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Xian Skyrider

Manga Anime

One Piece Chapter 1188 “Void” Spoilers — Imu Stabs Luffy, Zoro vs Sommers, Break After This Chapter

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Early spoilers for One Piece Chapter 1188 are circulating ahead of the official release on 12 July 2026 (~10 pm SGT on MangaPlus and Viz). The chapter is titled “Void” — a name that lands with full weight once you see what Imu does with it.

Imu One Piece Elbaf arc Toei promotional art
Image courtesy of Toei Animation

Imu’s Void Sword Hits Luffy

The chapter’s centrepiece: Imu drives the Void Sword directly into Luffy. Luffy is in Gear 5 genie form — the towering rubbery giant he debuted against Kaidou — and the strike lands anyway. The Void Sword, consistent with its established ability to erase whatever it cuts from existence, appears to interact with Gear 5’s reality-bending properties in a way that is left deliberately unresolved at chapter’s end. Whether Luffy’s Devil Fruit can heal or resist a conceptual erasure is the cliffhanger the chapter hangs everything on.

Imu’s line as the blade connects: “Joyboy could never be this weak.” It’s a pointed dismissal — Imu has been hunting the meaning of Joy Boy across centuries, and whatever they found (or didn’t find) in Luffy, this moment reads as contempt.

Luffy Gear 5 Elbaf arc One Piece Toei Animation
Image courtesy of Toei Animation

Joy Boy Flashback

Chapter 1188 includes a brief Joy Boy flashback — a smile, shown in silhouette. No dialogue, no context given beyond the visual. Oda has deployed this device before (Laugh Tale, the Void Century panels) to signal mythological weight without committing to explanation yet. Placed directly against Imu’s dismissal of Luffy, the juxtaposition is doing heavy lifting for whatever revelation is being built toward.

Subplots: Zoro, Sanji, Robin

Zoro One Piece Elbaf arc Toei anime screenshot
Image courtesy of Toei Animation

Three other fights and plot threads advance in parallel:

  • Zoro vs Sommers — the Elbaf commander introduced earlier in the arc, whose weapon set mirrors a giant-scale sword style. The exchange is brief this chapter but confirms Zoro is still in the thick of it on the battlefield.
  • Sanji vs Killingham — another World Government figure. Sanji’s fight has been building since Killingham’s entrance; chapter 1188 moves the confrontation forward without resolving it.
  • Robin at the Owl Library with Saul — Robin’s reunion with Giant Saul (alive, as revealed in the Elbaf arc) continues in a quieter register. She reaches what spoilers describe as the Owl Library — a repository within Elbaf carrying records the World Government missed in its historical purges. Given Robin’s entire arc is about recovering the true history, this location is significant. A rescue team is also shown moving toward Gunko, the imprisoned giant girl whose storyline has run alongside the main Elbaf conflict.

For context on how Luffy reached this confrontation with Imu, see our recap of One Piece Chapter 1186.

Official Release & Break Notice

One Piece — via ONE PIECE Official – ENG on YouTube

Chapter 1188 releases officially on 12 July 2026 on MangaPlus (free) and Viz / Shonen Jump (subscriber). After this chapter, One Piece goes on break — the next chapter is currently scheduled for 26 July 2026. That’s a two-week gap, so chapter 1188 will need to carry a lot of weight before the wait begins.

More manga and anime coverage on GameTrader.SG

Game News

Arknights: Endfield Version 1.4 Homecoming Drops 16 July — Arcane and Liino Debut

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Five days after launch, Arknights: Endfield is already one of the most visually polished gacha RPGs available in Singapore — and on 16 July, it gets its half-year milestone update. Version 1.4, titled Homecoming, is the biggest single update to the game since it launched, bringing two new operators, the largest map expansion yet, a factory system overhaul, a new permanent combat mode, and a sizeable stack of free celebration rewards.

Watch the Homecoming Version Trailer

Arknights: Endfield Companionship Celebration & Core Chapter [Homecoming] Version Trailer — via Arknights: Endfield on YouTube

Arcane and Liino — Two New Operators

Homecoming’s flagship new operator is Arcane, captain of the Yinglung Special Task Force. She has spent years fighting to reclaim the North Wuling Exclusion Zone, and takes a central role in both the update’s story and its combat. Arcane is the first caster in the game whose form changes based on a balance between two attributes — Intellect and Will. In INT form she focuses on frequent skill use, area damage, and a unique Corrosion debuff; in WILL form she shifts to enemy grouping, heavier debuffs, and Arts Infliction spread.

