Open-world RPGs filled with as many side quests as beautiful vistas are hard to avoid in modern gaming. Inspired by the success of games such as The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wildand Genshin Impact, many have taken the plunge into these great green fields, seeking a niche of their own.
As a part of Steam Next Fest, I played the demo for DragonSword: Awakening, a new entry into the genre. With so many options to choose from, DragonSword: Awakening needed to do something special to set itself apart. Unfortunately, while being a perfectly functional game, I found the game lacking anything to make it stand out from the competition.
Dull Background
The game initially puts the player in the shoes of Lute, a fresh-faced boy who joins a group of mercenaries. In the demo, you complete a couple of fetch quest missions before being thrust into a full dungeon. The story didn’t especially hook me. Much like the rest of the game, it is entirely fit for purpose and entirely unoriginal.
DragonSword: Awakening takes place in a medieval fantasy world, a basic premise that has none of the twists that might be necessary to create excitement. It reminded me of the kind of world that one might see in a parody (think KonoSuba), such is its cookie-cutter nature. However, while a parody uses the basis of a familiar world in order to poke fun at its setting, DragonSword: Awakening plays it straight. This not only results in a story without an immediate hook, but hampers the open-world design by making exploration feel pointless. What is there left to find out about this world?
The large cast of characters whom you play as within the world (a good chunk of whom are playable in the demo, including one demo-exclusive character) feels like a holdover from DragonSword, the gacha game which Awakening is a reworking of. They each need to gain experience and levels, partly through combat but mostly through consuming items, as well as filling several armor slots each. Despite being daunting as a concept to someone who stays away from gacha games as much as possible, the demo wasn’t demanding of inventory management skills.
Enjoyable Gameplay
Combat is absolutely the game’s high point for me, though others might be familiar with the concepts from other places (a friend of mine mentioned Wuthering Waves). A basic combo can be performed with a string of attacks, and special moves are available with cooldowns. It’s standard hack-and-slash fare, helped by good variation between character movesets. Castella’s axe swings are much heavier than Lute’s sword swipes, for instance. Where it triumphs is the Signal Switch system, which allows characters to switch in with a special move when enemies meet certain conditions. It makes team-building a significant factor, pairing characters who inflict similar statuses. The switch itself is nice and emphatic, especially when multiple switches can be chained together.
Unfortunately, combat can also become grindy. The spectacle of a boss fight with a dragon kept it feeling interesting despite taking a while, but the same courtesy cannot be extended to a goblin. Despite being the same level, I found basic grunts taking full combos plus special moves to take down. It encourages the filling of the meters that bring Signal Switching into play, but prevents there from being quick encounters in the open world.
Getting from place to place is done by a mount, which was a cute little bug in my case. Gliding on it feels nice, though there were a few occasions when it was necessary across the demo’s broadly flat terrain. However, I loved wall-crawling with it in the city and up the couple of cliffs there were. Sprinting, both on bug and on foot, is tied to a gauge that feels unnecessarily restrictive and slow. Gliding consumes the same stamina, which again doesn’t seem to do anything but slow you down without fall damage as a penalty. It felt to me as though they had seen the mechanics of other games (Breath of the Wild springs to mind) and done the same without putting much thought into it.
Disappointing Presentation
Overall, I found the small touches to be lacking. This was a demo rather than a final release, but there are multiple examples of a lack of care that impacted the presentation. Seeing spaces consistently missing in the subtitles inspires little confidence. One character tells another to get off him, whilst that cutscene lacks the budget to even show them touching. Binding roll and sprint to the same button feels awkward when sprinting is always preceded by an unintended roll. It all brings a feeling of awkwardness to the game.
It came to a head with the demo’s climactic dungeon, in which I was forced to play as Lute rather than my chosen party for the sake of a puzzle and a chase scene. All of a sudden, all the characters present in cutscenes were there in gameplay too. Then, they disappeared again when combat restarted. I felt as though Awakening was trying to be a more traditional RPG for a second, only to be held back by its gacha roots.
