Thursday, 25 June 2026
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HIRO

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.

Synthesized from 30 Yomimono stories · updated 1h ago

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.

Key facts

Role in franchise
Planner and producer of the HiGH&LOW series ↗
Announcement event
Surprised attendees at the 10th anniversary event in Tokyo on June 24, 2026 ↗
Announced project
Final film chapter HiGH&LOW THE New World, set for 2027 release ↗
Teaser video
Showed a teaser video now on YouTube, depicting hand-to-hand combat and armed groups ↗
Returning cast members
AKIRA, NAOTO, and Alan Shirahama reprise roles after nine years ↗

Timeline

Synthesized by Yomimono from the cited Yomimono stories below, each itself sourced, then editorially reviewed. Every fact links the story it came from.

All coverage

2h ago

HiGH&LOW THE New World Announced as Final Film Chapter, Set for 2027

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.

13h ago

Moving Ukiyo-e Exhibition Hiroshima Unveils Aquarium and Hotel Collaborations

The immersive ukiyo-e digital art museum, running July 18 to September 6, 2026, at NTT Credo Hall in Hiroshima, has announced collaborations with Hiroshima Motomachi Aquarium and Rihga Royal Hotel Hiroshima. The aquarium will feature original video and ukiyo-e displays, while the hotel offers themed cocktails and ticket-inclusive stay plans. A workshop and discount campaign are also planned. The exhibition has previously attracted over 500,000 visitors across nine locations including Milan and Paris.

1d ago

GKIDS Sets September 22 Blu-ray Release for ChaO Anime Film

GKIDS will release Studio 4°C's anime feature ChaO on Blu-ray Disc on September 22. The film, directed by Yasuhiro Aoki, is a romantic comedy about a mermaid princess and a salaryman. It is already available digitally in the U.S. The Blu-ray includes storyboards, animatics, and trailers. The film won the Jury Prize at Annecy 2025.

1d ago

Bubbles Zine Licenses Suehiro Maruo's New National Kid Manga

Bubbles Zine announced it has licensed Suehiro Maruo's horror collection New National Kid. The publisher will release the English edition in winter 2026-2027, with translation by Ryan Holmberg. Bubbles Zine previously published two other Maruo titles.

2d ago

Denonbu Shiro Hosts 9th Anniversary Stream With Kizuna AI, Tokino Sora

Denonbu Shiro will hold a 9th anniversary stream on June 28 featuring Kizuna AI, Hololive's Tokino Sora and Hakui Koyori, and independent VTuber Fuji Aoi. The stream, titled "Legend Emergency Summon! Future Summit," will discuss the future of VTubing as the scene approaches its 10-year milestone.

3d ago

Ghost in the Shell: The Ghost in the Shell Gets GEEKS RULE T-Shirts

Apparel brand GEEKS RULE will release two T-shirt designs for the new anime Ghost in the Shell: The Ghost in the Shell, launching early at Kodansha House in Los Angeles from July 2. The shirts use the first and second key visuals, with the first evoking Masamune Shirow's illustration style and the second featuring Motoko Kusanagi on a Fuchikoma with an icon by Hajime Sorayama. Each costs 13,200 yen.

3d ago

Honō No Tōkyūjo: Dodge Danko Anime Reveals 18 New Cast Members

The staff for the television anime of Tetsuhiro Koshita's Honō no Tōkyūjo: Dodge Danko manga revealed 18 additional cast members on Sunday, along with a main visual. The new additions fill out the rosters for four dodgeball teams: St. Arrows, Tosa Attackers, US Buffaloes, and Black Armors. The anime is set to premiere on July 6.

4d ago

Hiroshi Kamiya Joins Mission: Yozakura Family Season 2 Cast

Hiroshi Kamiya has been cast as Kai Izumo in the second season of the Mission: Yozakura Family anime. Kai is Kyoichiro's best friend and the president of the spy association. The character debuts in the 38th episode on Sunday. The announcement came during the Chayamachi Oshi Festival 2026 stage presentation.

