Category Archives: Manga Anime

Manga Anime

Cyborg 009: Nemesis Drops All Three Episodes at Once on 19 July — Coming to Crunchyroll

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The cyborg heroes of Shotaro Ishinomori’s legendary manga are back on screen — and this time, their enemies are mirror images of themselves. Cyborg 009: Nemesis, a brand-new three-episode anime from Studio Arect, drops in full on 19 July 2026 with all episodes releasing simultaneously, and Crunchyroll will carry it internationally.

「サイボーグ009 ネメシス」 Main PV — via 「公式」石森プロ on YouTube

A New Story with Familiar Heroes

Cyborg 009: Nemesis tells an original story set in Ishinomori’s universe. The classic nine-person team — individuals turned into cyborgs against their will, led by Joe Shimamura (009) — faces a new threat: a rival faction called Nemesis, a group of counter-cyborgs who mirror their abilities and even their numbering. Leading the Nemesis side is a figure designated N009, codenamed Graviton. All three episodes are available from day one, so the complete story is there to binge without a weekly wait.

Cyborg 009 Nemesis full roster of characters from both the original team and the Nemesis faction
Image courtesy of Ishimori Productions

A Cast That Commands Attention

Director Hideki Ambo has assembled a genuinely star-packed cast. Yūki Kaji takes the lead as Joe Shimamura (009); Mamoru Miyano voices Jet Link (002); Saori Hayami plays Françoise Arnul (003); Tomokazu Sugita is Albert Heinrich (004); and Yūichi Nakamura voices the Nemesis leader Graviton. That lineup covers some of the most in-demand voice actors working in anime today and signals that Ishimori Productions is treating this as a genuine franchise revival rather than a commemorative side project.

N009 Graviton character card from the official Cyborg 009 Nemesis site
Image courtesy of Ishimori Productions

An Opening Theme 47 Years in the Making

The opening theme is a revival of “Taga Tame ni” (誰がために, “For Whom”) — the signature track that opened the 1979 Cyborg 009 TV anime — this time performed by rock singer Kyōko. The ending theme, “Climal” by Sukima Switch, was confirmed alongside the main trailer that launched on 24 June as reported by Anime News Network. Sukima Switch’s melodic J-pop sensibility makes for an interesting contrast against a nostalgia-heavy opener, and the combination gives the series its own personality rather than leaning entirely on legacy.

How to Watch Cyborg 009: Nemesis in Singapore

Crunchyroll holds international streaming rights for the series, with confirmed territories including North America, Europe, Latin America, and Oceania. Singapore fans can check the Crunchyroll app from 19 July — Crunchyroll’s Southeast Asia coverage typically follows its Oceania rights. In Japan, Cyborg 009: Nemesis streams on the same date across ABEMA Premium, U-NEXT, dアニメストア, Prime Video, and DMM TV.

Shotaro Ishinomori, who created Cyborg 009 in 1964, is one of the most prolific manga artists in history — the same creator behind Kamen Rider, Kikaider, and dozens of other series. A new production in 2026 with an A-list cast is a genuine occasion for long-time fans, and a fine entry point for those discovering the franchise for the first time. Check the official website for details, and browse more anime and manga coverage on GameTrader.SG.

Manga Anime

Youjo Senki II Premieres 8 July — Saga of Tanya the Evil Returns After Nine Years

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Nine years is a long time to wait. Youjo Senki II — the second television series adaptation of Carlo Zen’s alternate-history military fantasy light novel — has an official premiere date: 8 July 2026. Studio NUT confirmed the date via the official Youjo Senki anime website (Japanese) and Kadokawa’s anime channel, and the first main PV is already live. After the 2017 Season 1 and the 2019 theatrical film, the TV story is finally continuing.

