Dengeki Hobby Web highlighted Shueisha Kindle manga releasing on July 17, 2026. The roundup includes One Punch Man Vol. 37, The 100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really, REALLY Love You Vol. 26, Junket Bank Vol. 22, and additional titles such as Noa-senpai wa Tomodachi. Vol. 11, Mokkori Hanbei 13, Diamond no Kōzai 10, and Shadow House 22.
Sega released the Ver.4.5 update for Persona 5: The Phantom X, adding a summer event where the Phantom Thieves run a beach house. The update also introduces a new ★5 character, Minami (Beach Flower), a Blessing attribute support unit. The event runs until July 30, with a pickup contract for the new character available until August 13.
TAITO is releasing approximately 60 cm tall plushies of Haruhi Suzumiya, Mikuru Asahina, and Yuki Nagato from The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya as part of its Dokyūto Puchi series. Pre-orders open July 24 through August 31 at TAITO GEAR & GOODS, with each priced at 22,000 yen and shipping scheduled for January 2027.
Kodansha will release a slate of digital manga on July 22, 2026, including the final volume of Space Brothers in a special edition with a booklet and recap map, the latest volume of Medalist featuring the JGP Final, and several other ongoing series from its Morning, Afternoon, and Comic DAYS imprints.
thatgamecompany released the interactive experience 'Dear Van Gogh: To Dearly Beloved Van Gogh' within Sky: Children of the Light, available from July 17, 2026. A limited-time pop-up event at the former Sanzenri site in Shibuya runs from August 4 to August 11, featuring free exhibits and a reservation-required wheat field installation.
Komugiko 2000 will hold a solo exhibition 'POP QUEST' at Harajuku Space from August 22 to 31, 2026. Advance tickets cost 1,500 yen; same-day tickets are 1,800 yen. The show features illustrations from 2016 to 2026, including newly drawn works and the manga 'Ghost Teller', plus hands-on animation projects. Limited-edition goods and an exhibition catalog will be sold on site.
The 2000 CG anime 'Popee the Performer' will receive a DVD re-release with the same sparkly hologram packaging as the original 26 years ago. An early sale begins August 11 at the Shibuya Cine Quint merchandise corner during a special event, with general retail shipments starting August 17. The series is a silent comedy known for its absurdist black humor and strong visual impact.
Akita Shoten is running a sale on Amazon Kindle, offering individual volumes of ten manga series for 99 yen each. The lineup includes NIGHTMARE MAKER, Children of the Whales, Batchi Batchi, Tsubaki Night Club, Yaniz, Ippon!, Yakyu Shiyouze!, Harigane Service ACE, Vanitas, and Hakoiri. The discounts apply to both single volumes and complete sets.
Nana Saejima held a release event July 5 at Sofmap AKIBA for her 3rd DVD Nikkan Sessha 2, the second installment of Takeshobo's close-up series. The 141-minute disc includes a reverse bunny maid outfit, a first for her. She also discussed a 4th DVD due August 10.
GIGABYTE is holding a free exhibition at eSports Studio AKIBA in Akihabara from July 17 to 20, displaying legacy products from its 40-year history alongside current gaming PCs and displays. A 40th anniversary board with NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang's signature is on show. A talk session on July 18 features cosplayer Kasho Roshieru and technical writers.
tinyBuild and Scythe Dev Team released the sequel to the 2021 horror game 'Happy's Humble Burger Farm' on July 16. The game retails for 1,400 yen with a 20% launch discount. It adds up to four-player online co-op and voice recognition that reacts to spoken words. A launch trailer is available.
Real Akiba Communications' creative label METEORA GRAVITY will open an official shop on the BOOTH marketplace on July 17, 2026. The store will sell limited merchandise from illustrators including Keigo Inoue, Haltask, Yuta ONE, BerryVerrine, Nugosu desu ga., misa, and sashimi, with items released sequentially in response to fan requests.
Good Smile Company is reissuing three items from its THE Gattai series based on The Brave of Legend Da-Garn: THE Gattai Da-Garn X, THE Gattai Ga-Oon, and THE Gattai The Brave of Legend Display Base Set. The reissues are scheduled for release in December 2026. Da-Garn X, a combining toy that recreates the anime's combination, is priced at 24,900 yen.
Amazon's Merch on Demand has launched a new line of Star Wars: The Mandalorian apparel featuring a Grogu and matcha design. The collection includes T-shirts, sweatshirts, hoodies, zip hoodies, and long sleeve T-shirts in a variety of colors and sizes, with prices ranging from ¥2,400 to ¥4,550.
