Tag Archives: Anime

Manga Anime

MARRIAGETOXIN Season 2 Confirmed for January 2027

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MARRIAGETOXIN Season 2 is officially locked in for January 2027 — and the announcement arrived at the best possible moment: the instant Season 1’s final episode finished airing in Japan on 30 June 2026. Studio BONES Film’s breakout Spring anime returns for a second run, streaming on Crunchyroll globally, Singapore included.

The Show That Made Spring 2026 Worth Watching

If you slept on this one, the setup is deceptively simple: Hikaru Gero is heir to a family of poison masters and has zero interest in marriage — except that if he doesn’t find a bride and secure the bloodline, his younger sister gets forced into a political arrangement instead. His fix is to recruit Mei Kinosaki, a professional marriage swindler, to help him navigate the hunt. What unfolds is an action-comedy where both leads are competent at very different kinds of manipulation, and the chemistry earns the rom-com label.

The manga, written by Joumyaku and drawn by Mizuki Yoda, runs in Shueisha’s Shonen Jump+. BONES Film adapted it across 13 episodes covering three arcs — the Water Master, Sound Master and Beast Master storylines — directed by Motonobu Hori with Kohei Tokuoka handling character design and chief animation direction.

MARRIAGETOXIN official anime key art featuring Hikaru Gero, Mei Kinosaki and the full cast
Image courtesy of SHUEISHA / MARRIAGETOXIN Project
Season 2 Announcement PV — via バンダイナムコフィルムワークス チャンネル on YouTube

Season 2 — What the Creator Said

Story author Joumyaku shared a personal message with the Season 2 announcement, as published by Anime Corner. Floored by the news, the author wrote that they were “beyond grateful” — crediting the fans directly for making it happen. On what’s ahead: Season 2 will bring in, in Joumyaku’s own words, “charming and wildly unpredictable new characters” alongside the returning leads.

Joumyaku's official Season 2 announcement comment card from the MARRIAGETOXIN Project
Image courtesy of SHUEISHA / MARRIAGETOXIN Project

January 2027 gives the production roughly six months of runway from the Season 1 finale — a brisk but entirely workable turnaround for a Shonen Jump+ adaptation with an established team already in place.

What Made Season 1 Stand Out

Hikaru Gero in an intense emotional moment from MARRIAGETOXIN Season 1
Image courtesy of SHUEISHA / MARRIAGETOXIN Project

Season 1’s reputation rested on execution as much as premise. Series composition by Kimiko Ueno kept the pacing tight across all three arcs, and the score by Taisei Iwasaki and Yuma Yamaguchi gave each tonal shift — comedy to action to genuine stakes — its own texture. Opening theme Kill or Kiss by Yurina Hirate and ending Shake Na Baby by AKASAKI were well-matched to the show’s chaotic-romantic register.

Where Singapore Fans Can Watch

MARRIAGETOXIN streams on Crunchyroll with English subtitles and an English dub, fully available in Singapore and across Southeast Asia. Season 1’s 13 episodes are up now — plenty of time to catch up before January. For more anime and manga coverage, check our full archive.

Manga Anime, News

Ghost in the Shell Returns on Prime Video This July 7

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For the first time since the franchise became an anime in 1995, a studio other than Production I.G. is animating Ghost in the Shell. That studio is Science Saru — the house behind Dandadan, Scott Pilgrim Takes Off, and Tatami Time Machine Blues — and THE GHOST IN THE SHELL premieres on Amazon Prime Video in over 240 countries this Tuesday, 7 July 2026, Singapore included.

THE GHOST IN THE SHELL 2026 key visual poster featuring Major Motoko Kusanagi
Image courtesy of THE GHOST IN THE SHELL COMMITTEE

Science Saru Takes Over — and Why That Is a Big Deal

Production I.G. has been synonymous with Ghost in the Shell animation since Mamoru Oshii’s landmark 1995 film. The studio went on to direct Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence, both seasons of Stand Alone Complex, and the theatrical Arise series. Production I.G. remains in the production committee for this 2026 series — alongside Bandai Namco Filmworks and Kodansha — but the animation itself now belongs to Science Saru.

