSINT, the new spy action title directed by Hideo Kojima. Skarsgård plays the protagonist, the character the player controls. A new teaser visual uses photos Kojima took himself of Skarsgård and Charlie Fraser during costume fittings, scans, and camera tests held earlier this year. Skarsgård joins a cast that already includes Fraser, Ma Dong-seok, and Minami Hamabe, whose involvement was announced earlier. Kojima said he had long been a fan of Skarsgård's work and that Skarsgård is also a fan of his, and that the tests left him confident in the project's direction. Casting, actor scans, and work with outside creators are ongoing, and more cast announcements are planned. In the same message, Kojima said performance capture and ADR recording on the horror game OD resumed this year after the SAG-AFTRA strike suspension.
TBS announced that Kouhei Matsushita and Michiko Ichikawa will appear in LOST10, the Friday drama starring Ryusei Yokohama. Matsushita plays Nobori, a company president in Hokkaido. Ichikawa plays Akane, a Tokyo insurance company employee. With the two additions, all 10 main characters have been announced, alongside Shun Oguri, Anne Nakamura, Marie Iitoyo, Satoru Iguchi, Kenji Iwatani, Kayo Noro, and Yuki Saito. The drama airs on TBS in October.
Director Naoki Hamaguchi said the WEAR system in Final Fantasy VII Revelation is fully unlocked from the start of the game, in an interview published September 10, 2026. The system adds combat styles to each character and is built so players can freely pick a favorite character rather than unlocking options one at a time. Final Fantasy VII Revelation is the closing chapter of the Final Fantasy VII remake trilogy and is set to release on April 8, 2027. A media and influencer preview demo covered the open-world-like regions Mideel, Gold Saucer, Costa del Sol, Wutai, Gongaga, Junon, and Grasslands. Hamaguchi said that demo packed about 20 hours of content, while play sessions ran roughly one hour. A new trailer had recently been released ahead of the demo.
Square Enix director Naoki Hamaguchi told 4Gamer that Final Fantasy VII Revelation, the third and final part of the Remake trilogy set for April 8, 2027, will keep every location that appeared in Rebirth rather than cut areas the story does not revisit. The team concluded it had to build them all properly, adding traversal by chocobo, parachute, and the Highwind so returning regions play differently.
Square Enix gave press outlets early hands-on time with Final Fantasy VII Revelation ahead of its April 8, 2027 release. The demo covered Chapter 4, where players pilot the airship Highwind and can parachute directly from the ship to any destination rather than landing at fixed points. Previewers explored Mideel, a tropical island area new to the remake series, and Wutai, Yuffie's homeland, which was not visitable in Final Fantasy VII Rebirth. The parachute descent is a real-time sequence, and the Highwind's interior functions as a base with crew interactions. New playable characters Cid Highwind and Vincent Valentine join the combat roster. A new system called WEAR lets each character equip job roles including Warrior, Black Mage, Knight, and Summoner, changing their abilities and appearance. The demo contained nine separate routes; outlets played roughly one hour each. A third playable slice of Final Fantasy VII Revelation is set for the Square Enix booth at Tokyo Game Show 2026.
Naoki Hamaguchi, director of the Final Fantasy VII remake trilogy, told a PAX West 2026 panel that the project is an attempt to pass FF7 to the next generation rather than a simple remake. He said the goal is a work that keeps producing new fans 20 to 30 years from now. The panel also covered the graphics direction and new mysteries added to the story. The finale, Final Fantasy VII Revelation, launches April 8, 2027.
TBS's Friday drama LOST10 has added Yuki Saito and Kenji Iwaya to its cast, bringing the announced roster to eight. Saito plays Harune, a family member of a missing mountain tour participant. Iwaya plays Awashima, a police chief and the boss of Ryusei Yokohama's detective. The final two cast members will be revealed on September 11. The show starts in October.
The television anime adaptation of Ayaka Katayama's Fungus and Iron manga has revealed its director and animation studio. Keitaro Motonaga will direct at Yokohama Animation Lab. The announcement accompanied a second teaser visual. The manga is set to end serialization on September 9, with its 10th and final volume due October 8.
