Category Archives: Manga Anime

Event, Manga Anime

The Apothecary Diaries Exhibition Opens in Singapore Sept 30

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The imperial court is setting up shop on Scotts Road. The Apothecary Diaries Exhibition Singapore opens at Fever Exhibition Hall on 30 September 2026 and runs through 1 November — a five-week stint that lands the touring anime exhibition in Singapore for the first time, after stops in Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, Taipei and Seoul.

The announcement came via Sliding Doors Entertainment Asia and TOHO animation’s Asia account, with the key visual putting Maomao, Jinshi and the rest of the palace cast against a wall of flowers. Worth flagging: that post said “ticket information available soon” — but tickets are already live on Fever, and there’s an early-bird deadline coming up fast.

The Apothecary Diaries Exhibition Singapore key visual showing Maomao, Jinshi and the palace cast surrounded by flowers, with dates 30 September to 1 November 2026 at Fever Exhibition Hall
Image courtesy of INCUBASE Studio / Sliding Doors Entertainment Asia

What the Apothecary Diaries Exhibition Singapore actually is

This is the travelling exhibition produced by Hong Kong-based INCUBASE Studio, which began its Asia tour in Hong Kong in November 2025 and has since run in Kuala Lumpur (23 May to 12 July), Taipei and Seoul. Singapore is the next stop, with Fever as both venue and ticketing partner and Trip.com Group also handling ticketing.

The format is a walk-through rather than a gallery you drift around in. Fever lists the run time at roughly 55 minutes at your own pace, and re-entry is not permitted — so this isn’t a “pop out for bubble tea and come back” kind of visit. Plan the timing.

Inside, the draw is a mix of recreated sets and production material. Fever’s listing for the Singapore run points to Maomao’s medicine cabinet, the Inner Palace corridors, life-size character standees, original artwork and photo spots with props from the show. INCUBASE says the tour carries over 250 pieces of reproduced original artwork, storyboards and production materials — including sketches walking through Maomao’s pharmacological reasoning — much of which had not been shown outside Japan before the tour started.

A recreated red-walled pleasure district zone at The Apothecary Diaries Exhibition, with character standees and framed scene stills on the walls
Image courtesy of INCUBASE Studio — from the exhibition’s Hong Kong run

Sets, standees and 250-plus artworks

From the Hong Kong and KL legs, the shape of it is clear enough. Zones recreate palace and pleasure district scenes at full scale with video content layered in, character costumes go on display, and there’s a behind-the-scenes area on how the anime was made. Autographed memorabilia from original novel author Natsu Hyuuga and members of the voice cast has featured on previous stops.

Life-size character standees of Maomao, Jinshi and Gaoshun arranged around a recreated wooden desk set from The Apothecary Diaries
Image courtesy of INCUBASE Studio — from the exhibition’s Hong Kong run

Interactive bits have travelled with it too — a “find the hidden Maomao” hunt for eight mini figures scattered through the exhibition, a photo sticker booth, and location-exclusive photo zones. The KL run added a poison-tasting scene at the Garden Party and a Go challenge. Which of these make the Singapore cut hasn’t been confirmed, so treat the specifics as likely rather than guaranteed.

A wall of framed original sketches and signed shikishi boards beside illuminated key visual panels at The Apothecary Diaries Exhibition
Image courtesy of INCUBASE Studio — from the exhibition’s Hong Kong run

There’s a merchandise shop at the end, which on previous legs carried acrylic stands, keychains, metal bookmarks, clear files and character goods. If you’ve done a licensed anime exhibition in Singapore before, you know the shop is where the damage happens.

Merchandise display at The Apothecary Diaries Exhibition including metal bookmarks with tassels, a printed clear file and character goods
Image courtesy of INCUBASE Studio — from the exhibition’s Hong Kong run

Tickets and prices in SGD

Tickets are on sale now through Fever at early-bird rates. Prices at the time of writing:

  • Adult (13+): S$28
  • Child (3–12): S$25
  • VIP (adult or child): S$63 — includes two metal bookmarks and a S$10 merchandise voucher
  • Bundle of 3: S$73 — up to two adults and one child, or one adult and two children
  • Bundle of 4: S$96 — various adult/child splits

The catch: Fever adds a booking surcharge of around S$2.10 per ticket at checkout, so the S$28 adult ticket lands closer to S$30. Every ticket tier includes a complimentary clear character card.

Mark your calendar: book before 30 August and you get a free random clear character card on top. That’s a little over two weeks from now, so if you were going anyway, going early costs you nothing.