5d ago

MAPPA to Produce Opening Animation for Attack on Titan 3

Koei Tecmo Games announced on June 19 that MAPPA, the studio behind the TV anime Attack on Titan The Final Season, will produce the opening animation for the upcoming tactical hunting action game Attack on Titan 3. The opening will be a completely new animation that depicts the story of Attack on Titan from beginning to end. The game is planned for release on PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch 2, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam. Further details, including the release date and the first look at actual gameplay footage, will be revealed during an official web program airing on July 2 at 19:00 JST. The program will feature voice actors Yui Ishikawa (Mikasa Ackerman) and Shiori Mikami (Krista Lenz), along with development producer Eisei Suzuki as a commentator. According to Game Spark, the opening animation will not be included in the main game at launch but will be added in a later update.

5d ago

Young Ladies Don't Play Fighting Games Anime Adds Four Cast Members in New Trailer

The television anime adaptation of Eri Ejima's manga Young Ladies Don't Play Fighting Games revealed four additional cast members and a main promotional video on Friday. Yumiri Hanamori joins as Hana Ichinose, Nobuyuki Hiyama as Gekido, Yohei Azakami as Cafe Au Lait, and Taku Yashiro as Seshiro. The trailer previews both the opening theme song "Inochi Mijikashi Tai Suru Otome yo!" by rock band Hanabie and the ending theme song "New Game" by halca. The anime is set to premiere on July 7 across AT-X, Tokyo MX, MBS, BS NTV, and Nagasaki Broadcasting Company channels. Shota Ihata is directing the series at studio Diomedéa, with Wataru Watari handling series scripts, Mayuko Matsumoto designing characters, and Kana Hashiguchi composing the music. The previously announced main cast includes Ikumi Hasegawa as Aya Mitsuki, Kana Ichinose as Mio Yorue, Sayaka Senbongi as Yu Inui, Shino Shimoji as Tamaki Ichinose, and Maria Naganawa as Arisa Fujimiya. Real-life fighting game player and commentator Aru voices the in-story commentator Flamberge. The anime was delayed from its originally planned 2025 debut.

6d ago

Dustland Volume 1 Released With Comments From Shun Oguri and 7 Others

Hiroshi Takahashi's Dustland, the official sequel to Crows and Worst, released its first volume on June 19. Eight figures including actor Shun Oguri and rapper R-Shitei contributed commemorative comments. The series runs in Young Champion and follows delinquent boy Asada Hibari in the Utsusemi district.

6d ago

Red River Anime Video Previews Hiroki Nanami Opening Song

The official website for the Red River anime began streaming a full promotional video on Friday. The clip previews the opening theme song "Akatsuki no Sora" by Hiroki Nanami. The anime is set to premiere on NTV's AnichU block on July 7 at 25:35 (effectively July 8 at 1:35 a.m.).

Jun 18

Mebius Dust Anime Adds 6 More Cast Members

The official website for the original television anime Mebius Dust announced six additional cast members on Thursday. The new additions include Hiroshi Tsuchida, Ryōhei Shioguchi, Ryō Hirohashi, Yūki Kuwahara, Mari Hino, and Hiromichi Tezuka. The anime is set to premiere on Tokyo MX and BS Fuji on July 9, and on MBS on July 10, airing for one cour.

Jun 18

Nisio Isin and Posuka Demizu's Magi-Roshi Gentlemen B.T. Manga Gets a Book Release

The manga "Magi-Roshi Gentlemen B.T.," based on an original concept by Hirohiko Araki, written by Nisio Isin, and illustrated by Posuka Demizu, was released in book form on June 18. The volume collects four episodes, including the title story about the elderly B.T. and Koichi, plus stories set in their youth and high school, and an extra round. The Ultra Jump July issue includes a different version of the book cover.

Jun 17

Palworld OCG Preview Event Shows Rapid Soul Growth and Flexible Main Phase

Bushiroad held a preview event for the Palworld Official Card Game (Palworld OCG) at Card Game Fest 2026 in Tokyo on May 3 and 4, ahead of its July 30 release. Bushiroad President Takaaki Kidani personally explained the rules to attendees. The two-player card game uses a 50-card deck plus a separate 10-card Soul deck. Souls serve as the cost to play cards, and players gain two additional Souls each turn. The preview used a shortened three-life format instead of the standard ten. During play, the first player summoned a cost-2 Pal on turn one, while the second player, starting with one extra Soul, could field a cost-2 Pal and counterattack. By turn two, each player had four or five Souls, enabling cost-4 Pals and Building cards like the Primitive Furnace, which reduces Gear costs. A Quick mechanic allows players to interrupt attacks by playing a card from hand. The preview ended before a winner was decided. The game will launch with booster packs at 440 yen each and two types of trial decks at 1,980 yen each.