Ushio Kuria, a rocket idol and space reporter VTuber, has joined theLetter as a new writer. Her newsletter, Ushio Kuria no Kirakira Uchuu Tsuushin, covers space development news, rocket launch highlights, and the behind-the-scenes of on-site coverage. theLetter is operated by OutNow and positions itself as a platform for professionals, hosting more than 1,000 writers across fields including business, medicine, finance, and entertainment.
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 Anime Expo, Infinite, Inc. producer Ena Hamabe discussed her recent projects This Monster Wants to Eat Me and I Want to Love You Till Your Dying Day. The latter, about a girl named Sheena in a school that trains children as weapons, screened its first episode at the convention and streams on Crunchyroll. Hamabe said she wants sad stories to leave viewers feeling ready to face tomorrow.
Eonic Toys has announced two new 1/10 scale figures based on classic Tatsunoko Production anime, both now available for provisional reservation at the Japanese hobby retailer amiami. The first is Yatterman No.1, the protagonist of 'Yatterman', depicted in a bright, active, and mischievous pose based on the original character image. The figure stands approximately 195mm tall, is made of PVC and ABS as a painted finished product, and includes carefully sculpted details such as the mask, suit, and weapons, with shading coloring for a three-dimensional effect and an emblem-style base. The second figure is Ken the Eagle (Oogi no Ken), the G-1 leader of the Science Ninja Team from 'Science Ninja Team Gatchaman'. This figure shows Ken holding his bird-shaped boomerang, with detailed sculpting of his helmet, suit, and flowing cape, also enhanced by shading and an emblem-style base. Both figures are priced at 7,150 yen as a reference price, with amiami offering them at 6,790 yen including tax. They are scheduled for release in May 2027. The announcements were made on August 14, 2026, with article content current as of August 13, 2026.
Square Enix will show new footage of Final Fantasy VII Revelation, the concluding chapter of the Final Fantasy VII Remake series, during gamescom Opening Night Live on August 26 at 3:00 AM JST. Director Naoki Hamaguchi is scheduled to appear at the event, which is hosted by Geoff Keighley. The game was first announced during Summer Game Fest 2026 in June. Revelation features an open world that players explore from the airship Highwind, with destinations including Midgar's outskirts, green islands, and the ninja nation of Wutai. Characters parachute from the Highwind to reach these areas. The story reunites the party around Cloud to save the planet. New gameplay elements include a Weight Mode that slows time for strategic action selection, and a Wear System where costumes grant special abilities. The game is scheduled for release in spring 2027 on Nintendo Switch 2, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Windows, Steam, and Epic Games Store. Hamaguchi posted on X that he looks forward to showing what the team has prepared.
Producer Ena Hamabe discussed the early production of This Monster Wants to Eat Me in an interview with Anime Herald. She credited a trust-based team-building process and noted the anime has concluded while the manga continues. Hamabe also confirmed a collaboration with Ehime prefecture for its fireworks festival.
Hakusensha's Hana to Yume magazine announced that Akumi Agitogi's The Emperor's Shaman novels are getting a new manga adaptation. Yuru Sasara will draw the series, titled The Emperor's Shaman ~The Demon-Eyed Consort~, launching on the Hana to Yume + website on August 10.
Square Enix director Naoki Hamaguchi said the Final Fantasy VII Remake series is selling several times more than expected following the announcement of Final Fantasy VII Revelation at Summer Game Fest 2026. In an interview with Automaton, Hamaguchi said the official announcement and trailer received a very good response, with over 30 media interviews in North America and Europe plus additional interviews in China. He noted that the PC market, particularly in Simplified Chinese-speaking regions, has become incredibly strong, comparable to English-speaking regions. Hamaguchi also discussed how user feedback from Final Fantasy VII Rebirth influenced development of the new title, including making mini-games skippable and adjusting rewards. He said the development team has retained over 90% of its staff across the trilogy, a fact that surprised overseas observers. Regarding physical releases, Hamaguchi said he personally favors physical versions and that Square Enix is positively considering a physical package for Final Fantasy VII Revelation, though platform regulations and media capacity are under discussion. Final Fantasy VII Revelation is scheduled for release in spring 2027 on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC.
