Category Archives: Manga Anime

Manga Anime

Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave Manga Starts 4 September

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Nintendo’s dedicated showcase for Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave packed in nearly 20 minutes of game news on 4 August — and at the very last slide, a bonus announcement slipped in that fans of the Engage manga will want to hear about: the new Switch 2 game is getting its own manga serialisation, and the opening chapter lands before the game itself does.

Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave Direct title card — Nintendo Switch 2 branding with four main heroes
Image courtesy of Nintendo
Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave Direct 8.4.2026 — via Nintendo of America on YouTube

Announced via @FireEmblemJP at the close of the Direct

At the very end of the Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave Direct on 4 August, Nintendo’s official Japanese Fire Emblem account confirmed that a manga adaptation of the upcoming game has been greenlit. The series will run in Saikyo Jump (published by Shueisha) and simultaneously on the Shonen Jump+ digital app. Chapter 0 — the prologue — appears in the October 2026 issue of Saikyo Jump, which publishes in Japan on 4 September 2026, nearly two weeks before the Switch 2 game launches.

No English localisation has been announced. The Fire Emblem Engage manga’s multi-year run was never officially translated, and the same is likely for Fortune’s Weave — at least at launch. That said, Shonen Jump+ is accessible in Singapore and across most of Southeast Asia, so fans comfortable reading in Japanese can follow from Chapter 0 onwards. Search for ファイアーエムブレム 万紫千紅 on the app from 4 September.

Kazurou Kyou returns for round two

Fire Emblem Fortune's Weave male Saviour protagonist — official character art in white armour with lance
Image courtesy of Nintendo

The artist behind the pen is Kazurou Kyou, who handled the Fire Emblem Engage manga from March 2023 all the way through to its final volume — Volume 8 — which shipped in Japan just last month, wrapping a run of roughly three years. Kyou is wasting no time: the Engage manga barely had time to cool before the Fortune’s Weave adaptation was announced at the same Direct that unveiled the new game’s full story details.

The teaser illustration Kyou unveiled for Fortune’s Weave already looks striking. The hooded protagonist — the Saviour whose fate ties the whole story together — looms at the top, while Sothis, the goddess returning from Three Houses, holds court at centre. The four Heroic Games competitors (Cai, Dietrich, Leda and Theodora) flank them, with antagonists creeping in at the edges. It reads less like a promotional sketch and more like an opening chapter spread.

If the Engage manga is any guide, the adaptation will follow the game’s storyline while taking creative liberties — Kyou’s previous run was genuinely interesting as a companion read rather than a strict retelling, and longtime Fire Emblem fans appreciated the extra character work it added.

When and where to read

Chapter 0 (prologue): 4 September 2026, in the October 2026 issue of Saikyo Jump and on Shonen Jump+
Ongoing serialisation: Monthly in Saikyo Jump (print) and Shonen Jump+ (digital)
Languages: Japanese only at launch — no English release confirmed
Shonen Jump+: Available in Singapore — the app supports Singapore accounts

Fire Emblem Fortune's Weave Dagdan Collection special edition — artbook, character cards, Dagdan world map, steelbook and game card
Image courtesy of Nintendo

The game hits Switch 2 on 17 September

Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave launches on Nintendo Switch 2 on 17 September 2026 worldwide. The standard edition is priced at US$69.99 digitally; the physical Dagdan Collection (pictured above) adds an artbook, character art cards, a large Dagdan world map and a steelbook case. Singapore eShop pricing has not been confirmed — check the local eShop closer to launch for the SGD figure.

We covered the full Fortune’s Weave Direct recap here if you want the deep dive on gameplay, classes and the time-manipulation Fortuna’s Blessing system. The manga gives lore fans another way in — and with Chapter 0 arriving before you can even play the game, there has never been a better excuse to finally set up that Shonen Jump+ subscription. Follow our manga and anime coverage as we track both the serialisation and the 17 September launch.

Manga Anime

BLEACH The Calamity: Yuki Kaji Debuts as Adult Hitsugaya in Episode 44

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If you stayed up late to catch the latest episode of BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War – The Calamity on Disney+ Singapore, Episode 44 delivered one of the arc’s most anticipated casting reveals — and it was worth the wait.

