Tag Archives: Summer 2026 Anime

Manga Anime

Cyborg 009: Nemesis Drops All Three Episodes at Once on 19 July — Coming to Crunchyroll

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The cyborg heroes of Shotaro Ishinomori’s legendary manga are back on screen — and this time, their enemies are mirror images of themselves. Cyborg 009: Nemesis, a brand-new three-episode anime from Studio Arect, drops in full on 19 July 2026 with all episodes releasing simultaneously, and Crunchyroll will carry it internationally.

「サイボーグ009 ネメシス」 Main PV — via 「公式」石森プロ on YouTube

A New Story with Familiar Heroes

Cyborg 009: Nemesis tells an original story set in Ishinomori’s universe. The classic nine-person team — individuals turned into cyborgs against their will, led by Joe Shimamura (009) — faces a new threat: a rival faction called Nemesis, a group of counter-cyborgs who mirror their abilities and even their numbering. Leading the Nemesis side is a figure designated N009, codenamed Graviton. All three episodes are available from day one, so the complete story is there to binge without a weekly wait.

Cyborg 009 Nemesis full roster of characters from both the original team and the Nemesis faction
Image courtesy of Ishimori Productions

A Cast That Commands Attention

Director Hideki Ambo has assembled a genuinely star-packed cast. Yūki Kaji takes the lead as Joe Shimamura (009); Mamoru Miyano voices Jet Link (002); Saori Hayami plays Françoise Arnul (003); Tomokazu Sugita is Albert Heinrich (004); and Yūichi Nakamura voices the Nemesis leader Graviton. That lineup covers some of the most in-demand voice actors working in anime today and signals that Ishimori Productions is treating this as a genuine franchise revival rather than a commemorative side project.

N009 Graviton character card from the official Cyborg 009 Nemesis site
Image courtesy of Ishimori Productions

An Opening Theme 47 Years in the Making

The opening theme is a revival of “Taga Tame ni” (誰がために, “For Whom”) — the signature track that opened the 1979 Cyborg 009 TV anime — this time performed by rock singer Kyōko. The ending theme, “Climal” by Sukima Switch, was confirmed alongside the main trailer that launched on 24 June as reported by Anime News Network. Sukima Switch’s melodic J-pop sensibility makes for an interesting contrast against a nostalgia-heavy opener, and the combination gives the series its own personality rather than leaning entirely on legacy.

How to Watch Cyborg 009: Nemesis in Singapore

Crunchyroll holds international streaming rights for the series, with confirmed territories including North America, Europe, Latin America, and Oceania. Singapore fans can check the Crunchyroll app from 19 July — Crunchyroll’s Southeast Asia coverage typically follows its Oceania rights. In Japan, Cyborg 009: Nemesis streams on the same date across ABEMA Premium, U-NEXT, dアニメストア, Prime Video, and DMM TV.

Shotaro Ishinomori, who created Cyborg 009 in 1964, is one of the most prolific manga artists in history — the same creator behind Kamen Rider, Kikaider, and dozens of other series. A new production in 2026 with an A-list cast is a genuine occasion for long-time fans, and a fine entry point for those discovering the franchise for the first time. Check the official website for details, and browse more anime and manga coverage on GameTrader.SG.

Manga Anime

The World Is Dancing — Final Trailer Out Now, Streaming on Muse Asia from 29 June

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Historical anime The World Is Dancing dropped its final pre-broadcast trailer today, with the premiere exactly one week away. Singapore and Southeast Asia fans can catch it via Muse Communication — mark 29 June on your calendar.

The World Is Dancing anime key visual — Oniyasha performing on a Noh stage
Image courtesy of Shochiku / Cypic

Dancing Through the Muromachi Period

Based on Kazuto Mihara’s manga serialised in Kodansha’s Morning magazine (2021–2022, six volumes), The World Is Dancing follows Oniyasha — the childhood name of Zeami Motokiyo, the historical figure credited as the father of Noh theatre. Set in 14th-century Japan during the chaotic Northern and Southern Courts conflict, the story revolves around a deceptively simple question: why do people dance? When Oniyasha witnesses a performance he instinctively knows is “good,” something shifts — and a lifelong artistic obsession begins.

