The latest anime, manga, game, voice actor and movie collab news from Japan.
Collaboration Café
A collaboration café featuring “JOCHUM,” a character created through a new character development project between the hugely popular idol group “JO1” and “Sanrio,” will open sequentially at BOX cafe & space in Shibuya and Umeda starting July 21, 2023. In addition to collaboration meal sets, limited-edition merchandise featuring original illustrations will be available!
Manga, Magazines, Light Novels
A story depicting Yuzuru Hanyu’s life so far and his future on the ice, marking the first-ever solo performance by a figure skater at the Tokyo Dome To commemorate the February 26, 2023, performance of “Yuzuru Hanyu ICE STORY 2023 GIFT at Tokyo Dome”—the first-ever solo figure skating performance at the Tokyo Dome—a picture book created in collaboration between Hanyu and the wildly popular creative collective CLAMP is set to be released!
News
The finalists for the 46th “Kodansha Manga Award,” a manga award sponsored by Kodansha, have been announced. Fourteen popular manga titles have been selected as finalists for the 2022 awards, including “Chi. —On the Motion of the Earth—,” “Shangri-La Frontier: The Crap Game Hunter Takes on the Masterpiece,” “Freiren: The Funeral,” “That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime,” and “[My Favorite Child].”
Manga, Magazines, Light Novels
To commemorate the 20th anniversary of the TV anime “Squall,” produced by Sunrise and broadcast in 2001, the special edition book “Squall 20th ANNIVERSARY BOOK”—featuring setting materials from the TV series and theatrical film, as well as interviews with the cast and staff—will go on sale on October 4, 2021!
Collaboration Café
To commemorate the 20th anniversary of the TV anime “Squid Girl,” produced by Sunrise and broadcast in 2001, a takeout-only collaboration café will be held at the Animate Café Pop-Up in Akihabara on weekends and holidays from July 24 to August 15, 2021! Details have been revealed about collaboration menu items inspired by characters such as Kazuma and Liu Feng, as well as original merchandise!
Collaboration Café
To commemorate the 20th anniversary of the popular anime “Squid Girl,” produced by Sunrise and originally aired in 2001, a collaboration event will be held at the Animate Cafe Pop-Up in Akihabara on weekends and holidays from July 24 to August 15, 2021! We’ll be serving takeout drinks inspired by the series’ world and characters!
VTuber Roa Kaitetsu’s collaboration café, “Roa’s Seaside Tea Party at Cure Maid Café,” will be held at Cure Maid Café in Akihabara from November 20 to December 6, 2026. The menu will feature omelet rice and parfaits supervised by Roa, as well as nine types of collaboration drinks. Customers will receive a limited-edition card (5 varieties total) with each order and a limited-edition sticker (5 varieties total) with every 2,200 yen spent on merchandise.
Period: Nov 20, 2026〜Dec 6
The “Vampire Knight Collaboration Cafe,” based on the manga “Vampire Knight” by Matsuri Hino, will be held at My Charaful Cafe in Kanda, Tokyo, from December 10, 2026, to February 14, 2027, and from March 10, 2027, to May 9, 2027, in Osaka. A key visual featuring characters dressed in maid and butler-style outfits has been released. The Tokyo venue will operate on an 80-minute time slot basis with priority given to reservations; during certain periods, reservations will be allocated via a lottery.
Period: Dec 10, 2026〜Feb 14
"The Stray Cat Gang Feast Party in TOBU" is set to take place at the Tobu Department Store Ikebukuro Branch from November 5 to November 25! In addition to 37 different collaboration menu items available at cafes, restaurants, and the basement food hall, there will be freebies for ordering collaboration dishes, a stamp rally throughout the store, a festival on the rooftop, and a pop-up shop in the 8th-floor event hall.
Period: Nov 5, 2026〜Nov 25
A collaboration café featuring the TV anime “Yumeiro Patissière” and the maid café “At Home Café” will be held at the AKIBA Cultures ZONE Store L from November 20 to December 25, 2026; at the Osaka Main Store from January 12 to February 12, 2027; and and from April 16 to May 16 at the Nagoya Osu Main Store. The menu will feature omurice and drinks inspired by Kashino, Ando, and Hanabusa dressed as butlers and Ichigo dressed as a maid, and customers will receive collaboration stickers and coasters with every order.
Period: Nov 20, 2026〜Dec 25
A collaboration between the TV anime “Blue Lock” and Animate Cafe will take place from December 1, 2026, to January 12, 2027, at Animate Cafe Stand Hareza Ikebukuro, and starting December 16, at an event space next to Nipponbashi in Osaka. The event will feature parfaits, drinks, and merchandise featuring original mini-character illustrations of the characters wearing cat-ear and rabbit-ear hoodies. There will also be a campaign offering coasters (8 varieties total) as a bonus for ordering menu items, as well as a birthday bromide campaign celebrating Hyoma Senki’s birthday.
Period: Dec 1, 2026〜Jan 12
A collaboration between the manga *Mao no Ichi*, serialized in *Weekly Shonen Jump*, and Animate Cafe will take place at Animate Cafe Stand Hareza Ikebukuro from November 6 to November 29, 2026. Drinks and parfaits inspired by characters such as Ichi and Deskaras will be introduced in two phases, with the lineup rotating between the first and second halves of the event. Merchandise featuring original mini-character illustrations exclusive to Animate, as well as coasters (10 varieties total) available as a bonus with menu orders, will also be available.
