Tokyo Anime Dispatch

ASOBISYSTEM will hold ASOBIEXPO 2026 at TOYOTA ARENA TOKYO on Tuesday, August 18, bringing a large cross-section of Japan's contemporary pop culture into one one-day event. The official English announcement describes a program that combines live music, shows, DJ sets, fashion, art, creators, food, and live-streamed talks. For international fans, the practical story is the split between a free outdoor-style area and a ticketed arena program—and the fact that the official information does not currently confirm a full overseas livestream. What Was Announced ASOBISYSTEM's English announcement, published on June 5, 2026, says the event will assemble 86 acts across three broad groups: artists, talents, and creators. The named music lineup includes Kyary Pamyu Pamyu, ATARASHII GAKKO!, FRUITS ZIPPER, CANDY TUNE, SWEET STEADY, CUTIE STREET, Kizuna AI, Klang Ruler, and Toua, alongside many additional performers. The announcement also lists creators and fashion- and internet-culture ...

Rent-A-Girlfriend Volume 47 is now on sale in Japan, giving international fans a useful snapshot of where the manga stands while the television anime's fifth season continues. Kodansha's Japanese product page confirms the August 17, 2026 release, while Kodansha USA has scheduled the English Volume 38 for the following day. What Was Announced Kodansha lists Rent-A-Girlfriend Volume 47 as a new print release dated August 17, 2026. The book is credited to creator Reiji Miyajima, runs 192 pages, carries ISBN 9784065446300, and is listed at ¥594 including tax (¥540 before tax). Kodansha's August release calendar also places the volume among the day's new Weekly Shonen Magazine comics. The publisher's synopsis places the volume in an emotionally crowded stretch of the story. Kazuya is still dealing with guilt and distraction after the latest complications involving Ruka, while a meeting with Umi brings Chizuru back into the conversation. The description also says ...

Kodansha released Blue Lock Volume 40 in Japan on Monday, August 17, 2026. The new collected volume reaches the decisive stretch of the series’ U-20 World Cup match between Japan and France, giving international fans a useful checkpoint: the Japanese edition is now available, while an English Volume 40 date has not yet been confirmed on Kodansha’s English-language series page. What Was Announced Kodansha’s official product page lists Blue Lock Volume 40 as a book by Muneyuki Kaneshiro and Yusuke Nomura, with a Japanese release date of August 17, 2026. The listed Japanese retail price is 594 yen, including tax, and the volume contains 176 pages. Kodansha also provides the book’s ISBN and links to Japanese online retailers from the product page. The publisher’s synopsis places the volume in the second match of the U-20 World Cup arc: Japan is facing France and trails 3–2 as the game reaches its final phase. It describes Isagi winning a contest over “luck” and moving toward a scor...

IRyS fans outside Japan have a time-sensitive decision on Monday, August 17, 2026: the official merchandise order window for her first solo concert, “HOPE ||: Beyond the Stars,” closes at 6:00 p.m. Japan Standard Time. The deadline is easy to miss because it falls weeks before the October concert, but the official English guidance separates limited early-shipping items from made-to-order goods and provides specific information for eligible international customers. What Was Announced COVER Corporation announced on July 11, 2026, that IRyS, a hololive English talent, will hold her first solo concert at SGC HALL ARIAKE in Tokyo on October 6. The official schedule lists doors at 5:30 p.m. JST, the stream at 6:00 p.m. JST, and the concert at 6:30 p.m. JST. The announcement also opened streaming-ticket sales and the official concert-merchandise order period. That merchandise period runs from 1:00 p.m. JST on July 11 through 6:00 p.m. JST on August 17. The English merchandise page direc...

Pokémon Sleep’s limited-time Collaboration Week is now live, bringing the Pokémon TV anime into the sleep-tracking game with Captain Pikachu, the Tinkatink family, and an August 21 anime tie-in. What Was Announced Pokémon Sleep announced Collaboration Week on its official English website on August 12, 2026. The event runs from August 17 at 4:00 a.m. through August 24 at 3:59 a.m., and both the event and its missions are available in all areas listed by the game. The official notice frames the campaign as a celebration of the collaboration with the Pokémon animated TV series. The most visible additions are Tinkatink, Tinkatuff, and Tinkaton, along with Pikachu wearing a captain’s hat. The four Pokémon have increased appearance rates during the event, although the exact encounter list changes by research area. The official table includes the new Pokémon in places such as Greengrass Isle, Cyan Beach, and Old Gold Power Plant, while Captain Pikachu also appears in several other area...

