Bandai Spirits is releasing two Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex figures. The S.H.Figuarts Motoko Kusanagi and ROBOT魂 Tachikoma open for preorder at general retailers on August 3, 2026. Both figures ship in January 2027. The Tachikoma's rear cockpit hatch opens to seat the separately sold Motoko figure.
Anime Tokyo Station in Tokyo is hosting the Takayuki Goto Exhibition, Animator 45th Anniversary, from August 8 to October 12. The free event displays original drawings, chief animation director corrections, and panel exhibits covering Goto's career, including work on Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, Zillion, and Please Save My Earth.
Aniplex announced on July 31, 2026 that it will release a 1/7 scale figure of Saber from the ongoing collaboration between the space fantasy RPG "Honkai: Star Rail" and "Fate/stay night [Unlimited Blade Works]". Pre-orders opened the same day on Aniplex Online and at retailers including AmiAmi. The figure is priced at 31,900 yen (tax included) and is scheduled for delivery in June 2027. The sculpt recreates the collaboration illustration by Takashi Takeuchi, with dynamic effect parts depicting the trajectory of Saber's sword to capture a moment of impact. Saber wears a special collaboration-only costume that differs from her outfit in "Fate/stay night [Unlimited Blade Works]", sculpted down to the smallest details. The figure is a made-to-order product, with the order period running until October 21 at 23:59. A purchase bonus is a colored paper board using the collaboration illustration by Takeuchi.
On July 24, 2026, Bandai Spirits announced a wide range of merchandise for the protagonist mobile suit Gundam Zero from the new anime series Mobile Suit Gundam RG Alex Zero (also called XARX-ZERO), which is set to premiere in 2027 under director Kenji Kamiyama. The lineup includes the HG 1/144 Gundam Zero plastic model kit, the approximately 6-inch GUNDAM UNIVERSE XARX-0 Gundam Zero action figure, and the die-cast METAL ROBOT Soul Gundam Zero. Additional toy brands announced are Gundam Miximize, Gundam Cross, and a 13 cm scale action figure. The series is part of the RG Project media mix initiative, sharing a world with the game GUNDAM ROGUE ORBIT, which also received Gunpla announcements: the HG 1/144 Gundam Helix in a regular color and a game-bundle-exclusive Earth Blue Ver. Physical models of both Gundam Zero and Gundam Helix were displayed at San Diego Comic-Con from July 23 to 26. Further product details are to be released sequentially on the Bandai Hobby Site and Tamashii Nations official websites.
Bandai Namco Filmworks announced the production of a new Gundam series, "Mobile Suit Gundam RG Alex Zero," on July 24, 2026. The anime shares its world setting with the action game "GUNDAM ROGUE ORBIT," forming the "RG Project" media mix initiative. The anime is set approximately 100 years before the game's story, depicting the origin of a shared history. The setting involves humanity's expansion across the solar system using the "Three Gospels"-gravity control, superluminal communication, and materialization technology-brought by an interstellar object. The object went rogue within 10 years, spawning aggressive self-replicating silicon lifeforms called "Apocalypse." The protagonist, Azumi Rei, voiced by Takeo Otsuka, pilots the new-generation mobile suit "Gundam ZERO" against the Apocalypse. Director and series composition is handled by Kenji Kamiyama, with SF setting supervision by novelist Tow Ubukata, and animation production by SOLA ANIMATION. The anime is planned for a 2027 release. The game "GUNDAM ROGUE ORBIT" is also scheduled for 2027 on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and Steam.
Crunchyroll announced the English dub cast and July 22 premiere for the Korean-animated adaptation of the Tomb Raider King webtoon. The series, which began airing in Japan on July 8, streams on Crunchyroll. Monty Thompson voices protagonist Jooheon Suh, with Cassie Ewulu, Alex Hom, and Charles Nguyen among the cast.
In a new interview, Paralives developer Jérémie Tessier discussed the life sim's inspirations, citing The Sims, RimWorld, and unexpected influences like Hades and Disco Elysium. He also revealed that the team postponed the early access release by six months just three weeks before the original date, a decision that ultimately benefited the game's polish. The game launched on May 25, 2026, and has received over 350,000 suggestions and bug reports in its first month.
Sony Interactive Entertainment has delayed the release of its official PlayStation 5 and PC arcade controller, the FlexStrike Wireless Fight Stick. Originally planned to launch alongside the fighting game MARVEL Tokon: Fighting Souls on August 7, the controller is postponed for final adjustments to ensure the best experience. A new release date has not been announced. The price remains 34,980 yen.
Otakon announced it will host background art director Kazuki Higashiji at its 2026 event. Higashiji has worked on Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, Maquia, Angel Beats!, Hanasaku Iroha, and Charlotte. The convention also announced a policy change banning fan art sales in the dealers room, directing dealers to the artist alley instead.
Meta Chief AI Scientist Alexandre Wang revealed that the company's Muse Spark model will be updated under the internal codename Watermelon, which has achieved benchmark scores comparable to OpenAI's GPT-5.5. The update focuses on coding and agent capabilities, with internal tests showing a deliberation mode can improve scores by 8%.
