Katsuhiro Harada launched VS Studio under SNK. Shinji Mikami's Unbound was absorbed by Korea's SHIFT UP. Daisuke Taka burned through his savings to go solo. As Japan's most celebrated game creators strike out on their own, the capital keeping them afloat is overwhelmingly Saudi and Korean. Here's why Japan's own giants can't fund their stars, and why foreign money can.
New York-trained Japanese soul singer Nao Yoshioka releases her new album 'self' on July 17, with 13 artists from across the global soul scene, including Philadelphia legend Bilal. A world tour follows in October, with four Japan dates. Here is her journey from the Apollo Theater stage to the world, and a look at the Japanese soul scene most listeners abroad have never heard about.
Mitsui Fudosan, Canada's Moment Factory, and The Pokémon Company International unveil a touring immersive experience that casts visitors as real Pokémon Trainers, debuting in Europe in spring 2027. Here's how it differs from Pokémon Centers and PokéPark, why it starts in Europe, and what fans hope for.
Japanese Unreal Engine studio Historia has unveiled REAL MOON Studio, a lunar digital twin recreating a 240km by 240km stretch of the Moon's south pole. Built on joint research with JAXA, it lets engineers rehearse rover routes, preview camera shots, and plan lunar bases - a look at how game-engine technology is quietly joining the global Moon race.
REGZA's spring 2026 anime ranking, built from 620,000 Japanese TVs, puts That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime Season 4 at No. 1. We break down how this completion-based viewing data works and why it clashes so sharply with overseas fan polls.
BABYMETAL will headline Germany's Impericon Festival in Leipzig on June 26, 2026. We look at why a one-hour set matters, the band's tracks in Forza Horizon 6, and how far they have climbed in the European metal scene.
M2, the studio beloved by retro shoot 'em up fans, has cancelled Ubusuna, a shmup it spent 12 years building. The reason: the departure of Hiroshi Iuchi, the creator of Ikaruga and Radiant Silvergun. Here is what the cancellation means, and what it says about Japan's shrinking shmup scene.
Takara Tomy's Licca-chan is back in the US after 40-plus years. We unpack why it lost to Barbie as LISA in 1980, why the rival is now Labubu's kidult collectible market, and whether the anime-led comeback can work.
A full rundown of the Crunchyroll Anime Awards 2026 winners. My Hero Academia FINAL SEASON took Anime of the Year over Dandadan, the most-nominated title of the night. Here is how Japanese fans reacted to a result they call both fair and surprising.
Summer 2025's dark horse Takopi's Original Sin is getting a theatrical film, -Thank You, See You Tomorrow-, re-editing all six episodes with new scenes. Here is what the teaser shows, why the story hit so hard, and how overseas fans can watch on Crunchyroll and beyond.
In a new Billboard JAPAN interview, sailor-uniformed quartet ATARASHII GAKKO! reflect on entering their 11th year. We unpack their 'hamidashi' philosophy, how they perform for crowds who don't speak Japanese, and the 12-year bond between four members — from their 88rising debut to Coachella and beyond.