Naoki Yoshida, producer of Final Fantasy 16 and Final Fantasy 14 at Square Enix, said during a talk panel at the Final Fantasy XIV Fan Festival 2026 in Berlin that remaking Final Fantasy 6 or Final Fantasy 8 could result in a four-part or five-part series. The panel, held July 25-26, featured Yoshida and Final Fantasy 7 Remake director Naoki Hamaguchi discussing games that influenced them. Hamaguchi cited Final Fantasy 6 as his reason for entering the game industry, but noted that media often misreports such answers as an announcement of a remake. Yoshida responded that he understands the desire for remakes of other Final Fantasy titles following Final Fantasy 7, but the scale of such projects is considerable. He mentioned Final Fantasy 6, Final Fantasy 8, and Final Fantasy 9 as examples, suggesting a remake could become a four-part series, or five parts if done poorly. Hamaguchi reflected on the decade-long development of the Final Fantasy 7 Remake trilogy, crediting his team's stability for allowing the project to reach completion, and cautioned against casually committing to a similar undertaking.
Behind-the-scenes photos from Neru Nagahama's cover shoot for the August issue of 'sweet' were released on her staff X account. The images show her with medium-length hair, while she currently has short hair, leading some fans to question the timeline. The photos received comments like 'Huh, did her hair grow?' and praise for the fluffy look.
At Anime Expo 2026, Kamome Shirahama and Dana Terrace participated in a public Q&A session at Kodansha House. The two creators discussed their mutual admiration, creative processes, and influences. Shirahama revealed Witch Hat Atelier took six years to develop, while Terrace expressed interest in an anime adaptation. They also shared insights on fantasy world-building and the theme of possibilities in Shirahama's work.
TOHO and Anime Limited have announced Godzilla Minus Zero, the sequel to Takashi Yamazaki's Oscar-winning Godzilla Minus One. A new teaser trailer and poster were released on July 9, 2026, confirming that Min Tanaka joins the cast as biologist Kanji Murakami. Returning cast members include Ryūnosuke Kamiki, Minami Hamabe, and Hidetaka Yoshioka from the first film. The film is the first Japanese production to be advertised as 'Filmed for IMAX.' It will open in Japan on November 3, 2026, which is Godzilla Day, commemorating the original 1954 film's release. The same week, it will open in North America on November 6, and in the United Kingdom and Ireland on November 6 as well, distributed by Anime Limited. This marks the first time a Japan-produced Godzilla film will open near-simultaneously in Japan and major Western markets. Yamazaki returns as director, screenwriter, and VFX supervisor, with Naoki Satō composing the music. Production is underway at TOHO Studios with ROBOT and Shirogumi.
The deluxe Blu-ray and DVD release of the hit live-action film 'National Treasure' will include a special long version of kabuki scenes totaling approximately 50 minutes, reconstructed from unused footage. The 'Futari Fuji Musume' scene, originally about one minute, has been extended to over seven minutes. An unreleased scenes collection of about 40 minutes is also included. The release is set for December 2.
coly has revealed the character Shu Ayakashi (voiced by Daiki Hamano) for the mobile game Disney Sparklink Stars. He is the leader of the group aMazINC., a team of monsters inspired by Monsters, Inc. and described as gentle despite his imposing appearance. Two of the group's three silhouettes have now been announced.
The staff of the Witch Hat Atelier anime released a teaser video for the second season on Saturday, July 4, 2026. The video debuted the previous day at Anime Expo 2026. The first season of the adaptation of Kamome Shirahama's manga ended in June 2026 after a 13-episode run. Ayumu Watanabe directed the first season at studio BUG FILMS, with Hiroaki Kojima producing and Kairi Unabara handling character design and chief animation direction. Yuka Kitamura composed the music. The teaser trailer was first shown during the "Witch Hat Atelier: A Magical Chat with the Cast and Creator" panel at Anime Expo. The manga, which launched in Kodansha's Morning Two magazine in July 2016, has 16 compiled volumes as of April 2026 and over 7 million copies in circulation worldwide. Kodansha USA Publishing releases the series in English. The manga has won the Harvey Award for Best Manga twice, in 2020 and 2025, and also received the Eisner Award for Best U.S. Edition of International Material-Asia in 2020.