Science Saru was co-founded by Masaaki Yuasa and has built its reputation on visually expressive, high-fluidity work that stands apart from conventional TV-anime house styles. Directing the new series is Mokochan, making his feature directorial debut after working as assistant director on Dandadan. Character design and chief animation direction is handled by Shuhei Handa, whose credits include Dandadan, Scott Pilgrim Takes Off, and Spriggan. Series composition comes from sci-fi novelist EnJoe Toh, known for the metafictional Self-Reference ENGINE — a choice that hints at a grittier, more literary approach.

Official Japanese trailer for THE GHOST IN THE SHELL — via Ghost in the Shell Official Channel on YouTube

A Straight Line Back to Masamune Shirow’s Manga

Rather than continuing any existing anime continuity, the 2026 series returns to Masamune Shirow’s original Ghost in the Shell manga, first serialised in Young Magazine from 1989 to 1991. The story follows Major Motoko Kusanagi leading Public Security Section 9 through cybercrimes and a conspiracy surrounding a spectral hacker known as the Puppet Master — the same premise as Oshii’s 1995 film, but adapted from the source material rather than from the film’s more abstract interpretation.

The creative team describe the aim as being closer to the manga’s own tonal blend of hard sci-fi, dry humour, and political thriller, rather than the heavy philosophical weight of Oshii’s take. Given EnJoe Toh’s background in literary science fiction, that ambition seems credible.

THE GHOST IN THE SHELL 2026 promotional image from Science Saru
Image courtesy of THE GHOST IN THE SHELL COMMITTEE

English Dub Cast and Global Availability

Amazon Prime Video is rolling out the series with a full English dub across its global release. Suzie Yeung (Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End, Overtake!) voices Major Kusanagi; Bill Butts plays Batou; SungWon Cho voices Chief Aramaki; and Nick Apostolides takes on Togusa. The English dub cast was confirmed by Anime News Network. In total the series launches in eight dubbed languages alongside the Japanese original.

THE GHOST IN THE SHELL 2026 key visual showing Section 9
Image courtesy of THE GHOST IN THE SHELL COMMITTEE

When and Where to Watch in Singapore

THE GHOST IN THE SHELL is available on Amazon Prime Video in Singapore from 7 July 2026. An active Prime or Prime Video subscription is all you need. New episodes drop weekly — in Japan they broadcast on Fuji TV and Kansai TV every Tuesday at 23:00 JST (midnight SGT on Wednesday), with the Prime Video stream expected around the same time. The July 7 premiere date was confirmed via Anime News Network in June.

If you want to revisit the original mythology ahead of Tuesday, Oshii’s 1995 film and Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex are available across multiple platforms. Find more anime season previews and news on GameTrader as the summer 2026 lineup gets into gear.

The Ending Theme: MILLENNIUM PARADE, Saya Gray and Daniel Caesar

The ending theme, titled “Blue”, is performed by MILLENNIUM PARADE featuring Saya Gray and Daniel Caesar. MILLENNIUM PARADE is the avant-pop project led by Daiki Tsuneta, the frontman of King Gnu — whose music has previously appeared across anime soundtracks. Saya Gray is a Japanese-American indie singer-songwriter; Daniel Caesar is a Grammy-winning Canadian R&B artist. The pairing feels deliberately trans-Pacific, which suits a franchise that has always occupied the intersection of Japanese cyberpunk and Western science-fiction imagination.

Manga Anime

Witch Hat Atelier Season 2 Confirmed — Coco’s Story Continues

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Right as Witch Hat Atelier Season 1’s thirteenth and final episode “Forbidden Magic” began streaming on 29 June 2026, the official anime account delivered the announcement Singapore fans had been waiting for: Season 2 is confirmed and in production. Studio BUG FILMS and the full returning creative team are on board, and Crunchyroll has once again acquired the rights — with one important caveat for viewers in our region.

Coco from Witch Hat Atelier smiling in a sunlit meadow, wearing her signature white pointed hat
Image courtesy of BUG FILMS / Kodansha

What We Know About Witch Hat Atelier Season 2

Studio BUG FILMS — the team responsible for Season 1’s exceptional animation — is returning for Season 2. Director Ayumu Watanabe, series composer Hiroshi Seko, and music composer Yuka Kitamura are all back. The returning crew brings full continuity of vision, which matters enormously for a story as layered as this one.

