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CESA released the venue map, stage timetable, and exhibitor list for Tokyo Game Show 2026, and named the fourth batch of official ambassadors, TGS BOOSTERZ. The five new groups include VTuber Rei7, Otoko Tora, and former UNISON SQUARE GARDEN drummer Takao Suzuki. With the fourth batch, 30 groups have been assembled across all batches. The show runs five days, September 17 to 21, with 1,138 exhibitors and 3,999 booths.
TORCH TORCH will sell five new T-shirts at Tokyo Game Show 2026 ahead of general release. The designs come from Elden Ring Nightreign, Elden Ring and Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon. The five characters are Lady, Libra the Night Demon, the Pursuer, Zolayus the Summoner and G5 Iguazu. Lady's shirt uses new art by painter Kaoru Aoki, and Libra's new art is by illustrator Pisha.
Shusaku Takaoka and Yoichiro Uchida will hold a two-person exhibition and sale, ALTERD, at GOLDFLOG COFFEE in Hakata, Fukuoka, from September 19 to September 27, 2026. The exhibition displays and sells works by both artists plus collaboration works made for the show. Apparel brand THE FOUND. will release special items featuring those collaboration works.
The anime of Tsutomu's manga Uncle's Obsession with Cute Things revealed four new cast members and its theme song artists. Yusei Yagi performs the opening "LIKE3," and Kaori Maeda, who voices Rio Shigeoka, performs the ending "Totoi♡Kaiwai." The show premieres on Tokyo MX on October 4, with Crunchyroll streaming it.
Cyberstar's audio brand TuneMATE has released TMQ002-TNR, a collaboration wired in-ear monitor with VTuber Kannagi Tenri. Pre-orders run from September 1 through September 30, 2026, priced at 69,800 yen including tax, with delivery expected between November and December. The IEM packs seven drivers per side in a 4-way configuration. A listening session is set for September 19 at the final of Tenri's first national street live tour in Ikebukuro.
Kakao Games announced on August 4 that it will work with webtoon studio The Grimm Entertainment to develop and publish games based on its popular comic and webtoon properties. The Grimm Entertainment owns IPs including Manager Kim and Lookism, and is known for Viral Hit, which inspired an anime and a Japanese live-action adaptation. The companies aim to attract global interest through game adaptations.
Kakao Games announced it will launch Supercat's The World of Dokkaebi, an MMORPG based on the web novel Chronicles of the Demon-Slaying Cultivator, in October. The game blends 2D pixel-art characters with 3D environments, draws on Korean folklore, and is set 300 years before the novel. It features class-free combat and guild content, and launches on PC and mobile with cross-platform support.
Kakao Entertainment announced on August 14 that it will merge three wholly owned story content subsidiaries: Samyang C&C, Intime, and Pilyeon Management. The companies approved the merger at board meetings on August 12 and plan to complete it by the end of the year. The merged company will keep the Samyang C&C name, led by CEO Sung-taek Cha. The three firms develop webtoons and web novels across romance fantasy and martial arts genres, covering production, publishing, merchandise, and adaptations into live-action and animation.
HOTVENUS is releasing a 1/6 scale figure of Yotsuno Wakaba, an illustration by kakao from the art book 'Under wears4' by Melonbooks. The figure is scheduled for April 2027 and includes alternate face and lower body parts, plus an illustration postcard bonus.
Manga creator Ryuta Amazume announced on August 6 that they have been diagnosed with cancer. Amazume will undergo treatment and aim for a complete recovery, but will pause commercial manga serialization for a while. The announcement follows the recent conclusion of their Sefure series.