Youjo Senki II — official Season 2 key visual
Image courtesy of KADOKAWA / Studio NUT
TVアニメ『幼女戦記Ⅱ』 — Official Main PV #1 — via KADOKAWAanime on YouTube

Nine Years in the Making — Why This Is Such a Big Deal

Youjo Senki (The Saga of Tanya the Evil) premiered in January 2017, ran for twelve episodes, and quickly built an audience well beyond the usual isekai crowd. Its pitch — a ruthless Japanese salaryman reincarnated as a small girl with extraordinary magical ability in a WWI-analogue fantasy world, then conscripted into an imperial air corps — was strange enough to be memorable and executed with enough tactical and moral seriousness to keep people watching. The 2019 film extended the story but left the main arc unresolved on television. Season 2 picks up that thread.

For Singapore anime fans, the franchise has stayed in the conversation: both the series and the film are on Crunchyroll in the region. Season 2 is the continuation those viewers have been waiting for since 2017.

New Setting, Higher Stakes

Season 2 moves the war east. It is Autumn 1926 in the show’s Unified Calendar — Tanya von Degurechaff has been promoted to Lieutenant Colonel and now commands the newly formed Kampfgruppe Salamander, a mobile strike unit built for harsh-weather operations against the Federation on the eastern front. The shift in theatre matters: the eastern campaign in Season 2’s source material is darker, more attritional, and involves opponents with a different strategic logic than the western-front enemies of Season 1. The PV suggests the production is leaning into that tonal shift.

Youjo Senki II — Season 2 announcement event visual
Image courtesy of KADOKAWA / Studio NUT

New Characters Join the Fight

Two significant additions to the cast have been confirmed. Mikhel, a Federal aerial mage on the opposing side, is voiced by Tomokazu Sugita — one of the most recognisable voices in Japanese animation (Joseph Joestar, Persona 5’s Ryuji, Genshin Impact’s Zhongli). Lilia, a political commissar attached to Mikhel’s unit, is played by Yoko Hikasa, known for Mio Akiyama in K-On! and Rias Gremory in High School DxD. Neither character is a simple antagonist; both carry the moral complexity the show has always used to keep its ideological debate alive.

Youjo Senki II — new character Mikhel, voiced by Tomokazu Sugita
Image courtesy of KADOKAWA
Youjo Senki II — new character Lilia, voiced by Yoko Hikasa
Image courtesy of KADOKAWA

Behind the Camera

Studio NUT returns for Season 2, preserving visual continuity with the original run. The director’s chair changes, however: Yutaka Uemura, who led Season 1, is replaced by Yamamoto Takayuki. Series composition is by Inohara Kenta, with character designs by Hosokoshi Yuji. The PV’s animation quality holds up well against the benchmark the 2017 series set, and the orchestral score carries the same propulsive military energy the franchise is known for.

When and How to Watch From Singapore

Youjo Senki II premieres on 8 July 2026, airing at 9:30 PM JST on AT-X, TOKYO MX, Sun TV, KBS Kyoto, BS11, and TV Aichi in Japan. Streaming details for Singapore and Southeast Asia have not been officially announced as of this writing — the regional licensing for anime in this tier typically lands in the weeks before broadcast. Given that Season 1 and the film are on Crunchyroll in the region, that platform is the most likely home for Season 2; Muse Asia is the other strong candidate. Keep an eye on both for a confirmation before 8 July.

The first main PV is already up on the official KADOKAWAanime YouTube channel (embedded above) — worth watching even if you do not read Japanese. For more anime news and seasonal coverage, check our Manga Anime section.

Manga Anime

Classroom of the Elite Season 5 Confirmed — Ayanokoji Is Not Done Yet

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The credit roll had barely finished on Classroom of the Elite’s fourth season when the announcement dropped: a fifth season is officially in production. Kadokawa confirmed on 24 June 2026 — right as the Season 4 finale aired in Japan — that the anime adaptation of Kinugasa Shōgo’s light novel series will continue, accompanied by a new key visual that is as deliberately unsettling as the show itself.

