A new official website has opened to confirm that a TV anime adaptation of Ayaka Katayama’s Fungus and Iron (Kin to Tetsu) manga is in the works. A new teaser visual for the Fungus and Iron anime was revealed alongside a celebratory illustration from Katayama.
Katayama launched the Fungus and Iron manga in Kodansha’s Bessatsu Shōnen Magazine in March 2021. The manga went on hiatus in August 2021 when Katayama went on maternity leave, and it later resumed serialization in March 2022. Kodansha published the first compiled book volume in July 2021, and eight volumes have been released as of October 9, 2025. Kodansha USA released the eighth volume in English digitally on February 24, 2026.
Kodansha USA Publishing releases the Fungus and Iron manga digitally and describes the manga’s story as follows:
Dante’s life on Amigasa seemed normal enough to him, even though everyone around him called him an oddball. But when a chance meeting with a young woman named Aoi changes everything, Dante can no longer sit idly by…unless, of course, he is made to!
Kadokawa has announced that Ichi Yukishiro’s Skull Dragon’s Precious Daughter (Hone Dragon no Manamusume) manga is getting a new TV anime adaptation. The anime’s teaser visual and main staff members were revealed alongside a new illustration by manga author Yukishiro.
Kuniyasu Nishina directs the anime at studio Dōga Kōbō. Yuka Yamada is in charge of the series scripts, and Tomoya Atsumi designs the characters. Kusanagi’s Daiki Kuribayashi and Yūki Hatakeyama are the background art directors.
J-Novel Club and Seven Seas Entertainment release the manga digitally and in print, respectively. J-Novel Club describes the story:
In the Forest of Scraps, a place where all manner of things are discarded, an old dragon sleeps away his final days—that is, until an abandoned child suddenly appears before him. The tiny human is Eve, and despite being only five years of age, she has somehow endured the many dangers that surround them. In an act of pity, the dragon decides to raise her as his own…but his time is still running out.
After five years together, he takes his last breath, leaving his precious daughter on her own. Little does the dragon know, Eve is capable of more than he realizes, and their reunion may be sooner than he thinks…
Hoping to improve Eve’s control over her magical abilities before his resurrected body gives out, the skull dragon sets out on an adventure with his reckless human daughter—but who knows what kind of trouble awaits them?
Kadokawa has announced that the anime adaptation of Haruomi Tomotsuka’s Dara-san of Reiwa (Reiwa no Dara-san) manga will premiere in July 2026. A new promotional video reveals the opening theme song “Dara Dara♡Dancing” performed by Mutsumi Tamura as Dara-san, Minami Tsuda as Hinata Misogiya, Momoka Terasawa as Kaoru Misogiya, anmd narrator Masaki Terasoma.
Tadato Suzuki, known for his work on Gushing Over Magical Girls, will be directing the Dara-san of Reiwa anime at Asahi Production. Koichi Kikuta is handling the character design, and Rei Ishizuka is composing the music. Lantis is credited for music production.
Additional staff members include:
Series Script Supervisor: Noburo Kimura, Yasunori Yamada
Art Setting: Kayoko Tomono, Miho Norisue, Shūichi Ōkubo
Art Directors: Yukiko Maruyama, Teruko Takekoshi
Art: Atelier Musa
Compositing Director of Photography: Wen Xin He
Photography: Asahi Production
Editing: Ami Ishii
Sound Director: Kazuki Kuwahara
Sound Production: INSPION Edge
Haruomi Tomotsuka started drawing the manga on X (formerly Twitter) in October 2019, and later released compiled book volumes of the manga at Comic Market (Comiket). Kadokawa releases the manga digitally on its ComicWalker website.
Lastly, here’s an overview of the series via Yen Press:
Two young children stand before the veil of life and death, and a many-armed terror opens a breach, stretches wide its many-fanged maw…and invites them in for a sleepover! And that’s not all, folks! Dara-san’s gonna have some fun in the sun at summer festivals, try toy-model making, and more! Somehow, an unknowable horror from beyond the black woods of untold history has ended up as the straight man in this silly spookfest!