All in all, this demo did not impress me. Despite the combat growing on me, it couldn’t stop me from thinking of the game as a less interesting version of what is already available. At the moment, it’s hard to think of anything that DragonSword: Awakening game does better than other games available now. In particular, Genshin Impact. DragonSword: Awakening is scheduled for release on July 22 on Steam and can be wishlisted now.
This article is sponsored and produced in collaboration with Girls’ Frontline 2: Exilium.
Girls’ Frontline 2: Exilium is preparing to launch its big 1.5-year anniversary update on June 25, bringing new Dolls, premium outfits, interactive story content, and a huge amount of free rewards for players.
The 1.5 Anniversary update will run across two phases through August 5. Part I introduces the highly anticipated Doll Loreley alongside Harpsy, while Part II adds Cheyanne and Liushih. Players can also look forward to over 100 free pulls, more than 13,000 Collapse Pieces, a free Elite Doll, a free Commander outfit, and multiple new story experiences.
Loreley Arrives as a Powerful New Support Doll
The biggest highlight of the anniversary update is Loreley, an elegant yet mysterious operative who joins the roster as a versatile support Doll.
Designed to fit comfortably into a wide range of team compositions, Loreley specializes in improving team survivability while boosting overall damage output. She can protect allies from incoming attacks, summon support units to assist in combat, and enhance Burn-focused strategies through her unique combat mechanics.
Her signature weapon, Nighttide Nocturne, further strengthens Burn-oriented teams by increasing Burn damage dealt by allies and providing additional offensive buffs whenever Burn effects are triggered.
Together, the new outfits represent some of the ambitious cosmetic content Girls’ Frontline 2: Exilium has released to date.
As expected from a major anniversary celebration, the update includes an extensive list of free rewards.
Across both phases of the 1.5-year anniversary event, players can obtain more than 100 free pulls and over 13,000 Collapse Pieces by participating in all anniversary activities. The rewards also include the free Elite Doll Harpsy, the Commander outfit Nightfire, and an additional interactive story scene featuring Daiyan.
Several login campaigns will be available throughout the event period, allowing players to collect Targeted Access Permissions and other valuable resources. Additional rewards can be earned through anniversary event modes, making this one of the most generous update cycles the game has offered so far.
For both new and returning players, the anniversary provides an ideal opportunity to expand their roster while experiencing some of the game’s newest content.
Looking ahead, the developers also teased an ambitious roadmap for the months following the anniversary. Upcoming updates will continue to advance the main story toward several major revelations while introducing new factions, gameplay systems, and combat units. The team additionally confirmed future collaborations with SSSS.GRIDMAN and ULTRAMAN, giving fans even more reasons to stay excited. According to current estimates, over the roughly four months from the 1.5 Anniversary Major Update, there will be more than 470 pulls given away as patch rewards. And if the rewards obtainable through daily tasks are also included, Commanders can earn over 720 pulls in total, alongside another free Elite Doll planned for release.
Perp Games and South Korean studio Project Cloud Games have released a new “Exploration Deep Dive” trailer for action RPG The Relic: First Guardian to go over the dark fantasy setting and storytelling of the new title. The Exploration Deep Dive trailer is 12 minutes long, so it’s quite a lengthy preview of what fans can expect in The Relic: First Guardian.
The Relic: First Guardian will launch on July 31 for PlayStation 5 and PC via Steam. The Nintendo Switch 2 and Xbox Series X|S versions of The Relic: First Guardian will follow up at a later date this year. A physical version for the PlayStation 5 version will release on September 4.
Lastly, here’s an overview of the game, via Steam:
About The Relic: First Guardian
The fate of the Arsiltus is now in your hands. In this action RPG, you embark on a heroic adventure to save the world in the dark as the last guardian. The once-prosperous Arsiltus was swallowed up by the void created by the destruction of the great relic and transformed into the land of death. Now your mission is to find the pieces of the broken great relic and close the void. You are the last hope of the Arsiltus. Start your journey as a guardian, gather pieces of great relic and close the void. Your adventure will bring Arsiltus into a new era.
