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Manga Anime

The Ribbon Hero Is Streaming Now on Netflix — Here’s What Critics Say

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If you bookmarked our announcement post from 31 July, the wait is over — The Ribbon Hero is live on Netflix Singapore right now, and the first reviews are in.

The Ribbon Hero official poster
Image courtesy of Netflix

What Critics Are Saying

Early notices put the film in the “beautiful but slight” category. Gizmodo called it “an infectiously hopeful magical girl take on a classic,” with praise for the film’s visual sincerity and the emotional charge of its final act. RogerEbert.com was warmer on the animation than the script, landing on “gorgeous but gossamer-thin” — a verdict that seems to reflect the consensus: stunning to look at, lighter on narrative weight than Tezuka’s source material might suggest.

At 111 minutes, the film moves quickly. Viewers coming in without Tezuka knowledge may actually find the emotional beats land more cleanly — the story is clear enough to follow without the baggage of decades of critical discourse around the original manga.

The Ribbon Hero film still
Image courtesy of Netflix

Cast and Music

Saaya Kadokura voices Princess Sapphire. Koki Uchiyama — best known to many Singapore anime fans as Tomura Shigaraki in My Hero Academia — plays Velvet. Yoshimasa Hosoya takes the role of Rock, and Mayumi Shintani, the voice of Nonon Jakuzure in Kill la Kill, voices Zirco. The theme song “Reborn” is performed by Girls Archives, with the score from Satoru Kosaki and Ryuichi Takada.

THE RIBBON HERO | Final Trailer — via Netflix Anime on YouTube

Quick Recap: What Is The Ribbon Hero?

Directed by Yuuki Igarashi in his theatrical feature debut, The Ribbon Hero adapts Osamu Tezuka’s Princess Knight (Ribbon no Kishi) — first serialised in 1953 and widely considered a foundational text for both the magical-girl genre and shōjo manga as a whole. The film reimagines Princess Sapphire of the fallen kingdom Silverland, who washes up in the neighbouring Goldland and fights to shield her adopted home from the same catastrophe that destroyed her own.

The film premiered at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival in June, receiving positive notices for its animation quality. Studio Outline handled the production for Netflix and Twin Engine.

The Ribbon Hero key visual
Image courtesy of Netflix

How to Watch in Singapore

Open Netflix and search The Ribbon Hero. Both the Japanese original (with subtitles) and an English dub are available. It landed simultaneously worldwide today — no regional delay for Singapore, which is the exception rather than the rule for anime theatrical-to-streaming releases.

If you have younger family members who might be curious about Tezuka’s catalogue, Princess Knight is one of the most accessible entry points and this adaptation keeps the story clean enough to work for a range of ages. For everyone else: the original Japanese track is the one the critics reviewed.

Find more anime streaming news and recommendations on GameTrader.SG.

Manga Anime

Gundam Hathaway: Sorcery of Nymph Circe Hits Netflix 31 August

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Five years after the first film left Gundam fans clamouring for more, the long wait is almost over. Mobile Suit Gundam Hathaway: The Sorcery of Nymph Circe arrives on Netflix globally on 31 August 2026 — Singapore subscribers included — bringing with it one of the most acclaimed anime films of the year and some extremely unexpected music choices.

Gundam Hathaway 2 on Netflix: Release Date, Languages and What to Expect

The film streams on Netflix from 31 August 2026 with both the original Japanese audio and an English dub — a Netflix anime trailer released alongside the announcement confirmed the English-dubbed version is ready. The film had its Japanese theatrical premiere on 30 January 2026 before expanding to North American cinemas in May, and it has earned US$18.4 million at the box office to date.

Netflix subscribers in Singapore can add this directly to their watchlist now. No separate purchase or add-on is needed — it’s included with any Netflix plan.

OFFICIAL TRAILER | MOBILE SUIT GUNDAM HATHAWAY The Sorcery of Nymph Circe — via GUNDAM CHANNEL INTL on YouTube

The Story So Far — and Why This Film Needs the First One

Director Shukou Murase and Sunrise (now Bandai Namco Filmworks) return for this direct continuation. The Sorcery of Nymph Circe adapts the second volume of Yoshiyuki Tomino’s Hathaway’s Flash light novel trilogy (originally published 1989), picking up exactly where the 2021 film left off.

