Category Archives: Manga Anime

Manga Anime

Kingdom Manga Turns 20: Oda, Kishimoto and Togashi Pay Tribute to Hara’s War Epic

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Yasuhisa Hara’s Kingdom turns 20 today — and the manga world’s biggest names have shown up to celebrate. A special Kingdom Magazine, published by Shueisha on 19 August 2026, marks two decades of Kingdom‘s serialisation with new art from Hara, an extended interview, and tribute illustrations from some of the most celebrated mangaka alive.

Kingdom Season 6 | Official Trailer — via Crunchyroll on YouTube

Twenty Years of War in the Warring States

Shin, Kingdom's protagonist, in battle
Image courtesy of Kingdom Production Committee

Serialised in Weekly Young Jump since 26 January 2006, Kingdom follows Xin (Shin in Japanese) — a war orphan who rises through the ranks of Qin’s army alongside the future First Emperor of China, Ying Zheng. It is a sweeping, historically grounded epic set during ancient China’s Warring States period (475–221 BCE), now stretching across 79 volumes and over 120 million copies in circulation worldwide.

English-speaking readers got official access relatively recently: Viz Media launched the English translation in November 2025, with volumes available digitally on the Shonen Jump app and Manga Plus by Shueisha — both accessible to Singapore fans. All six anime seasons are also streaming on Crunchyroll.

Legends Pick Up the Brush

Kingdom Season 6 sequel teaser visual
Image courtesy of Kingdom Production Committee

Throughout 2026, Kingdom‘s anniversary has drawn tribute artworks from mangaka who rarely pick up a pen for anyone outside their own series. Among those confirmed by multiple outlets:

  • Eiichiro Oda (One Piece) drew Kingdom‘s protagonist Xin
  • Masashi Kishimoto (Naruto) contributed a commemorative illustration
  • Yoshihiro Togashi (Hunter x Hunter) drew a tribute piece for the anniversary
  • Hirohiko Araki (JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure) recreated Ou Ki — the “Wyvern of Qin” Great General — in his unmistakable style, revealed in March 2026
  • Takehiko Inoue (Slam Dunk, Vagabond) sent congratulations alongside a tribute illustration — a pointed gesture, given that Hara spent years as Inoue’s own assistant before creating Kingdom
  • Sui Ishida (Tokyo Ghoul, Choujin X) recreated the panel in which Shin eliminates Rin Ko from Chapter 231

This kind of industry crossover — Jump, seinen, and independent voices all contributing — is a quiet acknowledgement that Kingdom belongs in the same conversation as manga’s most enduring epics.

What’s Inside Today’s Kingdom Magazine

Kingdom Season 6 cast characters
Image courtesy of Kingdom Production Committee

The Kingdom Magazine — out today, 19 August — is the centrepiece of the anniversary campaign. The special issue carries new cover art and a collectible poster illustrated by Hara, making it a direct collectible for longtime fans. Inside, readers will find the results of the series’ third character popularity poll, which reveals how two decades of storytelling have shifted which generals and soldiers resonate most. An extended interview with Hara and a 20-year retrospective round out the issue.

Hara has been open about his intentions for the series going forward. “Thanks to all of our readers, we have been able to reach the 20th anniversary of serialisation,” he said at the start of the year. “However, the journey is not over yet. The story will continue to build even more momentum as it moves toward the unification of China.”

Where Singapore Fans Can Jump In

If you have been waiting for a reason to start Kingdom, this anniversary is it. The manga’s English volumes are available through major retailers and digitally via Manga Plus (free to read in Singapore). Crunchyroll streams all six anime seasons, with a seventh season sequel confirmed and already in production. The live-action film series, now at five entries, is also available on streaming.

If you enjoy the scale and historical grounding of series like Vinland Saga or the craft of Vagabond — and the fact that Oda, Kishimoto and Togashi all stopped their own work long enough to draw tribute art should tell you something — Kingdom at 20 remains one of manga’s most rewarding long reads. Explore more in our manga anime section.

