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Xian Skyrider

News

Pokémon × G-SHOCK 30th Anniversary Watch — S$299 in Singapore From 25 July

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Pokémon’s 30th anniversary has delivered some standout merchandise, but nothing lands quite like this: Casio has teamed up with The Pokémon Company to release the GA-110PKM-7A, the first full-sized G-SHOCK ever to carry the Pokémon name. Singapore fans can get one from the official G-SHOCK Singapore store from 25 July 2026 at S$299 — with quantities capped at one unit per CASIO-ID member.

Pokemon 30th Anniversary｜Collaboration Model【GA-110PKM-7A】 — via CASIO G-SHOCK on YouTube

The GA-110 Platform — A First for Pokémon

Every previous Pokémon-branded Casio watch was built on the compact Baby-G line. The GA-110PKM-7A makes history by moving the franchise up to the much larger GA-110 base — G-SHOCK’s bold, imposing platform that collectors and streetwear fans will recognise instantly. On the GA-110, the Pokémon collaboration has room to show off in a way no earlier Casio tie-up has managed.

The colour palette is a direct tribute to the 1996 originals. Red, green, and blue — pulled straight from Pocket Monsters Red, Pocket Monsters Green, and Pocket Monsters Blue — run through the buttons, bezel, and accents against a translucent resin case that keeps the look clean.

GA-110PKM-7A dial showing Pikachu-shaped hands and Pokémon logo
Image courtesy of Casio / G-SHOCK

Every Pokémon Detail, Decoded

The dial is where the collaboration really shows off. The analogue hands are shaped like Pikachu’s silhouette, meaning the time is literally told by the franchise’s mascot. At the 9 o’clock position, a sub-dial inspired by a Poké Ball rounds off the face design, with the Pokémon logo printed alongside.

The translucent resin band is engraved with all 30 Pokémon the watch is celebrating: three first-partner Pokémon from each of the nine main-series regions (Kanto through Paldea), plus Pikachu and Eevee. Mew appears on the band loop itself, bringing the total to exactly 30. Flip the watch over and the stainless-steel case back carries an engraved Pokémon logo and a Pikachu face — a detail collectors will appreciate long after the first unboxing.

GA-110PKM-7A stainless steel case back with Pokémon and Pikachu engraving
Image courtesy of Casio / G-SHOCK

The Poké Ball Box

Casio saved some of the best design work for the packaging. The GA-110PKM-7A ships inside a Poké Ball-shaped box — a full-sized round casing that opens to reveal the watch nestled in the bottom half, surrounded by illustrations of all 30 Pokémon from the band. It is the kind of unboxing experience that turns any watch into a permanent display piece.

GA-110PKM-7A G-SHOCK watch inside Poké Ball-shaped packaging with Pokémon illustrations
Image courtesy of Casio / G-SHOCK

Specs at a Glance

The GA-110PKM-7A carries the full G-SHOCK feature set: 20-bar water resistance (serious swim-proof credentials), shock and magnetic resistance, world time across 48 cities, five daily alarms, a 1/1,000th-second stopwatch, countdown timer, and an LED backlight. Dimensions are 55 × 51.2 × 16.9 mm at 72g — sized to be noticed on the wrist.

GA-110PKM-7A full watch view from front with translucent band
Image courtesy of Casio / G-SHOCK

Getting It in Singapore

The GA-110PKM-7A is priced at S$299 at G-SHOCK Singapore, with the local launch on 25 July 2026 — around a week after the global release on 17 July. Within Southeast Asia, Singapore is the designated official channel for this model. Purchasing through the G-SHOCK Singapore online store requires a CASIO-ID membership account, and the limit is strictly one unit per member. Returns are not accepted on this limited edition, so be sure before you check out.

Pre-orders and full purchase details are live on the official G-SHOCK Singapore page. For more Pokémon merchandise news and upcoming events in Singapore, keep an eye on our latest news.

Event

Creators Super Fest 2026: Stage Schedule, Performers & Guide

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Creators Super Fest 2026 is eight days away and the full stage schedule for Suntec Singapore is now out — here is everything you need to plan your visit to Halls 403–405 on 11 and 12 July.

