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Manga Anime

Code Geass: Rozé of the Recapture Premieres on Disney+ Singapore This Friday

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It’s been nearly two decades since the last Code Geass TV series aired. That changes this Friday. Code Geass: Rozé of the Recapture begins its 12-episode television run on 10 July 2026 on MBS and TBS in Japan — and Disney+ Singapore is streaming it simultaneously, so local fans don’t have to wait a single episode.

Code Geass: Rozé of the Recapture key visual
Image courtesy of Sunrise

What Is Rozé of the Recapture?

Rozé of the Recapture was originally released as a four-part theatrical series, now re-edited and expanded into a 12-episode television cut — making it the first new Code Geass TV broadcast since Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion R2 finished its run in 2008. The story is set in an alternate timeline and centres on a pair of siblings, Ash and Rozé, taking on a new conflict in the Code Geass universe. It’s a fresh entry point as much as a continuation, so you don’t need to have followed every Code Geass side story to follow along.

The returning creative team is part of what makes this worth attention. Director Yoshimitsu Ohara helmed the original Lelouch series. Iconic design group CLAMP is back for character design originals. Hitomi Kuroishi returns for the music. Studio Sunrise produced it. This is the same core team that built the original, not a handoff to different hands.

Code Geass: Rozé of the Recapture | Official Trailer | Disney+ Singapore — via Disney+ Singapore on YouTube

How to Watch in Singapore

Disney+ Singapore is the home for Rozé of the Recapture locally. The simulcast starts with the 10 July broadcast premiere — new episodes will follow the Japanese TV schedule weekly. If you’re already subscribed to Disney+, no additional purchase is needed. Just search for Code Geass in the app on Friday.

For fans who want to catch up on the franchise before Friday, the original Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion series is also available on streaming platforms, though that’s a much bigger commitment at 50 episodes across two seasons.

Code Geass Rozé TV broadcast schedule
Image courtesy of Sunrise

What’s Coming After: Hoshi Oi no Aspar

Rozé isn’t the end of the road for Code Geass. A brand-new series titled Code Geass: Hoshi Oi no Aspar (Star-Chasing Aspar) was announced in December 2025, with director Kazuya Nomura and writer Mado Nozaki attached. No release date has been confirmed, but the project is in development — the franchise is clearly in active expansion mode. If Rozé lands well, expect momentum to build behind it.

Meanwhile, a Code Geass 20th Anniversary Exhibition is scheduled for Tokyo in September 2026, followed by Osaka in November 2026 — expect merchandise and event tie-ins to ramp up as the anniversary window approaches.

Code Geass Rozé illustration card artwork
Image courtesy of Sunrise

Singapore’s Code Geass Connection

Code Geass aired in Singapore in the late 2000s and left a lasting mark on a generation of local anime fans who are now in their late 20s and 30s. The blend of mecha action, political strategy, and theatrical character writing was something that didn’t come around often, and Lelouch’s iconic ‘I command you’ became shorthand for the franchise across Singapore’s anime community. Rozé gives those fans a chance to return to that world — and a simultaneous Disney+ stream means there’s no excuse to wait.

Disney+ drops Rozé of the Recapture on 10 July 2026. Check out more anime premieres and streaming news at Manga Anime.

Manga Anime

The Elusive Samurai Season 2 Premieres on Crunchyroll 17 July

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Nine days from now, the most gifted runner in Japanese history makes his comeback. The Elusive Samurai Season 2 premieres on 17 July 2026 on Crunchyroll, and with a new main trailer and opening theme now revealed, we finally know what to expect when CloverWorks returns to feudal Kamakura.

The Elusive Samurai Season 2 — the main cast gather in a lantern-lit scene
Image courtesy of Aniplex

What Is The Elusive Samurai?

Based on the manga by Yusei Matsui — the creator behind Assassination Classroom — The Elusive Samurai (逃げ上手の若君) follows Hojo Tokiyuki, the young heir to the Kamakura shogunate who survives the brutal downfall of his clan through one extraordinary, embarrassing talent: running away at superhuman speed. Set during the historical Kenmu Restoration in 14th-century Japan, the series transforms real political upheaval into something wildly funny and, quietly, a little moving.

