The Milky☆Subway franchise is in an active promotional and theatrical phase, with a re-edited film streaming on Netflix in Japan and the U.S., an expanded version screening in Japanese theaters in MX4D, 4DX, and 2D, and multiple merchandise collaborations ongoing.
Milky☆Subway began as a 12-episode 3DCG short anime that aired in July 2025, created almost entirely by a single person, Yōhei Kameyama. The series originated from his vocational school graduation project and was inspired by Disney's Steamboat Willie. It follows enhanced human Chiharu, voiced by Momoka Terasawa, and cyborg Makina, voiced by Anna Nagase, as they confront a runaway interplanetary train. The short episodes average 3.5 minutes each, and the series can be watched in 44 minutes, or 48 with its prequel short Milky☆Highway.
In early 2026, a re-edited film version titled Ginga Tokkyu Milky Subway Kakuekiteisha Gekijou Iki opened in Japan on February 6 and earned over 151 million yen in its first three days. That film began streaming exclusively on Netflix in Japan on June 1 and in the U.S. on the same date. A further expanded version titled Extra Service Milky☆Subway Local Train to the Theater began screening in Japanese theaters on June 12 in MX4D, 4DX, and 2D formats. The film opened at #9 at the Japanese box office in its debut weekend.
The franchise has expanded into merchandise and cross-promotional campaigns. A collaboration with the fashion brand WEGO launched on June 19, 2026, featuring Y2K-style apparel and goods with characters Chiharu, Makina, Cart, Max, and Poppy-kun. A bathhouse collaboration with the Gokurakuyu and RAKU SPA chain ran from June 18 to July 7 at 25 locations nationwide, offering themed baths, collaboration menu items, and in-store voice dramas.
Synthesized by Yomimono from the cited Yomimono stories below, each itself sourced, then editorially reviewed. Every fact links the story it came from.
Structured graph also available as JSON at /public/entities/milky-subway.
CC BY 4.0.
In an interview with Anime News Network, creator Yōhei Kameyama discussed the origins of his hit short-form anime Milky☆Subway: The Galactic Limited Express, from its roots as a vocational school graduation project to its theatrical run in Japan. He described the challenge of coordinating music and animation as a first-time creator and cited Disney's Steamboat Willie as a key inspiration for fusing music with visuals.
Hasegawa announced its September 2026 lineup via its official X account and website, featuring plastic model kits, resin figure kits, and other products. Highlights include a 'You're Under Arrest!' Suzuki GSX-R750 White Bike Version, a 'Patlabor' Noa Izumi resin figure, and a reissue of the VR-747 Temjin from 'Cyber Troopers Virtual-On' for the series' 30th anniversary.
The second live-action Mr. Osomatsu film debuted at #3 in Japan, selling 141,000 tickets and earning 218 million yen in its first three days. The new version of the Milky Subway film opened at #9. The Super Mario Galaxy Movie dropped to #4 in its eighth weekend, and Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway fell to #5 in its 10th weekend.
The anime Galaxy Express Milky Subway and fashion brand WEGO launch a collaboration on June 19, 2026, with Y2K-style apparel and goods featuring characters Chiharu, Makina, Cart, Max, and Poppy-kun. The line includes T-shirts, caps, pouches, wallet chains, acrylic stands, and more, sold at select WEGO stores and online.
WEGO is collaborating with the manga Galaxy Express Milky Subway to sell apparel and accessories featuring newly drawn illustrations. The lineup includes T-shirts, caps, pouches, keychains, acrylic stands, and more, with items modeled after characters Chiharu, Makina, Cart, and Max. The goods launch in stores and online on June 19.
The theatrical film "Ginga Tokkyu Milky Subway Kakuekiteisha Gekijou Iki" will begin streaming exclusively on Netflix in Japan on June 1. The film is a re-edit of the 12-episode 3DCG short anime "Ginga Tokkyu Milky Subway" that aired in July 2025, with new scenes added. The story follows enhanced human Chiharu and cyborg Makina, voiced by Momoka Terasawa and Anna Nagase respectively, as they confront a runaway interplanetary train alongside allies. Additional cast includes Mikako Komatsu, Hisako Kanemoto, Makoto Koichi, Kouki Uchiyama, Yoshiki Yamaya, and Yurika Fujiwara. Yohei Kameyama handled original work, direction, script, character design, sound direction, and production. A further expanded version titled "Rinji Zouhatsu Milky Subway Kakuekiteisha Gekijou Iki" will screen in theaters starting June 12, with both 2D and MX4D/4DX showings planned.
Galactic Express Milky☆Subway is collaborating with the Gokurakuyu and RAKU SPA bathhouse chain for an event titled 'The Most Totonou in the Galaxy!? ~Getting Off at Gokurakuyu~.' The campaign runs June 18 to July 7 at 25 locations nationwide, featuring newly drawn goods, themed baths, collaboration menu items, and in-store voice dramas.
Netflix announced on Tuesday that it will stream the re-edited film version of Yohei Kameyama's indie CG anime Milky☆Subway: The Galactic Limited Express in the U.S. starting June 1. The film, which opened in Japan on February 6 and earned over 151 million yen in its first three days, is a compilation of the 12-episode series with new content. It follows super human Chiharu (voiced by Momoka Terasawa) and cyborg Makina (Anna Nagase) who are sentenced to clean an interplanetary train as community service. Alongside this title, Netflix listed seven other anime beginning U.S. streaming in May and June: BLUE LOCK VS. U-20 JAPAN and My Dress-Up Darling Season 2 on May 25; Assassination Classroom Season 2, Shangri-La Frontier Season 2, One Piece: Whole Cake Island 6 and 7, and Akane-banashi on June 1. The Milky☆Subway film is a follow-up to Kameyama's 2022 short Milky☆Highway, which started as a graduation project and has accumulated over 8.7 million views on YouTube. Kameyama directed, wrote, produced, and handled character designs, modeling, and animation mostly alone. A new version with added scenes, titled Extra Service Milky☆Subway Local Train to the Theater, will screen in Japan starting June 12 in MX4D, 4DX, and 2D formats.
The staff for Milky☆Subway: The Galactic Limited Express announced a new version of the re-edited film with added scenes, titled Extra Service Milky☆Subway Local Train to the Theater, will screen in Japan from June 12 in MX4D, 4DX, and 2D formats.
Anime News Network reviews Milky☆Subway: The Galactic Limited Express, a 12-episode CG anime averaging 3.5 minutes per episode. The review praises its natural, overlapping dialogue and efficient character development, noting the series can be watched in 44 minutes, or 48 with its prequel short.