Arcane operator splash art in Arknights: Endfield version 1.4 Homecoming
Image courtesy of GRYPHLINE / Arknights: Endfield

The second new operator is Liino, a rising idol described as the Morning Star of La Fantoma. Where Arcane is combat-forward, Liino is a flexible Electric supporter who cycles between two performance stances — Vocalist and Cosmovoice — to strengthen and sustain the squad across a wide variety of team compositions.

Liino operator splash art in Arknights: Endfield version 1.4 Homecoming
Image courtesy of GRYPHLINE / Arknights: Endfield

Wuling Showdown — The Largest Map Yet

Homecoming brings the Wuling arc to its decisive conclusion with two new story maps. Yinglung Pass is the sealed gateway into the forbidden territory, where players meet the mysterious Feranmut Proxy Si. North Wuling Exclusion Zone takes the squad into the Blight Miasma-covered homeland itself — suppress the corruption and secure a path home for the surviving population.

Together, these two maps constitute the largest main-story map expansion Arknights: Endfield has received since its global launch, rounding out a full arc that has been building through the previous three version updates.

New AIC Factory System and Echoes of War

The AIC factory system — Endfield’s base production loop — receives its largest expansion in Homecoming. Gas joins solids and liquids as a new production state, unlocking new resources (Inergen and Xiragen), new conversion pathways between material states, and new industrial facilities including the Xiranflow Cloudseeder Station.

Homecoming also adds Echoes of War, a permanent new seasonal combat mode featuring rotating stages, multiple difficulty tiers, a global ranking system, and seasonal titles to earn. Unlike limited-time event modes, Echoes of War stays in the game permanently and refreshes its stage pool each season.

Half-Year Celebration Rewards — What You Get for Free

As part of Arknights: Endfield‘s six-month Companionship Celebration, version 1.4 rolls out a significant stack of free rewards for all players:

  • 3,000 Oroberyls upon login
  • 2,000 Oroberyls via in-game mail
  • 5 Basic HH Permits
  • 10 Limited HH Permits (split across two seven-day login campaigns of five each)
  • The free six-star weapon Farsight
  • 14 Fortune Connect-and-Win attempts

That is 5,000 Oroberyls in total alongside the permits and the weapon — a solid haul for returning players and a generous on-ramp for anyone who has been thinking about trying the game.

When and Where to Download

Arknights: Endfield is free to play and available in Singapore on PlayStation 5, PC (via the official Endfield launcher and the Epic Games Store), iOS, and Android. The Homecoming update goes live on 16 July 2026 — a maintenance window will apply before the new version goes live, so check the game’s official social channels for the exact downtime schedule.

For more game news and update coverage across Singapore’s gaming scene, follow GameTrader.SG.

Event

TGS 2026 Ticket Lottery Is Live Today — Singapore Fan’s Complete Buying Guide

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The lottery for Tokyo Game Show 2026’s brand-new Premium Ticket and the returning Fast Ticket opened at noon JST today, 11 July — and it closes on Wednesday, 15 July. If you’ve been waiting for the concrete numbers before booking flights to Chiba this September, they’re here. Here’s every tier, every date, and what Singapore fans specifically need to know.

Tokyo Game Show 2026 official teaser visual — 30th anniversary, 5-day run at Makuhari Messe
Image courtesy of CESA / Tokyo Game Show 2026

Why TGS 2026 Is Worth the Trip

This year marks the 30th anniversary of Tokyo Game Show, which first ran in 1996. To celebrate, CESA is running the event across five days for the first time in the show’s history — a change designed to ease the crushing crowds that have long been a complaint. As we covered when the full exhibitor list dropped, TGS 2026 brings 759 exhibitors across 3,946 booths from 51 countries, with every major name — Sony, Nintendo, Square Enix, Capcom, Bandai Namco — confirmed. The event’s theme is The Longest Five Days of Nonstop Play.

TOKYO GAME SHOW 2026 OFFICIAL MOVIE — via TOKYO GAME SHOW/東京ゲームショウ on YouTube

Every Ticket Type, Explained

TGS 2026 official ticket types and prices — Premium ¥30,000, Fast ¥6,000, 1-Day ¥3,000, Special ¥1,500
Image courtesy of CESA / Tokyo Game Show 2026

Public days run September 19–21, 2026 (September 17–18 are business days, industry and press only). All prices include tax.