Crunchyroll confirmed the acquisition alongside the Season 1 finale, and production is now formally underway. No premiere date has been set, and no teaser or trailer has been released at this stage — this is a greenlight announcement, not a launch window. More details are expected via the official website and social channels in the months ahead.

The Story Picks Up at Serpentback Cave

Coco surrounded by swirling golden magic energy in an intense scene from Witch Hat Atelier
Image courtesy of BUG FILMS / Kodansha

Season 2 picks up directly from where Season 1 left off: the fallout from the Brimmed Caps’ attack on the apprentices in Serpentback Cave. The central thread — Coco’s mission to reverse the forbidden magic that petrified her mother, without resorting to the very spells that started the tragedy — remains the heart of the series. Antagonist Iguin and the mysteries surrounding her forbidden grimoire are expected to take centre stage as the story deepens.

If you have not watched Season 1 yet, now is the ideal moment. The 13 episodes are tightly plotted, and the finale earns this renewal immediately. Season 1 of Witch Hat Atelier is widely regarded as one of the best anime productions of 2025, with Anime News Network noting that production for episode 5 alone required approximately 20,000 drawings — roughly four to six times the typical episode workload.

About the Manga

Witch Hat Atelier Season 1 official anime poster showing Coco and the apprentice cast in their iconic green robes
Image courtesy of BUG FILMS / Kodansha

Witch Hat Atelier (Tongari Boshi no Atelier) is a manga by Kamome Shirahama, serialised in Kodansha’s Morning Two magazine since July 2016. With over 7 million copies in circulation and now 16 volumes in print (as of April 2026), it has won the Harvey Award for Best Manga (2020) and the Eisner Award for Best U.S. Edition of International Material — Asia. Shirahama marked the Season 2 greenlight by releasing a special commemorative illustration shared across the anime’s official channels.

Singapore Fans: The Streaming Situation

Here is the catch. Crunchyroll has acquired Witch Hat Atelier Season 2 for worldwide streaming excluding Asian territories — the same arrangement that applied to Season 1. That means a Singapore Crunchyroll subscription will not carry the new season when it arrives.

No Singapore or Southeast Asian distribution partner has been confirmed yet for Season 2. We will update this post when a locally accessible platform is announced. For now, keep an eye on regional streaming services that carried Season 1 in your area. Check our manga and anime news section for updates as more Season 2 details come in.

Game News, Manga Anime

Overwatch × YOASOBI: The “Orion” Collab Is Live Today

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Two cultural juggernauts just collided: YOASOBI and Overwatch have launched their crossover event today, 30 June 2026, and it runs through 20 July. Six new legendary skins, an original track called “Orion,” and a full animated music video produced by A-1 Pictures are all live in-game right now — and Singapore players can jump in immediately.

Overwatch x YOASOBI | Official Gameplay Trailer — via PlayOverwatch on YouTube

What the Overwatch × YOASOBI Collab Is About

The collaboration was unveiled at a dedicated press event in Tokyo in May, bringing together Blizzard Entertainment and the duo behind some of the biggest anime themes of the past five years — Idol (Oshi no Ko), Beastars, Blue Lock, and more. The event centres on the Shimada clan storyline, told from Kiriko’s perspective through a new in-game short story called The Fall of a Sparrow, exploring what it means to grow apart, hold on, and eventually find a way back — the three “stars” of Orion’s Belt mapped onto Kiriko, Genji, and Hanzo.

A new Tokyo-themed map, Neon Junction, was added to the game alongside the event, giving matches a futuristic J-pop cityscape backdrop complete with neon signage and floating screens.