The anime is produced by Cypic and directed by Toshimasa Kuroyanagi, with series composition by Sawako Kawamitsu and character design by Keigo Sasaki. What sets it apart from most historical productions: choreography for the Noh sequences was supervised by a Kanze-school Noh performer, supported by choreographers who also worked on the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics Opening Ceremony. The dance scenes are being held to a standard well above typical anime stagecraft.

Watch the Final Trailer

The World Is Dancing — Official Trailer (English Subtitles) via IGN on YouTube

The final trailer, released today by Shochiku, previews the ending theme “Namonai Hana” (Unnamed Flower) performed by three-piece band hockrockb, and introduces the last two newly-announced cast members. The footage shows Oniyasha’s troupe navigating the political intrigues of the Muromachi court alongside the electrifying rivalries between performance schools.

A Cast That Actually Sings

The World Is Dancing assembled one of the more eye-catching voice casts of the summer season. Yumiri Hanamori leads as Oniyasha, with Katsuyuki Konishi as troupe master Kan’ami, Takahiro Sakurai as the shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, Romi Park as rival performer Zojiro, Maaya Uchida as Kogane, Mamiko Noto as Nariko, and Inori Minase as Chiharu.

Today’s announcement rounded out the ensemble with two veterans: Yoji Matsuda joins as Inuo, a mysterious figure who drifts in and out of Oniyasha’s life and shapes his artistic path, and Miyuki Sawashiro takes on Shirabyoshi, a woman struggling to survive the era’s brutal social order. Matsuda noted this is his first time appearing as a series regular in a serialised animation.

Crucially, the performers are not just lending their voices — they are singing in-show. Hanamori and Park have already recorded songs for the series, heard in an earlier music trailer. The opening theme, “Shusho” by Macaroni Empitsu, feels like a perfect match for a story about finding one’s artistic voice in a turbulent age.

The World Is Dancing main cast visual — Oniyasha, Kan'ami, and troupe members
Image courtesy of Shochiku / Cypic

How Singapore and SEA Fans Can Watch

Muse Communication holds streaming rights for South and Southeast Asia. Singapore fans should keep an eye on the Muse Asia YouTube channel and affiliated platforms for the rollout — a precise SEA start date has not been officially announced at time of writing, but Muse titles typically follow the simulcast window closely.

The series lands early on Amazon Prime Video Japan on 29 June at 22:00 JST, ahead of its main television broadcast on 2 July on Tokyo MX and BS Asahi in Japan. HIDIVE is streaming it from 29 June for North America and several English-language markets. The world premiere of Episode 2 will screen live at Anime Expo 2026 on 2 July at 6:45 pm PDT.

For more of the season’s anime offerings, browse our Manga & Anime coverage.

Last words

Summer 2026 is not short on anime, but The World Is Dancing occupies a lane entirely its own — a slow-burn historical drama about the birth of Noh theatre, assembled with real choreographic craft and a singing cast that includes some of Japanese voice acting’s biggest names. If the final trailer is any measure, Cypic is building something quietly worth following. Check Muse Asia when the 29 June window opens, and dive in from the start.

Manga Anime

Mushoku Tensei Season 3 Premieres 5 July — Studio Bind Is Back

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After a two-year gap, Rudeus Greyrat is almost back. Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation Season 3 has locked in a 5 July 2026 premiere date, with Studio Bind returning for what is shaping up to be one of the biggest isekai events of the summer season.

Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation Season 3 | OFFICIAL TRAILER — via Crunchyroll on YouTube

What Is the Perugius Arc — and Why Does It Matter for Mushoku Tensei Season 3?

Mushoku Tensei Season 3 key visual featuring the main cast
Image courtesy of Studio Bind

Season 3 picks up from Volume 14 of Rifujin na Magonote’s original light novel, heading into the so-called Everyday-life Arc. Rudeus and his companions make for the legendary floating fortress of the Dragon God Perugius — a destination that promises answers about the world’s deeper mysteries. But the journey takes a dark turn when one member of the group is struck down by a deadly illness, forcing Rudeus to navigate a new kind of crisis: not a dungeon boss or a magical disaster, but the threat of losing someone he loves to something he cannot simply fight off.

