All posts by kindaixin
kindaixin

Jax is an avid gamer since young. Starting from SUper Mario on NES, he discover his passion for the world of video gaming. Currently a PS3 and Xbox 360 gamer, Jax is actively looking for the 'next better game'. Jax is also the chief editor for GameTrader.SG blog.
Game News

Denshattack! Launches Tomorrow on Switch 2, PS5 and Steam

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Tomorrow, Tuesday 15 July, is the day Denshattack! stops teasing and hits the tracks for real. Developed by Undercoders and published by Fireshine Games, it is the kind of game that resists a one-line pitch: imagine Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater, except your board is an entire gravity-defying train and the backdrop is a neon Japanese dystopia built from the bones of the Dreamcast era.

Trick Your Train Through Dystopian Japan

Denshattack! puts you in the boots of Emi Araki, a 19-year-old ramen delivery driver who stumbles into the underground world of Denshattackers — rebels who pull skateboard-style stunts on trains to resist the Miraidō Corporation, a shadowy megacorp that has sealed the ultra-rich inside protective urban domes while the rest of Japan runs wild outside.

The gameplay is pure arcade satisfaction: ollie, kickflip, grind, and chain manuals across 60+ stages roaming through recognisable Japanese regions — Kyushu, Osaka, Tokyo, Hokkaido — before spilling into fantastical set pieces that defy geography entirely. Boss battles escalate from eccentric to completely unhinged, each drawing from regional gang culture to keep the surprises coming.

Denshattack! train riding a pink looping track through a surreal landscape
Image courtesy of Fireshine Games

Watch the Official Trailer

Denshattack! — Creator Reveal Trailer via Fireshine Games on YouTube

A Soundtrack Worth the Ticket Alone

The music is one of Denshattack!’s genuine standout credentials. Undercoders brought in Tee Lopes — the composer behind the Sonic Mania soundtrack and a go-to name for that electric Y2K arcade energy — alongside Richard Jacques and SEGA veteran vocalist Takenobu Mitsuyoshi. The full game ships with both English and Japanese voice acting, and the aesthetic sits squarely in Dreamcast territory: if Jet Set Radio and Crazy Taxi had a train-obsessed little sibling, Denshattack! would be it.

Denshattack! yellow train bursting through a manga-style speed lines effect
Image courtesy of Fireshine Games

Where to Play — and How to Get In Free First

Denshattack! launches tomorrow across PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC via Steam. For Singapore Xbox subscribers it arrives as a Day One Xbox Game Pass addition (Ultimate and PC Game Pass tiers), which is the easiest entry point if you are already on the service.

A free demo is live right now on Steam and on Switch 2 if you want to feel the trick system before committing. The demo has earned Overwhelmingly Positive reviews on Steam — a rare signal for a pre-launch build. Check the Steam store page for SGD pricing.

Denshattack! customised yellow train racing along gold tracks with a giant boss looming
Image courtesy of Fireshine Games

For fans of the Japan-culture aesthetic, the Y2K arcade soundtrack, or just anyone who bounced off Bomb Rush Cyberfunk and wants the same energy at a faster pace — Denshattack! looks like a strong bet. Keep an eye on Game News for first impressions once the review embargo lifts at launch tomorrow.

News, Shop and Merchandise

GARRACK Ghost in the Shell Fuchikoma Watch — Pre-Orders Open 17 July

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Just as the Ghost in the Shell 2026 anime is settling in on Prime Video Singapore, Japanese watchmaker GARRACK has dropped something that will stop hardcore fans mid-scroll: a fully mechanical watch with the Fuchikoma rendered in traditional mother-of-pearl raden on the dial. Pre-orders open 17 July 2026.

GARRACK Ghost in the Shell Fuchikoma Model watch frontal view with red leather strap
Image courtesy of GARRACK / Ueni Trading

What Is the GARRACK × Ghost in the Shell Fuchikoma Model?

GARRACK, the brand behind a line of anime-themed Japan-made mechanical watches — they previously collaborated on Evangelion raden pieces and Haikyu!! smartwatches — is releasing the Fuchikoma Model (SMS-KK-42-FK) under its S-MEISTER line. S-MEISTER pairs traditional Japanese craftsmanship with officially licensed anime IP, and all pieces are assembled in Japan by licensed watchmakers.

