Hong Kong hedge fund Oasis Management has raised its KADOKAWA stake to 10%, matching Sony as a top shareholder. With Oasis also targeting Nidec over accounting fraud and ValueAct boosting its MoneyForward stake to 14.39%, activist investing in Japan is surging. We analyze the forces driving this wave and what it means for investors.
In 2026, Fujii Kaze and Creepy Nuts play Coachella, YOASOBI and Ado join Lollapalooza, and the first-ever Zipangu festival in LA showcases Ado, HANA, CHANMINA, and 10-FEET. A deep dive into how Japanese music is making its biggest mark yet on the American festival scene.
Indie studio GAZE IN GAMES' cat rescue simulator 'Cat Parents' surpassed 100,000 Steam wishlists in just 3 days after its announcement. We explore the global boom in cozy cat games and how Japan's deep cat culture connects to this viral phenomenon.
Japan-born global group XG will perform at 88rising's Head in the Clouds 2026 festival on August 8 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, on a bill headlined by KATSEYE. The lineup includes Rich Brian, UMI, and more. We cover ticket details, 88rising's role in elevating Asian artists, and the festival's first-ever Japan edition at Makuhari Messe.
The TV anime Frieren: Beyond Journey's End teams up with Universal Studios Japan for the first time. The ultra-immersive Story Walk attraction recreates Frieren's staff and Himmel's statue, running May 30, 2026 through January 11, 2027. A Story Ride and themed restaurant are also confirmed.
Sony has removed approximately 700 game listings from NOSTRA GAMES on the PlayStation Store, targeting low-quality titles that relied heavily on AI-generated assets and mimicked popular games. This latest purge follows similar actions earlier in 2026, signaling Sony's intensifying crackdown on shovelware flooding its digital storefront.
Bloomberg reports Nintendo is cutting Switch 2 production from 6M to 4M units this quarter after weak US holiday sales. We analyze the gap between booming Japanese software sales and slowing American demand, plus the semiconductor and tariff headwinds reshaping gaming's supply chain.
KAT-TUN surprise-released all 312 songs on streaming platforms on their 20th debut anniversary, March 22, 2026. From 'Real Face' to their final album 'Fantasia,' every single and album is now available worldwide — a major milestone in the former Johnny's (STARTO) streaming revolution.
Hong Kong hedge fund Oasis Management has acquired an 8.86% stake in KADOKAWA, parent company of Elden Ring developer FromSoftware, for approximately $265 million. We break down what this activist investor's entry means for the gaming industry, the Sony partnership, and Japanese entertainment M&A trends.
Dengeki Online's pre-broadcast popularity poll for Spring 2026 anime is out. From roughly 80 titles, the Top 10 features Re:Zero Season 4 at #1, Classroom of the Elite 4th Season at #2, and exciting newcomers including Ice Castle Wall, Witch Hat Atelier, and Daemons of the Shadow Realm. Full streaming platform guide included.
Street Fighter 6's Alex DLC revealed his marriage to Patricia, sparking massive backlash from Western fans who see it as an incestuous relationship. The controversy stems largely from translating Japanese 'sodate no oya' (a person who raised you) as 'adoptive father,' making Patricia his legal sister in English. Meanwhile, Japanese fans largely celebrate the union. We break down the cultural gap behind the divide.