Kakao Games announced on July 28, 2026 that it has signed a global publishing contract with Kong Studios for the new title Guardian Maiden. The game is a 2D pixel art RPG in development for mobile and PC, set on the continent of Midterra where humans, elves, and beastmen coexist. The story follows a hero and a holy maiden who join forces to fight evil forces. Kakao Games has acquired the rights to operate the global service for Guardian Maiden and aims for an official release within 2026. Kakao Games co-CEO Lee Si-woo called Kong Studios a company that develops games with a unique worldview and high completion, and said the two companies have worked together for a long time. Kong Studios CEO Seok Gwang-won said the game consolidates the studio's experience in dot graphics, battle action, and 2D pixel art RPGs, and called Kakao Games a reliable partner. The announcement was covered by 4Gamer.net, Inside, and Game Spark.
Shikao Suga will perform the opening and ending theme songs for the television anime of Midori Satō's Horror Collector novel series. The anime debuts on NHK General in October. Suga wrote both songs.
The fourth season of the KonoSuba anime, titled KonoSuba: God's Blessing on This Wonderful World! 4, was announced at the "Colorful" 10th anniversary event on July 26, 2026. The season is set to air in 2027. Studio ENGI will handle the animation, taking over from the previous studios that worked on earlier seasons. Takaomi Kanasaki returns as chief director, while Manabu Kurihara, who previously directed The Detective Is Already Dead, steps in as the new director. Makoto Uezu returns to oversee series scripts, Koichi Kikuta returns for character design, Yoshikazu Iwanami returns as sound director, and Masato Kōda returns to compose the music. The event also revealed an "ultra teaser visual" and a 10th anniversary video featuring a new arrangement of Machico's song "fantastic dreamer" from the first season. The third season aired in April 2024, and the sequel was first teased after the Bonus Stage OVA in March 2025.
Ai Mikami and Juri Kosaka, the double leads of the continuing TV novel 'Kaze, Kaoru,' appear on the cover of the September 2026 issue of fashion magazine 'SPUR.' The cover shows them in a modern, light blue coordination with jewelry and cool expressions, a contrast to their period drama roles. Fans have commented on the drastic transformation, calling the duo powerful and noting the change in atmosphere. The issue releases July 23.
Kao Corporation's Home Care Division will release the Nintendo Switch version of its 3D exploration horror action and cleaning simulation game Shizuka na Osouji on July 23, 2026. The game is priced at 200 yen (tax included) on the Nintendo eShop. Originally released for free on Steam in August 2025, the Switch version adds gyro controls that let players tilt the controller to operate cleaning items for a more intuitive experience. It also includes a new Low Scare mode, which changes the story to a summer vacation visit to a grandmother's house and is designed for players who dislike horror or for children. The normal mode follows a protagonist cleaning a villa inherited from a deceased father while avoiding a lurking threat. Kao plans to donate all sales revenue from the game to organizations supporting children's education. To mark the Switch launch, the free availability period for the Steam version has been extended through the end of August 2027. The game uses actual Kao products such as Magiclean and Quickle Wiper as in-game items, and players learn cleaning techniques through gameplay. Shizuka na Osouji previously won the Grand Prix at the YouTube Works Awards Japan 2026 and a Bronze Lion at the Cannes Lions 2026.
Axel Entermedia revealed the key visual for Touken Ranbu - ICE BLADE -, the first ice show based on the Touken Ranbu franchise. The event runs October 3-4 at Yoyogi National Gymnasium in Tokyo. Top skaters including Kaori Sakamoto, Takahito Mura, and Keiji Tanaka perform alongside voice actors. The story involves a five-headed dragon attacking a honmaru and an Ice Spirit awakening. Ticket sales begin July 3.
Kakao Entertainment launched Tomb Raider King: Endline, a sequel to the hit franchise, on Kakao Page. The webtoon debuted July 5, followed by the web novel July 6. The sequel continues the story of Joo-heon Seo after the original series. The anime adaptation also began airing in Japan on July 8, directed by Seung Wook Woo at STUDIO EEK, with Crunchyroll streaming.