Xi Gundam firing its beam weapon in The Sorcery of Nymph Circe
Image courtesy of SUNRISE / SOTSU

The plot follows Hathaway Noa — son of Amuro Ray’s ally Bright Noa — who now leads the underground rebel organisation Mafty in its campaign against a corrupt Earth Federation government that forces ordinary people off the planet. When Hathaway crosses paths with the mysterious Gigi Andalucia, his convictions are put to the test in ways the mission never prepared him for.

A word of warning for newcomers: unlike some entry-point-friendly Gundam titles, the Hathaway films assume deep familiarity with Universal Century history. You’ll ideally want to have seen the original Mobile Suit Gundam trilogy, Zeta Gundam, and at minimum Char’s Counterattack (1988) — all of which are also available on Netflix — before diving in. The 2021 first film is the essential immediate prerequisite.

SZA Opens, Guns N’ Roses Closes — Yes, Really

Character scene from Mobile Suit Gundam Hathaway The Sorcery of Nymph Circe
Image courtesy of SUNRISE / SOTSU

The film’s music choices are genuinely surprising. R&B star SZA performs the opening theme, while Guns N’ Roses provides the ending theme — a pairing nobody predicted for a Gundam production. The selection has divided purists and delighted others, and it’s one more reason this particular chapter in the franchise feels unlike anything that came before it.

Gundam mecha close-up from The Sorcery of Nymph Circe
Image courtesy of SUNRISE / SOTSU

If you’ve been holding off for the Netflix release, 31 August is your date. Catch up on the 2021 first film now, bookmark the sequel, and keep an eye on our anime and manga coverage for more on the third and final film in the Hathaway trilogy when Sunrise announces it.

Manga Anime

The Ribbon Hero Hits Netflix 8 August — Tezuka’s Princess Knight Returns

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Singapore gets to stream this one from day one. The Ribbon Hero — a new anime feature film based on Osamu Tezuka’s foundational manga Princess Knight (Ribbon no Kishi) — premieres exclusively on Netflix worldwide on 8 August 2026, with the final trailer and a preview of the English dub landing yesterday.

THE RIBBON HERO | Final Trailer — via Netflix Anime on YouTube

What Is The Ribbon Hero?

Princess Knight is one of manga’s foundational texts. First serialised in 1953 by Osamu Tezuka — the creator behind Astro Boy and Black Jack, widely called the Father of Manga — it follows Princess Sapphire of the kingdom of Silverland, born with both a boy’s blue heart and a girl’s pink heart after a mischievous angel’s prank. Because the law only allows a male heir to rule, her parents present Sapphire to the kingdom as a prince, hiding her identity to keep the scheming Duke Duralumon from seizing the throne.

The new film updates this premise with a darker, more dramatic tone. In The Ribbon Hero, Silverland is destroyed by a mysterious catastrophe called Nergal. Sapphire rebuilds her life in the neighbouring kingdom of Goldland — only for the same force to find her again. The modern visual treatment reimagines the magical girl transformation sequences that Princess Knight helped pioneer, giving them a contemporary edge while staying true to the spirit of Tezuka’s original.

The Ribbon Hero — Princess Sapphire in an action scene, Netflix anime film based on Osamu Tezuka's Princess Knight
Image courtesy of Netflix

The Team Behind the Film

The Ribbon Hero is produced by Twin Engine and directed by Yuuki Igarashi at the newly formed studio OUTLINE — this is Igarashi’s feature-length directorial debut. Character designs are by Kei Mochizuki and Mai Yoneyama, bringing a contemporary sensibility to Tezuka’s classic character silhouettes while keeping the iconic ribbon imagery that gives the film its title.

This is the first new Princess Knight anime in roughly three decades. The original 52-episode TV series aired in 1967 and has been deeply influential on the magical girl genre — you can draw a direct line from Sapphire to Sailor Moon, Cardcaptor Sakura, and beyond.

The Ribbon Hero final trailer — Netflix anime film, August 2026
Image courtesy of Netflix

Voice Cast

The Japanese voice cast, as revealed via Fandom Post, includes:

  • Sapphire — Saya
  • Pine — Seiran Kobayashi
  • Velvet — Koko Ichiyama
  • Zirko — Mayumi Shintani
  • Rock — Yoshimasa Hosoya
  • Hecate — Mito Tsukino
  • Chorogy — Yusuke Tezuka
  • Chick — Lunlun
  • Tack — Debidebi Debiru
  • Pope — Haruhiko Jou

An English dub has also been confirmed — a full English dubbed trailer is now live on Netflix’s official YouTube channel — though the complete English voice cast has not yet been officially announced.