The anime adaptation of Sumiko Arai's manga The Guy She Was Interested In Wasn't a Guy at All will premiere in January 2027, as revealed in a teaser trailer unveiled at Anime Expo 2026. CloverWorks is producing the series, with Masashi Ishihama directing. The cast includes Akari Kitō as Aya Ōsawa and Mariya Ise as Mitsuki Koga. Rino Yamazaki handles series composition, and Kanna Hirayama is the character designer. The opening theme song is the 1991 Nirvana track "Breed." Crunchyroll will stream the anime. The manga follows high schooler Aya, who develops a crush on a cool CD shop employee, unaware that the employee is actually her quiet female classmate Mitsuki. Arai began the manga on Twitter in April 2022 before moving to pixiv Comic in April 2023. Kadokawa Shoten publishes the print volumes, with the fourth volume released on February 19. The series ranked second on the 2024 Kono Manga ga Sugoi! guidebook for top manga for female readers and second on the 23rd Da Vinci "Book of the Year" list.
The television anime of Kamome Shirahama's manga Witch Hat Atelier will receive a second season, the staff announced on Monday immediately after the first season's finale aired in Japan. Crunchyroll confirmed it will stream the new season worldwide excluding Asia. The first season, produced by studio BUG FILMS and directed by Ayumu Watanabe, ran for 13 episodes and ended on a cliffhanger during a test for characters Agott and Richeh. The manga, which began serialization in Kodansha's Morning Two magazine in July 2016, has 16 compiled volumes as of April 2026 and over 7 million copies in circulation worldwide. It has won multiple awards including the Harvey Award for Best Manga and the Eisner Award for Best U.S. Edition of International Material-Asia. Key staff returning for the second season include director Ayumu Watanabe, series script supervisor Hiroshi Seko, character designer Kairi Unabara, and composer Yuka Kitamura. The announcement was accompanied by an endcard image.
The second season of the Skeleton Knight in Another World anime has received a new promotional video and key visual, revealing three additional cast members. Mitsuo Iwata, Kento Hama, and Hiroshi Naka join the voice cast as Charos, Ein, and Hanzō, respectively. The season is set to premiere on AT-X on July 4 at 8:30 p.m. JST, with a repeat broadcast on July 6, followed by airings on Tokyo MX and BS11 on July 9. Crunchyroll will stream the series. The second season sees several staff changes from the first season: Toshizo Nemoto takes over series scripts from Takeshi Kikuchi, Chisa Shibata replaces Hideki Inoue as sub-character designer, and Jia Fang Lu replaces Kenta Tsuboi as art director. Aura Studio handles animation production, replacing Studio KAI and HORNETS. Katsumi Ono returns as director, with returning character designer Tōru Imanishi and sound director Satoshi Motoyama. PelleK returns for the opening theme, while DIALOGUE+ performs the ending theme. The first season aired in 2022.
The final chapter of the HiGH&LOW film series, "HiGH&LOW THE New World," was announced on June 24 at a 10th anniversary event in Tokyo. HIRO, the series' planner and producer, surprised attendees with a teaser video and confirmed the film will release in 2027. The story takes place several years after the 2017 film "HiGH&LOW THE MOVIE 3 / FINAL MISSION." Returning cast members include AKIRA as Kohaku, NAOTO as Jesse, and Alan Shirahama as Bernie, all reprising roles after nine years. Kazuma Kawamura and Hokuto Yoshino also join the cast. Directors Norihisa Hiranuma and Motoaki Kuba are helming the project. Hiranuma stated that the film will feature overseas artists and cast members. The teaser video, now on YouTube, shows hand-to-hand combat and armed groups, suggesting a harsher world. The series has drawn 6.21 million cumulative viewers and earned 8.9 billion yen at the box office. A live event, "HiGH&LOW 10th ANNIVERSARY FEVER," will be held at K-Arena Yokohama on September 22 and 23, featuring LDH artists including EXILE THE SECOND and THE RAMPAGE.
