HIRO is the planner and producer of the HiGH&LOW franchise. He announced the final film chapter, HiGH&LOW THE New World, at a 10th anniversary event in Tokyo on June 24, 2026, with a 2027 release date.
HIRO, the planner and producer of the HiGH&LOW franchise, made a surprise appearance at the series' 10th anniversary event in Tokyo on June 24, 2026. He unveiled a teaser video for the final film chapter, HiGH&LOW THE New World, and confirmed it 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 announcement marks the conclusion of a decade-long media franchise that 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, is scheduled for September 22 and 23 at K-Arena Yokohama, featuring LDH artists including EXILE THE SECOND and THE RAMPAGE.
Synthesized by Yomimono from the cited Yomimono stories below, each itself sourced, then editorially reviewed. Every fact links the story it came from.
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Imagineer will release the fishing action RPG Boku to Tsuri Nikki, developed by Yasuhiro Wada's studio Toybox, for Nintendo Switch 2 and Nintendo Switch on October 8, 2026. In a Game Spark interview, Wada says the game asks players to read where fish live and cast without relying on visible fish shadows, with over 100 fish species in rivers and lakes.
SIKI ANIM has opened pre-orders at Rakuten Books for a 1/4 scale figure of White Rabbit Rosu Angel ver., illustrated by Rosuuri. The standard edition is 15,950 yen. A bonus edition at 17,600 yen adds an original art acrylic stand and an original art wall hanging. Both listings are live now and may sell out.
Masahiro Inoue, the actor who played Tsukasa Kadoya in Kamen Rider Decade, posted on X on February 28, 2026 asking for help with VRChat worlds and avatars. He formed a VRChat group in March, launched a joint world project, held a two-day music live in May that lost its first day and ran two hours late on the second, then staged the Masahiro Inoue Debug Festival in July as a one-day rematch. He is now filming a tokusatsu drama inside VRChat and took part in Virtual Market 2026 Summer.
Animator and character designer Kenichiro Katsura died on September 30, 2026, at age 59 while undergoing medical treatment for illness, according to his wife, Akiko Miyaji, who announced his death on Twitter. News of his passing was carried by the bereaved family on October 5. The funeral was held with only close relatives in attendance. Katsura handled character design on Macross 7, Knight's & Magic, and SYNDUALITY Noir, and worked across anime and game titles over many years, including the VIPER series, ToHeart2, Comic Party Revolution, the OVA of Utawarerumono, and That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime. On SYNDUALITY Noir and Knight's & Magic he worked as both character designer and chief animation director. Both production committees issued statements on October 5, saying they received tremendous dedication from Katsura and expressing condolences to his family and staff.
Shonen Jump+ announced on Saturday that Chained Soldier, the manga by writer Takahiro and artist Yohei Takemura, is going on hiatus because of Takemura's health. Takemura said he injured his right wrist in June, with damage to the fibrocartilage, and that drawing in a brace has slowed his recovery. Shonen Jump+ lists a November 14 return, with Takemura's recovery as the priority.
An impression piece on Onimusha: Way of the Sword, released September 4, 2026, reads the Capcom title as a continuation of Japanese period drama culture. Set in Edo-period Kyoto, it follows Miyamoto Musashi wielding an oni-powered gauntlet against creatures called Genma. The writer traces the connection through expressive character facial acting, the growth of a blunt, hot-blooded Musashi, and the formal beauty of sword-fight choreography.
Growth DX Inc. will hold Physical AI CROSS presented by BtoB Growth EXPO, a business conference for the physical AI and robotics field, on March 2, 2027 at Ariake Central Tower Hall. The organizer expects 300 decision-makers from major corporations and caps exhibitor slots at 30 companies. Takao Anno, Rikiya Yamamoto, and Kohei Matsushita are confirmed speakers. Exhibitor applications are open.