Season 1 from CloverWorks aired in 2024 and built a strong following on Crunchyroll — particularly among fans who like their history served with exaggerated comedy faces and genuinely well-animated action. The whole first season remains on Crunchyroll if you need to catch up before 17 July.

Season 2 Trailer and Opening Theme

The Elusive Samurai Season 2 | Main Trailer — via Aniplex USA on YouTube

Aniplex dropped the main trailer at Anime Expo 2026 earlier this month, confirming the 17 July premiere alongside the opening theme: “Onigoto” (鬼ごと), performed by Japanese singer and actor Kento Nakajima. Nakajima, who has spoken about his lifelong love of history, expressed genuine enthusiasm for the role — and the track itself sounds like a fittingly propulsive way to open an episode about a boy whose survival strategy is very fast feet.

CloverWorks returns with the core production team from Season 1, and based on the trailer the animation has lost none of its expressive energy — expect more of those gleefully exaggerated comedy cuts alongside the show’s sharper dramatic moments. Season 2 continues Tokiyuki’s campaign to reclaim Kamakura, with the political stakes rising as he gathers allies across a fractured Japan.

Tokiyuki in a lively outdoor market scene from The Elusive Samurai
Image courtesy of Aniplex

How to Watch from Singapore

Crunchyroll carries The Elusive Samurai in Singapore, and Season 2 streams from 17 July — same day as the Japanese broadcast on Fuji TV’s Noitamina block (Fridays, 11:30 PM JST). Both subtitled and dubbed versions will be available. If you have been sleeping on this one, the 24-episode Season 1 run is an easy weekend binge to get ready in time.

The Elusive Samurai is one of the more distinct anime running right now — a period piece that neither romanticises nor bores you with history, created by someone who clearly knows how to make a reader (or viewer) care about a surprisingly unconventional protagonist. Singapore fans on Crunchyroll, 17 July is the date to save. Browse more upcoming anime in our Manga & Anime section.

Manga Anime, News

Black Clover Season 2 Finally Returns in October 2026

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Five years is a long time to wait. Black Clover Season 2 is finally returning this October 2026 — and if the world premiere screening at Anime Expo 2026 is anything to go by, Asta and the Black Bulls are coming back stronger than ever. With the manga itself having completed its 11-year serialisation in May 2026, the timing of this anime comeback lands at exactly the right moment.

The Spade Kingdom Arc — Black Clover’s Best, Now Animated

Season 2 doesn’t ease you back in gently. The premiere episode, screened to a packed audience at Anime Expo 2026 on 4 July, opens in the Spade Kingdom and dives straight into the aftermath of the Spade Kingdom Raid — the story arc many fans consider the series’ creative peak. Reactions from AX attendees described the episode as distinctly “powered-up”, with particular praise going to a striking black-and-white sequence during Nacht Faust’s Mana Zone — a bold stylistic choice that signals this season won’t play it safe.

At the heart of the story is Asta’s training with his demon partner Liebe, guided by the enigmatic Black Bulls deputy captain Nacht Faust, as the two work towards mastering Devil Union Form — a temporary fusion of human and demon that amplifies Asta’s anti-magic to jaw-dropping levels. Alongside him, Noelle Silva and Yuno Grinberryall reach new heights that pay off years of patient setup for long-time readers.

Black Clover Season 2 — Asta in front of an illustration featuring Nacht, Yami, and Yuno
Image courtesy of Studio Pierrot / Crunchyroll
Black Clover Second Season — Official Trailer 3 — via Crunchyroll on YouTube

Studio Pierrot Returns — With a Fresh Team and Higher Ambitions

Studio Pierrot is back in production, which is what fans had hoped. The studio brings a largely renewed creative team: Ayataka Tanemura takes the director’s chair (he helmed portions of the original series and directed the Sword of the Wizard King Netflix film), with series composer Keiichiro Ochi, new character designer Itsuko Takeda, and new music composer Minako Seki. The updated character designs show a noticeably more polished look for the cast, and early screenshots suggest the animation quality is aiming for the heights Pierrot reached on Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War — strong words, but the first-episode reaction from AX backs it up.