Yuki Kaji Officially Joins BLEACH as Adult Toshiro Hitsugaya

Gerard Valkyrie, the Sternritter M of The Miracle, in BLEACH TYBW The Calamity
Image courtesy of Studio Pierrot / TV Tokyo

Episode 44, titled “THE PERFECT CRIMSON” and confirmed on the official BLEACH anime website, marks the debut of superstar voice actor Yuki Kaji as Toshiro Hitsugaya in his Complete Bankai form. The casting was officially announced alongside the episode by the production team.

For those catching up on the lore: completing his Bankai causes Hitsugaya to age rapidly into an adult body, consuming ice that would normally crystallise around him. It is the payoff to years of build-up — and because the adult form is a different character in every meaningful way, the creative team brought in a separate voice actor rather than have Romi Park pitch-shift. Kaji steps into a role Singapore anime fans will recognise immediately: he is the voice of Eren Yeager across all four seasons of Attack on Titan, Shoto Todoroki in My Hero Academia, Meliodas in The Seven Deadly Sins, and Kenma Kozume in Haikyu!!.

Episode 44 — What Goes Down in “The Perfect Crimson”

Kenpachi Zaraki faces an overwhelming opponent in BLEACH TYBW The Calamity Episode 44
Image courtesy of Studio Pierrot / TV Tokyo

The episode throws Kenpachi Zaraki, Hitsugaya, and Byakuya Kuchiki together against Gerard Valkyrie, the Sternritter whose “Miracle” power proves infuriatingly hard to put down — every sword-chip triggers a new miracle, steadily turning the tide against the three captains. Kenpachi charges in on pure instinct, but even his raw output is not enough to break through. Simultaneously, Ichigo endures Yhwach’s assault in the throne room, waiting for any opening to turn the fight around.

It is a dense episode that juggles three fronts without losing momentum, and Studio Pierrot’s animation on the Gerard sequences is — as fans on X Singapore have already noted — genuinely spectacular.

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

A Rotating Ending — Rukia Takes the Spotlight

A scene from BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War The Calamity Part 4
Image courtesy of Studio Pierrot / TV Tokyo

One running detail worth noting: each episode of The Calamity swaps out a character in the ending animation to mirror whoever the narrative spotlights that week. Episode 1 featured Ichigo, Episode 2 replaced him with Kisuke Urahara, Episode 3 switched to Orihime Inoue, and now Episode 4 places Rukia Kuchiki front and centre — a neat creative touch that rewards attentive viewers. The ending theme remains “Rasen” by 9Lana.

Streaming on Disney+ Singapore — No Extra Cost

BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War – The Calamity streams internationally on Disney+, which covers Singapore. As we covered when Part 4 launched locally, no separate purchase is needed beyond a standard Disney+ subscription. With the cour officially locked in at 10 episodes, Episode 44 is the fourth instalment — just past the opening stretch, and with the most brutal fights still ahead. New episodes land Saturday nights JST, which means Sunday mornings in Singapore.

Catch up on more anime and manga news here on GameTrader.

Manga Anime

The Apothecary Diaries Season 3 Opens 2 October — Yorushika Sings the New OP

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The date is locked in. At today’s Summer Garden Party 2026 fan event in Yokohama — held in front of 4,000 fans at Pacifico Yokohama National Grand Hall — the production team confirmed that The Apothecary Diaries Season 3 begins 2 October 2026, streaming weekly on Crunchyroll. For Singapore fans, the timing couldn’t be better: the series’ official exhibition opens here on 30 September, one day before the new season kicks off.

Maomao Steps Outside the Palace — What Season 3 Holds

Season 3 broadens Maomao’s world considerably. After two seasons navigating the treacherous politics of the imperial inner sanctum, she will now venture into common settlements, neighbouring territories, and new court factions. A looming plague and an enigmatic sorcerer are teased as the threats driving the new arc, while the slow-burn dynamic between Maomao and Jinshi continues to deepen.

The format is a split cour: Part 1 runs from October 2026 into early 2027, with Part 2 following from April 2027. Studio OLM — which produced both previous seasons — returns for the full run.