Children under 2 enter free, and anyone 12 and under needs an adult with them. The venue is accessible. Group bookings of 30 or more go through Sliding Doors Entertainment at enquiry@slidingdoorsentertainment.com.

Getting to Fever Exhibition Hall

Fever Exhibition Hall sits at 25 Scotts Road, Singapore 228220 — the old T Galleria by DFS space, about a five-minute walk from Orchard MRT up Scotts Road. It’s the same 1,300 sqm venue that has hosted The Art of Banksy and the Portals sci-fi experience since opening in 2025.

Exhibition hours are 10am to 8pm daily, with last entry at 7pm. Given the 55-minute run time and the no-re-entry rule, a 7pm slot is cutting it fine if you want time in the merch shop.

Season 3 lands right in the middle of the run

The timing here is not an accident. Season 3 premieres in October 2026 for its first cour, with the second cour following in April 2027, and an original anime film written by Natsu Hyuuga opens in Japanese cinemas in December. The exhibition opens on 30 September — days before the new season starts.

【薬屋のひとりごと】2周年記念PV — via TOHO animation チャンネル on YouTube (Japanese)

If you’re coming in cold, both existing seasons stream on Netflix Singapore with English subtitles — the series is one of the titles Netflix licensed for select Asian territories, Singapore included, rather than the Crunchyroll-everywhere-else arrangement. One thing for parents to note: Netflix Singapore rates the series NC16, even though the exhibition sells child tickets from age 3. The show deals in poisonings and court politics; the exhibition is a set-and-artwork walkthrough. Judge the two separately.

Should you book?

At S$28 for roughly an hour, this is priced in line with the other licensed anime exhibitions that have passed through Singapore, and cheaper than most Fever Exhibition Hall headliners. The five-week window is short, it closes before the November school holidays start, and the early-bird card disappears on 30 August.

If you’ve watched Maomao poison-test her way through two seasons, the medicine cabinet alone is probably worth the ticket. We’ll update this post when the Singapore-specific zone list and merch lineup are confirmed — until then, keep an eye on our event coverage and anime and manga sections.

Game News, Manga Anime

Shangri-La Frontier: Season 3 in January 2027, Game in 2026

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If you’ve been sleeping on Shangri-La Frontier, this is your wake-up call. The anime about a gaming obsessive who turns an underground VRMMORPG into his personal proving ground is officially returning for a third season in January 2027 — and for the first time, the franchise is also becoming a playable game this year. Two reasons to pay attention, and both arrived within weeks of each other.

Wethermon and Emul from Shangri-La Frontier anime
Image courtesy of Shangri-La Frontier / C2C

What Is Shangri-La Frontier?

Based on Ryosei Tsukahara and Katarina’s manga in Weekly Shonen Magazine, Shangri-La Frontier follows Rakuro Hizutome — screen name Sunraku — a “trash game” speedrunner who boots up the premium VRMMORPG Shangri-La Frontier and stumbles into encounters even the game’s top players have avoided for years. Two seasons in, the show has built an 8.1/10 on MyAnimeList and a dedicated fanbase for doing something rare: making the act of actually playing games — the system mastery, the routing, the boss reads — feel genuinely exciting on screen.

Season 2, which wrapped in March 2026, left Sunraku and his party mid-preparation for their biggest challenges yet. Season 3 picks up exactly where that leaves off.

Shangri-La Frontier Season 3 | Official Teaser — via Crunchyroll on YouTube

Shangri-La Frontier Season 3: January 2027, the Galaxia Heroes Arc

Shangri-La Frontier Season 3 is confirmed for a January 2027 premiere, airing on the MBS/TBS Sunday 5 PM JST block. Crunchyroll confirmed an international licence for the series at AnimagiC 2026 in Germany (1 August); SG and broader Asia streaming details have not yet been announced, though previous seasons have been available in the region via streaming services.

Season 3 shifts the battlefield significantly. The teaser and confirmed story details put Sunraku inside Galaxia Heroes: Chaos (GHC) — a competitive fighting game that exists within the Shangri-La Frontier universe, separate from the main VRMMORPG. The teaser drops a mysterious plant-form character that fans have been speculating about since it dropped in July. As Crunchyroll noted in their AnimagiC announcement, “the third season will show off the anime’s take on fighting games when it makes its return.” Expect the GHC arc to run alongside the long-awaited forward progress on the Kutanid the Abyssal One raid.

