Category Archives: Manga Anime

Chainsaw Man x GARRACK: Japan-Made Mechanical Watches with Awa Washi Dials Out 21 August

Japan-based watch brand GARRACK has announced four automatic mechanical watches inspired by Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc, and they are a genuine step up from the smartwatch collaboration that came before. These are hand-crafted timepieces with dials made from traditional Japanese Awa washi paper — meaning no two watches will look exactly alike — going on sale 21 August 2026, with worldwide shipping available directly from the brand.

Four Characters, Four Watches

The collection covers four characters from the Reze Arc film, each as its own distinct automatic watch model with character-specific design details worked into the hands, indices, and dial motifs:

GARRACK Chainsaw Man automatic mechanical watch model
Image courtesy of GARRACK / Ueni Trading
  • Chainsaw Man model (SMS-CM-41-C, 41×41mm) — saw-blade inspired indices ring the open-heart dial, with a character-specific detail at the 12 o’clock position. The overall feel is all Denji: raw and kinetic.
  • Hayakawa Aki model (SMS-CM-41-A, 41×41mm) — tobacco and earring motifs are worked into the dial, capturing Aki’s understated but layered character in metal and washi.
GARRACK Hayakawa Aki automatic mechanical watch
Image courtesy of GARRACK / Ueni Trading
  • Bomb model (SMS-CM-40-B, 40×40mm) — explosive imagery runs through the dial design. At 40mm it sits slightly slimmer on the wrist than the Chainsaw Man and Aki models.
  • Makima model (SMS-CM-40-M, 40×40mm) — coffee cup and eye motifs reference Makima’s calm, controlled demeanour. Perhaps the most wearable of the four for everyday use.
GARRACK Bomb automatic mechanical watch
Image courtesy of GARRACK / Ueni Trading

The Awa Washi Dial — What Makes It Special

The standout feature of this collection is the dial material. GARRACK uses momizome-shi — a form of Awa washi paper made in Tokushima Prefecture — where artisans hand-crumple the sheet and steep it in two to three dye colours before finishing. The result is an irregular, layered texture that varies from piece to piece. As GARRACK explains on their special page, the irregular patterns inherent to crumpled dyed paper evoke the work’s intense, dynamic world.

Each dial is finished by hand, so colour intensity and texture will differ slightly between individual watches — which is the point. This is not mass-produced anime merch; it is genuinely bespoke craftsmanship tied to a cultural tradition. Backing the dial is a MIYOTA-manufactured automatic mechanical movement visible through the open-heart cutout. The case is stainless steel with mineral glass, rated 5 ATM water resistance.

GARRACK Makima automatic mechanical watch with Awa washi dial
Image courtesy of GARRACK / Ueni Trading

Watch the Film That Inspired the Collection

CHAINSAW MAN – THE MOVIE: REZE ARC – Official Trailer (HD) — via Sony Pictures Entertainment on YouTube

How to Order — Worldwide Shipping Available

All four models are priced at ¥39,600 each (tax included) and go on sale on 21 August 2026 via GARRACK’s official special page at world-wide-watch.jp. International orders and worldwide shipping are confirmed — so Singapore fans can order directly without a proxy service. No local retail distribution has been announced; for Singapore buyers this is a direct-from-Japan import purchase.

This is GARRACK’s second Chainsaw Man collab — the earlier series in late 2025 used smartwatch technology — but the mechanical format with Awa washi dials is an entirely different product tier, aimed at collectors and watch enthusiasts rather than fitness-tracker fans. Previous GARRACK collabs in this S-MEISTER mechanical line have covered Ghost in the Shell, Demon Slayer, and Evangelion, and have historically sold out quickly on the brand’s web store.

For more anime and manga news and merch picks, or browse our full merchandise coverage for Japan-import finds worth knowing about.

ONE PIECE DAY’26 — Free Stream, Poll Results, New Reveals

ONE PIECE fans in Singapore, mark your calendars: ONE PIECE DAY’26 is a free two-day anniversary livestream event taking place on Saturday 22 August and Sunday 23 August 2026, broadcast at no cost on the official ONE PIECE YouTube channels. The event centres on live reveals for the ONE PIECE WORLD TOP 100 2nd global character popularity poll, alongside series news panels, voice cast appearances, and live performances.

