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P-P
P-P is the founder and lead developer of Pixel Smile, the indie studio behind the rhythm game Step Theater, which released a demo on Steam on July 23, 2026. He is a game streamer with over 680,000 YouTube subscribers who began streaming in 2010, worked as a programmer at a game company around 2015, and went independent in 2024 to pursue indie game development.
Synthesized from 30
Yomimono stories · updated
1h ago
P-P, a game streamer with professional game development experience, has released his first public title as an indie developer. The rhythm game Step Theater, developed by his studio Pixel Smile, launched a demo on Steam on July 23, 2026. The demo includes two stages and a playtime of about 20 minutes, with the full version scheduled for release on Steam later in 2026. The game features sound by Mafumafu and Blackmagic, and graphics by Aramon and Subikaka.
P-P began streaming in 2010 and worked as a programmer at a game company around 2015. He went independent in 2024 to focus on indie game development. His YouTube channel has over 680,000 subscribers. The development team plans to use player feedback from the demo for future development.
Key facts
- Founded studio
- Pixel Smile ↗
- First public release
- Step Theater demo on Steam on July 23, 2026 ↗
- YouTube subscribers
- over 680,000 ↗
- Streaming start year
- 2010 ↗
- Previous employment
- programmer at a game company around 2015 ↗
- Independent start year
- 2024 ↗
Timeline
- Jul 23, 2026 Pixel Smile's Step Theater Demo Launches on Steam
- Jul 23, 2026 HTC Launches Virtual Idol Audition Program VPOP ASIA
- Jul 18, 2026 Love and Deepspace 2.5th Anniversary Bloomit Purikura Collab Starts July 20
- Jul 17, 2026 Komugiko 2000 Solo Exhibition 'POP QUEST' Opens in August
- Jul 17, 2026 Popee the Performer DVD Re-Release to Replicate 26-Year-Old Hologram Spec
- Jul 15, 2026 The Strongest Sage With the Weakest Crest Manga to End With 36th Volume
- Jul 15, 2026 Avatar Call App POPOPO to End Service Six Months After Launch
- Jul 14, 2026 Puppet Sunsun Gets Blu-ray and DVD Release with Deluxe Editions
- Jul 14, 2026 Paper Shredder Turns Office Drudgery Into Incremental Game with Mandatory Positivity
- Jul 13, 2026 Love and Deepspace Cancels New Love Interest Valko Before Debut
- Jul 12, 2026 Pikotaro's PPAP Still Reigns as Japan's Top Meme Song a Decade Later
- Jul 11, 2026 Furyu Launches Puppet Sunsun Prize Line With Big Plushies and Storage Cases
- Jul 11, 2026 Evangelion Characters Get Puffy 3D Stickers in Uruchuru POP SEAL Line
- Jul 7, 2026 Rich Girl Caretaker Premiere Fails to Land Its Central Dynamic
- Jul 7, 2026 1/6 Scale 'i Buy Series Nurse Call' Figure Pre-Orders Open from Animeone and POPQN
- Jul 6, 2026 Popee the Performer Gets First Theatrical Screening in Shibuya
- Jul 6, 2026 GKIDS Announces Home Video Releases for Look Back, Angel's Egg, More Films
- Jul 5, 2026 Tokyopop Licenses Five Manga at Anime Expo 2026
- Jul 5, 2026 2026 Summer Anime Roundup: Grand Blue Season 3, Cat and Dragon, and More
- Jul 2, 2026 BanG Dream! Ave Mujica VR Event Details Announced
- Jul 1, 2026 Puppet Sunsun and Zoff Launch Eyewear Collection With Food-Themed Designs
- Jul 1, 2026 Wallpaper Engine To Remove Application-Type Wallpapers After Malware Reports
- Jul 1, 2026 Game Boy Emulator 'Paper Boy S3' Runs on E-Paper Dev Kit
- Jun 28, 2026 Popgoes Arcade, Official FNaF Spin-Off, Free on Steam Until June 29
- Jun 27, 2026 XGIMI TITAN and Elfin Flip Plus Win VGP2026 Summer Awards
- Jun 27, 2026 Crowdfunding Campaign Launches for New NES Game Starring a Deceased Cat
- Jun 24, 2026 Sayaka Mogi's Kuro-neko-sensei to Hotsureta Kanja-tachi Volume 1 Released
- Jun 23, 2026 Disney+ Promotes Simpsons Episode With Paprika Poster Parody
- Jun 19, 2026 Gunpla 45th Anniversary Tour Makes Final Domestic Stop in Yokohama
- Jun 18, 2026 KRAFTON Steam Publisher Sale 2026 Offers Discounts on Dinkum, Hi-Fi RUSH, and More
Synthesized by Yomimono from the cited Yomimono stories below, each itself
sourced, then editorially reviewed. Every
fact links the story it came from.
