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DESTINY 8, the official band for Square Enix's SaGa series, will hold its first one-man live, DESTINY 8 THE FIRST LIVE, on September 21 at Shibuya WWW X in Tokyo. The band is led by composer Kenji Ito and includes five other musicians. Tickets with an autograph session cost 12,000 yen, general admission 8,200 yen, plus a 600 yen drink fee.
Anime News Network reviews episode 4 of Saga of Tanya the Evil II, focusing on Kurt von Rudersdorf's backstory. The review explains his rejection of peace and push for total victory as a result of personal grief, and notes that Zettour sees this as the beginning of the end for The Empire.
Nintendo released a new overview trailer for the Switch 2 Edition of Xenoblade Chronicles 2, revealing that the character Momo from Xenosaga will appear as a Rare Blade. The digital version and upgrade pack launch July 30, with a physical release on October 1.
The first three episodes of Saga of Tanya the Evil II center on Tanya's repeated misreading of people and situations, from her inability to grasp the emotions of soldiers under her command to her bias against the Russy Federation. The review notes her lack of empathy and reliance on logic, which leads to strategic errors she must correct.
Astrolabe Games released the hand-drawn Japanese-style action game "GUREI" on July 23, 2026, for PC via Steam, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, and Nintendo Switch. Developed by Brazilian studio Lobo Sagaz, the game is modeled after chambara (samurai film) aesthetics. Players control a samurai spirit named Rei who wanders the spirit world and challenges nature gods in a boss rush format. Combat involves multi-directional sword attacks, steps, wall jumps, and enemy jumps, with players able to combine and upgrade basic skills. Defeating gods grants the player access to their powers, but subsequent battles become more difficult, creating a strategic choice in the order of encounters. The visual style uses monochrome hand-drawn animation, with color reserved for the gods' powers to highlight them. The game includes multiple endings and sub-missions. The price is 2,499 yen (tax included) and the game supports Japanese language.
On July 14, the text-only RPG 'Saga & Seeker' announced that user-created character and scenario submissions on its official portal site have each surpassed 1,000. The game uses text generation AI models such as Claude, Gemini, and ChatGPT as a GM. The portal site is running a campaign where submitted works may be implemented in the game.
The text-only RPG Saga & Seeker, which uses generative AI for free-text input, released version 1.2.0 on July 9. The update adds Branch Generation, Session Restore, Character Reordering, and Folder Creation. Branch Generation lets players redo input at any story point to create new routes. The game is 20% off during the Steam Summer Sale until July 10. A Character & Scenario Recruitment Campaign is also running.
AR production company vartique began selling an official AR acrylic stand for Kodansha's Vinland Saga on its own EC site on July 7. The stand uses the company's WebAR technology ByAR, requiring no app installation. Scanning a QR code with a smartphone camera triggers animated scenes and a face/body recognition feature that lets users become a Viking. The lineup includes Thorfinn, Askeladd, Thorkell, and Canute.
Kadokawa released the second main promotional video for Saga of Tanya the Evil II on Wednesday, previewing the opening and ending theme songs and revealing a new cast member. The opening theme is "Why? RED induction" by MYTH&ROID, and the ending theme is "Weiter! Weiter!" performed by Aoi Yuki as Tanya Degurechaff. Eiji Hanawa joins the cast as Colonel Virginio Calandro. The season will premiere on AT-X on July 8 at 9:30 p.m. JST, followed by broadcasts on Tokyo MX, Sun TV, KBS Kyoto, BS11, and TV Aichi. Takayuki Yamamoto directs at Studio NuT, replacing first-season director Yutaka Uemura. Kenta Ihara returns for series composition, and Yuji Hosogoe returns as character designer and chief animation director. The returning cast includes Aoi Yuki, Saori Hayami, Shinichiro Miki, Tessho Genda, Hochu Otsuka, and others. Each episode will be followed by a mini-anime segment titled "Yōjo Shenki 2" featuring the new Salamander Kampfgruppe members. The second season was originally announced in June 2021.
The text-only RPG Saga & Seeker, where players chat with AI-controlled characters to forge stories, opened the Ink Store on its official portal site on June 29. The store lets players purchase in-game points directly, bypassing Steam, and offers slightly more bonus points than Steam purchases. The game is also 20% off during the Steam Summer Sale until July 10.
The text-only RPG 'Saga & Seeker', which uses AI to enable free conversation with characters, is 20% off during the Steam Summer Sale, priced at 1200 yen until July 10. A concurrent 'Character & Scenario Recruitment Campaign' invites players to submit original works for possible inclusion in the game, with an official illustration slot also available.