The Ribbon Hero official trailer — Netflix anime, Princess Knight
Image courtesy of Netflix

Streaming from 8 August — Singapore Included

Netflix is making this a global-simultaneous premiere, which means Singapore subscribers can watch The Ribbon Hero the moment it drops on 8 August. For local fans who grew up watching Astro Boy and other Tezuka classics — a fixture on Singapore TV for decades — this is the most high-profile Tezuka anime adaptation in recent memory, and it arrives on a platform most Singapore households already have access to.

Keep an eye on more upcoming anime releases on the blog as streaming dates are confirmed.

Manga Anime

Gintama: Yoshiwara in Flames Hits Netflix on 27 August

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Gintoki and the Yorozuya are back — Gintama: The Movie 2026: Yoshiwara in Flames officially confirmed its Netflix premiere date of 27 August 2026, giving Singapore fans who missed the earlier theatrical run a second shot at one of the year’s most talked-about anime film releases.

The Arc That Made Gintama Famous — Reborn in Full Cinemascope

The Yoshiwara in Flames arc — covering what was originally episodes 139 to 146 of the TV series — is widely credited with shifting Gintama from a beloved comedy into an action heavyweight. Housen, the Night King ruling the underground red-light district, remains one of the most formidable antagonists in the franchise’s run, and the arc’s climax still lands as one of the most emotionally charged sequences in shonen anime history.

This 2026 film is a full theatrical reimagining of that arc, produced by BN Pictures in widescreen cinemascope (2.35:1). It is not a simple clip compilation — the production team includes director Naoya Ando, scriptwriter Taku Kishimoto, supervising director Yōichi Fujita, and character designer and chief animation director Shinji Takeuchi. Series creator Hideaki Sorachi serves as super advisor, and the film adds newly animated scenes as well as characters who did not originally appear in the arc.

Housen in battle — a still from Gintama: Yoshiwara in Flames (2026)
Image courtesy of BN Pictures / Aniplex
Official Main Trailer (Japanese) — via 銀魂チャンネル【公式】 on YouTube

Production Details and Theme Song

Gintama: Yoshiwara in Flames (2026) official theatrical teaser poster
Image courtesy of BN Pictures / Aniplex

The film opened in Japanese cinemas on 13 February 2026 with IMAX screenings alongside the standard run. The theme song — 「Sanzen (Sparkling)」by SUPER BEAVER — fits the franchise’s tradition of pairing emotionally charged arcs with rock acts that hit harder than expected.

Singapore fans got their own theatrical window earlier this year, when local distributor ODEX opened the film in Singapore alongside Thailand, the Philippines, and Indonesia. The Japan Blu-ray release follows closely behind the Netflix date, landing on 26 August 2026.

For Singapore Fans: From Cinemas to Your Couch

Netflix’s worldwide rollout — excluding Japan and mainland China — begins 27 August, putting Singapore squarely in the launch window. The original Gintama TV series remains available on Crunchyroll for new viewers who want the full context before diving into the film.

The Yoshiwara arc works reasonably well as a standalone entry point — it leans heavily on action and emotional beats rather than the dense comedic continuity of the series — but familiarity with Gintoki, Kagura, and Shinpachi’s dynamic adds considerably to the experience. The arc’s villain Housen and the storyline around Tsukuyo are strong enough to hold up even without 138 episodes of setup.

If the title rings a vague bell but you’ve never committed to the full series, 27 August is a fair place to start. For fans who already caught the theatrical run, this is the streaming version ready to recommend to everyone who missed it. Browse more anime news here.

Manga Anime

The Ramparts of Ice Season 2 Hits Netflix on 1 October — What Singapore Fans Need to Know

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The Ramparts of Ice Season 2 is locked in for 1 October 2026, and Netflix is once again bringing it worldwide on the same day as Japan — which means Singapore fans can stream Koyuki Hikawa’s story the moment it drops, no delay, no waiting for a regional rollout.