A new trailer for the TV anime adaptation of Shiki and Wan Hachipisu’s Observation Records of My Fiancée: The Misadventures of a Self-Proclaimed Villainess light novel series has revealed the anime’s opening and ending theme songs. Airi Miyakawa performs the opening theme song “La Fleur,” and RLOEVO performs the ending theme song “Magic.”
The Observation Records of My Fiancée: The Misadventures of a Self-Proclaimed Villainess anime will be airing on Tokyo MX, BS11, and Sun TV when it premieres on April 6.
The cast includes:
Yūsuke Kobayashi as Cecil
Miyu Tomita as Bertia
Yume Miyamoto as Heronia Inderon
Ayumu Murase as Shawn Turquoin Alphasta
Ayaka Ōhashi as Joanna Curtswarren
Shun Horie as Nelt Krum
Iori Saeki as Lunea Silica
Atsushi Tamaru as Zeno
Seiichirō Yamashita as Courtgain Deres Mardan
Akari Kitō as Kuro
Junichi Yamamoto directs the anime at Ashi Productions. Miki Matsumoto is the character designer for animation, and Akiko Inoue is both writing and overseeing the series scripts. Yūki Hayashi, Luke Standridge, and Asa Taylor are the music composers, with music production cooperation by Futokoro Gatana.
Shiki first serialized the story on the Shōsetsuka ni Narō website, and AlphaPolis released the original novel in two volumes in 2017 with illustrations by Wan Hachipisu. Hanashi Media publishes the light novel series in English.
Here’s a description of the story, via Hanashi Media:
Exceptionally gifted to his own detriment, Prince Cecil had always found life effortlessly mundane. One ordinary day, his life took an unexpected turn when he became engaged to Miss Bertia, the Chancellor’s daughter. This engagement, however, was anything but typical.
“Prince Cecil! I must confess – I am the villain of this story!” Bertia’s declaration was startling. She claimed to have memories of her former life, where she had been the antagonist in a “Otome game”. Her lofty ambition was to excel as a villainess and thus have her engagement annulled. However, despite her plans for various misdeeds, her attempts have always been unsuccessful.
The official website for the TV anime adaptation of Kamio Fukuchi’s Yowayowa Sensei (Yowayowa Teacher or Ms. Feeble) manga confirmed the anime’s premiere is set for April 11 at 9:30 p.m. JST on AT-X. The anime will also air on the Tokyo MX, ABC TV, and BS11 channels, and a new key visual was revealed.
Hiroshi Ishiodori is directing the anime at Brains Base. Yoshifumi Fukushima is handling the series scripts, Naoki Aisaka is designing the characters, and Akifumi Tada and Rina Tayama are composing the music.
Fukuchi first launched the manga series in Weekly Shōnen Magazine in November 2022, and the series is still ongoing.
Lastly, here’s an overview of the manga series, via MyAnimeList:
It’s the start of a new school year. The new homeroom teacher for Abikura-kun, a second-year high school boy, is Hiyori Hiwamura, who is known as a “Scary Teacher” (Yowayowa Sensei). She is rumored to curse you if she gets offended!
“One day after school, Abikura-kun witnessed the other side of his teacher… and he is shocked by the gap between reputation and reality! The opening of a romantic comedy that will stir up your protective instincts!!
The staff of the TV anime adaptation of Ezogingitune and DeeCHA’s I Became a Legend After My 10 Year-Long Last Stand light novel series have delayed the anime’s premiere to July 2026. Originally set to premiere in April 2026, the I Became a Legend After My 10 Year-Long Last Stand anime was delayed to “present an even more enjoyable work for everyone.”
The anime’s cast includes:
Gakuto Kajiwara as Luck
Toshiyuki Morikawa as Erik
Tsuyoshi Koyama as Golan
Yui Ishikawa as Celliss Morton
Mayu Sagara as Sia Wolcott
M.A.O as Luccira
Yurie Kozakai as Milca
Hiroyuki Kanbe (Viper’s Creed) directs the anime at studio Gekkō. Mitsutaka Hirota (Edens Zero) is handling the series composition, and Majiro (Macross Delta) is the character designer.
Additional staff members include:
Chief Animation Director: Majiro
Color Design: Akira Nagasaka
Art Director: Bihou, Inc.