The Seven Colossi: Shangri-La Frontier’s First Game

Shangri-La Frontier: The Seven Colossi game announcement at ShanFro Day 2026
Image courtesy of Netmarble / Netmarble Nexus

Alongside the season news, the franchise’s first standalone game is in active development: Shangri-La Frontier: The Seven Colossi (シャングリラ・フロンティア ～七つの最強種～, community shorthand ShanNana), developed by Netmarble Nexus and published by Netmarble Japan. It’s a free-to-play, full 3D action RPG built around a boss-hunter structure — a natural fit for a series defined by difficult encounters. Platforms: iOS, Android, and PC. The Japan launch window is 2026; a global release has not been announced, so Singapore players interested in early access would need a Japanese store account for now.

Playable characters in Shangri-La Frontier: The Seven Colossi including Wethermon, Arthur, and Emul
Image courtesy of Netmarble / Netmarble Nexus

On ShanFro Day 2026 (7 July), Netmarble held a dedicated livestream with a special game PV, new character models, and skill animations. The playable roster shown includes Wethermon, Arthur, and Emul, all closely following the anime’s art style. The game will have its first playable hands-on demo at Tokyo Game Show 2026 (17–21 September) — TGS impressions will be the real test of whether Netmarble has done Sunraku’s world justice.

ShanFro Day 2026 Special PV ~Shangri-La Frontier: The Seven Colossi~ — via Shangri-La Frontier: The Seven Colossi on YouTube

If Season 3 is your entry point, go back to Season 1 first — the payoff is worth it. And check out more anime and manga coverage here for everything else hitting screens this season.

Manga Anime

POKÉTOON Returns Tonight — Wartortle Stars in New 30th Anniversary Short

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Two brand-new POKÉTOON shorts are arriving on the official Pokémon YouTube channel as part of the ongoing 30th Anniversary celebration — and the first one drops tonight at 9 pm SGT. If you have not yet discovered POKÉTOON, this is a great time to start.

POKÉTOON Wartortle, Mabosstiff and Whimsicott in the two new 30th Anniversary episodes
Image courtesy of The Pokémon Company

What Is POKÉTOON?

POKÉTOON is an anthology of short animated films produced by The Pokémon Company, each one putting a single Pokémon at the centre of a self-contained story. Episodes run anywhere from a few minutes to roughly fifteen minutes, and each one is drawn in a distinctive visual style — no two look quite the same. Past entries have starred Scraggy & Mimikyu, Gengar, Chansey, and more recently Gardevoir and Altaria. They debut on the official Japanese Pokémon YouTube channel and typically land on the Pokémon South Asia Official channel in English shortly after — so Singapore fans can catch them dubbed as well. It is one of the most charming corners of the Pokémon franchise, and completely free to watch.

Episode 1: Wartortle — Tonight at 9 pm SGT

Wartortle official art
Image courtesy of The Pokémon Company

The first of the two new episodes is titled Wartortle and the Continuation of Summer (Japanese: カメールと、夏のつづき). Fitting for mid-August, the story follows Wartortle through the waning days of summer — details beyond the title have been kept under wraps, which is part of the fun. It premieres as a YouTube Premiere on Wednesday, 12 August at 10 pm JST / 9 pm SGT / 1 pm UTC. Head to the official Pokémon Kids TV YouTube channel to watch live or catch up on demand.

This is part of a broader wave of anniversary content from The Pokémon Company: POKÉTOON was among several anime strands that have been revived and expanded throughout 2026 to mark the franchise’s 30-year milestone.

Episode 2: Whimsicott vs Mabosstiff — Next Wednesday

Whimsicott official art
Image courtesy of The Pokémon Company

The second episode, Will Mabosstiff Let the Prankster Whimsicott Off? (Japanese: いたずらエルフーンとさせるかマフィティフ), pairs the mischievous Fairy-type Whimsicott against the no-nonsense Dark-type Mabosstiff for what sounds like a comedic showdown. It premieres one week later on Wednesday, 19 August at 10 pm JST / 9 pm SGT.

Mabosstiff official art
Image courtesy of The Pokémon Company

Mabosstiff made its main series debut in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, where it was Arven’s beloved partner — so seeing it get its own POKÉTOON spotlight should resonate with anyone who played through that game’s story. Whimsicott, meanwhile, is a fan favourite for its impish personality, making the pairing feel tailor-made for comedy.

How to Watch from Singapore

Both episodes are free to watch on YouTube with no regional restrictions. The Japanese original airs on the Pokémon Kids TV channel; English dubbed versions typically follow on the Pokémon South Asia Official channel — the same channel that carried the Snorunt’s Summer Vacation short. Set a reminder for tonight if you want to catch the Wartortle premiere live.