Features:
Explore the Relic: Adventure freely in the collapsed world of The Relic whilst following an exciting story, in this semi-open world action RPG. Enjoy the thrill of exploring an apocalyptic fantasy world and a variety of action-packed experiences.
Choose your own playstyle: Choose from 5 different types of weapon options, of which form the basis of the action. Each weapon has its unique skills which can be changed according to your play style.
Solve the riddle of Arsiltus: Embark on an adventure as a guardian to collect the pieces of the great relics and lead the world back to prosperity.
Character system: In The Relic, characters do not have levels. Instead runes, items, and crafting are used to strengthen your character. Complete dungeons and defeat bosses to expand your world and grow your character to the greatest potential.
After almost ten years, it’s impossible to think of a bigger franchise in the indie gaming scene than Deltarune. What may have initially seemed like a spin-off from Undertalehas only expanded in scale with the release of every new chapter. Last year, Chapters 1-4 of Deltarune were released as a single package and proved to both new and returning players that everything its predecessor brought to the table was only the tip of the iceberg.
However, this raised a new question: what surprises did Toby Fox have in store after the bombastic halfway point that was Chapter 4? Well, finally, we have an answer in the form of Deltarune Chapter 5. As someone who has been followingboth Undertale and Deltarune since their release, I couldn’t have been more excited to see how Chapter 5 continued the story and gameplay mechanics of all previous chapters. Ultimately, while the finished product may not have been what I expected, I was still enamored with Chapter 5 and more convinced than ever that, when Deltarune‘s story comes to an end, it may go down in history as one of the best RPGs to date.
Festival Day
Deltarune Chapter 5, perhaps unsurprisingly, begins the morning after Chapter 4 ended. The long-awaited festival that’s been built up since the very beginning is finally here, and Toriel eagerly encourages Kris to make their way there. If you’re like me and you haven’t played any Deltarune since the release of Chapters 1-4, this intro does a great job of reintroducing you to all of the game’s most important characters. We see how Toriel and Asgore both care for Kris in their own ways, for example, with the former apologizing for her behavior the previous night, while the latter promises to support his ex-wife and children however he can in the days to come.
Of course, Kris, Susie, and Noelle take center stage. Susie and Noelle are only growing closer, and Susie in particular finds herself ruminating on the nature of love. Even without any dialogue from Kris, we can see what they’re thinking about the festival, and how they’ve become more nostalgic than ever. I loved how this introduction served as a final calm for the trio of characters, while hinting at the darkness still to come. In general, that “calm before the storm” tone fits the entire chapter, as even when both Kris and Susie are forced to respond to the opening of another Dark World, there is still the feeling of it being a jovial adventure rather than a harrowing brush with death.
Narratively, Chapter 5 doesn’t have the same high stakes as Chapter 4 in particular. Toby Fox himself reflected on this in a newsletter, remarking that while Chapter 4 focused on dark clouds in the distance, Chapter 5 is all about one last adventure before “the sun goes down completely.” As a result, we get a chapter that focuses more on character work rather than necessarily advancing the story. While I was initially caught off guard, the fantastic handling of each character quickly made this one of my favorite chapters thus far.
When Kris, Susie, and Ralsei all venture into a new Dark World, they interact with a group of characters that truly believe they’re humans. Not only are each false human charming, but the way they play off of each member of the core trio only adds to the chapter’s strengths. For example, fairly early on, you meet a certain character with yellow hair and a name that I’d rather not spoil. His entire design is themed after old anime series, with his introduction even reflecting those inspirations. He is obnoxiously smug, constantly interrupting Kris, Susie, and Ralsei’s progress, and undermining Ralsei especially.
As a result, we see a new rageful and jealous side of Ralsei that we’ve never seen before. There are countless moments throughout the chapter where Ralsei snaps and insults the yellow-haired human directly to his face, even going as far as to threaten him. On the flipside, this is a chapter where Susie gets to shine and show her new, softer side, as she constantly reflects on her “date” with Noelle. In a vacuum, these interactions may seem meaningless and more like filler that distracts from the “action.” But in practice, it demonstrates how far these characters have come, and considering we’ve been following them since 2018, that development only hits harder.