Premium Ticket — ¥30,000 (NEW this year)

A brand-new tier for 2026. The ¥30,000 pass covers all three public days and includes priority entry each day, access to the exclusive Energy Spot lounge on the show floor, and the same tote bag and stickers included with the Fast Ticket. It’s positioned at fans who want to attend across multiple days without queuing for premium-booth entry each morning. Lottery: 11–15 July. First-come, first-served: from 20 July (public holiday).

Fast Ticket — ¥6,000 per day

The returning priority-entry tier. Each ¥6,000 Fast Ticket covers one public day and includes tote bag and sticker. If you only plan to attend one day but want to be near the front of the line for the big publisher booths, this is the one. Same lottery and sale windows as the Premium Ticket.

1-Day Admission — ¥3,000

Standard general admission for junior high students and older. On sale from 20 July only — no lottery applies.

Special Ticket — ¥1,500

A discounted tier (eligibility details to be confirmed on the official site). Also on sale from 20 July.

Children (Elementary school and younger) — Free

No ticket required during public days when accompanied by a guardian.

TGS 2026 official tote bags and stickers included with Fast and Premium tickets, in red, blue, and pink variants
Image courtesy of CESA / Tokyo Game Show 2026

The ¥3.3 Million Gold Set — For the Most Dedicated Fan Alive

TGS 2026 30th Anniversary pure gold medal set — six K24 medals featuring Capcom, Konami, Sega, Koei Tecmo, Bandai Namco, and TGS 30th anniversary designs in an ornate display frame
Image courtesy of CESA / Tokyo Game Show 2026

Pre-orders for the 30th Anniversary Ticket also opened at noon today — and it costs ¥3,300,000 (roughly S$31,400 at current rates). That is not a typo. The package includes one-day admission for all three public days plus a framed set of six K24 (Au999) pure gold commemorative medals, each engraved with iconic game art: Mega Man: Dual Override (Capcom), Nobunaga’s Ambition (Koei Tecmo), Castlevania: Symphony of the Night (Konami), Sonic the Hedgehog (Sega), Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve (Bandai Namco), and the TGS 30th Anniversary crest. The set comes with a Certificate of Authenticity and is available via Asoview! for domestic Japan purchase only. Quantities are limited. If you happen to be in the market, the Asoview! listing is live now.

Planning Your TGS Trip From Singapore

Public days open at 9:30 AM JST (September 19 and 20 close at 5:00 PM; September 21 closes at 4:00 PM). The venue is Makuhari Messe in Chiba — take the JR Keiyo Line from Tokyo Station to Kaihin Makuhari Station, then a 10-minute walk to the halls. Hotels near the venue fill fast once TGS dates are set, so book early if you want to be close to the floor.

For international ticket purchases, CESA operates a dedicated overseas visitor page at tgs.cesa.or.jp/2026/en/oversea. An overseas-specific purchase window is expected to open in mid-July and accepts major credit cards without requiring a Japanese bank account or phone number — watch that page if the July 11–15 lottery is out of reach from Singapore. The 20 July first-come, first-served window for standard and special tickets should also be broadly accessible. For any travel logistics queries, the official overseas support contact is tgs-ope@nikkeibp.co.jp.

The full official ticket page with lottery registration links is at tgs.cesa.or.jp. For the 30th Anniversary Gold Medal set, pre-orders are on Asoview! (Japan domestic). Browse our other event coverage for more Japan gaming events this year.

Game News

MELTY BLOOD: TWI-LUMINA — Black Len Confirmed Playable

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The wait is over. Aniplex and FRENCH-BREAD’s TYPE-MOON TIMES Mini broadcast wrapped up earlier tonight at 7PM SGT, and the headline reveal for MELTY BLOOD: TWI-LUMINA is now confirmed: Black Len is officially joining the roster — her first appearance in the modern Tsukihime continuity.

MELTY BLOOD: TWI-LUMINA new character visual for Shiki Tohno and Len, revealed at Anime Expo 2026
Image courtesy of Aniplex

What the TYPE-MOON TIMES Mini Broadcast Revealed

Voice actors Ryosuke Kanemoto (Shiki Tohno) and Kaori Ishihara (Len) joined the stream to recap the latest TWI-LUMINA news from Anime Expo 2026 Lite. The broadcast showed new character visuals for both — Shiki swaps his familiar school uniform from Type Lumina for a casual jacket-and-jeans look, while Len’s design keeps her signature black Gothic dress and blue hair but with updated high-resolution artwork. Both voice actors are reprising their roles from the previous entry.

