Tag Archives: HIDIVE

Floating Island, Undead Labyrinths and a Necromancer Rival

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

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

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

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

Watch the New Second PV

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

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

Cast and Crew — Studio C2C Brings Everyone Back

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

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

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

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

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

How to Watch in Singapore — HIDIVE Has the Exclusive

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

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

Manga Anime

Chained Soldier Season 3 Is Official — What We Know So Far

August 3, 2026 Xian Skyrider

Season 3 Confirmed at Dedicated Series Event

Chained Soldier Season 2 official key visual — full cast on red background — Image courtesy of the Mato Seihei no Slave Production Committee

The third season was announced at a dedicated anime event on 2 August 2026, as reported by Anime News Network. An announcement video and a new visual were shown to attendees. Season 2’s character designer Keiya Nakano also contributed a special celebratory illustration to mark the occasion.

Production specifics — including the studio, director, casting updates, and a premiere window — have not yet been disclosed. Further details are expected in the months ahead as production ramps up.

The Story So Far — Seasons 1 and 2

Chained Soldier Season 1 official key visual — full cast in battle formation — Image courtesy of the Mato Seihei no Slave Production Committee

For anyone who hasn’t jumped in yet, here’s the quick catch-up. Season 1 aired January–March 2024, produced by Seven Arcs. The series is set in a world where a supernatural dimension called Mato has torn open alongside Japan, unleashing demon beasts that only women who have eaten the mysterious Peaches of Mato can fight. Yuuki Wakura is an ordinary high-school boy with the rare and coveted ability to transform into a powerful beast — which makes him the contracted “slave” of the elite Seventh Unit commander, Kyōka Uzen. The series adapts the manga by Takahiro Wakamatsu (story) and Yūki Takemura (art), serialised in Shueisha’s Weekly Young Jump.

Season 2, produced by Passione and Hayabusa Film, aired January–March 2026 and escalated things considerably — more of the Seven Great Demon Lords, deeper commander lore, and a much higher-stakes power struggle within the Mato Defence Force.

Both seasons are available to stream on HIDIVE, which simulcasts the series for Singapore and Southeast Asia, with an English dub also on the platform.

Watch the Season 2 Main PV

《Chained Soldier Season 2》 — Main PV via Muse Asia on YouTube

Chained Soldier Season 2 — dramatic close-up of Kyoka and Yuuki's beast form — Image courtesy of the Mato Seihei no Slave Production Committee

When Can Singapore Fans Expect Season 3?

No premiere date has been confirmed. The gap between Season 1 (early 2024) and Season 2 (early 2026) was roughly two years — if that production cycle holds, a 2027 or early 2028 window is plausible. However, an early announcement like this one sometimes signals a shorter runway than expected. Studio and director announcements are likely the next milestone to watch.

For Singapore fans who haven’t caught up yet, now is the time. Both seasons are on HIDIVE, and with Season 3 in the pipeline, there’s never been a better moment to get acquainted with Yuuki and the commanders before the next chapter arrives. Browse our latest anime coverage for more.

Manga Anime, News

MURCIÉLAGO Anime 2027: Dark Crime Manga Finally Gets a TV Series

July 12, 2026 kindaixin

A 13-Year Wait for MURCIÉLAGO Fans

MURCIÉLAGO follows Kuroko Koumori, a former death-row inmate who struck a deal with the Japanese government: spare her life, and she’ll eliminate the serial killers, cult leaders and organised criminals that conventional law enforcement can’t touch. Partnered with Hinako Tozakura — an innocent-looking girl with an extraordinary gift for high-speed driving — Kuroko tears through a gruelling case-file of society’s most dangerous criminals in a series that blends violent crime-action, dark humour, horror and a sharp yuri undertone through every volume.

Since its August 2013 debut, the manga has run to 28 volumes in Japan and crossed 2.3 million copies in circulation worldwide. It has long been one of the most-requested adaptations in the seinen/yuri fandom, and the Anime Expo 2026 announcement — complete with a super teaser PV and key visual — is the news readers have been waiting for. Original creator Kana Yoshimura described having a work adapted into an anime as “one of my greatest dreams,” as reported in Anime Corner’s coverage of the announcement.

MURCIÉLAGO teaser PV still showing Kuroko and Hinako in the series' distinctive manga-infused art style — Image courtesy of MURCIÉLAGO Project / Square Enix

What to Expect from the MURCIÉLAGO Anime

The adaptation is a joint production from Satelight (known for Macross Delta) and Staple Entertainment. Takashi Naoya serves as chief director and handles series composition — he previously directed Am I Actually the Strongest? and Tales of Wedding Rings. Matsuo Asami directs episode-to-episode, with Sei Tateishi handling character design, and music composed by Masanori Akita and Yuichi Tsuchiya.

The team has stated it is aiming to capture the stylish crime-action spirit of the original work while pushing its more extreme elements right up to the limits of broadcast standards. Satelight’s CG department is specifically handling the car action sequences — a major element of the manga’s most memorable set pieces — targeting truly cool 3D action scenes.

Watch the Official MURCIÉLAGO Teaser Trailer

MURCIÉLAGO – Official Teaser Trailer — via IGN on YouTube

Hinako Tozakura character close-up from the MURCIÉLAGO anime teaser — Image courtesy of MURCIÉLAGO Project / Square Enix

Streaming Rights and What Singapore Fans Should Know

HIDIVE has confirmed exclusive simulcast rights for the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. There is no confirmed streaming deal for Singapore or Southeast Asia yet — HIDIVE does not currently operate in the region. SG fans will need to watch for additional regional licensing announcements as the 2027 premiere approaches.

In the meantime, the manga’s English-language edition (published by Square Enix Manga) is widely available, making now an ideal time to catch up on all 26 international volumes before the anime airs. Keep an eye on the official MURCIÉLAGO announcement on Anime News Network for further cast, air date and regional streaming updates.

Commemorative illustration by MURCIÉLAGO creator Kana Yoshimura celebrating the anime announcement with the text Anime Adaptation Confirmed — Image courtesy of MURCIÉLAGO Project / Square Enix

For more anime and manga news including other 2027 titles to watch, check out our ongoing coverage.