The Elusive Samurai Season 2 Reveals New Trailer and Key Visual

By
Douglas
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The Elusive Samurai

During AnimeJapan2026, Aniplex released a new trailer and key visual for the highly anticipated second season of The Elusive Samurai, which airs in July 2026. Aniplex also revealed that the first season will begin a re-run on Fuji TV’s “Noitamina” block nationwide from April 17, every Friday at 11:30 p.m. JST.

©Yusei Matsui/​SHUEISHA, The Elusive Samurai Committee

The cast includes:

  • Asaki Yuikawa as Hojo Tokiyuki
  • Yūichi Nakamura as Suwa Yorishige
  • Hinaki Yano as Shizuku
  • Mari Hino as Kojirō
  • Sayumi Suzushiro as Ayako
  • Aoi Yūki as Kazama Genba
  • Kikunosuke Toya as Fubuki

The first season of The Elusive Samurai premiered in July 2024, and the anime is streaming now on Crunchyroll.

Assassination Classroom author Yasei Matsui launched The Elusive Samurai manga in Weekly Shonen Jump in January 2021. The manga series is still ongoing.

Here’s an overview of the first volume, via VIZ Media:

After the massacre of his family by the traitor Ashikaga Takauji, Tokiyuki flees with the help of a handful of loyal retainers who have also survived the purge. One of them is Suwa Yorishige, an ally of the Hojo clan and lord of Suwa Province. The slightly odd Yorishige also claims to be clairvoyant and foretells that Tokiyuki will one day become the ruler of Japan. But for the moment, escaping from enemy territory is the priority!

Hokuto no Ken -Fist of the North Star- Anime Reveals Opening Movie

By
Soul Kiwami
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Fist of the North Star opening movie

Warner Bros. Japan has released the creditless opening movie for the Hokuto no Ken -Fist of the North Star- anime, which is getting a double-episode premiere on April 10 at 1:00 a.m. JST (effectively April 11). The opening movie of Hokuto no Ken -Fist of the North Star- features the opening theme song “Hallelujah” by Alexandros.

The third and four episodes of Hokuto no Ken -Fist of the North Star- will premiere on April 17, and the anime will be streaming worldwide on Amazon Prime Video.

Hiroshi Maeda directs the Hokuto no Ken -Fist of the North Star- anime at TMS Entertainment, and Kazuma Ogasawara is the assistant director. Kazuhiko Inuka is in charge of the series scripts, and Naoki Hisatsune is the character designer. Kōji is the animation director, and Yūki Hayashi is the music composer. NIA Animation and Kishida Studio BACU are working on the production.

The cast includes:

  • Shunsuke Takeuchi as Kenshiro
  • Daiki Yamashita as Bat
  • M.A.O as Rin
  • Wataru Takagi as Jagi
  • Tsuguo Mogami as Toki
  • Taiten Kusunoki as Raoh
  • Kōji Yusa as Shin
  • Saori Hayami as Yuria
  • Yūichi Nakamura as Rei
  • Ruriko Aoki as Mamiya
Hokuto no Ken Fist of the North Star key visual
© 武論尊・原哲夫／コアミックス, 「北斗の拳」製作委員会

Buronson and Tetsuo Hara’s original Fist of the North Star manga was serialized from 1983 to 1988 in Shueisha’s Weekly Shonen Jump magazine. In 1984, a TV anime adaptation began and popularized the franchise.

Finally, the Fist of the North Star manga is available to purchase both physically and digitally at VIZ Media. Here’s an overview of the series:

One day, a wanderer appears out of the wasteland to bring justice to the guilty and hope to the people—a warrior named Ken, a man who bears seven scars upon his chest and holds the secret of a mysterious martial art known as Hokuto Shinken, the Divine Fist of the North Star!

SHIBOYUGI: Playing Death Games to Put Food on the Table ’44:CLOUDY BEACH’ Theatrical Anime Announced

By
Soul Kiwami
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SHIBOYUGI Playing Death Games to Put Food on the Table 44 Cloudy Beach anime

During AnimeJapan 2026, the staff of the anime adaptation of Yūshi Ukai and Nekometal’s SHIBOYUGI: Playing Death Games to Put Food on the Table light novel series confirmed that a new theatrical anime, subtitled 44:CLOUDY BEACH, will open on July 10 in theaters in Japan. The 44:CLOUDY BEACH anime sees Yuki take part in a “Cloudy Beach” game, continuing the death game shenanigans from SHIBOYUGI: Playing Death Games to Put Food on the Table. The anime will only be screening for two weeks. 