Two Days of Music, Art, and Cosplay at Suntec

Organised by SOZO Pte Ltd in partnership with Anime Festival Asia, Creators Super Fest 2026 brings together live stage performances, guest art exhibitions, over 140 artist tables, workshops, and a full cosplay hub under one roof. Doors open at 10am and close at 7pm on both days. The venue — Suntec Singapore Convention & Exhibition Centre, Halls 403–405 — is a three-minute walk from Esplanade MRT (Circle Line CC3).

Creators Super Fest 2026 key visual Suntec Singapore
Image courtesy of Creators Super Fest

Day passes are priced at S$15 per day (plus S$1.80 admin fee), with a two-day bundle at S$27 (plus S$1.80), saving you S$3. Children aged three and above require a paid ticket. Grab yours at ticketing.sozolive.asia — availability at the door is not guaranteed. For more Singapore events worth your weekend, check out our full events listings.

Creators Super Fest 2026 Stage Schedule

Creators Super Fest 2026 full stage schedule July 11 12 Suntec
Image courtesy of Creators Super Fest

The Super Akiba Stage runs across both days with an international and local lineup:

Saturday 11 July: Rina-Hime, Kyururun!, Honey Miruku, Roroki, Amelia Khor, Kohana Lam, BB-Cue, SugarNote, Lollipop!!!!!!!, and SEIREI SHIMEI JOSHI (SSJ).

Sunday 12 July: Re:String Guitar Ensemble, AllenX, Yomii, POPDREAMERS, Cosplay Singles Competition (on-stage, 3:45pm), Avengers Wotagei, SNOWSTORM, R.N.G, and Rie fu.

Three Acts to Watch at CSF 2026

Rie fu performing at Creators Super Fest 2026 Super Akiba Stage
Image courtesy of Creators Super Fest

Rie fu closes Sunday’s stage — the Japanese singer-songwriter behind Life is Like a Boat (Bleach OP) and Tsukiakari (Darker than Black OP). She relocated to Singapore in 2025, making CSF 2026 a genuine homecoming for long-time fans who have followed her since the mid-2000s anime era.

Kohana Lam headlines Saturday. The Japanese cover singer has built a following of over 680,000 subscribers on YouTube through note-perfect renditions of anime themes, including songs from The Dangers in My Heart and My Friend’s Little Sister Has It In for Me!

Yomii performs Sunday ahead of Rie fu. The Japanese pianist and digital creator has racked up over 700 million views online by reworking anime, video game, and pop music into elaborate piano arrangements — expect something memorable from someone who turns game OSTs into concert pieces.

Art Exhibitions: lack and Yukoring

Guest illustrator lack art exhibition Creators Super Fest 2026
Image courtesy of Creators Super Fest

Two dedicated art exhibitions run across the weekend. lack — the Japanese illustrator and character designer behind some of Fate/Grand Order’s most recognisable artwork and Touken Ranbu Online designs — has a dedicated exhibition featuring a specially designed CSF 2026 festival mascot, with exclusive merchandise available at the show and via AFA Shop. Yukoring brings her vivid illustration style to a parallel exhibition, also with limited prints and items.

Guest illustrator Yukoring art exhibition Creators Super Fest 2026
Image courtesy of Creators Super Fest

Both exhibition stores have limited stock, so plan your first pass through the hall early on whichever day you attend.

Everything Else Under One Roof

Creators Super Fest 2026 floor plan Suntec Halls 403 to 405
Image courtesy of Creators Super Fest
  • Creators Hub — 24 premium artist booths plus over 140 standard artist tables covering illustration, crafts, and more.
  • Cosplay Hub — 52+ cosplayers on the floor for meet-and-greets and photos throughout both days.
  • Cosplay Singles Competition — on-stage Sunday 12 July from 3:45pm, open-registration with prizes.
  • Creators Lab — workshops and panels with facilitators including illustrators Heng Suay, Sean Lam, Wisterrilia, and The NPC.
  • Open Mic — open to vocalists, groups, and instrumentalists on both days.
  • Asia Creators Cross — a SOZO × Dwango initiative: standout creators from CSF 2026 may be invited to perform at Nico Nico Chokaigi in Japan.