Period: Nov 6, 2026〜Nov 29
"Dear My Heart in TreeVillage Cafe," part of the "Cardcaptor Sakura: Clear Card Arc" series, will be held sequentially in Tokyo, Osaka, and Hakata from December 12, 2026, to February 11, 2027. A newly drawn illustration of Sakura holding a letter has been unveiled!
Period: Dec 12, 2026〜Feb 11
The second collaboration between the TV anime "WIND BREAKER" and Sweets Paradise will take place sequentially at six locations nationwide from December 1 to December 27, 2026. Details on the collaboration menu, promotional items, and Sweets Paradise-exclusive merchandise featuring newly drawn illustrations will be announced at a later date!
Period: Dec 1, 2026〜Dec 27
A collaboration between “Bungo Stray Dogs” and the Animate Cafe Pop-Up Edition will be held at Tokozawa Sakura Town for two days on November 14 and 15, 2026. The event will feature drinks inspired by six characters—including Atsushi Nakajima and Osamu Dazai—dressed in traditional Japanese attire, as well as merchandise such as coasters and acrylic stands available as order bonuses!
Period: Nov 14, 2026〜Nov 15
The “Jump SQ. 20th Anniversary Exhibition,” an exhibition of original artwork commemorating the 20th anniversary of the manga magazine “Jump SQ.,” will be held from April 23 to May 16, 2027, at Exhibition Hall C of the Cultural Hall Building in Sunshine City, Ikebukuro, and from July 3 to July 26 at the ATC Gallery in Osaka Nanko. The event will feature displays of original artwork and photo spots recreating iconic scenes, and 20th-anniversary merchandise will also be available for purchase.
Period: Apr 23, 2027〜Jul 26
The “Meiji Milk Chocolate 100th Anniversary Exhibition,” commemorating the 100th anniversary of the launch of “Meiji Milk Chocolate,” will be held at the Tokyo International Forum from December 23 to December 30, 2026. The exhibition will feature original illustrations by 40 manga artists, as well as packaging designs from throughout the brand’s history!
Period: Dec 23, 2026〜Dec 30
A special exhibition titled “Always Partners,” which looks back on the series from “TIGER & BUNNY” to “TIGER & BUNNY 2,” is set to open at the Tokyo Anime Center in Shibuya. The exhibition, which focuses on the moments that changed the relationship between Kotetsu and Barnaby, will run from January 22 to February 28, 2027!
Period: Jan 22, 2027〜Feb 28
The “20th Anniversary Exhibition Final” for Toshiro Hasekura’s *Spice and Wolf*—featuring all four newly illustrated works from the four seasons, previously exhibited in Tokyo and Osaka—is set to take place at GoFa in Aoyama, Tokyo. The exhibition will be held in two phases: the first phase from November 21 to December 25, 2026, and the second phase from January 9 to January 17, 2027!
Period: Nov 21, 2026〜Jan 17
The first exhibition for the TV anime “Ao no Hako,” based on the coming-of-age club activity love story by Miura Koji, titled “TV Anime ‘Ao no Hako’ Exhibition ~Every Time You Open It, You Fall in Love~,” based on the TV anime “Ao no Hako,” which is adapted from the youth club activity romance story by Miura Koji, will be held on the 6th floor of Shinjuku Marui Annex from January 29 to February 14, 2027. Here, we present an overview of the exhibition—which will feature photo spots recreating iconic scenes from the series—along with the newly released key visual and information on where to find further updates.
Period: Jan 29, 2027〜Feb 14
The "POP UP STORE in SHIBUYA109" for the TV anime "Attack on Titan" will be held from November 13 to November 30 at the SHIBUYA109 Shibuya store and Abeno Q's Mall! New merchandise featuring original illustrations of Eren and the others dressed in Western-style outfits will be on sale, and for every 3,000 yen (tax included) spent, customers will receive a free bromide (12 varieties total).
Period: Nov 13, 2026〜Nov 30
The TV anime “Fragrant Flowers Bloom with Dignity” and E-flower will host the “Fragrant Flowers Bloom with Dignity × E-flower POP UP SHOP in Ueno Marui” at Ueno Marui from November 13 to November 23! An exclusive illustration for this event has been previewed on the official EDITH X account, and details regarding merchandise and other items will be announced at a later date.
Period: Nov 13, 2026〜Nov 23
The “Love Live! Hasu no Sora Girls’ Academy School Idol Club” caravan tour will be held at LaLaport Nagoya Minato Akurus from November 13 to November 23, and at Mitsui Outlet Park Hokuriku Oyabe from November 13 to November 15! In addition to the sale of a total of 9 items—including acrylic stands and flight tag keychains featuring newly drawn illustrations—there will also be a digital stamp rally, a giveaway campaign, and bromide sales via convenience store e-print services.
Period: Nov 13, 2026〜Nov 23
VOISING's Tarot Fair will be held at Animate stores nationwide from November 7 to December 6, 2026. Lots of new merchandise will be available!
Period: Nov 7, 2026〜Dec 6
The "Pop-Up Shop ~Winter 2026/2027~" for the anime "Bocchi the Rock!" will be held from November 13 through February 10, 2027, at Atre Akihabara, G-Store locations, and online! Merchandise details have been revealed, including full-graphic T-shirts featuring newly drawn illustrations of the Ketsusuban members enjoying a day out in slightly more mature winter outfits, F6 canvas art, and a set of five event-exclusive 65mm pin badges.
Period: Nov 13, 2026〜Jan 31