The new TV anime 'Ghost in the Shell: The Ghost in the Shell' begins streaming on Amazon Prime Video on July 7. To mark the launch, poster ads will run at Shibuya Station from July 6 to July 12, and an Amazon special store page has opened with official merchandise, including limited items and a pre-order illustration panel set.
Aniplex reported record net sales of ¥212 billion for the fiscal year ending March 2026, a 45 percent increase, driven by Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle and Kokuho. However, subsidiary studios CloverWorks and Boundary posted net losses, while A-1 Pictures returned to profit after a loss the prior year. Egg Firm's net profit fell by more than 50 percent.
Aniplex announced on June 29 that the Switch 2 edition of "Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba - The Hinokami Chronicles 2" will launch on October 29, priced at 7,810 yen. The edition bundles the base game with the "Infinity Castle Arc Chapter 1" Character Pass, which adds seven characters including Tanjiro Kamado (Infinity Castle Arc), Zenitsu Agatsuma (Infinity Castle Arc), Giyu Tomioka (Infinity Castle Arc), Shinobu Kocho (Infinity Castle Arc), Doma, Akaza (Infinity Castle Arc), and Kaigaku. The Switch 2 version supports high-resolution display and 60 FPS, with clearer character expressions and skill effects. It supports offline two-player versus battles, online versus battles with the existing Switch version (though those matches run at 30 FPS), and local wireless battles between Switch 2 consoles. A separate upgrade pass for Switch version owners will also be available on the same day for 550 yen, allowing save data transfer but not including the character pass. Store-specific purchase bonuses include a CyberConnect2-produced sticker and a ufotable reproduction art.
Toyotomi Hideyoshi appears as a playable leader in the new paid DLC 'Crossroads of the World' collection for Sid Meier's Civilization VII. The DLC includes two civilizations, Heian Japan and Sengoku Japan, and four wonders. Hideyoshi's leader ability doubles damage dealt and received when land units attack enemy civilization units, and he has cultural abilities tied to tea ceremony and performing arts.
Rapper LEX will release the music video for 'Sense feat. Siero' on YouTube on May 1, 2027, his birthday, approximately one year after the album 'SPEEDSTAR' dropped. A teaser is already available. The track is the lead single from the album, which features eight new songs and a pre-released track. LEX, who emerged from SoundCloud and released his first album at 16, is scheduled for a Toyota Arena show in October 2026.
CRITICAL REFLEX released a new trailer for Denkiworks' TANUKI: Pon's Summer and announced a demo arriving June 15 on Steam. The demo covers the first three days of the game, where players deliver mail as a tanuki named Pon, perform BMX tricks, restore a shrine, and build relationships with townspeople across four Japanese cities.
Prime 1 Studio is producing a 1/4 scale figure of Motoko Kusanagi and Tachikoma based on artist Entei Ryu's illustration from Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex. Two versions are available: a sepia-tone edition and a character color edition. Pre-orders are open at Rakuten Books for 296,890 yen each.
Publisher CRITICAL REFLEX and developer Forest Reges announced the roguelite cooking game SATED during the PC Gaming Show 2026 stream on June 8. The game is coming to PC via Steam, with Japanese subtitle support. In SATED, players partner with a cursed refrigerator that dispenses ingredients such as organs, industrial waste, live insects, batteries, and human eyeballs. Players must cook dishes to satisfy monsters with incomprehensible tastes while descending through a randomly generated dungeon in a decaying giant structure. The balance and order of ingredients matter: if the procedure is wrong, the dish may become moldy, cursed, or sentient. If a customer is not satisfied, the player character becomes the ingredient instead. The developer, Forest Reges, previously worked on LiDAR Exploration Program, which holds a 90% positive rating from 273 Steam reviews. The Steam store page lists the game as coming soon.
Nijisanji announced pre-sales for Kuzuha's one-man live 'Bloody Alexandrite' merchandise will begin June 3, 2026 at 18:00 on the Nijisanji Official Store. The lineup includes 15 items such as penlights, T-shirts, towels, tote bags, uchiwa fans, and more. The live event is scheduled for October 12, 2026 at K-Arena Yokohama.
Sony Interactive Entertainment announced on June 2 that it will release the FlexStrike Wireless Fight Stick, the first arcade controller under the PlayStation brand, on August 6 for 34,980 yen. Pre-orders begin June 12. The controller is designed for PS5 and PC, with a thin body, a semi-hard carry case, and a rechargeable battery. It connects via PlayStation Link wireless or USB-C. The company also revealed the 27-inch Gaming Monitor with DualSense Charging Hook, a QHD IPS display with up to 120Hz on PS5 and 240Hz on PC, priced at 49,980 yen and launching August 27 with pre-orders from June 5. A third product, the PULSE Elevate Wireless Speaker, was confirmed for a release in the latter half of 2026; its price and pre-order date are to be announced. The fight stick's release coincides with the August 7 launch of the fighting game MARVEL Tōkon: Fighting Souls.
