Director Naoki Hamaguchi told AUTOMATON why Cloud's hair goes rough on Switch 2: each strand switches on and off at the pixel level every frame, designed to be averaged by TAA, which DLSS reconstructs badly. The FF7 Rebirth port, out June 3, 2026, adds a light blur weighted by strand flow and density.
PokeMiku, the Pokémon x Hatsune Miku collaboration, released "Crossroad" by kz and TAKU INOUE on Miku Day, March 9, 2026, with three Nijisanji VTubers on the chorus. Eleven days later, VOLTAGE Live! ran six shows at LaLa arena TOKYO-BAY, drew more than 50,000 people, and performed all 27 originals with a live band.
A player zoomed a sniper scope onto a BSAA laptop in Resident Evil Requiem and found a hidden URL, NEWDAWN-capcom.com. Typing it in leads to a Gabe Newell fan page: per IGN, a third party registered the domain on March 9, 2026, the same day the discovery went public. We look at the "New Dawn" codename theory, the Porsche Leon cannot shoot, a 28-year-old typo, and what Capcom has shipped since.
The third Frieren character poll closed with 12,700,122 votes and Genau, a first-class mage, taking first place, ending Himmel's two-poll streak. The Mimic, entry number 140, finished 21st, but 6th once votes were capped at one per person. "The Bone She Bought" made the top ten and is getting merchandise.
Dorohedoro Season 2's main PV revealed the Cross-Eyes voice cast: Koki Uchiyama as Dokuga, Daiki Hamano as Tetsujo, plus four more. (K)NoW_NAME returned for the themes, streaming ran April 1 to May 27, and Season 3 is confirmed.
Re:Zero Season 4's second key visual has dropped, with 19 episodes set to air from April 2026. But while Japanese fans voice fatigue after Season 3's divisive reception, overseas fans are calling Arc 6 the series' masterpiece. Why is there such a stark enthusiasm gap between domestic and international audiences? We explore what Japanese anime fans really want now.
April 2026 saw Slime season 4 (five cours), Re:Zero season 4, Classroom of the Elite season 4, Witch Hat Atelier, and One Piece's Elbaf arc all launch at once. Slime held the top on viewership, but the satisfaction rankings went to Yomi no Tsugai, which nobody saw coming. A look back at the haken race, with lessons from Chainsaw Man and The Promised Neverland season 2.
ARASHI's first new song in 5 years and 5 months, "Five," achieved 3.2 million streams on its release day—the highest first-day record in Oricon history, surpassing BTS. With lyrics echoing their debut single "A・RA・SHI," the track has fans in tears ahead of their farewell 5-dome tour. Here's why Japan's biggest idol group still commands record-breaking devotion.
Tokyo rock trio Mrs. GREEN APPLE made history by debuting at No. 13 on the IFPI Global Artist Chart 2025 — becoming the first Japanese act ever to break into the top 15. Their 10th-anniversary best album "10" also landed at No. 10 on the Global Album Chart, with over 1 million physical copies sold. Find out who they are and why the world is listening.
ONE PIECE manga has surpassed 600 million copies worldwide! Creator Eiichiro Oda has written down the secret of the One Piece treasure for the very first time and, with help from Japan's JAMSTEC ocean research agency, sealed it 651 meters beneath the sea. The answer will only be revealed when the manga ends. Here's everything you need to know about this extraordinary event.
Japan's foreign driver's license conversion test got dramatically harder in October 2025. With questions jumping from 10 to 50, mandatory resident registration, and tourists barred from applying, pass rates have plummeted from 90% to 40%. Here's what changed, why, and how it compares to other countries' systems.
Ado drops her first-ever live-action music video, revealing her face for the first time — and Japan can't stop talking about it. Here's everything international fans need to know about her autobiographical novel "Vivarium," the Billboard JAPAN interview, and what it all means for the anonymous singer who conquered 33 cities worldwide.
XG has announced that their 2nd world tour "XG WORLD TOUR: THE CORE" will continue as scheduled despite the arrest of producer JAKOPS (SIMON). After careful deliberation, the seven members are moving forward with remaining Japan shows in March and April, plus upcoming legs in Asia, North America, Europe, Australia, and Latin America. Here's the full breakdown of tour dates, ticket refund info, and how fans worldwide are rallying behind XG.
16-time Grammy winner Bruno Mars opens the world's only collaboration cafe at SHIBUYA TSUTAYA in Tokyo, celebrating his first solo album in a decade, 'The Romantic.' Featuring album-inspired drinks, exclusive merch, and immersive decor, this limited-time cafe is a must-visit for fans and tourists alike — and a testament to Bruno's deep love for Japan.
YOASOBI will make history as the first-ever J-Pop artist to perform at OSHEAGA in Montreal, Canada. Following appearances at Coachella and Lollapalooza, this marks their Canadian live debut. Full details on the festival lineup, ticket info, and J-Pop's expanding global footprint.
Born from an April Fools' joke in 2008, virtual singer Kasane Teto now boasts 150M+ YouTube views on hit songs. Her long-awaited best compilation album '0401 - The Best Days of Kasane Teto 2026' and the inaugural DJ event TETO SONIC 2026 at Shibuya WOMB mark a new chapter for the eternal 31-year-old icon of Japan's Vocaloid culture.
TK from Ling tosite sigure has announced his first-ever North American tour "ISO×0 NORTH AMERICA" across 6 cities in May-June 2026. With "unravel" — the Tokyo Ghoul OP — nearing 400 million Spotify streams, this landmark tour celebrates 15 years of solo artistry. Full dates, ticket info, and fan reactions from Japan and beyond.
A brand-new Evangelion series was announced at the franchise's 30th anniversary festival. NieR: Automata creator Yoko Taro will handle series composition and screenplay, with NieR composer Keiichi Okabe on music — the "NieR team" joining Eva has stunned fans worldwide. Directed by Kazuya Tsurumaki and Toko Yatabe, produced by Studio Khara × CloverWorks. Following the $700M finale of Shin Evangelion, this unexpected crossover of gaming and anime talent has set Japanese social media ablaze with excitement.
NieR:Automata has surpassed 10 million copies in worldwide shipments and downloads. During the 9th anniversary livestream on February 20, 2026, a commemorative video ended with the tantalizing words "to be continued," sparking massive speculation about what's next. Here's everything announced, from developer comments to new collab merchandise.
Ado — the anonymous Japanese singer who conquered the world without showing her face — has released "Vivarium," a self-written and self-composed song, alongside her autobiography. For the first time ever, her single cover features a real photograph of herself. From her closet recording days to global arena tours, this marks the biggest turning point in the 23-year-old's career.