PARCO has brought POPEE the Performer to a Shibuya cinema for its first theatrical screening, giving international anime fans a rare chance to see the 2000 full-CG series presented as a focused revival rather than as a new television production. The event is already running in Tokyo, but its official information also makes clear what overseas viewers should not assume: no online or international edition has been announced in the sources reviewed. What Was Announced PARCO announced the event details on July 24, 2026, for POPEE the Performer: Wolf Circus Troupe Shibuya Return Performance . The event runs from August 11 through September 6, 2026, at CINE QUINTO in Shibuya, Tokyo. PARCO’s earlier announcement described the project as a combination of the anime’s first theatrical presentation, a special exhibition, and a merchandise shop; the later event page supplies the operational details. The screening program is divided into three parts titled MAGIC , PANIC , and COSMIC . PARCO ...

HUNDRED LINE -Last Defense Academy- reaches its final Tokyo performances on August 16, 2026, with two different story routes scheduled at the Galaxy Theatre. The closing day is a useful checkpoint for overseas fans following how this branching game is being reworked as live stage fiction. What Was Announced The official stage website lists Sunday, August 16, as the final day of the HUNDRED LINE stage production at The Galaxy Theatre in Tennozu, Tokyo. Two performances are scheduled: a 12:00 p.m. JST show and a 4:00 p.m. JST show. The production’s schedule identifies the earlier performance as “The First 100 Days,” the opening story that introduces Takumi Sumino and the Last Defense Academy. The 4:00 p.m. performance is listed as “Truth Investigation Arc: Tears of Stars and Memories” and “SF Arc: Tomorrow Welcomed by 17,” giving the final slot a route combination that is different from the earlier show. That route structure is the central fact of this production. Aniplex’s origina...

Blue Lock has entered Monster Strike for the first time, bringing a time-limited roster, quests, missions, and a paid starter pack to the Japanese version of MIXI's action RPG through September 2, 2026. What Was Announced MIXI announced on August 13, 2026, that TV anime Blue Lock would receive its first collaboration with Monster Strike . The in-game event began at 12:00 p.m. Japan Standard Time on Sunday, August 16, and the official notices set the main collaboration window to close at 11:59 a.m. JST on Wednesday, September 2. This is a game event built around the anime's characters; the announcement does not present it as a new anime episode, film, or story installment. The headline content is a limited-time gacha featuring five characters. Isagi Yoichi, Rin Itoshi, and Seishiro Nagi appear as ★6 units before their in-game evolution, while Meguru Bachira and Hyoma Chigiri enter as ★4 units. The official notices also identify their voice actors: Kazuki Ura, Koki Uchiyama...

World Trigger fans visiting Japan this summer have a new way to revisit the series’ starting point. Anime WORLD TRIGGER Exhibition “REBOOT” opened in Tokyo on August 11, 2026, and the official event schedule also sets a second run in Osaka for November. The exhibition combines story recap displays with animation materials, interactive areas, and event-exclusive merchandise, making it a time-sensitive stop for fans planning an anime-focused trip. What Was Announced Toei Animation announced the exhibition’s key visual and detailed program on May 26 as part of the anime’s REBOOT project. The event is designed to walk visitors through the beginning of World Trigger rather than present a single-season publicity display. The official outline divides the experience into a prologue and four zones. The prologue uses a diorama of Mikado City and video presentation to review the large-scale invasion and the establishment of Border. Zone 1 follows Osamu Mikumo and Yuma Kuga’s first meeting,...