Watch Free on YouTube Next Weekend

Both days stream live and free on YouTube — no subscription, no ticket, no catch. Day 1 on Saturday 22 August kicks off at 17:15 SGT (18:15 JST), and Day 2 on Sunday 23 August begins at 09:30 SGT (10:30 JST). The official trailer below previews what’s coming:

ONE PIECE DAY’26 | Official Livestream Trailer — ONE PIECE Official – ENG
ONE PIECE DAY'26 promotional visual featuring Gear 5 Luffy on the left and chibi Luffy sailing on the Thousand Sunny on the right against a dark blue background
ONE PIECE DAY’26 — ©Eiichiro Oda/Shueisha, Toei Animation

Full Broadcast Schedule (SGT)

Here’s the published schedule for both days, converted to Singapore Time (SGT is JST minus one hour):

DaySGTSegment
Saturday 22 Aug17:15Day 1 Opening Panel
Saturday 22 Aug17:25WT100 Poll Reveals: Ranks #100 – #31
Sunday 23 Aug09:30Day 2 Opening
Sunday 23 Aug09:40WT100 Poll Reveals: Top 30
Sunday 23 Aug10:40Series News & Card Game Panel
Sunday 23 Aug13:10ONE PIECE Knowledge Competition
Sunday 23 Aug14:45Voice Cast Panel
Sunday 23 Aug16:15Live Performances

The ONE PIECE WORLD TOP 100 2nd Poll

The ONE PIECE WORLD TOP 100 2nd is a global character popularity poll run by Shueisha, asking fans worldwide to vote for their favourite characters from across the entire series. Midterm rankings have been published and show Monkey D. Luffy holding the #1 position, but the final top 30 will only be revealed live during the Day 2 broadcast on Sunday 23 August at 09:40 SGT.

ONE PIECE WORLD TOP 100 2nd official poll image — a character mosaic featuring Luffy prominently in the centre surrounded by Zoro, Nami, Chopper, and many more characters from across the series
ONE PIECE WORLD TOP 100 2nd — vote at onepiecewt100-2026.com — ©Eiichiro Oda/Shueisha

Series News and Announcements

ONE PIECE DAY has been a reliable venue for series-wide announcements in previous years. The dedicated “Series News & Card Game Panel” slot at 10:40 SGT on Sunday is where Shueisha and Toei Animation traditionally share upcoming plans — whether that’s new anime arc details, merchandise collaborations, or other reveals. Nothing has been officially confirmed ahead of the stream, so tune in live to catch any announcements as they happen.

How to Watch from Singapore

ONE PIECE DAY’26 is completely free. Search for ONE PIECE Official ENG on YouTube, or follow the trailer link above to find the channel. Set a reminder for:

  • Saturday 22 August at 17:15 SGT — Day 1
  • Sunday 23 August at 09:30 SGT — Day 2 (polls + news panels)

Both days will also be available to rewatch after the live broadcasts end. For more ONE PIECE and anime news, head to our Manga & Anime section.

Skip and Loafer Season 2 Gets April 2027 Date in First Teaser

Three years after its 2023 debut, Skip and Loafer is officially coming back — and now we know when. The official anime account dropped a teaser trailer today confirming an April 2027 premiere for Season 2, complete with a cheerful new visual of Mitsumi Iwakura and Sōsuke Shima that has fans already counting down the days.

Skip and Loafer | Official Trailer — via Crunchyroll on YouTube

What the Season 2 Teaser Reveals

The teaser is short and warm — exactly what fans of Misaki Takamatsu’s manga would hope for. It shows Mitsumi and Sōsuke in easy, carefree moments, set against the colourful, music-note-scattered visual style that made the first season so instantly recognisable. No dramatic cliffhanger, no dark turns: just the quiet, genuine energy that made Skip and Loafer one of Crunchyroll’s most-talked-about slice-of-life titles of 2023.

