The Lupin III franchise is in a period of reflection following the deaths of two key creative figures, while merchandising and cross-promotion continue through a pachislot collaboration and a T-shirt release.
Two foundational figures of the Lupin III franchise died in May 2026. Composer Yuji Ohno died of natural causes on May 4 at age 84. Ohno first worked on the series in 1977 with Lupin III: Part II and his opening theme became the series' signature, persisting through decades of television shows, specials, and films. Lyricist Jun Hashimoto died of liver cirrhosis on May 21 at age 86. Hashimoto wrote the theme song for Hayao Miyazaki's debut film Lupin III: The Castle of Cagliostro.
Merchandising activity continued around the same period. GEEKS RULE released a T-shirt featuring Monkey Punch's original theatrical poster art for the 1978 film Lupin the 3rd: The Mystery of Mamo (also known as Lupin vs. Clone), using a 15-color silkscreen print. The shirt marked the 55th anniversary of the Lupin III anime. Separately, Sega ran a collaboration event between its online mahjong game Sega Net Mahjong MJ and the Lupin III pachislot machine L Shuyaku wa Zenigata 5 from June 1 to June 21, 2026.
BS12 Twellv's Sunday Anime Theater aired Lupin III vs. Detective Conan THE MOVIE uncut on July 12, 2026, as part of a free-to-air double feature. No new anime projects for the franchise were announced in the covered period.
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Sony Interactive Entertainment announced the July 2026 PlayStation Plus free games lineup on July 2. The three titles are Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III - Cross-Gen Bundle, For the King II, and CrossCode. All are available to all PlayStation Plus subscribers from July 7 to August 3.
Mushoku Tensei III: Isekai Ittara Honki Dasu premieres July 4 with episodes 1 and 2 airing back-to-back. The episodes adapt the Eris Training Arc, following Eris as she trains under the Sword God Gal Farion after leaving Rudeus. Episode 1 is titled "Burn, Mad Dog" and episode 2 is "Bark, Mad Dog."
Sony Interactive Entertainment announced the July 2026 free game lineup for PlayStation Plus subscribers on July 2. The three titles available from July 7 to August 3 are Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III - Cross-Gen Bundle, For the King II, and CrossCode. All three are playable on PS5 and PS4. The lineup is for the overseas version of the service; the Japanese free game lineup may differ. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III is the third game in the rebooted Modern Warfare series, featuring a campaign that continues the story of Task Force 141 against Vladimir Makarov, multiplayer with returning maps, and a cooperative Zombies mode. For the King II is a turn-based roguelite RPG sequel set in the kingdom of Fahrul, supporting solo or four-player online co-op. CrossCode is a 2D action RPG with pixel art graphics, set inside a fictional MMO called CrossWorlds, where players control the amnesiac protagonist Lea. The June free games remain available until July 6.
J:COM STREAM, the video streaming service from J:COM, announced its summer 2026 anime distribution lineup on June 30. The slate includes four highlighted titles: Mushoku Tensei III: Isekai Ittara Honki Dasu, starting distribution on July 9; Though I Am an Inept Villainess: Tale of the Butterfly-Rat Body Swap in the Imperial Court, beginning July 13; It's Been 10 Years Since I Said, 'Leave This to Me and Go Ahead,' and It Became a Legend., starting July 9; and Youjo Senki II, the first new season in nine years, starting July 12. Mushoku Tensei III itself premieres on TV on July 4, with episodes 1 and 2 airing consecutively as the Eris Training Arc. The third season adapts from light novel volume 13 onward, following Rudeus after his marriage. J:COM STREAM offers these titles as part of its subscription, either standalone or bundled with the J:COM TV Shin Standard package.
BS12 Twellv's Sunday Anime Theater will air Lupin III vs. Detective Conan THE MOVIE uncut on July 12, 2026, and the TV special edit Detective Conan vs. Phantom Thief Kid on July 26. Both films are free-to-air nationwide.
Game Spark's weekly release roundup for June 29 to July 3, 2026, lists R-Type Dimensions III and Rhythm Heaven Miracle Stars as featured titles launching July 2 on multiple platforms. The roundup also includes Goemon Great Assembly!, Monopoly: Star Wars Heroes vs. Villains, and dozens of other games across Japan and North America.
