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Jax

Manga Anime, News

Young Ladies Don’t Play Fighting Games Is Now on Crunchyroll — With Street Fighter 6

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Episode 1 of Young Ladies Don’t Play Fighting Games is live on Crunchyroll today — and it is already the most fun gaming-anime crossover of the Summer 2026 season. The series follows Aya Mitsuki and Mio Yorue, two students at the ultra-refined Kuromi Girls’ Academy where video games are strictly off-limits, as they discover a shared, very unladylike obsession: locking in at the highest levels of a fighting game tournament. The twist that has everyone talking? The anime swapped out its source manga’s fictional game entirely and integrated real footage from Street Fighter 6.

Young Ladies Don’t Play Fighting Games | Official Trailer — via Crunchyroll on YouTube

From Tea Ceremonies to Ranked Matches

Kuromi Girls’ Academy is the kind of school where grace is a subject and composure is non-negotiable — which makes it the perfect setting for a comedy about girls who unwind by rage-quitting fighting games behind closed doors. The manga by Eri Ejima, serialised in Monthly Comic Flapper under Media Factory, has been running since January 2020 and now spans 10 volumes, with volume 11 arriving on July 22. Seven Seas Entertainment publishes the English version for readers here in Singapore who want to follow along in print.

The anime is produced by Studio Diomedéa and directed by Shōta Ihata, with series scripts handled by Wataru Watari — the writer behind My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU — lending the show a sharp, character-driven comic edge. Early reviewer Ken Pueyo at Anime Corner called it a show where “you don’t need to be a fan of fighting games to like this one,” praising the premiere for finding something genuinely funny in the gap between the girls’ outward elegance and their secret intensity at the controller.

Young Ladies Don't Play Fighting Games main visual showing all five characters in character-select screen style
Image courtesy of Diomedéa / Kadokawa

Street Fighter 6 Takes the Stage

In the source manga, the characters play a fictional game called Iron Senpai 4. For the anime, Capcom and the production team reached an agreement to replace it entirely with in-game footage from Street Fighter 6 — meaning every match the characters play on-screen is actual SF6 gameplay. The character assignments are: Aya mains Cammy, Mio mains Ryu, Yū specialises with Ken, and Tamaki runs Juri. For anyone who has spent serious time in SF6’s ranked mode, watching school-uniformed ojou-samas execute those framedata-perfect inputs is a very specific kind of joy.

The collaboration — officially branded Street Fighter × 対ありでした。 — gives the show a production value boost while keeping it immediately readable for viewers who have never touched a fighting game. The SF6 sections are rendered cleanly enough that non-players can follow the action, while fans will catch the small mechanical choices that tell you exactly how serious these girls really are.

Street Fighter × Young Ladies Don't Play Fighting Games official collaboration key visual
Image courtesy of Capcom / Diomedéa

Cast, Music, and Where to Watch in Singapore

The voice cast is stacked: Ikumi Hasegawa leads as Aya, Kana Ichinose — who impressed many in Sword Art Online: Alicization as Alice — voices Mio, with Sayaka Senbongi, Shino Shimoji, and Maria Naganawa filling out the rest of the main group. The opening theme “Inochi Mijikashi Tai Suru Otome yo!” is performed by Hanabie. (fresh off a strong year of anime tie-ups), and Halca handles the ending with “New Game.”

Aya from Young Ladies Don't Play Fighting Games alongside Street Fighter 6 key art
Image courtesy of Diomedéa / Capcom

Young Ladies Don’t Play Fighting Games is streaming on Crunchyroll with new episodes dropping every Tuesday. Episode 1 is available right now for Singapore viewers — no geo-block issues to worry about, since Crunchyroll covers SEA. If the SF6 integration or the premise sounds remotely interesting, the first episode is a confident hook. Check out more anime coverage on GameTrader for everything streaming in Singapore this season.

Manga Anime

Cyberpunk: Edgerunners 2 Is Coming to Netflix This Fall — New Crew, Same Night City

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Four years after the original Cyberpunk: Edgerunners shattered hearts and set the bar for game-to-anime adaptations, the follow-up is finally real. Studio Trigger has confirmed Cyberpunk: Edgerunners 2 for a Fall 2026 release on Netflix — and Singapore fans who caught the first series on Netflix here will be right at home picking this one up.

