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Mono
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Houbunsha's Manga Time Kirara magazine and Comic Fuz website announced on Monday that creator Afro will pause both Laid-Back Camp and mono due to health issues from the stress of serializing two manga at once. The hiatus affects both series, with return dates to be announced later by their respective editors. Afro's official X account clarified that Laid-Back Camp will take a short break starting after chapter 110 part 2, which is set to be added next week on Comic Fuz, while mono will be on hiatus for an extended period. The editorial department apologized to fans awaiting new chapters. Afro launched Laid-Back Camp in Manga Time Kirara Forward in 2015, moving it to Comic Fuz in 2019, with 18 volumes published as of November 2025. The mono four-panel manga began in Manga Time Kirara Miracle! in May 2017 before moving to Manga Time Kirara Carat later that year, with five volumes released by June 2025. Both series have anime adaptations, with Laid-Back Camp's fourth season slated for 2027.
Jul 27
The anime Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba and the theatrical film Witch on the Holy Night will participate in the 2026 Awa Odori festival in Tokushima Prefecture, running from August 11 to 15. Animation studio ufotable, which produces both works, released newly drawn commemorative posters for the event. During the festival, a stamp rally will feature illustrations from ufotable's past collaborations with TYPE-MOON, including The Garden of Sinners, alongside Demon Slayer art. Collectors who gather all stamps will receive a card with the 2026 illustration. On August 14, the Demon Slayer Corps dance performance returns for a second year. Voice actors Hiro Shimono, who voices Zenitsu Agatsuma, and Yoshitsugu Matsuoka, who voices Inosuke Hashibira, will join mini corps members in the dance at the Kon'ya-cho stage. The festival also includes sales of themed drinks with novelties and goods featuring the new illustrations. Witch on the Holy Night, based on TYPE-MOON's 2012 visual novel, is scheduled for theatrical release on November 20. Demon Slayer is currently rebroadcasting its TV series, and the Blu-ray and DVD for Infinity Castle Arc Chapter 1: Akaza's Return releases on July 29.
Jul 26
TeraDox, the operator of the 3D Japanese clothing brand Kimonowa, published a report on its VRChat event "Yukata de Nouryoukai" held on July 11, 2026. The event, produced by V Inc., commemorated the release of the new yukata sets "MyYukata 2026" and "MyYukata 2026 for Men." Seventeen events and communities collaborated to open approximately 30 instances across the platform. The three official Kimonowa instances had a total waiting queue of about 100 people. Peak concurrent connections reached 942, and total visitors surpassed 5,000. Participants wore yukata or other Japanese clothing while touring instances, taking photos, and interacting with cast members. The event aimed to lower the barriers to enjoying Japanese clothing in virtual space, where dressing and moving are easier than in real life. Following this success, Kimonowa announced a follow-up VRChat event, "Yukata de Hanabi Taikai," scheduled for August 2, 2026, starting at 22:00. That event will feature virtual fireworks viewing and interaction across instances hosted by 16 sponsoring organizations. Participation does not require wearing Kimonowa products.
Jul 22
The So What's Wrong with Getting Reborn as a Goblin? anime announced three new cast members and theme song artists. Natsuki Hanae, Hiro Shimono, and Yukari Tamura join the cast. Sou performs the opening theme, and AHUB performs the ending theme. The anime premieres in October.
Jul 21
ABEMA will air all 12 episodes of Kemono Friends and all 12 episodes of Kemono Friends 2 for free starting July 21, 2026. Season 1 begins at 1:15 PM and 1:15 AM on July 21, while Season 2 starts at 7:15 PM that day, with additional slots on July 22. Archives remain available for one week after broadcast.
Jul 20
The We Are Aliens anime film will screen at the Ottawa International Film Festival, Melbourne International Film Festival, and New Zealand International Film Festival in 2026. The festivals also announced screenings for Mononoke the Movie: Chapter 3 and the live-action film The Samurai and the Prisoner.