Kamome Shirahama, creator of Witch Hat Atelier, praised figure skater Amber Glenn's Instagram video of her performing in Qifrey cosplay, calling it 'gorgeous' and saying she looks like a 'wizard on ice.' Glenn had previously named the manga a favorite. Shirahama said it was an honor to see the performance. Glenn commented that she loved the passion for magic and Qifrey's guidance. Crunchyroll shared photos, and costume designer CutiePieSensei posted behind-the-scenes footage.
Aki Hamaji's Bocchi the Rock! manga has resumed serialization in the August issue of Manga Time Kirara MAX, released June 18. The series had been on hiatus since the March issue in January. To mark the return, all chapters from volumes 1 through 8 are free to read on COMIC FUZ until June 20.
A post from 2015 by X user Caleb correctly predicted the third title in the Final Fantasy VII remake series, Revelation, before the first remake was released. The post also came close on the second title, Rebirth, and loosely matched the first game's full name. The prediction resurfaced after Square Enix announced Revelation at Summer Game Fest 2026.
TV Asahi unveiled the first promotional video for the Magic Repo Man anime, revealing the cast, additional staff, and an October television premiere. The series adapts Masakichi and Shingou Iijima's manga about a boy who can loan magic points and later collects debts with interest. The anime premieres in October on TV Asahi and affiliates.
KADOKAWA's Kujibikido service is reprinting the Shaman King Funbari Kuji Again online lottery, featuring newly drawn illustrations, chibi character goods, and a repost campaign for canvas art. Reprint sales start June 23, 2026, and run through July 14.
Game Spark reports that the third installment of Final Fantasy VII Remake, along with Persona 4 Revival and Ace Combat 8, may receive updates at June 2026 game events including Summer Game Fest, State of Play, and the Xbox Games Showcase. Director Naoki Hamaguchi said in February that the team plans to share more information this year.
Animator and character designer Kunihiko Hamada confirmed on May 31 that he left Madhouse at the end of March after 35 years with the studio. He is now working at a different company and said he did not receive severance pay. Hamada's credits include chief animation director on Monster, NANA, and Chihayafuru, and character design on Cardcaptor Sakura: Clear Card.
Sou Hamayumiba's Dropout Idol Fruit Tart manga will conclude in three chapters, as announced by the official X account of Houbunsha's Manga Time Kirara magazine on Thursday. The final chapter is set to appear in the September issue of Manga Time Kirara Carat, which goes on sale in July. To mark the ending, the magazine plans a special feature with pages of messages from readers. The story follows first-year high school student Ino Sakura, who moves to Tokyo to become an idol and forms the unit Fruit Tart with three other residents of Nezumi Dorm: former child actor Roko, musician HAYU, and model Nina. Together, they aim to save their dorm from demolition. The manga began as a one-shot in 2014 and launched as a full series in 2015. Houbunsha published the eighth compiled volume in December 2024. An anime adaptation by feel. aired for 12 episodes from October to December 2020, streamed by Funimation and Crunchyroll.
Kan Takahama has launched a new manga titled Anchoring Dutchman, a collaboration with Nagasaki's Huis Ten Bosch theme park. The series, set in 2036, follows a romance between a museum curator and a ghost. The first chapter is now available on LEED Publishing's Torch web platform.
Aki Hamaji, creator of Bocchi the Rock!, produced a key visual for the 35th anniversary of Shimokitazawa Shelter, the live house that inspired the venue in the anime. The visual shows Bocchi and the band on stage against a photo of the real Shelter stage. A limited-edition T-shirt with the art is available for order starting May 15.
The Bocchi the Rock manga will resume in the next issue of Manga Time Kirara Max, ending a hiatus that began in December 2024. Creator Aki Hamaji stated she had been in poor physical health for several months and needed time to recuperate. The magazine had planned a return this month before the delay.