Chapter 5 does a great job of balancing its tone. For the majority of the chapter, the main characters allow themselves to enjoy this adventure across a world adorned with stunning locales. As the player, we also get to enjoy the beautiful visuals, which are absolutely jaw-dropping in some cases and push the boundaries of what should be possible with Deltarune‘s art style. Easily one of my favorite moments in the entire chapter is in one of the new storefronts, where you interact with a mysterious character watching the sunset. When I first saw the sight, I genuinely put my controller down for a few seconds to just appreciate how beautiful it was.
In between these moments, though, Deltarune reminds you that the sun is indeed setting, and this idyllic adventure is coming to an end. Soon, these moments of levity are overshadowed by the reminders of darker times to come, with more hints about the nature of the Dark World being revealed, alongside the return of a character synonymous with the very threat that the main trio is trying to stop. Worse still is the so-called “Weird Route” that replaces the Genocide route from Undertale. Chapter 5’s iteration of the route is genuinely one of the most horrifying things I’ve seen in a game in a while, and is enough to remind anyone who encounters it that Toby isn’t just capable of writing heartfelt and comedic scenes.
From beginning to end, there was never a moment in Chapter 5 where I wasn’t captivated. The character development and the way the tone built towards something more ominous constantly kept me hooked, and by the time the credits rolled, I was both staggered and eager to see where the story goes next. Overall, it’s safe to say that Toby Fox keeps outdoing himself with each new chapter. This doesn’t just apply to the narrative, but also to the gameplay, which offers the most ambitious new ideas for the series to date.
An Unforgettable Adventure
Even if there weren’t many surprises with Deltarune‘s narrative, there were plenty to be found within the gameplay. For starters, the unique combat mechanics stand out more than ever, with certain enemies having unique mechanics that are so absurdly creative that they sometimes had me cackling with glee. Initially, the game eases you back into the gameplay loop with fairly basic bullet hell moments that slowly start to escalate in complexity.
For instance, there’s one enemy themed around scissors. To spare them, you have to trace an outline with the controller, and despite how jarring it was to trace the shape using the joystick, I’d be lying if I said I still didn’t find the minigame fun. This applies to the bosses too: some of them can be deeply challenging, and even frustrating. In the case of the final battle, the way it takes the combat elements from previous chapters to their limits made each encounter feel fresh and exciting.
Where the game truly surprised me was after Kris and the party retrieved a special-looking feather. This feather completely changes Deltarune‘s perspective from a top-down RPG to a 2D platformer hack-and-slash. The new style is a core gimmick for the chapter, but one that is utilized expertly. You can switch between the two viewpoints by triggering a switch you can find around the world, and there are plenty of puzzles and even bosses that test your mastery of the mechanic.
The use of the platforming genre and its role in traversal, bosses, and puzzles don’t feel forced. If anything, they only add to just how fun Chapter 5 is. Even though the game changed genres, I didn’t have to completely re-learn how to play, as both the RPG and platformer elements required me to have near instant reaction times. Above all, it perfectly demonstrates Toby Fox’s willingness to experiment. The way Deltarune masters not just the RPG genre, but elements from both bullet hells and platformers is incredible, and makes me really curious to see what new genres chapter 6 and 7 implement.
Of course, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention how Deltarune Chapter 5‘s soundtrack contributed to the overall adventure. While I wouldn’t say this is the best soundtrack from Deltarune thus far, there are certainly several very memorable tracks that have already made their way into my daily playlists. In particular, I loved the exuberant final boss theme and the melancholic shop track. Each entry in the album adds to the feeling that this is the final ray of sunshine that the characters and we, the player, will get to experience before everything goes horribly wrong.