Black Clover Season 2 — official character promotional art
Image courtesy of Studio Pierrot / Crunchyroll

WANIMA Opens the Season with “Kienai Riyuu”

The opening theme is “Kienai Riyuu” (消えない理由 — “The Reason It Won’t Fade”) by Japanese punk-rock band WANIMA. The group, known for their anthemic, full-throttle energy and previous contributions to the My Hero Academia and Haikyu!! soundtracks, is an instinctive fit for Black Clover’s never-quit spirit. Previews of the theme in the official trailer have already sparked “one of the best OPs of the year” claims online — which, for a 5-year comeback, is exactly the reception this series needed.

Black Clover Season 2 — key visual promotional art
Image courtesy of Studio Pierrot / Crunchyroll

Streaming for Singapore Fans

Black Clover Season 2 premieres in Japan in October 2026. Crunchyroll has confirmed streaming in international regions outside Asia. Singapore fans should watch Crunchyroll Asia‘s catalogue directly — Asia-specific streaming rights for many Studio Pierrot titles are handled separately, so a regional platform may carry it shortly after the Japan broadcast. If the original series’ distribution is any guide, it should find its way here.

Those looking to get ahead can revisit Season 1’s 170 episodes, or — since the manga completed its 11-year serialisation in May 2026 — dive into the source material now. An Official Guidebook covering the full story with creator commentary also drops in Japan on 4 August 2026. For more upcoming anime hitting Singapore-accessible platforms, check our anime and manga section.

Manga Anime, News

Witch on the Holy Night Anime Film Premieres 20 November 2026

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Singapore’s TYPE-MOON faithful, take note: Witch on the Holy Night — the anime film adaptation of Kinoko Nasu’s beloved visual novel, animated by ufotable — now has its premiere date confirmed. The film opens in Japanese theatres on 20 November 2026, with the announcement made today at a special reveal event in Ikebukuro, Tokyo.

Latest promotional footage for Witch on the Holy Night — via アニプレックス チャンネル (Aniplex) on YouTube (Japanese)

What Is Witch on the Holy Night?

For the uninitiated: Witch on the Holy Night (魔法使いの夜, Mahoutsukai no Yoru, sometimes called Mahoyo) is a visual novel written by Kinoko Nasu and developed by TYPE-MOON — the studio behind Fate/stay night, Tsukihime, and Kara no Kyoukai. Originally released in Japan in April 2012, it became available in English on Steam in December 2022.

The story is set in late-1980s Japan and centres on Aoko Aozaki, an apprentice mage who reluctantly inherits her family’s magical art. She lives in a grand Western-style manor on a hill under the guidance of Alice Kuonji — a quiet, eccentric witch from England. Their world is upended when a rural transfer student named Soujyuro Sizuki stumbles into their lives. Longtime Nasuverse fans will recognise Aoko as the younger sister of Touko Aozaki from Kara no Kyoukai, making this film a key piece of prequel lore for the wider franchise.

Witch on the Holy Night anime film key visual — Aoko Aozaki and Alice Kuonji
Image courtesy of ufotable / Aniplex

Ufotable Brings the Nasuverse Back to the Big Screen

If the name ufotable means anything to you, you already know what to expect. The studio behind the Heaven’s Feel trilogy, Demon Slayer, and the original Kara no Kyoukai film series brings its signature hand-drawn fluidity and meticulous lighting to this production. Their return to the Nasuverse with Mahoyo is long overdue — the visual novel has been a fan favourite for over a decade, and this is its first animated adaptation.

Character designs are handled by Hirokazu Koyama, while the score is composed by Hideyuki Fukasawa, whose atmospheric, layered compositions have become a hallmark of ufotable’s supernatural action projects.

The Voice Cast: A Nasuverse Dream Team

The cast is stacked. Tomatsu Haruka voices Aoko Aozaki — headstrong, brash, and unexpectedly funny as a magic novice who’d rather do anything else. Hanazawa Kana plays Alice Kuonji, lending the reserved, bookish witch her signature warmth and depth. Rounding out the trio is Kobayashi Yusuke as Soujyuro Sizuki, the ordinary boy who ends up in a very extraordinary house. All three voice actors are reprising their roles from the original VN’s audio production.