Classroom of the Elite 4th Season official key visual showing the main cast
Image courtesy of Kadokawa / Classroom of the Elite Production Committee

Where Season 4 Left Off

Classroom of the Elite 4th Season: 2nd Year Arc – 1st Semester ran 16 episodes from April 2026, opening with an unusually bold four-episode batch premiere. The season took Ayanokoji and his classmates deep into their second year at Tokyo Koudo Ikusei Senior High School, capping off with a demanding uninhabited island survival exam that pushed every alliance, grudge, and hidden skill the cast has accumulated across three years of escalating psychological warfare. Studio Lerche produced the season, with director Noriyuki Nomata and series composer Ko Shigenobu (both on board since Season 3) maintaining the series’ steady, methodical tension through the full run.

Classroom of the Elite 4th Season PV2 — via KADOKAWAanime on YouTube (Japanese)

The Season 5 Key Visual Is Ayanokoji in One Image

The announcement came with a newly drawn visual that strips everything back to the character himself: a monochrome sketch of Ayanokoji, hand raised to his face with his eyes visible over his fingers, all set against a pure black background. There is no colour, no secondary characters, no setting — just the inscrutable stare the series has built its identity around. The text reads simply: “5th Season — Production Confirmed.” It is, in short, exactly what Classroom of the Elite fans were hoping for.

Classroom of the Elite Season 5 announcement key visual — Ayanokoji in monochrome on black background
Image courtesy of Kadokawa / Classroom of the Elite Production Committee

Season 5 and What Comes Next

Season 4 adapted the first semester of Ayanokoji’s second year. Season 5 will pick up with the second semester — a stretch that readers of Kinugasa Shōgo’s light novels consider one of the most politically dense arcs in the run, with the school’s class rankings under genuine pressure and the alliances Ayanokoji has carefully arranged beginning to strain in ways no one saw coming. No air date or airing window has been set; as of the announcement, production is confirmed but scheduling details have not yet been shared by the official team at you-zitsu.com or on the official @youkosozitsu X account.

All four existing seasons of Classroom of the Elite are available on Crunchyroll in Singapore as part of its global simulcast library, making this a solid window to catch up before Season 5 arrives. For more anime news and what’s streaming now, head to our Manga Anime section.

Manga Anime

We Are Aliens Anime Film Lands Singapore Release via Shaw Organisation

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Singapore is getting an unusually special theatrical anime release this year. We Are Aliens (ワレワレハウチュウジン) — a Japanese-French co-production that made its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival’s Directors’ Fortnight in May 2026 — has confirmed Shaw Organisation as its Singapore distributor, bringing one of the animation festival circuit’s most talked-about titles of the year to local screens.

We Are Aliens – Anime Film Video | open in 2026 — via LPE on YouTube

What Is We Are Aliens?

Directed by Kōhei Kadowaki and co-produced by Japanese indie label NOTHING NEW and Paris-based Miyu Productions, We Are Aliens is a quietly intimate coming-of-age drama spanning nearly three decades. The story follows two boys — Tsubasa and Gyotaro — in a small Japanese town whose childhood friendship is fractured by a single act of jealousy and misunderstanding. The film then jumps forward in time, tracking them as adults reckoning with what that break cost them.

A scene from We Are Aliens showing the two childhood friends
Image courtesy of NOTHING NEW / Miyu Productions

Kadowaki — whose animation credits include YOASOBI’s acclaimed “A Gentle Comet” music video — serves as writer, director, storyboarder, and editor on the film, giving it a genuinely singular authorial voice. The animation style blends rotoscoped movement with hand-drawn expressiveness, aiming for a grounded, lived-in quality rather than the visual bombast of mainstream releases. Composer Yaffle, closely associated with YOASOBI’s sound, provides the score, with Ryōta Bandō and Amane Okayama leading the adult voice cast.

From Cannes to Annecy: The Festival Run

The film’s world premiere was at Cannes’ Directors’ Fortnight — historically one of the most director-focused sidebars of the festival, with a track record of championing unconventional debuts. From there it moved to the Annecy International Animation Film Festival in competition, one of the most prestigious animation showcases in the world. Both selections are unusual for a debut feature built on crowdfunding and indie production, and they put We Are Aliens firmly on the path that tends to produce quiet word-of-mouth favourites.