Jul 19
Keiichi Sigsawa, known for Kino's Journey and Sword Art Online Alternative: Gun Gale Online, has written his first original manga. Titled Kemono-tachi no Peregrinatio, it is drawn by Hayato Asaki and launched on Shogakukan's Weekly CoroCoro Comic online magazine. The story follows a young man and a beast tamer traveling on a giant wolf in a world where giant beasts wiped out most of humanity.
Jul 17
F-toys will release a 1/12 scale drum set for its ROCKMONO miniature instrument candy toy line on September 7, 2026. The drum set consists of two separate sets, A and B, each in five colors, with a total of 10 blind-box types. Complete sets combine A and B parts including a bass drum, snare, cymbals, and stool. A 10-pack box guarantees all variants. Each single item costs 825 yen.
Jul 16
Mebius released the 2D dungeon exploration RPG Monochrome Echoes - Black - on Steam on July 16, 2026. The sequel to Monochrome Echoes - white - adds character creation, random dungeons, and new classes while retaining the battle system. The game is priced at 1,980 yen.
Jul 16
Independent developer MONO ENTERTAINMENT announced on July 16 that AI Dot E Battle, a drawing battle game where players create dot-pixel monsters and AI judges the outcome, will release on August 21 for PC via Steam. A demo is available. The game includes Normal Battle, Retroactive Battle, Team Battle, and a Monsterpedia. The developer previously released The Fable Manga Build Roguelike.
Jul 15
Fashion brand MAYLA has released a skirt inspired by 'Mononoke the Movie: Chapter 3 - Snake God,' available in Medicine Seller and Shingi models. Each features custom textiles and an obi-like ribbon. Reservations are open until July 16, 2026 at 17:00, priced at 28,600 yen each.
Jul 15
The color contact lens brand Urumia has announced a collaboration with manga artist Ai Yazawa, releasing a line of five daily disposable lenses inspired by heroines from four of her classic manga series. The Urumia x Ai Yazawa Heroine Collection draws from NANA, Gokinjo Monogatari, Tenshi Nanka ja Nai, and Paradise Kiss. Each lens design corresponds to a specific character: Nana Osaki (Veil Black), Nana Komatsu (Drop Pink), Mikako Kouda (Dolly Brown), Midori Sajima (Glow Olive), and Yukari Hayasaka (Muse Blue). The lenses are priced at 1,870 yen per box of 10 and will be available for reservation on the Urumia official online shop starting July 29, 2026 at 20:00 JST, with shipping beginning in late August. Pop-up stores will be held at Laforet Harajuku in Tokyo from August 19 to 31 and at Shinsaibashi PARCO in Osaka from September 5 to 13. Purchase bonuses include a membership card with any purchase, a compact mirror for five boxes, and a jewelry bag for ten boxes.
Jul 15
MARGINE has begun sales of 'The Story That Begins at the Akizuki Teahouse,' a historical town exploration mystery ARG set in the real Edo-period castle town of Akizuki in Fukuoka Prefecture. The work contains no negative elements and is described as a 'light ARG.' Players solve story-driven puzzles tracing over 400 years of history, feelings, and memories. A VTuber guide, Akizuki Miihi (CV: Mashima Hiyori), accompanies the experience. The ARG is recommended by the current head of the Akizuki domain and supported by local tourism associations. It is priced at 2,500 yen.
Jul 15
Netflix has announced a reality competition show based on the board game Monopoly, with a $2 million prize for the winner. The show, produced by Studio Lambert of 'Squid Game: The Challenge' fame, will feature 12 players in a life-sized city setting. Players who go bankrupt are eliminated, and the last one standing wins. The series is set to stream in fall 2027, and applications are now open for US residents.
Jul 14
Good Smile Company has opened pre-orders on Amazon Japan for two hologram acrylic stands featuring characters from SSSS.GRIDMAN and Gridman Universe. One stand shows Rikka Takarada and Akane Shinjo by illustrator Tridamono, the other depicts Akane Shinjo Chaos New Order by saitom. Both are based on illustrations from the COVERS collaboration project, priced at 2,520 yen, and scheduled for release on October 31, 2026.