Kadokawa announced that Yūji Nishimura's web manga Uchū Nanchara Kotetsu-kun: Space Academy will receive an anime film titled Uchū Nanchara Kotetsu-kun: Ukkari Detekita Uchūjin o Sagase! (Space Academy: Find the Aliens Who Accidentally Came Out!) opening in Japan on September 11. The film combines anime footage with real space footage. The TV anime cast returns. Yoshinori Tsutsui directs, Yōichi Katō writes the script.
Crunchyroll added three anime titles to its streaming library on Friday: the Zombie Land Saga: Yumeginga Paradise film, the Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid: A Lonely Dragon Wants to be Loved film, and the Given: Moments in Life OVA. The additions expand the platform's catalog with recent theatrical releases and a spinoff OVA.
The Arena, formerly Arena SNK, is developing the "South Town Saga," a series of media adaptations based on SNK's Fatal Fury and The Art of Fighting franchises. The slate includes live-action films, a webtoon, and an animated series. The first project is an Art of Fighting webtoon, intended to set up the saga.
Threezero has opened pre-orders for a battle damage version of the DLX Iron Man Mark 44 Hulkbuster action figure. The 30 cm tall figure features over 65 points of articulation, realistic weathering, LED lights, and compatibility with previous Mark 43 figures. It is priced at 47,810 yen and ships in Q4 2026.
Kadokawa revealed the second season of Saga of Tanya the Evil will premiere on July 8 on AT-X and other channels. MYTH&ROID returns for the opening theme, while Aoi Yūki performs the ending. A new mini-anime series will follow each episode. Takayuki Yamamoto directs at studio NUT, replacing Yutaka Uemura.
Anime Feminist published an op-ed on February 13, 2026, examining the ethics of political nonviolence through the lens of Vinland Saga. The piece argues that the anime engages seriously with the tension between nonviolence as a moral philosophy and the overwhelming brutality of state violence. It traces Thorfinn's transformation from a warrior driven by revenge to a figure who embraces nonviolence, interpreting his journey through Buddhist and Christian frameworks of love, self-sacrifice, and liberation. The author connects Thorfinn's arc to the work of activists Thích Nhất Hạnh and Martin Luther King Jr., noting that both were influenced by similar ideas of nondiscriminatory love. The piece also critiques the limits of nonviolence, acknowledging that it can become respectability politics or a spectacle that normalizes brutality. The author reflects on a personal interview with Vinland Saga creator Makoto Yukimura, who said of the path of nonviolence: "I'll do my best. Let's do it together." The op-ed concludes that nonviolence must be disruptive and destabilizing, not a comfort, and that the struggle for liberation requires constant, skillful effort.
Anime Feminist's February 11-24 round-up features a review of Cosmic Princess Kaguya, described as an early contender for best anime film of 2026, and an essay on Vinland Saga's ethics of political nonviolence. The round-up also links to an Automaton article on Japanese indie games about mental health, including The Second Reality Room: Unspoken Truths, a game about understanding chuunibyou teenagers. An interview with dubbing producer Reuben Lack discusses trends in anime dubbing, including rushed workflows and the use of vendors with no anime experience. Other items include a review of In the Clear Moonlit Dusk episodes 5-6, a retrospective on Ultra Maniac, and a video on antiblackness in anime fandom. The round-up also covers news about Hello Kitty's primary artist Yuko Yamaguchi stepping down after 46 years, and a concert cancellation for the Himitsu no AiPri franchise due to threats.
Seven Seas Entertainment announced six new licenses on Wednesday. The slate includes four manga and two light novels, all scheduled for release between January and April 2027. The manga titles are Pendulum: The Beastmen Omegaverse Saga by Hana Hasumi, Good Night, My Little Bird by RICO SAKURA, The Cat Who Didn't Believe in 'What-ifs' by Oki Eiko, and The Tomorrow I Want to See with Kako: A Time-Loop Romantic Comedy by KNOTS. The light novels are Goetia Shock by Dokuzu Kento with art by Nekosuke Ookuma, and Wandmaker of the Ruined World by Hagane Kurodome with art by Kayahara. Pendulum and Good Night, My Little Bird will appear under the publisher's mature-rated BL label. Pendulum is a companion story to Remnant: The Beastmen Omegaverse Saga, already available from Seven Seas. The Cat Who Didn't Believe in 'What-ifs' began as a popular webcomic and will receive its first English print edition. Goetia Shock will be a digital-only release on the Airship imprint. The Tomorrow I Want to See with Kako carries a release date of January 2027 in the press release and March 2027 on social media. Pricing for the print volumes ranges from $15.99 to $16.99 in the United States.