It is a quieter arc by Mushoku Tensei’s standards, but fans of the source material know it lands some of the series’ most emotionally resonant moments. After Season 2’s harrowing conclusion — which left both Rudeus and his audience reeling — the shift into this more grounded chapter feels earned.

Studio Bind Returns With the Same Team That Built the Benchmark

Consistency is one of Mushoku Tensei’s greatest strengths, and Season 3 is no exception. Director Ryosuke Shibuya is back, as are character designers Sanae Shimada and Ryota Furukawa, and composer Yoshiaki Fujisawa, who has scored every instalment of the anime to date. The returning core voice cast is intact: Yumi Uchiyama as Rudeus, Kokomo Kohara as Roxy, Ai Kayano as Sylphiette, and Ai Kakuma as Eris.

Roxy Migurdia in Mushoku Tensei Season 3
Image courtesy of Studio Bind

Two notable new faces join the cast this season: Haruka Tomatsu steps in as Nina Farion, and Tetsu Inada voices Gal Farion — characters whose significance to the Perugius storyline will become clear once the season is underway. Both are experienced voice actors with extensive credits across major anime titles, which suggests the new roles are being taken seriously.

With an 8.2 rating on IMDb and four consecutive Crunchyroll Anime Awards nominations across its first two seasons, Mushoku Tensei has established itself as one of the genre’s flagship productions. Season 3 inherits that reputation and, from the looks of the official trailer, intends to uphold it.

Yuiko Ohara Opens; Mika Nakashima Brings the Season Home

The theme song lineup for Season 3 is turning heads. Yuiko Ohara — whose warm, introspective style proved a perfect fit for this series in earlier seasons — handles the opening theme. The ending, meanwhile, goes to Mika Nakashima, whose contribution is titled Prayer, If It Ends.

Singapore fans who caught Mika Nakashima’s 2026 Asia tour will recognise the name immediately — she is one of Japan’s most beloved singer-actresses, with a discography that spans J-pop ballads and anime tie-ins alike. Having her sign off each Mushoku Tensei episode this summer is a genuinely exciting pairing, and the ending theme PV released in early June 2026 gives a strong sense of the emotional register she brings to the material.

Where to Watch Mushoku Tensei Season 3 in Singapore

Crunchyroll has confirmed a worldwide simulcast for Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation Season 3, with episodes dropping weekly as they air in Japan from 5 July. Singapore viewers should note that streaming rights for anime in Southeast Asia sometimes differ from the global arrangement — previous seasons of Mushoku Tensei were available locally via platforms including Muse Asia, Netflix, and meWATCH in addition to Crunchyroll, depending on the period. We recommend checking your preferred platform close to the premiere date to confirm local availability.

For more anime coming this summer, keep an eye on our coverage as the July season ramps up.

Last Words

Two years is a long time in anime fandom, but Mushoku Tensei has always rewarded patience. The Perugius Arc brings a different energy to the series — slower, more introspective, and emotionally heavier than the action peaks of earlier seasons — and that shift in register is precisely what makes it such a compelling pivot point in the story. With the same creative team, a stacked voice cast, and a genuinely exciting music lineup headlined by Mika Nakashima, Singapore fans have every reason to clear their schedule for 5 July. Rudeus’s journey continues — and if the trailer is any guide, Studio Bind has no intention of letting the standard slip.

Manga Anime, News

BanG Dream! YUME∞MITA Drops 2nd PV and Opening Theme — Premieres 2 July

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BanG Dream!’s next anime chapter is taking shape fast — the staff behind YUME∞MITA dropped the second promotional video, a clean opening animation, and the series’ main key visual on 21 June, all ahead of a three-episode premiere night on 2 July 2026.

BanG Dream! YUME∞MITA main key visual featuring Mugendai Mewtype
Image courtesy of Bushiroad / NICHICALINE

What Is BanG Dream! YUME∞MITA?