Facts
- Noted
- P-P began streaming in 2010, worked as a programmer at a game company around 2015, and went independent in 2024 to pursue indie game development. · 2026-07-23
- Noted
- streamer P-P · 2026-05-25
Connections
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All coverage
1d ago
Opipopi is a short free adventure game about touching objects in a quiet room until drowsiness arrives, with three endings that depend on how much the player notices one particular thing. It launched on free distribution sites in April 2026 and on Steam on October 2. At OSAKA INDIE GAMES SUMMIT 2026, creator Grutan P said the idea began as a design experiment about choices changing the scenario, and the story was written afterward.
3d ago
Furyu will release two Puppet Sunsun prizes in October. From the third week comes the Napolitan BIG Plush, about 25cm tall, showing Sunsun sitting with napolitan and a fork. From the fifth week comes the Cereal Bowl & Spoon Set, offered in two color variations with Sunsun's face as the design accent. Details are on each Furyu prize product page.
4d ago
A Mobile Police Patlabor Autumn Grand Thanksgiving POP-UP Shop will run from Friday, October 9 to Sunday, October 18 at the seventh floor event space of Kinshicho Marui. The venue sells theatrical merchandise for Patlabor EZY File 2, items from the Sushiya no Goto pop-up, and goods from the Wonder Festival 2026 Summer First Labor Exhibition, plus limited warehouse stock. Shanghai-tei Curry is sold as a single item. Purchases of 5,000 yen earn one randomly handed illustration card.
5d ago
The first wave of merchandise for "Horimiya 15th POP UP SHOP" has been announced ahead of its Friday, December 4, 2026 opening at Yurakucho Marui and other venues. The lineup includes acrylic stand keychains with newly drawn strawberry-motif illustrations, hand-signed reproduction original art by HERO and Daisuke Hagiwara, and Hori and Miyamura plush mascots designed by HERO. The event runs at four venues in Tokyo, Fukuoka, Aichi, and Osaka, with a separate cafe event starting October 14.
6d ago
The Junji Ito POP UP STORE 'Zankyo' runs from October 20 to November 24, 2026 on the fifth floor of Hands Omiya. Admission is free and no reservation is needed. The lineup includes Tomie goods such as a waist bag, multi case, glass candle, mascot, and metal bookmarker, plus apparel including Zankyo and Hanging Balloon T-shirts and a Painter Aloha Shirt.
6d ago
Good Smile Company has opened pre-orders at Rakuten Books for two POP UP PARADE L Size figures of Hatsune Miku Dekomiku: a Lightness version and a Darkness version. Both are listed at a reference price of 9,799 yen including tax, with a Rakuten Books sale price of 8,613 yen. The designs are credited to DECO*27 and OTOIRO alongside Crypton Future Media.
Oct 6
A Haikyu!! pop up shop by Production I.G will open at four venues in Tokyo, Osaka, Gifu, and Gunma, starting October 23, 2026. Newly drawn visuals show eight characters, including Shoyo Hinata and Tobio Kageyama, at a cultural festival. Acrylic stands and can badges go on sale, with a postcard bonus for purchases of 2,200 yen or more.
Oct 6
The miffy style POP UP SHOP in Yurakucho runs from October 2 to October 19, 2026 at Yurakucho Marui 1F Calendarium, with limited items including the Retro Check Miffy Plush and Denim Jacket Miffy Plush. Shoppers spending 11,000 yen or more receive a tote bag. Kiddy Land also brings the shop to Osaka Umeda from October 31 and Sapporo Apia from November 6.