Producer Hiroyuki Kobayashi and director Eiichiro Sasaki, both veterans of the Resident Evil series, discussed their new action RPG Stupid Never Dies in an interview published September 22, 2026. The game follows Davy, a zombie who wants only to bring back a dead girl named Julia. Kobayashi said the zombie protagonist came from an early budget-securing proposal, not from their Resident Evil background, and Sasaki tied the story to underdog gekokujo tales.
Darkroom began streaming the two-part original anime video adaptation of Norihiro Yagi's Angel Densetsu manga on Friday. The OVA originally debuted in September 1996. It follows Seiichiro Kitano, a gentle transfer student at Hekikuu High School whose pale skin, sharp features, and awkward mannerisms lead classmates and local thugs to mistake him for a violent delinquent. Polite attempts to be friendly are repeatedly misread as threats, and through coincidence he accidentally knocks out the school's top fighters, earning the title of supreme delinquent and "School Guardian." The comedy comes from the gap between Kitano's reputation and his actual personality. Yukio Kaizawa directed the anime at Toei Video Co., Ltd., with scripts by Naoyuki Sakai and music by Ryuichi Katsumata and Tsuyoshi Ito. Yagi launched the manga in Shueisha's Monthly Shonen Jump in February 1993, and the 15th and final volume shipped in April 2000. Darkroom is a subsidiary of distributor Synergetic Films.
Touhakusha released the Final Demo for its PC psych horror adventure game Tsumimijikan Kuruoshii Hodo Aishiteru on Steam on September 28. The demo adds character voice, extends playable content to partway through DAY 7, and revises the UI based on player feedback. The full game, priced at 1980 yen with tax, launches on October 22. Six main endings are prepared.
Sega released "Hiro - Essential Works" on Spotify and Apple Music on September 25, the third volume of its playlist project centered on the company's creators. The 118-track playlist was selected by Hiro (Hiroshi Kawaguchi), who composed music for the Taikan Game series including Out Run. It includes Hang-On and Space Harrier tracks alongside Fantasy Zone, Alex Kidd: The Lost Stars, Rent-A-Hero, and maimai. Sega says more creator playlists will follow.
The teaser for the Glasses With a Chance of Delinquent anime names its first cast and an April 2027 premiere on ABC TV and TV Asahi's Animazing!!! block, with streaming on ABEMA to follow. Hiroto Shimizu plays Dan Ichikura, Suzuko Hara plays Hiro Momose, Yuma Tomochika plays Ohana-chan. Makoto Hoshino directs at Studio Flad and Wao World, with series scripts by Megumi Shimizu and character designs by Ruriko Watanabe.
The television anime of the Thunder 3 manga will return for a second season next year, the staff announced Thursday. Hiroya Oku confirmed in September that he created the manga under the pen name Yuki Ikeda. The adaptation premiered on Fuji-TV's +Ultra block on July 8 and streamed worldwide on Netflix the same day. Kodansha USA publishes the manga in English.
NHK announced Tuesday that Tomohiro Hata will perform "Fragments," the theme song for the live-action series of Yuki Kodama's Ao no Hana, Utsuwa no Mori. Rena Matsui plays Aoko Baba, a ceramics painter, and Hayate Ichinose plays Tatsuki Manabe. The series debuts on NHK's Yorudora block on October 26. The manga ran in Flowers from March 2018 to March 2022, ending at ten volumes.
Hiroya Oku confirmed on social media Thursday that he created the Thunder 3 manga under the pen name Yuki Ikeda. He said the pen name kept a first-chapter surprise intact for new readers, one that the Oku name would have lessened. The series launched in Kodansha's Monthly Shonen Magazine in May 2022, entered its climax in January 2025, went on hiatus that March over Ikeda's health, returned in February, and ended on June 5.
Global Stage Hollywood will screen the world premiere of the second episode of the Psyren television anime on October 3 at the Chinese Theater in Hollywood, California. The first episode gets its West Coast premiere at the same event, and manga creator Toshiaki Iwashiro will attend. The anime debuts on Tokyo MX and BS11 on October 4, with Crunchyroll streaming worldwide outside Japan and China.