SHIBOYUGI Playing Death Games to Put Food on the Table 44 Cloudy Beach visual
©鵜飼有志・ねこめたる/KADOKAWA/「死亡遊戯で飯を食う。」製作委員会

SHIBOYUGI: Playing Death Games to Put Food on the Table is streaming on Crunchyroll with English subtitles and an English dub. Netflix is also streaming the anime. 

LIN from MADKID performs the opening theme song “¬Ersterbend” (Not Ersterbend).” Chiai Fujikawa performs the ending theme song “Inori (Prayer).” Fujikawa wrote the lyrics of the ending theme song, and the song was composed and arranged by Seima Kondō from Elements Garden.

The anime’s Japanese cast includes:

  • Chiyuki Miura as Yuki
  • Rena Motomura as Aoi
  • Inori Minase as Kinko
  • Haruka Satō as Kokutō
  • Mutsumi Tamura as Beniya
  • Rina Kawaguchi as Momono
  • Wakana Maruoka as Keito
  • Shion Wakayama as Kotoha
  • Rui Tanabe as Chie
  • Rio Tsuchiya as Mishiro

The English dub cast includes: 

  • Suzie Yeung as Yuki
  • Dawn M. Bennett as Hakushi
  • Michelle Marie as Kinko
  • Morgan Berry as Beniya
  • Kayli Mills as Momono
  • Brianna Knickerbocker as Aoi
  • Sky Santacruz as Kokuto

The English dub crew includes:

  • Voice Director: Alex von David
  • Producer: Eric P. Sherman
  • Mixer: Ben Harrington
  • Engineer: Jonathan Jay Brannen

Sōta Ueno directs the anime at Studio DEEN. Rintarou Ikeda is in charge of series composition. Eri Osada is designing the characters, and Noriyoshi Konuma is the sound director.

Additional staff members include:

  • Concept Art: hewa
  • Color Design: Imari Katsuragi
  • Art Director: Yoshihiro Nakamura
  • Director of Photography: Shinyo Kondō
  • Editing: Haruko Kikuchi
  • Sound Effects: Kaori Yamada
  • Music: Junichi Matsumoto
  • Music Production: Nippon Columbia

Yen Press publishes the light novel series in English and describes the story:

Yuuki wakes up to find herself wearing a maid’s uniform in a strange manor. After wandering into the dining room, she comes across five other girls, each in the exact same outfit. Soon, the girls learn that the manor is brimming with lethal weapons and an array of deadly traps…and that they can only escape by playing the most gruesome of games. As the terrifying truth sets in, each girl’s face goes pale—except Yuuki’s. Why? Because this isn’t her first go-round. That’s right—Yuuki is a professional death game player who lives off the prize money she collects from winning brutal killing competitions, and she’s not about to let this chance pass her by.

The Ogre’s Bride Anime Premieres in July 2026

By
Douglas
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The Ogre's Bride

During AnimeJapan 2026, the staff of the upcoming anime adaptation of Kureha’s The Ogre’s Bride (Oni no Hanayome) light novels announced that the anime will air in July 2026.

The cast members include:

  • Saori Hayami as Yuzu Shinonome
  • Yūichirō Umehara as Reiya Kiryuin
  • Momoka Terasawa as Sou
  • Miyu Kobashi as Ao
  • Manaka Iwami as Karin Shinonome
  • Ryōta Ōsaka as Yōta Kogetsu
  • Sayaka Senbongi as Tōko
  • Natsuki Hanae as Tōkichi Nekota

Kazuhito Ōmiya is directing the anime at Colored Pencil Animation Japan. Yumi Kamakura is handling the series composition, while Hikari Tanaka is designing the characters. Masaru Yokoyama is composing the music.

© クレハ・富樫じゅん・スターツ出版／「鬼の花嫁」製作委員会

Kureha first released the light novel series on Starts Publishing’s Novema! Platform in 2019. Jun Togashi launched the manga adaptation in December 2021 on Starts Publishing’s Noicomi magazine. Together, the light novel series and its manga adaptation have over 5.8 million copies in circulation.

Lastly, here’s an overview of the series via MyAnimeList:

“You’re the bride I’ve been searching for all this time.”