Manga Anime, News

BLACK LAGOON 25th Anniversary Art Exhibition Announced for Ikebukuro

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Twenty-five years of gunfire, cigar smoke, and morally flexible pirates have earned Roanapur its own exhibition. Shogakukan and the BLACK LAGOON 25th Anniversary Executive Committee confirmed today that a BLACK LAGOON 25th Anniversary Original Art Exhibition (原画展) will run at Sunshine 60 Observatory’s Tenbo Park event space in Ikebukuro, Tokyo from 13 November to 6 December 2026.

BLACK LAGOON 25th Anniversary key visual featuring Rock, Revy, Dutch and Benny
Image courtesy of Shogakukan

What the BLACK LAGOON Art Exhibition Will Showcase

The exhibition is set to be the most substantial look behind the curtain of creator Rei Hiroe’s craft since the series launched. Confirmed exhibits include original manga manuscripts, full-colour illustration reproductions, and — most intriguingly — real gun props that appeared on the series’ iconic comic covers. Photo spots styled around the streets of Roanapur are also planned, giving fans a chance to step (at least visually) into the series’ fictional Southeast Asian port city.

Details on ticketing and admission prices have not yet been announced. The organisers have indicated that further information will be released through the official SundayGX channels and blacklagoon.jp, so it’s worth bookmarking both now if a Japan trip late this year is on the cards.

Twenty-Five Years in the Port City — and 10 Million Copies Sold

BLACK LAGOON Vol. 14 manga cover by Rei Hiroe
Image courtesy of Shogakukan

BLACK LAGOON began as a one-shot in 2001 before Rei Hiroe kicked off the full serialisation in Shogakukan’s Monthly Sunday GX in 2002. The series follows Dutch, Revy, Rock, and Benny — the crew of the torpedo boat Black Lagoon — running jobs out of the fictional port city of Roanapur, a place that feels pulled from the grimy, sun-bleached harbours of Southeast Asia.

That setting has never been incidental. Roanapur’s unmistakably Southeast Asian atmosphere, the multilingual criminal underworld, the sense of a city that exists just outside the reach of any government’s law — it’s a world that has always resonated particularly hard with readers in Singapore and the broader region. We’re part of the geography that inspired it, even if the city itself is fiction.

After a quarter century, the series has shipped 10 million copies worldwide. A fourteenth volume of the main manga is currently available, and two official spin-off series remain in active publication: BLACK LAGOON Eda: Initial Stage and BLACK LAGOON Sawyer the Cleaner: Dismantling! The Gore-Gore Sisters.

BLACK LAGOON official spin-off manga — Eda Initial Stage Vol. 9 and Sawyer the Cleaner Vol. 11
Image courtesy of Shogakukan

Dates, Venue, and How to Visit

The BLACK LAGOON 25th Anniversary Original Art Exhibition runs from Friday, 13 November to Sunday, 6 December 2026 at Sunshine 60 Observatory Tenbo Park in Ikebukuro, Tokyo. The event is organised by the BLACK LAGOON 25th Anniversary Original Art Exhibition Executive Committee, with support from TOKYO MX.

For Singapore fans already planning a Japan trip around the winter school holidays, the exhibition window slots in neatly. Ikebukuro is a straightforward stop on the Yamanote Line, and Sunshine City is well-signposted from the station’s eastern exits. Admission pricing, advance ticketing, and the full programme will be announced closer to the opening date via the official SundayGX BLACK LAGOON page (Japanese).

The announcement was first reported by Famitsu.com (Japanese) earlier today, and no English-language coverage has followed yet — making this one of those cases where checking Japanese sources first genuinely pays off for readers outside Japan.