All Six Legendary Skins — Neon Lights, Hard-Light and Kanji Motifs

Every skin in the collaboration is legendary-tier and carries YOASOBI’s signature aesthetic: neon colours, hard-light accents, kanji-inspired design details, ambient visual effects, and exclusive dance emotes set to YOASOBI’s music. The full roster:

  • Fox Star Kiriko — the centrepiece of the collab; her fox companion gets a spectral, glowing redesign
  • Dragon Star Genji — vibrant neon styling that celebrates the hero he has become
  • Dragon Star Hanzo — luminous hard-light accents and striking kanji details, carrying the weight of his past
  • Spirit Star Mizuki — premium lighting effects with a custom spirit-energy aesthetic
  • Space Star Juno — wonder and optimism, reimagined in neon
  • Fire Star Anran — bold confidence blended with kanji-inspired elements and fiery VFX
Fox Star Kiriko concept art front and back view, Overwatch x YOASOBI collab
Image courtesy of Blizzard Entertainment

Skins can be purchased individually or as part of a YOASOBI Mega Bundle through the in-game shop. Pricing in-game follows standard Overwatch legendary skin rates. If you’re an Overwatch player in Singapore or Southeast Asia, the shop is accessible as usual — no region lock applies to this event.

Fox Star Kiriko with spirit fox companion in the Neon Junction map, Overwatch x YOASOBI
Image courtesy of Blizzard Entertainment

“Orion” — The Song, the Story, and A-1 Pictures

YOASOBI composed the original track Orion specifically for this collaboration, blending their signature high-tempo J-pop with futuristic electronic drums and the sound of the Japanese koto — a nod to the Shimada brothers’ heritage. The song is also included on YOASOBI’s new EP THE BOOK for, released on 26 June.

Composer Ayase described the creation process as making music with “the utmost respect” for Overwatch as a work, as reported by Saiga NAK at the Tokyo announcement (Japanese). An animated music video accompanying Orion was produced entirely by A-1 Pictures — the studio behind Solo Leveling, Kaguya-sama: Love is War, and Sword Art Online — and is accessible in-game through the collab event page.

YOASOBI Overwatch collaboration vinyl record featuring Kiriko, Genji and Hanzo artwork
Image courtesy of Blizzard Entertainment
Mizuki Spirit Star skin in the Neon Junction map, Overwatch x YOASOBI collab
Image courtesy of Blizzard Entertainment

How Long You Have to Grab It

The Overwatch × YOASOBI event runs until 20 July 2026 — roughly three weeks from today. Once the event ends, event-exclusive cosmetics typically rotate out of the shop, so if any of the six skins appeal to you, plan your purchase before the deadline. Keep an eye on our game news section for any last-call reminders as July 20 approaches.

Manga Anime

Kagurabachi Anime Locks in April 2027, Coming to Crunchyroll

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The manga that stormed Weekly Shonen Jump two years ago now has an anime date — and Singapore fans get front-row seats. Kagurabachi, Takeru Hokazono’s revenge-driven sword-sorcery epic, is officially heading to Crunchyroll worldwide in April 2027, with the first episode making its world debut at Anime Expo in Los Angeles on 3 July.

KAGURABACHI — Official Teaser Trailer — via AnimeSelect on YouTube

From Weekly Shonen Jump Page to the Screen

Serialised in Weekly Shonen Jump since September 2023, Kagurabachi wasted no time making itself known. The manga follows Chihiro Rokuhira, the teenage son of a legendary sword-maker, who picks up an enchanted blade to hunt down the sorcerers who murdered his father and stole his life’s work. Fast pacing, striking sword-fight choreography, and a protagonist who skips the hesitation have earned it a fanatically loyal readership — the series now counts over 4 million copies in circulation across eleven collected volumes (as of May 2026).

It is the kind of story that anime announcements get built around: a clear premise, instantly striking visuals, and a lead fans either back completely or want to see challenged. The first official teaser racked up 6 million YouTube views in under 24 hours when it dropped in April 2026.

Crunchyroll Confirms Singapore Streaming from April 2027

Kagurabachi Anime World Tour promotional banner featuring Anime Expo, Japan Expo, AnimagiC and Anime NYC logos
Image courtesy of Project Kagurabachi

Crunchyroll confirmed on 25–26 June 2026 that it will stream Kagurabachi worldwide from April 2027, excluding Japan, mainland China, North Korea, and South Korea. Singapore is confirmed in the streaming footprint — fans on Crunchyroll here will be able to watch alongside the simulcast when it airs.