Compositing Director of Photography: Taiki Okutani
The web novel series began in June 2018. Chaco Abeno and Kitsune Tennōji launched the manga adaptation on Square Enix’s Manga UP! service in August 2019.
Square Enix and Comikey are publishing the manga in English. Here’s a story synopsis, via Square Enix:
With no other options, Luck makes the choice to hold the line against the unending demonic hordes alone, to make sure his comrades can escape with their lives. However, through a combination of fortune, skill, and ingenuity, he holds that line for ten straight years, eventually coming out on top single handedly. Now he has to tackle the dilemma of how to occupy himself in a world where he holds a myriad of roles: that of a legend, that of a veteran, and that of a brand new face.
The DS era is dear to my heart for many reasons. It was my first ever handheld, and I still have fond memories of its vast library. After the release of the Mega Man Battle Network Collection, I was hoping Capcom would perhaps revisit the Star Force series. And wouldn’t you believe it, the company seems to have heard my inner wishes, because we finally got the Star Force games as a collection!
Thanks to Capcom, I had the opportunity to play a tiny bit of these games before their official release. Our full review will be coming soon, but for now, here’s a sneak peek at one of my personal most anticipated releases.
Seven Games In One Package
Just like the Battle Network collection released prior to this, each game in the Mega Man Star Force franchise is divided into different versions. For instance, the first game is divided into Leo, Pegasus, and Dragon. The second game has Zerker x Saurian and Zerker x Ninja, and finally, the third game is divided into Black Ace and Red Joker. You can play through any version, though it is worth noting that save data doesn’t carry over between versions.
Starting things off, we have the first game, Mega Man Star Force Pegasus, Leo, or Dragon. Our story begins with Geo Stelar, a fifth-grader who loves to tinker with machines and gaze at the stars. Unfortunately, after his father, Kelvin Stelar, went MIA with the explosion of the space station “Peace”, this event traumatized poor Geo to the point he just stopped going to school entirely.
One day, Aaron Boreal, a friend of his father and co-worker at AMAKEN space agency, gives Geo the Visualizer, a pair of goggles that belonged to his father. This allowed Geo to be able to see electromagnetic (EM) wave forms, and as soon as he did, he met Omega-Xis, an alien who can fuse with Geo to turn him into Mega Man, thus allowing him to surf the EM waves and defeat the threat of the FM Aliens that are attacking Earth.
Our second game is Mega Man Star Force 2, which is divided into Zerker x Saurian, or Zerker x Ninja. Now, instead of the Transer, Geo has upgraded to the Star Carrier, a new type of mobile terminal. Omega-Xis is still ever by his side, even after the events of Mega Man Star Force, and when they think that they have finally had peace… a new enemy strikes.
During their trip to Wilshire Hills, a highly technological city, a mysterious man appears and unleashes a horde of Viruses, and it is up to Mega Man once again to save the day. This is a game that greatly improves upon the first, with the introduction of the Link Power system and abilities, and it’s actually one I enjoyed going back to.
Finally, we have Mega Man Star Force 3, divided into Red Joker and Black Ace. EM Wave technology has reached incredible new heights, and Geo Stelar upgrades his device yet again from the Star Carrier to the Hunter-VG. Such amazing progress also comes with its own set of issues, though, with the EM Wave Viruses growing stronger and stronger.
At the risk of sounding incredibly biased, the third game is the one I’m most fond of, and as a kid, I replayed it several times. Upon loading this up in the collection, Mega Man Star Force 3 made me lose track of time while playing—that’s how much I still enjoyed it.
Battle Cards, Give Me Your Strength
Now let’s talk about the combat system in Mega Man Star Force. It’s a pretty simple system, but one that can get very complex as well. Mega Man has a folder of cards, and the game will pick six random ones and lay them down in a 3×2 space at the bottom screen. You can select cards that are on the same row, or cards that are the same type, such as two Cannon cards. You also have White Cards, which add effects such as additional damage or paralysis to your cards.
Once you’ve chosen your cards, you will use them in the order you selected, and will have to wait a bit until the Custom Gauge fills again until you can pick more. You’re also able to use the Mega Buster by holding down the B Button. It doesn’t do a lot of damage, especially when it comes to bosses, but it can be handy. What I most like about this combat system is how it allows for a lot of customization. I can easily see myself losing several minutes, carefully selecting cards to craft the “perfect” deck. I say that in quotes because… that is something that is unique to everyone.
