Tag Archives: Japan anime

Manga Anime, News

Crayon Shin-chan 2026 Movie Opens in Japan Today

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The 33rd 2D animated Crayon Shin-chan film — Spooky! My Yokai Vacation (奇々怪々！オラの妖怪バケ～ション) — opened in Japanese theatres today, 31 July 2026, kicking off another summer tradition for one of anime’s most enduring family franchises. Directed by a fresh face and set somewhere the Nohara family has never gone before, this entry looks like a genuine standout in the 34-film run.

What Happens When Shin-chan Meets the Yokai

It starts with fireworks. The Nohara family travels to Akita Prefecture — Hiroshi’s paternal hometown and a first for the Shin-chan film series — to attend the famous Omagari Fireworks Festival, one of the most spectacular summer events in Japan. Being entirely Shin-chan, he immediately spots flyers advertising “Obake Village” (Ghost Village) with promises of unlimited snacks, and convinces the family to investigate deep in the mountains. They accidentally wander into the forbidden Land of Yokai, and what begins as a food-motivated detour becomes the Noharas’ most surreal crisis yet.

Shin-chan gazes up at the Akita fireworks festival that sets the film in motion
Image courtesy of Shin-Ei Animation / Toho

New Director, Familiar Heart

Official trailer — via アニメ クレヨンしんちゃん公式チャンネル on YouTube

Taking the director’s chair is Masaki Watanabe, who SG anime fans may recognise from the Sakamoto Days anime. He’s working from a script by Yoshiko Nakamura, with the full regular voice cast returning: Yumiko Kobayashi as Shin-chan, Miki Narahashi as Misae, Toshiyuki Morikawa as Hiroshi, Satomi Korogi as Himawari, and Cho as grandfather Ginnosuke. Sairi Ito joins as the mysterious yokai character Yako. The theme song, “Otona ni Nattara” (When I Grow Up), is performed by TOMOO.

The Akita setting adds something new to the formula: this is the first Shin-chan film to centre on Hiroshi’s family roots, giving the dad a rare moment of emotional grounding alongside the supernatural chaos. Produced by Shin-Ei Animation and distributed by Toho, the film occupies the summer blockbuster slot the series has claimed for over three decades.

Shin-chan stands alone in a mysterious glowing yokai forest — alternate key visual for the 2026 film
Image courtesy of Shin-Ei Animation / Toho

When Is It Coming to Singapore?

The Shin-chan summer film tradition has historically made its way to Singapore. The 2023 3D CG entry opened in Singapore and Malaysia in September of that year. No local release date has been announced for the 2026 film as of writing, and no Singapore distributor has confirmed it yet.

If the pattern holds, SG fans may see it in cinemas in the coming months. For those visiting Japan this summer, Spooky! My Yokai Vacation is in theatres nationwide from today. Keep an eye on our anime coverage for any Singapore release updates.

Manga Anime, News

Singapore’s Kasagi Labo Announces Ninja Scroll Film, Casshan 2045 and Ars Gratia at Annecy

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A Singapore-based studio just made three major anime announcements at one of the world’s most prestigious animation festivals — and two of them involve classic Japanese franchises that fans have waited decades to see revived.

Kasagi Labo, the anime venture studio headquartered on Keong Saik Road in Singapore, unveiled three separate projects during its panel at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival on 24 June 2026: a new Ninja Scroll film, a reimagining of the 1973 classic Casshan titled Casshan 2045, and an original sci-fi feature called Ars Gratia.

Ninja Scroll | 4k Restoration Trailer | Coming to Theaters Oct 2026 — via HIDIVE on YouTube

Ninja Scroll: A Singapore Studio, a Legendary Franchise

The new Ninja Scroll project is being produced as a film, and Kasagi Labo has brought on Masao Maruyama — co-founder of Madhouse and MAPPA, and producer of the original 1993 Ninja Scroll film — as a special creative advisor, as reported by Anime News Network. Having Maruyama on board is a significant mark of legitimacy: he helped shape one of anime’s most iconic action films in the first place.