Oct 6
Pre-orders for the first merchandise tied to the radio program Puppet Sunsun's DJ SUNSUN opened on September 26, 2026, on the TOKYO FM official shopping site. The lineup has three items: a T-shirt printed with photos taken at the TOKYO FM studio at 4,400 yen, a tote bag at 3,300 yen, and a random acrylic keychain at 1,200 yen. The program airs Saturdays on TOKYO FM.
Oct 6
Myethos Japan is taking preorders for a 1/7 scale figure of Ruan Mei from Honkai: Star Rail, in a version titled Snow Plum Blossoms Blooming on Paper. The painted figure stands about 177mm with the base and comes with a sofa, faux fur, her creation, and a dedicated base. It costs 37,920 yen with tax and is scheduled for release in August 2027. Purchases through the Myethos Japan online store include a paper fragrance and leaflet.
Oct 6
Furyu will release two Puppet Sunsun prize items in October. A 25cm Napolitan BIG Plush, showing Sunsun seated with pasta and a fork, arrives in the third week. A Cereal Bowl & Spoon Set follows in the fifth week, in two color variations with Sunsun's face worked into the design. Product pages on the Furyu Prize website carry the details.
Oct 5
Avail will release Poppy Playtime goods on October 3, 2026, in stores and online from noon the same day. The lineup includes shopping bags and stickers featuring Huggy Wuggy and CatNap. Avail directs customers to its official account for details. Prices and stock availability are listed as of the article's publication.
Oct 5
Konami Arcade Games has announced a commemorative livestream for pop'n music, which marks its 28th anniversary on September 28. Des-ROW, producer of pop'n music High☆Cheers!!, and director wac appear with composers Yuei and PON to discuss memories of the series. The stream runs from 20:00 on BEMANI Namahousou (Kari). A pop'n music exhibition is also running in Shibuya until October 4 and is set for Kyoto from October 30.
Oct 5
Good Smile Company is taking pre-orders for an XL-size non-scale figure of Rikka Takarada from Gridman Universe, part of the Pop Up Parade Swacchao! line. The figure sits in light blue pajamas and touches her hair with her right hand. The Swacchao! series is made to be displayed sitting in various places.
Oct 5
Ember Toys has opened pre-orders on Amazon.co.jp for a Chibi Creature soft vinyl figure of Popuko and Pipi Mi from Pop Team Epic, priced at 15,840 yen and scheduled for release on January 31, 2027. The set recreates the scene where Pipi Mi saves Popuko, with Popuko at roughly 10 centimeters, Pipi Mi at roughly 8.5 centimeters, and both at about 19 centimeters in combined length.
Oct 5
Poplar Publishing will release the Puppet Sunsun Guidebook on November 11 at 2,090 yen, with online preorders open at Rakuten Books and other online bookstores. The book collects character profiles for Sunsun, Nonnon, Zonzon, Tsukutsuku and Fanfan, plus Twohook mythology, maps and resident introductions. Rakuten Books buyers ordering by September 24 get a sheet sticker while supplies last. Around 600 bookstores will carry original items, 12 stores will hold pop-ups, and 195 Miraiya Shoten stores will run the Where's SUNSUN? event from November 11 to November 29.
Oct 5
PaperPixel Games will release Brick by Brick: Tidy Up the Small Town! on Steam on October 15. Up to five players work together to reassemble a town from 18,490 bricks, matching shapes and colors to each building's blueprint. Buildings include a bakery, pharmacy, library, factory, tavern, tower, and small house. Unlockable abilities like a magnet, a wheelbarrow, and scaffolding cut down on carrying time. The game supports a Japanese interface and subtitles.
Oct 5
Hamster Corporation will release Console Archives Chack'n Pop for Nintendo Switch 2 and PS5 on October 1 at 800 yen, supporting one to two players. The 1985 Taito title puts players in control of Chack'n, who recovers hearts taken by the Monsta using wall and ceiling runs and simultaneous bomb detonations. The reissue adds button and screen customization and save and load anywhere.
Oct 4
Tokyopop's public stock offer ends Thursday, founder Stu Levy said. More than 300 people bought shares at US$5.00 each, up from 14 owners before the offer. The company seeks up to about US$1.2 million and targets US$50 million in annual revenue by 2030, against roughly US$15 million now. Its accountants doubt it can continue.