The specific collaboration is with Ghost in the Shell THE GHOST IN THE SHELL — Shirow Masamune’s original 1989 manga — rather than any single anime adaptation. The Fuchikoma, the AI-equipped spider-legged think tank that became one of the manga’s most iconic designs, takes centre stage on the dial, rendered entirely in raden inlay. The watch carries the official copyright credit: ©2026 Shirow Masamune/KODANSHA/THE GHOST IN THE SHELL COMMITTEE.

Pricing is set at ¥79,200 tax-included (roughly S$700–900 at prevailing exchange rates — check the product page for the exact amount at checkout). That is not an impulse buy — but for a handcrafted piece that combines a traditional Japanese art form with one of manga’s most celebrated sci-fi properties, the positioning is closer to artisan jewellery than mass merch.

Raden: The Craft That Makes Each Dial One-of-a-Kind

Close-up of the GARRACK Fuchikoma raden dial showing iridescent mother-of-pearl inlay and open-heart movement
Image courtesy of GARRACK / Ueni Trading

Raden (螺鈿) is a Japanese lacquerware technique that dates back centuries: abalone shell is ground down to 0.1 mm thin, coloured from the reverse side, then hand-cut into pieces and affixed one by one onto a lacquered base. The result catches light at every angle differently, giving raden dials that shifting, almost holographic quality visible in the press images here.

The craftsman behind each dial is Musashigawa Takeshi, fourth-generation head of the Musashigawa Workshop (武蔵川工房) in Takaoka, Toyama Prefecture — a workshop founded in 1910 that has carried on the regional aobinuri blue-shell lacquerware tradition for over a century. Because nacre is a natural material applied entirely by hand, no two dials come out identical. Even two watches from the same production run will differ subtly in colour tone and pattern.

The design itself is layered with Ghost in the Shell references. The Fuchikoma is shown face-on, its body filling most of the dial. An open-heart aperture sits at roughly the 7 o’clock position — representing the manipulator arm in motion, and letting you see the MIYOTA movement ticking underneath. The hour indices are modelled on the Fuchikoma’s wheels; the hands reference its arms.

GARRACK Ghost in the Shell watch caseback showing JAPAN MADE and the series logo engraved through a transparent crystal
Image courtesy of GARRACK / Ueni Trading

Specs at a Glance

  • Model: SMS-KK-42-FK (Fuchikoma Model)
  • Movement: Automatic (MIYOTA, Japan)
  • Case: All stainless steel, 42 × 42 mm
  • Lens: Mineral glass
  • Water resistance: 5 ATM
  • Strap: Deep red leather, S-MEISTER pin buckle
  • Caseback: See-through, series logo engraved
  • Price: ¥79,200 (tax included)
Deep red leather strap with S-MEISTER pin buckle on the GARRACK Ghost in the Shell Fuchikoma watch
Image courtesy of GARRACK / Ueni Trading

How Singapore Fans Can Order

There are no confirmed Singapore retail stockists at this stage — the physical stockist list on the official GARRACK × Ghost in the Shell product page covers Japan stores only, including Yodobashi Camera, BicCamera, TiCTAC outlets, and Loft stores nationwide. However, the WORLDWIDEWATCH online store — one of GARRACK’s authorised e-commerce partners — accepts international orders and worldwide shipping, which means Singapore buyers can place orders directly without a forwarding service.

Pre-orders open: 17 July 2026
Release date: 31 July 2026

Given the hand-finished, one-of-a-kind nature of raden dials, production runs for these watches tend to be limited. If you are on the fence, it is worth visiting the product page on 17 July rather than waiting. Check out more anime and gaming merch we have covered for other finds worth adding to the list.

Event

One Piece Premier Summer 2026 at USJ: Boa Hancock Is Back, Elbaf Takes the Ride

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With the Straw Hat crew deep into the Elbaf arc and Episode 1170 just previewed, there has never been a better time for a One Piece pilgrimage to Japan — and Universal Studios Japan is ready for you. ONE PIECE PREMIER SUMMER 2026 kicks off on 30 July and runs all the way to 19 November 2026, making it a serious option for Singapore families and fans heading to Japan during the August school break.