Cyberpunk Edgerunners 2 key visual featuring Weak in Night City
Image courtesy of Netflix / CD PROJEKT RED

New Edgerunners, Familiar Night City

This is a fully standalone story — no need to have seen the first series, though it absolutely helps with the emotional weight. The new season introduces an entirely fresh cast navigating Night City’s darkest corners. At the centre are two characters: Weak, a washed-up cyberpunk legend forced to exist without his chrome, and D, a deadly nomad locked onto a path of revenge. Also in the crew: young cinephile Roman Carax, who came to Night City searching for real stories, and Talia Yang, a corpo woman whose heart belongs to chrome and violence. The series is described as “a raw chronicle of redemption and revenge” running across ten episodes.

Returning to the creative chair is Kai Ikarashi as director, with Ichigo Kanno handling character designs and a screenplay by Bartosz Sztybor (CD PROJEKT RED) and Masahiko Otsuka.

Cyberpunk: Edgerunners 2 | Official Teaser #2 — via Netflix on YouTube

The Cure Opening and Rico Nasty — Two Very Different Vibes

Studio Trigger’s Anime Expo 2026 panel turned heads when it was revealed that the opening theme for Edgerunners 2 will be The Cure’s 1979 post-punk track “10:15 Saturday Night” — a choice that sounds odd on paper but landed well with the crowd. Meanwhile, rapper Rico Nasty wrote an original track, “You Can’t Run From Me”, exclusively for the show; it opens the second teaser trailer and is already streaming. Two very different sonic palettes for a show that looks set to be equally unpredictable.

D, a new character in Cyberpunk Edgerunners 2, in a close-up action shot
Image courtesy of Netflix / CD PROJEKT RED

Anime Expo Screening and What Singapore Fans Need to Know

Attendees at Anime Expo 2026 on 3 July got the first look at the premiere episode in an exclusive screening — by all accounts the reaction was intense. CD PROJEKT RED and Netflix have not announced an exact premiere date beyond “Fall 2026”; with Netflix Korea having reportedly listed a potential 20 October window, that timeframe feels plausible, though nothing is confirmed.

Netflix Singapore carries the full Netflix catalogue, so Edgerunners 2 will land here on the same day as everywhere else. If the first series’ run on Netflix Singapore is any guide, expect both English and Japanese audio options at launch.

Cyberpunk Edgerunners 2 official Netflix Fall 2026 poster — CD Projekt RED x Trigger
Image courtesy of Netflix / CD PROJEKT RED

For more anime news and local event coverage, check out our Manga & Anime section.

Game News

DOOM: The Dark Ages — Revelations Launches 8 July for Singapore

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id Software’s first major expansion for DOOM: The Dark Ages — titled Revelations — goes live for Singapore and Southeast Asia on 8 July, with Bethesda’s own ANZ & SEA channel confirming that regional date. The standalone DLC adds a full second campaign of 10 to 12 hours, a brand-new weapon that completely changes how the Slayer moves, and a Metroidvania-style exploration hub — and even players who skip the paid content get a meaningful free update on the same day.

DOOM: The Dark Ages | Revelations — Official Trailer (4K) | Available 8 July — via Bethesda Softworks ANZ & SEA on YouTube

The Slayer Goes to Purgatory

Revelations opens with the Doom Slayer betrayed, stripped of his familiar armour and arsenal, and cast into a mental purgatory. The only way out is by confronting haunting truths alongside a mysterious ally, and ultimately fighting an abomination of the gods to set his followers on the path to freedom. It is a more inward-facing story than the base game’s medieval siege warfare, though id Software promises the combat intensity stays as brutal as ever. The campaign breaks down to roughly 60% main story and 40% endgame exploration.