The anime is produced by Studio Cypic, a newly relaunched identity from Cygames Pictures. Tetsuya Takeuchi serves as director, with Keigo Sasaki handling character design. The anime’s world tour premiere alone drew immediate headlines: the first 20 minutes of Episode 1 hitting the big screen at Anime Expo is a notably confident move for a pre-air event, signalling real buzz behind the production.

The Voice Cast: A Shōnen Heavyweight Lineup

Kagurabachi anime — Togo Shiba character visual, voiced by Katsuyuki Konishi
Image courtesy of Project Kagurabachi

The production has been releasing character visuals and cast reveals through June 2026. The confirmed Japanese voice cast so far:

  • Taihi Kimura as protagonist Chihiro Rokuhira. Kimura won Best New Actor at the 2025 Seiyu Awards — a significant vote of confidence for a lead who carries the series’ emotional core.
  • Tomokazu Seki as Kunishige Rokuhira, Chihiro’s father and the master swordsmith at the heart of the story. Seki is one of Japanese anime’s most recognised veteran voices.
  • Katsuyuki Konishi as Togo Shiba, a veteran sorcerer whose laid-back exterior hides genuine power. Cast announced 26 June 2026.

On Shiba, Konishi said: “Shiba is carefree on the surface, but deep down has a solid core and real strength,” describing his goal as capturing “the effortless confidence of someone genuinely powerful.”

KAGURABACHI｜Official Character Trailer: Shiba Togo — via CyberAgent ANIME Global on YouTube

Anime Expo World Premiere — First Footage on 3 July

Kagurabachi Anime World Tour Part 1 — full venue and date schedule for screenings at Anime Expo, Japan Expo, AnimagiC and Anime NYC
Image courtesy of Project Kagurabachi

Before the April 2027 TV premiere, the production team is taking the first episode on a global road show. The Kagurabachi Anime World Tour Part 1 kicks off at Anime Expo in Los Angeles on 3 July 2026 (4:45–6:05 PM PT), where audiences will see the first 20 minutes of Episode 1 on the big screen, followed by a special panel featuring:

  • Taihi Kimura (voice of Chihiro Rokuhira)
  • Takuro Imamura (manga editor)
  • Koichi Yasuda (anime producer)

The tour then moves to Japan Expo in Paris (9 July), AnimagiC in Mannheim, Germany (1 August), and Anime NYC in New York (22 August). No Singapore or Southeast Asia stop has been announced for Part 1, but with nearly ten months before the series airs, a Part 2 of the world tour remains possible — watch the official world tour page for updates. In the meantime, our anime coverage will track every new cast drop and trailer as the April 2027 date approaches.

Manga Anime

One-Punch Man S3 Part 2 — New Key Visual, 2027 Premiere

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The One-Punch Man anime’s 10th anniversary is underway in Tokyo — and J.C.STAFF and Shueisha have unveiled an updated key visual for Season 3’s second cour to mark the occasion. Released on 26 June 2026, the new artwork adds Drive Knight and Psychos to the battle line-up as the series builds toward its long-awaited Saitama versus Garou showdown, now confirmed to air in 2027 on Crunchyroll.

The Updated Cour 2 Key Visual

The revised key visual places heroes and monsters face-to-face beneath the tagline 最強 vs 最恐 — “The Strongest vs The Most Terrifying” — expanding the Season 3 poster with two characters central to the second cour’s story. Drive Knight, the secretive S-Class hero whose tactical genius and undefeated record have set high expectations, joins the hero side. On the Monster Association’s side, Psychos (Psykos) makes her first appearance in the key art — she is the organisation’s cold-blooded military strategist and one of its most powerful figures, making her anime debut in Cour 2.

Garou and Saitama face each other in the official One-Punch Man Season 3 Part 2 teaser visual
Image courtesy of J.C.STAFF / Shueisha

The visual was unveiled at the opening of the Anime 10th Anniversary One-Punch Man Exhibition at Tenbo Park inside the Sunshine 60 Observatory in Toshima Ward, Tokyo, which opened the same day, 26 June.

The Monster Association Arc Reaches Its Climax

Season 3 Part 1 — which aired from 12 October to 29 December 2025 on Crunchyroll — adapted the opening stages of the Monster Association arc, covering the heroes’ assault on Monster Headquarters and culminating in Saitama’s battle with the Monster King. Part 2 picks up where that leaves off, steering the story toward what manga readers have long considered the arc’s defining moment: Saitama vs Cosmic Fear Garou, a confrontation that rewrites what we thought possible in this world.