REHATCH announced a new data integration function for its marketing AI OS ENSOR. The tool automatically integrates data from Google Ads, Meta Ads, GA4, and BigQuery, letting users analyze causes of performance deterioration and next actions via chat without switching between management screens.
The Dragon Quest 40th anniversary event in Harajuku features a VR ride where participants mount a killer panther in a 360-degree adventure. The press preview revealed a setup using Meta Quest 3 headsets and a pre-show briefing, with groups of up to 16 experiencing the ride simultaneously.
MSI's Cyborg 15 gaming laptop, featuring a translucent cyberpunk-inspired design, is on limited-time sale at Amazon Japan for 229,800 yen, an 8% discount from its regular 249,800 yen. The laptop packs a Core 7 240H CPU, GeForce RTX 5060 GPU, 16GB DDR5 RAM, 1TB SSD, and a 15.6-inch FHD 144Hz display.
GOKKO Co., Ltd. begins distributing the vertical short drama 'I Married a DQN Star' on the POPCORN app on July 17, 2026. The 30-episode revenge suspense series follows housewife Azusa as she takes life-threatening revenge against a community that justifies violence as 'bonds of friendship.' Harui Takahashi stars as Azusa, with Jo Kanda as her husband Yuki. Shinpei Yamasaki directs from a script by Risa Ogi.
The Matsuo Institute, a research organization affiliated with the University of Tokyo, has joined Noetra's project to develop a domestic multimodal foundation model. The project is part of a Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and NEDO initiative for AI robots and physical AI.
ASUS Japan announced the TUF Gaming Gold EVO series of 80 PLUS Gold certified power supplies on July 16, with sales starting July 17. The lineup includes 1200W and 1000W full-modular models, supporting ATX 3.1 and PCIe 5.1. Features include military-grade capacitors, dual ball bearing fans, conformal coating, and an 8-year warranty, targeting high-reliability gaming builds.
MSI Computer Japan announced on July 17 that it will launch the MAG 325CQPF E18 gaming monitor on July 24. The monitor features a 31.5-inch 1000R curved RAPID VA panel with WQHD resolution (2560x1440), a 180Hz refresh rate, and a 0.5ms GTG response time. The curvature is designed to match the natural field of view, making it easier to see screen edges without shifting focus, which MSI says helps maintain concentration during long sessions. The price is expected to be around 47,100 yen. The monitor supports FreeSync, Night Vision, and AI Vision to reduce stuttering and improve visibility in dark scenes. It also includes PIP and PBP modes for multitasking, such as displaying a game console and PC simultaneously. Eye-care features include anti-flicker and blue light reduction. The MAG 325CQPF E18 is part of MSI's MAG series, aimed at gamers who want both immersion and fast response for genres like FPS and racing games.
SFB Games released the mystery adventure game 'The Mermaid Mask' for Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC via Steam on July 17. The PS5 version is expected later. The game is a new point-and-click entry in the Detective Grimoire series, set on a hand-drawn submarine where the captain is murdered in a perfect locked room. The only clue is an ancient stone cauldron. Players examine 3D clues and interrogate an eccentric crew.
DataSection has started delivery of GPU servers equipped with the NVIDIA B300 to Japan's first AI data center, which is being prepared for operation. The servers were acquired from Compal Electronics. Construction of interiors and facilities is largely complete, and installation is proceeding. The company plans to accelerate AI data center construction in Japan and the Asia-Pacific region.
The LANA Project, which is working on computer verification of Inter-universal Teichmüller (IUT) theory, published an interim report on July 17, 2026. The report states that the project continues to withhold judgment on whether the abc conjecture has been proved by IUT theory, and points out unclear points in the derivation of Corollary 3.12 from Theorem 3.11. The project aims to refine remaining issues and translate them into Lean code.
Sony will loan prototype aibo units and development tools to the University of Tokyo and UC Berkeley for research on robots that live with humans. The units will be exhibited at SIGGRAPH 2026. Sony aims to gather feedback from researchers and developers to inform future aibo products and services. General sales of the prototypes have not been disclosed.
The Consumer Affairs Agency announced on July 14 that a fire occurred in April with the recalled Soundcore 3 Bluetooth speaker by Anker Japan. The incident on April 24, 2026, burned the product and its surroundings. The cause is under investigation, and its relation to the recall reason is unknown. The agency urges users who have not yet responded to the recall to stop using the speaker and contact Anker Japan.