The April 2027 date puts it firmly in the spring anime season, giving P.A. Works time to do the story justice. The manga continues to run in Kodansha’s Afternoon magazine, so there’s no shortage of source material to adapt.

Skip and Loafer Season 2 full cast key visual featuring Mitsumi, Sosuke and friends
Image courtesy of P.A. Works / Skip and Loafer Production Committee

The Full Cast and Creative Team Are Back

One of the best pieces of news buried in the announcement: everyone who made Season 1 work is returning. Director Kotomi Deai is back at the helm with Yoko Yonaiyama on series scripts, and Manami Umeshita reprises her role as character designer — meaning the soft, expressive look that defined Season 1 carries straight into Season 2. P.A. Works, the Shizuoka studio behind Shirobako and Charlotte, continues to handle animation.

Skip and Loafer Season 2 promotional visual — five characters running in school uniforms
Image courtesy of P.A. Works / Skip and Loafer Production Committee

The voice cast is similarly intact: Tomoyo Kurosawa returns as the earnest, big-hearted Mitsumi, and Akinori Egoshi continues as the effortlessly charming Sōsuke. The rest of the ensemble — Maaya Uchida (Yuzuki), Yuka Terasaki (Mika), Megumi Han (Makoto), Mitsuki Saiga (Nao-chan), Hikaru Tanaka (Mukai), and Ayumu Murase (Kento) — are all confirmed to be back. For a show built so heavily on its ensemble chemistry, having everyone return intact is a genuine relief.

Skip and Loafer anime scene — Sosuke, Kurume and Mitsumi at a cafe
Image courtesy of P.A. Works / Skip and Loafer Production Committee

How Singapore Fans Can Watch

Season 1 streamed on Crunchyroll and Season 2 will follow the same route, so Singapore viewers are covered — Crunchyroll is fully accessible here. If you haven’t caught Season 1 yet, now is the perfect time to get through all 13 episodes before spring 2027 rolls around. It remains one of the most purely likeable anime of the 2020s: no isekai, no power fantasy — just two teenagers navigating Tokyo high school life with a lot of warmth and occasional chaos.

For more upcoming anime Singapore fans should have on their radar, keep an eye on GameTrader.SG as the 2027 spring season line-up fills out. April 2027 is shaping up to be a strong season already.

Love Live! App Developer ODD No Declares Bankruptcy — ¥10.3 Billion in Debt

The developer behind Link! Like! Love Live! has collapsed. ODD No Inc., the Tokyo-based studio responsible for the school idol rhythm game, received a bankruptcy commencement order from the Tokyo District Court on August 5, 2026, alongside two affiliate companies — just over two months after the game itself closed its doors. The scale of the financial damage is staggering: liabilities of ¥10.32 billion (around SGD 87 million).

A Game That Tried to Live in Real Time

Link! Like! Love Live! gameplay showing the rhythm game and real-time streaming feature
Image courtesy of ODD No / Sunrise

Link! Like! Love Live! launched in May 2023 as the smartphone home of the Hasunosora Girls’ High School Idol Club — a new group within the beloved Love Live! franchise. What made the game unusual was its real-time calendar system: in-game events ran on a literal calendar, with the idols living out their school year day by day in sync with real life, complete with live-streaming sessions that fans across Asia tuned into regularly.

For Singapore fans who had followed the Love Live! franchise through concerts, physical merchandise, and earlier series entries, Hasunosora felt like a new chapter worth following closely. The real-time idol life format proved enormously engaging — but it also placed an extraordinary operational burden on the developer.

When ODD No announced the game’s shutdown in April 2026, the company cited skyrocketing operational costs and insufficient human resources to sustain the system. As relayed by Automaton West, ODD No described the real-time calendar’s operational demands as "unimaginable" and "far greater than for any typical live-service game." The game ended service on June 30, 2026.

「Dream Believers」— the game’s opening theme, via 蓮ノ空女学院スクールアイドルクラブ公式チャンネル on YouTube

The Financial Picture — A Mountain of Debt

Link! Like! Love Live! official logo and title card
Image courtesy of ODD No / Sunrise

Credit investigation firm Tokyo Shoko Research published a breakdown on August 13 (Japanese), reported by Automaton West: ODD No’s liabilities had reached ¥10.32 billion ($64.7 million USD / approximately SGD 87 million) as of the fiscal year ended December 2024. The game’s net loss for FY2023 alone was ¥5.6 billion, leaving the company with a liability excess of ¥6.8 billion at the end of that year.