Creators Super Fest 2026 runs 11–12 July 2026, 10am–7pm, at Suntec Singapore Convention & Exhibition Centre, Halls 403–405. Closest MRT: Esplanade (CC3).

Game News

Persona 4 Revival — Meet the Protagonist, Arriving February 18, 2027 on PS5, Xbox and PC

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ATLUS West has dropped a Protagonist Sizzle for Persona 4 Revival, giving fans their clearest look yet at the lead character heading into the game’s February 18, 2027 release on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. If you’ve been on the fence about whether P4R is a serious remake or a quick cash-in, this clip should answer your question.

Introducing the Persona 4 Revival Protagonist

Persona 4 Revival Protagonist character card with English VA Nazeeh Tarsha
Image courtesy of ATLUS

The protagonist is a second-year high school student who, due to unspecified circumstances with his parents, is sent to live in Inaba — the quiet rural town that sits at the heart of Persona 4’s mystery. The premise is familiar to anyone who played the original 2008 JRPG, but the revival treatment is bringing it forward in every department: new visuals, expanded systems, and a full English voice cast.

In English, the Protagonist is voiced by Nazeeh Tarsha, a rising name in the VA world best known to anime fans from recent streaming productions. The Japanese voice is handled by Daisuke Namikawa, a veteran who has voiced Yusuke Kitagawa in Persona 5 and dozens of major anime roles over the years.

Persona 4 Revival — Protagonist Sizzle via Official ATLUS West on YouTube

The Gold Standard Returns — What Makes P4R Different

Persona 4 Revival protagonist in combat — in-game screenshot showing yellow TV World arena
Image courtesy of ATLUS

Persona 4 Golden (the previous enhanced version of P4) is routinely cited by JRPG fans in Singapore as one of the best portable RPGs ever made. The Revival treatment, following what Persona 5 Royal did for P5, suggests ATLUS is applying the same philosophy: take a game that was already beloved and rebuild it with meaningfully improved combat, expanded Social Links, new story content, and an engine upgrade that matches the visual quality fans have come to expect from the studio.

The yellow palette, the TV World dungeon aesthetic, and the Investigation Team are all intact — and from the combat footage in the Protagonist Sizzle, the revamped battle system looks snappy and modern. The series’ signature turn-based-with-style combat appears to have carried over the fluidity that Persona 5 Royal refined — check out our latest game news for more JRPG coverage.

Singapore Players: Platforms, Game Pass and What We Know

Persona 4 Revival launches February 18, 2027 on:

  • PlayStation 5
  • Xbox Series X|S (and available via Game Pass — Xbox Cloud Gaming and Xbox on PC)
  • PC via Steam and the Microsoft Store

All three routes are available to Singapore players. The Game Pass inclusion is notable — it means Xbox subscribers here can play at no extra cost on day one, which was a significant uplift for Persona 5 Royal when that came to Game Pass. SGD pricing for the standalone PS5 and Steam editions has not been confirmed yet; expect that closer to launch.

With eight months still to go before release, ATLUS is clearly running a slow-burn character reveal campaign — the Protagonist Sizzle is presumably the first of several character spotlights. Keep an eye out for reveals of Yosuke, Chie, Yukiko, and the rest of the Investigation Team in the weeks ahead.

Game News

Pokémon UNITE Turns 5 — Yveltal Is Free to Unlock Starting Today

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Pokémon UNITE reaches its fifth birthday on July 21, and the celebration has already started — Yveltal is in the game today, July 3, and Singapore players can unlock its Unite License for free by clearing event missions. No Aeos Gems required.

Yveltal the Dark-type Legendary Attacker arriving in Pokemon UNITE for the 5th anniversary
Image courtesy of The Pokémon Company / TiMi Studio Group

How to Unlock Yveltal for Free in Pokémon UNITE

A limited license event starting today lets you earn Yveltal’s Unite License by completing in-game missions — no spending required. Yveltal is an Attacker focused on long-range damage output; the official Pokémon UNITE Asia website describes it as “particularly strong at dealing damage to opponents from afar,” making it a solid pick for teams that need sustained ranged pressure. The event window is time-limited, so claim it while the missions are live.