Oct 3
Mob Entertainment opened the open beta for Escape From Playtime on October 2 at 2:00 JST, with the test running until October 5 at 10:00 JST. The co-op survival horror game is set in the Poppy Playtime universe, and players control the Smiling Critters, the plush characters introduced in Poppy Playtime: Chapter 3, inside the abandoned Playtime Co. toy factory. The beta builds a shifting factory layout with failed experiments as enemies. Teams collect scrap, carry it back to the cart Barry, and meet a quota to escape. The store page lists 1 to 4 players, but the beta allows up to 8, and the most balanced count is stated as 4. Registration runs through FirstLook, and linking a Steam account and a Discord account is required. The playable content is limited to the first four shifts, with much of the story-focused material held back for release.
Sep 29
Studio LaRa will run a collaboration cafe called "HIMEHINA Bubblin' Memories POP DINER" on the 8th floor of the SHIBUYA109 Shibuya store from Thursday, October 1, 2026 to Monday, October 19, 2026, with hours of 10:00 to 21:00. The cafe is themed on the HIMEHINA WORLD Tour 2026 "LIFETIME is BUBBLIN," and the menu follows the tour's cities: San Jose Burger HIME and San Jose Burger HINA, Seoul-style Yakisoba, and Taipei Pineapple Pancake at 1,300 yen each, plus Fukuoka Amaou Soda and four other drinks at 1,000 yen each. Goods using newly drawn illustrations include Mini Character Acrylic Stands at 770 yen, Die-cut Aurora Stickers at 660 yen, and Clear Pouches at 2,200 yen, capped at two of each type per transaction. Digital numbered tickets are scheduled for distribution at the venue from October 1 to October 5, 2026.
Sep 28
Good Smile Company will release two Hatsune Miku figures based on DECO*27's original Decomiku designs. Decomiku (Lightness) and Decomiku (Darkness) join the POP UP PARADE L size series as painted plastic completed products scheduled for April 2027. Each stands roughly 220 to 230mm, costs 9,800 yen including tax, and includes a dedicated base. Prototype production is by Sparrow Co., Ltd., with paintwork by Tomofumi of WATANA BOX.
Sep 25
Kadokawa will run the Dengeki Bunko All-Star POP UP SHOP 2026 at Animate Akihabara Building 1, 5F, from October 10 to October 25, 2026, 10:00 to 21:00, with free admission. Goods tie in to the Dengeki Bunko Ultra Thanksgiving Fair Summer All-Star 2026, including acrylic figures, ticket-style acrylic bookmarks, can badges, desk mats, foil-stamped acrylic cards, acrylic keychains, and chara fine boards. Post-event made-to-order sales are planned at Kadokawa Store.
Sep 20
Mob Entertainment announced at the PC Gaming Show Tokyo Direct that Escape from Playtime, a co-op survival horror game set in the Poppy Playtime universe, enters Steam Early Access on October 21, 2026. Players control the Smiling Critters, the toy line introduced in Poppy Playtime: Chapter 3, exploring the ruined Playtime Co. factory. The facility spans classrooms, warehouses, testing labs, and connecting corridors. A mysterious Voice directs the Critters to gather parts and resources for a construction project it says leads to escape and a promised home. Playtime Co.'s failed experiments hunt the corridors, so players find tools, hide, set distractions, and take alternate routes. The factory's layout is rewritten by the Voice and changes each run. The game supports one to four players with proximity voice chat. A playtest starts October 1, with registration open on the official website. Pricing is undecided.
Sep 19
The livestreamed Lollipop Chainsaw New Project presentation at Tokyo Game Show announced on Saturday that the franchise is being adapted into a film. Ambitious Entertainment producer Kirk Shaw and ZDF Studios' former vice president of drama Robert Franke are producing, and both expressed intent to make a Hollywood film for worldwide audiences. Nada Holdings founder Joe Teng described the film as live-action and separate from previously announced anime plans.
Sep 19
HypeTrain Digital announced on September 18 that PAPERHEAD EP.0, the free prologue to the cardboard-rendered horror FPS PAPERHEAD, ends distribution on PC (Steam) on September 24. Players who add it to their library before then keep access after distribution ends. Of roughly 3,700 Steam user reviews, 93 percent are positive. The full version was delayed from September 19 to October 9 for PC (Steam), PS5, and Xbox Series X|S.