The final months were marked by dramatic signs of distress. In December 2025 and again in March 2026, ODD No’s own headquarters — which doubled as the CEO’s home — was subjected to provisional attachment orders filed by alleged business partners. This legal measure freezes assets to protect creditors’ ability to recover what they’re owed once formal bankruptcy proceeds.

The bankruptcy proceedings, as reported via ITMedia (Japanese) and covered in Automaton West, cover ODD No alongside two affiliated companies — all three received commencement orders from the Tokyo District Court on August 5.

A Bruising Year for Mobile Game Developers

ODD No’s collapse is part of a wider reckoning in Japan’s mobile gaming industry. Automaton West reports, citing Tokyo Shoko Research data, that 10 mobile game developers went bankrupt between January and July 2026 alone — versus just 3 for all of 2025. With ODD No added to the tally, the sector is on pace for a new annual record.

The Love Live! franchise itself is unaffected. The Hasunosora idols continue to have music, merchandise, and an active YouTube presence — their story simply moved back to other media after the app closed. For Singapore Love Live! fans who want to keep up, the broader franchise continues through other anime and music releases still in active production.

But the closure of Link! Like! Love Live! — and now its developer’s bankruptcy — is a sharp reminder of how costly ambition can be in the live-service space. Running a real-time idol school life, in perfect sync with the calendar, seven days a week, turned out to be a different matter entirely from building a great concept on paper.

Oshi no Ko Season 4 Is the Final Season — New Teaser Visual Dropped Today

The revenge arc is heading to its conclusion. OSHI NO KO Season 4 has been officially confirmed as the Final Season of the anime, and on 16 August 2026, a brand-new teaser visual was unveiled at the Ichigo Production Fan Thanksgiving 2026 event in Japan. Studio Doga Kobo is back for the finale — and if the last three seasons are anything to go by, we are in for something special.

Oshi no Ko Season 4 Ruby teaser still
Image courtesy of Doga Kobo / Shueisha

Season 4 Confirmed as the Final Chapter

The announcement that Season 4 would be the last came immediately after the Season 3 finale aired on 25 March 2026. The official OSHI NO KO anime channels on YouTube and X dropped an announcement teaser that same night, with the words 第4期 Final Season 制作決定 — roughly, “Season 4 Final Season production decided” — stamped across a striking new key visual. It was a gut-punch moment for fans who had been following Aqua and Ruby’s story since the series launched in Spring 2023.

The source manga — written by Aka Akasaka (Kaguya-sama: Love is War) and illustrated by Mengo Yokoyari (Scum’s Wish) — concluded serialisation in Weekly Young Jump in late 2024, so Season 4 will bring the anime fully in line with the manga’s ending. Studio Doga Kobo, which animated all three prior seasons, returns to close things out.

Aqua and Ruby in Oshi no Ko
Image courtesy of Doga Kobo / Shueisha

Today’s New Teaser Visual

The fresh content from today’s fan event gives the first real look at the Final Season’s visual direction. The new teaser visual and trailer lean into the intensity of the endgame: expect confrontations, secrets laid bare, and Doga Kobo’s signature expressive animation pushed to its limit. No premiere date has been announced yet, but with Season 3 having concluded in March 2026, production has had several months to build momentum.

OSHI NO KO Season 4 | Official Trailer — via Crunchyroll on YouTube

The Full Voice Cast Returns

The complete main cast is confirmed to be back for the finale:

  • Takeo Otsuka as Aquamarine Hoshino
  • Yurie Igoma as Ruby Hoshino
  • Megumi Han as Kana Arima
  • Manaka Iwami as Akane Kurokawa
  • Rumi Okubo as Mem-cho
  • Rie Takahashi as Ai Hoshino
Oshi no Ko Season 4 cast key visual
Image courtesy of Doga Kobo / Shueisha

Where Things Stand Going Into the Final Arc

Season 3 — the acclaimed Sparks of Tomorrow arc — aired from January to March 2026 and took home the Winter 2026 Anime of the Season award. It picked up where Season 2’s Tokyo Blade arc left off, sending Ruby deeper into the entertainment world while Aqua’s obsession with uncovering the truth behind their idol mother Ai’s murder reaches a breaking point. The prime suspect, Hikaru Kamiki, remains at large — and the Final Season will be where everything collides.