We Are Aliens - film still showing an emotional scene between the two leads
Image courtesy of NOTHING NEW / Miyu Productions

The project was funded via MotionGallery, Japan’s creative crowdfunding platform, where it surpassed its 8 million yen goal to raise 9.6 million yen — real community investment in a project that came almost entirely from outside the mainstream anime production system. International sales are handled by Charades, a Paris-based sales agent with a recent track record of arthouse breakouts from Asia.

Singapore and the Southeast Asia Release

The regional distribution announcement, confirmed on 23 June 2026, covers multiple Asian markets at once: Shaw Organisation holds Singapore, Hooray Films has Taiwan, Intercontinental Film Distributors covers Hong Kong, Sahamongkol Film has Thailand, and Green Narae Media handles South Korea. France is covered domestically by Dulac Distribution.

We Are Aliens - film still from the anime feature
Image courtesy of NOTHING NEW / Miyu Productions

A specific Singapore theatrical release date has not yet been confirmed — Shaw Organisation holds the rights, but the calendar slot is still to be announced. Given the film’s arthouse profile, expect a limited-screen release rather than a wide multiplex run; keep an eye on Shaw Theatres’ upcoming schedule once the Japan run concludes. We’ll update when a Singapore date is locked in.

If you follow Cannes, love character-driven anime that puts story over spectacle, or simply want to catch something genuinely unusual on a local screen before the word-of-mouth catches up with it, this is a date to keep open. For more anime films and series we’re tracking for Singapore audiences, check our Manga Anime section.

Manga Anime

One Piece: Heroines Anime Special — New Trailer Out Now

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Toei Animation has dropped a brand-new trailer for One Piece: Heroines, the upcoming TV anime special spotlighting the women of the One Piece world. The special airs on Fuji TV on 5 July 2026, and the trailer is out now — watch it below.

What Is One Piece: Heroines?

One Piece: Heroines is a standalone single-episode TV special based on the source novel by Jun Esaka, with Nami taking centre stage as the protagonist. The special follows the Straw Hat navigator on an original adventure, with Nico Robin also making an appearance.

One Piece Heroines promotional visual featuring Nami and Robin

Guest Cast and Theme Song

The special brings in two high-profile guest voice actors:

  • Maaya Sakamoto as Miucha
  • Takehito Koyasu as Lubun

The theme song is “Blue Shining Star”, performed by AiNA THE END.

One Piece Heroines teaser visual

Can Singapore Fans Watch It?

International streaming details are yet to be announced. The special will premiere on Fuji TV in Japan on 5 July 2026. Fans outside Japan should watch for official announcements from Toei’s international distribution partners.

If you want to catch up on the manga in the meantime, Viz Media has English volumes available now.

We’ll update this post if a streaming platform is confirmed for Southeast Asia. Keep an eye on our other anime news for the latest.

Game News, Manga Anime

Persona Turns 30 — Global Anniversary Site Live and Lawson Collab Kicks Off 30 June in Japan

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The Persona series turns 30 this September — and Atlus is celebrating with a global anniversary site and a Japan-exclusive Lawson convenience store collaboration that kicks off on 30 June 2026. For Singapore fans of the franchise, this is the milestone year to watch.

Celebrating 30 years of Persona | Creators Answer — via SEGA on YouTube

Thirty Years of Shadows and Masks

The original Revelations: Persona (女神異聞録ペルソナ) launched in Japan on 30 September 1996 on the original PlayStation. Three decades on, the franchise has grown into one of JRPG’s most beloved series, spanning six mainline titles, arena fighters, dancing games, tactical spin-offs, and anime adaptations. Persona 5 Royal remains a perennial bestseller in Singapore, and the series enjoys one of the most devoted fanbases in the region.

Atlus has opened the global 30th anniversary hub at asia.sega.com/p30th/en/, fully localised in Japanese, English, Simplified and Traditional Chinese, Korean, and Thai — a clear signal that the celebration is aimed squarely at Persona’s massive Southeast Asian audience. The site chronicles the series’ history and will be updated as new anniversary content is confirmed.

