Tag Archives: Summer Anime

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.

Manga Anime, News

Though I Am an Inept Villainess Arrives on Netflix Singapore on 12 July

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Good news for Singapore Netflix subscribers who love palace intrigue. Though I Am an Inept Villainess (ふつつかな悪女ではございますが ～雛宮蝶鼠とりかえ伝～) is landing on Netflix Singapore on 12 July 2026, with Toho Entertainment Asia today confirming the series as part of their Asian streaming lineup. It is a body-swap palace drama from Doga Kobo that has quietly become one of the Summer 2026 anime season’s most-anticipated titles.

Though I Am an Inept Villainess | Main Trailer [ENG SUB] | Premieres July 12, 2026 — via TOHO animation on YouTube

The Story: Two Court Rivals, One Body Swap

Based on Satsuki Nakamura’s light novel — a series that has sold over 3 million copies and won the grand prize in the light novel category at NTT Solmare’s 2023 competition — the story is set in a royal training institution steeped in court politics and rivalry. Kou Reirin is the court butterfly: beautiful, kind, and adored by all. Her counterpart Shu Keigetsu is the envious court rat who uses magic to swap their bodies. What unfolds is a story of crossed identities, unexpected empathy, and palace scheming told from two very different points of view.

Though I Am an Inept Villainess anime key visual featuring Kou Reirin and Shu Keigetsu
Image courtesy of Toho Entertainment

Production: Doga Kobo, a Veteran Director, and milet on the Theme

The anime is directed by Mitsue Yamazaki at Doga Kobo — the studio known for delivering polished character-driven productions — with character design by Ai Kikuchi. The voice cast features Manaka Iwami as Kou Reirin, Natsumi Kawaida as Shu Keigetsu, and Makoto Furukawa as Ei Gyomei.

One extra pull for Singapore fans: the opening theme, Sunny, is performed by milet — the Japanese singer-songwriter whose work on Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba built a devoted following across Southeast Asia. It is the kind of casting that signals the production is aiming for mainstream reach beyond the usual light-novel fanbase.

Where Singapore Fans Can Watch

The series premieres on Netflix Singapore on 12 July 2026 as part of Toho Entertainment Asia’s regional release. Viewers in North America, Europe, and most other Western markets will find the series on Crunchyroll instead. The anime was originally slated for April 2026 before a production delay pushed it to its current summer slot.

Last Words

With Doga Kobo behind the production, a 3-million-copy light novel as source material, and milet on the opening credits, Though I Am an Inept Villainess looks like a well-packaged summer pick for Singapore Netflix subscribers who enjoy fantasy romance with a political edge. Block out 12 July, and check our anime coverage for more Summer 2026 season roundups.

News

Grand Blue Dreaming Season 3 Arrives 6 July — Official Main PV Drops Today

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The lazy, dive-mad degenerates are back — and this time they’re getting on a plane. Grand Blue Dreaming Season 3 has a confirmed premiere date of 6 July 2026, and the official main PV from the NBCUniversal Anime/Music channel dropped today with the full ending theme reveal.

TVアニメ「ぐらんぶる」Season 3 本PV — via NBCUniversal Anime/Music on YouTube

Official Main PV — Ending Theme Revealed

The new PV is the first proper full-cut trailer for Season 3, and it confirms what fans have been waiting to hear: the ending theme is “Hadaka no Mermaid” (裸のマーメイド) performed by MAMESHiBA NO TAiGUN, with comedy legend and actor Kuro-chan on production duties. The song suits the summer beach-trip energy perfectly.

The opening theme “Natsuko” by FUNKY MONKEY BΛBY’S — first announced on 24 May — is also previewed in the new PV, and it hits exactly the same nostalgic summer-pop note you’d want from a show about college students living in swim trunks.

Grand Blue Dreaming Season 3 key visual featuring Iori, Kohei and the gang
Image courtesy of Grand Blue Dreaming / Kodansha

The Gang Goes to Palau

Season 3 takes Iori Kitahara and company overseas for the first time in the series — the story is set in Palau, the Pacific island nation famous for its crystal-clear diving waters and marine biodiversity. It’s a huge change of scenery from the Izu Coast, and the PV leans hard into the tropical vibe: turquoise water, sunlit reefs, and the gang looking adequately underprepared for international travel.

Production continues at studios ZERO-G and Liber under returning director Shinji Takamatsu, with character design by Hideoki Kusama and music by Yukari Hashimoto. The creative core from Seasons 1 and 2 is intact, which should reassure fans who loved the show’s comedic rhythm.

Cast: Old Faces and New

The returning core is all present: Yuma Uchida as Iori, Ryohei Kimura as Kohei, and Chika Anzai as Chisa. New to Season 3 are some strong additions — Sayaka Ohara (the great Erza Scarlet, Beatrice from Re:ZERO) plays Sayaka Kotegawa, Asami Seto voices the Chief of the Palau dive shop Dolphin, Aya Suzaki voices Maki, and M·A·O (Iris from Fire Force) joins as Carina.

Advance Screening and Broadcast Schedule

Before the TV premiere, an advance screening of Episode 1 will be held on 19 June 2026 at 6:00 PM JST at Shinjuku Baltic 9 in Tokyo. The regular broadcast begins 6 July 2026 on TOKYO MX and BS11, airing Mondays at 24:00 JST (which is technically 12:00 AM Tuesday morning in Japan).

Where to Watch in Singapore

Crunchyroll carried both Season 1 (2018) and Season 2 (2025) for Singapore and Southeast Asia, and while Crunchyroll SEA streaming for Season 3 has not been officially confirmed at time of writing, it would be a significant surprise if they didn’t simulcast it given the track record. Keep an eye on the News section — we’ll update when streaming details land.