GPU cloud services company Highreso has signed an agreement with Ayagawa Town in Kagawa Prefecture to provide the grounds of its Ayagawa Town Data Center-a former school-as a temporary evacuation shelter during disasters. The agreement, signed on July 16, 2026, addresses local residents' requests for a high-ground evacuation site following the 2004 Typhoon No. 23 flood.
NHK has added six actors to the cast of its special period drama "Zenigata Heiji" starring Kazuya Kamenashi. The newcomers portray members of the traveling troupe Hanakage-sha and shogunate officials who hold the key to the story. The 89-minute special airs August 21 on NHK One and will be streamed on NHK Plus.
SAMANSA's original short film 'THE KEEPER' has been selected for the BlackStar Film Festival and the Telluride Horror Show. The 23-minute horror film, co-directed by Tananarive Due and Steven Barnes, is an adaptation of their graphic novel. BlackStar is an Academy Award-qualifying festival, making the film eligible for Oscar nomination if it wins the short film award. The Telluride Horror Show is a leading North American genre festival. The film stars Jonelle Allen and Jolyne Kanama.
MSI Japan will release the Cubi NUC AI+ 3MG-026JP mini PC on July 24, 2026, priced around 241,000 yen. The Copilot+ PC runs Windows 11 Pro and features an Intel Core Ultra 5 322 processor, support for up to four displays via Thunderbolt 4 and HDMI 2.1, dual 2.5G LAN, fingerprint authentication, and TPM 2.0. It is designed for business use with AI assistant functions and security features.
Cohh Co., Ltd. announced the RAMEN TECH Global Summit 2026, an international business matching event in Fukuoka on October 7-8. Part of the larger RAMEN TECH 2026 week, the summit aims to connect startups, investors, and companies from Japan and abroad. Recruitment for exhibitors and sponsorship partners opened today. The event will feature 1-on-1 matching, booth exhibitions, and pitch contests.
Visual Arts, owner of Key, announced the PC novel game 'Sayagatari - Yōtō no Yakusoku -' for September 25 release. The download version is priced at 990 yen, a special launch price, and the first-run limited package is 4,950 yen. The opening movie, cast, and a signing event with illustrator Riichu were also revealed.
MAYA TECHNOLOGIES GROUP launched the Education Support Project on July 17, 2026. For every five WORXHUB electronic blackboards installed by a company in Miyagi Prefecture, one unit will be donated to prefectural schools. As a first step, an advance donation of one unit will be made, with a ceremony on July 31, 2026. The project aims to support ICT in education and expand nationwide.
Sega Fave has opened entries for the regional preliminaries of the 4th official national tournament for Initial D THE ARCADE, the Road Strongest Decisive Battle 4th. The competition features three divisions-2-car battle, 4-car battle, and time trial-plus a new tag team event, the Double Ace Cup. Regional events run from August 2026 to January 2027 across seven locations, with the finals scheduled for March 2027. A new local bracket system expands access for the 2-car battle division.
Beyondge has launched "Beyondge CAIO Studio," a service that pairs an external Chief AI Officer with internal candidates for 12 months to simultaneously implement AI strategy and train the company's own CAIO. The service aims to address the shortage of AI management talent by combining external expertise with internal development, avoiding the common problem of consultants leaving no lasting capability.
Kyoto Tachibana University and creative studio KiQ have launched a joint research project exploring human-robot coexistence through physicality, interaction, and spatial experience. The first result is a quadruped robot prototype named "AUN dog," inspired by the Japanese "Aun" and "Komainu" concepts. The robot is designed to sense each other, the environment, and people, sharing a unified breath. The project includes ICOMA as a co-creator. The prototype will debut at Akane Kikuchi's solo exhibition "Inochi no Shosa" in Tokyo from July 18 to 26, 2026.
Ten works from the Odoru Daisousasen franchise are being released on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray and standard Blu-ray, with AI-based noise reduction applied to all masters. Six films arrive on August 26, while the TV series and three specials debut on Blu-ray for the first time in September. The releases coincide with the new film opening September 18.
Bandai has announced the second edition of The Battle Cats CHOCOBOX, a candy toy set containing 10 figure charms and chocolate biscuits. Pre-orders begin July 17, 2026, at Premium Bandai for 5,390 yen. The set includes figures of Mohican Cat, Bird Cat, Ninja Cat, and seven other cat types. Shipment is scheduled for January 2027.