Maomao and Jinshi in an orchard, reaching for golden fruit — a key visual from The Apothecary Diaries Season 3
Image courtesy of TOHO Animation / OLM

A notable new character was also revealed: Reina Ueda joins the cast as Bai Niangníang (sometimes written as Paiñanñan), a mysterious fairy-like figure described as having white translucent skin, white hair, and striking red eyes. Whether she is ally or antagonist is carefully left unclear — exactly the kind of introduction the series does best. (Source: Denfaminicogamer (Japanese))

Yorushika’s Wind-Swept Opening Theme

The opening theme for Season 3 Part 1 is “Kumo wo Nuke Kaze Shita e Watashi dake” (雲を抜け風下へ私だけ — roughly, “I Alone, Past Clouds and Downwind”) by Yorushika. Composer n-buna described the track as built from an image of an expansive grassland and the feeling of wind — a sound that deliberately mirrors the season’s shift from enclosed palace intrigue to open, travelling adventure. (Source: Natalie Music (Japanese))

The Apothecary Diaries Season 3 & Film Announcement PV — via TOHO animation チャンネル on YouTube (Japanese)

How Singapore Fans Can Watch — and What to Do Before October

Crunchyroll has confirmed it will stream Season 3 for Singapore subscribers, with new episodes landing each Friday after the Japanese broadcast. If you haven’t watched the earlier seasons, seven weeks is ample time to clear all 24 episodes of Season 1 and the 24 of Season 2 before the premiere.

The Apothecary Diaries Summer Garden Party 2026 official event visual, featuring the full cast in matching white and gold outfits
Image courtesy of TOHO Animation / OLM

Beyond streaming, the official Apothecary Diaries Exhibition opens in Singapore on 30 September — a full exhibition of art, costumes, and behind-the-scenes materials from the series running right through the Season 3 premiere window. That’s one of the better anime weekends Singapore fans will get this year.

Also in the pipeline: the theatrical film The Apothecary Diaries: The Hidden Treasure of the Deceased Consort opens in Japan on December 11, 2026, featuring an original story written by the novel’s author Natsu Hyuuga. No Singapore cinema date has been announced yet, but we’ll cover it as soon as local distribution details surface. Catch up on more anime news here.

Game News, Manga Anime, News

Kingdom Hearts IV Hits Late 2027 With a Coco World

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After four years of near-silence, Kingdom Hearts IV finally has a release window — and a first Disney world that nobody had on their bingo card. At D23’s Disney Entertainment Showcase, Square Enix and Disney confirmed the game launches in late 2027, and handed Sora a Keyblade shaped like a guitar in the Land of the Dead from Pixar’s Coco.

The trailer went up on Pixar’s own YouTube channel rather than Square Enix’s, which tells you how much Disney wants this crossover front and centre. It is the first Pixar world ever confirmed for a mainline Kingdom Hearts game.

KINGDOM HEARTS IV | D23 2026 Showcase Trailer — via Pixar on YouTube

Pixar’s Coco is the first Kingdom Hearts IV world

The roughly 90-second trailer opens inside Coco‘s story rather than beside it. Papá Héctor explains the Final Death — what happens to the dead once the living stop remembering them — before Miguel steps up to a microphone and performs for a crowd. Then the Heartless arrive, and Sora drops in wearing the same calavera face paint as everyone else in the plaza.

That is a meaningful change in how these worlds are built. Kingdom Hearts has spent two decades dropping Sora into Disney films alongside their plots; here he is inside the story beats, in costume, fighting through a sequence the movie’s own characters are living. His Keyblade even reshapes into a skull-fronted guitar to match — the same instrument that drives Coco‘s plot.

Miguel from Pixar's Coco performing at a microphone in Kingdom Hearts IV

Still from Pixar’s official KINGDOM HEARTS IV D23 2026 Showcase trailer.

The other detail worth flagging: neither Donald nor Goofy appears anywhere in the Coco footage. Sora fights alongside Héctor instead, which lines up with where the story left off.

Kingdom Hearts IV release window: late 2027, on almost everything

Square Enix pinned the game to late 2027 across PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2 and PC via Steam, the Epic Games Store and Xbox on PC. The Steam store page is already live and wishlistable in Singapore, listing Square Enix as both developer and publisher with a 2027 window.