Honoka Murakami, who played Setsu Uozumi (Yūnagi) in the NHK morning drama 'Kaze, Kaoru,' posted a close-up photo on Instagram on June 30. The photo was taken by video director Tomokazu Saito, leading fans to speculate she may be appearing in a new project by Saito. Murakami has not confirmed wrapping filming for the drama, and viewers hope for Setsu's return.
The mahjong comedy manga "Gokigenyou, Ikkaku Ikaga?" by Ubuka Tsukasa is getting a TV anime adaptation. Felix Film produces, with Kaori directing. The story follows a high school girl who bonds with a classmate over mahjong. The fifth manga volume released June 26.
The light anime adaptation of Kaoruko Miyama's boys-love manga Perfect Addiction will premiere on July 8 on tvk and stream early on d Anime Store, AnimeFesta, and Anime Times. An advanced screening was canceled due to a typhoon. The cast includes Yōhei Azakami and Sōma Saitō, with direction by Akashi Uozumi at IMAGICA Infos and Imageworks Studio.
TV Asahi announced nine new regular cast members for its Thursday drama 'Dai Kūkō ~GATE24~,' starring Shuri, including Kaoru Okunuki, Sayaka Akimoto, Masaki Kaji, Shion Machida, Riku Kashima, Naoto Nishimura, Haru Tsubakihara, Seiichi Tanabe, and Mitsuru Fukikoshi. The series will also be distributed worldwide on Netflix. It premieres July 23.
Sakaomi Yuzaki's manga She Loves to Cook, and She Loves to Eat resumed serialization on Kadokawa's ComicWalker platform on Friday with chapter 53, ending a two-year hiatus that began in June 2024. Kadokawa also shipped the sixth compiled volume on Monday, covering chapters 46 through 52 plus two bonus chapters.
The staff for the television anime of Kamome Shirahama's Witch Hat Atelier manga announced two new cast members on Monday. Veteran voice actor Ryusei Nakao will voice Sasaran, a member of the Brimmed Cap group, while Hiiro Ishibashi has been cast as Euini. Sasaran appears in episode 10, which aired on June 1, and Euini will join the story in episode 11 on June 8. The two characters play significant roles in the upcoming Second Pentagram Test Arc. Nakao said he was looking forward to the series because he liked its world and became fond of playing a character shrouded in mystery. Ishibashi said he was drawn into the manga's world and felt honored to join a work loved around the world. Ayumu Watanabe is directing the anime at BUG FILMS. The series premiered on April 6 on Tokyo MX and other channels. Crunchyroll streams the anime as it airs, including an English dub. The manga launched in Kodansha's Morning Two magazine in July 2016 and has 16 compiled volumes as of April 2026. The franchise has over 7 million copies in circulation worldwide.
The official website for the light anime adaptation of Kaoruko Miyama's boys-love manga Perfect Addiction released a promotional video on Wednesday, confirming a July premiere. The anime stars Yōhei Azakami as Akihito Kuji and Sōma Saitō as Sae Takatsuki. Akashi Uozumi directs at IMAGICA Infos and Imageworks Studio, with Izumi Tezuka handling series scripts. Yayoi Tateishi is sound director, Midori Narikiyo composes the music, and Kazuya Takahashi is production supervisor. The project is the second release under the BALLOON label, a boys-love brand launched last year by IMAGICA Infos with Dai Nippon Printing, CYBIRD, and BLUE RIGHTS. The label's first light anime, I'll Live a Long Life to Dote on My Favorite Stepbrother!, premiered in January. DNP originated the light anime concept as a lower-cost, faster-production alternative to traditional animation. BALLOON aims to produce four titles in fiscal 2026 and scale to ten or more projects per year by 2028. The Perfect Addiction manga launched in Kaiohsha's Gush online magazine in April 2022 and has over 1.5 million copies in circulation. Seven Seas Entertainment has licensed the manga in English and will release the second volume on July 21.