Lawson Collab — Eight Protagonists, One Convenience Store

The freshest piece of news: a Japan-wide collaboration with Lawson convenience stores launches 30 June 2026. Eight iconic protagonists, from the silent P1 hero all the way through to Ren Amamiya (Joker) of Persona 5, are being spotlighted with dedicated artwork. Exclusive merchandise — including Karaage-kun mini plush keychains themed after the games’ characters — will be on sale in Lawson branches nationwide.

In a distinctly Japanese touch, Lawson stores will also run in-store announcements voiced by Miyuki Sawashiro, the actress behind the beloved Velvet Room attendant Elizabeth since Persona 3. Even buying a convenience store rice ball is going to feel a little special for fans this summer.

Persona series 30th anniversary key art featuring all protagonists
Image courtesy of Atlus

What’s Coming Next?

The anniversary site has been carefully worded, with Video Games Chronicle noting that it “quietly mentions the next chapter for the series.” Atlus has not announced anything specific yet, but the franchise’s history of building anticipation slowly ahead of major reveals has fans watching every update closely.

What is confirmed: Persona 4 Revival is in development, bringing a modern reimagining of the beloved Inaba mystery to current-generation hardware. Atlus has a habit of timing big reveals around anniversary milestones — September 30, 2026 would be a very on-brand moment for a surprise.

For Singapore Fans: What You Can Actually Get

The Lawson collaboration is Japan-only, meaning the merch won’t appear on local shelves. That said, proxy shipping services and Japan-based forwarding agents (popular among Singapore collectors for limited JP goods) make it accessible for the motivated fan. The global anniversary site is open to everyone, and any digital announcements Atlus makes will land worldwide simultaneously.

If you have been sitting on the fence about the Persona series, the 30th anniversary is as good an entry point as any — check out our gaming news section for the latest on the franchise.

Last words

Whether you have been with Persona since the PS1 days or discovered it through Persona 5 Royal, this September marks something genuinely special. Atlus has earned its anniversary. Keep an eye on GameTrader for when the next shoe drops — and it will drop soon.

Manga Anime

Hunter x Hunter Is Back — Chapter 411 Arrives 29 June on Manga Plus

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After one of manga’s most famous hiatuses, Yoshihiro Togashi’s Hunter x Hunter is officially returning this Sunday. Chapter 411 arrives in Weekly Shonen Jump Issue #31 on 29 June, with simultaneous free access on Manga Plus for Singapore and international readers. The Succession War is about to get a lot more complicated.

Hunter x Hunter manga promotional artwork
Image courtesy of Yoshihiro Togashi / Shueisha

Where the Story Left Off

The Succession War has been unravelling in spectacular fashion aboard the Black Whale cruise ship. Prince Benjamin is desperately fighting to survive after being poisoned, while the declaration of martial law on Tier 1 has completely changed the power dynamics among the royal families. In the lower tiers of the ship, the Phantom Troupe is hunting Hisoka, while the growing influence of Morena and the Heil-Ly Family has introduced one of the arc’s most unpredictable factions. Borksen’s shocking decision to join the Heil-Ly as a double agent only added another layer of tension to an already chaotic situation.

With so many plot threads running at once, Screen Rant’s coverage of the return puts it well: this comeback could not be arriving at a better time.

Why This Hiatus Return Feels Different

Togashi’s hiatuses are legendary — his chronic back problems have disrupted Hunter x Hunter’s publication more times than most fans care to count. But this time around, there is genuine reason for optimism. Over the past several months, Togashi has been sharing regular progress updates, and according to those posts, he has already finished inking through Chapter 431 — giving the series a healthy buffer of 20-plus completed chapters before serialisation even resumes. That kind of stockpile is unprecedented for this series.

His health also appears to be improving. A recent Instagram post featuring him alongside his wife, manga legend Naoko Takeuchi (creator of Sailor Moon), showed Togashi looking well and relaxed. Combined with the growing backlog of finished chapters, this comeback feels more structurally stable than anything Hunter x Hunter fans have seen in years.