YUME∞MITA is the latest entry in the long-running BanG Dream! franchise — but it comes with a twist that makes it feel genuinely new. The anime centres on Mugendai Mewtype, a five-member virtual girl band made up entirely of VTubers. Each member has a real online presence and a dedicated fan base, and the series threads their digital personas into a full TV anime narrative.

The five members: Arale Nakamachi (vocals), Nonoka Miyanaga (lead guitar), Ritsu Minetsuki (rhythm guitar), Miyako Fuji (keyboard), and Yuno Sengoku (DJ and manipulator). If you already follow any of them on stream, you’ll be watching familiar faces in a completely new form.

Opening Theme: Our Survival, Written by Unison Square Garden

The PV2 and clean opening sequence reveal the series’ opening theme: “Kore wa Boku-tachi no Seizon no Arasuji” (Our Survival) performed by Mugendai Mewtype. The song was written by Tomoya Tabuchi, guitarist and vocalist of Unison Square Garden — a band whose anime credits include the Kekkai Sensen openings and the Boku dake ga Inai Machi ending theme. His involvement gives the track a sharp, indie-rock edge that sets YUME∞MITA apart from earlier BanG Dream! idol-pop entries.

BanG Dream! YUME∞MITA — Official PV2, via バンドリちゃんねる☆ on YouTube

Production — NICHICALINE and Director Tomomi Umetsu

The series is animated by NICHICALINE, a studio building its identity in music-forward anime. Tomomi Umetsu directs with Hiroshi Morita as assistant director, and Midori Gotō handles series composition alongside writers Akiko Waba, Yotsuji Haibuchi, and Hitomi Ogawa. Character designs are by Osamu Nobusawa and Mochipuyo.

The broadcast plan is ambitious: the first three episodes air simultaneously on 2 July at 23:00 JST on Tokyo MX, with additional broadcasts on BS NTV and Sun TV. Dropping three episodes on night one is an increasingly popular strategy for summer anime that wants to make an immediate impression — you get a complete story arc before the weekly wait begins.

Where to Watch in Singapore

Crunchyroll confirmed in January 2026 that BanG Dream! YUME∞MITA would be part of its 2026 anime lineup. Crunchyroll is available in Singapore, so the expectation is that Singapore fans will be able to stream from 2 July — though exact territory availability for SG had not been confirmed at the time of writing. Check Crunchyroll’s official announcements closer to 2 July for the final word.

Last words

Between the VTuber concept, the Unison Square Garden writing credit, and a three-episode opening night, YUME∞MITA is shaping up as one of Summer 2026’s more interesting sleeper picks. Singapore fans who already live in the VTuber world will have a head start on the lore — check out more Summer 2026 anime we’ve been tracking ahead of the July season kick-off.

Manga Anime, News

Goodbye, Lara Reveals Ending Theme “Hearts Glow” by Hana Hope and Two New Cast Members

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Kinema Citrus — the studio behind Made in Abyss — has dropped the third promotional video for its upcoming original anime Goodbye, Lara, and it delivers two notable reveals: the ending theme song “Hearts Glow” performed by singer-songwriter Hana Hope, and a pair of new cast additions joining the show when it premieres on Crunchyroll this July.

Goodbye, Lara | Official Trailer — via Crunchyroll on YouTube

What the Goodbye, Lara PV3 Shows

The new promotional video previews the ending theme in context, giving audiences their first feel for how Hana Hope’s music fits the show’s bittersweet, fairy-tale-meets-modern-Japan atmosphere. Alongside the musical reveal, the Crunchyroll announcement accompanying the PV also unveiled a fresh key visual and expanded the cast with two more named characters.

Two New Cast Members Join the Ensemble

Minami Tsuda voices Risa, Lara’s fourth oldest sister, while Kazutomi Yamamoto takes on Kōta, a new human character. They join a lineup that already includes Hana Hishikawa in the lead role of Lara, alongside Nana Kawaishi, Rica Fukami, Ayumu Murase, and Masaki Terasoma.