Combat scene in the Hell's Core snowfield in DOOM: The Dark Ages Revelations
Image courtesy of Bethesda Softworks

The Chain Spear: A Weapon That Makes the Slayer Fly

The expansion’s headline addition is the Chain Spear, which replaces the Shield in the Slayer’s off hand. It can fire, grapple to enemies, tether the Slayer to orbit around a target while he blasts away freely, and uses a z-targeting lock-on system that game director Hugo Martin compared to the lock-on in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. Martin told Xbox Wire: “We’re going to make the tanky Dark Ages Slayer fly. You’ll feel like a monster truck with a jet engine strapped to your back.” On paper, it sounds like the single biggest shift to Dark Ages combat since launch.

New Enemies and Remixed Classic Levels

Revelations adds new enemy types including the Buzzsaw — a hulking robot knight — alongside a redesigned Archvile. The Metroidvania hub between missions is also where things get interesting for long-time fans: it incorporates reworked layouts from original Doom and Doom II levels, rebuilt with modern materials and lighting. Whether that reads as fan service or clever nostalgia will depend on your vintage.

The Buzzsaw, a new robot knight enemy in DOOM: The Dark Ages Revelations
Image courtesy of Bethesda Softworks

Ripatorium 3.0: Free for Every Dark Ages Owner

Even if the DLC does not appeal, a free Ripatorium 3.0 update arrives on the same day for all DOOM: The Dark Ages owners. It overhauls the game’s customisable arena challenge mode with deeper configuration options, improved passcode sharing, and personal preset saves. No purchase required.

The atmospheric Metroidvania hub area in DOOM: The Dark Ages Revelations
Image courtesy of Bethesda Softworks

Price and Where to Get It in Singapore

DOOM: The Dark Ages | Revelations is available on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam and Battle.net. The standalone DLC is priced at USD $19.99; players with the Premium Edition or the Collector’s Bundle already have it included at no extra cost. Check the PlayStation Store and Steam Singapore storefronts for local SGD pricing. The base game is available on Xbox Game Pass, but note that the Revelations expansion is a paid add-on even for Game Pass subscribers. More July releases in our Game News section.

Game News

Pokémon Plakoro Is Back: Classic Dice Battle Game Launches 18 July

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Remember rolling dice-shaped Pokémon at your friends? Plakoro — Bandai’s legendary 1997 Pokémon dice battle hobby — is making its full comeback on 18 July 2026, 29 years after the original, and it looks better than ever.

Pokémon Plakoro starter sets Bulbasaur Charmander Squirtle Pikachu Eevee Mew
Image courtesy of BANDAI SPIRITS

What Is Pokémon Plakoro?

Plakoro is a tabletop dice battle system built around two component types. Each Charakoro is a six-sided die cast in the likeness of a Pokémon — when you roll it, the face that lands up determines which move fires. Enekoro are energy dice: six-sided cubes printed with elemental symbols (Fire, Water, Grass, Lightning and more) that you assemble yourself using the 18 included element-symbol parts. Combine a roll of your Enekoro with the move cards in your hand and the resulting type matchup plays out instantly — reduce your opponent’s HP dial to zero and you win.

The name fuses Plastic (the Hobby model-kit tradition of BANDAI SPIRITS, which designed this using their modern figure-making technology) with Koro — the Japanese onomatopoeia for a die tumbling across a table. The original game was designed by Tsunekazu Ishihara and Creatures Inc. in 1997; the same development team was reassembled for this 30th Anniversary revival.

【公式】「プラコロ」初公開映像 — via ポケモン公式YouTubeチャンネル on YouTube

Six Starter Sets for Six Iconic Pokémon

The first wave launches with six Starter Sets, each built around one beloved Generation I Pokémon:

  • Bulbasaur
  • Charmander
  • Squirtle
  • Pikachu
  • Eevee
  • Mew

Each set includes one Charakoro Pokémon die, three Enekoro energy dice, 18 elemental symbol parts, a character card, seven move cards, and an HP counter dial. The launch price is ¥500 each (limited initial price; regular ¥990) — roughly S$4.60 at the introductory rate, or S$9.10 at regular retail pricing.

A separate Explorer Box (¥385) lets you add a random Pokémon die to your collection, though it requires a Starter Set to play. A storage case arrives in September 2026 at ¥1,320.