Volume 39: Negotiation — Out 3 July

Alongside the serialisation return, Shueisha is releasing Volume 39, collecting Chapters 401 to 410 under the title Negotiation. It arrives in Japan on 3 July 2026 — the first new physical volume of Hunter x Hunter in 22 months. International readers who prefer print editions will need to wait for their regional releases, but it is a significant milestone regardless.

How to Read in Singapore This Sunday

Singapore fans have a clean, legal, free option right at their fingertips. Manga Plus by Shueisha makes the three most recent chapters of Hunter x Hunter available at no charge, with a premium subscription option for the full archive. Chapter 411 will appear on Manga Plus the moment it goes live on 29 June. The app is available on iOS and Android, or via browser — no VPN required.

If you want to catch up first, Chapters 409 and 410 are already sitting there waiting for you on the platform right now.

Last Words

For Singapore manga readers, the message is simple: bookmark Manga Plus, catch up on the last two chapters before Sunday, and settle in for what could finally be a sustained run of new Hunter x Hunter. The Succession War has been building towards something monumental, and with a 20-chapter buffer already in the bank, there’s reason to believe Togashi is going to see it through. We’ll be watching closely — check our manga and anime coverage for updates as the arc develops.

Manga Anime

THE ONE PIECE Gets First Episode Artwork — WIT Studio’s Remake Arrives on Netflix in February 2027

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The One Piece anime remake just revealed its first episode artwork at the world’s biggest animation festival — and it has Singapore fans counting down to February 2027 on Netflix.

THE ONE PIECE | Special Announcement — via Netflix Anime on YouTube

Romance Dawn — The First Episode Gets Its Official Artwork

At the Annecy International Animation Film Festival this week, Netflix unveiled the first episode artwork for THE ONE PIECE — the anime remake produced by WIT Studio. The art covers Episode 1, which shares its title with the manga’s legendary opening chapter: “Romance Dawn.”

Formatted like a wanted poster, the image shows a grinning Monkey D. Luffy triumphantly setting sail for the very first time. It’s both a nod to the wanted-poster culture woven throughout the One Piece world and a clean visual statement of intent: this remake honours the spirit of the original, as covered by Anime News Network.

THE ONE PIECE WIT Studio official production artwork featuring characters from the East Blue Saga
Image courtesy of Netflix / WIT Studio

What Is THE ONE PIECE, and Why Does It Matter?

THE ONE PIECE is not a sequel or a spin-off — it is a complete retelling of Eiichiro Oda’s iconic manga, starting from Chapter 1, produced by WIT Studio. If that name rings a bell, it should: WIT Studio delivered Attack on Titan Seasons 1 through 3 and co-produced Spy x Family. Now the studio is bringing that same level of craft to the East Blue Saga.

Season 1 adapts the first 50 chapters of the manga, taking Luffy from his childhood in Foosha Village all the way to his encounter with the sharp-tongued sous-chef Sanji at the floating restaurant Baratie. That’s seven episodes — all dropping simultaneously on Netflix — with a combined runtime of around 300 minutes.

For Singapore fans who have followed the original Toei Animation series for years or decades, this is a chance to revisit one of fiction’s most beloved opening arcs with production values that match a contemporary streaming blockbuster. Netflix is available here, so no workarounds needed when the series launches in February 2027.

The Creative Team

Masashi Koizuka directs, with Taku Kishimoto on series composition. Character design and chief animation director duties are shared by Kyoji Asano and Takatoshi Honda — and the team has been open about how seriously they approached capturing Oda’s unmistakable style.

“We repeatedly traced Oda-sensei’s art,” Asano told CBR. “After two full months of thoroughly studying his style, we finally achieved a level of quality that even the director was very satisfied with.”

The production is a collaboration between WIT Studio, Shueisha, Fuji Television Network, and Toei Animation — a consortium that suggests Oda has had a close hand in overseeing the adaptation, as he has with other One Piece projects.

Last words

Singapore’s One Piece fandom is one of the most passionate in the region, and a WIT Studio remake that has spent months tracing Oda-sensei’s linework is a genuinely exciting prospect. February 2027 is still several months away, but the Annecy first-episode artwork is a clear signal that this ship is on course — and when it sails, it looks set to be unmissable. Mark your Netflix calendar now, and catch up on our other anime coverage in the meantime.