The Story: A Mermaid Reborn at Lake Biwa

Loosely inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s The Little Mermaid, Goodbye, Lara follows a mermaid princess who wished to be loved by a human — a wish that cost her everything. Two centuries later, she awakens at Lake Biwa in modern-day Shiga Prefecture, Japan, with one last chance at life and love before she vanishes for good.

Director Takushi Koide leads the production at Kinema Citrus, with Anna Kawahara overseeing series scripts, Shiori Tani handling character design, and Yuma Yamaguchi composing the score. The project is published by Kadokawa.

Goodbye Lara key visual — Crunchyroll anime Summer 2026
Image courtesy of Crunchyroll / Kadokawa

When and Where to Watch in Singapore

Goodbye, Lara premieres in Japan on 5 July 2026, with Crunchyroll simulcasting for international audiences — including Singapore and Southeast Asia. It is part of Crunchyroll’s Summer 2026 anime season lineup, which includes a strong mix of returning titles and originals this year.

Last words

With a studio pedigree like Kinema Citrus behind it and Hana Hope lending emotional weight to the ending theme, Goodbye, Lara looks set to be one of the more quietly affecting picks of Summer 2026. Singapore fans catching the new season on Crunchyroll would do well to give this one a slot on their watchlist — 5 July is closer than it feels.

Manga Anime, News

Tomb Raider King Anime Arrives July 8 — Can Singapore Watch?

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The manhwa-to-anime adaptation Solo Leveling fans have been eyeing as the next big thing arrives on Crunchyroll on 8 July 2026 — but there is a catch Singapore fans need to know before they mark the calendar: the Tomb Raider King anime will not be streaming in Asia, which means the entire Singapore audience is shut out of Crunchyroll’s broadcast. Here’s the full picture.

Tomb Raider King | Official Trailer — via Crunchyroll on YouTube

What Is the Tomb Raider King Anime?

Based on the wildly popular Korean manhwa by Sang-G (story) with art by 3B2S — available on Kakao Webtoon and Naver Webtoon — Tomb Raider King follows Seo Joo-Heon, an elite tomb raider who is betrayed and left for dead by his employer. When a second chance sends him back 15 years in time with all his future memories intact, he sets out to claim every powerful relic-filled tomb before the corrupt elites who once destroyed him can get there first.

If that premise sounds familiar to fans of Solo Leveling — another Korean manhwa with a revenge-driven male lead who racks up supernatural abilities — that is not a coincidence. Tomb Raider King has been running since 2019 and belongs to the same wave of power-fantasy manhwa that dominated the webtoon charts. Manhwa fans in Singapore who enjoyed Solo Leveling’s anime adaptation will find a lot to like here on paper.

Tomb Raider King anime promotional art showing Seo Joo-Heon in action
Image courtesy of Crunchyroll / Studio EEK

Who Made It? Studio EEK and the Production Team

Studio EEK — a South Korean animation studio — handles the adaptation under director Seung Wook Woo, with character design by Hyun Joung Lee and an original soundtrack by Ju Young Kim. The Japanese dub features a strong voice cast: Yoshimasa Hosoya as Seo Joo-Heon, Saori Hayami as Irene Holton, Junichi Suwabe as Taejoon Kwon, and Nobuhiko Okamoto as Seungwoo Oh.

A world premiere screening of the first two episodes was held on 13 June at Tokyo Science Hall ahead of the July 8 broadcast.

Why Can’t Singapore Watch It on Crunchyroll?

This is the frustrating part. According to C21Media, Tomb Raider King “will be streamed globally, excluding Asia and Russia.” That blanket Asia exclusion takes in the entire ASEAN region, meaning no Crunchyroll stream in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, or anywhere else in the region.

The reason for the exclusion has not been publicly explained, but territorial licensing splits like this are common with Korean properties — the rights for Asian markets are often held separately and sold to regional platforms independent of a global Crunchyroll deal.

Are There Alternative Streaming Options for Singapore?