The Dual-Screen and Font Problem
Now, you might be wondering the same thing I was when this collection was announced. How did Capcom address the elephant in the room that was the dual-screen functionality? Inside the Game Settings menu, there is an option called Layout, where you can adjust how the two screens are displayed. Depending on how you set it up, you can press ZL to zoom in between the top and bottom screens, and the game will also automatically perform that for you in the event your attention is required on either screen.
It’s not an elegant solution, but I can’t say I’m disappointed with how it was handled in this case. Any Nintendo DS game that made constant use of the two screens would have to find creative solutions around what was that console’s main gimmick after all. Though since Mega Man Star Force 3 took that reliance on the two screens to the maximum, it can get a bit jarring, as you’re constantly having to change between the two screens.
Now, unfortunately, there is one issue in particular that plagues the first game in the collection, Mega Man Star Force. You see, the original game had an egregious font that didn’t allow for much text to fit back in the day, which caused a lot of dialogue to be cut off. Unfortunately, this cutting-off issue is still present, so you get awkward text gaps where even when it seems like the entire text can fit in this new font, you still have to mash A to get through it. These are just some of the bugs that I think will be addressed before the game’s official release.
A Promising Collection
Though I’ve only had a few hours with the collection, there’s so much I could’ve talked about, and I can definitely say that this might just be one of my highlight games of the year. The absolute trip down memory lane I felt replaying through these titles was real, with the games feeling right at home on Nintendo Switch. While there’s still a lot of ground I have to cover, and this preview only shows a fraction of it, you’ll have to wait until our full review of the game to learn more, so look forward to it!
Seven years after its original release for Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4, Steam gamers are treated to one of Nippon Ichi Software’s most captivating and wholesome games in the past decade, The Liar Princess and the Blind Prince. This 2D puzzle-platforming adventure game was seriously refreshing to play, and it’s the very definition of a “storybook” tale with its story and aesthetic meshing quite well together. The Liar Princess and the Blind Prince isn’t a long game by any means, either, so it’s one that should make its way up to the top of any player’s backlog, even amid the biggest releases of 2026.
The Liar Princess and the Blind Prince is the story of a young prince who is charmed by a beautiful voice at night. When following the voice, he finds a wolf, who is started by the prince and accidentally slashes his eyes—blinding him. Feeling immense guilt over her actions, the wolf turns to a witch for help to restore the prince’s eyesight. The witch agrees to help, but the wolf must pay a price—trading her singing voice in order to gain the form of a princess. Of course, her new princess form comes with the catch, as she will revert back to her wolf form under the moon. Her mission is clear—travel with the young prince back to the witch’s hideout in order to restore his eyesight. However, the journey to get this done is easier said than done.
The Liar Princess and the Blind Prince is a Beautiful and Memorable Platformer
The gameplay systems of The Liar Princess and the Blind Prince are really straightforward, but that’s to its strengths. Simply put, you’ll be traversing and jumping through various levels while guiding the young blind prince and keeping him safe from monsters. In order to guide the prince, you can hold his hand while in princess form and give him commands, such as walking a set distance or picking up and setting down items. While holding his hand, the prince will match the princess’ movements, including jumping. Commands can be given in wolf form as well, but this form is mostly for clearing monsters nearby to make sure the coast is clear. Switching between forms is seamless and can be done at virtually any time as long as the princess on the ground. The only difficult moments of the game involve having to get around puzzles and obstacles while ensuring the prince also makes it out alive, but these really only ramp up in the latter half of the game. There’s no upgrade system either, so this is essentially the gist of gameplay.
The lack of depth in gameplay is by design, as there’s an emphasis on the overall narrative, the art style, and the music, all of which are really great. This is a wholesome game that brings the prince and princess together on their journey, and its themes stem around lying to protect someone close to you. In the case of the princess, she lied to the prince about being a princess, since she’s really just a wolf in a human form. She lied in order to make amends for her deed, but it’s also selfish on her part since she wants to be accepted and happy with him. A lie can only go on for so long, but the game also emphasizes making memories in the moment, despite the hardships that may come. These memories can be made in the form of the petals and flowers that can be collected and plucked in each level, which can be tracked from the stage select screen. Petals will unlock character art that you can peruse at any time, and giving flowers to the prince unlocks new lore entries regarding the witch.