Witch on the Holy Night anime film — scene from official promotional footage
Image courtesy of ufotable / Aniplex

November 20 in Japan — and When Singapore Might Follow

The film opens theatrically in Japan on 20 November 2026. No international theatrical or streaming dates have been confirmed as of this writing. That said, ufotable’s recent track record gives Singapore fans reason to be optimistic: Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle I opened across Golden Village and Cathay multiplexes locally, and the Heaven’s Feel films received dedicated Singapore screenings. A TYPE-MOON x ufotable production backed by Aniplex is exactly the kind of release that tends to get international theatrical treatment — we’ll update when distribution details arrive.

In the meantime, fans who haven’t played the original VN can pick it up on Steam — it’s considered essential Nasuverse reading. For all the other ufotable and Nasuverse titles streaming now, browse our anime section.

Witch on the Holy Night — scene from Teaser PV 2 by ufotable
Image courtesy of ufotable / Aniplex
Witch on the Holy Night Teaser PV #2 — via アニプレックス チャンネル (Aniplex) on YouTube (Japanese)

Manga Anime, Travel

Ghibli Park’s First Original Short Film Opens Tomorrow

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Studio Ghibli opens a new chapter — literally. From tomorrow, July 8, 2026, visitors to Ghibli Park in Aichi Prefecture, Japan can watch Night in the Valley of Witches (魔女の谷の夜), the first original animated short film that Studio Ghibli has ever created specifically for the park. It is a park exclusive: there is no streaming release, no theatrical run outside the park, and no plans for a wider rollout. If you want to see it, you need to be there.

What We Know About Night in the Valley of Witches

The film is co-directed by Goro Miyazaki and Akihiko Yamashita — two names that carry serious Ghibli pedigree. Goro Miyazaki (son of Hayao Miyazaki) previously directed Tales from Earthsea and From Up on Poppy Hill, and co-directed Earwig and the Witch. Akihiko Yamashita served as animation director on Spirited Away, Howl’s Moving Castle, and Ponyo, making this a reunion of deep Ghibli craft at both the directorial and animation level. The copyright credit reads: © 2026 Goro Miyazaki, Akihiko Yamashita/Studio Ghibli.

The story is set within the Valley of Witches (魔女の谷) area of Ghibli Park itself — a European storybook town inspired by the magical settings of Ghibli’s witch-themed films — bringing the physical park and the new animation into a single, intertwined experience. Further plot details have not been released, which is very much in the Ghibli tradition of minimal pre-release disclosure.

The Valley of Witches area at Ghibli Park, Nagakute City, Aichi
Image courtesy of Studio Ghibli / Ghibli Park

Where to Watch It and What Tickets You Need

The film screens at Cinema Orion, inside Ghibli’s Grand Warehouse (ジブリの大倉庫) — one of the five areas that make up Ghibli Park. To watch it, you need Ghibli Park admission that includes Grand Warehouse access. All Ghibli Park tickets require advance reservation; there are no same-day walk-in passes. Tickets for July 2026 screenings opened on May 10, 2026 via the official Ghibli Park website.

The premiere event on July 8 was a special, limited affair — just 150 tickets were made available, with a director stage greeting from Goro Miyazaki and Akihiko Yamashita. Regular screenings from July 8 onward continue as part of normal Grand Warehouse admission, no special ticket required beyond the Grand Warehouse entry.

The witch broom carousel in the Valley of Witches area at Ghibli Park
Image courtesy of Studio Ghibli / Ghibli Park

The Singapore Angle: Worth Planning a Japan Trip Around

Ghibli Park has already become one of the most-searched Japan travel destinations for Singapore visitors since it opened in 2022. A park-exclusive short that cannot be seen anywhere else in the world — and that comes from the same studio as Spirited Away, My Neighbour Totoro, and Princess Mononoke — is exactly the kind of thing that makes a Japan trip feel unmissable rather than optional.

Practically: Ghibli Park is in Nagakute City, Aichi Prefecture, about 20 minutes by subway from Nagoya station. From Singapore, Nagoya is not directly served with regular Singapore Airlines routes, but it is easily reached by connecting through Tokyo or Osaka — and if you are already planning a trip to central Japan, Nagoya is an easy addition. From Tokyo, the Shinkansen Nozomi takes about 1 hour 40 minutes. From Kyoto or Osaka, it is under an hour.