Manga Anime

Juju Fes 2026: JJK’s 5th Anniversary Takes Over Yokohama

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Jujutsu Kaisen’s five-year anime anniversary is being celebrated in style across Yokohama this August — a city-wide collab at three iconic waterfront venues runs until 31 August, and the whole month culminates in Juju Fes 2026 -5th Anniversary-, a two-day live event at K-Arena Yokohama on 29 and 30 August.

JUJUTSU KAISEN | OFFICIAL TRAILER — via Crunchyroll on YouTube
Jujutsu Kaisen 5th Anniversary x Yokohama City full cast banner
Image courtesy of Jujutsu Kaisen Production Committee

Yokohama Goes Jujutsu for August 2026

The collaboration spans three of Yokohama’s most recognisable waterfront landmarks: Yokohama Cosmo World, the Yokohama Air Cabin aerial gondola, and Yokohama Marine Tower. All three venues have been dressed in newly commissioned 5th-anniversary artwork since the collab opened on 1 August, and large-scale photo installations with the distinctive magic-hour anniversary visuals were added from 15 August.

Entry to Cosmo World is free — individual rides and attractions are charged separately. Inside, fans can take part in a stamp rally spanning multiple locations within the park, play carnival games featuring newly recorded JJK character voice lines, and shop at a limited-time collaboration store with exclusive merchandise, themed drinks and food. Items sell out fast on opening days; weekday visits offer better availability.

Cosmo Clock 21 Ferris wheel with Jujutsu Kaisen JJK projection at night — official render
Image courtesy of Jujutsu Kaisen Production Committee / Yokohama Cosmo World (official impression render)

The Cosmo Clock 21 — Yokohama’s 112-metre Ferris wheel visible from across the bay — is also part of the activation, projected with JJK imagery for a striking night-time display. The full Yokohama City collaboration is an official tourism initiative by the Yokohama Convention & Visitors Bureau (Japanese), making it one of the most ambitious JJK event partnerships to date.

Juju Fes 2026 -5th Anniversary-: K-Arena Yokohama, 29–30 August

Juju Fes 2026 5th Anniversary main visual — Jujutsu Kaisen cast character portraits
Image courtesy of Jujutsu Kaisen Production Committee

The month-long celebrations close with Juju Fes 2026 -5th Anniversary- (official site, Japanese) at K-Arena Yokohama on 29 and 30 August. Per the official announcement, each day runs a live dubbing stage where the voice cast performs scenes from the anime live on stage, a special band performs the JJK soundtrack live, and the series’ opening and ending theme artists take the stage for full performances. Based on previous Juju Fes events, major franchise announcements — new season details, merchandise reveals, or project teases — typically land here too.

Full Cast and Artist Lineup

Juju Fes 2026 Day 1 visual — Jujutsu Kaisen 5th anniversary
Image courtesy of Jujutsu Kaisen Production Committee

Day 1 — Saturday, 29 August
Voice cast: Junya Enoki (Yuji Itadori), Yuichi Nakamura (Satoru Gojo), Nobunaga Shimazaki, Megumi Ogata, Takahiro Sakurai, Junichi Suwabe, Daisuke Namikawa, Kazuya Nakai, Hiroki Tochi
Artists: Who-ya Extended, Tatsuya Kitani, jo0ji

Day 2 — Sunday, 30 August
Voice cast: Junya Enoki, Yuma Uchida (Megumi Fushiguro), Asami Seto (Nobara Kugisaki), Megumi Ogata, Kenjiro Tsuda, Takahiro Sakurai, Mikako Komatsu, Koji Yusa, Tomokazu Sugita
Artists: ALI, Hitsujibungaku, jo0ji

Merchandise, Tickets and Watching From Singapore

Official Juju Fes merchandise — including event-exclusive goods — is available for pre-order on the TOHO animation STORE (Japanese), which ships internationally including to Singapore. Pre-orders are the safer route for fans outside Japan since in-person event stock moves quickly.