One-Punch Man Season 3 hero key visual featuring Saitama and the S-Class heroes
Image courtesy of J.C.STAFF / Shueisha

Season 3 is directed by Shinpei Nagai, with series composition by Tomohiro Suzuki and animation by J.C.STAFF. Part 2 has no confirmed premiere date beyond 2027.

One-Punch Man 10th Anniversary Exhibition in Ikebukuro

The exhibition — titled アニメ10周年記念「ワンパンマン展」 — runs from 26 June to 20 July 2026 at the Tenbo Park event space inside Sunshine 60 Observatory, Toshima Ward, Tokyo. It spans seven sections covering all three seasons (through Part 1) with original production materials on display.

Fan highlights include a full recreation of Saitama’s apartment, multiple photo spots, and an interactive corner where visitors can reportedly touch a prop recreating Puri-Puri Prisoner’s legendary chest hair. Fifty-one hand-written anniversary messages from series creator ONE, manga artist Yusuke Murata, cast members, and composers line the walls. A collaboration café inside Tenbo Park serves exclusive menu items during the event’s run, and the venue shop sells exclusive goods including acrylic stands, clear files, and character merchandise.

Official Trailer 2 | One-Punch Man Season 3 | VIZ Media — via VIZ Media on YouTube

Streaming in Singapore: Crunchyroll in 2027

One-Punch Man Season 3 Part 1 is available now on Crunchyroll in Singapore, where the series streams with English subtitles and dubbing. Part 2 will join the platform when it premieres in 2027; no specific date has been confirmed. If you have not started Part 1 yet, all 12 episodes are available for binge-watching now — and with Drive Knight and Psychos on the horizon, this is a good time to catch up before the second cour lands.

Follow GameTrader’s anime coverage for updates as the 2027 premiere approaches.

Manga Anime

Daemons of the Shadow Realm: FMA Creator’s Anime Hits Netflix 4 July

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If the name Hiromu Arakawa means anything to you — and if you grew up watching Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, it absolutely should — mark this Saturday on your calendar. Daemons of the Shadow Realm (original Japanese title: Yomi no Tsugai / 黄泉のツガイ), Arakawa’s first major anime since FMA, arrives on Netflix Singapore on 4 July 2026, with the full first cour available for subscribers from day one.

Daemons of the Shadow Realm | Official Trailer 3 — via Crunchyroll on YouTube

What Is Daemons of the Shadow Realm?

Yuru, protagonist of Daemons of the Shadow Realm, with a hunter's arrow
Image courtesy of Bones Film / Project TSUGAI

The story centres on twins Yuru and Asa, separated at birth and raised in completely different worlds. Yuru grows up as a skilled hunter in a remote mountain village, while Asa is confined to a specialised role inside the same community. In this world, certain humans can bond with pairs of supernatural creatures called Daemons — and twins “born between day and night” are prophesied to wield greater Daemon power than anyone before them.

When Yuru and Asa are finally reunited, their abilities prove far beyond the prophecy’s scope, and the show quickly expands from its rural opening to reveal a modern society with its own agenda for the twins. The manga ran in Square Enix’s Weekly Shōnen Jump+ and Monthly Shōnen Gangan, and Arakawa has described the Daemon bond system as the kind of intuitive, relationship-driven power that drew her to alchemy in FMA — but taken in a new direction.

The Dream Team Behind It

The production is exactly what FMA fans have been hoping for. Bones Film — the studio behind Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, Soul Eater, and My Hero Academia — handles animation. Director Masahiro Andō worked on the original 2003 FMA television series, giving him deep familiarity with Arakawa’s source material sensibility. Series composition is by Noboru Takagi, and music comes from Kenichiro Suehiro, whose recent credits include Vinland Saga and Delicious in Dungeon.

The voice cast is equally strong: Kensho Ono (Giorno Giovanna in JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure Part 5) plays Yuru; Yume Miyamoto (Ochaco in My Hero Academia) voices Asa; and Yuichi Nakamura (Gojo in Jujutsu Kaisen) appears as the enigmatic Dera. An English dub is available on Netflix from launch.

