Banpresto is releasing two TinyTAN monitor top figures of SUGA and j-hope in DNA outfits. Both are crane game prizes sized at roughly 16 cm, with a logo base included and a 2-way spec that allows display on a monitor or desk. The figures are scheduled for sequential release from Thursday, August 27, 2026, under the BANDAI SPIRITS Banpresto brand.
Anime! Anime! reader poll for 2026 summer anime ending themes ran July 16-23, with sequels and second cours drawing the most votes. The ED for "Bungo Stray Dogs Wan! 2" took first place, followed by "Yomi no Tsugai" second cour and "That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime Season 4" second cour.
This week's new game releases in Japan and North America are headlined by two major titles on August 20: the soulslike action RPG Mortal Shell II and the remake STEINS;GATE RE:BOOT. Mortal Shell II launches on Steam, PS Store, and Xbox Store for 6,480 yen, with Devout Edition early access starting August 17. It is set in a ruined world where the corpse of a fallen goddess became the foundation of faith; players become a Harbinger who dons the remains of warriors called Shells to inherit their abilities, combat styles, and memories. STEINS;GATE RE:BOOT is a complete remake of the 2009 Xbox 360 original, with characters, backgrounds, and event stills redrawn from line art and all in-game voices re-recorded. It is based on the STEINS;GATE ELITE scenario with adjusted pacing, and costs 6,380 yen on Steam, PS Store, and My Nintendo Store. Other notable releases this week include The Sinking City 2 and Starsand Island on August 18, plus Bubble Bobble Sugar Dungeon Boost and RyzaChat: AI Ryza on August 20.
The August 15 broadcast of BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War episode 44, titled "THE PERFECT CRIMSON," brought two long-awaited bankai reveals. Kenpachi Zaraki unleashed his bankai for the first time, cutting down Gerald Valkyrie in a single strike after a vision of Yachiru Kusajishi urged him to use her power. Toshiro Hitsugaya reached his complete bankai, Daiguren Hyorinmaru, and his body aged into an adult form. The adult Hitsugaya is voiced by Yuki Kaji, replacing Romi Park, who has voiced the character since the original series. Kaji said in a comment that he auditioned multiple times under Tite Kubo's supervision, prepared by rereading the manga and listening to Park's performance, and recorded alongside Park, who told him his performance felt right. Fans on social media praised the visual and vocal shift, with reactions calling the casting luxurious and the transition from Park to Kaji a highlight. Episode 45 airs August 22.
Square Enix will release a sightseeing guidebook for Final Fantasy XIV on October 16, 2026, priced at 1,980 yen including tax. Titled 'Final Fantasy XIV Eorzea Sightseeing Guide: La Noscea / The Black Shroud / Thanalan / Mor Dhona,' the book covers the game's setting of Eorzea across four regions. It introduces basic knowledge for sightseeing in each area, such as the sea, forest, and desert, along with recommended activities and local cuisine. The guide also includes themed tour proposals, including ruins, ghost tours, and scenic spot tours. A special feature titled 'Play to Your Heart's Content! The Complete Gold Saucer Guide' is included. Reservations are now being accepted at the Square Enix e-STORE. The book is part of a broader release of Final Fantasy XIV merchandise on the same date, including five apparel items from the Lit Bāff Apt. brand, such as kung-fu track jackets inspired by Doman mahjong and a Sugar Riot sweatshirt.
Bandai's adult-oriented CSG brand is releasing the Flame Saber from Kamen Rider Agito Flame Form. The weapon measures about 90 centimeters, roughly 155 percent larger than the DX toy version. It includes a one-touch expansion gimmick, attack sounds, and a dialogue mode featuring Shouichi Tsugami's voice. Orders close September 27.
MegaHouse adds Toshiro Hitsugaya and Shinji Hirako to its Lucaffe figure series, based on the TV anime BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War. Both figures release in February 2027, individually or as a Premium Bandai set with an exclusive mini zabuton bonus.
Shikao Suga will perform the opening and ending theme songs for the television anime of Midori Satō's Horror Collector novel series. The anime debuts on NHK General in October. Suga wrote both songs.
Nijimen published the results of a reader satisfaction poll for the 2026 spring anime season, conducted from July 2 to 16 with 696 votes. Yomi no Tsugai, the latest work by Hiromu Arakawa, ranked first with 75 votes, followed by Nihon Sangoku and Dr.STONE: Science Future 3rd Cour. The top 10 also included Ganbare! Nakamura-kun!!, Akane-banashi, and others.
The Amazon Kindle manga bestseller ranking for July 10, 2026, shows Hunter x Hunter volume 39 holding the top spot for a second consecutive week. New volumes of Yomi no Tsugai, Mahōi Rex no Hentai Karute, and The Fable: The Third Secret chart alongside other popular series. Pre-order and sale titles are also noted.
The August issue of Shueisha's Ribon magazine announced on July 3 that manga authors Nana Haruta and maki will launch a new manga titled Sugarless Romance in the magazine's September issue on August 3. Haruta is credited for the original story, and maki is drawing the manga. Haruta previously ended her Tsubasa to Hotaru manga in 2017. The love comedy centers on first year high school student Aoi Nanase, who is determined to have a wonderful high school romance.