Pokémon Plakoro gameplay dice battle energy dice Enekoro Charakoro
Image courtesy of BANDAI SPIRITS

How a Plakoro Battle Works

Each turn you roll your Charakoro first — the face it lands on shows a move icon and the energy type it requires. Then roll your Enekoro dice; if you land enough energy symbols matching the move’s requirement, the move fires and deals its listed damage to your opponent’s HP dial. Type matchups mirror the main series — Fire beats Grass, Water beats Fire — so the dice-and-cards system carries genuine strategic depth beneath its breezy luck-based surface.

Pokémon Plakoro full board game setup with dice cards and HP dial
Image courtesy of BANDAI SPIRITS

Community play is central to the design. According to the official Famitsu announcement (Japanese), roughly 200 certified stores across Japan will host teaching sessions, casual tournaments, and Battle Challenge competitive events — with promo card packs on offer for participants.

Where to Get It — Japan Exclusive for Now

Pokémon Plakoro Explorer Box random Pokémon die Bandai Spirits
Image courtesy of BANDAI SPIRITS

Plakoro is confirmed for Japan only — there is no international release date and no word yet on whether BANDAI SPIRITS plans to expand distribution to other regions. The official shop opens at Bandai Namco Cross Store Yokohama on 18 July, with a pre-opening experience event running July 10–12. The game will also be sold through the approximately 200 certified community stores nationwide.

For Singapore fans, that means import is the route for now. Starter Sets at ¥500–¥990 are affordable as individual purchases, and forwarder services like Buyee or White Rabbit Express make them very accessible — though you will be paying JP domestic shipping on top. Keep an eye on hobbyist retailers locally who may stock small quantities; no local distributor has been announced as of writing.

Given how strongly the 30th Anniversary angle is being played — and the proven global appetite for Pokémon collectibles — a wider rollout would make commercial sense. Until then, this is a Japan-exclusive pick-up. Follow the official @plakoro_pokepla on X for the latest and check out the latest Pokémon news here for any international release updates.

Event, Manga Anime

One Piece x MINISO Pop-Up Sails Into Suntec City

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Set a course for the Atrium — the One Piece x MINISO pop-up is sailing into Suntec City from 4 to 26 July 2026, and it’s packing Wanted-poster pillows, Den Den Mushi plushies and a whole Grand Line’s worth of Straw Hat merch. This is Singapore’s second One Piece x MINISO drop after last year’s Plaza Singapura debut, and the “2.0” tag means a fresh haul for fans who cleared out the first one.

When and where to find the One Piece MINISO pop-up

The pop-up takes over the Level 1 Atrium at Suntec City (Tower 1 & 2) for the full stretch of the July school holidays, running 4–26 July 2026. Opening day kicks off at 10am and runs till 10pm, so early birds and after-work shoppers both get a shot at the shelves. Entry is free — you only pay for what you carry out.

The booth itself is a pirate-ship build, complete with a billowing sail flying the One Piece Jolly Roger and life-size standees of the crew flanking the entrance. It’s easily one of the more photogenic anime setups to land in a Singapore mall this year, so bring your phone charged.

Crowds shopping the One Piece x MINISO pop-up store under the giant sail installation
Image courtesy of MINISO

What’s on the shelves

MINISO’s One Piece line draws from the anime’s latest Egghead arc, and the global collection runs to more than 300 officially licensed items covering all ten members of the Straw Hat Crew. The Suntec pop-up carries a big slice of it, so expect everything from grab-and-go keychains to centrepiece plushies.

The headliners are the Wanted-poster cushions — Monkey D. Luffy and Trafalgar Law get their own bounty posters stitched into pillow form — alongside squishy Den Den Mushi (transponder snail) plushies, character tote bags, stainless tumblers and water bottles, printed backpacks, travel neck pillows and mouse pads. Luffy fans should hunt down the signature straw-hat bucket hat.

MINISO One Piece collection flatlay with Wanted-poster pillows, Den Den Mushi plushies, tote bags and backpacks
Image courtesy of MINISO

Collectors get their fix too: stylised chibi figurines, acrylic stands, character badges, holographic trading cards and blind boxes round out the display, plus themed stationery, socks and dining bits like chopstick sets. Chopper, Zoro and Nami all get plenty of love beyond the usual Luffy spotlight — a nice touch for fans whose favourite isn’t the captain.