Dwango announced that Nico Nico Channel and Nico Nico Live Broadcast will stream the first episodes of 57 summer 2026 anime series for free, including "Saga of Tanya the Evil II," "Mushoku Tensei III: Jobless Reincarnation," and "Yani Neko." A total of 62 titles will be available, with most latest episodes free for one week after broadcast.
Square Enix has opened pre-orders for a new articulated figure of Sora from "Kingdom Hearts III" as part of its FORM-ISM ACT series. The figure features an all-new sculpt based on the original character design, with a range of motion intended to maintain the form while allowing various poses from the game. It includes two Keyblades: the Kingdom Chain and Crystal Snow. A clip-type stand is also included to assist with self-standing. The figure is priced at 13,200 yen (tax included), with AmiAmi offering it at 11,880 yen. It measures approximately 160mm in height and is made of PVC and ABS. Release is scheduled for January 30, 2027. Pre-orders are available through the Square Enix e-STORE and AmiAmi.
PLAYISM and developer MercuryStudio released a major update, Ver.2.0, for the mecha customization action game BREAK ARTS III on June 26, 2026. The update overhauls the battle system, changing shields to a constantly recovering gauge and improving kick attack operability and hit performance. Weight restrictions on mecha customization have been eased, and shields have been removed from module parameters to allow design-focused builds. The in-match user interface has been completely renewed, adding opponent rankings, ability activation, health, and EN displays, while surrounding information is now integrated into a minimap. Three new Extra Grand Prix events have been added, including a developer challenge and special matches exploring the game's lore. New plugins grant special abilities, such as "OVERCAST" which drops lightning on the first-place player and "OVERCOAT" which provides high defense. Game balance adjustments, tutorial updates, and multiplayer bug fixes are also included. A bonus track has been added to the BREAK ARTS III Soundtrack on Steam. The game is currently 20% off during the Steam Summer Sale until July 10.
A preview event for Mushoku Tensei III: Eris Training Arc was held in Tokyo on June 20. Voice actors Aimi Kuma and Haruka Tomatsu appeared on stage. The event announced Yoko Hikasa as Isolte Cruel, Katsuyuki Konishi as Aubert Corbett, and Mari Yokoo as Reida Reia. Hikasa surprised Kuma with a bouquet of red roses. Kuma described the three main characters as rock, paper, and scissors.
GEEKS RULE is releasing a T-shirt featuring Monkey Punch's original theatrical poster art for the 1978 film 'Lupin the 3rd: The Mystery of Mamo' (also known as 'Lupin vs. Clone'). The 15-color silkscreen print uses advanced color separation to reproduce the complex artwork. Priced at 12,100 yen, it goes on early sale June 20 at DOVER STREET MARKET GINZA, with a later lottery sale online.
GEEKS RULE announced a collaboration T-shirt for the 55th anniversary of the Lupin III anime. The shirt reproduces Monkey Punch's original theatrical poster for the 1978 film Lupin vs. Clone using 15-color silkscreen printing. It will be available for early sale at DOVER STREET MARKET GINZA on June 20, with a lottery sale later online.
A YouTube performance analysis by ElAnalistaDeBits compares Kingdom Hearts III on Steam Deck, Nintendo Switch 2, and PS5 via backward compatibility. The Switch 2 version achieves higher average frame rates than the Steam Deck but remains unstable, while the PS5 version holds a steady 60fps. The Switch 2 version is currently a demo and may see final optimizations.
Square Enix announced during the June 9 Nintendo Direct that Kingdom Hearts IV will launch on Nintendo Switch 2, alongside previously announced PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC versions. The company did not provide a release date but released a new trailer showing protagonist Sora fighting in Quadratum, a world resembling modern Tokyo. The trailer marks the first significant update on the game since its initial reveal in April 2022. Square Enix also announced the Kingdom Hearts Collection [I~III], bundling Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5+2.5 ReMIX, Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue, and Kingdom Hearts III + Re Mind, for Switch 2, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam. The collection and its individual titles will launch on October 8. Players who owned the cloud versions of the games on Nintendo Switch can transfer their save data and receive a discounted upgrade price.