Plot, cast, and release window are not yet announced. The announcement arrives in the same season that the Ninja Scroll 4K restoration — supervised by original director Yoshiaki Kawajiri — is getting a limited US and Canada theatrical run in October 2026, following its world premiere at the Berlinale film festival in February. A 4K Blu-ray Steelbook is also planned for early 2027. No Singapore theatrical dates have been confirmed for the restoration; local fans will likely need to import the physical release.

Ninja Scroll 4K restoration theatrical poster
Image courtesy of HIDIVE / Sentai Filmworks

Casshan 2045: Yoshitaka Amano Reimagines a 1973 Classic

Casshan 2045 takes on Tatsunoko Production’s foundational TV anime Shinzō Ningen Casshan (1973), the story of a scientist’s son who transforms himself into a robot warrior to combat humanity-threatening machines — sacrificing his own humanity in the process. The project is still at the tentative-title stage, but Kasagi Labo has already confirmed that Yoshitaka Amano, the legendary artist whose work defines the visual identity of the Final Fantasy series, is providing original character design concepts, per Anime News Network.

Original Shinzo Ningen Casshan 1973 TV anime artwork
Image courtesy of Tatsunoko Production

Amano’s involvement alone makes this a headline. His ethereal, detail-dense style is immediately recognisable worldwide — bringing him in to reimagine Casshan signals that Kasagi Labo is after genuine artistic reinvention rather than a nostalgia cash-in. No further details on cast, studio partners, or release window have been disclosed.

Ars Gratia: An Original Sci-Fi Feature

The third announcement is an entirely original work. Ars Gratia (tentative title) is a sci-fi feature developed alongside Good Smile Company and LIDEN FILMS, with Ilya Kuvshinov — the prolific Russian-Japanese artist known for his character design work on Ghost in the Shell: SAC_2045 — serving as both director and character designer, per Anime News Network. Kuvshinov’s instantly recognisable digital painting aesthetic gives this one a very distinct look before a single frame of animation has been shown.

A Singapore Studio at the Centre of Anime Revival

GATE 2 anime key visual by Kasagi Labo
Image courtesy of Alphapolice / GATE 2 Production Committee

Kasagi Labo — led by CEO Kendrick Wong with offices in Singapore, Malaysia, and Japan — has been building steadily toward moments like this. The studio secured a USD $33 million anime production fund targeting legacy IP revivals and original works. It is already in production on GATE 2 (sequel to the beloved Gate: Jieitai Kanochi nite, Kaku Tatakaeri) and an original shōnen sci-fi adventure. As Wong told Anime Corner, the studio “aims to bridge Japan’s legendary creators to global audiences hungry for authentic anime storytelling.”

For Singapore anime fans, this carries a double significance. A studio based in our own city is producing anime that will reach global audiences — which remains a rare enough fact to be remarkable. And the franchises being revived, Ninja Scroll and Casshan, are exactly the kind of classic anime that older Singapore fans encountered growing up, giving these reveals a personal resonance that a completely new IP would not have.

No release windows have been announced for any of the three projects. We will update as details emerge. For more anime news and announcements, head to our manga and anime coverage.

Manga Anime, News

Akane-banashi Season 2 Confirmed — Rakugo Returns in January 2027

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Rakugo fans, the wait is officially short. Akane-banashi — the Weekly Shonen Jump series following a teenage girl’s journey into traditional Japanese storytelling — is getting a second anime season in January 2027, and the production has already dropped a teaser trailer, revealed the arc it will cover, and announced six new cast members.

TV Anime “Akane-banashi” | Season 2 Confirmed! Premieres January 2027 — via Akane-banashi Global on YouTube

The Apprentice Training Arc Takes the Stage

Season 2 will adapt the Apprentice Training Arc, the portion of Yuki Suenaga and Takamasa Moue’s manga where Akane Sakurazaka graduates from high school and commits fully to rakugo as a disciple. Under Shiguma Arakawa’s tutelage, she takes on the professional stage name Akane Arakawa — a formal debut in a world that still leaves little room for women at the top of the craft.