ONE PIECE PREMIER SUMMER 2026 TVCM — via ユニバーサルスタジオジャパン公式チャンネル on YouTube

ONE PIECE Premier Show 2026 — Boa Hancock’s 12-Year Return

ONE PIECE Premier Show 2026 key visual featuring the full Straw Hat crew at the WaterWorld stage
Image courtesy of Universal Studios Japan

The centrepiece of the event is the ONE PIECE Premier Show 2026, a live stunt spectacular held at the WaterWorld arena. The big story this year: Boa Hancock and the Kuja Pirates are back in the main show for the first time in 12 years, alongside returning fan-favourites Smoker and Lucci. The performance runs approximately 80 minutes, with doors opening at 6:15 PM and the show starting at 6:45 PM. A total of 84 shows are scheduled across the event period.

Ticket prices: Adults from ¥3,000; Children (ages 4–11) from ¥2,000. Show tickets went on sale 10 June 2026 via the official USJ website.

One Piece × Story Ride: Sail into Elbaf

One Piece x Story Ride Elbaf themed key visual featuring Luffy in Elbaf warrior outfit on a cloud-boat coaster with Chopper and giants
Image courtesy of Universal Studios Japan

For the first time, USJ’s classic Hollywood Dream – The Ride coaster gets a One Piece overlay themed around the Elbaf arc — the very story arc currently airing in the anime. The ride is reimagined as a cloud-boat adventure through the Island of Giants, with Luffy (decked out in Elbaf warrior costume), Chopper, and the crew encountering ferocious beasts and the Norse-styled giants of Elbaf. For fans following the anime week to week, this is the perfect extension of the story in the most immersive way possible.

Sanji’s Pirate Restaurant: Dinner with the Crew

Sanji's Pirate Restaurant at USJ featuring Sanji serving an elaborate set meal to a delighted guest
Image courtesy of Universal Studios Japan

The fan-favourite Sanji’s Pirate Restaurant returns at Lombard’s Landing with a completely new menu for 2026. Seatings run approximately 85 minutes, and character appearances from other Straw Hat crew members are part of the experience. Advance purchase is required — same-day tickets are not available.

  • Adult: ¥7,000
  • Child: ¥2,600

If you want to go all-in, USJ also offers a VIP Experience Group Tour bundling the Premier Show and a restaurant ticket, priced from ¥34,900 per adult. That is a significant spend, but this combination rarely disappoints One Piece fans.

An exclusive advance-purchase dessert, Mellorine Love Sweets (a nod to Chopper’s favourite food), can only be added when booking the restaurant ticket online — there will be no same-day sales, so plan ahead.

Planning Your Visit from Singapore

USJ is in Osaka, about 15 minutes by train from JR Osaka station and roughly an hour from Kansai International Airport (KIX) — well connected by direct flights from Singapore Changi on Singapore Airlines and Scoot. August in Japan is peak summer, so book accommodation and tickets early.

The event runs until 19 November, so there is no pressure to squeeze into the August rush if your schedule is flexible. October and November visits avoid the summer heat and are still well within the event window.

Find the full ticket and schedule details on the official USJ One Piece Premier Summer 2026 page. For more events worth watching in Singapore and the region, check our Event coverage.

Game News, Manga Anime

Prince of Tennis Romance Remasters Hit Switch 2 and PC on 30 July — Now in English

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Two of the most beloved Prince of Tennis romance games from 2005 are finally coming back, and this time they are heading west. The Prince of Tennis II: Sweet School Festival ♡−40 and more… and The Prince of Tennis II: Doki Doki Survival ~eternal passion! Tie break ♡game~ both launch on 30 July 2026 for Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC via Steam — fully remastered, and newly available in English, Traditional Chinese, and Simplified Chinese.

For fans across Singapore and Southeast Asia who grew up watching the anime on TV or reading the manga, this is long overdue. The original games were Japan-only PS2 releases; outside Japan you could only admire them from afar. That changes in two weeks.

Sweet School Festival Remastered – Release Date Trailer — via Konami on YouTube

School Festival or Deserted Island? Two Games, One Summer

Sweet School Festival and Doki Doki Survival combined key visual
Image courtesy of Konami Digital Entertainment

The two games put you in very different situations — and that’s the point. In Sweet School Festival, you are living the full school-festival experience surrounded by more than 40 tennis princes from rival schools. Think cultural stalls, drama rehearsals, and heart-racing moments in between. In Doki Doki Survival, a plane detour strands you and a group of fan-favourite characters on a tropical island, kicking off a survival-meets-romance story where the stakes feel just a little higher than finding the right club room.