MINISO One Piece figurines, Devil Fruit plush, acrylic stands, badges and holographic cards
Image courtesy of MINISO

Opening-day deals worth queuing for

MINISO is loading up day one with reasons to show up early. The first 40 shoppers who spend at least $100 on 4 July walk away with a $50-off coupon and an exclusive postcard — a strong nudge if you were already planning a big haul. Throughout the run, paying with ShopBack Pay nets you up to $8 off.

Since you’re already at Suntec, the mall’s own perks stack on top: hit the minimum spend for free or discounted parking, redeem a $5 Suntec+ e-Voucher with $150 spent, and grab mystery dining e-Vouchers with just $20 in a single transaction. It’s a genuinely easy day out to build around — browse the pop-up, then refuel nearby. Keep an eye on Suntec City’s socials for sneak peeks and any gift-with-purchase reveals as the dates get closer.

Part of a global Grand Line tour

Singapore’s stop is one leg of MINISO’s One Piece Global Pop-Up Tour, which has already docked in Hong Kong and is heading on to Thailand, Canada and the United States (New York’s first-ever One Piece pop-up opens at Tangram in Flushing on 26 July), with themed zones also rolling out across Indonesia, Malaysia and Australia. For Southeast Asian fans, the Suntec run is one of the earlier and more complete stops in the region — worth catching before the popular pieces sell through.

MINISO One Piece accessories including Luffy straw hat, character socks, keychains and stickers
Image courtesy of MINISO

If your calendar’s already anime-heavy this month, the timing lines up nicely with AFA’s Creators Super Fest at Suntec Singapore (11–12 July) — an easy double-header for a single trip into town. Hunting for your next fix? Browse our other events and manga & anime coverage.

The One Piece x MINISO 2.0 pop-up runs 4–26 July 2026 at the Suntec City Level 1 Atrium. Set sail before the Wanted pillows hit “sold out.” One Piece ©Eiichiro Oda/Shueisha, Toei Animation.

Event

Pokémon GO Road of Legends: Singapore Raid Guide July 6–10

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The Road of Legends is live in Pokémon GO right now — and if you have not checked your nearby raid gyms yet today, it is time to put that right. Every Legendary Pokémon, Ultra Beast, and Primal ever to feature in five-star raids is back, rotating daily through July 10, with a dedicated Raid Hour tonight at 6pm SGT.

What Is the Road of Legends?

Running from 12:01am on Monday 6 July to 11:59pm on Friday 10 July (local time), the Road of Legends is Niantic’s official hype-up week before Pokémon GO Fest 2026: Global on the weekend of 11–12 July. According to Niantic, it is designed to let trainers stock up on Legendary candy and optimise their raid squads before the biggest Pokémon GO event of the year — and this year GO Fest Global is completely free for all trainers, meaning the whole Singapore community can jump in without spending a cent on a ticket.

Any Pokémon caught from five-star raids between 6 and 12 July has a chance to come with a brand-new Special Background — the new in-game collectible art introduced for GO Fest 2026. That alone makes this the most visually rewarding raid week Pokémon GO has ever run.

Best Legendary Pokemon to Raid for Global GO Fest 2026 — via BrandonTan91 on YouTube

Road of Legends Daily Raid Schedule

Each day brings a different rotation of five-star and Mega raid bosses, with a Raid Hour from 6pm to 7pm every evening (Primal Raid Hour on Friday runs 7pm–8pm instead). Here is the full week:

  • Monday 6 July (Today) — 50+ Legendary Pokémon and Ultra Beasts in five-star raids: the Legendary Birds, Legendary Beasts, Dialga, Palkia (standard formes), Genesect variants, Tapu guardians, and more. Mega Salamence in Mega Raids. Raid Hour: 6–7pm.
  • Tuesday 7 July — White Kyurem, Zekrom, Dawn Wings Necrozma (five-star); Mega Tyranitar (Mega). Raid Hour: 6–7pm.
  • Wednesday 8 July — Black Kyurem, Reshiram, Dusk Mane Necrozma (five-star); Mega Gardevoir (Mega). Raid Hour: 6–7pm.
  • Thursday 9 July — Crowned Sword Zacian, Crowned Shield Zamazenta (five-star); Mega Gengar (Mega). Raid Hour: 6–7pm.
  • Friday 10 July — Origin Forme Dialga, Origin Forme Palkia (five-star); Primal Kyogre and Primal Groudon (Primal Raids). Primal Raid Hour: 7–8pm.