Studio ZEXCS returns to animate, with Ayumu Watanabe directing and Kii Tanaka continuing as character designer and chief animation director. The core returning cast, led by Anna Nagase as Akane, is intact. The announcement, which Anime Corner reported on 20 June 2026, was made on the official Akane-banashi website alongside a commemorative illustration and the Season 2 PV above.

Six New Voices Join the Stage

The production revealed the cast for new characters who appeared in Season 1’s finale:

  • Hōchū Ōtsuka as Miroku Kashiwaya
  • Ryōtarō Ōkiayu as Shomei Tsubakiya
  • Hiroshi Naka as Enso Sanmeitei
  • Mutsumi Tamura as Urara Ransaika
  • Shin’ichirō Miki as Ryu’un Kenputei
  • Tomokazu Seki as Chocho Konjakutei
Akane-banashi Season 2 commemorative illustration by character designer Kii Tanaka
Image courtesy of Akane-banashi production committee

That is a stacked line-up of veteran seiyū. Tomokazu Seki alone has been on a serious run lately — and his casting here, alongside Ryōtarō Ōkiayu and Shin’ichirō Miki, suggests Season 2 is not treating the new characters as background dressing. Expect them to have real dramatic weight in the arc.

A Quick Primer for New Viewers

Akane-banashi is not your typical Shonen Jump action series. There are no power systems or tournament brackets in the conventional sense — all the drama plays out through rakugo performances. Rakugo is a traditional Japanese sit-down storytelling art form where a single performer uses only a fan and a small cloth to voice dozens of characters and narrate entire comedic or dramatic stories. It is one of Japan’s oldest performing arts and has found a passionate new global audience partly through anime adaptations like Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinju.

Akane-banashi Season 2 announcement PV screenshot
Image courtesy of Akane-banashi production committee

What makes Akane-banashi stand out is its granular writing about craft — how a performance is built, where a joke lands, why pacing matters — and the fact that its protagonist is a teenage girl fighting for legitimacy in a tradition that historically excludes women. Season 1, which aired from April 2026 on Crunchyroll, covered the groundwork. Season 2 is where that fight really begins.

A Live Rakugo Event in Tokyo This August

Alongside the Season 2 announcement, a live rakugo performance event was confirmed for 9 August 2026 at Suehirotei in Shinjuku, Tokyo — one of Japan’s most historically significant rakugo theatres. Voice actress Anna Nagase (Akane) will perform alongside the show’s rakugo supervisor Kikuhiko Hayashiya. For anyone planning a Japan trip this summer, this is the kind of pop-culture-meets-tradition event worth building a day around.

Last Words

Season 1 of Akane-banashi streamed on Crunchyroll for Singapore viewers and Season 2 will almost certainly follow the same path when it launches in January 2027. If you have not started it yet, you have around seven months to catch up — and the whole thing is worth your time. Rakugo has never looked this good on screen.

More anime news on GameTrader.SG

Manga Anime, News

Sunrise x SHAFT Team Up for the First Time — Anime Reveal Tonight at 11:30pm SGT

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Two of anime’s most storied studios are teaming up for the very first time, and the big reveal lands tonight. Sunrise — the studio behind Mobile Suit Gundam, Code Geass, and Love Live! — and SHAFT — the house that built Puella Magi Madoka Magica and the Monogatari series — have launched a joint account (@sunrise_shaft) on X, and their first-ever joint anime project reveals tonight at 11:30 p.m. SGT (24 June, 12:30 a.m. JST).

Sunrise x SHAFT joint anime teaser art showing neon urban imagery
Image courtesy of Sunrise x SHAFT

Why This Collab Is Unlike Anything Before

Sunrise and SHAFT have each defined a distinct corner of anime for decades. Sunrise sits inside Bandai Namco Filmworks and is the powerhouse behind mecha royalty: Gundam has been running since 1979, and Code Geass remains one of the genre’s most beloved strategy thrillers. SHAFT, founded in 1975, took a very different path — its signature visual fingerprint, long associated with director Shinbo Akiyuki, gave the world Madoka Magica‘s heart-breaking mahou shoujo deconstruction and Monogatari‘s text-art layering and head-tilts.