A survey commissioned by Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry estimated that sales of counterfeit anime and other character products caused ¥4.7 trillion (US$30.4 billion) in financial damages in 2025. The figure is the first to measure the impact of piracy on the merchandise market, as previous editions of the survey only calculated damages from digital content piracy. The survey was conducted by advisory firm PwC Consulting on behalf of the Content Overseas Distribution Association. In a separate finding, internet monitoring firm Adish identified at least 841 counterfeit anime merchandise items with prices totaling ¥22.2 million (US$140,000) being sold online for five top anime airing in the second quarter of 2025. The report also noted that overseas licensees struggle to combat counterfeits because anime companies often lack sufficient chain of title documentation to submit infringement claims. Separately, the newsletter reported that Aniplex acquired anime production planning company Egg Firm, and that a permanent Sailor Moon stage musical production will begin performances in April at Tokyo's Shinagawa Prince Hotel.
A pre-release rally for the film "Mobile Suit Gundam: Hathaway's Flash - The Witch of Kirke" drew an estimated 4,000 fans to Shinjuku's Kabukicho district on January 18. The event featured voice actors Kensho Ono (Hathaway Noah) and Reina Ueda (Gigi Andalusia), who performed a live dub of the poolside scene from the first film. Comedian Kemuri Matsui of Reiwa Roman appeared in a pumpkin-head mask, claiming to represent the anti-government movement Mafty. The rock band Alexandros made a surprise appearance, performing songs including the first film's theme "Senko" and newer tracks. The film opens in Japanese theaters on January 30. A special collaboration program with Nippon TV's "ZIP!" will air on January 24, featuring first-time broadcast footage and interviews with Ono and Ueda.
Aniplex president Atsuhiro Iwakami will become the next president and CEO of Sony Music Entertainment Japan, effective April 2026, as reported by the Nikkei and covered by Animenomics. Iwakami, who has led Aniplex for ten years, will be the first executive with a video production background to head the Japanese music giant. The appointment reflects the growing influence of Aniplex within Sony Music Group, as more than half of Sony Music's sales in Japan now come from non-music sources, including Aniplex. Aniplex produced both "Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle," the highest-grossing anime film globally, and "Kokuho," Japan's highest-grossing live-action film. External revenue from Sony Music's visual media and platform business, which includes Aniplex, rose 42.8 percent in the nine months ended December 2025 compared to the same period last year. Prior to leading Aniplex, Iwakami worked on productions such as the "Monogatari" series, "Puella Magi Madoka Magica," and "Sword Art Online," and produced the mobile game "Fate/Grand Order" and the "Demon Slayer" anime adaptation.
TV Asahi announced a four-year management plan aiming to double its anime production capacity by March 2030. The commercial broadcaster, known for Doraemon and Crayon Shin-chan, intends to shift from a television broadcasting business to one centered on IP creation. The plan follows recent successes with anime investments like Hell Teacher: Jigoku Sensei Nube and Medalist. TV Asahi will increase the number of anime projects where it leads the production committee, retaining a greater share of licensing royalties to boost anime business profits by 50 percent. It also plans deeper collaboration with subsidiary Shin-Ei Animation and major shareholder Toei Animation. The broadcaster will expand late-night anime slots from three and strengthen ties with streaming service Abema. India is a target for IP growth, building on Crayon Shin-chan's success there. TV Asahi also seeks to recruit creators for a generative AI studio for anime, dramas, and commercials. The company says it remains committed to television after securing top viewer ratings last year.
Vinyl editions of five CD albums from the TV anime Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex will be released in two batches on July 22 and August 26. A vinyl edition of the Innocence original soundtrack will also arrive on August 26. The FlyingDog YouTube channel began streaming weekly tracks from the series on May 25.
Crunchyroll began streaming the English dub for the Tamon's B-Side anime on Thursday. The dub cast includes Abigail Blythe as Utage, Conner Allison as Tamon, and Brandon Acosta as Ouri, among others. Helena Walstrom directed the dub. The anime premiered in January and was produced by J.C. Staff.
Paru Itagaki's Beast Complex manga will receive a new one-shot story this summer, as announced on the official X account for her works. The series, a compilation of short stories set in the same world as Beastars, last received a new chapter in December 2022. Itagaki recently ended her manga Witching Hour in May.
Voice actor Alex Horn has joined the English dub of the television anime Marriage Toxin. Horn announced the role on social media on May 12, 2026, confirming he plays Genya Naruko, a sound master. The episode featuring the character is now streaming on Crunchyroll. The dub is directed by Leeo George, with scripts adapted by Clayton Browning. The series premiered on April 7, 2026, as part of the Ka-Anival!! programming block. Crunchyroll is streaming the show and producing the English version. The anime adapts the manga by Joumyaku and Mizuki Yoda, which has been serialized in Shonen Jump+ since 2022 and collected into twelve volumes. Viz Media publishes the print edition in English. The Japanese cast includes Haruki Ishiya as Hikaru Gero, Shion Wakayama as Mei Kinosaki, and Soma Saito as Genya Naruko. The previously announced English cast features Ethan Gallardo as Hikaru, Brittney Karbowski as Mei, and Taylor Murphy as Akari. Motonobu Hori directs the series at studio Bones Film, with series composition by Kimiko Ueno and character designs by Kohei Tokuoka.