Netflix Arrival: Binge the Whole First Arc from 4 July

The full cast of Daemons of the Shadow Realm against a modern city backdrop
Image courtesy of Bones Film / Project TSUGAI

The anime originally premiered on Japanese television on 4 April 2026 and has been streaming simultaneously on Crunchyroll with a same-day English dub. Netflix is now bringing it to over 240 countries and territories (excluding Japan and Vietnam) starting 4 July. With the first cour of 12 episodes already fully aired, Singapore subscribers can watch the complete opening arc as a binge from day one — then pick up new episodes weekly on Saturdays as the second cour of the planned 24-episode run unfolds later in 2026.

In Southeast Asia, anime regional licensor Muse Communication holds distribution rights, and the simultaneous Netflix rollout means there are no region-lock concerns for Singapore viewers — the show will be right there in your Netflix library when you open the app on Saturday morning.

For fans who have been waiting for an Arakawa anime since Brotherhood concluded, this is the one. The combination of her world-building instincts, Bones Film’s action pedigree, and a voice cast drawn from the biggest titles of the past five years makes Daemons of the Shadow Realm the highest-stakes premiere of the Summer 2026 season. Check out our Manga & Anime section for more Summer 2026 coverage as the season ramps up.

Manga Anime

Madoka Magica: Walpurgisnacht Rising — Main Trailer Out, Opens Japan August 28

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The main theatrical trailer for Puella Magi Madoka Magica: The Witch’s Rondo — Walpurgisnacht Rising (劇場版 魔法少女まどか☆マギカ〈ワルプルギスの廻天〉) dropped in the early hours of Monday morning, and it brings two headline announcements in one: a confirmed Japan theatrical opening on August 28, 2026, and the reveal that the film’s theme song — “彼方” (Kanata) — will be performed by FictionJunction, the vocal unit led by composer Yuki Kajiura. For fans who have been waiting since 2013’s Rebellion Story ended on one of anime’s most divisive cliffhangers, the wait is down to two months.

A magical girl stands beneath a starry sky in Madoka Magica Walpurgisnacht Rising
Image courtesy of Aniplex

Homura’s World, Cracking at the Edges

Walpurgisnacht Rising picks up inside the false reality that Homura Akemi built at the end of Rebellion — a world where Madoka lives as an ordinary student, shielded from the fate she accepted when she wished every witch in every timeline out of existence and became the “Law of Cycles,” a transcendent cosmic force. Homura achieved this by tearing a fragment of that power away and rewriting reality itself, a choice that cost her everything except Madoka’s presence.

The new trailer makes clear that the seams of that world are showing. A mysterious girl without a Soul Gem has been hunting Mazoku — the magical beasts that replaced witches in Homura’s version of reality — which should be impossible. Then two magical girls arrive from outside the constructed world, seeking to restore the Law of Cycles and carrying a message: “We will not forgive Homura Akemi.”

『劇場版 魔法少女まどか☆マギカ〈ワルプルギスの廻天〉』本予告 — via Aniplex Channel on YouTube
A lone figure stands before a massive statue-like entity in an impossible labyrinthine space
Image courtesy of Aniplex

The threat they carry with them is named in the synopsis as 名塚底根 (Nadzuka Sokone) — described as the “beginning of all witches,” a collective entity formed from multiple witches that tortured Homura across her many timeline loops. It is, in other words, the original Walpurgisnacht made into something even larger. The title 廻天 — roughly “the heavens revolve” — signals that the circular logic of the Madoka universe is completing another terrible turn.

Yuki Kajiura Composes the Full Score

Dark atmospheric imagery from the film — a witch-like entity against a textured orange sky
Image courtesy of Aniplex

The return of Yuki Kajiura — whose compositions for the original 2011 series are among the most celebrated in the medium — is confirmed for the complete BGM, not just the theme song. In her own words, as published alongside the trailer reveal (Dengeki Online, in Japanese): “I did not want it to be a song that simply provides the ‘answer.’ As a devoted fan of this work who has been by these girls’ sides for a long time, I wanted to send them off brilliantly.” A fragment of FictionJunction’s “Kanata” (彼方, meaning the other side or beyond) plays in the final moments of the trailer.