Manga Anime

Firefly Wedding Anime Premieres October 9 — Catch It on Crunchyroll

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An assassin with an obsessive heart, a dying noblewoman with nothing left to lose, and a marriage proposal that was never supposed to be sincere — Firefly Wedding (ホタルの嫁入り, Hotaru no Yomeiri) is heading to TV screens on 9 October 2026, and Singapore fans can stream it day-one on Crunchyroll.

The Story: A Killer Who Loves Too Hard

Firefly Wedding official anime poster with Japanese title text
Image courtesy of Shogakukan / David Production

Based on the completed manga by Oreco Tachibana, serialised on Shogakukan’s Ura Sunday website from January 2023 to January 2026, Firefly Wedding is a six-volume dark romance set in Meiji-era Japan. VIZ Media publishes the English edition digitally, so the full source material is already accessible to readers here.

The premise is deceptively simple: Satoko Kirigaya has everything a Meiji noblewoman could want on the surface — wealth, beauty, a name that commands respect. What she keeps hidden is a failing heart and a clock that is running out. When an emotionless assassin named Shinpei Goto is sent to kill her, Satoko makes the only play she has left: she asks him to marry her.

It is not a sincere proposal. But the manga’s tagline says it plainly in Japanese — 「俺、ちょっと愛が重いけど幸せにするよ」 — something along the lines of: “My love might be a little heavy, but I will make you happy.” Shinpei, it turns out, loves with the same intensity he kills.

David Production at the Helm

Firefly Wedding | Official Teaser — via Crunchyroll on YouTube

The adaptation sits in capable hands. David Production — the studio that brought JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure to life across multiple acclaimed seasons — is handling animation. Directing is Takahiro Kamei, best known for the warmly received 2022 Urusei Yatsura remake; series composition falls to Yuko Kakihara (Cells at Work!); and Yukiko Aikei, character designer on Your Lie in April, translates Tachibana’s style to animation.

Music is by NOGRID, with the ending theme, “Yumegokochi”, performed by TOOBOE.

Shinpei Goto — the assassin protagonist of Firefly Wedding anime
Image courtesy of Shogakukan / David Production

Voice Cast

Lynn voices Satoko Kirigaya — she is known to Singapore anime fans from Black Clover and No Game No Life, among others. Opposite her is Kōki Uchiyama as Shinpei, whose range spans everything from Boku no Hero Academia to the Sword Art Online franchise. Supporting cast includes Kent Itō as Kōtarō Ogawa and the always-distinctive Kenjirō Tsuda as Mitsueda.

When and Where to Watch in Singapore

Satoko and Shinpei in a tense moment from Firefly Wedding anime
Image courtesy of Shogakukan / David Production

Firefly Wedding premieres in Japan on 9 October 2026 on Fuji TV’s Noitamina block — a programming slot with a strong track record for character-driven drama, having previously hosted Natsume’s Book of Friends, Anohana, and Vinland Saga. Crunchyroll will simulcast new episodes globally as they air, which means Singapore viewers can watch without delays or a VPN.

If you want to get ahead of the story, VIZ Media’s English digital release and Comikey both carry the full six-volume manga series now. It is a quick read, and the completed story means you can go in knowing the entire arc — which only makes the animation choices more interesting to watch unfold.

For more upcoming anime coverage, see our Manga Anime section.

Manga Anime

Naoki Urasawa Is Back — The Final Manga Classroom Starts Today

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Naoki Urasawa does not chase trends — he sets them, and then watches the world catch up. Today, 12 August 2026, the legendary mangaka begins his newest serialisation: The Final Manga Classroom (最後のマンガ教室, Saigo no Manga Kyoushitsu), debuting in Shogakukan’s bimonthly anthology Big Comic Original Zoukan.

The timing is no accident. Japan’s manga industry is in the middle of a genuine crisis of identity around artificial intelligence — and Urasawa has walked straight into the centre of it.

What Is The Final Manga Classroom?

The new series is built around a charged premise: in an age where AI can generate manga pages on demand, what is the point of the human artist? The magazine’s promotional copy frames the tension directly — “In this era where AI can do everything… what are you trying to challenge?” Urasawa has been clear about what drove him to the subject. His stated position, shared ahead of the launch, is that surrendering the creative act to automation robs both artist and reader of something essential: the struggle itself is part of what makes the work meaningful. He has spoken of wanting to reclaim the tasks that used to define the craft — and his concern that handing those tasks over entirely makes the whole exercise hollow.