As of this writing, no alternative streaming platform for Southeast Asia has been officially announced for Tomb Raider King. It is possible that a regional deal is in the works — services like Ani-One Asia and WeTV have picked up Korean manhwa adaptations in the past — but nothing has been confirmed for Singapore specifically.

We will update when a Southeast Asia streaming home is announced. In the meantime, the legal read in Singapore remains: to be confirmed.

Last Words

It is genuinely disappointing that a show with this much manhwa pedigree — and a built-in Singapore fan base that already loves the source material — arrives on Crunchyroll with an Asia-wide blackout. That said, the manhwa anime space is moving fast and regional licensing deals tend to get sorted out eventually. Keep an eye out for an Ani-One Asia or similar announcement. When it lands, Tomb Raider King is going to be a very easy recommendation for any Solo Leveling fan on this side of the world.

Manga Anime, News

BLEACH: The Calamity — Final Arc Premieres July 2026

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The end is finally here. BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War — The Calamity, the fourth and final part of Pierrot’s landmark BLEACH adaptation, has its Japan advance theatrical run today, 21 June — three episodes on the big screen before a full TV premiere in July 2026 on TV Tokyo. Singapore fans, your Disney+ account is all you need.

Official Trailer | BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War Final Part — The Calamity | INTL SUBS — via VIZ Media on YouTube

What Is BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War — The Calamity?

The Calamity (禍進譚, Kashintан) is the fourth and concluding chapter of the Thousand-Year Blood War arc — the grand final showdown between Ichigo Kurosaki and the Quincy King, Yhwach. If The Conflict left you breathless, The Calamity is where it all pays off.

Studio Pierrot produces the series under chief series director Tomohisa Taguchi and director Hikaru Murata. Creator Tite Kubo has remained closely involved throughout the production run. The Calamity picks up the explosive threads of The Conflict and drives them through to the manga’s conclusion.

A quick recap of the parts so far: The Blood Warfare (Part 1, October 2022), The Separation (Part 2, 2023), The Conflict (Part 3, 2024). The Calamity completes the set — and closes the chapter on one of anime’s most ambitious comeback arcs.

Japan Advance Screening — Today, 21 June

BLEACH The Calamity key visual featuring Ichigo and Yhwach
Image courtesy of TV Tokyo / Pierrot

Japanese fans are getting an exclusive one-day-only theatrical screening of Episodes 1–3 of The Calamity today. Participating cinemas include Shinjuku Balto 9, United Cinemas Aqua City Odaiba, Sapporo Cinema Frontier, Midland Square Cinema, T-Joy Umeda, and T-Joy Hakata, among others. Tickets are priced at ¥3,500.

A special cast premiere event takes place at United Cinemas Aqua City Odaiba at 14:00 and 16:35 showings (the latter reserved for Klub Outside fan club members). Live-viewing broadcasts of the stage greetings are streaming at 29 cinemas nationwide. Attendees receive an exclusive original illustration card set (3 cards) as a commemorative gift.

Overseas Screenings This Week

If you happen to be in the US this week, Fathom Events and Viz Media are bringing Episodes 1–3 to American theatres from 25–29 June — both Japanese subtitled and English dubbed. The screenings include an exclusive behind-the-scenes conversation with creator Tite Kubo and directors Tomohisa Taguchi and Hikaru Murata, making it a proper event for fans.

UK cinema screenings are confirmed for 26 June as well. No Singapore theatrical screening has been announced as of this writing.

When and Where to Watch in Singapore

The regular TV broadcast kicks off in July 2026 on TV Tokyo (exact premiere date to be confirmed). For Singapore fans, all three previous parts of Thousand-Year Blood War were available on Disney+, and The Calamity is confirmed for Disney+ internationally. That means Singapore fans should be able to stream it from launch — watch your Disney+ app for the exact date closer to July.

Ani-One Asia, which streams anime across Southeast Asia, is also expected to carry the series in some markets (to be confirmed for Singapore specifically).

Last Words

BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War has been one of the best anime comebacks in recent memory — and The Calamity is the finale Singapore fans have been waiting for since 2022. The advance screening buzz coming out of Japan today suggests Pierrot has saved the best for last. Mark July on your Disney+ calendar and get ready. Ichigo vs Yhwach, one last time.