Oshi no Ko’s official Fan Festival 2026 takes place in Tokyo on August 16, with paid online viewing, a same-day YouTube program, new merchandise, and a separate teaser for an unidentified project. What Was Announced The TV anime Oshi no Ko’s official “Ichigo Production☆ Fan Appreciation Festival 2026” is scheduled for Sunday, August 16, 2026, at SGC HALL ARIAKE in Tokyo. The program has two performances: the afternoon show opens at 1:00 p.m. and begins at 2:00 p.m. Japan Standard Time, while the evening show opens at 5:30 p.m. and begins at 6:30 p.m. JST. The announced cast includes Takeo Otsuka as Aqua, Yurie Igoma as Ruby, Megumi Han as Kana Arima, Rumi Okubo as MEM-cho, Kento Ito as Goro, and Tomohisa Takayasu as Sarina. Special guests are Lynn as Miyako Saito, Hisao Egawa as Ichigo Saito, Yuto Takenaka as Shun Yoshizumi, and Taishi Murata as Pieyon. The official event page also states that Manaka Iwami, who voices Akane Kurokawa, will not appear at this event. It warns that t...

Cinnamoroll has moved from character-brand merchandise and short-form appearances into a new live format: his first touring musical is now running in Japan. Cinnamoroll Wonder Trip: The Secret of the Missing Magic opened its Tokyo engagement on August 15, 2026, and the official schedule sends the production to Osaka, Nagoya, and Fukuoka. For fans outside Japan, the announcement is notable both as a new Cinnamoroll story and as a clear example of how Sanrio is building a stage experience around one of its best-known characters. What Was Announced Sanrio announced the production on April 23, 2026, describing it as Cinnamoroll's first musical tour across multiple cities. The Tokyo run is scheduled for August 15 and 16 at Parthenon Tama. The production then moves to Sky Theater MBS in Osaka on August 22 and 23, Okaya Koki Nagoya Public Hall on August 29, and Kurume City Plaza in Fukuoka on October 10 and 11. The story begins as Cinnamoroll and the Cinnamon Friends prepare for an ...

STEINS;GATE RE:BOOT is using an August 15 release-weekend livestream to connect its Akihabara roots with a split international launch schedule. MAGES announced a free YouTube program with series singer Kanako Ito and development staff, while the official English-language site now lists different release dates for Steam and console players. Here is what overseas fans can verify before the game reaches their platform. What Was Announced MAGES published the announcement on July 28, 2026, confirming a special “Studio Mini-Live and Staff Talk” for Saturday, August 15. The program was scheduled to begin at 7:00 p.m. Japan Standard Time on the MAGES.GAMECHANNEL YouTube channel. The company described the broadcast as free to watch and said it would combine a mini-live of STEINS;GATE-related songs by Kanako Ito with a staff discussion hosted by Haruko Momoi, the voice of Faris NyanNyan. The announced talk lineup includes producer Tatsuya Matsubara and scenario writer Naotaka Hayashi. MAGE...

A new NARUTO attraction challenge begins at Nijigennomori’s NARUTO & BORUTO Shinobi-Zato on Saturday, August 15, 2026, turning the Land of Waves battle between Kakashi Hatake and Zabuza Momochi into an on-site hand-sign test. NARUTO fans visiting Awajishima this summer have a new reason to put their observation skills to work. Nijigennomori announced on July 22 that its Shinobi-Zato attraction will open “Copy Ninja Kakashi’s Trial: Surpass Zabuza!” for a limited run from August 15 through September 15, 2026. The dates connect the event to Zabuza’s August 15 birthday and Kakashi’s September 15 birthday. What Was Announced The new activity is built around one of the most recognizable ideas associated with Kakashi: copying an opponent’s techniques by reading their hand signs. At the plaza in front of the attraction’s Hokage Rock, visitors will face a high-difficulty quiz in which several overlapping hand signs must be identified. The official announcement says the questions becom...

Identity V's 8th-anniversary Fairy Tale Collection fair starts August 15 at Animate stores in Taipei, Taichung, and Kaohsiung, with Taiwan-only purchase bonuses and no confirmed overseas online release. Identity V's 8th-anniversary merchandise moves into a new regional phase on Saturday, August 15, 2026. A fair organized through Animate's Taiwan stores will run through September 6 at locations in Taipei, Taichung, and Kaohsiung. The campaign gives local fans access to a new Fairy Tale Collection and a set of purchase bonuses, while the official announcement leaves overseas availability unconfirmed. What Was Announced Frontier Works published the announcement on June 24, 2026, on its official website. It describes the event as an Identity V eighth-anniversary fair at three Taiwan Animate stores: animate Taipei, animate Taichung, and animate Kaohsiung. The scheduled period is August 15 through September 6, 2026. The merchandise uses newly drawn artwork built around a f...