Jun 17

Wing Gundam Zero (EW) Gets Renewed GUNDAM UNIVERSE Release

Bandai announced a renewed version of the Wing Gundam Zero (EW) from "New Mobile Report Gundam W Endless Waltz" as part of the GUNDAM UNIVERSE line. The figure, priced at 4,400 yen, is set for release in October 2026 and features a UNIVERSAL REACTION FRAME for improved articulation, plus weapons and effect parts.

Jun 16

Ghost in the Shell: The Ghost in the Shell Gets Prime Video Streaming Date and Trailer

Bandai Namco Filmworks announced on June 16 that the new TV anime Ghost in the Shell: The Ghost in the Shell will stream on Prime Video in Japan starting July 7 at 23:30 JST, with the fastest domestic unlimited viewing. The series will air on Kantele and Fuji TV's new anime slot Ka Anibar!! at 23:00 JST the same day. Overseas, the anime will stream exclusively on Prime Video in over 240 countries and regions, excluding mainland China, Russia, and Vietnam. A Prime Video-exclusive trailer was released alongside the announcement, showing Public Security Section 9 members led by Motoko Kusanagi and hinting at the mysterious hacker Puppeteer. The anime is produced by Science SARU, with Moko-chan directing in her debut role. Series composition and script are by Tow Ubukata, character design and chief animation direction by Shuhei Handa, and music by Taisei Iwasaki. The ending theme is "Blue" by MILLENNIUM PARADE, featuring Saya Gray and Daniel Caesar. A US premiere screening of episodes 1 and 2 will take place at Anime Expo 2026 on July 4, with a staff panel and autograph sessions.

Jun 16

Oshi No Ko Puzzle Star Adds Rainy Drops Akane Kurokawa and Ruby Costumes

KADOKAWA began the pickup gacha [Rainy Drops] on June 16 in the smartphone puzzle game Oshi no Ko Puzzle Star. Part 1 features ★★★[Rainy Drops] Akane Kurokawa and ★★[Rainy Drops] Ruby in newly drawn special costumes. A Like Pass grants Akane's costume, and a new event Idol Step starts June 17.

Jun 15

Sangokushi BOND Banjo Enbu Demo Launches on Steam Next Fest

Get Wrapped Up Inc. released the demo for Sangokushi BOND, a deck-building roguelite army battle game, on Steam Next Fest on June 15, 2026. The demo, titled Sangokushi BOND Banjo Enbu Demo, is available until June 22. It features a new mode called Banjo Enbu, which consists of 14 stages of increasing difficulty. Players clear stages to acquire generals and use them to tackle harder challenges. The demo includes three playable strategists: Guo Jia, Da Qiao, and Zhuge Liang. This version replaces the asynchronous ranked battle mode from a previous playtest held in May. The full game is scheduled for release in summer 2026 at a price of 800 yen. It supports online versus modes, including real-time and asynchronous battles, and will feature over 100 generals with original illustrations. The developer, Get Wrapped Up, was founded in May 2025 by Yasuhiro Nishiyama, known for creating the arcade strategy game Sangokushi Taisen at Sega. The game emphasizes fair, short-term strategic battles without action controls or pay-to-win elements.

Jun 12

Studio 4°C Returns to Chimney Town With a Hybrid Sequel

Director Yusuke Hirota returns for Chimney Town: Frozen In Time, a sequel to the 2020 CG feature Poupelle of Chimney Town. The film premiered at the Berlinale and will screen at Annecy. Hirota discussed the studio's hybrid 2D/3D approach, creature design drawn from protagonist Lubicchi's imagination, and influences including Level-5 games and stop-motion classics.

Jun 12

Hirotoshi Sano Gundam Art Collection Gets Reprint After 25 Years

Hobby Japan is reprinting the Hirotoshi Sano Gundam Art Collection: EDGE of GUNDAM on August 7, 2026. The book, featuring mechanical animation director Hirotoshi Sano's Gundam illustrations, was originally released 25 years ago. Pre-orders are open now at the Post Hobby Web Shop and Yodobashi Camera stores.