Both are otome visual novels with fully voiced scenarios in Japanese and date events unique to each character. The Prince of Tennis II cast covers ten schools and dozens of iconic rivals, so whichever game you pick, there are plenty of princes to spend your time with.

What the Remaster Actually Adds

Sweet School Festival remaster gameplay screenshot — character performing on stage at the school festival
Image courtesy of Konami Digital Entertainment

Both remasters get newly drawn high-resolution illustrations, and you can freely toggle between the original PS2-era artwork and the redrawn scenes — a thoughtful touch for anyone who wants nostalgia alongside the upgrade. Some event CGs also have subtle animation added to them in the new version.

On Nintendo Switch 2, the games run at full-screen high resolution with shorter load times and mouse support, plus an exclusive Game Share feature that lets you create and share short mini-dramas using in-game characters. The interface has been overhauled with a cleaner map and navigation system, and character affinity comments change based on how far your relationship has progressed.

Doki Doki Survival Remaster Release Date Trailer — via KONAMI公式 on YouTube
Doki Doki Survival remaster — two characters in an outdoor tropical scene
Image courtesy of Konami Digital Entertainment
Doki Doki Survival remaster — in-game visual novel dialogue scene at night
Image courtesy of Konami Digital Entertainment

Asia Gets a Physical Edition — and Japan Gets the Full Collector’s Set

Sweet School Festival Limited Edition contents — t-shirt, acrylic panel, sticker set, clear file, and Nintendo Switch physical copy
Image courtesy of Konami Digital Entertainment

Regional fans will be glad to know that Asia is getting physical Nintendo Switch editions of both titles alongside the global digital release. Japan’s limited edition sets, available at 15,400 yen each, include the physical game, a special staff t-shirt, an acrylic panel, a sticker set, and a clear file — plus digital bonus content. Specific Asia edition contents are to be confirmed closer to release.

For everyone else, digital pre-orders are live now on the Nintendo eShop and Steam. Each title is priced at US$49.99 (SGD equivalent to be confirmed by Konami at launch). Existing Switch owners who later upgrade to a Switch 2 can use the Upgrade Pass to access the Switch 2 Edition features.

Language support — English, Traditional Chinese, and Simplified Chinese text alongside the original Japanese voice track — means Singapore players can dive straight in without any workarounds. If you have been waiting more than two decades for an officially localised way to romance your favourite Seigaku, Hyoutei, or Rikkai rivals, 30 July is your day.

Check out our manga and anime coverage for more on The Prince of Tennis universe.

Manga Anime, News

J.C.STAFF Adapts Wound & Bandage for January 2027 Anime

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A fresh anime announcement landed in Japan today — and English media hasn’t caught up yet. Kizuguchi to Houtai (傷口と包帯), the yakuza caretaker romcom manga by Nanai Kaisei, is officially getting a TV anime adaptation from J.C.STAFF, set to premiere in January 2027 on the ABC Television / TV Asahi nationwide ANiMAZiNG!!! block. The anime’s official site (Japanese) went live alongside the announcement.

Kizuguchi to Houtai Volume 2 cover – Riyo, the mob boss's daughter
Image courtesy of Kodansha / Monthly Shōnen Magazine Comics

What Is Wound & Bandage?

The manga — whose title translates literally as Wounds and Bandages — serialises biweekly on Kodansha’s Comic DAYS platform under the Monthly Shōnen Magazine Comics label. Five volumes are out so far. The setup is deceptively simple: Kiritani, a young and capable member of a yakuza faction, is assigned to act as personal caretaker to Riyo — the sheltered daughter of the organisation’s all-powerful boss. The complication? Riyo has a deeply unusual hobby she calls Yowarā: she becomes intensely excited whenever she watches a strong, intimidating person reveal their vulnerabilities. Being around Kiritani — a man who projects absolute toughness but is now stuck playing babysitter — is basically her dream scenario.