These studios occupy genuinely different creative worlds. That is exactly what makes the announcement of a first-ever joint project so striking: nobody saw this coming, and the question of what happens when you blend Sunrise’s action-driven storytelling with SHAFT’s avant-garde visual language has no precedent to draw from.

What the Teaser Shows — and What It Doesn’t

The teaser posted on @sunrise_shaft uses color script artwork — the atmospheric painting technique animators use before full production begins — to suggest the story’s mood rather than show its world outright. The clip hints at neon-drenched urban settings. Two images stand out: a figure holding a knife, and another figure scribbled out and walking through a crowd in neon light. The account’s profile picture is a red spider lily, which in Japanese symbolism is associated with death, farewell, and the boundary between worlds.

None of this confirms a title, source material, genre, or cast. All of that is for tonight.

What Fans Are Speculating

The visual language in the teaser has led some fans to point toward Fool Night, a manga by Kasumi Yasuda about a street artist who takes a risky gamble on someone else’s identity. The knife, the crossed-out figure, and the urban neon palette are consistent with that premise. But the production has confirmed nothing about source material. This is fan pattern-matching — worth noting, but not confirmed fact.

How to Watch the Reveal Tonight

The official announcement drops tonight at 11:30 p.m. SGT. The easiest way to follow along is to head to X and watch @sunrise_shaft directly. There is no confirmed streaming platform for the eventual series yet — that information will likely come as part of or after tonight’s reveal.

Last Words

Singapore fans know both studios well. Gundam has had a consistent presence here — from the model kit aisles at Bugis+ to the crowds that turned up to dedicated mecha exhibitions. SHAFT’s catalogue is practically required reading for any serious anime fan, and Madoka Magica in particular has had a lasting grip on the local community. Whatever this joint project turns out to be, tonight’s reveal is one of the more genuinely anticipated anime moments of 2026. Set your alarm for 11:30 p.m.

More anime news on GameTrader.SG

Event

Tokyo Is Building a Brand-New Anime Festival — TOKYO ANIME NEXT Lands in Ikebukuro This October

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Tokyo just announced a brand-new anime festival, and it could become one of the most important events on the calendar for anime fans everywhere. The Japan Animation Association, co-hosted by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, has unveiled TOKYO ANIME NEXT — a four-day showcase running 30 October to 2 November 2026 across Ikebukuro’s Toshima Ward. The announcement landed today directly from Tokyo’s official government press release, with no English coverage yet.

TOKYO ANIME NEXT — official announcement visual
Image courtesy of Tokyo Metropolitan Government / Japan Animation Association

What Is TOKYO ANIME NEXT?

TOKYO ANIME NEXT is the Japan Animation Association’s first major Tokyo-based event at this scale. The headline venue is Tokyo Tatemono Brillia HALL in Ikebukuro, with additional programming spread across multiple locations in the Toshima Ward district — the same neighbourhood that houses Sunshine City, Animate Ikebukuro, and some of the densest concentration of anime goods stores in the world.

The event’s stated mission is to showcase both the present and future of Japanese animation: connecting anime with international audiences and providing a platform for emerging animation talent.

What to Expect Across Four Days

The programme spans a genuinely broad range of formats. According to the official announcement, TOKYO ANIME NEXT will feature:

  • Screenings — acclaimed works and latest notable titles
  • Exhibitions — deep dives into animation production and craft
  • Workshops — children’s and educational programmes
  • Symposiums and talk events — panels on the state of the industry
  • Stage events — live performances and presentations

The finale on 2 November at Brillia HALL is the headline moment: a special orchestral performance synchronised with footage from anime titles popular overseas, framing both the art form’s history and its global future. Think less Comiket floor-scramble, more curated cultural showcase — with a live orchestra as the close.

The Bigger Picture: A Major 2027 Event Is Coming

Here is the part that has us paying close attention. The October 2026 event is explicitly described as a launch project — a test run, in effect, for a full-scale international anime festival planned to open in earnest in 2027. Organisers will use the finale on 2 November to formally announce those 2027 plans. In other words, what we are seeing now is the prologue to something bigger.