The key caveat for Singapore visitors planning ahead: all Ghibli Park tickets require advance online reservation and can sell out weeks in advance. Check the official Ghibli Park English-language site for booking windows, which open monthly. For more Japan culture and travel content, browse our Japan travel picks.

Manga Anime

Tanya the Evil Season 2 Premieres Tomorrow on Crunchyroll

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Nine years is a long time to wait for an anime sequel — but the long stretch is finally over. Saga of Tanya the Evil Season 2 (Youjo Senki II) premieres on July 8, 2026, and Singapore fans can catch it from tomorrow via Crunchyroll and Ani-One Asia. Studio NUT is back, the original voice cast returns, and the war for Tanya’s soul rages on.

Saga of Tanya the Evil Season 2 — Official Main Trailer via AnimeSelect on YouTube

Nine Years in the Making — A New Director Steps In

When Season 1 wrapped up in March 2017, followed by the theatrical film in February 2019, the story was clearly unfinished — the light novel series by Carlo Zen had volumes left to adapt. The announcement of Season 2 came in June 2021, but production took another five years to reach screens. The result is a 12-episode continuation produced again at Studio NUT, with Kenta Ihara returning for series composition and Yuji Hosogoe keeping the character designs consistent.

The most notable change is in the director’s chair: Takayuki Yukimoto takes over from Season 1’s Yutaka Uemura. Yukimoto’s appointment was announced at AnimeJapan 2026 alongside a new full trailer and cast reveals — the long development window apparently gave the new director room to push production values. The opening theme, “Why? RED induction” by MYTH & ROID (who also did Season 1’s “JINGO JUNGLE”), and the ending theme “Weiter! Weiter!” performed in-character by Tanya (Aoi Yuki) suggest the tone stays resolutely on-brand.

Saga of Tanya the Evil Season 2 key visual — Tanya and the 203rd Mage Battalion
Image courtesy of Studio NUT / Kadokawa

Where the Story Picks Up

Season 2 begins in autumn of 1926, with Episode 1 titled “Salamander Combat Unit” — dropping viewers straight into the Empire’s deteriorating strategic position as total, global warfare spreads. The 203rd Aerial Mage Battalion under Tanya’s command remains the Empire’s sharpest tool, but the odds are multiplying. The mysterious entity Being X continues to manoeuvre events to force the spiritually defiant Tanya toward submission, making every battlefield victory feel like a step toward a larger trap.

Returning cast members include Aoi Yuki as Tanya von Degurechaff, Saori Hayami as Viktoriya Ivanovna Serebryakov, Shinichiro Miki as Erich von Rerugen, Tessho Genda as Kurt von Rudersdorf, and Hochu Otsuka as Hans von Zettour. Season 2 also introduces two new characters — Mikehl and Liliâ — as the conflict expands beyond the Empire’s borders.

Saga of Tanya the Evil Season 2 key visual #2 — Tanya with General Zettour and Rudersdorf
Image courtesy of Studio NUT / Kadokawa

How to Watch in Singapore

Singapore fans have two good options from tomorrow. Crunchyroll carries the series with a simulcast for most international regions including Southeast Asia, while Ani-One Asia provides the dedicated regional stream for SEA audiences. New episodes drop on Wednesdays following the Japanese broadcast. Both Disney+ and Prime Video are also expected to carry the series on a delayed basis later in the season.

If you need a refresher before Season 2, Season 1’s 12 episodes and the 2019 film are currently available on Crunchyroll. The film in particular bridges the gap between the series and where Season 2 picks up, so it’s worth a watch before Episode 1 drops. Check our full anime coverage for more summer 2026 premiere guides.

Manga Anime

Cyberpunk: Edgerunners 2 Is Coming to Netflix This Fall — New Crew, Same Night City

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Four years after the original Cyberpunk: Edgerunners shattered hearts and set the bar for game-to-anime adaptations, the follow-up is finally real. Studio Trigger has confirmed Cyberpunk: Edgerunners 2 for a Fall 2026 release on Netflix — and Singapore fans who caught the first series on Netflix here will be right at home picking this one up.