Friday is the crown jewel: Origin Forme Dialga and Origin Forme Palkia are two of the strongest Pokémon in the entire GO meta, and catching either one this week activates the Elite TM window described below.

Elite TM Alert — Spacial Rend and Roar of Time

For a limited window from July 6 through July 12, Trainers can use an Elite Charged TM to teach Origin Forme Palkia the Charged Attack Spacial Rend, or teach Origin Forme Dialga the Charged Attack Roar of Time. Both are the signature moves for each Pokémon and their best-in-slot option for raids and GO Battle League. If you already have either one sitting in your storage from a past event, now is your confirmed window to give them the move they deserve.

Special Backgrounds — A Brand-New Collectible

Pokémon GO Special Background feature showing Darkrai with a unique brush-stroke art backing
Image courtesy of Niantic / The Pokémon Company

Pokémon caught from five-star, Primal, and Mega Raid Battles between 6 and 12 July have a chance to come with a Special Background — a new category of in-game artwork that displays behind your Pokémon on the storage screen. These exist purely as a visual collectible, but they mark your Pokémon as caught during this specific event window in a very visible way. Singapore trainers doing organised raid groups this week will be seeing a lot of them — and missing the window means no Special Background until Niantic brings the feature back for a future event.

All the Event Bonuses Running Through July 12

These bonuses are active from Road of Legends straight through the end of GO Fest Global:

  • No Remote Raid Pass cap — remote-raid with friends in Singapore or anywhere else, as many times as you like.
  • 2 free Raid Passes daily by spinning Photo Discs at Gyms (the usual daily cap is one).
  • Enhanced Premier Ball catch rates after every raid.
  • Faster Party Power charge in raids — co-ordinate your throws and you will land the bonus sooner.
  • Special event stickers from PokéStops and Gifts.

Where Singapore Trainers Should Head Tonight

Raid Hour starts at 6pm SGT every evening this week. The usual hotspots will be busy: gyms along Marina Bay waterfront, the cluster around Dhoby Ghaut MRT, the Botanic Gardens, and Clarke Quay all tend to see organised raid groups during major events. Jewel Changi Airport is a popular indoor option for weekend sessions, especially with the air-conditioning. Check your local Pokémon GO Singapore Telegram or Discord groups for any raid trains forming tonight — Monday’s mass-legendary Raid Hour is the widest one of the week, and five-star raids are easiest when you walk in with a full group of six.

Pokémon GO Mega Mewtwo X and Y making their debut at GO Fest 2026 Global
Image courtesy of Niantic / The Pokémon Company

And here is the final motivation: Mega Mewtwo X and Y make their Pokémon GO world debut at GO Fest Global on 11–12 July. They are the most powerful Mega Evolutions in the game, and this Road of Legends week is your prep time. Get your Legendary candy, secure your Elite TMs, and come back this weekend ready. Check out more Pokémon GO events on GameTrader.

Manga Anime, News

Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle I Hits Crunchyroll on 28 July

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The wait is finally over. Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle I — the record-breaking finale that smashed anime box-office history — begins streaming on Crunchyroll on 28 July 2026, bringing Tanjiro and the Demon Slayer Corps to your screen at long last.

Giyu Tomioka in Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle I
Image courtesy of Aniplex / ufotable

When and Where to Watch Infinity Castle I on Crunchyroll

Crunchyroll confirmed the date officially: 28 July at 8:00 a.m. PT, which lands at 11:00 p.m. SGT the same night. Set your alarms. The film will be available worldwide — excluding Japan and Mainland China — in both Japanese with English subtitles and an English dub. For viewers across Singapore and Southeast Asia, Crunchyroll is also providing subtitles in Thai, Chinese (Traditional), Indonesian, and Melayu, making this one of the most accessible anime film releases for the region to date.

The film is also slated for digital purchase in North America on the same date via Apple TV, Prime Video, Google Play, YouTube, and Fandango. Singapore digital availability is to be confirmed.