Kodansha's Weekly Shonen Magazine announced on Thursday that Hiro Mashima's Fairy Tail Re:Fantasia manga miniseries will end in the next chapter, in the magazine's 44th issue on September 30. The miniseries launched in the 35th issue on July 29. The original Fairy Tail manga ran from 2006 to July 2017, and Mashima and Atsuo Ueda's Fairy Tail: 100 Years Quest sequel inspired a television anime that premiered in July 2024.
K MANGA added Chihiro Kanisawa's Oh My Panda! (Horeta Hareta Panda) as a simulpub title on Wednesday. The story follows Hanna, a high school student with endless stamina who takes a part-time job as a performer for the local mascot Panboo, until a boy from the class next door gets close to uncovering her. Kanisawa launched the series in Kodansha's Dessert magazine in November 2025, and the second compiled volume shipped on September 11.
Netflix will premiere its eight-episode live-action series Quiztopia on December 17, adapting Reiichi Sugimoto and Shinichi Kato's National Quiz manga. A teaser trailer and additional cast were revealed: Masahiro Takashima as Commander Murakoshi, Eiko Koike as producer Shoko Kamijo, Riko Ishida as Marii, Kana Kurashina as Ayako, Koji Seto as Seiji Nanbara, and Renji Ishibashi as Prime Minister Takeshi Gokumazawa. Takayuki Yamada plays host KK. Teruyuki Yoshida directs and co-writes with Maggy.
holo Indie, the hololive production derivative game brand, has released a free demo of HoloCozy on Steam. The desktop-resident room customization game, developed by Ninth Games and announced by CCMC Corp., lets players spend time with Tokino Sora in two rooms, Sora's Room and Green Garden Room. The demo includes a calendar, alarm, Pomodoro timer, three hololive songs, three ambient sounds, and the Blackjack minigame. The full version, scheduled for release within 2026, will feature five talents: Tokino Sora, Usada Pekora, Shiranui Flare, Shirogane Noel, and Houshou Marine, shown in pixel art. A release date of November 13 appears in an earlier schedule, but the current product information lists the launch as within 2026 with price undecided. The demo supports Japanese, English, Chinese (Simplified and Traditional), Korean, and Indonesian.
The official X account for Kyosuke Kamishiro and illustrator Takayaki's My Stepmom's Daughter Is My Ex (Mamahaha no Tsurego ga Moto Kano Datta) announced on Wednesday that the light novel series will end with its 14th volume, scheduled for release on December 1, 2026. Kamishiro began the story on the Kakuyomu website in August 2017, and Kadokawa started print publication with Takayaki's illustrations in December 2018. The 13th volume shipped in October 2025. Rei Kusakabe's manga adaptation has run on Kadokawa's ComicWalker since December 2019, with Udon Entertainment handling the English manga license and J-Novel Club holding the light novel license. The novels follow Mizuto Irido and Yume Ayai, former middle school partners who become stepsiblings after their parents remarry. An anime adaptation aired on AT-X and Tokyo MX in July 2022, with Crunchyroll streaming it as it aired.
Toei Animation on September 24, 2026 named two new characters for Rakuen Tsuiho -The Stellar Angel-, its visual novel sequel to the 2014 film Rakuen Tsuiho -Expelled from Paradise-. Aladia, voiced by Hiromi Sakurai, is a former Deva security officer who stole the top-secret file Gray Goo and fled to the surface. Naama, voiced by Yui Sakakibara, is a rookie officer ordered to capture her. The game ships November 26, 2026 on Nintendo Switch and PC via Steam, with Japanese and English text switchable in-game. Shotaro Teshirogi writes the scenario. Rie Kugimiya returns as protagonist Angela Balzac, who now lives on the surface with Dingo, voiced by Shinichiro Miki. The setting is the year 2400, where parallel plants spread across the ruined surface and giant worms attack nearby settlements. The core K2-SYSTEM asks players at key points to pick between Kizuna and Kakugo, shaping Angela and branching the story toward multiple endings. A repost campaign for original QUO cards runs from September 24 to October 1.