Tickets for Juju Fes 2026 are sold through lottery via the official event channels; no official live stream has been announced at the time of writing. If you are planning a Japan trip around the event, the Yokohama collab venues are open until 31 August, so the 29–31 August window covers both Juju Fes and the city installations in one visit. JJK Season 3 (Culling Game Part 1) is currently streaming on Netflix Singapore for anyone who needs to catch up before the anniversary celebrations peak. For more anime coverage, browse our Manga Anime section.

Manga Anime, News

WataNare Manga Part 2 Starts Early 2027 — New Artist Eru Kudō Takes Over

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The first part of the WataNare manga has wrapped — and the girls’ love comedy that won over Crunchyroll fans across Southeast Asia is getting a second act. Shueisha confirmed on 17 August that There’s No Freaking Way I’ll Be Your Lover! Unless… (わたなれ) will continue in 2027 with a brand-new artist and a fresh manga chapter starting on Young Jump+.

Manga Part 1 Completes on Young Jump+

WataNare anime title logo with main cast
Image courtesy of REMOW / WataNare Production Committee

The manga adaptation drawn by Musshu published its final chapter on Young Jump+ on 31 July 2026, closing out the story that had run on Shueisha’s digital platform. The collected run reached eight volumes under the Young Jump Comics label. For fans following in English, Seven Seas Entertainment handles the translated manga release.

Part 2 Brings a New Pencil — Eru Kudō Steps In

WataNare Next Shine theatrical sequel key visual — Road Show from 21 November 2025
Image courtesy of REMOW / WataNare Production Committee

Shueisha announced that illustrator Eru Kudō will take over art duties for the manga’s second part, officially titled Watashi ga Koibito ni Nareru Wake Naijan, Muri Muri! Muri Janakatta!? ~Second Season. The new series launches on Young Jump+ in January or February 2027. Eru Kudō brings a fresh visual approach to Renako and Mai’s story as it moves deeper into Teren Mikami’s original light novel source material.

The change in artist isn’t out of the ordinary for the franchise — original creator Teren Mikami writes the light novels with illustrations by Eku Takeshima, while Musshu drew the first manga arc. Eru Kudō becomes the third artist to contribute visuals to the WataNare world. For more manga and anime updates, head to the Manga Anime section.

Where the Franchise Stands

WataNare started as a Shueisha Dash X Bunko light novel before expanding into manga and anime. Studio Mother’s anime adaptation aired from July to September 2025 and streamed on Crunchyroll — Singapore included — making it one of the more accessible yuri titles for Southeast Asian viewers. The show follows awkward high schooler Renako Amaori as she gets tangled in a fake-dating arrangement with school superstar Mai Ouzuka, with predictably chaotic and heartfelt results.

The theatrical sequel WataNare ~Next Shine~ (covering episodes 13–17) opened in Japan cinemas from 21 November 2025. A proper anime Season 2 has also been confirmed for production, though no air date has been set. The franchise held a special fan event — Sweet Summer Memory — at Nissho Hall in Tokyo on 16 August 2026, just two days before this Part 2 announcement.

For Singapore Fans: What’s Available Now

WataNare Sweet Summer Memory special event visual, August 2026
Image courtesy of REMOW / WataNare Production Committee

The WataNare anime Season 1 (12 episodes) is streaming now on Crunchyroll Singapore. English manga volumes are available through online retailers that carry Seven Seas Entertainment titles. When Part 2 begins serialisation in early 2027, chapters will land on Young Jump+, accessible globally. No Singapore theatrical window for Next Shine has been confirmed, so streaming via Crunchyroll remains the most reliable way to keep up with the series.

Manga Anime

Takopi’s Original Sin Movie Opens in Japan on 27 November

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The dark streaming anime that quietly broke hearts across Southeast Asia in 2025 is heading to the big screen. Takopi’s Original Sin –Arigato, Mata Ashita– (lit. “Thank You, See You Tomorrow”) will open in Japanese theatres on 27 November 2026, bringing all six episodes of the original web anime together in a re-edited theatrical cut — with new scenes exclusive to the cinema version.