Sep 18
The second product reveal for the Hozuki's Coolheadedness pop up store is out, with the event running from September 18 to October 19, 2026 at Hakaba no Garo in Nakano. The lineup includes 20 blind can badges, 10 blind acrylic charms, two art boards, a Hozuki cotton cap, and a Shiro ema-style keychain. Admission is free and items also sell online.
Sep 18
A Love Live! Sunshine!! pop up shop runs from Friday, October 2 to Monday, October 12, 2026 on the 8th floor of Shinjuku Marui Men, with free admission. Almabianca is running the shop, and the goods use newly drawn illustrations built around a "gal uniforms" concept. They include acrylic keychains, acrylic stands, desk mats, can badges, acrylic cards, bromide photos, and Halloween version chibi character items. A purchase lottery and a standee panel display are planned.
Sep 18
Dragami Games, NADA HOLDINGS, and JP UNIVERSE showed the first footage of Lollipop Chainsaw 2 Back2Back during the Lollipop Chainsaw NEW PROJECT stage at Tokyo Game Show 2026 on September 18. The sequel brings back cheerleader zombie hunter Juliet, who returns after about 13 years in a new, more covered outfit, with her boyfriend Nick still a severed head. Development is at 99 percent, with a release planned for PS5 in 2027. The stage also confirmed a live-action film adaptation of the series, with Kirk Shaw and Robert Frank as producers. A playable demo is available at the Sega/Atlus booth during the show. The team behind the game includes Dragami Games, NADA HOLDINGS, and JP UNIVERSE, led by Hajime Tabata, with Masahiro Yuki on scenario and Nekosogi Shogun on character design and art.
Sep 18
Netflix will stream "Lilith & Cinderella's Fairy Tale Kingdom" worldwide starting Friday, November 20, and a teaser trailer and teaser art are out. The animated film comes from the studio behind "KPop Demon Hunters" and retells Cinderella through her stepsister Lilith, who steals a magic wand and teams up with Cinderella. Alice Tso and John Ripa direct, with Ali Wong as Lilith, Amanda Seyfried as Cinderella, and Bette Midler among the cast.
Sep 18
Original blend coffee and goods based on Bukubu Okawa's four-panel manga Pop Team Epic go on sale on the OK COFFEE EC site starting September 25, 2026. The project pairs an Indonesian and Colombian bean blend with drip packs, a latte base, bottle coffee, two mugs, acrylic coasters, and an acrylic muddler. The theme is "We Mixed Two People Who Are Dangerous When Mixed."
Sep 17
The Korilakkuma Rabbit POP-UP SHOP runs from October 1 to October 14, 2026 at LUMINE EST Shinjuku B1F, in front of Aoyama Flower Market, with a second run at the Osaka/Shinsaibashi PARCO event space from October 30 to November 8, 2026. The shop sells plush goods and fashion accessories showing Korilakkuma in rabbit form, including a Mini Mini Plush Badge with carabiner at 1,210 yen and a Plush Hair Clip at 990 yen.
Sep 17
Dragami Games and Taiwan's NADA HOLDINGS announced on September 17 that the official title of the newest Lollipop Chainsaw entry is LOLLIPOP CHAINSAW 2 Back2Back, scheduled for release on PlayStation 5 in 2027. Juliet, the high school cheerleader and zombie hunter, returns in a new costume. Her boyfriend Nick is a severed head again. Development is handled by JP UNIVERSE, the studio Hajime Tabata founded in 2022 after directing Final Fantasy XV. Original scenario writer Masahiro Yuki and original character designer NekoshowguN are involved. The game is playable at the Sega Partners Corner inside the Sega/Atlus booth at Tokyo Game Show 2026, running at Makuhari Messe from September 17 to 21, with four demo stations. Stage events are set for September 18 at the Sega Event Stage and September 19 at the TGS2026 Main Stage. Price and CERO rating are undecided.