That platform spread is the real break from series tradition. Kingdom Hearts has been PlayStation-first since 2002, with Nintendo getting the handheld spin-offs and, eventually, cloud versions of the mainline games on Switch. Kingdom Hearts IV is the first numbered entry launching natively on a Nintendo home console on day one — Switch 2 sitting in the same launch bracket as PS5 would have been unthinkable a console generation ago. Square Enix Asia put out its own cut of the platform teaser back in June:

KINGDOM HEARTS IV – Teaser Trailer | June 2026 — via Square Enix Asia on YouTube

One caveat worth keeping in mind: this franchise has a long record of slipping. A “late 2027” window announced in mid-2026 leaves a lot of runway, and Square Enix has not committed to a date.

Sora attacking a giant Heartless above the city of Quadratum in Kingdom Hearts IV

Image courtesy of Square Enix.

Donald, Goofy and the search for Sora

The trailer also checked in on the rescue party. King Mickey, Donald and Goofy are still hunting for Sora after the events of Kingdom Hearts III, and the footage shows them in the Underworld putting the question to Hades — who confirms Sora is not among his dead.

Donald Duck and Goofy in the Underworld in Kingdom Hearts IV

Image courtesy of Square Enix.

Strelitzia and Sigurd from Kingdom Hearts Union χ were also confirmed to return, which will matter enormously to anyone who has been tracking the Lost Master arc since the mobile game shut down.

Quadratum, the Tokyo that isn’t

The game’s hub is still Quadratum, the photoreal city Square Enix’s Osaka team modelled on Tokyo — a fictionalised Shibuya and Minami-Aoyama, with Sora keeping an apartment there as an early-game base. It is the most grounded setting the series has ever used, and it is where Sora wakes up after Kingdom Hearts III, unable to get home.

Sora talking with Strelitzia and a masked man on a street in Quadratum in Kingdom Hearts IV

Still from Pixar’s official KINGDOM HEARTS IV D23 2026 Showcase trailer.

Tetsuya Nomura and Tai Yasue are directing, with Yoko Shimomura returning to score. Haley Joel Osment and David Gallagher are back as Sora and Riku.

Strelitzia standing on a street in Quadratum in Kingdom Hearts IV

Image courtesy of Square Enix.

Kingdom Hearts is becoming an animated series too

The second announcement out of D23 was a Kingdom Hearts anime series, greenlit for Disney+ and Disney Channel, made with Nomura and the Square Enix creative team. It will not retell the games — Disney is describing it as a new story inside the same universe, with an original lead rather than Sora.

Speaking in Disney’s announcement, as carried by Nerdist, Disney Kids & Family president Ayo Davis said the show would be “unmistakably ‘Kingdom Hearts'” while giving fans “a whole new way to experience the world they love”. No premiere window, studio or staff beyond Nomura’s involvement has been named.

For Singapore, only half of that distribution matters: Disney Channel no longer exists here. It went dark on local pay-TV in June 2020 and the wider Southeast Asian feed shut down in October 2021, with everything folded into Disney+, which launched in Singapore in February 2021. So when this series arrives, Disney+ is where SG viewers will find it — assuming it carries the same rights into this region, which has not been confirmed either way yet.

The 25th anniversary panel airs Sunday morning, Singapore time

There is more coming almost immediately. D23’s DEEP DIVE into KINGDOM HEARTS panel — an hour marking the series’ 25th anniversary in 2027 — runs at 4.30pm Pacific on 15 August, which is 7.30am on Sunday 16 August in Singapore. Kingdom Hearts IV co-director Tai Yasue is on the panel alongside Osment, Gallagher, Disney & Pixar Games’ Nana Gadd and Disney Character Voices’ Renée Johnson.

It streams on the official Kingdom Hearts and Disney YouTube channels plus The Game Awards’ YouTube and Twitch. The catch, per Square Enix: there is no VOD afterwards. If you want to see it, you are setting an alarm for a Sunday morning.

Catching up before 2027

Late 2027 is a long wait, and the back catalogue is unusually cheap right now. At the time of writing, the Singapore Steam store has Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5+2.5 ReMIX at S$19.23 (down from S$64.10), and both Kingdom Hearts III + Re Mind and HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue at S$24.03 (down from S$80.10) — all 70% off. That is roughly S$67 for the whole run-up to Kingdom Hearts IV, which is a far friendlier entry point than the series’ reputation for convoluted spin-offs suggests.