Hiroya Oku, the manga artist behind GANTZ, stated on September 24, 2026 that Yuki Ikeda, the credited author of Thunder 3, is his own pen name. Oku posted the confirmation on his X account. He said the pen name existed because a chapter 1 twist would have been weakened if his real name had been attached, and he wanted first-time readers to be surprised. Thunder 3 began serialization in Kodansha's Monthly Shonen Magazine in May 2022 and reached its final chapter in the July 2026 issue, released on June 5, 2026. The collected volumes total 10, with the last volume released on August 17. The TV anime adaptation premiered on July 8, 2026 and its final episode, Episode 12, is set to air on September 30. Online speculation about the art style resembling GANTZ had circulated for some time before Oku's post.
The television anime of Kyu Takahata and Yuji Kaba's Now That We Draw manga released its first full promotional video and character visuals on Thursday, and the video sets a January 2027 premiere. Shunsuke Ishikawa is directing at ROLL2, with Deko Akao supervising and writing the series scripts and Hiromi Nakagawa designing the characters. The newly announced staff includes Sub-Character Design by Momoka Izumi, Color Key Artist Yurie Matsuura, Art Director Arei Saiga, Compositing Director of Photography Hayato Kifune, 3D CG by Masashi Watanabe, Editing by Mai Hasegawa, Sound Director Fumiyuki Go, Sound Effects by Ryuta Nakahara, and Music by Yoshiaki Miura, with Infinite producing. Ayumu Murase and Sayumi Suzushiro star as Yuki Uehara and Niina Miyamoto, the two aspiring manga creators who agree to a fake relationship to gain the romantic experience their work lacks. The manga runs in Hakusensha's Young Animal. Seven Seas Entertainment licensed it, and the eighth Japanese volume is due September 29.
TMS Entertainment announced that the 2007 film Oshare Majo Love and Berry: Shiawase no Mahou will stream for a limited time on its official YouTube channel from 20:00 on September 23. The movie adapts Sega's card game, which drew a large following in the 2000s, and was distributed by Shochiku. Hiromi Konno voices Love, Hisayo Yanai voices Berry.
Bushiroad released BanG Dream! Our Notes on September 24, 2026, on the App Store and Google Play as a free-to-play rhythm-action and adventure game. Alongside MyGO!!!!!, Ave Mujica, and Yumemita MyuType, it adds two new bands, millsage and Ikka Dumb Rock! Sanjigen (NICHICALINE) produced new animation for all band stories.
Hiroya Oku revealed on X that he is Yuki Ikeda, the pen name credited as the author of Thunder 3. He said the alias protected the twist in Episode 1, so first-time readers would be surprised. Oku thanked the anime staff and said he watches every episode. Thunder 3 ran in Kodansha's Monthly Shonen Magazine, concluded in June 2026, and its anime streams on Netflix.
Kushinada Kikou released the official version of its 3D avatar control system HIROMEIRO on September 17, 2026. The system performs full-body tracking of a 3D avatar using a single camera, with no device attachment and no dedicated suit or markers required. It recognizes whole-body movement even in everyday clothing. HIROMEIRO has been offered as a development version since 2023, refined through streaming activities of the company's affiliated virtual talent, Hiro Rinne. The official version supports VRM, the file format widely used as a standard for 3D avatars. Streaming-oriented modes are included, such as a green back mode for easy background compositing and an upper-body-only tracking mode for seated streaming. A vertical video shooting function is also available for short-form content. The PC tracking app can hide the input video to prevent identity exposure. Tracking processing is separated from avatar display, so tracking can run on a different device to distribute processing load.