Jul 14
Sega has started a collaboration event between its online mahjong game SegaNET Mahjong MJ and the mobile puzzle game Sumasuro Bakemonogatari. The Sumasuro Bakemonogatari CUP national tournament runs from July 13 to August 2, 2026, across app and arcade versions, with collaboration items including characters, backgrounds, and win animations as rewards.
Jul 10
Happinet will exhibit three titles for trial play at the indie game exhibition Tokyo Game Dungeon 13 on August 8, 2026. The adventure game 'Tokyo Stories', developed by Dricom, uses pixel art and 3D visuals and is set in a deserted Tokyo. Also playable are the RPG 'Artis Impact' and the action ADV 'Mononoke no Kuni'. 'Artis Impact' launches on Switch on September 17, 2026, while 'Mononoke no Kuni' is planned for Steam in 2027.
Jul 5
Twin Engine announced a new Mononoke project on July 5, revealing the third Medicine Seller Ken no Tsurugi, voiced by Hironori Araki, in a new PV. Three new novels featuring each of the three Medicine Sellers-Ri no Tsurugi, Kon no Tsurugi, and Ken no Tsurugi-will be published by Kadokawa Bunko.
Jul 2
Aniplex revealed a new visual and announced that the 'Wazamonogatari: Karen Ogre' episode of the MONOGATARI Series: OFF & MONSTER Season anime will debut in winter 2026. Akiyuki Simbo returns as chief director, Midori Yoshizawa directs at SHAFT. The episode continues the franchise's Off & Monster Season, which began streaming in July 2024 on ABEMA and Crunchyroll.
Jun 28
Akihiro Miwa, the singer, actor, and voice actor known for roles as the Witch of the Waste in Howl's Moving Castle and Moro in Princess Mononoke, died on June 20 of old age. He was 91. His agency announced his passing on Sunday, stating he had been convalescing at home after his health declined three months ago.
Jun 27
The Nintendo Switch 2 Edition of Xenoblade Chronicles runs at 4K resolution in TV mode, full HD in handheld mode, and 60 frames per second with smoother cutscenes. The review calls the original game a labor of love from Monolith Soft and says the graphical improvements remove the performance barriers that filtered potential players on the original hardware.
Jun 20
AmiAmi is selling an exclusive 1/7 scale figure of Hanekawa Tsubasa from the Bakemonogatari manga. The figure, from the Ques Q brand, depicts her standing in a bone-strewn wasteland holding a mourning lantern with a built-in LED unit. It costs 43,780 yen and ships in June 2027.
Jun 19
Good Smile Company began accepting pre-orders for two reproduction prints featuring Rikka Takarada and Akane Shinjo from SSSS.Gridman and Gridman Universe. The prints are based on illustrations created for the COVERS project and include a bonus sticker. Pre-orders run until July 15, with shipping scheduled for October 2026.
Jun 18
The television anime adaptation of Tsutomu's manga Ojisan wa Kawaii Mono ga Osuki. has revealed its cast, staff, and October premiere date in a new promotional video. Kazuyuki Okitsu leads the cast as Mitsutaka Oji, with Tomoe Makino directing at LIDEN FILMS.
Jun 18
The TV anime adaptation of the manga "Nisemono no Renkinjutsushi" (The Fake Alchemist) has been announced. Animation production is handled by Passione. A teaser visual and a commemorative promotional video were released alongside the announcement. The story is set in the city-state of Orihalconia, where alchemy and magic are part of daily life. The protagonist Paracelsus is a reincarnated person who works as a modest alchemist while hiding his cheat skills. His life changes after he makes a contract with Nora, a slave and sorceress, and meets Coco, an elf who has lost all senses and limbs. The original work began as a personal project on pixiv in 2020 under the title "Isekai de Ganbaru Hanashi," drawn in rough sketch format by Jiro Sugiura. It gained word-of-mouth support and ranked 12th in the Web Manga category of the Next Manga Award 2022. A commercial manga version illustrated by Umemaru began serialization in 2023 on Kadocomi. The manga has a cumulative circulation of over 1 million copies. Comments from Sugiura and Umemaru were also released. Further details such as the broadcast period will be announced later.