Last words

Grand Blue Dreaming occupies a rare spot in the anime world: it’s a pure comedy that gets genuinely funnier with each rewatch, and the manga — over 10 million copies worldwide — has been building toward the Palau arc for years. For Singapore fans who’ve followed the series on Crunchyroll, July 6 is a date to mark. The main PV is out now on YouTube if you want to experience the Palau colours yourself before the season kicks off.

Manga Anime, News

Summer 2026 Anime: Your Singapore Streaming Guide

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The summer 2026 anime season is looking unreasonably stacked. Ghost in the Shell gets a manga-faithful reboot by Science SARU, Bleach finally closes the book on the Thousand-Year Blood War, and — yes — there is now an official Sekiro anime dropping on Crunchyroll in September. With shows spread across Crunchyroll, Netflix, Prime Video and Disney+, Singapore fans have no excuse for an empty watchlist this July.

Sekiro: No Defeat | Official Trailer 2 | Crunchyroll — via Crunchyroll on YouTube

Sekiro Gets the Anime Treatment — Exclusively on Crunchyroll

FromSoftware’s 2019 action masterpiece Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is making its first leap into animation. Titled Sekiro: No Defeat, the series is fully hand-drawn 2D by Studio Qzil.la, directed by Kenichi Kutsuna with a screenplay by Takuya Sato and character designs by Takahiro Kishida. The production was developed in close collaboration with FromSoftware, adapting one of the game’s branching narrative paths into a single definitive storyline — so expect Wolf’s story to feel personal and complete rather than a loose game recap.

The anime premieres on 4 September 2026 exclusively on Crunchyroll worldwide (excluding Japan, China, Korea, Russia and Belarus), the same day Japan gets a limited theatrical run. Crunchyroll is fully available in Singapore. This is the first FromSoftware IP ever adapted to another on-screen medium, so it is kind of a big deal.

Ghost in the Shell Goes Back to the Manga — Prime Video, 7 July

The Ghost in the Shell 2026 anime by Science SARU — key visual showing Major Motoko Kusanagi
Image courtesy of Science SARU / Amazon Prime Video

Science SARU — the studio behind Dandadan, Devilman Crybaby and Scott Pilgrim Takes Off — is taking on Masamune Shirow’s original Ghost in the Shell manga. Directed by Mokochan (assistant director on Dan Da Dan) with scripts by EnJoe Toh, it is being billed as the most faithful adaptation of the source material the franchise has ever had, leaning into the manga’s goofier, more eccentric Kusanagi rather than the stoic icon of the 1995 film.

Before the global debut, the first two episodes will world-premiere at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival in June. The full series launches on Prime Video on 7 July 2026. Amazon Prime Video is available in Singapore.

Bleach Ends — For Real This Time — Disney+, July

Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War – The Calamity key visual for the final season
Image courtesy of Pierrot / VIZ Media

Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War – The Calamity is the fourth and final cour, completing one of the “Big Three” shonen’s long-awaited animated finale. North American fans get a theatrical preview window — the first three episodes screen in select US cinemas from 25–29 June — before the full season hits streaming in July. For Singapore fans, Disney+ carries the TYBW series; check the Disney+ SG library for local availability and episode schedule.

The Rest of the Summer Watchlist

If three landmark shows were not enough, the rest of the summer 2026 slate is equally strong. Highlights:

  • Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation Season 3 (Studio Bind) — Crunchyroll, 6 July. The acclaimed isekai continues Rudeus Greyrat’s emotional arc.
  • Sparks of Tomorrow (Kyoto Animation) — Netflix, 5 July. KyoAni’s brand-new steampunk original set in an alternate Japan where electricity was never discovered. KyoAni originals are always an event.
  • Goodbye, Lara (Kinema Citrus) — Crunchyroll, 5 July. A fantasy reimagining of The Little Mermaid with a Ghibli-esque visual style from the Made in Abyss studio.
  • Young Ladies Don’t Play Fighting Games (Diomedéa / Capcom) — Crunchyroll, 7 July. A Capcom collaboration that features actual Street Fighter 6 gameplay footage woven into the anime — tailor-made for GameTrader readers who just watched SF6’s Tifa DLC reveal last week.
  • Baki-Dou: The Invincible Samurai — Netflix, 18 June. Already here — the JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure of fighting anime returns with Musashi Miyamoto as the new challenger.
  • One Piece: Heroines (Toei Animation) — TBA, July. A spinoff focusing on Robin and Nami.

Your Summer 2026 SG Streaming Cheatsheet

Anime Platform (SG) Date
Baki-Dou: The Invincible Samurai Netflix 18 Jun
Goodbye, Lara Crunchyroll 5 Jul
Sparks of Tomorrow (KyoAni) Netflix 5 Jul
Mushoku Tensei Season 3 Crunchyroll 6 Jul
Ghost in the Shell (Science SARU) Prime Video 7 Jul
Young Ladies Don’t Play Fighting Games Crunchyroll 7 Jul
One Piece: Heroines TBA Jul
Bleach: TYBW – The Calamity Disney+ Jul
Sekiro: No Defeat Crunchyroll 4 Sep

All four platforms — Crunchyroll, Netflix, Prime Video and Disney+ — are available in Singapore. Streaming rights can vary by region; verify local libraries before subscribing.

Last words

Between a manga-accurate Ghost in the Shell cyberpunk noir, a hand-drawn Sengoku-era Sekiro odyssey and the long-awaited final swing of Ichigo’s Zanpakuto, Singapore anime fans are going to need to clear some calendar space from July onward. Keep it locked on GameTrader’s anime coverage for first-episode impressions and anything else worth talking about this summer.