Konami Digital Entertainment will release Silent Hill: Townfall on September 24 for PlayStation 5 and PC, priced at 7,480 yen for the standard edition and 8,580 yen for the deluxe version. The psychological horror spin-off is developed by Scotland-based Screen Burn Interactive and runs entirely in first person, a departure from the series' usual third-person view. Protagonist Simon washes ashore on the fog-covered island of Saint Amelia with a hospital wristband and an IV tube in his arm, guided by a voice named Richard telling him to set things right. A pocket television called the CRTV replaces the series radio, tuning into signals to reveal creature silhouettes through walls and carry messages from a nurse named Zoe. Several review outlets played the retail PlayStation 5 version ahead of release, describing stealth-focused exploration, limited weapons with durability, and a second player-controlled character in Zoe whose clinic episodes unfold earlier than Simon's story.
Kadokawa announced five additional cast members for the television anime of Kureha's Bride of the Barrier Master light novel series on Monday, alongside a new teaser promotional video and third teaser visual. Kanon Takao joins as Hazuki Ichise, Hana's twin sister. Hiroto Shimizu plays Nozomi Ichinomiya, Saku's younger brother. Yuzuki Tamukai voices Azuha, Hana's shikigami that rests on her hair like an ornament. Taihi Kimura and M.A.O play Aoi and Miyabi, two shikigami in human form created by Hana. They join previously announced leads Akari Kito as Hana Ichise and Kikunosuke Toya as Saku Ichinomiya. The anime debuts in January 2027. TROYCA animates the series, with Toru Kitahata directing, Yuko Kakihara handling series scripts, and Minami Murayama on character designs. Yen Press publishes the light novels and manga adaptation in English.
Re-Ment released JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders STAND on DESK -Fate- on September 21 at toy and general merchandise stores and character shops. The desk figures use deformed character designs and double as card stands and multi trays. The lineup is six types: Jotaro Kujo, Star Platinum, Joseph Joestar, Jean Pierre Polnareff, Silver Chariot, and DIO. Each is priced at 1,650 yen including tax. Combining figures, such as DIO and Polnareff, lets buyers recreate famous scenes.
Bushiroad added all three episodes of the mini anime adaptation of Kaeru DX's Ghost Meets Gal manga to its Cardfight!! Vanguard YouTube channel on Friday. The series has Japanese audio and English subtitles. AtoriE produced the mini anime, which debuted on September 5. Karin Kagami voices Rubuna and Yuka Nishio voices Santi.
Hiroyuki Isobe of the rock band [Alexandros] plays Motochika Chosokabe in NHK's taiga drama Toyotomi Kyodai!, starring Taiga Nakano, and spoke after Episode 36 aired on the 20th. He said he visited Motochika's grave, called his band's Sendai live show night viewing of Episode 25 a source of happiness, and described Nakano sending him a written account of a day on set.
The KyoMAF special stage for the new Magic Knight Rayearth anime revealed a second main trailer on Sunday, along with two theme songs and four additional cast members. Toaka performs the opening theme "Otome no Tsurugi" (A Young Lady's Sword), and Yurina Kawaguchi performs the ending theme "Hoshiakari" (Starlight); the trailer previews both. Mamiko Noto joins as Alcione, Ayumu Murase as Ascot, Hitomi Ueda as Caldina, and Hiroki Yasumoto as Lafarga. The event also confirmed the anime will air for two consecutive cours, a half-year run. It debuts on October 7 in the IMAnimation W programming block on TV Asahi and affiliated channels at 11:45 p.m. (10:45 a.m. EDT). Ayane Sakura, Rumi Okubo, and Rie Takahashi lead as Hikaru Shido, Umi Ryuzaki, and Fuu Hououji. Yui Miura directs in his series directorial debut, with E&H production animating, Shigeru Murakoshi on series scripts, Satomi Watabe designing characters, and Yuki Kajiura, Takumi Ozawa, and Shiho Terada composing.