Pokémon UNITE―Yveltal, Palkia, Reshiram, and Solgaleo Join the Battle! — via Pokémon Asia ENG on YouTube

Four Legendary Pokémon Through August

Yveltal is just the first. The anniversary roster expansion runs across the whole summer, with each Legendary arriving with its own free-license event:

  • Yveltal (Attacker) — event from July 3
  • Palkia (All-Rounder) — July 17
  • Reshiram (Attacker) — August 7
  • Solgaleo (All-Rounder) — August 21

Each Pokemon arrives with its own standalone event, so the free-license windows are spread across two months. Miss one though and you would need to wait for a rerun — or buy the license outright.

All four Legendary Pokemon joining Pokemon UNITE for the 5th anniversary: Yveltal, Palkia, Reshiram and Solgaleo
Image courtesy of The Pokémon Company / TiMi Studio Group

5th Anniversary Event: Full Rewards Breakdown

The main anniversary celebration officially kicks off on July 21 — UNITE’s actual fifth birthday — and extends through September 9 for login bonuses. Here is what is available:

  • Over 5,000 free License Points across anniversary missions and events
  • Cumulative Login Missions (July 1–August 31): log in for any 10 days total to collect stacking prizes
  • Special 5th Anniversary Login Bonus (July 1–September 9): daily gifts for simply logging in — no streak required
  • Season 43 Battle Pass (July 1–August 1): features Regal Style: Pikachu and more License Points than a standard pass
  • Holowear rewards across multiple anniversary events
The Pokémon UNITE 5th Anniversary starts July 21! 🎉 — via Pokémon UNITE on YouTube

Worth Coming Back For?

Four free Legendary licenses plus more than 5,000 License Points is one of the more generous free-to-play windows UNITE has offered since launch. For Singapore players, Pokémon UNITE is available on Nintendo Switch and mobile (iOS and Android). All event mission details and exact start times are posted on the official Pokémon UNITE Asia website — check there for the latest updates as each Legendary’s event window approaches. Browse our other game news on GameTrader for more this week.

Manga Anime

Cooking Master Boy Gets Its First TV Anime After 30 Years — Starting 5 July on TV Tokyo

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After thirty years of waiting, Cooking Master Boy is finally getting the TV anime it deserved from the start. 鉄鍋のジャン！ (Tetsunabe no Jan!) premieres on 5 July 2026 on TV Tokyo and its five affiliate stations — making it one of the stealth must-watches of the Summer 2026 season and, remarkably, the first-ever television adaptation of a manga that sold over 10 million copies.

The Manga Singapore Readers Grew Up With

Cooking Master Boy anime key visual showing protagonist Jan and supporting cast
Image courtesy of NBCUniversal Anime/Music

Saijyo Shinji’s manga ran in Weekly Shonen Champion from 1995 to 2007, racking up more than 10 million copies sold across its run — a number that understates its actual footprint across Southeast Asia, where translated editions and bootleg copies passed hand-to-hand through the late 1990s and 2000s. Singapore and Malaysian readers know Jan well: the impossibly arrogant teenage chef who would cook a fire-column fried rice to humiliate rivals, and who made every dish feel like a cage match rather than a recipe.

The premise: 15-year-old Akiyama Sho — nicknamed “Jan,” the Chinese reading of his given name — is the son of a legendary Chinese grand-master chef. Raised to be ruthless, creative, and completely without sportsmanship, Jan tears through China’s most prestigious cooking academy and tournament circuit using techniques no one else would dare attempt. The cooking battles are absurd by design, the characters are wildly over-the-top, and the food somehow looks incredible despite being physically impossible. It defined the cooking-manga genre for a generation of readers across Asia.

Why Now? Nobody Knows — and That Is Part of the Appeal

Cooking Master Boy anime promotional visual 2026
Image courtesy of NBCUniversal Anime/Music

The official site — tetsujan.com (Japanese) — acknowledges the absurdity with wry honesty: 「これまでアニメ化されなかった理由は誰にもわからない」 — roughly, “nobody knows why it was never adapted until now.” For a manga with 10 million sales and a generation of devoted fans, the absence of a TV anime has been a long-running in-joke in fandom circles for decades. 2026 is when that joke ends.