A Quick Reset: Where Season 1 Left Off

Based on Kōcha Agasawa’s webtoon manga (serialised 2020–2022), the first season of The Ramparts of Ice followed Koyuki Hikawa, a high schooler who built emotional walls around herself after being bullied in middle school. She had convinced herself she was impossible to like — until persistent classmate Minato Amamiya, cheerful Miki Azumi, and easygoing Yōta Hinō started patiently dismantling those walls. The 14-episode run turned into one of Netflix’s quieter breakout romances of the spring 2026 season, earning fans across the region for its restrained, emotionally precise storytelling.

Three students in school uniforms in a hallway scene from The Ramparts of Ice
Image courtesy of Studio KAI / Netflix

What’s Coming in Season 2 — Feelings Deepen Beyond Friendship

The Season 2 announcement describes the continuation as the point where feelings deepen beyond friendship — a deliberately vague phrase that will mean something different depending on which of the four leads you are rooting for. The teaser visual shows the four protagonists with their gazes not meeting, capturing the unsettled tension that carried through Season 1’s final episodes. No episode count has been confirmed yet, and the theme songs are still unannounced.

If you have not yet seen Season 1, the official Netflix trailer below is as good a reason as any to clear your weekend. The series rewards patience: the first couple of episodes are quiet, but by mid-season it earns every emotional beat.

The Ramparts of Ice | Official Trailer #2 — via Netflix Anime on YouTube

The Same Team Returns — Studio KAI, Mankyu, and a Full Cast Reprisal

Every key name from Season 1 is back. Director Mankyu returns to the helm at Studio KAI, with series composition by Yasuhiro Nakanishi and character design handled again by Miki Ogino. The musical pairing of Kanade Sakuma and Natsumi Tabuchi continues. On the cast side, Anna Nagase reprises Koyuki Hikawa, Shōya Chiba (widely known to SG fans from roles including Minato Aqua in Oshi no Ko) returns as Minato Amamiya, Fūka Izumi comes back as Miki Azumi, and Satoshi Inomata is in again as Yōta Hinō — joined by Chiaki Kobayashi as Tsubasa Igarashi and Sakura Shinfuku as Tsukiko Shimojima.

Season 2 key art from The Ramparts of Ice
Image courtesy of Studio KAI / TBS

How and When to Watch in Singapore

Season 2 of The Ramparts of Ice premieres 1 October 2026, airing Thursdays at 11:56 p.m. JST on TBS in Japan and streaming globally on Netflix the same day. Season 1 is on Netflix Singapore right now if you want to catch up before October. English subtitles and a dubbed track were available for Season 1, and Netflix’s international pattern suggests both will carry over for Season 2 — though that has not been officially confirmed yet.

For more anime coming to Netflix and local streaming this season, we will keep you posted as premiere dates lock in.

Manga Anime

JJK Season 3: The Culling Game Drops Globally on Netflix 22 July — Singapore Watch Guide

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Singapore Netflix subscribers can now watch Jujutsu Kaisen: The Culling Game Part 1 with English dub from 22 July — as Netflix completes its global multilingual rollout of Season 3, dropping all 12 episodes at once worldwide. If you have been holding off for the dub, that wait is over.

Watch the Official Trailer

JUJUTSU KAISEN Season 3 The Culling Game Part 1 | Official Trailer — via Netflix Anime on YouTube

The Culling Game: What This Arc Is About

The Culling Game arc is what everything in Jujutsu Kaisen has been building toward. Following the chaos of the Shibuya Incident and the sealing of Satoru Gojo inside the Prison Realm, Kenjaku’s master plan snaps into focus: a death tournament — the Culling Game — forcing sorcerers and newly awakened Cursed Energy users to kill inside barrier-sealed colonies spread across Japan. Leave without enough points, and the barrier kills you. Stop fighting, and your rivals close the gap.

Yuji Itadori enters this arc as a wanted man with no mentor, no institutional backing, and a dwindling number of allies who are still willing to be seen with him. Joining him are characters introduced in Season 2 — Yuta Okkotsu and Choso — alongside several new faces who quickly become the season’s biggest draws.

Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3 The Culling Game Part 1 official key visual with the full cast
Image courtesy of MAPPA / Shueisha

What’s New on Singapore Netflix from 22 July

Singapore Netflix has carried The Culling Game Part 1 in its catalogue since the season was airing earlier this year — so if you started watching in Japanese with subtitles, you already had access. What changes on 22 July is the multilingual track rollout: Netflix Anime confirmed via their official account that the global expansion brings dubbed versions to all regions simultaneously. English dub, alongside a range of other language tracks, is now live.