Monster anime key visual
Monster (2004 anime adaptation). Credit: Naoki Urasawa / Shogakukan

Big Comic Original Zoukan publishes on the 12th of every even-numbered month, so the next chapter drops in October. The magazine does not distribute internationally, making this a Japan-first — and for now Japan-only — read.

Why Now, and Why This?

The cultural context makes this launch feel urgent. In January 2026, a fully AI-generated manga became the number-one seller on Japan’s largest digital bookstore. That same commercial pressure prompted seventeen publishers to form a joint coalition against AI-generated content in late 2025. Urasawa is not responding with a think-piece or a tweet — he is responding with a manga, in his 66th year, serialised alongside his existing long-running work.

Yes, alongside. Asadora! — his sweeping postwar-Japan epic — continues in parallel. Running two series simultaneously is not unusual for him; it has been his working rhythm for most of the last four decades.

Pluto Netflix anime key visual
Pluto (2023 Netflix anime adaptation). Credit: Tezuka Productions / Naoki Urasawa / Shogakukan

The credentials behind the new series are as formidable as ever. Urasawa’s previous work — Monster, 20th Century Boys, Pluto, Billy Bat, Asadora! — has sold 140 million print copies globally. He holds both the Eisner Award and the Osamu Tezuka Cultural Prize. At this point, a new Urasawa serialisation is not a debut; it is an event.

What This Means for Singapore Readers

Right now: nothing you can pick up at Kinokuniya Orchard on your lunch break. No English publisher has announced licensing, and Big Comic Original Zoukan does not distribute internationally. Japanese-literate readers can pursue import via Kinokuniya’s special-order counter or a Japan proxy service.

The longer view is more encouraging. Every major Urasawa series has eventually been licensed into English — Monster, 20th Century Boys, Pluto, Billy Bat all made the jump, and all are findable in Singapore today. A premise as universally legible as “AI versus human creativity in the art form that built modern manga” is arguably more commercially translatable than some of his more Japan-specific earlier works. If there is a new Urasawa arriving on English-language shelves in the next year or two, smart money says this is the one.

Keep an eye on announcements from Viz Media — they have been the English home of most of his catalogue.

Manga Anime, News

Updated: Blue Lock Live-Action Hits Singapore 24 Sept — Rin Itoshi Cast Revealed

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UPDATE — 25 August 2026: Singapore finally has a date. Blue Lock opens in Singapore cinemas on Thursday, 24 September 2026, confirmed as part of a 30-plus country international rollout revealed through Japanese media on 17–18 August. Jump to Singapore release date confirmed and the full global rollout for the new details. Everything above those sections is as originally published on 11 August 2026.

The Blue Lock live-action film has had one of the strongest anime adaptation openings of the year — and as the box office celebrates, the production has finally revealed who will be playing the franchise’s most electric rivals.

Behind-the-scenes of Blue Lock movie showing Isagi and Rin Itoshi facing off
Image courtesy of 映画『ブルーロック』チャンネル

Rin Itoshi Has a Face: Yusei Yagi Cast as Blue Lock’s Rival Number One

Announced on 10 August, three new cast members join the film to bring the second-selection rivals to life. Yusei Yagi, best known as a member of FANTASTICS from EXILE TRIBE, takes the coveted role of Rin Itoshi — Isagi’s cold, supremely talented mirror image and the character many fans consider the franchise’s true engine. Keisuke Watanabe steps in as the flamboyant striker Jyubei Aryu, while Taiko Natsuo plays the gentle giant Aoshi Tokimitsu. All three figures appear on screen in Team V’s signature black kit — which, if the behind-the-scenes stills are any guide, looks genuinely menacing in live-action.

Blue Lock live-action film action shot - player kicking ball
Image courtesy of 映画『ブルーロック』チャンネル

Opening Weekend: ¥277 Million and Counting

The film — as we covered when the release date was confirmed — opened in Japan on 7 August 2026 across approximately 350 screens, directed by Yusuke Taki and distributed by Toho. It wasted no time making an impression: the opening three days (7–9 August) brought in 188,212 admissions and ¥277,648,800 (roughly $1.7 million USD) at the box office. By the following Monday, the official website had already announced an appreciation stage-greeting event on 17 August, signalling that the production considers the debut a genuine hit.

The film stars Fumiya Takahashi as Yoichi Isagi and Japan Academy Film Prize winner Masataka Kubota as the eccentric architect of the Blue Lock programme, Jinpachi Ego. The theme song, “Monstro” by Ado, is available to stream from 7 August.