With Sony Music Solutions handling operations and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government as co-host, the backing is serious. This is a government-supported push to establish Tokyo as a permanent, globally recognised anime events destination — similar to what AnimeJapan does for the spring season but with a stronger international and creative focus. The official website is already live at tokyoanimenext.jp, and the secretariat can be reached at info2026@tokyoanimenext.jp — programme details are listed as “coming soon.”

Last words

Late October into early November is arguably the best time of year to be in Japan — autumn leaves, cooler temperatures, and now TOKYO ANIME NEXT to anchor the anime side of any trip. Ikebukuro already draws Singapore otaku in big numbers given its Animate flagship and the Sunshine City figure shops; adding a four-day curated anime festival to the mix makes the case for a late October 2026 Japan trip even stronger.

Programme details and ticketing are still to come from the official site. We will update this page when announcements drop. Keep an eye on our events page for the latest Japan and SG anime event news.

Manga Anime, News

Studio Ghibli Has a New President: Kenichi Yoda Takes Over

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One of anime’s most legendary studios just turned a new page. As of today, June 22, 2026, Kenichi Yoda has officially stepped in as the new President and Representative Director of Studio Ghibli, with the studio’s shareholders’ meeting confirming the transition from outgoing president Hiroyuki Fukuda.

Studio Ghibli films including Princess Mononoke, Spirited Away and My Neighbor Totoro
Image courtesy of Studio Ghibli

Who Is Kenichi Yoda, Studio Ghibli’s New Head?

Yoda’s name is familiar to those watching Nippon Television’s growing role in Ghibli. A General Specialist at NTV’s Content Strategy Headquarters, he has served as the network’s primary liaison to the studio since the 2023 acquisition. His most prominent production credit is the acclaimed stage adaptation of My Neighbor Totoro, which broke box office records at London’s Barbican Centre — a reminder that his experience lies in expanding Ghibli’s world well beyond the cinema screen. He brings a clear events-and-exhibition eye to the studio, which fits the direction NTV has been steering Ghibli: more live experiences, more global brand-building.

Hiroyuki Fukuda Steps Back — But Doesn’t Leave

The outgoing president Hiroyuki Fukuda (64) took the helm in 2023, the same year Nippon Television acquired Studio Ghibli as a subsidiary. He concurrently held the role of President and Representative Director at NTV Holdings, making his appointment a natural bridge between the two companies during the acquisition period. Fukuda will continue serving as a board director at Studio Ghibli, keeping the NTV–Ghibli connection intact even as he passes the executive baton.

Studio Ghibli classic film poster collage
Image courtesy of Studio Ghibli

The Creative Pillars That Aren’t Moving

For the fans most likely to panic at any Studio Ghibli headline — breathe. The studio clarified that no other changes to its upper leadership structure are planned:

  • Hayao Miyazaki continues as Honorary Chairman of the Board.
  • Toshio Suzuki, the legendary producer behind decades of Ghibli films, remains Representative Director and Chairman of the Board.
  • Goro Miyazaki stays on as Managing Director.

The studio’s creative backbone — Miyazaki and Suzuki at the top — remains exactly as it was. Yoda’s appointment is a strategic and executive move, not a creative one.

NTV, Ghibli, and What Comes Next

When NTV acquired Studio Ghibli in 2023, it sparked plenty of debate about what corporate ownership could mean for such a fiercely independent studio. Three years in, the answer has been a gradual, carefully managed integration — with stage productions, international exhibitions, and global licensing expanding alongside the films. As Studio Ghibli stated at the time of the announcement, as reported by Anime News Network: “By combining the resources of both companies, we aim to create new innovations.” Yoda, coming from exactly that events-and-content side of NTV, looks built for this mandate.

Last Words

For Singapore Ghibli fans, the studio’s beloved films remain as accessible as ever — streaming across major platforms, with merchandise at specialty retailers islandwide. What Yoda’s presidency means for future productions is still an open question, but the continued presence of Hayao Miyazaki and Toshio Suzuki at the top suggests that the studio’s creative soul is in safe hands. This feels less like the end of an era and more like a carefully managed handoff — Studio Ghibli remains Studio Ghibli, just with a fresh name steering the ship. Stay tuned to our anime and Japan culture coverage for any updates from the studio.