For Singapore households where not everyone in the room reads subtitles fast enough, that is a meaningful upgrade. All 12 episodes are available in one batch — no week-by-week wait.

Yuji Itadori fighting in the official JJK Season 3 Netflix trailer
Image courtesy of MAPPA / Shueisha

If you prefer Crunchyroll — which has carried Part 1 since JJK began its simulcast on 9 January 2026 — nothing changes there. Both platforms carry the season; Netflix just makes the dub easy to access for subscribers who have not crossed over.

New Characters to Watch

Season 3 introduces several Culling Game players who quickly overshadow the expectation that this is just a bracket tournament full of disposable antagonists. The four standouts:

  • Kinji Hakari — a disgraced Jujutsu High student whose Cursed Technique ties his combat ability to a pachinko jackpot. When the jackpot hits, he becomes effectively immortal. His colony fight is one of the season’s peak episodes.
  • Kirara Hoshi — Hakari’s manager and a sorcerer whose technique manipulates proximity and positions in ways that make conventional attack patterns useless.
  • Hiromi Higuruma — a defence lawyer who awakened his Cursed Technique and set up a courtroom inside a colony. His Judgeman domain is the season’s most conceptually original fight.
  • Fumihiko Takaba — a comedian whose technique may be the single most absurd power in the franchise. His episode is the tonal wildcard of the season.
A scene from Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3: The Culling Game Part 1, MAPPA animation
Image courtesy of MAPPA

Season 4 — The Culling Game Part 2 — Is Confirmed for 2027

The Culling Game does not resolve in Part 1. Season 3 ends at a point that leaves the central rescue mission incomplete and the wider situation more fragile than when it began. Part 2 — effectively Season 4 — has been officially confirmed with a worldwide Crunchyroll release targeted for 2027. No specific date has been announced.

With Gege Akutami’s manga having concluded in September 2024, MAPPA is adapting a complete story with a definitive ending — no open threads, no indefinite hiatuses. Watching Part 1 now gives you a full picture of the pieces in play before the final run.

Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3 visual from MAPPA's 15th anniversary celebration
Image courtesy of MAPPA

Jujutsu Kaisen: The Culling Game Part 1 is streaming now on Netflix Singapore with English dub from 22 July. Browse more anime news and guides on GameTrader.

Manga Anime

Steel Ball Run 2nd Stage Premieres 25 September on Netflix

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The wait is over: JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Steel Ball Run 2nd Stage premieres on Netflix on 25 September 2026, with a new episode dropping every Friday. Warner Bros. Japan confirmed the date during the series’ panel at Anime Expo 2026 in Los Angeles on 3 July, alongside a new trailer and the first official character designs for three of the manga’s most anticipated figures.

Gyro Zeppeli focuses his Steel Balls in Steel Ball Run Stage 2
Image courtesy of Lucky Land Communications / Shueisha

Into the Devil’s Palm — What Stage 2 Covers

Stage 1 of the anime adapted the opening of Hirohiko Araki’s landmark manga with a measured, almost Western-drama pacing — long stretches of horse racing, growing rivalry between Johnny Joestar and Gyro Zeppeli, and the first hints of something stranger beneath the surface. Stage 2 is where Steel Ball Run stops pretending to be a period sports story.

Johnny and Gyro push deeper into the continent, arriving at the leg of the Steel Ball Run that crosses a roughly 750-mile Arizona desert passage known as the “Devil’s Palm.” This is Stand-battle territory: supernatural encounters, rival users with lethal abilities, and story developments that Araki fans regard as some of the best chapters he has ever written. Stages 2 and 3 together span 11 episodes total.

New Characters: Valentine, Mountain Tim, Hot Pants

Three characters fans of the manga have been waiting to see animated finally have official designs and voice actors:

Funny Valentine official character design for Steel Ball Run anime, voiced by Tomokazu Sugita
Image courtesy of Lucky Land Communications / Shueisha

Funny Valentine is voiced by Tomokazu Sugita — the 23rd President of the United States and the race’s most consequential shadow figure. Sugita (known to SG anime fans as Joseph Joestar in Battle Tendency and Gintoki in Gintama) is inspired casting: Valentine needs both quiet menace and a veneer of patriotic warmth, and Sugita can do both without blinking.