We will have more as the D23 panel airs. In the meantime, there is plenty more in game news and manga and anime on the blog.

Manga Anime

Haruhi Suzumiya Anime Hits 20: SOS Exhibition Open Now, ABEMA Stream Starts Tomorrow

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The Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuuutsu anime turned twenty this year, and KADOKAWA is marking the occasion with a full programme of events — including a Tokyo exhibition that runs through 30 August, an ABEMA special stream kicking off 16 August (that’s tomorrow), and a limited Seiko chronograph that costs more than most consoles but looks spectacular. For Singapore fans: both anime seasons and The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya are on Crunchyroll right now.

SOS Exhibition at Sunshine City Ikebukuro

The SOS展〜世界を大いに盛り上げた涼宮ハルヒの展〜 is running from 10 to 30 August 2026 at Sunshine City Ikebukuro (文化会館ビル2F 展示ホールD), open daily 10:00–19:00. Tickets are ¥2,500 for timed entry; a ¥2,000 merchandise exchange ticket is also available for those primarily there for the goods. The exhibition’s illustration is by original character designer Noizi Ito (いとうのいぢ), featuring new visuals of the full SOS Brigade.

SOS Exhibition poster for the Haruhi Suzumiya 20th anniversary event at Sunshine City Ikebukuro, illustrated by Noizi Ito
SOS展 exhibition poster illustrated by Noizi Ito. Image © Nagaru Tanigawa, Noizi Ito/KADOKAWA
Brigade Leader armband merchandise card for the Haruhi Suzumiya SOS Exhibition
The ¥2,000 merch exchange ticket includes exhibition-exclusive goods such as the Brigade Leader armband. Image © Nagaru Tanigawa, Noizi Ito/KADOKAWA

ABEMA Stream and the 20th Anniversary PV

Starting 16 August, ABEMA is running a special anniversary stream of the series — Japan-only, unfortunately. What is accessible from anywhere: KADOKAWA’s official 20th anniversary PV (embedded below), and a voice cast appreciation video featuring Aya Hirano (Haruhi), Tomokazu Sugita (Kyon), Minori Chihara (Nagato), Yuko Goto (Mikuru), and Daisuke Ono (Koizumi).

Official 20th anniversary PV — via KADOKAWAanime on YouTube

Where Singapore Fans Can Watch

Both Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuuutsu seasons (2006 and 2009) and The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya film are available on Crunchyroll in Singapore. If you have never seen it: the 2009 broadcast order, which opens differently from the original air order, is the one generally recommended for first-time viewers. The film — covering the events of the fourth light novel — is one of the stronger theatrical anime releases of its decade and holds up well twenty years later.

The Seiko Collaboration Watch

A limited-edition Seiko chronograph is part of the 20th anniversary merchandise line. It features a light-blue dial referencing Haruhi’s school uniform, an “H” marker at 12 o’clock, and the SOS Brigade emblem engraved on the case back. Specs: quartz movement, stainless steel case, 10 ATM water resistance. Price: ¥65,780 (approximately S$595). Pre-orders are through PREMICO; estimated shipping is mid-December 2026. Seiko anime collabs tend to move fast, so if this is on your radar it’s worth bookmarking before general sale opens.

More anniversary coverage in our manga and anime section.

Manga Anime

New Prince of Tennis Anime Returns — U-17 World Cup Final Arc Starts 30 September

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The manga may have just closed its 27-year run, but the New Prince of Tennis anime is absolutely not done. A new instalment — 新テニスの王子様 U-17 WORLD CUP 決勝メンバー決定戦 (The New Prince of Tennis: U-17 World Cup — Final Member Selection Match) — was officially announced on 14 August with a full key visual, teaser video, and brand-new cast. It premieres on TV Tokyo on 30 September 2026.

If you’ve been following the U-17 World Cup arc — Japan saw off Germany in the SEMIFINAL arc that aired in 2024 — this is the direct continuation. Japan’s next opponent is Spain. Before that match even begins, though, Coach Mishipu has decided the bigger challenge lies within the squad itself.