Shizuka running with Takopi on her shoulder, from Takopi's Original Sin anime
Image courtesy of Takopi’s Original Sin Production Committee

What the Theatrical Version of the Takopi’s Original Sin Movie Adds

Rather than a full original feature, the film is a theatrical compilation re-edit of the six-episode ONA that aired from June to August 2025 on Crunchyroll, Netflix, and Ani-One. The new cut has been reworked specifically for cinemas, and the production committee has confirmed that the film includes newly added scenes not present in the streaming version. Full details of those additions haven’t been revealed yet, so viewers who already binged the series will have reason to return to the theatre.

An international release window has not been announced. The 27 November date is Japan-only at this stage, and no Singapore or Southeast Asian theatrical distribution has been confirmed. If you’re hoping to catch it locally, you’ll want to watch the streaming version first — it remains free to watch with a Crunchyroll subscription and is also available via Ani-One, which serves the Singapore and SEA market.

Takopi’s Original Sin | Official Trailer — via Crunchyroll on YouTube

The Story That Made Takopi’s Original Sin Unmissable

On the surface, Takopi’s Original Sin looks like a cheerful kids’ series: a pink, round alien named Takopi — voiced by Kurumi Mamiya — crash-lands on Earth and decides his mission is to make sad fourth-grader Shizuka (Reina Ueda) smile. Takopi carries a bag of “Happy Gadgets” and is constitutionally incapable of giving up.

What the show actually is: a six-episode gut-punch that deals unflinchingly with school bullying, neglect, and the ways children are failed by the adults around them. Adapted from the manga by TAIZAN 5, the series became one of the most discussed streaming anime of 2025 precisely because it refused to soften the edges. The story also features Konomi Kohara as Marina and Anna Nagase as Naoki, both central to the conflicts that drive the plot.

Shizuka and Marina character art from Takopi's Original Sin
Image courtesy of Takopi’s Original Sin Production Committee

The Team Behind the Anime

Director Shinya Iino — who previously worked as assistant director on Made in Abyss and handled series composition on Dr. STONE — oversaw the original ONA and returns for the theatrical edit. Studio ENISHIYA handled animation production, with character design by Keita Nagahara and music composed by Yoshiaki Fujisawa.

Watch the Streaming Version Before the Movie Hits

If you haven’t seen Takopi’s Original Sin yet, the six-episode run is roughly three hours total and best watched in a single sitting — the structure earns its ending. Singapore viewers can stream it now on Crunchyroll or catch it through Ani-One. Both platforms carried the original simulcast and still have the full series available. Check our anime coverage for more on what’s new in the streaming world this season.

Manga Anime

Gosho Aoyama Has the Detective Conan Finale Written — Here’s What He Said

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It has been running for 32 years and shows no sign of stopping — but Gosho Aoyama has now confirmed that the ending of Detective Conan is not just planned in his head. The rough storyboard for the final chapter already exists on paper. On 16 August 2026, Aoyama told a Nippon TV crew: “最終回のネームは書いてある” — “The final chapter’s ネーム (rough storyboard) has been written.” He added, with a laugh: “面白いよ” — “It’s interesting.”

What “ネーム” Means — and Why It Matters

Detective Conan and the Detective Boys in official anime key art
Image courtesy of Gosho Aoyama / Shogakukan / TMS Entertainment

In Japanese manga production, a ネーム (name) is the rough storyboard stage: penciled panel layouts, dialogue placement, and pacing — essentially the skeleton of a chapter before the final inking and artwork are added. It is the phase where the story’s structure is locked in. Aoyama is not saying the final chapter is drawn and sitting in a vault somewhere, but he is saying the creative decisions — how Conan ends, who did what, what the last page looks like — are committed to the page.