As a whole, it’s hard to think of any issues with Deltarune Chapter 5. Some enemy encounters have a major difficulty spike, but I never thought that these were as hard as some battles in prior chapters. It certainly helps that Toby Fox and the rest of the team are planning to address some of these issues, as well as any bugs, in subsequent updates. There’s even a good reason to replay the chapter, as, even if there isn’t a post-game per se, the promise of a hidden alternate story with the aforementioned Weird Route and even a secret boss is enough to make revisiting Chapter 5 all the more enticing. Needless to say, this chapter only continues the quality that Toby Fox has maintained with each of his games since Undertale, which makes me deeply curious to see how this journey comes to an end.
The Night Draws Near
I have been following the story of Deltarune and its characters for what is now a third of my life. To me, the game feels like an old friend: every time I start to forget about them, they re-enter my life when I least expect it, and remind me of why they mattered to me so much in the first place. Now, though, Deltarune‘s story is coming to an end. With the now yearly release rate of each chapter, it seems likely that we may only have to wait two years for the finale in the form of Chapter 7. As that ending draws nearer, it’s not hard to wonder if Toby Fox will be able to give Deltarune the conclusion it deserves. If Chapter 5 is any indication, fans have nothing to worry about.
The narrative of the new chapter trades major reveals for exquisite character work. We get to see how these characters that were first introduced to us in 2018 have changed over the last eight years, and said progression, alongside the introduction of new charming characters, makes the trade-off more than worth it. Further, the few reveals we do get are enticing enough to give players something to chew on while we wait to see where Chapter 6 goes.
In exchange for a story that is more leisurely paced, the gameplay evolves in leaps and bounds that exceed all expectations. Not only are the core combat and bullet hell elements better than ever, but we also get elements from the platforming genre to create an experience that is ambitious without being forced. Plus, thanks to a fantastic presentation and the enticing secrets, such as the hidden boss fight and “Weird Route,” you likely won’t be bored while playing Deltarune Chapter 5.
At first, I wasn’t sure how I felt about the prospect of a chapter that took a step back from the high stakes that both Chapter 3 and 4 introduced. Yet, once I realized that this was to be the last reverie that both the characters and players would be able to experience, I appreciated the change in tone even more. I have no idea what’s going to happen next in Deltarune‘s story. I don’t know where certain characters are going to end up or the solutions to all of the game’s mysteries. However, considering all of the quality we’ve gotten from the Deltarune story thus far, I can confidently say that when it finally ends, we will be left with a game that can only be described as “generational.”
Disclaimer: Deltarune Chapter 5 was reviewed on a Nintendo Switch 2.
The new Hokuto no Ken Fist of the North Star anime marks the return of Kenshiro to celebrate the anime’s 40th anniversary! Final Weapon has everything you need to know about Hokuto no Ken Fist of the North Star, including the weekly schedule, release dates and timing for new episodes, and much more about the new anime.
Hokuto no Ken Fist of the North Star takes place in the year 199X after the world was ravaged by nuclear fire. Humanity still survived, though. Kenshiro, the heir to the Hokuto Shinken, emerges and embarks on a path full of deadly battles and surprising reveals in a world where only the strong survive.
Hokuto no Ken Fist of the North Star Release Dates, Exact Premiere Time and Schedule
New episodes of Hokuto no Ken Fist of the North Starwill release on Fridays at 9:00 a.m. PT / 12:00 p.m. ET on Amazon Prime Video. Hokuto no Ken Fist of the North Star will be streaming with English subs and an English dub. A total episode count was not announced, but it should have at least 12 episodes at minimum.