The premise sounds outrageous on paper, and it is, but Nanai Kaisei plays it primarily as a slow-burn romcom with genuine character chemistry. The manga built a strong following on social media when it first appeared as a one-shot, and the series has kept growing since serialisation began.

Kizuguchi to Houtai Volume 3 cover – Riyo in focus
Image courtesy of Kodansha / Monthly Shōnen Magazine Comics

Staff Line-Up

The production team confirmed so far:

  • Animation studio: J.C.STAFF
  • Director: Ishida Miyuki
  • Series composition: Yamakawa Susumu
  • Character design: Oyama Natsuki

No voice cast has been announced yet, and no teaser trailer is available at the time of writing — today’s announcement was limited to the production confirmation and official site launch. Cast and a first promotional video are expected to follow in the months ahead.

Kizuguchi to Houtai Volume 4 cover – Kiritani and Riyo close together
Image courtesy of Kodansha / Monthly Shōnen Magazine Comics

What Singapore Fans Should Know

J.C.STAFF is one of the most prolific studios in Singapore fans’ seasonal watch-lists — past credits include DanMachi, Toradora!, A Certain Magical Index, and more recently Slime Season 3 and Re:ZERO Season 3. The studio’s track record with light, character-driven romcoms is strong, and Wound & Bandage‘s yakuza setting gives it a visual edge that should stand out in the Winter 2027 season.

No streaming rights for Singapore or Southeast Asia have been confirmed yet. The ANiMAZiNG!!! block has historically fed titles into Crunchyroll and bilibili for the Asian market, but nothing is official for this title — keep an eye on announcements closer to January 2027. In the meantime, all five manga volumes are readable digitally via Comic DAYS, which is accessible globally, and a licensed English release from Kodansha has not yet been announced. For more upcoming anime picks and manga-to-anime news, check our ongoing coverage.

Manga Anime

Golden Kamuy: The Abashiri Prison Raid Is on Netflix Today — Sugimoto Storms Japan’s Toughest Prison

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The battle for Ainu gold just got a whole lot bigger. Golden Kamuy -The Abashiri Prison Raid-, the second live-action film adaptation of Satoru Noda’s celebrated manga, is now streaming on Netflix Singapore from today, 13 July 2026. If you have a Netflix subscription, you can watch it right now.

Golden Kamuy Abashiri Prison Raid - Sugimoto in action with rifle in burning prison corridor
Image courtesy of TOHO / CREDEUS

What Is Golden Kamuy: The Abashiri Prison Raid?

Set in early 20th-century Hokkaido, Golden Kamuy follows Saichi Sugimoto — a war hero so hard to kill his enemies nicknamed him the Immortal — and young Ainu girl Asirpa, who join forces to recover a legendary cache of gold stolen from the Ainu people. The clues to its location were tattooed across 24 escaped convicts, setting off a deadly three-way race between Sugimoto’s team, the Imperial Japanese Army, and a rogue faction of Shinsengumi survivors.

This second film — subtitled The Abashiri Prison Raid — picks up as Sugimoto and Asirpa press into Hokkaido’s Abashiri Prison, Japan’s most feared correctional facility, where Noppera-Bo (the man who hid the gold in the first place) is held. It is also where Asirpa may finally learn the truth about her father.

For fans of the manga and anime, this arc is one of the most anticipated sequences in the entire series — an all-out battle inside one of the harshest environments in Meiji-era Japan, with every faction converging on the same goal.

Golden Kamuy -The Abashiri Prison Raid- | Official Trailer — via Netflix Philippines on YouTube

Kento Yamazaki Returns as the Immortal Sugimoto

Golden Kamuy Abashiri Prison Raid live-action film character close-up
Image courtesy of TOHO / CREDEUS

Kento Yamazaki — whose breakout role in Alice in Borderland on Netflix made him a household name across Asia — reprises his role as Sugimoto. Anna Yamada returns as Asirpa, and Gordon Maeda is back in the ensemble cast alongside Asuka Kudo, Shuntaro Yanagi, and Akihisa Shiono. The sequel also brings in Yū Inaba as Tokishige Usami and Sōkō Wada as Toshiyuki Kadokura, widening the faction dynamics considerably.