NBCUniversal Anime/Music announced the production earlier this year, and the official teaser PV dropped on their YouTube channel to immediate celebration online. The animation studio is LAPANTRUCK, and music for the series is being handled by tofubeats — the Kobe-born electronic producer known for introspective J-pop and collaborations with Kyary Pamyu Pamyu and Perfume. That is an unconventional pairing for a cooking-battle manga, and it has fans genuinely curious about the tonal direction.

Official teaser PV for 鉄鍋のジャン！ — via NBCUniversal Anime/Music on YouTube

A Voice Cast That Signals Serious Intent

For a cult manga getting its first-ever adaptation, the cast punches well above its weight:

  • Akiyama Sho (Jan): Toya Kikunosuke (戸谷菊之介)
  • Kirico: Hasegawa Ikumi (長谷川育美) — widely known for Bocchi the Rock’s Nijika Ijichi
  • Kei Sawa: Sakurai Takahiro (櫻井孝宏) — whose roles span Shanks in One Piece, Kirito in Sword Art Online, and Itachi in Naruto
  • Ryuji Bito: Sugita Tomokazu (杉田智和) — Gintoki Sakata, Joseph Joestar
  • Narrator: Tsuda Kenjiro (津田健次郎) — Aizen Sosuke in Bleach, Reinhard in Legend of the Galactic Heroes
Cooking Master Boy anime 2026 cast promotional visual
Image courtesy of NBCUniversal Anime/Music

These names do not appear in nostalgia cash-grabs. The combination of Sakurai Takahiro, Sugita Tomokazu, and Tsuda Kenjiro in a single production is a statement of ambition — and it means even fans unfamiliar with the source material have a cast reason to tune in.

Can Singapore Fans Watch It?

Here is the honest answer for now: Tetsunabe no Jan! currently has no confirmed international streaming partner. The platforms listed — ABEMA, U-NEXT, AnimeTimez, and アニメ放題 — are all Japan-domestic services. There is no Crunchyroll, Netflix, or Prime Video deal announced for international territories at the time of writing.

ABEMA occasionally opens streams without region locks for select simulcasts, and platforms sometimes add overseas access post-launch. We will update this post if an international stream is confirmed. For now, Singapore fans will need to follow this one through Japan-region services.

For those who have never read the manga: the original Weekly Shonen Champion run is worth tracking down to understand why a 30-year-old property getting its first TV anime is genuinely exciting news. 鉄鍋のジャン！ premieres 5 July 2026 on TV Tokyo and affiliates at 17:30 JST. Official site: tetsujan.com (Japanese). More anime premieres this summer on GameTrader.SG.

Manga Anime

Re:ZERO Season 4 Recapture Arc Premieres August 12 on Crunchyroll

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Re:ZERO fans, mark your calendars — the Recapture Arc, the high-stakes second half of Season 4, lands on Crunchyroll on 12 August 2026. With the first episode of the new arc being screened today at Anime Expo 2026 in Los Angeles as part of KADOKAWA’s 10th Anniversary Panel, the anticipation is already running high for Singapore fans.

Where Season 4 Left Off

Re:ZERO Season 4 Loss Arc key visual featuring Subaru surrounded by characters and the tagline Who are you?
Image courtesy of KADOKAWA / Re:ZERO4 PARTNERS

White Fox’s fourth season launched on 8 April 2026 with the Loss Arc (喪失編) — eleven crushing episodes set in the Watergate City of Priestella. Subaru and his allies clashed with the Archbishops of Gluttony and Lust, emerging with a fractured victory that cost them dearly: Rem fell into an unending sleep under the Authority of Gluttony, Crusch lost her memories entirely, and Julius’s very name was devoured from the minds of everyone who knew him. Subaru himself came out the other side suffering from amnesia.

The Loss Arc concluded on 17 June 2026 and all eleven episodes are on Crunchyroll right now — perfect for Singapore viewers who need to catch up before the Recapture Arc drops in August.

The Recapture Arc — “Take it back, no matter what”

The new key visual, revealed on 17 June, says everything about the shift in tone. Subaru surges upward with his arms outstretched and desperation on his face, surrounded by Emilia, Beatrice, Ram, Echidna, and the rest of the cast — while Rem, still lost in her unending sleep, sits quietly in the lower right corner. The warm, golden palette of library-lit amber couldn’t be further from the cracked, shadowed blue of the Loss Arc’s ominous “Who are you?” poster.