Cyberpunk Edgerunners 2 key visual featuring Weak in Night City
Image courtesy of Netflix / CD PROJEKT RED

New Edgerunners, Familiar Night City

This is a fully standalone story — no need to have seen the first series, though it absolutely helps with the emotional weight. The new season introduces an entirely fresh cast navigating Night City’s darkest corners. At the centre are two characters: Weak, a washed-up cyberpunk legend forced to exist without his chrome, and D, a deadly nomad locked onto a path of revenge. Also in the crew: young cinephile Roman Carax, who came to Night City searching for real stories, and Talia Yang, a corpo woman whose heart belongs to chrome and violence. The series is described as “a raw chronicle of redemption and revenge” running across ten episodes.

Returning to the creative chair is Kai Ikarashi as director, with Ichigo Kanno handling character designs and a screenplay by Bartosz Sztybor (CD PROJEKT RED) and Masahiko Otsuka.

Cyberpunk: Edgerunners 2 | Official Teaser #2 — via Netflix on YouTube

The Cure Opening and Rico Nasty — Two Very Different Vibes

Studio Trigger’s Anime Expo 2026 panel turned heads when it was revealed that the opening theme for Edgerunners 2 will be The Cure’s 1979 post-punk track “10:15 Saturday Night” — a choice that sounds odd on paper but landed well with the crowd. Meanwhile, rapper Rico Nasty wrote an original track, “You Can’t Run From Me”, exclusively for the show; it opens the second teaser trailer and is already streaming. Two very different sonic palettes for a show that looks set to be equally unpredictable.

D, a new character in Cyberpunk Edgerunners 2, in a close-up action shot
Image courtesy of Netflix / CD PROJEKT RED

Anime Expo Screening and What Singapore Fans Need to Know

Attendees at Anime Expo 2026 on 3 July got the first look at the premiere episode in an exclusive screening — by all accounts the reaction was intense. CD PROJEKT RED and Netflix have not announced an exact premiere date beyond “Fall 2026”; with Netflix Korea having reportedly listed a potential 20 October window, that timeframe feels plausible, though nothing is confirmed.

Netflix Singapore carries the full Netflix catalogue, so Edgerunners 2 will land here on the same day as everywhere else. If the first series’ run on Netflix Singapore is any guide, expect both English and Japanese audio options at launch.

Cyberpunk Edgerunners 2 official Netflix Fall 2026 poster — CD Projekt RED x Trigger
Image courtesy of Netflix / CD PROJEKT RED

For more anime news and local event coverage, check out our Manga & Anime section.

Manga Anime, News

SAO: Integral Domain — New Original Film Announced for 2028

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Kirito and Asuna are heading back to the big screen — and this time, it is not a retelling. Aniplex has revealed Sword Art Online the Movie – Integral Domain –, a completely original theatrical story set beyond the Alicization arc, with a 2028 cinema release confirmed. Full staff, the teaser visual, and a first teaser trailer all dropped on 7 July 2026 via the Aniplex official channels, making this the most concrete look yet at where the SAO franchise goes after the TV series concluded its main storyline.

SAO Integral Domain 2028 announcement — staff, cast and key visual
Image courtesy of Aniplex

The First Fully Original SAO Film Since Ordinal Scale

This is a significant distinction worth flagging for fans: Integral Domain is not an adaptation of existing light novel chapters. That puts it in the same category as Ordinal Scale (2017) — a story written specifically for the cinema, with original screenwriting direction from creator Reki Kawahara. The two Progressive films (2021 and 2022) adapted the Progressive reboot light novels, so this is genuinely new territory.

The Aniplex official page describes the premise simply: “the story moves to a new stage” — set directly after the events of the Alicization / War of Underworld arc. No plot details beyond that have been released yet, but Kawahara is providing the story concept, so this is the author’s own vision for what happens next to Kirito and Asuna rather than a spin-off scripted by a different writer.