Director Kenji Katagiri and screenwriter Tsutomu Kuroiwa return from the first film, ensuring visual and narrative continuity. Japanese rock band 10-FEET provide the theme song, “Kowarete Kieru made” (Until It Breaks and Disappears) — a fist-pump track that fits the film’s escalating stakes perfectly.

The Abashiri Prison Arc — Why It Matters

Golden Kamuy Abashiri Prison Raid Japanese theatrical poster showing the full cast
Image courtesy of TOHO / CREDEUS

The Abashiri arc is where Golden Kamuy’s sprawling cast truly collides. Every faction — Sugimoto, Lieutenant Tsurumi’s 7th Division, and the Hijikata Toshizo-led outlaws — has been working toward this convergence. For manga readers, seeing this on screen with a big production budget and IMAX photography is a genuine treat.

The film opened in Japanese cinemas on 13 March 2026 with IMAX screenings and sold 246,900 tickets in its first three days, earning ¥368.6 million at the domestic box office. The franchise’s blend of brutal action, dry humour, and meticulous Ainu cultural detail has won it a devoted following in Japan — and the Netflix deal puts both films squarely in front of Singapore viewers who may have missed the theatrical window.

Watch It on Netflix Singapore Now

Both films in the live-action Golden Kamuy Netflix series are now available in Singapore: the first film (-The Hunt of Prisoners in Hokkaido-) and this new sequel. If you haven’t watched the first film yet, it makes a great double-bill. The series is available with Japanese audio and English subtitles.

The manga by Satoru Noda ran in Weekly Young Jump from 2014 to 2022 and is published in English by VIZ Media, so if the films hook you, the full source material is easy to track down at local manga shops and major bookstores in Singapore.

Manga Anime

Mob Psycho 100 Turns 10 — The Original Staff Just Dropped a Brand-New Short Movie

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Ten years is a long time in anime — long enough that the production staff scattered, life happened, and fans wondered if that particular lightning would ever strike again. On July 12, 2026, almost all of the original Mob Psycho 100 team answered that question at the “Mob Psycho 100 Anime 10th Anniversary Event: Reunion” at the Fukagawa Mirai Hall in Kawaguchi City, Saitama. They showed a brand-new animated short movie. It is now live on YouTube, and you can watch it right now.

The Anniversary Short: Reigen in Trouble, Original Staff Back Together

MOB PSYCHO 100 10th Anniversary Special Movie — via Warner Bros. Japan Anime on YouTube

The short is set at the Spirits and Such Consultation Office and features the core crew: Reigen Arataka, Shigeo “Mob” Kageyama, Ekubo (Dimple), and Tome Kurata. The premise, fittingly, starts with an ordinary day at the office before Reigen lands himself in serious trouble — which is very on-brand. No spoilers on how it plays out.

Character designer Yoshimichi Kameda, who defined the series’ visually distinctive style across all three seasons, confirmed that nearly all of the original members were able to reunite and complete it. Kameda also released commemorative artwork to mark the milestone.

Mob Psycho 100 10th anniversary commemorative illustration by Yoshimichi Kameda
Image courtesy of ONE / Bones / Warner Bros. Japan

Ten Years of Mob Psycho 100: A Quick Recap

Mob Psycho 100 10th anniversary key visual
Image courtesy of ONE / Bones

Mob Psycho 100 is the anime adaptation of ONE’s manga of the same name — ONE being the same creator behind One Punch Man. The anime debuted in July 2016 under studio Bones and director Yuzuru Tachikawa, and immediately turned heads for its hyper-kinetic animation and the surprisingly sincere emotional core beneath all the psychic carnage. Three seasons followed: Season 1 (July–September 2016), Season 2 (January–April 2019), and Season 3 (October–December 2022).

Mob Psycho 100 10th Anniversary Special Movie — on YouTube now
Image courtesy of ONE / Bones / Warner Bros. Japan

For Singapore anime fans who somehow missed all three seasons — all of them are on Crunchyroll, available to stream now. The anniversary short itself is free on YouTube with no subscription needed. For more on what is airing this season and beyond, see our manga and anime coverage.