Jun 18
The first volume of wogura's manga adaptation of the TV anime 'Summer Pockets,' titled 'Summer Pockets: Natsu no Takaramono,' was released on June 18. The story follows Hairi Takahara on Torishiro Island. Retailers Gamers, Melonbooks, and COMIC ZIN offer purchase bonuses. The obi carries a comment from Konomi Kohara, Shiroha's voice actress, who recommends the manga.
Jun 18
The music video for YOASOBI's 'UNDEAD,' the theme song for the anime 'Monogatari Series Off & Monster Season,' has surpassed 100 million cumulative views. The song was released in July 2024 and was based on short stories by Nisio Isin. Related videos, including TikTok user content, have reached 900 million total views. YOASOBI also announced a limited edition EP 'THE BOOK for' releasing June 26, 2026, and an Asian dome and stadium tour for 2026-2027.
Jun 16
Fashion brand MAYLA has released a skirt collaboration for Mononoke the Movie: Chapter 3 - Snake God, with two designs inspired by the Medicine Seller and Shingi. Reservations opened June 16 at 17:00 and run through July 16. The skirt costs 28,600 yen.
Jun 14
Manga Up! Global released Haru Ogawa's Venus in December on Thursday and Kiri Wazawa's Paranormal Agent Adashino on Friday. Venus in December is a completed two-volume BL series about an illustrator and a novelist. Paranormal Agent Adashino, a supernatural action manga, finished at three volumes. Wazawa also created The Morose Mononokean.
Jun 14
Director Koichi Sakamoto, who has made numerous original tokusatsu works for Toei's streaming service TTFC, said in an interview marking the service's 10th anniversary that he wants to produce a sequel to the 2017-2018 crossover series Space Squad. He also expressed interest in reviving Metal Hero series and rebooting past heroes on the platform.
Jun 8
Famitsu's latest weekly sales chart for May 25-31 shows Tomodachi Life on Switch in first place with 52,483 copies sold, bringing its total to over 1.25 million. New releases include 007 First Light on PS5 and Utawarerumono: Past and Present Rediscovered on both PS5 and Switch.
Jun 5
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
In its sixth weekend, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie remained at #2 at the Japanese box office, earning 205 million yen. Detective Conan: Highway no Datenshi held at #4 in its eighth weekend, while the third Mononoke film, Gekijōban Mononoke Dai-San-Shō: Hebigami, opened at #6 with 117 million yen in its first three days.
Jun 3
The stage play adaptation of Shō Aimoto's Kemono Jihen manga has revealed its full cast, with Sōshō Tomimoto playing Kabane Kusaka and Shūhei Izumi as Kohachi Inugami. The play, subtitled Tokyo Arc, runs September 17-27 at Theater H in Tokyo, directed by Nobuhiro Mōri with a screenplay by Chong Gwangsong.
Jun 1
The weekend box office rankings for May 29-31, 2026, show 'Star Wars: The Mandalorian & Grogu' retaining the top spot with 243,000 admissions and 425 million yen. Three new entries debuted in the top 10: Hirokazu Kore-eda's 'The Sheep in the Box' at No. 5, the final 'Mononoke' film at No. 6, and 'TOKYO BURST - Crime City -' at No. 8.