The first ice show for Touken Ranbu, titled Touken Ranbu - ICE BLADE -, has announced its full cast and schedule. Olympic silver medalist Kaori Sakamoto will appear as the original character Ice Spirit. Top skaters including Takahito Mura and Keiji Tanaka will perform as Touken Danshi alongside voice actors from the game. The show runs October 3-4 at National Yoyogi Stadium First Gymnasium.
Scriptwriter Hiroyuki Kawasaki died on January 23, fellow screenwriter Takao Koyama announced on X/Twitter on Thursday. Kawasaki was 60. He was born on November 17, 1965. Koyama, who founded the screenwriter training group Brazaanoppo in 1988, noted that Kawasaki was among its first members and called him "one of the most prolific screenwriters among the Noppo members." Brazaanoppo disbanded in 2016, and some of its members later joined Kawasaki's own group, Hiroyuki Kawasaki's Screenwriting and Research. Kawasaki wrote scripts and series compositions for numerous anime, including Blade of the Immortal, Ryoko's Case File, Silent Möbius, After War Gundam X, Sakura Wars, and Shinkon Gattai Godannar. He also co-wrote the Love Hina light novel. Animation director Masami Obari posted a tribute on X, saying he was "greatly indebted" to Kawasaki for Platinumhugen Ordian.
The light anime adaptation of Kaoruko Miyama's boys-love manga Perfect Addiction announced its main cast, staff, key visual, and a July premiere on tvk. Yōhei Azakami and Sōma Saitō star in the second project from the BALLOON label.
The official website for the anime film adaptation of Kaori Mado and Akamoku's light novel *Kimi to Hanabi to Yakusoku to* revealed additional cast, staff, the theme song, a key visual, and the first trailer on Tuesday. The film is scheduled to premiere in Japanese theaters on July 17. Rie Takahashi joins the cast as Haru, and Natsuko Yokosawa voices Yukari Natsume, the mother of protagonist Makoto Natsume. The idol group timelesz performs the theme song "Kienai Hanabi," which is previewed in the new trailer. Akira Suzuki directs the film at SynergySP and The Answer Studio, with a script by Kohei Mori and character designs by Yuuji Watanabe. The light novel was published in December 2025 under Shogakukan's Gagaga Bunko imprint. The story follows Makoto, who becomes involved with classmate Aki Hayama, who possesses a mysterious fireworks artwork and was told by her great-grandmother that she would meet someone named Makoto Natsume.
The anime film adaptation of Kaori Mado's novel You, Fireworks, and Our Promise released a full trailer and key visual on Tuesday. The trailer announced additional cast and staff, and revealed that idol group timelesz performs the theme song "Kienai Hanabi." The film opens in Japanese theaters on July 17.
Mikito Chinen and Eri Takenashi's The Killer Angel Within: Ameku Takao's Detective Karte manga will end with its third compiled volume, shipping July 7. The manga launched in Kodansha's Good! Afternoon magazine in September 2024.
The new Fist of the North Star anime announced three additional cast members on Wednesday. Kaori Ishihara voices Taki, a boy from the village where Bat once lived. Sayuri Sadaoka voices Toyo, an old woman from the same village. Takashi Matsuyama voices Jackal, an antagonist who attacks the village. All three characters will appear in the upcoming eighth episode. The CG-based series premiered on April 10 on Tokyo MX and BS11, with Amazon Prime Video handling worldwide streaming. The production commemorates the 40th anniversary of the original manga, which ran in Weekly Shonen Jump from 1983 to 1988. The staff previously stated the adaptation will be more faithful to the source material than earlier anime. Hiroshi Maeda directs at TMS Entertainment, with Kazuma Ogasawara as assistant director. Kazuhiko Inukai handles series scripts, Naoki Hisatsune designs the characters, and Yuki Hayashi composes the music. Alexandros performs the opening theme "Hallelujah," and Toshl performs a remix of the original series' opening as the ending theme.