The Recapture Arc (奪還編) covers Arc 6 of Tappei Nagatsuki’s original light novels and runs for 8 episodes (Episodes 12–19). Subaru’s mission leads him into the Auguria Dunes — a vast and unforgiving desert that stands as the only path to the Pleiades Watchtower, where the Sage Shaula may hold the key to reversing the catastrophic damage wrought by the Archbishops of Gluttony.

“Stay Alive ~Regain~” — ten years of Emilia in three minutes

「Stay Alive 〜Regain〜」Studio Performance — via Re:ゼロから始める異世界生活チャンネル【公式】 on YouTube

To mark the end of the Loss Arc, the official Re:ZERO channel released a studio performance video of “Stay Alive ~Regain~” — a new rendition of the beloved Season 1 ending theme, now performed by Emilia’s voice actress Rie Takahashi. Written, composed and arranged by Heart’s Cry, the track became available on digital platforms from 18 June 2026.

Stay Alive Regain single artwork showing a close-up of Emilia's eye, with text showing the song title and Rie Takahashi as voice actress
Image courtesy of KADOKAWA / Re:ZERO4 PARTNERS

It’s the first time Takahashi has performed the song in character since Season 1 — and the weight of that decade shows. As she explained in the official announcement relayed via Anime Corner: “While preserving the feelings and spirit of the original song, I embraced it with the warmth that Emilia carries in her heart today.” The performance doubles as a celebration of Re:ZERO’s 10th anniversary — the original web novel series began in 2012, and this franchise has defined isekai storytelling for an entire generation of fans.

When and Where to Watch in Singapore

Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World- Season 4 streams on Crunchyroll, which is available in Singapore and across Southeast Asia with both subtitled and English dubbed episodes, simulcast alongside the Japanese broadcast. Episode 12 — the first chapter of the Recapture Arc — goes live on 12 August 2026.

Director Masahiro Shinohara leads the production at White Fox, with character designs by Haruka Sagawa. The season’s opening theme is “Recollect” by Konomi Suzuki and Ashnikko; the ending theme is “Ender Ember” by Myth & Roid and TK from Ling Tosite Sigure.

If you’re powering through the backlog, all previous seasons are on streaming platforms — and you can find more anime coverage right here on GameTrader.SG.

Manga Anime

My Hero Academia “I Am a Hero Too” — Eri’s Story Premieres at Anime Expo, Streams August 3

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The wait for new My Hero Academia content is almost over. “I Am a Hero Too” — a brand-new anime short centred on Eri, produced by Toho Animation — is getting its world premiere at Anime Expo 2026 right now (July 2–5 in Los Angeles), before streaming globally on Crunchyroll on August 3, 2026. For Singapore’s MHA fanbase, that Crunchyroll date is the one to circle.

My Hero Academia 10th anniversary Trailer — via Crunchyroll on YouTube

What Is “I Am a Hero Too”?

Eri from My Hero Academia smiling with a candy apple
Image courtesy of Toho Animation

The short is a direct anime adaptation of Horikoshi Kōhei’s own one-shot story, first published in the My Hero Academia: Ultra Age fanbook in 2025. The story is set a few years after the events of the main series, with a now-teenage Eri attending school in the peaceful world that Deku and his classmates fought to protect. It picks up from the “More” epilogue (Episode 170+1) that showed Class 1-A as active Pro Heroes eight years post-graduation — meaning “I Am a Hero Too” slots in canonically after the timeline most fans know.

This is entirely new animated content from Horikoshi himself, not a recap or clip show. For a franchise that just wrapped its 10-year television run on May 2, 2026, the announcement that same day was the perfect send-off tease: the story isn’t finished yet.

The Anime Expo Premiere — And What It Means for SG Fans

My Hero Academia 10th anniversary official trailer thumbnail showing young Deku
Image courtesy of Toho Animation

Anime Expo 2026 runs July 2–5 in Los Angeles, and “I Am a Hero Too” is one of the headline screenings. For the lucky attendees in the room, this is the first look at new MHA animation since the finale. For Singapore fans watching from home, that AX screening also means reactions, social posts, and (spoiler-free) impressions will start filtering out from July 4 SGT onwards — worth keeping an eye on the MHA community on X and Reddit if you want to gauge the mood before August 3.