Official Trailer — via 映画ブルーロックチャンネル on YouTube

Enhanced Screenings and What Comes Next in Japan

From 21 August, the film expands to MX4D, 4DX, and Dolby Cinema formats. A special cheer screening — where audiences are encouraged to shout, cheer, and wave glow sticks — ran on 14 August at five theatres. These extras are Japan-only at this stage, but they signal a franchise confident enough in its fanbase to invest in the theatrical experience well past opening day.

Blue Lock live-action full cast wrap photo
Image courtesy of 映画『ブルーロック』チャンネル

Update: Singapore Release Date Confirmed — 24 September 2026

This section replaces the original “When Will Singapore Fans Get to Watch?”, which said no local date had been announced. It has been announced. The live-action Blue Lock film opens in Singapore on Thursday, 24 September 2026 — a standard Thursday opening day here — with Malaysia getting it the same day. The date came out of the film’s international rollout announcement, reported by Cinema Today on 17 August and Oricon on 18 August (both Japanese).

That puts Singapore roughly seven weeks behind the Japanese opening on 7 August — a shorter wait than the anime films managed, and ahead of Hong Kong and Macau, which get it on 1 October.

What is not confirmed yet: which chains are taking it, when tickets go on sale, and whether the Japan-only extras travel. As of writing there are no Golden Village, Shaw, Cathay or The Projector listings up, and the official Japanese site still carries only the domestic schedule. The MX4D, 4DX and Dolby Cinema expansion and the cheer screenings described below remain Japan-only for now — no local equivalent has been announced. There is also no streaming date for Singapore; this is a theatrical release, and nothing has been said about a platform debut here.

Practical read for local fans: pencil in the weekend of 25–27 September, and watch the local chains’ social feeds in the week or two before — anime titles here often go on sale only about a week ahead. We will update this post again when SG ticketing opens.

Blue Lock live-action behind-the-scenes with director and cast
Image courtesy of 映画『ブルーロック』チャンネル

Update: The Full 30-Country Rollout, and Where Singapore Sits in It

Singapore’s date is one line in a much bigger release plan. Distribution outside Japan is being handled with French sales agent Goodfellas / Round12, and the film is confirmed for more than 30 countries and territories — with more expected to be added.

Official Blue Lock live-action posters for Taiwan, Czech Republic, Serbia and Montenegro, Sweden, Brazil, Thailand, Hungary and Romania
Territory posters for the international run — image courtesy of the Blue Lock film production (© Muneyuki Kaneshiro, Yusuke Nomura / Kodansha © CK WORKS)

The overseas run started on 12 August in Taiwan (across 69-plus screens) and the Philippines, followed by Serbia and Montenegro on 13 August, Sweden on 14 August and the Czech Republic on 20 August. September brings Thailand, Brazil and the UAE on 10 September, Bulgaria on 11 September, then Singapore and Malaysia on 24 September. October covers Hungary, Romania, Hong Kong and Macau on 1 October, a Latin American block (Argentina, Chile, Paraguay, Bolivia and Peru) on 8 October, Ecuador on 22 October and Mexico on 29 October. South Korea, Vietnam, Indonesia and Mongolia are also on the list without dates yet, alongside the Nordics and several Middle Eastern markets.

Fumiya Takahashi and producer Shinzo Matsuhashi took the film to Taipei on 14 and 15 August for a press conference and five stage greetings — Matsuhashi told the crowd the project ran close to five years from concept to completed film, as reported by Oricon (Japanese). Several territories, including Taiwan, Thailand, Sweden, Brazil and the Czech Republic, have had their own posters made; whether Singapore gets localised artwork or the standard international key visual is still unknown.

The read-through for Singapore: this is a genuine wide international release rather than a token one or two markets, and the Southeast Asia dates are clustered close together — Thailand on 10 September, Singapore and Malaysia on 24 September, with the Philippines already showing since 12 August. If you have friends in the region posting spoilers, the two-week gap is the one to watch out for.

Update log — 25 August 2026: added the confirmed Singapore release date (24 September 2026), the full international rollout schedule, and the Taipei promo-tour details. Originally published 11 August 2026.

For more anime and pop-culture news from Singapore and Japan, check out our Manga Anime coverage.

Manga Anime

Pui Pui Molcar 5th Anniversary Special Is Coming — Creator Tomoki Misato Returns to Direct

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Five years ago, a tiny stop-motion anime about guinea pigs that were also cars pulled the internet into a collective squeal of joy. Now, PUI PUI Molcar is marking its 5th anniversary with an all-new special — and the news that fans have been waiting for: original creator and director Tomoki Misato (見里朝希) is returning to the director’s chair for the first time since Season 1 aired in early 2021.