This is in addition to the picture book-like cutscenes that play out in The Liar Princess and the Blind Prince. Aesthetically, the game is really beautiful with its charming and fantastical art style, and the character designs for the prince, princess, and witch are all great. If you’ve played Hollow Knight, you’ll likely appreciate the dark and dreary colors that this game goes for at times. Despite the monsters and dangers that lurk in the forest and the subsequent stages, the prince and princess’ journey is lighthearted and fairy tale-like. This is a feel-good story about having to overcome obstacles, both physically and mentally, and being truthful with the ones you care about, with an ending that gets a good message across, too.
The Liar Princess and the Blind Prince is Short and Sweet
The Liar Princess and the Blind Prince is only around six to seven hours long, but it may be a little longer you’re planning to 100% the game and get all achievements on Steam. Those hours are really fun and relaxing, and the wholesome story, well-designed environments, and ear-pleasing Japanese narration and music really immersed me. I played through the entire game in a single sitting, and I came away satisfied and content with what I played. My only real critique for the game involves its gameplay systems since its very simplistic at its core, which makes some of the puzzles somewhat bland in return. It’s not that big of a deal though, since the game is already very short to begin with.
That being said, The Liar Princess and the Blind Prince reminds me that this medium is truly a myriad of art, and experiences like this can last and stand on its own in just a few short hours of a playthrough. I certainly think The Liar Princess and the Blind Prince is well worth the $19.99 MSRP, and I’d imagine this will be a cozy and delightful game to play on Steam Deck, too. Going forward, I’d love to see Nippon Ichi Software make another game in a similar vein, since I think the art style of The Liar Princess and the Blind Prince could translate well with other stories and settings.
Disclaimer:NIS America provided a Steam key of The Liar Princess and the Blind Prince for review purposes.
Planet of Lana II: Children of the Leaf opens with a disclaimer informing the player of the game’s fictional language and the absence of subtitles. This intentional creative choice allows for various interpretations of the story. Directors Adam Stjärnljus and Klas Martin Eriksson said they want players to think of the game’s narrative as another puzzle to solve.
At its core, Planet of Lana II is a puzzle game, and a consistent one at that. It challenges the mind enough to retain attention, but never presents insurmountable obstacles. Everything is solvable, including the narrative. My time with the game left me thoroughly impressed, but I’m not sure this journey is one I will revisit anytime soon.
A Breathtaking View
Planet of Lana II‘s wonderful presentation is immediately noticeable. Backgrounds look painted, although 3D rendering provides each environment a sense of depth. Characters with simple designs are convincingly alive with expressive body language and movement.
This graphical style is similar to MIO: Memories in Orbit, another great title I recently reviewed. Unlike that game, Planet of Lana II offers a much livelier setting. The juxtaposition of nature and machine may be an old trope by now, but the planet of Novo is teeming with beauty around every corner.
Although this is a sidescroller, villages appear tangible and explorable. People live out their daily lives. Children play, a cook cuts vegetables, and a father sits with his baby. The environment tells a story.
During my playthrough, I couldn’t stop thinking about how Lana’s adventure would make for a fantastic animated film. In many ways, Planet of Lana II already is an interactive movie. There’s so much care in making the experience as immersive as possible for the player.
Sounds of Beauty
This attention to detail extends to the audio. Grass crunches beneath Lana’s feet, birds sing in the distance, and the gentle wind rushes by the ears. Without these sounds, the experience is nowhere near as immersive.
Furthermore, the voice performances are impressive despite using a fictional language. The language being spoken isn’t nonsense either, as at least some words do have a consistent meaning. It’s neat to slowly learn what some phrases mean after hearing them so many times.
Additionally, Takeshi Furukawa once again provides the orchestral score. His talent is on full display here, with the music suitably fitting the game’s cinematic tone. It helps scenes convey tension, relief, joy, and sadness.