Sep 16
Poplar Publishing will release the Puppet Sunsun Guidebook on November 11, with online pre-orders opening September 16 at Rakuten Books and other online bookstores. The book collects character profiles and setting material on the puppet country Two Hook, including newly shot gravure pages of Sunsun, Nonnon, Zonzon, Tsukutsuku and Fanfan. Original goods go on sale at about 600 bookstores, 12 stores will hold pop-ups, and the event Where's SUNSUN? runs at 195 Miraiya Shoten stores from November 11 to November 29.
Sep 14
A BanG Dream! pop up store runs at the atre Akihabara 1 second-floor event space from Friday, September 18, 2026 to Thursday, October 1, 2026. Goods from Yume∞Mita and Our Notes line up, alongside in-building broadcasts and decorations. Songs from all five Our Notes bands play inside the building, with newly recorded narration by five cast members, one per band.
Sep 12
Tokyopop announced on Friday that it has licensed five manga titles for English release in spring-summer 2027: Can't Buy My Love by Pitari Mishima, A Fangirl's Guide to Learning How to Date 3D Men, Romantically Challenged by Hi Calo, LOVE IS PAIN by Arata Minami, and How to Fall In Love with You Again. The lineup runs across romance and omegaverse stories.
Sep 11
Feux will hold two events in Paris starting September 11, 2026. A one-night screening of Satoshi Kon's Paprika runs at the Musee Guimet rooftop, marking 20 years since the film's release. A PERFECT BLUE x Paprika pop-up store runs at Junku Paris through September 22, with limited goods made by U-NT. Items will also be sold on the U-NT STORE online shop.
Sep 11
Cover Corporation will open the "hololive production official pop up shop" at Ikebukuro PACKS from Saturday, October 3, 2026, with cooperative operation by MOVIC Co., Ltd. The tour covers Tokyo, Nagoya, Fukuoka, Osaka, and Sapporo, beginning with Ikebukuro through Sunday, November 1, 2026. Nagoya runs Friday, November 6 to Monday, November 23, 2026. Fukuoka follows Friday, December 11 to Sunday, December 20, 2026, Osaka Saturday, January 9 to Sunday, January 17, 2027, and Sapporo Friday, March 19 to Sunday, March 28, 2027. Original merchandise based on newly drawn bus guide visuals will be sold, with regional products: Tokyo carries three talents, and each later city carries two. Some hololive official goods and licensed merchandise will also be available. Admission restrictions using LivePocket-Ticket- are planned for the first two days in Ikebukuro, with possible numbered tickets afterward depending on crowding. Locations for Nagoya onward and business hours are to be updated on the special site.
Sep 11
Sokpop Collective announced on September 10 that Rat Game will launch on October 30 for PC via Steam, with Japanese in-game text supported according to the store page. The game is an asymmetric horror comedy in which one chef faces two to eight rats in a restaurant. The rats run around the kitchen, office, bar, storage room, and restroom, using small bodies to move through space under furniture and holes in walls. They sabotage the restaurant by tampering with the breaker panel, clogging toilets, and hacking PCs, and they win by completing a set number of tasks. The chef catches rats and throws them into cages placed around the restaurant, can peek under furniture to search, and can use a gun. Trailer footage shows rats solving math problems at a PC and entering a safe combination, and captured rats being freed from cages by fellow rats. The developer describes a hidden cheese storage room somewhere on the map. Estimated play time is about two hours. Rat Game was officially announced in February. Sokpop Collective is based in the Netherlands.
Sep 10
King Records launched Pop Team Epic into the Roblox license catalog at noon on September 9. The registration lets Roblox creators plan, build, and apply to publish games and experiential content using the manga's characters and world. Bkub Okawa's four-panel manga has run in Takeshobo's Manga Life WIN, now Takecomi!, since August 2014. The listing is positioned as a new form of IP use beyond manga and anime development.
Sep 10
The Sgt. Frog and Sanrio Characters pop up store has added dates, starting at the Ekimaru A la Mode JR Kyoto Station West Exit Store from September 11 to September 23, 2026, then at ESPAL Sendai and the space in front of JR Ikebukuro Station South Ticket Gate. Two new items, the Mini Mini Boa Mascot and Multi Earphone Case, are 1,320 yen each with tax and go on early sale September 11.