Dengeki Hobby Web reports the July 3, 2026 Amazon Kindle manga bestseller list. Hunter x Hunter Monochrome Vol. 39 takes first place, with the color edition Vol. 38 at 17th. Other top sellers include Ossan Kensē Vol. 9 and Blue Giant Momentum Vol. 8. Pre-order titles like Yomi no Tsugai Vol. 13 and Tearmoon Empire @COMIC Vol. 12 also appear.
The staff for the television anime of Hiromu Arakawa's Daemons of the Shadow Realm manga released the main promotional video, key visual, and theme song details for the second cour on Sunday. Kei Sugawara performs the ending theme song "Kujaku" (Peacock), while Masanori Otoda provides the opening theme song "back shot." The second cour debuts on July 4. The anime, directed by Masahiro Ando at Bones Film, premiered on April 4 and is set to run for two consecutive cours. Crunchyroll streams the series with a same-day English dub. The cast includes Kensho Ono as Yuru, Yume Miyamoto as Asa, Yuichi Nakamura as Dera, and Misaki Kuno as Gabu-chan. Noboru Takagi oversees series scripts, Nobuhiro Arai handles character design and chief animation direction, and Kenichiro Suehiro composes the music. Arakawa launched the manga in Square Enix's Monthly Shonen Gangan in December 2021, with the 13th volume releasing July 10.
The key visual, main PV, and theme song artists for the second cour of the Yomi no Tsugai TV anime have been revealed. The cour will air from July 4. The opening theme is "back shot" by Masanori Onda, and the ending theme is "Kujaku" by Kei Sugawara.
Lump of Sugar announced a re-production project for its 2005 bishoujo game Nursery Rhyme, with a crowdfunding campaign launching June 26. The project aims to bring the game to Nintendo Switch and PC, with a remaster at 100% funding and a full remake at 500% funding. The original game is difficult to play due to age and lack of modern support.
Director Yuki Kobayashi has completed filming on his first feature film in five years, 'The Sugar Baby', set in Kabukicho. The film stars Midori Nagatsuki as a girl who takes money from men and Kojin Serizawa as the man she targets. Kobayashi stated the film is not a direct adaptation of the 'Itadaki Girls Riri-chan' incident.
The anime adaptation of Hiromu Arakawa's manga Daemons of the Shadow Realm (Yomi no Tsugai) has released its first preview for the 9th episode, which airs on May 30, 2026. The series debuted on April 4, 2026, and streams on Crunchyroll. The manga, which began in 2021, has over three million copies in circulation. The anime is directed by Masahiro Ando with scripts by Noboru Takagi, character designs by Nobuhiro Arai, and animation production by Bones Film. The Japanese cast includes Kensho Ono as Yuru, Yume Miyamoto as Asa, Yuichi Nakamura as Dera, and others. The opening theme is "Tobu Toki" by Vandy, and the ending theme is "Tobo Yo" by yama. In a separate interview, English dub voice actors Ben Stegmair (Yuru) and Molly Zhang (Asa) discussed their approaches to the roles, with Stegmair noting he plays three distinct versions of Yuru and Zhang describing how she used a different voice for the fake Asa.
The anime adaptation of the manga series Kamiina Botan Yoeru Sugata wa Yuri no Hana, localized as Botan Kamiina Fully Blossoms When Drunk, has released the clean version of its sixth episode ending theme sequence. The series, which premiered on April 10, 2026, is produced by Soigne with direction by Takashi Sakuma and scripts by Yoko Yonaiyama. The show follows college freshman Kamiina Botan, who becomes tipsy after a drink at a dorm welcome party and develops a relationship with her RA, Ibuki Tonami. The Japanese voice cast includes Sayumi Suzushiro as Botan, Yoshino Aoyama as Ibuki, Minako Kotobuki as Kanade Gujyo, Yurina Amami as Akane Yusa, and Maki Kawase as Chang Chin-lan. The series is streaming on Crunchyroll. The clean ending theme release follows similar clean versions for previous episodes, continuing a pattern of weekly post-episode uploads.
The staff for the television anime of Hiromu Arakawa's Daemons of the Shadow Realm confirmed two new cast members on May 16. Kappei Yamaguchi voices Hikaru Kagemori, and Yoshiko Sakakibara voices Kai. Both characters debuted in the seventh episode, which aired in Japan on the same day. The anime premiered on April 4 on Tokyo MX, BS11, Gunma TV, and Tochigi TV, and is set to run for two consecutive cours. Crunchyroll streams the series with a same-day English dub. Masahiro Ando directs at Bones Film, with Noboru Takagi overseeing series scripts and Nobuhiro Arai handling character designs. Kenichiro Suehiro composes the music. Vaundy performs the opening theme "Tobu Toki," and yama performs the ending theme "Tobo yo." The manga, which Arakawa launched in Monthly Shonen Gangan in December 2021, has 12 compiled volumes as of March 2026. Square Enix Manga & Books publishes the English edition. The story follows twins Yuru and Asa, separated at a young age, who must reunite and claim their birthright over powerful entities called Daemons.