Jun 11

Dr.STONE SCIENCE FUTURE Climax Visual Assembles All Astronauts

The third cour of the TV anime Dr.STONE SCIENCE FUTURE released a climax visual titled "All Astronauts Assemble" on June 11. The image adds Ryusui as the final astronaut, joining Senku, Kohaku, and Stanley as the team prepares to fight Why-man on the moon.

Jun 11

Ghost in the Shell Anime Reveals MILLENNIUM PARADE Ending Song "Blue"

Bandai Namco Filmworks has revealed the ending theme for Science SARU's upcoming "Ghost in the Shell: The Ghost in the Shell" television anime. The song, titled "Blue," is performed by MILLENNIUM PARADE, the creative collective led by King Gnu's Daiki Tsuneta, and features Canadian-Japanese artist Saya Gray and Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Daniel Caesar. According to Tsuneta, work on the track began roughly three years ago with Gray before Caesar later joined the project. A fourth promotional video previewing the song has also been released, focusing on the inner lives of characters centered on protagonist Motoko Kusanagi. The anime is set to premiere on July 7, 2026, airing on Kansai TV and Fuji TV's new anime programming block "Ka-Anival!!" on Tuesday nights at 11:00 p.m. Amazon Prime Video will stream the series worldwide except in Russia and China, with an early exclusive streaming window in Japan. The first two episodes will also screen at Anime Expo 2026 in Los Angeles on July 4, followed by a panel with director Mokochan, character designer Shuhei Handa, and producers.

Jun 11

Mebius Dust Anime Adds 6 Cast Members Ahead of July Premiere

The original TV anime Mebius Dust, based on Hajime Shinagawa's story and produced by Dōga Kōbō, announced six new cast members on Thursday. The series will premiere on Tokyo MX and BS Fuji on July 9, followed by MBS on July 10, and run for one cour.

Jun 11

Fujiko F. Fujio's 'The Minotaur's Plate' Gets First Stage Adaptation

The New National Theatre announced the full cast for the world's first stage adaptation of Fujiko F. Fujio's 1969 sci-fi short manga 'The Minotaur's Plate'. Seishiro Kato plays the protagonist crew member, Future Uchida plays the girl Minoa. The play runs December 10-28 at the New National Theatre's Small Theatre in Tokyo. Takuro Suzuki handles adaptation, choreography, and direction.

Jun 10

Hiroto Ōishi Launches Akutoku No Rakuen Manga in Morning Magazine

Hiroto Ōishi will launch a new manga titled Akutoku no Rakuen (Immoral Paradise) in Kodansha's Morning magazine on June 19. The story follows Tatashi, a man tricked by a job scam in Southeast Asia and forced to work for a criminal organization. Ōishi previously adapted Dorei-ku into manga.

Jun 10

The Greatest Magicmaster's Retirement Plan TV Anime Announced for 2027, Yuto Uemura Stars

A television anime adaptation of Izushiro's light novel series The Greatest Magicmaster's Retirement Plan has been announced for a 2027 premiere. The anime's official website opened on Wednesday, June 10, 2026, revealing a teaser promotional video, teaser visual, lead cast member, and staff. Yuto Uemura will voice protagonist Alus Reigin, the world's strongest magicmaster who seeks retirement but ends up enrolled in a magic academy. Yusuke Suzuki, known for This Monster Wants to Eat Me and Duel Masters Win, is directing the anime at studio HOTLINE. Gigaemon Ichikawa is handling series scripts, Yuki Kitajima is designing characters, and Takatoshi Hamano is the sound director. The light novel series, which began on Shōsetsuka ni Narō in 2015, has 20 volumes published by Hobby Japan. A prequel manga titled The Greatest Magicmaster's Retirement Plan Zero -The Secret History of the Beginning- is scheduled to launch this winter, drawn by Karu Yoneshiro, who also illustrated the second manga adaptation. J-Novel Club publishes the novels in English.

Jun 10

Love Unseen Beneath the Clear Night Sky Anime Trailer Reveals Motohiro Hata Opening Song

The staff for the Love Unseen Beneath the Clear Night Sky television anime released the third English-subtitled trailer on Wednesday, previewing the opening theme song "Hitohira" by singer-songwriter Motohiro Hata. The anime premieres on July 6 on AT-X and other channels. The series adapts Nanigashi Shima and raemz's novel and is directed by Joe Yoshizaki at MAKARIA.