Bandai Namco announced during the Future Games Show: Summer Showcase 2026 broadcast on June 7 that a new DLC chapter for Little Nightmares 3, titled 'The Backstage,' will release on June 12, 2026. The DLC is part of the expansion pass 'Secrets of The Spiral' and will be available on PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and Nintendo Switch 2.
Tozai Games announced on June 5 that the Japanese release of R-Type Dimensions III for Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 5, and Nintendo Switch has been delayed from June 18 to July 2. The delay applies to all versions of the game, including the standard physical edition, limited edition, and digital download. The company said the decision was made to incorporate quality improvements based on feedback from the PC (Steam) version and overseas console versions, which launched on May 19. The Steam version currently holds a 'Mostly Negative' user rating due to technical issues such as bugs, hit detection problems, and differences from the original 1993 game R-Type III: The Third Lightning. Distributor ININ Games previously outlined a development roadmap with patches planned for mid-June, early July, and mid-July. Tozai Games stated the delay ensures the domestic release includes the first improvement update at launch. The domestic Xbox Series X|S version, handled by ININ Games, is still scheduled for June 18 but is expected to also be delayed.
Sentinel's RIOBOT series is releasing painted complete figures of the Huckebein Mk-III, AM Boxer, and AM Gunner from Super Robot Wars OG. Pre-orders are open at Rakuten Books. The Huckebein Mk-III stands 17cm tall and uses ABS and die-cast parts. The AM Boxer, a close-combat armored module, reaches about 230mm in height and combines with the Huckebein Mk-III to form the Huckebein Boxer. The three items are sold separately.
The TV anime "Mushoku Tensei III: Isekai Ittara Honki Dasu" released a new promotional video on June 4 that uses footage from the main story. The video reveals the ending theme "Inori, Owareba" performed by Mika Nakashima, with lyrics and composition by Shinoda of the rock band Hitorie. Shinoda previously handled the opening theme for the second cour of Season 2. The PV shows Rudeus accepting the loss of his father Paul while spending peaceful moments with his wives Sylphiette and Roxy, his mother Zenith, and his family. It also includes a scene of Rudeus and Roxy summoning lightning. The third season begins airing on July 5 on TOKYO MX, BS11, and other channels. It starts from volume 13 of the original novel and will depict the "Eris Training Arc." Nakashima said she is honored to sing the ending theme and described the song as a new kind for her. Shinoda said he wrote a straightforward love song for Nakashima and that hearing her voice on the track was an exciting first for him.
Netflix released the main trailer for the second part of Baki-Dou: The Invincible Samurai on Wednesday, June 3, previewing key matchups and revealing the new theme songs. The trailer shows fights against Pickle, Izo Motobe, Kaoru Hanayama, and Baki Hanma. The opening theme is "Musashi" by the rock band Chevon, and the ending theme is "Katana" by J SOUL BROTHERS III. Chevon vocalist Mayu Yaginu said Baki-Dou is their favorite arc in the series and praised the Musashi versus Motobe fight as one of the most human and emotionally impactful. J SOUL BROTHERS III member Ryuji Imaichi said the ending song was built around the tension of drawing a katana before battle. The second part premieres worldwide on Netflix on June 18 with all 12 episodes available at once. The first 13 episodes of the anime launched on February 26. TMS Entertainment also announced an Anime Expo 2026 panel titled "Bring It On BAKI-DOU! Experience the Showdown with the BAKI-DOU Team," set for July 3 at 8:00 PM PT at the Los Angeles Convention Center. The panel will feature longtime Baki manga editor Yuki Yokoi and anime producer Takayoshi Aso, along with live audience activities and a showdown with internet personality Logan Chitwood as Yujiro Hanma and sword performer Kaz Kobayashi as Musashi Miyamoto.