Capcom announced on September 20, 2026 that the fighting game Street Fighter 6 and the anime Detective Pretty Cure are crossing over. The reveal came at the Capcom Stage Live <DAY-2> event at Tokyo Game Show 2026. A four-episode original collaboration story is scheduled to be distributed starting December 17. In the story, an incident occurs in which arcade cabinets in the Battle Hub are broken and their screens go completely black, and Cure Answer and the others investigate the truth behind it. A key visual and part of the story were shown at the stage event. Game screens also showed Luke, Jamie, and Kimberly from Street Fighter 6 drawn in a Precure-style touch. Capcom said further details will be announced in the future. The game is available on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC.
The staff of the Daemons of the Shadow Realm television anime announced a second season after the final episode of the first season aired on Sunday. The first season ran for two consecutive cours and 24 episodes, adapting Hiromu Arakawa's manga. Masahiro Ando, whose credits include Sword of the Stranger, directed the anime at Bones Film. Noboru Takagi oversaw the series scripts, Nobuhiro Arai designed the characters and worked as chief animation director, and Kenichiro Suehiro composed the music. Kensho Ono voices Yuru and Yume Miyamoto voices Asa, with Yuichi Nakamura as Dera, Misaki Kuno as Gabu-chan, Takako Honda as Left, Rikiya Koyama as Right, and Miyuri Shimabukuro as Hana. The anime premiered on April 4 on Tokyo MX, BS11, Gunma TV, and Tochigi TV, and Crunchyroll streamed it with a same-day English dub. Arakawa launched the manga in Square Enix's Monthly Shonen Gangan in December 2021.
Toei and DC Comics announced a Batman and Kamen Rider Zero-One project at a Batman Day fan event in Tokyo on the 19th. The title is Batman x Kamen Rider ZERO-ONE LEGENDS UNITE. Toei producer Shinichiro Shirakura called the tag team a historic event. An original DC comic and Bandai merchandise are planned, with more news promised at events including Tokyo Comic Con.
AREA35 is showing a playable build of Tiny Metal 2 at Tokyo Game Show 2026, the third entry after Tiny Metal in 2017 and Tiny Metal: Full Metal Empire in 2019. Producer Hiroaki Yura said the team now numbers just under 30 people, naval units like battleships and submarines widen the tactics, all modes support co-op, and SAFEHOUSE handled the refined graphics.
The week's North American physical releases span adult anime from Kitty Media, Sentai Filmworks' Shirobako Blu-ray at US$89.98, and a large manga slate dated September 15. Among the debuts are Aoashi Omnibus 1 from Titan, Casshan 1 from Nakama Press, and Sound of a Blink 1 from Viz Media, alongside new volumes of Blue Lock, Choujin X, and Sakamoto Days.
Bushiroad Creative will release PalVerse / STAR WARS, a palm-sized deformed figure lineup, on Friday, September 18, 2026 at anime goods and hobby shops, mass retailers, and major online shops. The set has seven types: Luke, Han Solo, Princess Leia, Chewbacca and C-3PO, Stormtrooper, Darth Vader, and one secret. Each figure is about 90mm tall and made of PVC. A pack costs 1,100 yen with tax, a box 6,600 yen with tax.
Advance cuts from Episode 12 of From Old Country Bumpkin to Master Swordsman II, titled "From Old Country Bumpkin to Master Swordsman, Returns Home," show the masked mercenary White Maiden is Rose Marbleheart, voiced by Ai Kayano, a former disciple of Beryl who fought him in the first season. Beryl and White Maiden join Allucia and Slena to reinforce the Verdeapis Mercenary Corps. The episode airs September 23.
The official X account for Bayside Shakedown N.E.W.: Race Through the Metropolis! announced two more cast members on September 18, the film's opening day. Megumi Hayashibara narrates the in-film footage Seven Bear: The Movie. Takahiro Yamamoto, known for impressions of star Yuji Oda and a longtime fan of the series, has a scene with Oda, with his role kept under wraps.
PLAION REPLAI showed the NEOGEO AES+ in playable form at Tokyo Game Show 2026, with ten launch titles on the floor. The console was pushed from November 12, 2026 to September 16, 2027, at 32,800 yen, with an Anniversary Edition at 49,800 yen. It supports HDMI and AV output and accepts original ROM cartridges and arcade sticks.