That laugh — “面白いよ” — is exactly what you would expect from a creator who has been dangling resolution in front of his readers for three decades. He knows we are desperate to find out, and he is clearly enjoying keeping the secret just a little longer.

劇場版『名探偵コナン2026』 Super Teaser Trailer — via 【アニメ】名探偵コナン公式 on YouTube

The Nippon TV Interview

The disclosure came during a segment for Nippon TV’s 24-Hour TV Latest Information SP pre-show broadcast on 16 August 2026. The interviewers were SixTONES member Keisuke Kyomoto and singer Chanmina, both self-described Detective Conan fans, who visited Aoyama’s studio for the special. The conversation was reported by Oricon News (Japanese), Livedoor News, and Nikkan Sports. No English-language outlet had covered this statement at the time of writing.

Where the Series Stands

Detective Conan began serialisation in Weekly Shōnen Sunday (Shogakukan) in January 1994. Volume 108 shipped in April 2026. The manga follows genius high-school detective Shinichi Kudo, who is shrunk into a child’s body after being poisoned by a criminal organisation — and has spent more than 1,000 chapters methodically picking apart cases while keeping his identity secret from nearly everyone around him.

No publication timeline for the final chapter has been given. But the fact that the ending is already storyboarded means this is now a question of when, not if.

What This Means for Singapore Fans

Detective Conan 2026 movie super teaser announcement title card
Image courtesy of Gosho Aoyama / Shogakukan / TMS Entertainment

Conan has a devoted following here that spans generations — the anime has been a fixture of after-school TV viewing across Asia for over two decades, and the annual theatrical films regularly perform well at Singapore cinemas. Knowing that Aoyama has the ending drafted is both exciting and, for long-time fans, probably a little bittersweet.

The series will keep going for now, and the annual films will keep coming — the 2026 movie was released in Japan over Golden Week and has since opened across Southeast Asia. But somewhere in Aoyama’s studio there is a sheet of paper with the last words Shinichi Kudo will ever say. That is not nothing. Keep up with more manga news as the final arc draws closer.

Manga Anime

Toilet-Bound Hanako-kun Manga Returns 18 August After 10-Month Hiatus

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After nearly ten months away, Aidairo’s supernatural school-mystery manga is back. The Toilet-Bound Hanako-kun serialisation resumed today, 18 August, in the Monthly G Fantasy September 2026 issue — ending one of the longest involuntary hiatuses the series has seen since it began in 2014.

Toilet-bound Hanako-kun Season 2 | Official Trailer — via Crunchyroll on YouTube

Aidairo’s Health Hiatus, Explained

The break began in November 2025, when publisher Square Enix announced via the official G Fantasy X account that Aidairo was stepping back from the monthly schedule due to illness requiring medical treatment. No specific condition was disclosed, and the hiatus was described as indefinite at the time. Concern spread quickly across the manga and anime community — partly because Hanako-kun had been running on a tight monthly deadline with no extended breaks for over a decade.

On 17 August, Aidairo posted directly on X to confirm the return, writing: “明日8月18日はGファンタジー9月号の発売日 今月の花子くんは…連載再開 今月からまたよろしくお願いします！” — loosely, “Tomorrow, August 18, is the G Fantasy September issue release day. This month’s Hanako-kun is… resuming serialisation. Thank you again starting this month!” The message struck a tone of quiet relief rather than fanfare, which felt right for a comeback after ten months of recovery.

Toilet-Bound Hanako-kun manga collector boxset by Yen Press
Image courtesy of Yen Press / Square Enix

Where the Story Left Off

For readers who have been keeping the paperbacks on standby: the series currently has over 10 million copies in circulation worldwide, and Yen Press publishes the English edition — Volume 24 shipped in July 2026. The manga follows Nene Yashiro and the ghost Hanako-kun as they navigate the supernatural rules binding the Seven Mysteries of Kamome Academy, blending folklore, horror, and a lot of emotional gut-punches. The ongoing arc had been building toward some significant revelations before the hiatus interrupted it.