Japan gets theatrical screenings on August 1 and 2, timed alongside special episode screenings. The global streaming debut follows on August 3 on Crunchyroll, which is the expected platform given Crunchyroll’s position as MHA’s global streaming home throughout its entire run. Singapore subscribers on Crunchyroll should be able to watch day one.

Part of MHA’s 10th Anniversary Push

“I Am a Hero Too” sits inside a broader anniversary campaign marking My Hero Academia’s decade on air. The franchise has ranked consistently among the most-streamed anime on Crunchyroll in Southeast Asia, and Singapore’s fanbase — built over years of weekly simulcasts — is among the most engaged in the region. For fans who watched Eri’s first appearance in Season 4 and followed her journey all the way through to the finale, this short is a direct, canon continuation of her story in the world Deku saved.

If you’ve been holding off on rewatching the finale arc, now is a good time. The full run of My Hero Academia is available on Crunchyroll, and “I Am a Hero Too” arrives August 3. Check out more anime news on GameTrader.SG as the summer season unfolds.

Game News

Pokémon Sleep Turns 3 — Sinnoh Starters Debut on 13 July

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Three years ago, an app convinced millions to take their sleep seriously — turning bedtime into a Pokémon research expedition. On 20 July, Pokémon Sleep marks its third birthday, and to celebrate, the Sinnoh region’s beloved starter trio is finally stepping into the game for the first time.

Prelude Campaign: 1.5× Bonuses From 6 July

The countdown kicks off with the Third Anniversary Prelude Campaign, running from 6 July (Monday) at 4:00 AM to 13 July (Monday) at 3:59 AM. Log in each day during this window and you will receive 150 bonus Sleep Points, while all sleep research yields:

  • 1.5× Dream Shards
  • 1.5× Research EXP

Returning for a cameo during the Prelude: the Hoenn starters — Treecko, Torchic, and Mudkip — along with their full evolutionary lines, with increased encounter rates across all research areas. A solid warm-up week for stacking resources before the main event.

Pokémon Sleep 3rd Anniversary announcement — via ポケモン公式YouTubeチャンネル (Pokémon official YouTube) (Japanese)

Turtwig, Chimchar and Piplup Make Their Pokémon Sleep Debut on 13 July

The main celebration — the Third Anniversary Fest — begins on 13 July at 4:00 AM, introducing nine Pokémon to the game for the very first time:

  • Turtwig, Grotle, and Torterra (Grass)
  • Chimchar, Monferno, and Infernape (Fire)
  • Piplup, Prinplup, and Empoleon (Water)
Turtwig, Chimchar, and Piplup celebrate in the Pokémon Sleep 3rd Anniversary Fest key artwork
Image courtesy of The Pokémon Company

All three complete Sinnoh starter lines arriving in one event is a significant milestone for the app. The Fest is expected to run through 27 July, based on the two-week anniversary pattern from previous years — though official field locations and any additional Fest multipliers are still to be confirmed ahead of 13 July.

Gen 4 holds a special place for many Singapore Pokémon fans. Diamond and Pearl landed on the Nintendo DS in 2007 and remain among the most beloved entries in the series. Whether you are team Torterra, Infernape, or Empoleon, this anniversary is your moment to finally add your Sinnoh companion to the research team.

Turtwig, Chimchar, and Piplup plush figures from the Pokémon Sleep 3rd Anniversary trailer
Image courtesy of The Pokémon Company

Japan Celebrates with a Giant Snorlax in Yokohama

In Japan, The Pokémon Company and Mitsubishi Estate Group are taking the anniversary offline. The real-world event Yokohama Nap Research (横浜でみっけ！ポケモンねがおリサーチ) runs 17 July to 23 August 2026 across two venues in Minato Mirai — Landmark Tower’s Landmark Plaza and MARK IS Minato Mirai (daily 10:00 AM–7:00 PM), as reported by Dengeki Online (Japanese).

Highlights include a massive sleeping Snorlax installation, a free stamp rally across both venues, a limited Pokémon Sleep merchandise shop, themed drinks, and a collaboration with Toyota’s TOTONE — a semi-private, air-cushion recliner developed to support comfortable short naps. Entry to the stamp rally and main event areas is free.