Black Len: Why This Is a Big Deal

Len close-up from the MELTY BLOOD: TWI-LUMINA official teaser trailer with Japanese text: a new story begins here
Still from Aniplex and TYPE-MOON GAMES’ official teaser trailer

For those not deep in the TYPE-MOON rabbit hole: Black Len is the “dark” shadow counterpart of Len, and she has been absent from the modern Tsukihime storyline — she did not appear in the Tsukihime -A piece of blue glass moon- remake that Type Lumina was built upon. Her confirmation in TWI-LUMINA suggests the new game is expanding beyond its predecessor’s narrative scope, something developer FRENCH-BREAD has described as a “reworked version rather than a completely separate reboot.”

For fighting game fans who felt the Type Lumina roster left some favourites on the cutting room floor, this is exactly the kind of signal they were waiting for.

「MELTY BLOOD: TWI-LUMINA」Teaser PV — via 【公式】TYPE-MOON GAMES on YouTube

What We Know About TWI-LUMINA So Far

MELTY BLOOD: TWI-LUMINA gameplay combat screenshot showing Len fighting in a street environment
Still from Aniplex and TYPE-MOON GAMES’ official teaser trailer

Development is by FRENCH-BREAD — the same team behind every entry in the Melty Blood series — and the game is published by Aniplex. The story is a new scenario written by Kinoko Nasu himself, which is a meaningful commitment: Type Lumina was light on story, so Nasu’s direct involvement suggests TWI-LUMINA will have more narrative weight.

The full 22-character roster from Type Lumina is expected to carry over as the foundation, with additions like Black Len layered on top. Returning gameplay systems include Moon Skill, Rapid Beat auto-combos, Reverse Beat chains, and Sky-Grabber, with FRENCH-BREAD promising refined battle mechanics across the board. Text will be supported in eight languages: Japanese, English, Traditional Chinese, Simplified Chinese, Korean, Spanish, French, and Portuguese — voice acting remains Japanese only.

Platforms, Release Window, and Singapore Availability

MELTY BLOOD: TWI-LUMINA is targeting an early 2027 release window across PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, and PC via Steam — all platforms launching on day one with no timed exclusivity.

For Singapore players, the Switch and Switch 2 versions are particularly relevant given the consoles’ dominance locally. No Singapore-specific pricing has been announced yet — we will update when that changes. In the meantime, check our game news section for any further TWI-LUMINA updates as the early 2027 window draws closer.

Game News, News

Switch 2 + Pokémon Pokopia Bundle: Where to Pre-Order in Singapore

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Pre-orders for Nintendo’s Switch 2 + Pokémon Pokopia bundle are now live across Singapore retailers ahead of its 23 July 2026 launch, and at S$769.95 it is shaping up as the school-holiday pick for anyone still on the fence about jumping into Switch 2. When we covered the bundle’s announcement at the start of the month, the open questions were where you would actually buy it and whether pairing the console with the game saves you anything. Now that listings are up, here is where pre-orders stand, how the price really stacks up, and why demand for Pokopia is running this hot.

Where to Pre-Order the Switch 2 Pokopia Bundle in Singapore

The player character celebrates with Scyther, Squirtle, Bulbasaur, Charmander and other Pokémon in front of a Pokémon Centre in Pokémon Pokopia
Image courtesy of Nintendo / The Pokémon Company

The bundle is listed at major game retailers and electronics chains, with pre-orders open now ahead of the 23 July arrival — squarely in the school-holiday window. The listings we have seen so far:

  • Challenger — carrying the bundle at the S$769.95 official RRP.
  • NTUC FairPrice — a marketplace listing bundles a tempered-glass screen protector on top of the console and game for S$799.

Prices and stock will vary by retailer as launch approaches, so it is worth comparing what each throws in (screen protector, carry case, extra warranty) rather than the headline number alone. The official Nintendo Singapore announcement has the full list of participating retailers and the confirmed contents.

Is the Bundle Actually a Saving?