Anime Feminist's review of the first two episodes of Draw This, Then Die! praises the series for its balance of gentle comedy and honest depiction of burnout. The series follows Ai Yasumi, who discovers her favorite manga artist lives in her town and seeks to learn from her. Directed by Hiroaki Akagi and written by Hiroko Fukuda, the show uses publisher permission to name actual manga like Doraemon. The reviewer notes it is not a top-tier watch but is a solid hobby show.
PKSHA Infinity's AI meeting minutes tool YOMEL won first place in the Meeting Minutes Creation Tool category of IT Trend's First Half 2026 Ranking. The category was newly established for the ranking. YOMEL also took top positions in the large-scale, medium-scale, and rising subcategories. The ranking is based on user inquiries from January to May 2026.
GIGABYTE released four new AORUS INFINITY series graphics cards on July 17, 2026, featuring NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080, 5070 Ti, and 5070 GPUs. The lineup includes two RTX 5080 models, one with a wood-grain design, plus RTX 5070 Ti and RTX 5070 variants. Prices range from 178,000 yen to 329,800 yen. All cards use the WINDFORCE HYPERBURST cooling system and come with a four-year warranty. A 40th anniversary campaign offers QUO cards for simultaneous motherboard and GPU purchases.
Tsugaru General Hospital in Aomori Prefecture, a region with a 39% aging rate and a severe doctor shortage, has introduced the patient co-creation platform MediOS. The system handles video explanations, electronic medical interviews, and consent forms, integrating with electronic medical records and LINE. The hospital aims to reduce administrative paperwork and let medical staff focus on core work.
Canon's varioPRINT iX1700 commercial printing press received the top Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Award, and the Aquilion Rise CT scanner won the Japan Design Promotion Association Award in the 56th Machine Industry Design Award IDEA. It is the third time in two consecutive years the Canon Group has taken the top prize. The press is a high-speed inkjet digital press, and the CT scanner supports standing and sitting exams.
Assist You has installed 12 AI KIDs cameras at Higashihama, Nishihama, and Tsujido beaches in Enoshima, Kanagawa Prefecture, starting July 1, 2026. The system uses person-detection AI to reduce false alarms and operates 24/7 with infrared night vision and two-way communication. The deployment follows a 2025 pilot at Katase Nishihama with three cameras.
INSPAY Co., Ltd. demonstrated stablecoin payments on the Sui blockchain at WebX 2026 in Tokyo, using vending machines and a crane game. Over two days, 470 payments were made using USDC and USDsui via the Slush wallet, with sub-second confirmations and no gas fees. The company called it Japan's first public demo of stablecoin payments on Sui for physical stores, part of a strategic collaboration with Mysten Labs.
Genkosha will hold the CREATORS EDGE 2026 exhibition and seminar for video and photo creators on September 29, 2026, at TODA HALL & CONFERENCE TOKYO. Admission is free. The theme is 'Spark in Sync.' The event features 12 seminars and 2 workshops, with advance registration required. Early registrants before August 31 receive back issues of Commercial Photo and Video Salon magazines.
Amazon is running a 50% points back sale on the Kindle edition of Mitsuteru Yokoyama's manga Romance of the Three Kingdoms. All 42 volumes are available as a bundle for 30,492 yen, with 15,246 points awarded. The promotion runs until July 20. Other Yokoyama historical manga, including Xiang Yu and Liu Bang, Water Margin, and Records of the Grand Historian, are also part of the sale.
SpaceX attempted the second launch of its Starship V3 rocket on July 16 but aborted immediately after booster ignition. Elon Musk said some engines failed to start, triggering an automatic abort. Two Raptor engines will be replaced, and the next launch is set for early next week. The test was the first since SpaceX's IPO in June.
Truth Social plans to launch a paid API in August 2026 that will provide real-time access to posts from 10 influential accounts, including President Trump. The service targets news organizations and financial institutions, with additional fees for broader account access. TMTG will block unauthorized scraping. Critics call the arrangement a conflict of interest.
Okta's Enterprise AI Index, based on anonymized access data from over 20,000 organizations from June 2022 to June 2026, ranks the fastest-growing AI applications. Anthropic leads with a benchmark score of 100, followed by OpenAI (66.9), Google Workspace (59.8), and GitHub (56.6). The data shows Anthropic overtook OpenAI in enterprise accounts in March 2026 and in monthly active users the following month. The report also identifies a shift from chat-based tools to autonomous AI agents, with 57% of enterprises now using two or more AI platforms.