Game News

Dragon Quest Turns 40: DQXII Beyond Dreams Finally Revealed, Plus a Tokyo Exhibition Opening Next Week

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Dragon Quest quietly celebrated its 40th birthday this year — and Square Enix made sure the occasion counted. In a special anniversary livestream on 27 May 2026, the company finally pulled back the curtain on the long-awaited Dragon Quest XII, revealed a new title and a development reboot, and teased a slate of related releases. Now, less than two months later, a full-blown immersive exhibition is opening in Tokyo next week to mark 40 years since the very first Dragon Quest launched on Famicom in 1986.

Dragon Quest XII: Beyond Dreams — A Hard Reset for the Next Chapter

When Dragon Quest XII was first announced back in 2021 under the subtitle The Flames of Fate, series creator Yuji Horii hinted at a darker, more mature tone for the franchise. Five years on, that version is gone. Square Enix Executive Producer Yosuke Saito confirmed the reset during the anniversary stream, explaining that work on the original version “hit a lot of hurdles along the way” and that, after consultation with Horii, the team decided to start over entirely under a new development structure.

The result is Dragon Quest XII: Beyond Dreams — a title that reflects the fresh direction. Horii described the story as “the adventures of a protagonist who experiences mysterious dreams,” adding: “I think there is a world spreading out in Beyond Dreams that is surely bright rather than dark. It has changed from the version we announced previously, but I think everyone will be able to enjoy it.”

Dragon Quest XII: Beyond Dreams hero standing in a forest
Image courtesy of Square Enix

Saito acknowledged it was “a very difficult decision” but expressed confidence in delivering “something great as the latest Dragon Quest that more fans can enjoy.” Platforms and a release window are yet to be confirmed — the game is clearly early in development — but character designs are once again the work of the late Akira Toriyama, and music comes from the legendary Koichi Sugiyama. For Singapore fans, there is no confirmed global or SEA release date; treat any timeline speculation as to be confirmed.

Watch: The Official 40th Anniversary Reveal Stream

Update from the DRAGON QUEST Team — via DRAGON QUEST on YouTube

Dragon Quest the DIVE: An Immersive Exhibition Opening in Harajuku on 17 July

The bigger news for fans heading to Japan this summer: the Dragon Quest 40th Anniversary Exhibition “Dragon Quest the DIVE” opens at Tokyu Plaza Harajuku Harakado this coming Thursday, 17 July, and runs through 6 September 2026. The venue is a short walk from Meiji-jingumae (Harajuku), Harajuku, and Omotesando stations.

Dragon Quest the DIVE exhibition VR Ride promotional image featuring a Great Sabrecat and a Slime
Image courtesy of Square Enix

The centrepiece is the Dragon Quest VR RIDE, a motion-seat experience using Meta Quest 3 headsets that puts you on the back of a Great Sabrecat as you tear across a 360-degree landscape, dodge monster encounters, and soar through the sky — with physical wind effects to boot. Elsewhere in the venue:

  • Hug a two-metre-tall Poyoyon King Slime installation
  • Get your photo AI-transformed into a resident of the 40th Anniversary Town
  • Walk through a Dragon Quest Memorial Wall covering Dragon Quest I through XI, featuring original development artwork and sheet music from the series’ creators
  • Dine at FAMiRES x Dragon Quest the DIVE, a collaboration restaurant on the 5th floor, serving themed dishes, six slime-coloured cream sodas (1,078 yen each), and DQ-themed desserts
Homita, the Blue Slime mascot of Dragon Quest the DIVE, voiced by Yui Ogura
Image courtesy of Square Enix

The exhibition’s guide character is Homita, a plucky Blue Slime wielding a rusty sword and dreaming of becoming a hero, voiced by Yui Ogura (known for HUG! PreCure). Hours are 11:00 AM to 9:00 PM daily (last entry 7:59 PM). Ticket prices range from 1,800 yen for children on weekdays to 4,000 yen for adults on weekends; premium tickets with a pin badge set are 7,800 to 10,000 yen. General tickets are available at Lawson branches across Japan. Check the official Dragon Quest the DIVE website for the latest details and booking links.