A player character in a bubble floats through a stone canyon with Piplup, Psyduck and Marill in Pokémon Pokopia
Image courtesy of Nintendo / The Pokémon Company

Here is how the S$769.95 bundle lines up against buying the two pieces on their own:

  • Standalone Nintendo Switch 2 console: S$719 (its original Singapore launch price)
  • Pokémon Pokopia standalone physical: around S$89.90 at local retailers

Bought separately at those prices you would be paying roughly S$808.90, which puts the bundle saving at about S$39. It is not a blockbuster discount — Nintendo rarely cuts deep at launch — but you get the console plus a premium-priced exclusive in one order for less than full rack price, and you skip hunting for a physical copy during the busy July retail rush. Do note the bundle includes a full download code for Pokopia rather than a boxed cartridge, so it will not resell like a physical copy later.

One caveat on the maths: Nintendo announced a worldwide Switch 2 hardware price adjustment in May 2026, and the revised standalone console price for Singapore had not been officially confirmed at the time of writing. Check nintendo.com/sg for the current figure, as the real saving shifts if the standalone price has moved since launch.

Why Pokopia Is in Such Demand

The player character uses a grass-type ability alongside Bulbasaur on a terraced landscape in Pokémon Pokopia
Image courtesy of Nintendo / The Pokémon Company

Part of why this bundle is worth a look is the game inside it. Pokémon Pokopia — the Switch 2-exclusive life sim where you build a settlement and let each species’ natural traits shape the world — sold more than 2.2 million copies worldwide in its first four days, including over a million in Japan alone, per Nintendo’s own figures. For a brand-new, non-mainline Pokémon title, that is a standout start, and it is a big reason physical copies have been in tight supply — making the download-code bundle a tidier way in. If you want the full rundown of what the game is and everything the box includes, our original bundle announcement goes deeper.

Pokémon Pokopia – Launch Trailer — via Pokémon Asia ENG on YouTube

What You Get in the Box

For quick reference, the bundle ships with everything a new player needs to start immediately:

  • Nintendo Switch 2 console and dock
  • Joy-Con 2 (L) and (R) controllers with straps
  • Joy-Con 2 Grip
  • AC adapter and USB-C charging cable
  • Ultra High Speed HDMI cable
  • Full download code for Pokémon Pokopia

The one thing that is not included is the Pokémon Pokopia Expansion Pass — it is sold separately, so factor that in if you plan to commit to the game long-term. For more on Switch 2 titles heading to Singapore, browse our full game news coverage.

Manga Anime, News

Red River Anime Hits Crunchyroll — Classic Shoujo Arrives After 25 Years

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If you spent your early teens sneaking chapters of a time-travel shoujo epic when you were supposed to be studying, your wait is finally over. Red River — the beloved manga that gripped Shojo Comic readers from 1995 to 2002 — has its first-ever anime adaptation, and it landed on Crunchyroll this week. Twenty-five years after the final chapter ran, Yuri and Prince Kail are animated at last.

Red River anime 2026 wide key visual — Tatsunoko Production
Image courtesy of Tatsunoko Production

What Is Red River (Anatolia Story)?

For anyone who missed the manga: Red River (天は赤い河のほとり, Sora wa Akai Kawa no Hotori — also published in English as Anatolia Story) follows 15-year-old Japanese schoolgirl Yuri Suzuki, who is summoned against her will to the Hittite Empire in 1500 BC Anatolia. Queen Nakia plans to use Yuri as a human sacrifice to curse the royal princes and clear the path for her own son’s succession. The one who intervenes is Nakia’s stepson, the charming and politically savvy Prince Kail Mursili, who mistakenly — and then very deliberately — passes Yuri off as the reincarnation of the war goddess Ishtar.

What follows across 28 volumes is a dense mix of Bronze Age political intrigue, large-scale battles, and a romance that earns its slow burn. Creator Chie Shinohara packed an enormous amount of historical detail into the series — it remains one of the most meticulously researched shoujo manga ever written — and the story’s reach showed: over 20 million copies sold in Japan, an English-language licence from VIZ Media, a Takarazuka Revue stage production in 2018, and the 46th Shogakukan Manga Award in the shoujo category. The one thing it never had was an anime. Until now.

Red River | Official Trailer — via Crunchyroll on YouTube

The Studio, Staff, and Commitment to Historical Accuracy

The adaptation is being produced by Tatsunoko Production — the studio behind classics like Gatchaman, Yatterman, and Casshern Sins — a choice that fits a story this rooted in craft and ambition. Kōsuke Kobayashi directs, with Yoriko Tomita handling series composition and Kenji Fujisaki designing the characters.