The Battle That Broke Records

Tanjiro Kamado in a fight scene in Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle
Image courtesy of Aniplex / ufotable

Infinity Castle I is the first chapter of a three-part cinematic trilogy marking the final showdown of the Demon Slayer saga. Following the Hashira Training Arc, Tanjiro and the Corps are plunged into Muzan Kibutsuji’s stronghold — the Infinity Castle — where the long-anticipated war between Demon Slayer Corps and demons ignites in full.

The film became the highest-grossing anime film of all time upon its theatrical run, earning a Golden Globe nomination for Best Animated Motion Picture, a Producers Guild of America nomination, and a BAFTA longlist spot. Directed by Haruo Sotozaki and animated by ufotable — the same creative team behind the entire TV series — the film is the culmination of over a decade of anime storytelling that began with Tanjiro’s sister Nezuko being turned into a demon.

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle | Dub Trailer — via Crunchyroll on YouTube

What Singapore Fans Need to Know

Scene from Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle
Image courtesy of Aniplex / ufotable

If you have not caught up, now is the perfect time: all episodes of Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba and the Mugen Train film are already streaming on Crunchyroll. Part I runs roughly two and a half hours, so clear your 28 July evening — or catch it just after midnight if you’re staying up for that 11pm SGT premiere. For a look at other anime streaming on the platform, browse our Manga & Anime coverage.

The film is credited: Original story by Koyoharu Gotoge (JUMP COMICS / SHUEISHA). Directed by Haruo Sotozaki. Screenplay and animation production by ufotable. Produced by Aniplex.

Manga Anime, News

BLEACH: The Calamity Premieres 25 July — Ichigo’s Final Battle on Disney+

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Twenty years of serialisation, four anime arcs — and now the finish line. BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War Part 4 — The Calamity premieres on 25 July on Disney+ internationally and Hulu in the US, bringing Ichigo Kurosaki’s saga to its definitive end across 13 final episodes. The full final trailer dropped at Anime Expo 2026 via VIZ Media, and it is everything fans have been building up to.

Final Trailer | BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War Final Part – The Calamity | INTL SUBS | VIZ — via vizmedia on YouTube

Ichigo vs Yhwach — The War Ends Here

Part 4 picks up in the direct aftermath of the Soul King’s fall. With Yhwach having breached the Soul King Palace and unleashed his Almighty power across the Three Worlds, reality itself begins to fracture. The Thirteen Court Guard Squads, surviving Quincy warriors, and Ichigo’s closest allies converge on the Wahr Welt — Yhwach’s transformed Royal Palace — for a series of decisive confrontations, revelations about Uryu’s true allegiance, and one final stand against a being who can rewrite fate itself. The arc adapts manga chapters 664–686, covering the complete endgame of Tite Kubo’s story.

Ichigo reaches for his zanpakuto between crossed blades in BLEACH: The Calamity key art
Image courtesy of Pierrot Films

Theatrical screenings of the first three episodes — in both Japanese with subtitles and English dub — ran in select countries last month, giving some fans an early look. The Disney+ simulcast on 25 July marks the first chance for most of the world, including Singapore, to watch the arc unfold week by week.

Studio Pierrot Returns — With Two New Artists on the Soundtrack

Studio Pierrot continues under director Taguchi Tomohisa, who has helmed every part of the TYBW run since Part 1. Composer Sagisu Shiro returns to score the finale, and Tite Kubo maintains his direct supervisory role over the adaptation — the same combination that earned the series praise for matching and in many scenes exceeding the source material.

The opening theme “I-BULL” is performed by jo0ji, with “Rasen” by 9Lana as the ending. As reported by CBR, Kubo has spoken about his approach to casting theme song artists throughout the run: “I wanted to have as many new artists as possible, hoping audiences would discover musicians through the adaptation.” Both new acts continue that philosophy.