When and Where to Watch

No premiere date has been given for Season 4. When it does arrive, Singapore fans can expect it on Crunchyroll (confirmed), HIDIVE, and Netflix — the same platforms that carried the earlier seasons here. Keep an eye on the Anime section at GameTrader.SG for premiere date news as soon as it drops.

Reincarnated as a Sword Season 2 Drops Second PV — Premieres October 2026 on HIDIVE

Fran and her talking sword are heading skyward — and Singapore isekai fans had better clear their HIDIVE watchlists. NBCUniversal Anime/Music dropped the second promotional video (PV第2弾) for Reincarnated as a Sword Season 2 today, giving the sharpest look yet at the Floating Island arc that will power the upcoming October 2026 run.

Floating Island, Undead Labyrinths and a Necromancer Rival

Reincarnated as a Sword Season 2 floating island teaser visual
Image courtesy of NBCUniversal / Tenken Production Committee

The new PV picks up right where Season 1’s credits left off: Fran and Teacher discover a mysterious floating island high above the port town of Dars and decide — naturally — they are going to conquer it. According to the official story overview, the island hides “a vicious labyrinth where undead magical beasts lurk,” setting the stage for the undead-army showdowns glimpsed in the trailer.

The key trigger for Season 2’s central adventure is Jean Douvey (ジャン・ドゥービー), a necromancer researcher voiced by Yuma Uchida (内田雄馬, known for his roles in My Hero Academia and Vinland Saga). His encounter with Fran and Teacher sends the pair on the floating island quest — and judging from the PV, the undead hordes waiting inside that labyrinth are not exactly welcoming.

Jean Douvey — new character in Reincarnated as a Sword Season 2, voiced by Yuma Uchida
Image courtesy of NBCUniversal / Tenken Production Committee

Watch the New Second PV

PV第2弾 (Second Promotional Video) — via NBCUniversal Anime/Music on YouTube

The PV second edition was uploaded to the NBCUniversal Anime/Music official YouTube channel today, the same day as a special premiere screening with stage greetings at Tachikawa Cinema City in Japan — so lucky audiences in Japan are getting their first extended look at the season right now, while the rest of us make do with this excellent trailer.

Cast and Crew — Studio C2C Brings Everyone Back

Fran — main character of Reincarnated as a Sword, voiced by Ai Kakuma
Image courtesy of NBCUniversal / Tenken Production Committee

Studio C2C returns to handle animation, with the core Season 1 creative team intact:

  • Director: Shinji Ishihira
  • Series Composition: Takahiro Nagano
  • Character Design: Atsuko Saito
  • Original Work: Yuu Tanaka (light novel & manga)

The returning voice cast has Ai Kakuma (加隈亜衣) as Fran and Shinichiro Miki (三木眞一郎) as the Teacher/Master sword, joined by Yuma Uchida’s Jean Douvey as the season’s key new face.

The light novel series is published in English by Seven Seas Entertainment, so readers who want to race ahead of the anime have a fully localised edition to binge before October.

How to Watch in Singapore — HIDIVE Has the Exclusive

HIDIVE holds the worldwide simulcast rights, and the platform is available in Singapore. Season 2 will simulcast exclusively on HIDIVE from October 2026 — meaning Crunchyroll is not an option this time around.

If you haven’t seen Season 1, it’s a worthwhile catch-up: 12 episodes of a catgirl and her sentient sword murdering monsters across a fantasy world, with a lot more heart than that synopsis suggests. Check the Manga Anime section for more on the fall 2026 lineup coming our way.

Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave Manga Starts 4 September

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.

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

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.

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

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.