Level-5 is running a playable booth for Snack World RELOADED at Tokyo Game Show 2026, held at Makuhari Messe from September 17 to 21, 2026. The game is a remake of Snack World: TreJarers, the 2017 Nintendo 3DS title, and is set for release in 2027 on Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 5, and PC via Steam at a price not yet announced. A new mode called the Treasure Board, also described as the Trejara Board, lets players control the anime protagonist Chup and advance through stages laid out like a board game, defeating a mid-boss in each stage before a boss at the far end within a time limit. Weapons called Jara include swords, axes, bows, and spears, each with different range, speed, and Buster attributes that deal extra damage to specific enemy races. The demo ends with a choice between two bosses, Medusa and Dullahan. Players who try the booth receive an original bandana.
Hiroshi Abe's slimmer appearance at promotional events for VIVANT season two drew fan speculation. On September 17, the poster for his film Happy List was released, showing him emaciated as Taro Egawa, a man who returns to society after 40 years in a psychiatric hospital. The film, co-starring Ren Nagase, opens February 5, 2027. Abe said he tried to respond honestly to what Taro sees now rather than assume he understood the 40 years.
Dragami Games and Taiwan's NADA HOLDINGS announced on September 17 that the official title of the newest Lollipop Chainsaw entry is LOLLIPOP CHAINSAW 2 Back2Back, scheduled for release on PlayStation 5 in 2027. Juliet, the high school cheerleader and zombie hunter, returns in a new costume. Her boyfriend Nick is a severed head again. Development is handled by JP UNIVERSE, the studio Hajime Tabata founded in 2022 after directing Final Fantasy XV. Original scenario writer Masahiro Yuki and original character designer NekoshowguN are involved. The game is playable at the Sega Partners Corner inside the Sega/Atlus booth at Tokyo Game Show 2026, running at Makuhari Messe from September 17 to 21, with four demo stations. Stage events are set for September 18 at the Sega Event Stage and September 19 at the TGS2026 Main Stage. Price and CERO rating are undecided.
Yusuke Onuki, president of Bushiroad Move and a producer on titles including 100 Girlfriends and Grisaia: Phantom Trigger, says overseas streaming money now decides which anime get made. A 12- to 13-episode late-night series needs roughly 350 million yen, and production committees lean on Minimum Guarantee advance payments from Netflix, Disney+, and Crunchyroll to cover costs before broadcast.
Byside Inc., an M&A advisory firm focused on buyer-side companies, appointed Kunihiro Okamoto as an outside director effective September 15, 2026. Okamoto has served as CTO in the human resources business domain, most recently as VP of Engineering at PERSOLKELLY since April 2025, and the company expects his work on system development, AI use, and DX promotion to improve its management foundation.
Bandai Namco Filmworks released a full promotional video and two new teaser visuals for the television anime of Kaeru Chohokiteki's Witch and Mercenary light novel series. The video confirms an April 2027 premiere on NTV and 29 affiliated channels, plus the satellite channel BS NTV, and names three more cast members: Yuri Noguchi as the rank 2 swordmaster Isana Gihon, nicknamed Snow White; Hiromu Mineta as Alan Clows, a rank 4 swordmaster and party leader; and Haruka Shiraishi as Elicia Armel, a rank 3 staff-wielding adventurer. Saori Hayami voices Siasha and Taito Ban voices Zig Crane, both heard in the trailer. Shinpei Ezaki directs at 8-Bit, with Taishirou Tanimura on series scripts, Keita Matsumoto designing characters, Akiko Fujita as sound director, and Rei Ishizuka composing at Lantis. One teaser visual focuses on Siasha, the other on Zig.
The Game Designers Award, founded in 2010 by game director Masahiro Sakurai, will end in 2026. Sakurai, who is chief judge, announced the close at a ceremony on September 15. Seventeen works won the award across its run, from Heavy Rain in 2010 to Moji Yuge in 2026. The theme is the evaluation of games' originality and novelty.