Particularly notable is the production’s approach to historical authenticity: the team brought in historians from the Japanese Institute of Anatolian Archaeology to advise on ancient Hittite architecture, clothing, weapons, and court politics. For a story built on the real bones of a Bronze Age civilisation, that kind of scholarly input matters — and it suggests the team understands what made the source material special.

The Voice Cast — Including a 30-Year Reunion

Mirai Tachibana voices Yuri, with Wataru Kato as Prince Kail. Hiroki Nanami — who also performs the opening theme, “Akatsuki no Sora” (暁の空; Dawn Sky) — takes the role of Yuri’s present-day boyfriend Satoshi Himuro and serves as the series narrator. Aya Uchida plays the villain Queen Nakia; the wider ancient court features Shoya Chiba (Zannanza), Tomoaki Maenon (Ilbani), Koji Yusa (Urhi), and Kohsuke Toriumi (Mattiwaza), among others. Miisha Shimizu performs the ending theme, “Reunion.”

Red River anime 2026 voice cast visual — Tatsunoko Production
Image courtesy of Tatsunoko Production

The casting announcement that generated the biggest reaction came on July 8, one day after the series premiere: veteran voice actors Minami Takayama and Kazuhiko Inoue have been cast as Yuri’s parents. The two originally voiced the series lead couple in the original Red River drama CD — released some thirty years ago. Their return to the franchise, now a generation older in-universe, is exactly the kind of easter egg that rewards long-time fans. It is a small creative decision that communicates something important: the people behind this adaptation know the fandom they are making it for.

Red River anime 2026 — Tatsunoko Production
Image courtesy of Tatsunoko Production

Where Singapore Fans Can Watch Red River

Red River is streaming on Crunchyroll for international audiences. In Japan the series airs on NTV’s AnichU block on Monday nights (technically 1:35 AM Tuesday JST), with Crunchyroll carrying the simulcast. The show premiered on July 7, meaning there are episodes already waiting if you’re jumping in right now.

If you haven’t read the manga, VIZ Media’s English edition — all 28 volumes — is the ideal companion. The anime has a lot of ground to cover, and the source material rewards time with it. For longtime fans who read it in serialisation or in collected volumes as kids, this adaptation is something that didn’t seem certain to ever happen. Check out our manga and anime coverage for more on this summer’s anime season.

Manga Anime

Steel Ball Run 2nd Stage Premieres 25 September on Netflix

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The wait is over: JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Steel Ball Run 2nd Stage premieres on Netflix on 25 September 2026, with a new episode dropping every Friday. Warner Bros. Japan confirmed the date during the series’ panel at Anime Expo 2026 in Los Angeles on 3 July, alongside a new trailer and the first official character designs for three of the manga’s most anticipated figures.

Gyro Zeppeli focuses his Steel Balls in Steel Ball Run Stage 2
Image courtesy of Lucky Land Communications / Shueisha

Into the Devil’s Palm — What Stage 2 Covers

Stage 1 of the anime adapted the opening of Hirohiko Araki’s landmark manga with a measured, almost Western-drama pacing — long stretches of horse racing, growing rivalry between Johnny Joestar and Gyro Zeppeli, and the first hints of something stranger beneath the surface. Stage 2 is where Steel Ball Run stops pretending to be a period sports story.

Johnny and Gyro push deeper into the continent, arriving at the leg of the Steel Ball Run that crosses a roughly 750-mile Arizona desert passage known as the “Devil’s Palm.” This is Stand-battle territory: supernatural encounters, rival users with lethal abilities, and story developments that Araki fans regard as some of the best chapters he has ever written. Stages 2 and 3 together span 11 episodes total.

New Characters: Valentine, Mountain Tim, Hot Pants

Three characters fans of the manga have been waiting to see animated finally have official designs and voice actors:

Funny Valentine official character design for Steel Ball Run anime, voiced by Tomokazu Sugita
Image courtesy of Lucky Land Communications / Shueisha

Funny Valentine is voiced by Tomokazu Sugita — the 23rd President of the United States and the race’s most consequential shadow figure. Sugita (known to SG anime fans as Joseph Joestar in Battle Tendency and Gintoki in Gintama) is inspired casting: Valentine needs both quiet menace and a veneer of patriotic warmth, and Sugita can do both without blinking.