A Japanese-style ayakashi Cinderella story! The ayakashi and humans coexist in harmony. The ayakashi, having superior abilities and beautiful appearances, sometimes find their partner among human women, making them their “bride.” The bride, in exchange for bringing prosperity, receives absolute love from the ayakashi.

Yuzu is constantly compared to her sister, a bride of a demon fox, and is resented by her family every day. One day, when Yuzu just couldn’t take things anymore, a man appeared before her on a bridge. This man is the most beautiful man Yuzu has ever seen… and he’s calling her his wife?!

“Just be quiet and let me hold you.” The most powerful, “cold-hearted” ayakashi is pouring his heart out for Yuzu?!

Sentenced to Be a Hero Anime Continues in Season 2, New Game Announced

By
Soul Kiwami
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The staff of the TV anime adaptation of Rocket Shokai’s Sentenced to Be a Hero: The Prison Records of Penal Hero Unit 9004 light novel series confirmed that season 2 is in the works. In addition to Sentenced to Be a Hero Season 2, Kadokawa and VIC GAME STUDIOS have unveiled Sentenced to Be a Hero -Game of the GODDESS-, the anime’s first game adaptation. An international release outside Japan was seemingly confirmed by the game’s newly opened X (formerly Twitter) account. 

©2024 Rocket Shokai/KADOKAWA/Project Sentenced to Be a Hero

The Sentenced to Be a Hero anime is streaming on Crunchyroll.

SPYAIR performs the theme song “Kill the Noise.” 

The Japanese cast and staff for the anime include:

Japanese Cast

  • Yōhei Azakami as Xylo Forbartz
  • Mayu Iizuka as Teoritta
  • Shizuka Ishigami as Patausche Kivia
  • Shun Horie as Dotta Luzulas
  • Shunichi Toki as Venetim Leopool
  • Yōji Ueda as Noragalle Senridge
  • Yoshitsugu Matsuoka as Tatsuya
  • Jun Fukushima as Tsav
  • Shōya Chiba as Jayce
  • Yōko Hikasa as Neely
  • Yūichi Nakamura as Rhyno
  • Saori Ōnishi as Frenci Mastibolt

Staff

  • Director: Hiroyuki Takashima
  • Studio: Studio KAI
  • Assistant Director: Yoshitake Nakakōji
  • Scriptwriter: Kenta Ihara
  • Character Designer: Takeshi Noda
  • Music Composer: Shunsuke Takizawa
  • Worldbuilding: Nobutaka Ike
  • Prop Designer: Kouta Sugawa

Rocket Shokai’s hit novel series debuted in October 2020 on Kadokawa’s Kakuyomu site. Since then, Kadokawa publishes the series with illustrations by Mephisto.

Lastly, here’s an overview of the novel series, via publisher Yen Press:

Heroism—a punishment for only the worst criminals. Those sentenced to the fate of a hero are forced to fight at the front lines against the demon king’s army—and if they die, they can expect to be revived and continue the battle. But when their leader, convicted of killing a goddess, meets another goddess himself, the contract they forge may be enough to change the world…

Ascendance of a Bookworm: Adopted Daughter of an Archduke Anime Gets 2nd Promo Video

By
Soul Kiwami
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Ascendance of a Bookworm Adopted Daughter of an Archduke 2nd promo video

The staff of the Ascendance of a Bookworm: Adopted Daughter of an Archduke anime have released the second full promo video during AnimeJapan 2026. In addition to the promo video, a new video was released featuring two minutes from the first episode of Ascendance of a Bookworm: Adopted Daughter of an Archduke.

The Ascendance of a Bookworm: Adopted Daughter of an Archduke anime will premiere on April 4 and run for two consecutive cours.

Little Glee performs the opening theme song “Pages,” and Nogizaka46 member Erika Ikuta performs the anime’s ending theme song “Ima mo, Arigatō (Even Now, I Thank You).”

The cast includes: 

  • Yuka Iguchi as Rozemyne
  • Show Hayami as Ferdinand
  • Yukari Tamura as Georgine
  • Mami Koyama as Veronica
  • Minami Takayama as Forencia
  • Kazuhiro Yamaji as Bonifatius
  • Nao Tōyama as Angelica
  • Asami Seto as Brigitte
  • Katsumi Fukuhara as Zack

Yoshiaki Iwasaki, known for his work on Kowloon Generic Romance, is directing the new series at Wit Studio. Mariko Kunisawa returns to write the series scripts, and Aiko Minowa is the new character designer. MICHIRU returns to compose the music.