Toilet-Bound Hanako-kun manga volume cover art by Aidairo
Image courtesy of Aidairo / Square Enix

The anime adaptation — produced by Lerche — ran a well-received second season from January to July 2025, which brought a fresh wave of international fans to the source material. Crunchyroll streams both seasons with subtitles across Southeast Asia, so if you have been watching but have not yet caught up on the manga, now is a good time to close that gap.

What This Means for Singapore Readers

Toilet-Bound Hanako-kun Season 2 official trailer — After-School Hanako-kun
Image courtesy of Lerche / Square Enix

English volumes from Yen Press are available at major bookshops and anime merchandise stores. The manga reads differently to the anime — Aidairo’s panel work is dense with hidden visual clues that reward re-reads — so the return of monthly chapters is good news for fans of both the illustrated source and the screen adaptation.

There is no word yet on when the next anime arc might be adapted, but a healthy and continuing manga is usually the prerequisite. The series is back, and that is enough for today. Catch up on more manga and anime news while you wait for your copy to arrive.

Manga Anime, News

Chiikawa Movie Tops ¥9 Billion in Japan — Opens in Singapore This Thursday

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Just 24 days after its Japan premiere, Chiikawa the Movie: The Secret of Mermaid Island has crossed ¥9.28 billion at the Japanese box office — and Singapore fans have barely any time to catch their breath: the film opens in local cinemas this Thursday, 20 August.

『映画ちいかわ 人魚の島のひみつ』 60秒 official teaser — via 東宝MOVIEチャンネル on YouTube

¥10 Billion Now in Sight

On 17 August, Toho’s official X account (@toho_movie) confirmed the film had cleared 92.8億円 (¥9.28 billion) in revenue with 6.45 million total admissions, covering its first 24 days (24 July to 16 August). That places it at #2 on Japan’s 2026 box office chart, behind only Toy Story 5 at ¥11.67 billion — and with weekend after weekend of strong holds, the ¥10 billion milestone now looks very much within reach.

Chiikawa the Movie: The Secret of Mermaid Island box office milestone — ¥9.28 billion and 6.45 million admissions in 24 days
Image courtesy of Toho / Nagano

The jump comes just two days after the ¥8 billion figure we covered last week. The film adapts the Siren arc from Nagano’s beloved manga, directed by Kei Oikawa (Uma Musume: Pretty Derby the Movie) and animated by CygamesPictures. It follows Chiikawa, Hachiware, and Usagi as they voyage to a mysterious island, only to find something far darker lurking beneath the surface.

Chiikawa Movie Singapore: In Cinemas 20 August

Chiikawa The Movie: The Secret of Mermaid Island — opening at Golden Village Singapore on 20 August 2026
Image courtesy of Golden Village Pictures

Distributed locally by Medialink Entertainment, Chiikawa the Movie opens across Singapore cinemas on Thursday, 20 August. Showtimes are available at Golden Village locations — check the GV app or your preferred cinema’s website now if you want a seat before the weekend crowds descend. Given how the film has performed in Japan, expect strong demand from families and the sizeable local Chiikawa fanbase alike.

GV Suntec Fans Screening — 22 August

Scene from Chiikawa the Movie: The Secret of Mermaid Island — from Toho’s official trailer
Still from Toho’s official trailer

For the full fan experience, Golden Village Suntec City is hosting a dedicated fans screening on Saturday, 22 August, with sessions at 12:00 PM, 12:15 PM, and 12:30 PM. Tickets are priced at $30 (public) and $28 (GVMC members), and each includes an exclusive A3 key visual poster (Japanese edition), a mini character charm blind pack, and a collectible ticket. Full details and booking info are in our earlier coverage.