Japan Fights Itself to Reach the Final

Ryoma Echizen and a teammate face off in New Prince of Tennis U-17 WORLD CUP Final Member Selection Match
Image courtesy of 許斐剛/集英社・NAS・新テニスの王子様プロジェクト

Rather than a straightforward run-up to the Spain match, the new arc opens with an internal 決勝メンバー決定戦 — a selection tournament held within Japan’s own squad. Players compete against each other for the right to represent Japan in the World Cup final. Roster spots, pride, and years of rivalry are all in play as Ryoma Echizen, Keigo Atobe, Seiichi Yukimura, and the rest of Japan’s assembled talent go head-to-head with everything on the line.

It’s a classic Tenipuri escalation: the first opponent is never the one on the other side of the net.

Second teaser video — via アニメ 新テニスの王子様 オフィシャルチャンネル on YouTube

Four New Voice Actors Join as Spain’s Team

Close-up of Ryoma Echizen in New Prince of Tennis U-17 WORLD CUP Final Member Selection Match anime
Image courtesy of 許斐剛/集英社・NAS・新テニスの王子様プロジェクト

The August 14 reveal confirmed four new voice actors joining the series to play Spain’s national team:

  • Tasuku Hatanaka (Kirishima in My Hero Academia) as Julio Roman
  • Reiji Kawashima as Mars de Colon
  • Ryuho Nagaoka as Silva Serra Bambieri
  • Megumi Han (Gon in Hunter x Hunter) as Seda

Junko Minagawa returns as Ryoma Echizen, and Junichi Suwabe is back as Keigo Atobe. The production had previously confirmed Romeo Fernandez will be voiced by Yu Shirota — a name many longtime Tenipuri fans will recognise from his years on the TeniMyu stage, now stepping into the anime booth.

Two Japan team members on court in New Prince of Tennis U-17 WORLD CUP Final Member Selection Match anime
Image courtesy of 許斐剛/集英社・NAS・新テニスの王子様プロジェクト

The Music — Opening Theme and a Character Song Ending

The opening theme, “Walls And Bridges”, is performed by 青酢 (Aozusu, FEEL MEE UNIT). The ending theme carries on the franchise’s beloved character song tradition: 金環蝕phenomenal is performed by Keigo Atobe and Yuushi Oshitari — in character. If you’ve watched any of the Dream Live concert films or followed the Tenipuri music releases over the years, you know this is as on-brand as it gets. The franchise has always taken its music seriously, and this new arc is no exception.

Opening theme card for New Prince of Tennis U-17 World Cup Final Member Selection Match — Walls And Bridges by Aozusu FEEL MEE UNIT
Image courtesy of 許斐剛/集英社・NAS・新テニスの王子様プロジェクト

Broadcast and Where to Watch from Singapore

The series begins 30 September 2026 on TV Tokyo (Wednesdays at midnight), TV Osaka (Wednesdays 25:35), and TV Aichi (Wednesdays 25:30). The official site is tenipuri.jp/u17/selection-match/ (Japanese).

International streaming for the new arc has not yet been confirmed. The previous instalment, U-17 WORLD CUP SEMIFINAL, was available on Amazon Prime Video in Singapore — that remains the most likely platform, but there has been no official announcement as of publication. Given that the manga wrapped just last week and this anime looks to be the primary vehicle carrying the story forward, an international deal feels like a matter of when rather than if. Worth keeping tabs on.

Find more upcoming anime in our anime and manga coverage.

Manga Anime

Sparks of Tomorrow Arc 2 Starts 16 August — Five New Cast Members

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Kyoto Animation’s steampunk romance is back. Arc 2 of Sparks of Tomorrow begins this Sunday, 16 August, with Episode 7 “Elopement” dropping on Netflix Singapore — and the production has announced five new cast additions joining the story for the new arc.

Sparks of Tomorrow — Kihachi, as seen in the Netflix Anime official trailer
Image courtesy of Kyoto Animation / Netflix

Arc 2 Takes Kihachi and Inako to Shiga

Kihachi and Inako stand on a rooftop overlooking a steampunk industrial city at sunset in Sparks of Tomorrow
Image courtesy of Kyoto Animation / Netflix

The first arc of Sparks of Tomorrow — which we covered when the series premiered on Netflix in July — followed Kihachi Yoshida and sake brewer Inako Kintoki on a frantic search for the mythical “20th Century Electricity Catalog,” a lost compendium of electrical knowledge hidden somewhere in Meiji-era Japan. Arc 2 picks up that thread and moves the hunt to Shiga, where the missing second half of the Catalog is said to be located.