Mountain Tim character design for Steel Ball Run 2nd Stage
Image courtesy of Lucky Land Communications / Shueisha

Mountain Tim, voiced by Tomoaki Maeno, is a lawman and fellow racer whose calm exterior hides abilities that put him directly in Johnny and Gyro’s path. And Hot Pants, voiced by Yōko Hikasa, is a masked racer whose true allegiances and Stand power make their arc one of Stage 2’s most memorable threads.

Hot Pants character design for Steel Ball Run 2nd Stage
Image courtesy of Lucky Land Communications / Shueisha

Watch the Official Stage 2 Trailer

STEEL BALL RUN JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure 2nd STAGE | Official Trailer | Netflix — via Netflix on YouTube

Weekly Episodes Starting 25 September

After the backlash Netflix received for dropping Stone Ocean in batches, both Stage 1 of Steel Ball Run and now Stage 2 are following a weekly release structure. A new episode lands every Friday — which in Singapore time means Saturday mornings, a decent slot if you want to start your weekend with something that will make your jaw drop. The last of the 11 Stage 2-and-3 episodes will carry the story through to the end of 2026.

If you have not yet started Stage 1, it is currently streaming on Netflix. With two-and-a-half months before Stage 2 arrives, there is plenty of time to catch up and arrive at the Devil’s Palm fully prepared. Keep an eye on our manga and anime coverage for episode notes as the season unfolds.

Game News

Pokémon GO 10th Anniversary Broadcast: Free Drops Guide for Singapore

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Pokémon GO celebrated its 10th birthday on 6 July 2026 — and Niantic is marking the milestone with a special anniversary broadcast happening today, 9 July. Better yet, Singapore trainers who tune in for just 30 minutes on Twitch can walk away with a stack of free in-game items through Twitch Drops.

What Is the Pokémon GO 10th Anniversary Broadcast?

To mark a decade since Pokémon GO launched and took over parks across Singapore and the world, Niantic is hosting a dedicated broadcast on Twitch.tv/PokemonGO. The stream is billed as a celebration of the game’s 10-year journey — though Niantic has kept the actual content under wraps, with the official Pokémon GO account describing it simply as something you won’t want to miss.

The game has generated over US$9.1 billion in lifetime player spending since 2016, according to AppMagic data as reported by PocketGamer.biz — making it the fifth highest-grossing mobile game ever. Japan alone accounts for roughly 30 per cent of that figure, underscoring just how deeply Pokémon GO is embedded in Asian gaming culture.

When to Watch From Singapore

The broadcast runs from 6:30 AM to 9:30 AM SGT on Friday, 10 July 2026 (6:30 PM–9:30 PM EDT on 9 July). Yes, it’s an early start — but if you’re a die-hard trainer, setting that alarm is very much worth it for the free rewards alone.

Four content creators will be going live alongside the main stream:

  • Mystic7 (YouTube)
  • ExtraEmily (Twitch)
  • AwesomeAdamTV (Twitch)
  • Landoralpha (TikTok)
Pokémon GO 10th Anniversary broadcast featuring Mystic7, ExtraEmily, AwesomeAdamTV and Landoralpha on Twitch
Image courtesy of The Pokémon Company

Free Twitch Drops — What You’ll Receive

Watch the Twitch stream for any continuous 30 minutes and you’ll unlock a generous bundle of in-game supplies. Here’s exactly what’s on offer:

  • 10 Poké Balls, 10 Great Balls, 10 Ultra Balls
  • 10 Potions, 10 Hyper Potions, 10 Max Potions
  • 10 Revives, 10 Max Revives
  • 10 Rare Candy, 10 Rare Candy XL
  • 10 Lucky Eggs
Pokémon GO 10th anniversary Twitch Drops rewards — Rare Candy, Poké Balls, Lucky Eggs and more
Image courtesy of The Pokémon Company

How to Claim Your Drops (Step by Step)

  1. Follow the Pokémon GO Twitch channel at twitch.tv/pokemongo
  2. Link your Pokémon Trainer Club account at rewards.pokemon.com
  3. Watch for 30 continuous minutes during the 6:30–9:30 AM SGT window on 10 July
  4. Claim via the pop-up in Twitch chat or through your Drops Inventory
  5. Redeem your code at store.pokemongolive.com/offer-redemption

Codes are valid for a limited time and each Trainer can only claim once, so don’t let them sit in your inbox.