Jun 10

BanG Dream! Our Notes Pre-Registration Special Program Set for June 26

Bushiroad will stream a special program on June 26 at 21:00 JST for the upcoming mobile game BanG Dream! Our Notes. The broadcast will feature cast members from all five bands and deliver new game information and pre-registration campaign details. The game is scheduled for a 2026 release on iOS and Android.

Jun 9

Rock Is a Lady's Modesty PRS Collaboration Guitar Launches Worldwide

The PRS SE 'Rock Lady' Limited Edition guitar, a collaboration between the anime Rock Is a Lady's Modesty and guitar brand PRS, launched worldwide on June 9, 2026, limited to 690 units at 165,000 yen. The guitar reproduces the instrument played by protagonist Ririsa, with custom colors and a lily-themed truss rod cover. A promotional video featuring BAND-MAID guitarist KANAMI, who did motion capture for the anime, was also released.

Jun 9

Tiny Metal 2 Delayed to Spring 2027, Area 35 Shows Three Games at Bitsummit Punch

Area 35 exhibited playable demos of Tiny Metal 2, Project Blitz, and Felicity's Door at BitSummit PUNCH in Kyoto. Tiny Metal 2 was delayed from within 2026 to spring 2027 for quality improvements. Representative Hiroaki Yura discussed the anti-war themes behind the Tiny Metal series and the studio's focus on reviving classic game genres.

Jun 9

Dr.STONE Science Future Rocket Climax PV Reaches Lunar Launch

A Rocket Climax PV for the third cour of Dr.STONE SCIENCE FUTURE has been released, using footage from episode 34 to show Senku and his companions reaching the lunar rocket launch. Advance scene cuts from episode 35, Giant Step, have also been released, depicting the crew departing into space.

Jun 8

Netflix Series Gas Man Trailer Reveals July 2 Premiere

Netflix and Toho have released the main trailer and key art for the eight-episode series "Gas Man," a reboot of Toho's 1960 special effects film "The First Gas Man." The series, directed by Shinzo Katayama and executive produced by Yeon Sang-ho, follows detectives Kenji Okamoto (Shun Oguri) and Kyoko Kono (Yu Aoi) as they pursue a killer who can turn his body into gas. The trailer shows the Gas Man, played by debut actor UTA, announcing a press conference where he will reveal his methods and next target. Suzu Hirose and Kento Hayashi play video streamer siblings, and Yutaka Takenouchi plays a former yakuza-turned-company president. Filming ran from September 2024 to April 2025 across about 120 locations, with location scouting covering over 1,000 sites. The production achieved the first full closure of Tokyo Station front for a Japanese film shoot after 18 months of negotiations. The series streams worldwide on Netflix from July 2.

Jun 8

Takashi Sano's Bakudan Manga Ends With 40th Chapter

The manga adaptation of Katsuhiro Go's novel Bakudan (Bomb) concluded with its 40th chapter on May 29. The series launched on Kodansha's Comic Days platform in May 2025 and ran for four compiled volumes, the last released on April 20.

Jun 8

New Fairy Tail Miniseries Titled Fairy Tail Re:Fantasia, Focuses on Laxus

Hiro Mashima announced on June 7 that his new Fairy Tail miniseries is titled Fairy Tail Re:Fantasia. The short-term serialization will launch in the 35th issue of Kodansha's Weekly Shonen Magazine, shipping on July 29. The announcement came via Mashima's X account, where he shared the title and a logo. In a subsequent interview conducted in France, Mashima revealed that the miniseries will center on Laxus Dreyar, an S-Class mage of the Fairy Tail guild. He described the story as "stunning" but declined to share further details, citing the presence of his editors. The miniseries is part of the franchise's 20th anniversary celebrations. The original Fairy Tail manga ran from 2006 to 2017, spanning 545 chapters, and has sold over 72 million copies. It has inspired multiple anime series, films, and spin-offs. The publication date was originally set for August 5 but was moved forward by one week due to Mashima's rapid progress on the manuscript, according to the magazine's editorial department.