Here are the release dates and schedule for Hokuto no Ken Fist of the North Star(subject to change):
Episode 1 – April 10 – OUT NOW
Episode 2 – April 10 – OUT NOW
Double-episode premiere
Episode 3 – April 17 – OUT NOW
Episode 4 – April 17 – OUT NOW
Double-episode premiere
Episode 5 – April 24 – OUT NOW
Episode 6 – May 1 – OUT NOW
Episode 7 – May 8 – OUT NOW
Episode 8 – May 15 – OUT NOW
Episode 9 – May 22 – OUT NOW
Episode 10 – May 29 – OUT NOW
Episode 11 – June 5 – OUT NOW
Episode 12 – June 12 – OUT NOW
Episode 13 – June 19 – OUT NOW
Episode 14 – June 26 – OUT NOW
New episodes of Hokuto no Ken Fist of the North Star will premiere at the following times (subject to change):
Pacific Daylight Time: 9:00 a.m. PDT
Mountain Daylight Time: 10:00 a.m. MDT
Central Daylight Time: 11:00 a.m. CDT
Eastern Daylight Time: 12:00 p.m. EDT
Greenwich Mean Time: 4:00 p.m. GMT
OP/ED, Cast and Staff
Alexandros
Toshl
Alexandros performs the opening theme song “Hallelujah.” Toshl performs the ending theme song “Ai o Torimodose!!” which is a remix of Crystal King’s opening theme song from the original Hokuto no Ken anime.
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
Hiroshi Maeda directs the 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.
Where Can I Watch Hokuto no Ken Fist of the North Star?
Amazon Prime Video is streaming the Hokuto no Ken Fist of the North Star anime in select regions around the world, including Japan and the U.S. In Japan, the anime is also airing on the Tokyo MX and BS11 channels.
What is Hokuto no Ken Fist of the North Star About?
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. 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, via VIZ Media:
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!
Bandai Namco has released a second story trailer for Sword Art Online action RPG Echoes of Aincrad, giving fans another preview before launch. The new Echoes of Aincrad story trailer also has some surprising reveals of some of the characters that fans of Sword Art Online come to recognize.
Echoes of Aincrad launches on July 10 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam, and pre-orders are available now for the Standard Edition ($69.99), Deluxe Edition ($89.99), Ultimate Edition ($109.99), and Aincrad Edition (Bandai Namco Store exclusive, $149.99). Sword Art Online: Unanswered//butterfly is included exclusively with the Ultimate Edition of Echoes of Aincrad.
Available in all versions of Echoes of Aincrad and as an early unlock for the Deluxe and Ultimate Editions, the new Death Game Mode is reference to the consequence that players of the in-universe MMORPG experience if they run out of health and dies in the game—permadeath. Upon death, Echoes of Aincrad will delete the player’s save data on the 2nd and 3rd slots, which are the slots that Death Game Mode supports.
The performance specifications per platform include the following targets:
PlayStation 5 – 4K at 60 FPS max frame rate
Xbox Series X – 4K at 60 FPS max frame rate
Xbox Series S – 1440p at 60 FPS max frame rate
PC (Steam) – 720p to 4K supported, unlimited frame rate
LEVEL-5 has announced that the “Contenders for Glory DLC” update for Inazuma Eleven: Victory Road will launch on July 3. A new trailer for Inazuma Eleven: Victory Road Contenders for Glory DLC update was also released, with more details to follow soon.
Inazuma Eleven: Victory Road is available now digitally for Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam. Previously, the New Kick-Off DLC update was released on June 11 alongside the physical release of the Inazuma Eleven: Victory Road Nintendo Switch 2 Edition in Japan. The update brought Seasonal Players for the official online tournament Victory Road, implemented a new feature, Synergies, and added the new Victory Road Route to Chronicle Mode, which follows the story of Destin Billows (Unmei Sasanami).
LEVEL-5 and Aiming’s new free-to-play mobile game Inazuma Eleven: Cross launched on June 9 for Android via Google Play and iOS via App Store in Japan. Inazuma Eleven: Cross includes simulation gameplay with command-based controls and an original story with a new protagonist. Similarly to Inazuma Eleven: Victory Road, players may become a coach and build their team. Team building is a major component of gameplay and strategizing, along with actually playing matches. Players don’t control each player individually but instead act as a coach who determines the outcome based on team customization and in-game decisions. Matches can be played automatically, and player data from Inazuma Eleven: Cross will be compatible with the upcoming Inazuma Eleven: Victory Road sequel.