More 40th Anniversary Releases Singapore Fans Should Know About

The May stream packed in several other announcements alongside the DQXII reveal:

  • Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age is coming to Nintendo Switch 2 on 24 September 2026 — if you missed the acclaimed JRPG the first time around, this edition looks like the definitive way to play.
  • Dragon Quest Monsters: The Withered World is confirmed for a multi-platform release (specific platforms to be confirmed in full).
  • The Dragon Quest I+II HD-2D Remake and Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake have collectively sold over 4 million copies worldwide, signalling strong appetite for the franchise beyond Japan.
Dragon Quest Monsters: The Withered World key art featuring iconic series monsters
Image courtesy of Square Enix

Dragon Quest XII: Beyond Dreams has no confirmed release date for Singapore or any other region, and given the development reboot, a launch well into 2027 or beyond seems most likely. But with Dragon Quest XI S heading to Switch 2 this September and the HD-2D remakes selling strongly regionally, the series is in genuinely good shape at 40. For the latest JRPG and game news, keep checking back with GameTrader.SG.

Manga Anime, News

MURCIÉLAGO Anime 2027: Dark Crime Manga Finally Gets a TV Series

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Thirteen years after its debut in Square Enix’s Young Gangan magazine, Kana Yoshimura’s MURCIÉLAGO is finally becoming a TV anime — and the teaser that premiered at Anime Expo 2026 this July confirms the adaptation looks as stylishly unhinged as the manga deserves.

MURCIÉLAGO anime 2027 official key visual showing Kuroko Koumori and Hinako Tozakura
Image courtesy of MURCIÉLAGO Project / Square Enix

A 13-Year Wait for MURCIÉLAGO Fans

MURCIÉLAGO follows Kuroko Koumori, a former death-row inmate who struck a deal with the Japanese government: spare her life, and she’ll eliminate the serial killers, cult leaders and organised criminals that conventional law enforcement can’t touch. Partnered with Hinako Tozakura — an innocent-looking girl with an extraordinary gift for high-speed driving — Kuroko tears through a gruelling case-file of society’s most dangerous criminals in a series that blends violent crime-action, dark humour, horror and a sharp yuri undertone through every volume.

Since its August 2013 debut, the manga has run to 28 volumes in Japan and crossed 2.3 million copies in circulation worldwide. It has long been one of the most-requested adaptations in the seinen/yuri fandom, and the Anime Expo 2026 announcement — complete with a super teaser PV and key visual — is the news readers have been waiting for. Original creator Kana Yoshimura described having a work adapted into an anime as “one of my greatest dreams,” as reported in Anime Corner’s coverage of the announcement.

MURCIÉLAGO teaser PV still showing Kuroko and Hinako in the series' distinctive manga-infused art style
Image courtesy of MURCIÉLAGO Project / Square Enix

What to Expect from the MURCIÉLAGO Anime

The adaptation is a joint production from Satelight (known for Macross Delta) and Staple Entertainment. Takashi Naoya serves as chief director and handles series composition — he previously directed Am I Actually the Strongest? and Tales of Wedding Rings. Matsuo Asami directs episode-to-episode, with Sei Tateishi handling character design, and music composed by Masanori Akita and Yuichi Tsuchiya.

The team has stated it is aiming to capture the stylish crime-action spirit of the original work while pushing its more extreme elements right up to the limits of broadcast standards. Satelight’s CG department is specifically handling the car action sequences — a major element of the manga’s most memorable set pieces — targeting truly cool 3D action scenes.

Watch the Official MURCIÉLAGO Teaser Trailer

MURCIÉLAGO – Official Teaser Trailer — via IGN on YouTube
Hinako Tozakura character close-up from the MURCIÉLAGO anime teaser
Image courtesy of MURCIÉLAGO Project / Square Enix

Streaming Rights and What Singapore Fans Should Know

HIDIVE has confirmed exclusive simulcast rights for the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. There is no confirmed streaming deal for Singapore or Southeast Asia yet — HIDIVE does not currently operate in the region. SG fans will need to watch for additional regional licensing announcements as the 2027 premiere approaches.

In the meantime, the manga’s English-language edition (published by Square Enix Manga) is widely available, making now an ideal time to catch up on all 26 international volumes before the anime airs. Keep an eye on the official MURCIÉLAGO announcement on Anime News Network for further cast, air date and regional streaming updates.

Commemorative illustration by MURCIÉLAGO creator Kana Yoshimura celebrating the anime announcement with the text Anime Adaptation Confirmed
Image courtesy of MURCIÉLAGO Project / Square Enix

For more anime and manga news including other 2027 titles to watch, check out our ongoing coverage.