Kenshi Yonezu's 'Peace Sign'—the My Hero Academia Season 2 opening theme—was certified Gold by the RIAA in May 2026. Following 'KICK BACK' (Gold + Platinum), this is his third RIAA certification, making him the only artist ever to receive three certifications for Japanese-language songs. We unpack the milestone, its overlap with MHA's 10th anniversary, and the 2025 JUNK world tour that drew 440,000 fans.
Japan's Coast Guard has released free Minecraft world data recreating Japan's surrounding seafloor — including the 10,920m Challenger Deep in the Mariana Trench. Released for Marine Safety Day on May 12, 2026, the world is available for both Java and Bedrock editions.
SEGA Sammy officially confirmed the cancellation of its 'Super Game' initiative in its FY2026 earnings, ending a 5-year plan to build a live-service mega-title aimed at 100 billion yen in lifetime sales. We break down why Sonic Rumble Party underperformed, why Rovio took another impairment hit, how 100+ developers were shifted to mainstay IP full games like Like a Dragon and Sonic, and how this fits the broader collapse of the GaaS gold rush following Concord, Suicide Squad, and Sony's own cancellations.
YOASOBI's debut song "Yoru ni Kakeru" (Into the Night) has crossed 1.3 billion cumulative streams on Billboard JAPAN — the first Japanese song ever to hit that mark. Released in December 2019 and based on a Japanese short novel, the track has now outlasted hits, sequels, and even the duo's own anime megahits. As YOASOBI heads into their biggest-ever North American tour, here's why this song refuses to fade.
Creepy Nuts will join The Weeknd's record-breaking After Hours Til Dawn Stadium Tour as special guests across five Asian dates, starting September 20 at Japan's Belluna Dome. The tour has grossed over $1 billion globally — the highest-grossing tour ever by a male solo artist — and this is the Japanese hip-hop duo's biggest international stage to date.
Mamoru Oshii's new Armored Trooper VOTOMS film Die Graue Hexe will be a two-part theatrical release, with Part 1 opening November 20, 2026. Original creator Ryosuke Takahashi serves as supervisor, with music by longtime Oshii collaborator Kenji Kawai, and a powerhouse Sunrise x Production I.G production team behind it.
SEGA Sammy Holdings reported its FY2026 results: record revenue of 487.5 billion yen ($3.1B, +13.7％ YoY) was wiped out by 58.8 billion yen in special losses tied to Rovio Entertainment (Angry Birds) and Stakelogic, producing the company's first net loss in 11 years. We unpack the impairment, the international community's skepticism about the 776 million-dollar Rovio acquisition, the deprioritization of F2P, the redeployment of 100＋ developers onto full-game projects, and SEGA's bet on four new mainstay-IP titles ahead of Sonic's 35th anniversary.
On May 11, 2026, Kyoto Animation announced an anime film adaptation of John Tarachine's manga The Credits Roll into the Sea. Slated for 2027 with Violet Evergarden's Taichi Ishidate directing, the film follows 65-year-old Umiko Chino as she enrolls in film school after meeting a young art student. We break down what this means for international fans — including the English manga release schedule and likely streaming paths.
The 50th Kodansha Manga Award has announced its 2026 winners: Gachiakuta in the shonen category, Darwin's Incident in the general category, and Shini-Pro in the shojo category. Two of the three are already global anime hits — here's a guide for international readers, including English release status and where to stream.
Bandai is reviving two iconic transformation items from 60 years of Ultraman history. The Beta Capsule from the original 1966 series and the Spark Lence from 1996's Ultraman Tiga return on September 19, 2026, in commemorative SUPER BEST packaging. The release comes as Ultraman's global profile soars, fueled by Netflix's 2024 hit Ultraman: Rising and TAMASHII NATIONS' expanding US presence.
After 32 years, Masami Yūki returns to draw a brand-new Patlabor one-shot titled Mobile Police Patlabor 2026, published in Weekly Spirits #25. As the real world catches up to the manga's once-near-future setting, we look at why overseas mecha fans care, the link to the new Patlabor EZY anime, and where to watch the franchise abroad.