Jun 5

The World Is Dancing Anime's Music Trailer Adds Yoji Matsuda and Miyuki Sawashiro to Cast

The staff of the television anime adaptation of Kazuto Mihara's manga The World Is Dancing released a music trailer and announced two new cast members on Friday. Veteran voice actor Yoji Matsuda, known for his role as Ashitaka in Princess Mononoke, joins the cast as Inuo, a mysterious man who appears and disappears while influencing the protagonist Oniyasha. Matsuda stated that this is his first regular role in a serialized TV anime. Miyuki Sawashiro, whose credits include Fujiko Mine in Lupin the Third and Kurapika in Hunter x Hunter (2011), voices Shirabyoshi, a woman struggling to survive in difficult circumstances. The trailer also previews vocal insert songs performed by Yumiri Hanamori as Oniyasha and Romi Park as Zojiro. The anime is set to premiere on July 2 on Tokyo MX and KBS Kyoto in Japan, with additional broadcasts on other networks starting July 3. Toshimasa Kuroyanagi directs the series at Cygames Pictures, with character designs by Keigo Sasaki. The story follows a boy named Oniyasha born into a family of sarugaku theater performers in 1374, who would later shape the art of Noh and be remembered as Zeami.

Jun 5

Live-Action Summer of You Series Adds Five Cast Members

The live-action adaptation of Nagisa Furuya's boys love manga The Summer of You has revealed five new cast members. The series stars Tomoya Oku and Kazuto Mokudai as the lead characters Wataru Toda and Chiharu Saeki, and will stream in advance on U-NEXT in Japan from June 24 before debuting on TV Tokyo's Drama NEXT block on July 1.

Jun 5

Mononoke Film Producer Koji Yamamoto Retires After Recasting Takahiro Sakurai

Koji Yamamoto, planning producer for the Mononoke film trilogy, announced his retirement from producing on Friday and apologized for the handling of Takahiro Sakurai's unannounced cameo in the third film. Sakurai, who was replaced after a 2022 scandal, reprised the original Medicine Seller role without prior disclosure, sparking controversy among fans.

Jun 4

New Project 'Jigoku Korin' Launches With Hiroko Utsumi Character Designs

On June 4, 2026, a new project titled 'Jigoku Korin' (Hell's Descending Ring) was announced, with Hiroko Utsumi, known for directing 'Free!', 'BANANA FISH', and 'SK∞ the Infinity', handling original character designs. A teaser PV featuring a Japanese aesthetic BGM and male characters in kimono was released. Updates will be posted on official X and YouTube channels.

Jun 4

Okami 20th Anniversary Nendoroid Re-Releases Include Amaterasu and Shiranui

To mark the 20th anniversary of Okami, Max Factory is re-releasing Nendoroid figures of Amaterasu and Shiranui, supervised by character designer Kenichiro Yoshimura. Both regular and DX versions with extra accessories will ship in October 2026. The Good Smile Company shop offers exclusive bonuses.

Jun 3

New Hokuto No Ken Anime Adds Hiroyuki Kinoshita, Genki Okawa, Eiji Hanawa

The staff for the new Hokuto no Ken -Fist of the North Star- anime revealed three new cast members on Wednesday. Hiroyuki Kinoshita plays a village elder, Genki Okawa plays Ko, Mamiya's younger brother, and Eiji Hanawa plays a barkeeper. The anime premiered on April 10 and streams worldwide on Amazon Prime Video.

Jun 1

Hunter X Hunter Volume 39 Arrives July 3, First New Volume in 22 Months

Shueisha will publish the 39th volume of Yoshihiro Togashi's Hunter x Hunter manga on July 3, 2026, marking the first new volume in 22 months since Volume 38 shipped in September 2024. Volume 39 collects chapters 401 to 410, which were serialized in Weekly Shonen Jump from issue 45 of 2024 through issue 2 of 2025. The manga has been on an irregular release schedule since December 2022, when Shueisha announced it would move away from weekly serialization. Togashi has provided updates on his X account, revealing in late May 2026 that he completed the manuscript for Chapter 421. The author underwent surgery in 2024 and has been drafting storyboards for additional chapters. Viz Media released the English edition of Volume 38 in January 2026. The Hunter x Hunter franchise also saw two game releases in 2025 and 2026: the fighting game Nen x Impact and the survival roguelike Nen x Survivor. A third stage play adaptation covering the Greed Island Arc ran in Tokyo and Osaka in mid-2025.