Kajiura’s involvement signals a full-circle return for the franchise’s sonic identity. Her earlier Madoka work introduced sounds — choral Latin fragments, baroque counterpoint over TV-static noise — that influenced scores across anime for years afterward.

August 28 in Japan — Singapore Dates Yet to Be Confirmed

Two Madoka Magica characters face each other in a golden sunset scene
Image courtesy of Aniplex

Walpurgisnacht Rising opens theatrically in Japan on August 28, 2026. No Singapore or Southeast Asia release date has been announced at the time of writing. Major Aniplex theatrical productions in recent years have generally received regional rollouts, but timelines and distribution vary — watch announcements from local cinema chains and anime distributors for confirmation. The trailer’s release this close to the Japan opening date suggests the wider rollout information may not be far behind.

Manga Anime

Thunder 3 Anime Hits Netflix 8 July — What to Expect

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If your Netflix queue needs a fresh weekly obsession this July, Thunder 3 (サンダー3) might be exactly that. The isekai mystery series — based on Yuki Ikeda’s manga from Monthly Shōnen Magazine — debuts globally on Netflix on 8 July 2026, with Singapore subscribers able to stream from day one.

What Is Thunder 3? The Manga That Just Ended

Thunder 3 ran in Kodansha’s Monthly Shōnen Magazine from May 2022 to June 2026, wrapping up its complete 8-volume run literally weeks before the anime adaptation premieres. Written and illustrated by Yuki Ikeda, the series sits at the intersection of isekai, mystery, and science fantasy — a more interesting combination than it might first sound.

Panel from the Thunder 3 manga showing Pyontaro and Hiroshi
Image courtesy of Yuki Ikeda / Kodansha

The story follows three inseparable middle schoolers — Pyontaro Tezuka, Hiroshi Ochanomizu, and Tsubame Azuma, nicknamed the “Small Three” — who stumble upon a mysterious disc belonging to their teacher, Dr. Doc. Playing it unleashes an alien dragonfly from their TV screen, and in the chaos Pyontaro’s younger sister Futaba and the family pet are dragged into a parallel world and captured by its extraterrestrial inhabitants. What starts as ordinary boyhood friendship turns into an interdimensional rescue mission.

Netflix, Fuji TV, and a Surprising Director

Thunder 3 | Official Trailer — via Netflix Anime on YouTube

The TV anime premieres on Fuji TV’s +Ultra block from 8 July 2026, broadcasting every Wednesday night, with Netflix handling global streaming from the same date. Singapore viewers can jump straight in on launch day — no region restrictions.

The creative team is worth noting. Per the Anime Expo 2026 press release coverage, Hiroyuki Seshita directs — the same filmmaker behind the bleak, atmospheric sci-fi of Blame! (2017) and Ajin: Demi-Human on Netflix. Series composition is handled by Hiroshi Seko (Witch Hat Atelier, Rooster Fighter), with studio UNEDN producing the animation. That pairing of a hard-sci-fi director with a chibi-inflected adventure story is one of the more unexpected creative decisions of the summer anime season.

The Small Three — Pyontaro, Hiroshi, and Tsubame — in the Netflix Official Trailer for Thunder 3
Image courtesy of Thunder 3 Production Committee

North American Premiere at Anime Expo 2026

Thunder 3 gets its North American premiere at Anime Expo 2026 on 4 July — Room 408AB at the Los Angeles Convention Center, 3:15 PM PDT — with Seshita and Seko present for the panel. For Singapore fans weighing up a new seasonal watch, that screening lands just four days before the Netflix global drop, so any buzz coming out of LA will be very fresh when the series goes live on 8 July.

Character close-up from the Thunder 3 anime promotional video 2
Image courtesy of Thunder 3 Production Committee

How to Watch Thunder 3 in Singapore

Thunder 3 is a Netflix exclusive in Singapore from 8 July 2026, with new episodes dropping weekly. The manga source is fully concluded at 8 volumes — available digitally through Kodansha USA’s Azuki platform for anyone who wants to read ahead or revisit the story after the credits roll. Browse more anime picks on GameTrader as the summer season gets underway.