Chiikawa the Movie: The Secret of Mermaid Island (2026) — via Far East Films on YouTube (official SEA release)

Chiikawa the Movie can also be found listed on Manga Anime news at GameTrader.SG.

Manga Anime

Mushoku Tensei Season 3 New Opening Song ‘Hikari no Uta’ Debuts with Chaos Breaker Arc

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Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation Season 3 stepped into its most ambitious arc yet last night when Episode 8, “The Flying Fortress,” arrived on Crunchyroll with a brand-new opening theme. Titled “Hikari no Uta” (光の歌, Song of Light) and performed by returning series vocalist Yuiko Ohara, the track signals the full arrival of the Chaos Breaker arc — and it hits differently from everything that came before.

Rudeus Greyrat close-up — Mushoku Tensei Season 3
Image courtesy of Studio Bind / Mushoku Tensei III Production Committee

Yuiko Ohara’s Third Opening Theme for Season 3

Yuiko Ohara has been the voice of Mushoku Tensei’s openings since Season 1’s beloved “Tabibito no Uta” (Wanderer’s Song), and she has not stepped away for Season 3. “Hikari no Uta” is confirmed as her third opening contribution within this season alone — an unusually high count that mirrors just how many story shifts the season is tracking. The song is now streaming on all major music platforms, landing at the exact moment the series shifts into Volume 14 of Rifujin na Magonote’s original light novel series.

The tone of the new opening fits the arc well: lighter in colour palette than its predecessors, with an undercurrent of unease that long-time fans of the light novel will read immediately. Singapore fans watching on Crunchyroll should keep the episode queue open — once the Chaos Breaker arc finds its footing, it moves fast.

The Chaos Breaker Arc: What Is Coming for Rudeus

Guided by Nanahoshi Shizuka, Rudeus gains an audience with Perugius Dola — the Armored Dragon King and one of the Three Heroes who sealed the Demon God Laplace centuries ago. Perugius commands twelve familiar spirits from his sky fortress Chaos Breaker and keeps eternal watch for Laplace’s return. The meeting goes further than expected: Perugius mentions a name connected to Rudeus’s past, raising questions that cut to the heart of the series’ deepest mystery.

The arc then takes a sharp turn. One of the party is struck by a deadly illness inside the fortress, transforming what should have been a once-in-a-lifetime journey into something far more desperate.

Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation Season 3 — Official Chaos Breaker Arc Trailer, via AnimeSelect on YouTube

New Characters and Voice Cast

Three major characters step into the story with the Chaos Breaker arc:

  • Perugius Dola (CV: Rikiya Koyama) — one of the Three Heroes who sealed Demon God Laplace, the Armored Dragon King rules from his sky fortress and commands twelve familiar spirits. Koyama’s casting brings immediate presence to the role.
  • Atoferatofe Rybak (CV: Nanako Mori) — the Undead Demon King, whose volatile chapter in the arc adds an unexpected burst of energy to the story.
  • Sylvaril of the Void (CV: Ayumi Tsunematsu) — a familiar spirit bound to Perugius, with a presence that lingers well beyond her screen time.
Perugius Dola character sheet — Mushoku Tensei Season 3 Chaos Breaker Arc
Image courtesy of Studio Bind / Mushoku Tensei III Production Committee
Atoferatofe Rybak character design and voice actress Nanako Mori — Mushoku Tensei Season 3
Image courtesy of Studio Bind / Mushoku Tensei III Production Committee
Sylvaril of the Void character design and voice actress Ayumi Tsunematsu — Mushoku Tensei Season 3
Image courtesy of Studio Bind / Mushoku Tensei III Production Committee

Watch on Crunchyroll — Singapore Schedule

All episodes of Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation Season 3 are available on Crunchyroll, with new episodes simulcast every Sunday at around 11:00 PM SGT. If you want the full context going into Episode 8, our Chaos Breaker arc preview covers the narrative setup and new cast. For more anime and manga news relevant to Singapore, keep checking back here at GameTrader.