Manga Anime

Young Ladies Don’t Play Fighting Games — Street Fighter 6 Stars in the Anime, Crunchyroll 7 July

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An elite girls’ academy where everyone is graceful, refined, and secretly grinding ranked in Street Fighter 6. That is the premise of Young Ladies Don’t Play Fighting Games, which arrives on Crunchyroll on 7 July 2026 — and for Singapore gamers who follow the fighting game scene, this one is worth paying attention to.

Young Ladies Don’t Play Fighting Games | Official Trailer | Crunchyroll — via Crunchyroll on YouTube

The Setup: Hidden Gamers Behind Curtains and White Gloves

Aya Mitsuki enrols at Kuromi Girls Academy with one ambition: become as poised and elegant as the school’s beloved icon, Yorue Mio — known campus-wide as the “White Lily.” That illusion collapses the moment Aya catches Mio hunched over a controller, deep in a ranked match, completely in her element.

Mio is not just a casual player. She is a dedicated fighting game enthusiast who has been hiding her hobby behind her flawless academy persona — and now she wants to duel the one person who knows her secret. The rivalry that follows becomes the foundation of a friendship, and a small underground gaming circle starts forming within the school walls.

The source manga by Eri Ejima has been running since 2021 and has built a following specifically in the fighting game community, where the portrayal of the culture — hiding your ranked grind, debating character tiers, the strange intimacy of a close match — lands differently than in a more casual treatment.

Street Fighter 6 Is Literally in the Anime

This is the part that makes Young Ladies Don’t Play Fighting Games genuinely notable for GameTrader readers. The original manga used a fictional fighting game called Iron Senpai 4 to avoid licensing complications. The anime replaces it entirely with real Street Fighter 6 gameplay footage through a full production partnership with Capcom, with FAV Gaming involved in coordinating the integration.

Young Ladies Don't Play Fighting Games - Street Fighter 6 gameplay sequence
Image courtesy of Crunchyroll

Each main character has a confirmed fighter: Aya plays Cammy, Mio mains Ryu, Yu runs Ken, and Tamaki uses Juri. For anyone who follows SF6 competitively, those choices carry real character subtext — and the in-episode matches will be readable as actual matches, with real HUD elements, real move animations, and real game logic playing out on screen.

The franchise has crossed over with fighting game culture before: a 2023 live-action adaptation used Street Fighter 5 and featured genuine Japanese professional competitors. The anime is a bigger production, and the step up to Street Fighter 6 — currently the dominant title in the competitive FGC globally and one of the most active games in Singapore’s competitive scene — makes the timing feel deliberate.

Studio, Schedule, and Where to Watch

The anime is produced by Diomedéa, the studio behind Aho Girl and Girlish Number. Originally planned for a 2025 release, the project was delayed and eventually confirmed for the Summer 2026 season. It premieres on AT-X in Japan and streams on Crunchyroll internationally, including Singapore, from 7 July 2026.

Last words

Most anime about gaming are content to gesture vaguely at a fictional game and call it done. Young Ladies Don’t Play Fighting Games is doing something more specific: it puts a real, living competitive game at the centre of the story and trusts the audience to engage with it. For Singapore FGC fans and SF6 players in particular, this is the rare anime where knowing the game makes the viewing experience richer. Premieres on Crunchyroll from 7 July.

Manga Anime, News

Crunchyroll’s Full Summer 2026 Anime Lineup: 50+ Shows for Singapore Fans

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Crunchyroll has officially revealed its Summer 2026 anime season simulcast calendar, and it is packed. The platform is bringing over 50 new and continuing titles to Singapore starting 24 June 2026, with new premieres rolling out nearly every day through August. Whether you are into dark fantasy action, isekai, mecha strategy, or romance, there is something in this lineup for you.