GO Fest Global Is This Weekend

The broadcast isn’t the only reason to keep your app updated this week. Pokémon GO Fest 2026: Global arrives on 11–12 July and is free for every Trainer worldwide. The headline draws are the global debuts of Mega Mewtwo X and Mega Mewtwo Y via Super Mega Raids, plus a Special Research story featuring the Mythical Pokémon Zeraora, rotating themed habitats, and boosted Shiny rates across the board. Singapore trainers with GO Fest habitat passes from earlier in-person events get expanded bonuses — but even without a ticket, this weekend is well worth opening the app for.

Between tonight’s broadcast and GO Fest on the horizon, it’s shaping up to be the biggest Pokémon GO weekend of the year. Set that Friday morning alarm, get your Twitch account linked, and enjoy a decade’s worth of reasons to keep catching. Check out our latest game news for more on what’s happening in Singapore gaming this July.

Game News

Halo: Campaign Evolved Launches on PS5 July 28 — SGD 79.90, First Halo on PlayStation

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After 25 years as an Xbox and PC exclusive, the Halo franchise is finally coming to PlayStation. Halo: Campaign Evolved launches on PS5 on July 28, 2026 at SGD 79.90, with Premium Edition owners getting early access from July 23 — and the Singapore PlayStation Store has it live for pre-order right now.

Halo: Campaign Evolved | Cinematic Story Trailer — via HALO on YouTube

The Franchise-Defining Moment: First Halo on PlayStation, Ever

Halo: Combat Evolved launched on the original Xbox in 2001 and single-handedly defined what a console first-person shooter could be. For twenty-five years, the Master Chief has never set foot on a Sony platform. That changes on July 28.

Halo: Campaign Evolved is a new entry in the franchise published by Microsoft Corporation, available on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC simultaneously. Singapore PS5 owners — a platform that has outsold Xbox locally by a wide margin — now have direct access to one of gaming’s most iconic campaigns for the very first time, with no Xbox or PC required.

Halo: Campaign Evolved — the Halo ring world beach environment rebuilt with new visuals
Image courtesy of Halo Studios / Microsoft

What Is Halo: Campaign Evolved?

The game centres on the Halo ring — an ancient superweapon the size of a small moon, orbiting a gas giant in deep space. The Master Chief crash-lands on its lush surface after a desperate battle against the alien Covenant fleet, and what follows is one of gaming’s greatest campaign structures: open environments, Warthog sorties, Flood-horror corridors, and a story that introduced millions of players to the universe Bungie built.

Halo Studios has rebuilt the experience with new visual fidelity, bringing the alien beaches, dark forerunner interiors, and sweeping exterior vistas to a standard the original hardware — or even the 2011 Anniversary remaster — could never achieve. The images released through the official Halo Waypoint show a game that looks genuinely stunning on current hardware.

Halo: Campaign Evolved — Master Chief aboard a Pelican dropship in a new cinematic
Image courtesy of Halo Studios / Microsoft

Singapore PS5 Pricing, Editions, and Release Dates

The Singapore PlayStation Store listing confirms two editions with SGD pricing:

  • Standard Edition — SGD 79.90: releases July 28, 2026 at 11 PM SGT
  • Premium Edition — SGD 109.90: early access from July 23, 2026 at 11 PM SGT (5 days ahead)

The SGD 79.90 standard price sits in line with major PS5 first-party releases. If you want to be playing over the July 24-27 long approach, the Premium Edition’s SGD 30 premium gets you five extra days — worth considering if your schedule opens up that week. Both editions are available to pre-order now.

Local Co-op, Asian Language Support, and More

Halo: Campaign Evolved — two-player local split-screen co-op confirmed
Image courtesy of Halo Studios / Microsoft

Halo has always been a co-op game at heart — the two-player split-screen on the original Xbox became a defining social experience of early 2000s gaming. Halo Studios has confirmed local split-screen co-op returns in Campaign Evolved, alongside online co-op for playing with friends across the globe.

The Singapore PS Store listing also confirms English, Chinese, Korean, and Japanese language support — strong regional coverage that makes this accessible for Singapore’s multilingual gaming community as well as players across Southeast Asia. The game carries a 16+ age rating for the Singapore listing.

For the complete game news breakdown and pre-order options, head to the PlayStation Store Singapore or Halo Waypoint for the latest official updates ahead of the July 28 launch.