The arc premiere episode preview also drops a significant personal complication: Inako appears to accept a marriage proposal from Yosuke, a choice that threatens to end the partnership at the worst possible moment. Meanwhile, Kihachi’s older brother Seiroku steps into a more prominent role as the search enters its most consequential phase.

Five Voice Actors Joining the Cast

Kihachi reacts with surprise in a warmly lit scene from Sparks of Tomorrow
Image courtesy of Kyoto Animation / Netflix

Ahead of the new arc, Kyoto Animation and Netflix Anime confirmed five new voice cast members for characters arriving in Arc 2:

  • Yoshihisa Kawahara as Stewart Smith — described by the production as a key figure in the arc’s events
  • Hiroshi Yanaka as Jinemon Momokawa
  • Mayumi Asano as Naeko Momokawa
  • Daichi Endo as Bunshichi Yagura
  • Ayahi Takagaki as Tome / Inari
Sparks of Tomorrow | Official Trailer | Netflix Anime — via Netflix Anime on YouTube

How to Watch in Singapore

All six Arc 1 episodes of Sparks of Tomorrow are streaming now on Netflix Singapore. Episode 7 “Elopement” — the Arc 2 premiere — drops globally on Netflix on 16 August 2026. The series is directed by Minoru Ota at Kyoto Animation, based on the manga 20 Seiki Denki Mokuroku by Hiro Yuki. Netflix SG subscribers get the episode simultaneously with the rest of the world — no simulcast delay.

For more anime coverage and streaming guides, check our full Manga Anime section.

Manga Anime

Chiikawa Movie Hits ¥8 Billion at Japanese Box Office — Fans Screening at GV Suntec August 22

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Japan can’t get enough of Chiikawa — and honestly, neither can we.

THE MOVIE CHIIKAWA: THE SECRET OF THE MERMAID ISLAND has officially crossed ¥8.07 billion (roughly S$73 million) at the Japanese box office as of August 14, cementing its place as the top-grossing film in Japan for 2026. That’s a massive number for a movie that only opened on July 18 — just under four weeks of theatrical run.

Chiikawa, Hachiware, and Usagi gazing at a shooting star in THE MOVIE CHIIKAWA: THE SECRET OF THE MERMAID ISLAND
©ナガノ / 2026「映画ちいかわ」製作委員会

If you missed our earlier coverage, this is Chiikawa’s very first full-length theatrical film — check out our original post for the full Singapore release details and what the movie is all about. The short version: creator Nagano’s beloved tiny creature and its pals Hachiware and Usagi head to a mysterious mermaid island, and things get surprisingly emotional along the way.

The ¥8 billion milestone follows an enormous opening weekend and relentless word of mouth that has kept audiences coming back week after week. With the film now hitting Southeast Asia from August 20, those international numbers are only going to climb.

The non-credit opening animation, released officially this week — pure Chiikawa magic.

The production team also dropped the full non-credit OP this week, and it’s a stunning piece of animation. The sequence leans fully into the cosy, watercolour-tinged world Nagano built — and if you weren’t already emotionally compromised by this franchise, this clip will do the job. It’s been making the rounds online and it’s easy to see why.

Close-up of Chiikawa and new characters against a purple background in the Mermaid Island movie
The mermaid island brings new faces into Chiikawa’s world. ©ナガノ / 2026「映画ちいかわ」製作委員会

The movie also introduces a set of armoured antagonists who look wildly out of place in the usually soft and gentle Chiikawa universe — which is precisely what makes them so unsettling. Promotional materials have leaned into the contrast between the cute and the ominous, and fans have clearly responded to it.

Three armoured villain characters holding a bell, a pink bear plushie, and a bowl of ramen in Chiikawa Mermaid Island
The movie’s armoured antagonists — carrying plushies and ramen, because this is still Chiikawa. ©ナガノ / 2026「映画ちいかわ」製作委員会

Fans Screening at GV Suntec — August 22

For Singapore fans, here’s the news you actually came for: Golden Village is running a special Chiikawa Fans Screening at GV Suntec on August 22, and tickets go on sale today (August 14) at 3PM. Prices are $30 for standard seats and $28 for GV members. The wider theatrical release in Singapore begins August 20, but if you want the full fans-screening energy with fellow Chiikawa devotees, August 22 is your date.