Sep 10
Max Factory opened preorders for a Pop Up Parade L size figure of Guts in the Berserker Armor, in a Bloody Paint version. The figure shows Guts covered in blood, in a form the listing describes as having surpassed his limits through the armor's power. The seller lists a reference price of 9,799 yen including tax, and the Rakuten Books listing shows a sale price of 9,139 yen including tax.
Sep 9
The manga adaptation of Hirotsugu Ryusen's She Professed Herself Pupil of the Wise Man light novels will end with its 16th volume, which ships October 29. Dicca Suemitsu draws the adaptation, which launched on Micro Magazine's Comic Ride site in July 2016. Seven Seas licensed both the light novel and the manga. The story follows Sakamori Kagami, a top player in the VRMMO Ark Earth Online, who wakes up in a young girl's body and takes the name Mira. The TV anime aired in January 2022.
Sep 8
Five next-generation girl acts will share one stage at Shinjuku WARP on October 11 for S Cawaii! presents GIRLS POP JAPAN supported by SBI MUSIC CIRCUS. The lineup includes former BEYOOOOONDS member Yumu Yamazaki, anime theme singer Kaya, Stardust Promotion's MISS MERCY, 11-member group Alpha Plus, and duo Suupeas. SBI Music Circus organized the event with NTT Docomo Studio & Live and Culture Entertainment Group.
Sep 8
The Satoshi Kon Birth Festival 2026 runs Oct 9-12 at Ikebukuro HUMAX Cinemas and Shibuya HUMAX Cinema. The lineup covers Perfect Blue, Millennium Actress, Tokyo Godfathers, Paprika, and the TV series Paranoia Agent. Talk events feature Megumi Hayashibara, Junko Iwao, Asami Notomi, and Haruko Momoi. A Paprika 4K remaster screens Oct 12, Kon's birthday, with Hayashibara on stage. A pop-up shop runs through Nov 15.
Sep 5
The GPSBOX & Kiramekko POPUP STORE runs at Haneda Airport Terminal 1 until September 28. It sells Chiikawa x Sanrio Characters Kiramekko figures in four types, including Chiikawa x My Melody and Usagi x Pompompurin, plus mofusand x Ultraman Kiramekko and GPSBOX figure collections. Items are random, and numbered tickets may be issued on busy days.
Sep 4
Solo developer Waki released the dandelion life simulation ADV Tampopo wa Taeru on Steam on September 3, 2026. Players help a roadside dandelion collect carbon dioxide, water, and light energy to photosynthesize, then use cell division to strengthen it. The dandelion faces trials including cat attacks and a salaryman's breakdance. Play time runs 30 minutes to an hour. The game costs 300 yen.
Sep 4
Konami Arcade Games has started selling Shigoto Neko x pop'n music Kuji Vol.2 on KONAMI Premium Kuji ONLINE, the company's no-losing-ticket online lottery. The volume uses newly drawn illustrations by Kumamine, the illustrator behind Shigoto Neko, the character known for its Yoshi! pose. Prizes run from S to E rank, with bonus e-amusement pass cards for larger draw sets. Each draw costs 880 yen, and sales run until October 5, 2026.
Sep 4
Nintendo added the Paper Mario soundtrack to Nintendo Music on September 4. The 2000 NINTENDO 64 action RPG's music arrives with 148 tracks spanning 4 hours 29 minutes. The original CD soundtrack, released in 2000, went out of print and its tracks were never included in other soundtracks. Used copies sold for 50,000 to 100,000 yen, and one Amazon.co.jp listing sat at about 170,000 yen when the report was filed. The CD contained only 78 tracks, so the Nintendo Music version nearly doubles the count. Nintendo Music is available to Nintendo Switch Online subscribers on browser, iOS, and Android. The game itself is playable through NINTENDO 64 Nintendo Classics for Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscribers. Some tracks support the app's length-change feature. The opening "Hajimari da yo" and the save screen "Erande ne" are among the memorable songs in the set.
Sep 4
Dissolution of My Self, the BL psychological horror ADV from indie team Pop Elephant Studio, launched September 4 on Steam for PC. Players click daily objects in a rented apartment to unearth memories of fallen prince Hector and his uncle Matvey, but the task is to help Hector forget, erasing his self. It supports Japanese voice and text, costs 790 yen with a launch 10 percent discount to 711 yen, and has a free demo.