Other staff members include:

  • Color Design: Makiho Kondō
  • Art Setting: Seiki Tamura, Ayami Hidaka, Ikuko Tamine, Yifei Lyu
  • Art Director: Seiki Tamura
  • Compositing Director of Photography: Mayuko Koike
  • Editing: Jun’ichi Masunaga
  • Sound Director: Jun Watanabe (returning)
  • Sound Effects: Hiromune Kurahashi
  • Animation Producer: Keita Yoshinobu

Miya Kazuki released the Ascendance of a Bookworm novels from 2013 to 2017 on the Shōsetsuka ni Narō website. You Shiina illustrates the print edition. The main series concluded with its 33rd volume in December 2023, which has sold more than 11 million copies.

In October 2019, the light novel received its anime adaptation. The first season of the anime aired in 2019, followed by a second season in 2020, and a third season in 2022. Lastly, all three seasons are streaming on Crunchyroll. 

Blue Box Season 2 Teaser Reveals October 4 Premiere Date

By
Douglas
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Blue Box Season 2 anime

Slow Curve has revealed new teaser trailer and teaser visual for the second season for the anime adaptation of Kōji Miura’s Blue Box (Ao no Hako) manga. The teaser reveals a new cast member, new staff members, and the October 4 release date for Blue Box Season 2.

Blue Box Season 2 teaser visual
©三浦糀／集英社・「アオのハコ」製作委員会

The cast of the anime includes:

  • Shōya Chiba as Taiki Inomata
  • Reina Ueda as Chinatsu Kano
  • Akari Kitō as Hina Chono
  • Chiaki Kobayashi as Kyo Kasahara
  • Yūma Uchida as Kengo Haryū
  • Shōgo Sakata as Ryōsuke Nishida
  • Anna Nagase as Nagisa Funami
  • Asaki Yuikawa as niina Shimazaki
  • Yūki Ono as Shōta Hyōdō
  • Kenshō Ono as Shūji Yusa
  • Kana Ichinose as Ayame Moriya
  • Yoshino Aoyama as Yumeka Kido (new)

Daisuke Sakō takes over as director for the anime from first season director Yūichirō Yano, and Electric Circus is now animating the series instead of Telecom Animation Film. Anri Ishii takes over from Ōnoo Fujii as art director, and Yumika Okazaki takes over from Yoshihiro Kasahara as editor.

The Blue Box anime’s first season consisted of a total of 25 episodes split across two cours. Fans can watch the anime with English dubs and sub on Netflix.

The anime is based on the original manga by Kouji Miura. The manga began serialization in 2021, and it’s still ongoing. Here’s an overview of the manga, via Manga Plus:

Taiki Inomata is on the boys’ badminton team at sports powerhouse Eimei Junior and Senior High. He’s in love with basketball player Chinatsu Kano, the older girl he trains alongside every morning in the gym. One Spring day, their relationship takes a sharp turn … And thus begins this brand-new series of love, sports and youth!

Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation Season 3 Premieres July 5

By
Soul Kiwami
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Mushoku Tensei Jobless Reincarnation Season 3 anime

During AnimeJapan 2026, the staff of the Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation anime series announced that Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation Season 3 will premiere on July 5 at 24:00 / July 6 at 12:00 a.m. JST on the Tokyo MX and BS11 channels. Three new cast members for Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation Season 3 were also revealed, and the latest promotional video confirms the opening theme song “Ketsui no Uta (Song of Decision)” by Yuiko Ōhara.

The new cast members include:

Tetsu Inada as Gal Farion

Haruka Tomatsu as Nina Farion

Ai Kakuma as Eris Boreas Greyrat

Ryosuke Shibuya returns as the director of Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation Season 3 at studio Bind. Sanae Shimada and Ryota Furukawa are the character designers, and Yoshiaki Fujisawa returns to compose the series’ music.