Mountain Tim character design for Steel Ball Run 2nd Stage
Image courtesy of Lucky Land Communications / Shueisha

Mountain Tim, voiced by Tomoaki Maeno, is a lawman and fellow racer whose calm exterior hides abilities that put him directly in Johnny and Gyro’s path. And Hot Pants, voiced by Yōko Hikasa, is a masked racer whose true allegiances and Stand power make their arc one of Stage 2’s most memorable threads.

Hot Pants character design for Steel Ball Run 2nd Stage
Image courtesy of Lucky Land Communications / Shueisha

Watch the Official Stage 2 Trailer

STEEL BALL RUN JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure 2nd STAGE | Official Trailer | Netflix — via Netflix on YouTube

Weekly Episodes Starting 25 September

After the backlash Netflix received for dropping Stone Ocean in batches, both Stage 1 of Steel Ball Run and now Stage 2 are following a weekly release structure. A new episode lands every Friday — which in Singapore time means Saturday mornings, a decent slot if you want to start your weekend with something that will make your jaw drop. The last of the 11 Stage 2-and-3 episodes will carry the story through to the end of 2026.

If you have not yet started Stage 1, it is currently streaming on Netflix. With two-and-a-half months before Stage 2 arrives, there is plenty of time to catch up and arrive at the Devil’s Palm fully prepared. Keep an eye on our manga and anime coverage for episode notes as the season unfolds.

Manga Anime

Sparks of Tomorrow: KyoAni’s New Anime Is Now on Netflix Singapore

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Kyoto Animation’s latest series, Sparks of Tomorrow, dropped its first episode on Netflix on 5 July — and Singapore fans can stream it right now. Based on the acclaimed light novel 20 Seiki Denki Mokuroku (20th Century Electrical Catalog) by Hiro Yūki, the show marks KyoAni’s Netflix debut and, if early reactions are anything to go by, another emotionally charged chapter in one of anime’s most beloved libraries.

Sparks of Tomorrow ensemble cast key art showing all main characters around the glowing catalog
Image courtesy of Kyoto Animation

A Steampunk Kyoto Where Electricity Never Arrived

The series is set in 1907 Kyoto — but not the Kyoto you know from history books. In this alternate past, electricity was never adopted, and the city runs on coal and steam, its streets choked with a perpetual amber smog. Into this world steps Kihachi Sakamoto (voiced by Yuma Uchida), a once-hopeful young inventor whose drive collapsed after losing his brother. A chance encounter with Inako Momokawa (Sora Amamiya), the quietly ambitious second daughter of a sake-brewing family, sets both of them on a hunt for the mysterious 20th Century Electrical Catalog — a document said to contain blueprints that could transform the city.

Episode 1, “The Electric Boy,” is deliberately unhurried — a table-setter that prioritises atmosphere and character texture over plot mechanics — but the alternate-history Kyoto that KyoAni has built is extraordinary: painterly, lived-in, and strikingly original. Early reviews have singled out the show’s visual identity as its strongest hook, with the steampunk streetscapes packed with the kind of incidental detail the studio is famous for.

Sparks of Tomorrow | Official Trailer | Netflix Anime — via Netflix Anime on YouTube

The Studio and the Staff Behind the Magic

Kyoto Animation needs no introduction to Singapore anime fans. The Uji-based studio behind K-On!, Violet Evergarden, A Silent Voice, and Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid has produced some of the most visually polished and emotionally resonant anime of the past two decades. Sparks of Tomorrow is the directorial debut of Minoru Ōta, working from scripts by Tatsuhiko Urahata (Overlord, Strike the Blood). Character designs are handled by Kohei Okamura, who also serves as chief animation director, with music by Hitomi Koto.

Notably, the source novel is a KA Esuma Bunko title — published by Kyoto Animation’s own in-house light novel imprint — making this an entirely KyoAni-born project from page to screen, without the usual licensing layers involved in a manga adaptation.

Sparks of Tomorrow official Japanese key visual poster featuring the full cast
Image courtesy of Kyoto Animation

The Cast That Brings It to Life

Leading the series is Yuma Uchida as Kihachi — a natural fit for brooding, grief-shaped young men after standout turns in Oshi no Ko and Vinland Saga. Sora Amamiya (Re:Zero‘s Aqua, Black Clover‘s Noelle) voices Inako with characteristic warmth, although early episodes suggest the character is considerably more complicated than she first appears. Antagonist Yosuke Mizoe is voiced by Koki Uchiyama (Bleach‘s Uryu Ishida, My Hero Academia‘s Tomura Shigaraki), with Daisuke Ono, Minako Kotobuki, and Shunsuke Takeuchi among the supporting cast.