Manga Anime, News

Sgt. Frog Returns: Movie Opens 26 June, New TV Anime This Fall

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Two franchise bombshells in one: the first Sgt. Frog theatrical film in 16 years opens in Japanese cinemas on June 26, and a full TV series reboot is set to invade this autumn — making 2026 the biggest year for Keroro Gunsou since the original run ended in 2011.

Main trailer for the new Sgt. Frog theatrical film — via Official Keroro Channel on YouTube

The Movie: 16 Years in the Making

The full title is a mouthful worthy of Keroro himself: Shin Gekijoban Keroro Gunso: Fukkatsu Shite Sokko Chikyu Metsubo no Kiki de Arimasu! — roughly, New Theatrical Version Sgt. Frog: Upon Revival, Immediately Facing the Threat of Earth’s Destruction! Produced by Bandai Namco Pictures, it opens in Japan on June 26 as the franchise’s sixth theatrical film and its first since 2010, timed to celebrate the anime’s 20th anniversary.

New Sgt. Frog 2026 movie promotional artwork
Image courtesy of Bandai Namco Pictures

Veteran Keroro director Fumitoshi Oizaki returns to helm the film, with Gintama live-action filmmaker Yuuichi Fukuda stepping up as general director and screenwriter — a pairing that promises both franchise authenticity and a sharper comedic edge. The core voice cast is entirely back: Kumiko Watanabe as Keroro, Etsuko Kozakura as Tamama, Joji Nakata as Giroro, Taketo Yasui as Kululu, and Takeshi Kusao as Dororo, along with Noriko Kuwashima and Akiko Hiramatsu as the Hinata family.

The story throws the platoon into Shibuya, where encounters with mysterious yokai trigger bizarre nationwide phenomena. A shadowy genius inventor is pulling the strings, and two brand-new Keronian brothers — Aruru and Deruru — are at the centre of the threat. Both are voiced by Jesse of idol group SixTONES, adding some J-pop firepower to the enemy roster.

Aruru -- one of two new Keronian characters in the 2026 Sgt. Frog movie
Image courtesy of Bandai Namco Pictures

Musician ano serves as the film’s campaign ambassador and performs a 20th anniversary cover of the beloved original opening theme alongside comedian Soshina of Shimofuri Myojo. ano also provides an original theme song for the film.

New TV Anime: A Complete Reboot for Fall 2026

The movie is only half the story. A fully rebooted TV anime series titled Keroro Gunso has been confirmed for a Fall 2026 launch. Unlike the film — which reunites the original cast for one last mission — the new series will feature an entirely new voice cast, with Bandai Namco Pictures signalling its intent to recreate Sgt. Frog as a brand-new animated work from the ground up. No casting announcements have been made yet; the official Keroro Channel on YouTube (Japanese) is the best place to watch for updates.

What Singapore Fans Can Expect

Sgt. Frog built a devoted following across Singapore and Southeast Asia during the Animax era of the 2000s, and the franchise’s alien-invasion parody and slapstick has lost none of its charm. The new theatrical film is currently a Japan-only theatrical release — no Singapore cinema run or international streaming date has been confirmed at time of writing. Fans with a Japan trip planned for late June or July will find it screening nationwide from June 26.

The new TV anime is a different matter: a Fall 2026 broadcast reboot is exactly the kind of title that finds its way to Crunchyroll or Netflix internationally within a season or two. Keep an eye on streaming platform announcements closer to the air date. In the meantime, several older Keroro films are available on Netflix Japan — handy if you want to revisit the platoon’s earlier big-screen adventures before the new one arrives.

Last Words

It has been a long wait, and 2026 is delivering on two fronts at once. The new movie is a nostalgia-fuelled homecoming for everyone who grew up with the original run, while the TV reboot signals that the franchise has its sights set on a whole new generation. GameTrader.SG will keep watch for any Singapore or Southeast Asia streaming confirmation — stay tuned. For more anime coverage, browse our other anime posts here.