Mushoku Tensei Jobless Reincarnation Season 3 teaser visual
©理不尽な孫の手/MFブックス/「無職転生Ⅲ」製作委員会

Lastly, the first two seasons of Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation are available to stream on Crunchyroll. The streaming service describes it as follows:

When a 34-year-old underachiever gets run over by a truck, his story doesn’t end there. Reincarnated in a new world as an infant, Rudy will seize every opportunity to live the life he’s always wanted. Armed with new friends, some freshly acquired magical abilities, and the courage to do the things he’s always dreamed of, he’s embarking on an epic adventure—with all of his past experience intact!

PSYREN Anime Premieres in October 2026

By
Douglas
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PSYREN anime

Studio Pierrot’s booth at the AnimeJapan 2026 event has revealed that the anime adaptation of Toshiaki Iwashiro’s PSYREN manga will premiere in October 2026. A new key visual for the anime series was also revealed.

PSYREN second key visual
©Toshiaki Iwashiro,Shueisha/PSYREN Secret Society

The previously announced staff and cast of the PSYREN anime include:

Staff

  • Original Work by Toshiaki Iwashiro (Published by Shueisha)
  • Directed by Katsumi Ono
  • Series Composition by Shin Yoshida
  • Character Design by Akira Okuma
  • Music by Takashi Ohmama, Tatsuhiko Saiki, Shu Kanematsu
  • Animation Production by SATELIGHT

Cast

  • Rikuya Yasuda as Ageha Yoshina
  • Mayuko Kazama as Sakurako Amamiya
  • Shunsuke Takeuchi as Hiryu Asaga
  • Soma Saito as Oboro Mochizuki
  • Yukihiro Nozuyama as Kabuto Kirisaki

Iwashiro’s PSYREN manga was serialized on Weekly Shonen Jump from 2008 to 2010.

Lastly, here’s an overview of the series, via REMOW:

One day, high schooler Ageha Yoshina picks up a mysterious “red phone card” left
behind in a public telephone booth.

A few days later, his childhood friend and classmate, Sakurako Amamiya—who possessed the same card—suddenly vanishes without a trace. In search of her, Ageha finds himself drawn into the rumors surrounding a nationwide string of mysterious disappearances, said to be the work of a secret organization known only as “Psyren.” When he accesses the group, a deadly game begins—one that will change his fate
forever.

Expelled from Paradise is Getting a New Game with an Original Story

By
Soul Kiwami
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Expelled from Paradise game

Toei Animation has announced that Expelled from Paradise is getting a new game adaptation with an original story. The genre, developer, platforms, and release date for the new Expelled from Paradise game were not announced, but the game is planned to release this coming winter. 

Toei Animation will also release the feature-length anime film Rakuen Tsuihō -Expelled from Paradise- Kokoro no Resonance on November 13 in theaters in Japan. The staff of Rakuen Tsuihō -Expelled from Paradise- Kokoro no Resonance includes director Seiji Mizushima, scriptwriter Gen Urobuchi of Nitroplus, character designer Masatsugu Saitō, and composer NARASAKI.

Additional staff members include:

  • Mechanical Designers: Kanetake Ebikawa, Junya Ishigaki, Takayuki Yanase
  • Animation Supervisor: Naoki Okita
  • Modeling Supervisor: Kento Kume
  • Mecha Modeling Lead: Toyokazu Hashimoto
  • Producer: Kōichi Noguchi

The main cast of the new film includes:

  • Ayane Sakura as Gabriel
  • Saori Hayami as Alma
  • Yoshino Aoyama as Danel
  • Sally Amaki as Raguel

The film is a sequel to the Expelled from Paradise anime film from November 2014. 

Lastly, here’s an overview of the original Expelled from Paradise film, via MyAnimeList:

In a future where a massive disaster has devastated Earth, most of humanity has abandoned their physical bodies and relocated in digital form to DEVA, an advanced space station orbiting the ravaged planet. Free from the limitations of traditional existence, such as death and hunger, the inhabitants of this virtual reality reside in relative peace until Frontier Setter, a skilled hacker, infiltrates the system and spreads subversive messages to the populace.

Labeled a threat to security by authorities, Frontier Setter is pursued by Angela Balzac, a dedicated member of DEVA’s law enforcement. When the hacker’s signal is traced to Earth, Angela takes on physical form, transferring her consciousness to a clone body and traveling to the world below in order to deal with the menace. On Earth, she is assisted by Dingo, a charismatic agent, and during her journey to uncover the mystery behind Frontier Setter, she gradually discovers startling realities about the wasteland some of humanity still refers to as home, as well as the paradise above.

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