ININ Games has announced a plan to improve "R-Type Dimensions III," the full remake of Irem's horizontal shooter "R-TYPE III" developed by KRITZELKRATZ 3000, after the PC version received mostly negative reviews on Steam and a Metascore of 55 on Metacritic. The game launched on Steam on May 19. Players reported issues including problems with the wave cannon's hit detection and a perceived lack of fidelity to the original. ININ Games responded on June 2 with a schedule of updates: a mid-June patch, followed by additional updates in early July and mid-July. To support this work, the studio will invite experienced community members and additional testers from multiple regions, including Japan, to participate in feedback and verification using the Steam version. Separately, the physical edition for Western markets will not enter production until the issues are resolved. The Japanese physical edition, published by Tozai Games, is not affected. "R-Type Dimensions III" is available now on PC and Xbox Series X|S overseas. Japanese releases for Nintendo Switch, Switch 2, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S are scheduled for June 18, with different publishers by platform.
Amazon announced the June lineup of free PC games for Prime members via Amazon Luna. Titles include 'Mafia III: Complete Edition', 'Tomb Raider IV-VI Remastered', and 'XCOM: Chimera Squad', with 12 more games rolling out weekly. The free distribution is available from Japan, but the cloud gaming service is not.
Lyricist Jun Hashimoto died in a Tokyo hospital on May 21 due to liver cirrhosis. He was 86. Hashimoto wrote lyrics for the Galaxy Express 999 TV anime's opening and ending themes, as well as the theme song for Hayao Miyazaki's debut film Lupin III: The Castle of Cagliostro. His family held a private funeral.
Sega has started a collaboration event between its online mahjong game Sega Net Mahjong MJ and the Lupin III pachislot machine L Shuyaku wa Zenigata 5. The event, running from June 1 to June 21, 2026, includes a nationwide tournament and a gacha with themed items for both the app and arcade versions.
Rebellion has released the classic real-time strategy titles Empire Earth, Empire Earth II, and Empire Earth III on Steam. The Gold Edition of the original, which sold over 2 million copies after its 2001 launch, is available alongside enhanced versions of the sequels, with a collection bundle also offered.
Square Enix announced on May 27 that the combined worldwide shipments and digital sales of the HD-2D versions of Dragon Quest III: And Into the Legend... and Dragon Quest I & II have surpassed 4 million units. The company shared the milestone via the official Dragon Quest PR X account. Dragon Quest III: And Into the Legend..., an HD-2D remake of the 1988 Famicom original, launched on November 14, 2024. It uses the HD-2D graphic style that blends pixel art with 3DCG and adds new content such as the Monster Wrangler class and extra episodes about the hero's father, Ortega. Dragon Quest I & II, a combined remake of the 1986 and 1987 titles, followed on October 30, 2025. Both games are available on Nintendo Switch, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Windows, and Steam. To mark the sales milestone, Square Enix is running a sale with 50% off the HD-2D version of Dragon Quest III and 30% off Dragon Quest I & II. The company also scheduled a YouTube premiere titled "Announcement from Dragon Quest" for 10:00 PM JST on May 27, promising new information about the series.
S14 displayed a colored prototype of its "COBRA + AIR BIKE 1/8" figure at the Shizuoka Hobby Show, based on the space pirate from Buichi Terasawa's "Space Cobra." The set includes a die-cast air bike and a poseable Cobra figure with a removable holster and lighter. Release is set for September at 44,000 yen.
Musician and composer Yuji Ohno died of natural causes on May 4. He was 84. His production company, Office Augusta, said he died after going to sleep with no change in his prior condition. A private funeral was held. Ohno is best known for his jazz scores for the Lupin III franchise. He first worked on the series in 1977 with Lupin III: Part II, the second television anime, and his opening theme became the series' signature, persisting through decades of television shows, specials, and films in his own arrangements. He performed the music in concert for years with his jazz group, originally called Yuji Ohno & Lupintic Five and later renamed Yuji Ohno & Lupintic Six. Ohno taught himself jazz in high school and played in a university light music band before forming a trio with drummer Hideo Shiraki and singer Yūzō Kayama. After the trio dissolved, he moved into composing for film and television. His 1977 film scores included Kon Ichikawa's The Inugami Family and Junya Satō's Proof of the Man. He also composed for Captain Future, Space Adventure Cobra, and the Daicon films made by the team that later founded Gainax.