Following the success of the live-action adaptation, Tadashi Agi and Shū Okimoto’s The Drops of God manga series is coming to fans in the form of an anime for the first time ever! Final Weapon has everything you need to know about The Drops of God, including the weekly schedule, release dates and timing for new episodes, and much more about the new anime.
After the passing of world-renowned wine critic Toyotaka Kanzaki, a collection is left behind at his estate. His will promises that anyone who correctly guesses the brand and year of the 12 greatest wines he selected will be granted his estate. Among the collection is the legendary wine known as “Drops of God.” With such a prize at stake, the challengers wouldn’t be far removed from the family at all. In fact, the main challengers are Toyotaka’s blood-related son, Shizuki Kanzaki, and the young critic Issei Tomine, who was adopted by Toyotaka.
The Drops of God Release Dates, Exact Premiere Time and Schedule
New episodes of The Drops of Godwill release on Fridays at 8:30 a.m. PT / 11:30 a.m. ET on Crunchyroll. The Drops of God will be streaming with English subs and an English dub, and there will be 24 episodes in total across two cours.
Here are the release dates and schedule for The Drops of God (subject to change):
First Cour
Episode 1 – April 10 – OUT NOW
Episode 2 – April 17 – OUT NOW
Episode 3 – April 24 – OUT NOW
Episode 4 – May 1 – OUT NOW
Episode 5 – May 8 – OUT NOW
Episode 6 – May 15 – OUT NOW
Episode 7 – May 22 – OUT NOW
Episode 8 – May 29 – OUT NOW
Episode 9 – June 5 – OUT NOW
Episode 10 – June 12 – OUT NOW
Episode 11 – June 19 – OUT NOW
Episode 12 – June 26 – OUT NOW
Second Cour
Episode 13 – TBA
New episodes of The Drops of God will premiere at the following times (subject to change):
Pacific Daylight Time: 8:30 a.m. PDT
Mountain Daylight Time: 9:30 a.m. MDT
Central Daylight Time: 10:30 a.m. CDT
Eastern Daylight Time: 11:30 a.m. EDT
Greenwich Mean Time: 3:30 p.m. GMT
OP/ED, Cast and Staff
HOKUTO
Maaya Uchida
HOKUTO performs the opening theme song “hate you? love you?,” and Maaya Uchida performs the ending theme song “Kami no Shizuku.
The main cast of the anime includes:
Takuya Satō as Issei Tomine
Kazuya Kamenashi as Shizuku Kanzaki
Maaya Uchida as Miyabi Shinohara
Banjō Ginga as Yutaka Kanzaki
Yūko Kaida plays Ryōko Kiryū
Shinshū Fuji plays Shirō Fujieda
Misa Watanabe plays Maki Saionji
Yūya Uchida plays Sōichirō Mishima
Jin Urayama as Robert Doi
Kenji Itoso directs the series at Satelight in collaboration with YANCHESTER. Yū Mitsuru supervises and writes the series scripts, Takehiro Suwa designs the characters, and Eishi Segawa composes the music.
Additional staff members include:
Art Setting: Yōko Komiya
Color Key Artist: Hiromi Uchibayashi (Graphinica)
3D CG Director: Hiroyuki Gotō
Compositing Director of Photography: Tetsuya Kawada
Crunchyroll is streaming The Drops of God in North America, Central America, South America, Europe, Africa, Oceania, the Middle East, CIS, India and Southeast Asia. In Japan, the anime is airing on the Tokyo MX, Kansai TV, and BS NTV channels, along with various streaming services.
What is The Drops of God About?
Tadashi Agi, the pen name of siblings Shin and Yuko Kibayashi, launched The Drops of God with artist Okimoto in Kodansha’s Morning magazine in 2004. The first manga series in the franchise ended in June 2014. Kodansha USA Publishing publishes the manga in English digitally.
