Tokyo-based Minyo Crusaders' third album 'From Japan with Love' arrives June 26, and remarkably, North American release comes via the legendary Blue Note Records. Featuring guest vocalists Chitose Hajime, Saya Asakura, and Colombia's Frente Cumbiero, the album reimagines Japanese folk songs through cumbia, Afrobeat, and salsa. Here's why the world is finally discovering Japan's roots music.
Toei, the studio behind Dragon Ball and Sailor Moon, just announced the first 3 games from its new publishing label Toei Games: KILLA, HINO, and DEBUG NEPHEMEE. All are original indie titles, not legacy IP. Here's a deep dive into why Japan's film giants are betting on fresh creators.
PS5 exclusive SAROS launches April 30. In a Japan-exclusive Game*Spark interview, Housemarque's Gregory Louden (Creative Director) and Matti Häkli (Associate Design Director) discuss their 'gameplay first' philosophy, how DualSense haptics convey the weight of the eclipse, and why they designed protagonist Arjun Devraj as a flawed, imperfect human, not a hero.
SEGA launched SEGA UNIVERSE on April 24, 2026, a new project dedicated to reviving its legacy IPs. SEGA's official "2026 Selected" names nine anniversary titles; this piece focuses on OutRun (40th), Streets of Rage (35th), NiGHTS into dreams... (30th), and Sakura Wars (30th). Concept: NO OLD, STAY GOLD.
On April 25, 1986, a forgotten debug shortcut hidden inside NES Gradius quietly became the most famous cheat code in video game history. Forty years later, Konami is celebrating the Konami Code with a special site, 98 remastered tracks across 6 retro titles, commemorative T-shirts, and crossover manga. Here's how Kazuhisa Hashimoto's accidental legacy went from Contra's 30-lives lifeline to a global pop-culture touchstone referenced by Wreck-It Ralph, Family Guy, Facebook, and Juice WRLD.
ZETA DIVISION's longtime VALORANT analyst gya9 gives his first major interview to eSports World, revealing how a LINE data scientist took an esports side gig that grew into a 5.5-year career behind Japan's historic Reykjavík 2022 bronze run. A deep look at the invisible role that powers competitive VALORANT, written for international fans who only see the players.
TOBE founder Hideaki Takizawa hinted that 'just one more piece' is needed before a major Number_i announcement after their May Sapporo show. We trace the trio's recent moves since signing with WME and unpack what the missing piece could realistically be.
The 8.5-million-copy biblio-mystery series Biblia Koshodou no Jiken Techou finally gets a TV anime for 2027, produced by CloverWorks with director Mamoru Kanbe (Elfen Lied). Nearly a decade after an anime film was announced but never materialized, fans' long wait is over. Teaser PV and main cast revealed.
Principal photography on A24's Elden Ring movie has begun in London this week. The production has taken over the historic Greenwich Naval College to recreate the game's Royal Capital Leyndell, with leaked set photos showing medieval market scenes, armored soldiers, and dry-ice atmosphere. Additional shoots are planned in Scotland and Iceland. Budget reportedly well over $100M, A24's most ambitious project ever with ~100 days of principal photography.
Ahead of the April 24 Japan release, Shigeru Miyamoto made a surprise appearance at the Super Mario Galaxy Movie Japanese premiere. With $700M global box office and three straight weeks at #1 in North America, Miyamoto joined Mamoru Miyano and the Japanese dub cast on stage. Plus: the long-running fan joke that Nintendo bans Miyamoto from discussing his hobbies because they become the next game.
Kunio Okawara, the legendary mechanical designer who created Gundam's Mobile Suits, will design Seibu Railway's new tourist limited express debuting in 2028. Running from Shinjuku to Kawagoe, aka 'Little Edo', the train pairs Japanese anime heritage with access to Edo-period streetscapes and the scenic Chichibu region.