Ichigo's full power on display mid-battle in BLEACH: The Calamity
Image courtesy of Pierrot Films
Yoruichi Shihoin, fierce and ready, in BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War — The Calamity
Image courtesy of Pierrot Films

How Singapore Fans Can Stream The Calamity

BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War Part 4 streams on Disney+ internationally from 25 July 2026, with new episodes dropping weekly. The premiere goes live at 7:30 AM Pacific Time — 10:30 PM SGT on 25 July — so Singapore fans can settle in that Saturday evening for the opening episode. Disney+ is available in Singapore; if you have been keeping up with earlier TYBW parts on the platform, nothing changes on your end.

Ichigo's battle-scarred face, hollow marking visible, in BLEACH: The Calamity final arc
Image courtesy of Pierrot Films

With 13 episodes confirmed, The Calamity is a tight, focused sprint to the finish of a story that began in Weekly Shonen Jump in 2001. The Thousand-Year Blood War adaptation has consistently been praised for its cinematic quality and fidelity to Kubo’s vision — expectations going into this final run are as high as they get. Keep an eye on our anime section for coverage as each episode drops.

Game News

SAO Echoes of Aincrad Launches 9 July on PS5 and PC

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Sword Art Online’s latest action RPG, Echoes of Aincrad, launches globally on 9 July on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S — and on PC via Steam on 10 July. Developed by Game Studio Inc. and published by Bandai Namco Entertainment, it is the first SAO game where you play as a fully custom character rather than Kirito himself, stepping into the original Aincrad death game alongside familiar faces from the series.

Echoes of Aincrad | Gameplay Trailer — via Bandai Namco Entertainment America on YouTube

Create Your Own Hero

Character creation goes deep. You choose from body type presets, then fine-tune individual proportions through sliders — bust, waist, arm width, leg shape, skin tone and facial features — before picking your starting gear and preferred weapon. Your hero is entirely yours; Iori, the original character featured in official story content, serves as a separate NPC companion alongside Argo, Kirito and Asuna rather than a fixed protagonist you are locked into playing.

Echoes of Aincrad character creation screen showing body type sliders and customisation options
Image courtesy of Bandai Namco Entertainment

Six Weapons, Real-Time Combat and Sword Skills

Combat is real-time and stamina-managed. Six weapon types are available — Sword & Shield, Two-Handed Axe, Dagger, Rapier, Two-Handed Sword and Mace — each with its own move set and signature Sword Skills, the series’ charged special attacks that have been a staple since the original light novels. Chaining those skills against groups of enemies in the gameplay footage looks satisfying; the arc of a wide sword slash clearing a room full of flaming opponents gives a sense of how powerful a well-timed skill feels.

Echoes of Aincrad real-time combat with sword skill sweep against fire monsters in a dungeon
Image courtesy of Bandai Namco Entertainment

Partner System and Iconic Boss Fights

You can bring 1–3 AI partners into each quest, with their weapons and skills customisable between runs. Floor bosses return in full action-RPG form — Illfang the Kobold Lord, the Floor 1 boss that anime fans have been waiting to face head-on since 2012, shows up with attack-pattern phases and a proper health bar. Two complete floors of Aincrad are open to explore, spanning plains, dungeons and other environments drawn from the original story.

Echoes of Aincrad boss fight against Illfang the Kobold Lord Lv31 with real-time action combat
Image courtesy of Bandai Namco Entertainment
Echoes of Aincrad party of four characters with glowing weapons inside a dungeon
Image courtesy of Bandai Namco Entertainment

Death Game Mode: Optional Permadeath

For those who want to feel the full weight of Aincrad’s stakes, Death Game Mode introduces permadeath — die in combat and your save is gone. It unlocks after you clear the main story, or from day one if you pick up the Deluxe or Ultimate Edition. It is a smart optional layer that lets casual players enjoy the story at their own pace while keeping the series’ defining tension available for anyone who wants to raise the stakes.

Platforms, Price and Singapore Availability

Echoes of Aincrad launches on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S on 9 July with preloads opening on 8 July, and on PC via Steam on 10 July at 03:00 UTC (11:00 SGT). The game ships in 14 languages including Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Thai and Indonesian, making it well-suited for players across Southeast Asia. The Standard Edition is priced at US$69.99; Singapore PlayStation Store and Steam pricing will follow at launch. For the full editions breakdown and pre-order options, visit the official Bandai Namco page. For more upcoming game launches, check out our Game News coverage.