May 31
A web lottery for the third and final chapter of the theatrical Mononoke trilogy, "Mononoke: Chapter 3 - Snake Goddess," launched on May 29, 2026, the same day the film opened in Japanese theaters. The lottery, offered through the online service "WEB Kuji" and at physical storefronts under the "WEB Kuji Shucchojo" banner, features prizes made from newly commissioned illustrations. The artwork includes two full-body depictions of the Medicine Seller and Kamiyori holding cherry blossoms and autumn leaves, as well as chibi-style character art paired with Japanese sweets. Prize tiers include a large wall hanging (A prize), an A3 clear poster (B prize), an acrylic stand (C prize), a wood key holder (D prize), an A5 illustration board (E prize), a shikishi board collection (F prize), and a large can badge (G prize). Store-exclusive last-win prizes include a large acrylic stand set. Online-exclusive last-win prizes are acrylic visual panels. Each lottery ticket costs 770 yen, and the sale period runs through July 10, 2026. The film series began with "Mononoke: The Phantom Chapter 1 - The Umbrella" in 2024, followed by "Chapter 2 - The Fire Rat" in March 2025. Both earlier films won the Audience Award for Best Animated Feature at the Fantasia International Film Festival in Canada.
May 27
The television anime adaptation of Tomato Soup's manga A Witch's Life in Mongol, titled Jaadugar: A Witch in Mongolia, has received a second promotional video and a main visual. The video previews the opening theme song "Stella" by SEKAI NO OWARI. The anime will premiere on July 4 at 11:00 p.m. JST on TV Asahi's IMAnimation W block and 23 affiliated channels, as well as on BS Asahi. The first two episodes will air consecutively as a one-hour special. Four new cast members were announced: Kenji Nojima as Jochi, Ami Koshimizu as Töregene, Hiro Shimono as Ögedei, and Daisuke Namikawa as Chagatai. The anime is produced by Science SARU, with Naoko Yamada as chief director and Abel Gongora as director. Kenichi Yoshida handles character design and animation chief duties, and Kanichi Kato oversees series scripts. The anime will screen in competition at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival in the TV Films category. A world premiere of the first three episodes is set for June 13 at United Cinemas Aqua City Odaiba. Anime Expo will host a U.S. premiere screening on July 3, with Yamada and Gongora in attendance.
May 22
AmiAmi has started accepting pre-orders for a 1/7 scale figure of Hanekawa Tsubasa from the Bakemonogatari manga. The figure stands on a bone-strewn base and carries a funeral lantern with built-in LEDs. It is priced at 43,780 yen.
May 20
Twin Engine released the final PV for Mononoke the Movie: Chapter 3 - Snake God on May 19, condensing the Ooku's karma and horror from the trilogy's first two chapters. The concluding film opens nationwide in Japan on May 29, centering on the Ooku's greatest secret and the series' most terrifying mononoke.
May 17
The Super Kabuki stage adaptation of Studio Ghibli's Princess Mononoke has released a video ad showing the main cast in costume. The play stars Danko Ichikawa V as Ashitaka, Kazutaro Nakamura as San, and Tokizo Nakamura VI as Eboshi Gozen. It runs from July 3 to August 23 at Tokyo's Shinbashi Enbujo Theatre, directed by Kensuke Yokouchi with a script co-written by Ghibli veteran Keiko Niwa.
May 17
Twin Engine released a new trailer for Mononoke the Movie: Chapter 3: Snake God on Thursday, ahead of its May 29 theatrical debut in Japan. The trailer shows more of the supernatural chaos in the inner palace, with the emperor and priest Hokuto Mizorogi playing larger roles. Aina The End performs the theme song "No Epilogue." New cast members include Miyuki Sawashiro as the Third Empress, Fumi Hirano as Tokiwai, Mariko Honda as Kawa, Yukana as Amanotsubone, and Eiji Takemoto as Saku Mizorogi. Kenji Nakamura returns as general director from the second film, while Tomoaki Koshida directs at Studio Kafka and EOTA. The story follows the Medicine Seller confronting a giant snake-shaped Mononoke called the Snake God. He must discover its three characteristics-form, truth, and reason-before he can slay it. The roots of the conflict lie 150 years in the past, in the true story of the inner palace's birth. The first two films in the trilogy, Phantom in the Rain and The Ashes of Rage, premiered in July 2024 and March 2025 respectively, and are streaming on Netflix.
May 16
The June issue of Akita Shoten's Monthly Princess published the final chapter of Maki Fujita's Ka no Yo no Kemono ga Miru Yume wa on Thursday. The manga's third and final compiled book volume will ship on July 15.