The soundtrack is tastefully used, demanding the player’s attention when appropriate but blending into the background for quieter moments. Considering this a journey primarily driven by emotion, it works brilliantly.
Puzzles, Puzzles, and More Puzzles
Most time will be spent solving Planet of Lana II‘s various puzzles. Generally, these take no longer than five minutes to solve, if even that. As such, the game moves along at a brisk pace, and it’s unlikely to become truly stumped.
It plays somewhat like a classic Tomb Raider game with a more intuitive control scheme. Lana may be slower than many other video game protagonists, but she is smooth to control. It’s satisfying to jump right off the edge of a ledge and barely make it across a steep gap.
Lana’s companion, Mui, adds to the game instead of slowing it down. In many ways, Mui acts as an extension of Lana’s abilities and plays a vital role in solving puzzles. Mui does exactly as the player tells them to, making them easy to manage.
Planet of Lana II also contains a few action setpieces, which can be a much-welcome break from the puzzle solving. I’m glad these sections are sparse, making the few that are here more memorable. However, a couple more wouldn’t hurt the overall experience.
Planet of Lana II’s Various Issues
I can only think of a couple of puzzles I took issue with. One in particular had a solution I stumbled upon by accident. Otherwise, I’m not sure how I was supposed figure out what to do. However, issues like this are uncommon.
While the puzzles are consistent, few stand out as exceptional. More often than not, I don’t feel a grand “aha” moment. Instead, I feel dumb for not discovering solutions sooner due to my oversight.
For the most part, the game runs well. It’s an incredibly polished experience with very few technical hiccups. However, I did experience numerous crashes throughout my playthrough. Fortunately, the negative impact of this was mitigated by frequent autosaving, minimizing most frustration.
Strangely, the game occupies roughly 40 GB of storage on PC. I’m not sure why such a short, stylized game requires this much space, but I suppose the final result is worthwhile. The experience seems to otherwise be well-optimized.
Planet of Lana II Is a Charming, Cinematic Puzzle-Platformer
Planet of Lana II is a gorgeous game with plenty of heart. With roughly six hours of play time, it’s perfect for those with a busy schedule looking to relax. This is a title accessible to players of many ages and skill levels.
It offers little in the way of replayability, but there are 10 secret holograms for completionists to find. Sadly, the game doesn’t provide enough incentive to go back and find them.
With an intriguing world, emotional story, and charming characters, Planet of Lana II should be a worthwhile follow-up for fans of the original. While imaginative, it doesn’t do anything in particular that is going to revolutionize the gaming industry, and that’s fine. It’s a great journey, and I hope it finds its target audience.
Announced last year, Planet of Lana II: Children of the Leaf will be available on March 5 for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Switch, Switch 2, and PC via Steam.
Disclaimer: Thunderful Publishing provided Final Weapon with a PC copy of Planet of Lana II: Children of the Leaf for review purposes.
Indie studio Lost Cartridge Creations revealed a brand new gameplay trailer today for its upcoming game Astrolander. Additionally, store pages and wishlisting for both Steam and PSN have opened, confirming a 2026 release date. Astrolander was originally announced as a PlayStation 5 exclusive in 2023, with today’s announcement confirming a PC release after player demand, according to a press release.
Developed by Max Trest, founder of Lost Cartridge Creations, Astrolander aims to combine 2.5D platforming with 3D environments. You can check out the new trailer below, as well as an overview of the upcoming game via Steam.
Astrolander is a revolutionary action-packed reimagining of platformers. Embark on a thrilling adventure featuring innovative 2.5D fused with 3D environments and gameplay, unique mechanics, and breathtaking worlds. Take control of a curious robot on a roll named Feedback and an adventurous rocket powered sidekick named Haptic on a quest to save the Most Valuable Programs (MVPs)!
In a distant world, the MVPs were cheerful but outdated cartridge powered CRT robots. Cyberlution began spreading across the universe, turning happy creatures into robotic menaces, bent on conquering every planet. MVPs quickly became deactivated and recycled for parts to support the Cyberlution. The last free MVPs built two experimental CD powered robots, Haptic and Feedback, to rescue their friends and save the universe!
Astrolander will launch on PlayStation 5 and PC via Steam later this year.