Pokémon Sleep 3rd Anniversary Yokohama Nap Research event banner featuring the Yokohama skyline
Image courtesy of The Pokémon Company

Singapore players cannot make the trip to Yokohama, but all in-game anniversary events are global. The Prelude Campaign opens on 6 July and the Sinnoh starter debut kicks off on 13 July for everyone with the app installed. Watch the official Pokémon Sleep website for full Fest bonus details as they drop — and for more Pokémon coverage, browse GameTrader’s game news section.

Game News, News

Pokémon TCG: Pitch Black Launches July 17 — Mega Darkrai Leads Four New Mega ex

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If you’ve been tracking the Mega Evolution TCG series, this weekend is the moment to mark on your calendar. Pokémon TCG: Mega Evolution—Pitch Black, the fifth set in the Mega Evolution run, begins prerelease events at participating Play! Pokémon retailers this Friday, July 4 — two weeks ahead of its full global launch on July 17, 2026.

What Is Pitch Black

Pitch Black is a dark-themed expansion built around the Mega Dimension content from Pokémon Legends: Z-A, and the set name is not subtle about its direction. Where earlier Mega Evolution sets spread the spotlight across multiple type identities, ME5 leans hard into shadow and sinister aesthetics — Mega Darkrai ex is the face of this expansion, and everything from the booster pack art to the colour palette reflects that.

The set ships with over 115 cards in total, including more than 35 cards with special illustration variants and over 20 Trainer cards. Its Japanese counterpart, Abyss Eye (アビスアイ), launched in Japan on May 22, which means Japanese players have had about six weeks of competitive data — useful context if you’re heading to a prerelease tournament this weekend.

Pokémon TCG: Mega Evolution — Pitch Black Mega Darkrai ex booster pack
Image © The Pokémon Company

The Four Headlining Mega ex

Four Mega ex Pokémon anchor the expansion’s product line, each with its own booster pack artwork:

  • Mega Darkrai ex — the face of the set, and from Japanese Abyss Eye coverage, it arrives with 280 HP and a hit-hard moveset that fits the expansion’s aggressive tone
  • Mega Zeraora ex — a Lightning-type Mythical that pairs with Darkrai’s Darkness for what should be an interesting type-coverage combination in Standard
  • Mega Chandelure ex — the Ghost/Fire Pokémon from Unova gets the Mega treatment, with the eerie candle aesthetic fitting perfectly in a Pitch Black set
  • Mega Excadrill ex — the Ground/Steel Pokémon rounds out the headliners, giving the set broader type coverage

Beyond the main four, Bulbapedia’s set list also confirms Mega Slowbro ex, Wailord ex, and Morpeko ex among the expansion’s notable cards.

Pokémon TCG: Mega Evolution — Pitch Black Mega Zeraora ex booster pack
Image © The Pokémon Company
Pokémon TCG: Mega Evolution | Official Trailer | Sneak Peek — via The Official Pokémon YouTube channel

Products at Launch

The standard product lineup for Pitch Black includes individual booster packs (10 cards + 1 Basic Energy + 1 Pokémon TCG Live code), six-pack Booster Bundles, and a 36-pack Booster Display Box. Pokémon Center also has an Elite Trainer Box exclusive. For this weekend’s prerelease events, participating stores will be selling the Build & Battle Box early — as confirmed by Pokémon.com — which gives players a sealed pool to build from for the event format.

Pokémon TCG: Mega Evolution — Pitch Black Mega Chandelure ex booster pack
Image © The Pokémon Company

Dates for Singapore Players

Prerelease events: July 4–6 at participating Play! Pokémon retailers. Check with your local store to confirm they’re running events this weekend — not every retailer holds prereleases, but Singapore’s Play! Pokémon community is well-represented across the island.

Digital play: July 16 in Pokémon TCG Live — the day before physical launch.

Full retail launch: July 17 — Pokémon Center (global) and local stockists.

For the latest on Pitch Black’s Singapore prerelease scene and any local tournament announcements, keep an eye on our Game News section and the official Pitch Black expansion page on Pokémon.com.