Sparks of Tomorrow — Inako Momokawa profile close-up with flower hairpin against amber sky
Image courtesy of Kyoto Animation

Music: Ginger Root Meets Luna Goami

The opening theme, “Eureka Evrika,” is performed by Luna Goami, a rising J-pop artist whose slightly nostalgic, dreamlike sound suits the show’s alternate-Meiji atmosphere perfectly. The ending theme, “Soarin’,” comes from indie pop group Ginger Root — the Los Angeles-based band with deep Showa-aesthetic roots and a cult following among anime fans across Singapore and Southeast Asia. Both tracks dropped on streaming on 6 July and are available now.

How to Watch in Singapore

Sparks of Tomorrow streams exclusively on Netflix — no premium tier required beyond a standard Netflix plan available in Singapore. New episodes drop weekly every Sunday at 10:00 PM SGT (simultaneous with Japan broadcast), meaning Singapore viewers are among the very first in Southeast Asia to catch each new instalment. Episode 1 is live right now; Episode 2 arrives on 12 July.

Whether Sparks of Tomorrow captures the mainstream moment that Violet Evergarden did remains to be seen, but the craft on display in the opening episode is unmistakably KyoAni. For Singapore fans who have been waiting for the studio’s next big swing, the wait is over — open Netflix. For more on the summer 2026 anime season, check out our Manga & Anime coverage.

Manga Anime, News

Delicious in Dungeon Season 2 Confirmed for October 2027 on Netflix

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It’s happening, Dungeon Meshi fans — the gang is heading back underground. Studio TRIGGER officially announced Delicious in Dungeon Season 2 at Anime Expo 2026 on July 4 (July 5, 5am SGT), confirming an October 2027 premiere exclusively on Netflix. After Season 1 swept through the anime community like Laios discovering a new monster to cook, the follow-up has been one of the most anticipated continuations in recent memory.

Marcille enjoying dungeon cuisine in Delicious in Dungeon Season 1
Season 1 set the bar impossibly high for both world-building and food photography.

The official teaser trailer dropped alongside the announcement, giving us our first look at what’s to come as the story continues from Chapter 53 — the Falin chimera arc, where the dungeon’s darkest chapter truly begins. If you haven’t watched Season 1 yet, no spoilers here, but let’s just say the stakes get very real.

Same Core Team, Epic New Chapter

The core production team returns, ensuring the show’s stunning visual identity is intact. Yoshihiro Miyajima returns as series director, Kimiko Ueno continues as series composer, and Naoki Takeda reprises the character design role. The music baton passes to legendary composer Yasunori Mitsuda — yes, the man behind Chrono Trigger and Xenogears — which is an absolutely massive get for the soundtrack department.

Delicious in Dungeon Season 2 promotional artwork
Season 2 promo art teasing the darker tone ahead. Falin’s chimera transformation looms large.

The opening and ending themes have also been revealed via the official Japanese site, though English confirmation is still pending. sumika — the beloved J-pop group known for Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso’s soundtrack contributions — performs the opening theme 運命 (Fate). Legal Lily handles the ending with キラキラの灰 (Glittering Ash). Both picks feel tonally spot-on for what Season 2’s narrative demands.

Why This Season Matters

Ryoko Kui’s manga ran 14 volumes and sold over 14 million copies worldwide. Season 1 adapted the first half beautifully — the world-building, the food, the surprisingly deep lore about the dungeon’s ecosystem. Season 2 dives into the payoff of everything that was carefully set up. The chimera storyline is where the series shows its emotional teeth, and with Mitsuda scoring it, expect to feel things.

For Singapore fans, Netflix carries Delicious in Dungeon regionally, so Season 2 will be right there in your queue when October 2027 rolls around. No hunting for streams or waiting on regional delays.

KADOKAWA Anime’s radio show tied to the series also resumes on July 5 at 21:00 JST on the KADOKAWA Anime YouTube channel, so there’s more content incoming almost immediately.

Two thousand-plus years of dungeon lore, one incredibly good anime adaptation, and now a confirmed second season with a legendary composer on board. October 2027 can’t come soon enough.