Manga Anime, News

Fool Night Anime Revealed — Sunrise × SHAFT’s First Collab Streams on Netflix in 2026

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The wait is over. At the Annecy International Animation Film Festival 2026, the Sunrise × SHAFT anime project that has had the fandom buzzing for a week finally has a name: Fool Night. The dark sci-fi thriller will stream exclusively worldwide on Netflix later this year — yes, including Singapore.

「Fool Night」 Teaser PV — via Bandai Namco Film Works on YouTube

What Is Fool Night?

Based on the award-winning manga by Kasumi Yasuda, Fool Night is set in a bleak future where thick clouds permanently block the sun, plunging Earth into endless darkness. With plant life wiped out and oxygen depleting, humanity devised a drastic solution: transfloration, a process that converts dying humans into plant-like organisms to restore the oxygen supply.

At the centre of the story is Toshiro Kamiya, a young man who undergoes transfloration and discovers an unexpected side effect — he can hear plants. That ability sets him on a path to bridge the silence between humans and those who have transformed, a drama of identity, grief, and survival sitting somewhere between hard science fiction and quiet horror.

Fool Night anime key visual — Sunrise × SHAFT
Image courtesy of Fool Night Anime Production Committee / Bandai Namco Film Works

Two Studios. One Historic First.

This announcement caps a genuine historic milestone: Sunrise and SHAFT have never collaborated on an anime before. Sunrise’s legacy spans Cowboy Bebop, Code Geass, and the entire Gundam franchise; SHAFT built its reputation on the kinetic, visually daring style of Puella Magi Madoka Magica and the Monogatari series. Pairing them on a single dark, atmospheric sci-fi property is a bold creative bet — and the kind that tends to pay off.

Meet the Team Behind It

The production staff is full of names anime fans will recognise:

  • Director: Atsuyuki Yukawa — previously an episode director on Suzume no Tojimari; Fool Night marks his debut as a chief series director
  • Series Composition: Jin Tanaka — the writer behind Oshi no Ko
  • Character Design: Robert Sato
  • Sound Director: Yota Tsuruoka — credits include A Silent Voice (Koe no Katachi)
  • Music: Tatsuya Kato — the composer behind the acclaimed Dr. STONE score
Fool Night anime — Toshiro Kamiya and Yomiko Horai character visual
Image courtesy of Fool Night Anime Production Committee / Bandai Namco Film Works

The lead voice cast is equally well-matched. Koki Uchiyama — known to many as Tomura Shigaraki in My Hero Academia — voices protagonist Toshiro Kamiya. Minako Kotobuki (Tsumugi in K-On!) plays Yomiko Horai, Toshiro’s childhood friend.

An Award-Winning Manga with a Global Following

Yasuda’s manga is no newcomer to acclaim. Serialised in Shogakukan’s Big Comic Superior since November 2020, it currently runs to 12 volumes. It ranked in Kono Manga ga Sugoi! 2023 — Japan’s reader-voted best manga guide — and took home the Japan Expo DARUMA Award 2023 for Best Suspense in France, signalling international appetite long before any anime was confirmed. Singapore and SEA readers can pick up the English-language volumes through Shogakukan Asia.

Netflix Streams Worldwide — Singapore Included

Netflix confirmed a worldwide exclusive for Fool Night in 2026. No specific episode count or premiere date beyond “2026” was given at Annecy, so keep an eye on the Netflix Singapore page for updates. Given how quickly Netflix rolls out its anime titles globally, expect close-to-simultaneous access for Singapore fans when the series premieres.

Last Words

Midnight in Singapore, and the anime news cycle just woke up. Fool Night checks every box for a prestige Netflix anime: an acclaimed manga source, a career-defining staff roster, and two studios whose visual signatures are so distinct that their collision alone is worth watching. Singapore fans who want to get ahead of the curve can dive into the English manga through Shogakukan Asia now. We will be covering this one closely as a premiere date firms up. For more anime news, check out our Manga Anime coverage.