Sword Art Online the Movie – Integral Domain – | COMING 2028 — via Aniplex USA on YouTube

Director, Studio, and Full Staff Confirmed

The creative team is a familiar combination of SAO franchise veterans and fresh production muscle:

  • Director: Shingo Adachi — an animation director across multiple seasons of the TV series, making his theatrical directorial feature debut here
  • Character design: Yumiko Yamamoto — returning from both Progressive films
  • Original character design concept: abec (the original light novel illustrator)
  • Story concept: Reki Kawahara
  • Animation production: A-1 Pictures / Psyde Kick Studio — Psyde Kick Studio is A-1 Pictures’ newer internal animation label, co-producing alongside the parent studio
  • Distribution (Japan): ANIMEC

Voice cast confirmed so far: Yoshitsugu Matsuoka as Kirito and Haruka Tomatsu as Asuna. Both are originals from the first season. No additional cast has been announced yet.

SAO: Integral Domain — official background art showing Aincrad-like spire silhouettes
Image courtesy of Aniplex

What Singapore SAO Fans Need to Know

No international theatrical dates have been announced beyond the 2028 Japan release window, and no Southeast Asia distribution partners have been named yet. That said, every major SAO theatrical release has made it to Singapore: Ordinal Scale screened here in 2017, and both Progressive films received local cinema runs as well — so a Singapore theatrical release is realistic, just unconfirmed.

If you are behind on the series, the 2028 release gives you time to work through Alicization and War of Underworld before the film’s story picks up. Crunchyroll carries both arcs for streaming in Singapore.

The official film page is live at swordart-online.net/integral, and the Japanese announcement was first reported by Famitsu (Japanese) and the Aniplex official site. Follow anime news on GameTrader.SG for any Singapore screening updates as they drop.

Manga Anime

One Piece: Heroines Is Now on Crunchyroll — Nami, Robin, Vivi and Perona Get the Spotlight

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One Piece: Heroines — the long-awaited anime special spotlighting the franchise’s iconic female crew — premiered on Fuji TV in Japan on 5 July, and is now streaming globally on Crunchyroll, including in Singapore. If you have been waiting 27 years for Nami, Robin, Vivi and Perona to carry an entire story on their own, the wait is finally over.

Nami in a blue formal outfit on stage in One Piece: Heroines
Image courtesy of Toei Animation

What Is One Piece: Heroines?

One Piece: Heroines is an anime television special adapted from the light novel series of the same name, written by Jun Esaka and illustrated by Sayaka Suwa, published by Shueisha under the Jump J-Books imprint. The novels have been available in English via Viz Media since April 2025 (volume one) and July 2025 (volume two), so if the special hooks you, there is more to read. Direction is by Haruka Kamatani, with scripts by Momoka Toyoda and character design by Takashi Kojima.

ONE PIECE HEROINES | Official Trailer — via ONE PIECE Official – ENG on YouTube

Four Stories, Four Heroines

The special presents four stand-alone short stories, each centred on a different heroine from across the Grand Line:

  • Nami: After buying a pair of shoes that hurt her feet, Nami returns to confront the designer — who offers to craft her a bespoke pair from scratch, but only if she agrees to model for him. A quiet vignette about craftsmanship, pride and what it means to find something that truly fits.
  • Robin: Nico Robin is called on to decipher a mysterious stone tablet that could help the Revolutionary Army and their chief of staff, Koala.
  • Vivi: Princess Vivi finds the Kingdom of Alabasta buzzing over a love letter addressed to her — and takes matters into her own hands to get to the bottom of it.
  • Perona: The Ghost Princess faces off against Mihawk — not with swords, but over a prized barrel of vintage wine.
Official character design sheets for Nami and Robin in One Piece: Heroines
Image courtesy of Toei Animation

AiNA THE END Sings “Blue Shining Star”

The theme song, “Blue Shining Star,” is performed by AiNA THE END — vocalist, actress and one of the most distinctive voices to come out of the BanG Dream! franchise, where she voices Mashiro Kurata. She has also built a strong solo career with a raw, emotive style. The choice fits: her voice brings a bittersweet warmth that mirrors the understated, character-first tone of each story in the special.

Close-up teaser visual of Nami and Robin for One Piece: Heroines
Image courtesy of Toei Animation

How to Watch in Singapore

One Piece: Heroines is streaming now on Crunchyroll with simulcast access for Singapore subscribers. The special hit the platform on 6 July, one day after its Fuji TV broadcast in Japan. A premium Crunchyroll subscription gives full simulcast access; some content is available free with ads for new users. Keep an eye on our Manga Anime section for more summer 2026 streaming picks as they land.