With Japan’s box office firmly in its pocket and a dedicated fan community here in Singapore, THE MOVIE CHIIKAWA: THE SECRET OF THE MERMAID ISLAND is shaping up to be one of the anime events of the year locally. Tickets for the fans screening won’t last — set a reminder for 3PM today.

Manga Anime

WIT Studio Teases New Attack on Titan Project — Announcement Coming 20 August

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WIT Studio, the animation house that gave Attack on Titan its iconic look across Seasons 1–3, has just teased something new — and the AoT fandom is losing its collective mind over it. On 13 August 2026, the studio posted an official visual to their social channels carrying a single line of Japanese text and a date: 20 August 2026.

The Official Teaser: “Its Name Is Attack on Titan”

The teaser image released on WIT Studio’s official X account arranges close-up eye shots of the core Survey Corps cast — Eren Jaeger, Mikasa Ackerman, Armin Arlert, Levi Ackerman, Erwin Smith, and Hange Zoë — in horizontal strips against a deep red-to-violet gradient. Stamped across the image in bold white kanji: 名は 進撃の巨人 (“Its Name Is Attack on Titan”). Beneath it, the date 2026.8.20. The copyright line reads: ©諫山創・講談社／「進撃の巨人」The Final Season 製作委員会 — directly from the official Attack on Titan The Final Season Production Committee, not a third-party licensee.

The accompanying post was cryptic: WIT Studio suggested that these characters, “during ‘that period’,” would be gathering for a special dinner. No format, no platform, no title — just an unmistakably official tease and a six-day countdown. The studio’s choice to invoke the WIT Studio era cast (rather than the Marley arc or Rumbling-era characters MAPPA animated) is deliberate and pointed.

WIT Studio Attack on Titan August Monthly Postcard featuring Jean Kirstein by Kyoji Asano
Image courtesy of WIT Studio / Attack on Titan The Final Season Production Committee

WIT Studio’s Return to the AoT Universe — The Context

The August 20 tease doesn’t come out of nowhere. Since April 2026, WIT Studio has been running the Kyoji Asano Monthly Original Drawing Project — limited-edition postcard illustrations by AoT’s original chief animation director, available as purchase bonuses at SHIBUYA TSUTAYA and Kyoto IP stores. August’s postcard features Jean Kirstein; previous months covered Eren and Armin. Alongside this, WIT Studio launched a UKIYO-E series — merchandise rendered in the style of traditional Japanese woodblock prints, featuring Erwin, Levi, and other Survey Corps members on hanging scrolls, metal badge pins, and acrylic keychains.

WIT Studio Attack on Titan UKIYO-E series hanging scroll tapestries featuring Erwin and Levi
Image courtesy of WIT Studio / Attack on Titan The Final Season Production Committee

And on 13 August — the same day as the teaser — WIT Studio quietly marked its 15th anniversary, publishing an interview with founder Wada Joji reflecting on the studio’s journey. The timing looks intentional: a studio milestone and an AoT bombshell on the same day.

What Could It Be? Mark 20 August on Your Calendar

Nothing is confirmed until the 20th, but the teaser’s elements give fans plenty to work with. The exclusive focus on the WIT Studio era cast, the “special dinner during that period” framing, and the official Production Committee copyright all point to a new animated work rather than another merchandise drop. Speculation is running hot across Reddit, X, and Discord: a WIT Studio OVA covering a previously unshown scene? A remastered compilation film showcasing the Season 1–3 arc? Something else entirely?

Whatever it is, it lands at a particularly charged moment for Singapore AoT fans. The Attack on Titan: Symphony from Paradis concert is confirmed for Singapore this November, and the Attack on Titan 3 action game from Omega Force and Koei Tecmo locks in its December 10 release date. A new WIT Studio announcement would complete a year that has already handed local fans more AoT content than any year since the anime concluded. The announcement drops 20 August — follow @WIT_STUDIO on X to catch it live.

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