2026 Summer Anime Season Trailer — via Crunchyroll on YouTube

The Biggest New Debuts in Crunchyroll Summer 2026

The headline new arrival this season is BLACK TORCH, premiering on 4 July. Based on the manga by Tsuyoshi Takaki, the series follows reluctant shinobi Jiro and the mononoke cat Rago — a dark urban-fantasy collision between the human and spirit worlds, animated by 100studio. Opening theme “Freeze Me Up” is performed by SiM. It is streaming exclusively on Crunchyroll.

BLACK TORCH key visual — anime premiering July 4, 2026 on Crunchyroll
Image courtesy of Black Torch Anime / VIZ Media

Also debuting in early July:

  • KAIJU GIRL CARAMELISE (2 July, LIDENFILMS) — high-school girl transforms into a kaiju whenever her emotions spike. Thai dub included.
  • Skeleton Knight in Another World Season 2 (4 July, Aura Studio) — Arc returns in the fan-favourite isekai sequel.
  • Hana-Kimi Season 2 (1 July, Signal.MD) — two-episode premiere of the cross-dressing high-school romance.
  • Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha EXCEEDS Gun Blaze Vengeance (4 July, Seven Arcs) — a new chapter in the long-running Nanoha franchise.
  • Goodbye, Lara (5 July, Kinema Citrus, Crunchyroll exclusive) — a mermaid princess reawakens in Lake Biwa with one last chance at true love.

Big Returns and Sequels Worth Your Watch Time

Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation Season 3 drops on 5 July — we have already covered it separately and it is the season’s most-anticipated return, exclusively on Crunchyroll with a Thai dub. Following closely:

  • You and I Are Polar Opposites Season 2 (5 July) — the high-school opposites-attract romance continues, with Thai dub.
  • Clevatess Season 2 (8 July, Lay-duce) — the dark fantasy about a lord of beasts and an unlikely orphan returns.
  • Tomb Raider King (8 July, STUDIO EEK) — when divine relics suddenly erupt worldwide, a betrayed raider gets a second chance armed with foreknowledge.
  • Saga of Tanya the Evil Season 2 (8 July, NUT) — Tanya heads back to the front line, with an English dub alongside Latin American Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese, German, and French options.
  • Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World- Season 4 Part 2 (12 August, WHITE FOX) — Subaru’s crew heads to the Pleiades Watchtower, with Thai and Bahasa Indonesian dubs. We covered this one too.

Spring 2026 Series Continuing Through Summer

Several fan-favourites carry over from the spring slate and keep running all season:

  • ONE PIECE – Elbaph Arc Part 2 (Toei Animation) — new episodes Sundays
  • That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime Season 4 (8bit) — Fridays
  • Daemons of the Shadow Realm (bones film) — Saturdays
  • Welcome to Demon School! Iruma-kun Season 4 (Bandai Namco Pictures) — Saturdays
  • LIAR GAME (MADHOUSE) — Mondays
  • Ascendance of a Bookworm: Adopted Daughter of an Archduke (WIT Studio) — Saturdays
  • The Drops of God (Satelight) — Fridays
  • RILAKKUMA (Production I.G) — Fridays

When Does Summer 2026 Anime Start on Crunchyroll in Singapore?

The season opens with Heroine? Saint? No, I’m an All-Works Maid (And Proud of It)! on 24 June. New titles then roll out daily through early July, with the main rush hitting on the weekend of 4–5 July. For Singapore fans, Crunchyroll simulcasts run subtitles-first in line with Japan broadcast times; dub premiere dates will be announced separately. Note that availability may vary by region for a small number of titles — check the Crunchyroll app for your local catalogue.

The full schedule runs from Crunchyroll’s official summer 2026 page, which lists every simulcast premiere date and dub language available.

Last Words

It has been a big June for anime announcements, and Crunchyroll’s Summer 2026 calendar is the clearest picture yet of what Singapore fans can look forward to from now through August. BLACK TORCH and KAIJU GIRL CARAMELISE are the two new debuts we are watching most closely, while the return of Mushoku Tensei, Skeleton Knight, and the ongoing One Piece Elbaph arc should keep watchlists full. Bookmark the GameTrader Manga & Anime section as we cover each major premiere closer to air date.