Behind-the-scenes stop-motion production set for PUI PUI Molcar 5th Anniversary Special
Behind the scenes: the stop-motion production set for the 5th anniversary special. © 見里朝希／PUI PUI モルカー製作委員会

Choco’s Birthday Kicks Off the Celebrations

The anniversary special was announced on August 10, 2026 — the in-universe birthday of Choco, the beloved chocolate-brown Molcar. The official teaser visual dropped on the same day, showing Choco peeking over a birthday cake adorned with the series logo and a sparkler — a neat meta-wink from the production team. No air date has been announced yet, but the teaser confirms that Shinei Animation is once again handling production.

Misato’s involvement is the headline. After Season 1’s viral moment — every episode clocking in at around five minutes, each one somehow more chaotic and adorable than the last — subsequent Molcar content expanded the universe but stepped away from Misato’s direct creative hand. The anniversary special brings that full-circle: the franchise’s most recognisable voice is back where it started.

Official teaser: 『PUI PUI モルカー』”祝５周年”を記念して 見里朝希監督 始動中！ (TVアニメ『PUI PUI モルカー』公式)

What We Know So Far

Details are deliberately slim at this stage — the teaser is more of a mood piece than a plot reveal — but here’s what’s confirmed:

  • Format: Anniversary special (episode count TBC)
  • Director: Tomoki Misato, returning after Season 1 (2021)
  • Studio: Shinei Animation
  • Central character: Choco, whose canon birthday is August 10
  • Air date: Not yet announced
PUI PUI Molcar characters group visual from the Aomori 2026 collaboration
The full Molcar cast — including Shiromo, Potato, Choco, Abbey, and Teddy — in a recent collaboration visual. © 見里朝希／PUI PUI モルカー製作委員会

Five Years of Pui Pui

PUI PUI Molcar first aired in January 2021 and immediately became one of those rare anime that transcends its target demographic. The show’s absurdist traffic-jam humour, Claymation-adjacent aesthetic, and genuinely expressive guinea-pig-car cast made it a staple of social media clip culture well beyond Japan. Singapore fans will likely remember the series landing on Netflix shortly after its Japanese broadcast, which is how many of us here first encountered the chaos of Shiromo, Potato, Choco, and the rest of the gang.

An air date and broadcast platform for the anniversary special haven’t been confirmed yet. We’ll update this post the moment official details land. In the meantime, the official YouTube channel is your best bet for teasers — and yes, it’s worth keeping notifications on.

Game News, Manga Anime

JoJo Golden Spirit Launches Tomorrow — 2M Pre-Registered

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JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Golden Spirit goes live globally tomorrow — and with two million players already signed up, there’s an SR Joseph Joestar waiting in your inbox from the moment you log in.

JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Golden Spirit protagonists key art — Jonathan, Joseph, Jotaro, Josuke, Giorno and Jolyne
Image courtesy of HOOLAI GAME LIMITED / Wanda Cinemas Games

2 Million Pre-Registered — SR Joseph Joestar Unlocked at Launch

The free-to-play tactical RPG hits iOS and Android on 13 August 2026, globally outside Japan, which means Singapore players can download it from the App Store or Google Play from day one with no region restrictions.

The pre-registration campaign ran through milestones at 50K, 200K, 500K, 1M, 1.5M, and now 2M sign-ups, with SR Joseph Joestar (Part 2: Battle Tendency) locked in as the top reward. Anyone who pre-registered gets him automatically on first login. Pre-registration is still open ahead of tomorrow’s launch if you haven’t yet — the in-game redemption will confirm which milestones apply at the time you sign up.

For the full breakdown of what Golden Spirit covers — all six Parts from Phantom Blood through Stone Ocean, the 11-panel strategy grid, dynamic weather combat mechanics, and the original anime composer Yugo Kanno on the soundtrack — see our original announcement coverage. Here we’re focusing on what’s new heading into launch day.

Watch the Official Gameplay Trailer

JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Golden Spirit | Official Gameplay Trailer — via JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Golden Spirit on YouTube

Downloading Golden Spirit in Singapore

The global launch (Japan excluded) means there are no regional barriers for Singapore App Store or Google Play accounts. The game is free-to-play, with optional Astrogem in-app purchases ranging from $0.99 to $99.99 USD. Budget around 3.6GB of storage — worth clearing space ahead of the launch so you’re not waiting on a download when the servers go live.

JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Golden Spirit roster art featuring protagonists and antagonists from all six Parts
Image courtesy of HOOLAI GAME LIMITED / Wanda Cinemas Games

The roster spans 18 environments with dynamic weather that shifts combat outcomes, and the endgame includes World Boss co-op and ranked PvP for players who reach the competitive tier. For more upcoming anime game releases, stay tuned to GameTrader.

Manga Anime

HUNTER×HUNTER × Gindako 2nd Collab: Kurapika and the Phantom Troupe Arrive 18 August

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The hunt isn’t over at Tsukiji Gindako. Japan’s beloved takoyaki chain is teaming up with HUNTER×HUNTER for a second collaboration, and this time it goes deeper — covering the Heaven’s Arena arc all the way through the Phantom Troupe arc. Running from 18 August through 17 November 2026, the collab brings Kurapika, Chrollo, Machi, Uvogin, and the full Phantom Troupe crew to Gindako locations across Japan, alongside returning fan favourites Gon and Killua.

HUNTER×HUNTER × Gindako 2nd collaboration key visual featuring chibi Gon, Killua, Kurapika and Phantom Troupe characters
HUNTER×HUNTER × Tsukiji Gindako 2nd Collab key visual — 18 August to 17 November 2026. (© P1998-2026 © V·N·M)

A Bigger Collab Than the First

Where the June 2026 debut collab focused on the Gon and Killua’s early journey, this second wave expands the cast significantly. The new collab artwork features chibi-style illustrations of the characters in formal attire — a delightfully unexpected styling choice that gives even the Phantom Troupe an oddly endearing charm. The Heaven’s Arena arc means Kurapika’s Nen abilities get their moment in the spotlight, while the Phantom Troupe arc brings Chrollo Lucilfer and his crew front and centre.

Collab Menu and Items

Hunter x Hunter Gindako danran pack 24-piece box with collab artwork
The Danran Pack (24 pcs) comes in a special collab box — and includes a Phantom Troupe clear file.

The full collab lineup includes:

  • Collab Takoyaki (8 pcs) — standard octopus takoyaki in a special HUNTER×HUNTER sleeve, paired with an exclusive collab card
  • Danran Pack (24 pcs) — the large shareable box dressed in HUNTER×HUNTER collab artwork, and comes with a Phantom Troupe clear file featuring Machi, Chrollo, and Uvogin
  • Croissant Taiyaki Box (6 pcs) — Gindako’s croissant taiyaki in collab packaging
  • Special Drink Set — the standout item of the collab (see below)

The Star Item: Water Divination Card

Hunter x Hunter Gindako special drink set showing paper cup, sticker and Water Divination Card
The Special Drink Set includes the original paper cup, a collab sticker, and the Water Divination Card (水見式カード) that reveals your Nen type when submerged in water.

The Special Drink Set is the collab’s headline item for HxH fans. Priced at ¥580 (take-out) or ¥626–638 (eat-in), it bundles a Gindako drink in an original HUNTER×HUNTER paper cup, a collab sticker — and most excitingly, a 水見式カード (Water Divination Card).

True to the series’ lore, the card reveals your Nen type when you submerge it in water. It’s a small detail, but one that captures exactly why the Gindako × HxH partnership works so well: the team clearly cares about the source material, not just slapping logos on packaging.

Hunter x Hunter Gindako collab chibi character lineup showing all characters in formal attire
The full chibi character lineup in formal attire — a charming styling choice across all collab items.

Bonus Stamps and Seasonal Specials

Gindako’s stamp card holders also get collab-exclusive mini clear files as bonus gifts. A special stamp reward is planned for 1 September, with an additional seasonal special on 1 November — meaning regular visitors have extra incentive to come back across the three-month run.

Hunter x Hunter Gindako Phantom Troupe clear file featuring Machi, Chrollo and Uvogin
The Danran Pack’s bonus Phantom Troupe clear file — featuring Machi, Chrollo Lucilfer, and Uvogin.
「築地銀だこ」×「HUNTER×HUNTER」コラボ第2弾 — Official announcement video (Tsukiji Gindako official channel)

For Singapore Fans

This is a Japan-only collab — Tsukiji Gindako doesn’t have Singapore branches. For local HxH fans, your options are picking up items during a trip to Japan between August and November, or keeping an eye on Japanese import shops and proxy services. Given how quickly the first collab’s merchandise moved, the Danran Pack (with its clear file) and the Water Divination Card sets are the ones to prioritise if you’re making the trip.

Source: Anime!Anime! (Japanese), 11 August 2026. © P1998-2026 © V·N·M. This story has not yet appeared in English-language media at time of publication.