Lastly, here’s an overview of the manga, via Kodansha:
The award-winning comic about wine that has been a hit not just all over Asia but also in France! Learn about legendary bottles as well as affordable secrets while enjoying a page-turner that’s not about superheroes but people with jobs to keep. When world-renowned wine critic Kanzaki passes away, his will reveals that his fortune of a wine collection isn’t bequeathed as a matter of course to his only son, who in a snub went to work sales at a beer company. To come into the inheritance, Shizuku must identify—in competition with a stellar young critic—twelve heaven-sent wines whose impressions the will describes in flowing terms…
The staff for the TV anime adaptation of Rumiko Takahashi’s MAO manga series has announced more cast members for cour 2, which premieres on July 4. In addition, the creditless opening movie featuring the new theme song “Bokura ga Uwagaki suru Sekai (The World We Overwrite)” by 20th Century (formerly V6) was also released.
The new cast members for cour 2 of MAO include:
Takuya Satō as Hakubi
Rie Kugimiya as Natsuno
Katsuyuki Konishi as Daigo
Tasuku Kaito as Soma Kagami
Shino Shimoji as Kagari Hosho
New MAO episodes release on Saturdays at 2:15 p.m. PT / 5:15 p.m. ET on Hulu.
Kis-My-Ft2 performed the first opening theme song “HEARTLOUD,” and TRUE performed the first ending theme song “Juai (Cursed Love).”
The cast of MAO includes:
Yūki Kaji as Mao
Natsumi Kawaida as Nanoka Kiba
Hiro Shimono as Hyakka
Toshiyuki Toyonaga as Kamon
Momoka Terasawa as Otoya
Kazuyuki Okitsu as Shiranui
Motoko Kumai as Funa Uozumi
Yōko Hikasa as Tenko
Risa Shimizu as Sana
Reina Ueda as Yurako
Takashi Matsuyama as Byōki
The staff includes:
Director: Teruo Sato
Series Script Supervisor: Yūko Kakihara
Character Designer, Chief Animation Director: Yoshihito Hishinuma
Art Director: Hiroshi Katō, Izumi Hoki
Color Key Artist: Masumi Ōtsuka
CG Director: Tomohiro Fujie
Compositing Director of Photography: Akane Fushihara
Editing: Kazuhiro Nii
Sound Director: Hiromi Kikuta
Music: Shū Kanematsu
Takahashi launched the MAO manga in Shogakukan’s Weekly Shonen Sunday magazine on May 8, 2019, and VIZ Media publishes the manga in English.
Here’s an overview of the manga’s first volume, via VIZ Media:
Nanoka passes through a portal into the Taisho era, where exorcist Mao reluctantly rescues her from the jaws of a grotesque yokai. When Nanoka gets back to the present, she discovers she has some new, incredible abilities. She returns to the past looking for answers, only to get caught up in Mao’s investigation of a series of gruesome murders. As her questions about herself multiply, Nanoka learns that Mao is cursed by a cat demon named Byoki—and so is his sword. If anyone but Mao attempts to wield it, they are doomed. But when Mao’s life is in jeopardy, Nanoka picks up his blade and swings!
Kadokawa has released a new trailer to preview the upcoming theatrical screenings for Sekiro: No Defeat, studio Qzil.la’s upcoming anime adaptation of FromSoftware’s Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice game. Sekiro: No Defeat will receive a 3-week screening in theaters starting September 4 in Japan.
The Sekiro: No Defeat anime will exclusively stream on Crunchyroll in 2026.
The staff and the cast of the anime is as follows:
Japan is fractured into many independent nations entangled in ceaseless war. At the center lies Ashina, a land of sacred earth and ancient mystery. Two decades after Sword Saint Isshin Ashina reclaimed the region in a brutal coup, a new threat emerges from within: The Interior Ministry. Desperate to protect his homeland, Isshin’s grandson Genichiro turns to forbidden powers. The only hope lies in a kidnapped boy — the Divine Heir — and his silent protector: a loyal shinobi known only as Sekiro.
This is the story of a lord and his retainer — and their quest to restore balance to a nation on the edge.
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is available now on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC via Steam. The game initially released in 2019 and received the Game of the Year award at The Game Awards 2019.
