Japanese YouTuber Hikakin has released ONICHA, a barley tea exclusive to Seven-Eleven. While the marketing is massive and the label features a cute mascot, the drink itself is surprisingly straightforward and quenches thirst in a pinch.

In Sound! Euphonium The Final Movie Part 1 meticulous animation showcases Kyoto Animation's skill while re-telling season 3 of the TV anime. The story emphasizes Kumiko’s growing responsibility and the shifting dynamics of a band chasing national glory.

Director Makoto Nagahisa returns with Burn, a powerful feature film about the Toyoko Kids of Kabukicho. This visually stunning work moves past headlines to humanize runaway youth as they navigate a cycle of exploitation and trauma.

For @scrmbl.com, I wrote about one of the great underground indie RPG classics, Nepheshel

Nepheshel is a foundational 2002 doujin RPG that predicted the cryptic world design and punishing difficulty of Demon’s Souls. This influential title prioritizes finding hidden secrets over combat to reward players for their curiosity.

Time for our weekly selection playlist update and new music picks! This week features tracks from Daoko, HARUKA ECHO, Pilaf Seijin, Sasane, Tota, and Wednesday Campanella!

The Gakunan Electric Railway offers an experience with a unique industrial landscape beneath Mt. Fuji. This local line preserves vintage trains and offers atmospheric night photography trips through the factory heart of Shizuoka prefecture.

On her latest album, MANIAC, TORIENA brings intense energy pairing buzzsaw production with vulnerable lyrics to explore her inner self. The tracks move from rave-ready sounds to jagged rock while maintaining a deeply personal core. Read our full review of TORIENA's latest:

Yoshitoshi Shinomiya delivers a stunning directorial debut with A New Dawn. This film utilizes bold animation styles to explore memory and legacy. It is a visual triumph that values emotion over complex plot.

We've teamed up with our good friends at @acen.org to take over their Saturday night dance, formerly known as SYNERGY now named INTERSECT. We pulled out all the stops and have an absolutely stacked lineup in store for this year! Details at the link below! scrmbl.com/post/interse...

The conflict between Kinoko no Yama and Takenoko no Sato enjoyers is one that has waged for ages, but a new product from meiji conceived by AI brings the battle to its logical conclusion. Kitakita no Konokono Yamasato brings both sides together for a new snack sensation.

🗣️ We're thrilled to welcome BANVOX as a Performer at Anime Central! 🗣️ BANVOX will be performing at Intersect, the EDM dance Saturday, May 16th. #AnimeCentral #ACen2026 www.acen.org/banvox-will-...

🗣️ We're thrilled to welcome Kenmochi Hidefumi as a Performer at Anime Central! 🗣️ Kenmochi Hidefumi will be performing at Intersect, the EDM dance Saturday, May 16th. #AnimeCentral #ACen2026 www.acen.org/kenmochi-hid...

🗣️ We're thrilled to welcome Soichi Terada presents Sumo x Apes as a Performer at Anime Central! 🗣️ Soichi Terada presents Sumo x Apes will be performing at Intersect, the EDM dance Saturday, May 16th. #AnimeCentral #ACen2026 www.acen.org/soichi-terad...

🗣️ We're thrilled to welcome kors k as a Performer at Anime Central! 🗣️ kors k will be performing at Intersect, the EDM dance Saturday, May 16th. #AnimeCentral #ACen2026 www.acen.org/kors-k-will-...

🗣️ We're thrilled to welcome ☆Taku Takahashi as a Performer at Anime Central! 🗣️ ☆Taku Takahashi will be performing at Intersect, the EDM dance Saturday, May 16th. #AnimeCentral #ACen2026 www.acen.org/taku-takahas...

The Synergy EDM dance is now INTERSECT! Intersect will feature DJs from Japan’s EDM scene, a show you'd travel halfway around the world for. Stay tuned as we reveal the lineup throughout the day! #AnimeCentral #ACen2026

Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway shines when it's exploring the backstory of Chihaya Hagiwara. While the action is intense and the character depth is welcome, the predictable plot prevents it from being a top-tier franchise entry.

Time for our weekly selections playlist update, this week featuring new tracks from Age Factory, AIR-CON BOOM BOOM ONESAN, DYGL, Hikari Mitsushima & cero, THE LUV BUGS, N², Baku & Seann Bowe , and STUTS w/ Taeko Onuki!

Hobonichi celebrates the 20th anniversary of MOTHER 3 with a new merch drop as part of their mother project which includes an adorable Ultimate Chimera plush and an upcoming second collaboration with Converse!

The 60th anniversary documentary THE ORIGIN OF ULTRAMAN arrives in theaters on July 3. This film features legendary creators like Guillermo del Toro and Hideo Kojima who discuss the massive global impact of the iconic tokusatsu hero.

Tokyo’s Museum of Narratives impresses with its Kengo Kuma architectural design but falls short on substance. Despite a massive budget and grand buzzwords, the experience feels hollow and lacks a coherent connection to its own puzzling name.

Pokémon Pokopia is winning praise for both its gameplay and approach to a world without humans, but the foundation was laid by the Pokémon Mystery Dungeon series. These games blended roguelike mechanics with deep stories about life as a Pokémon that still resonate with fans today.

The Needy Girl Overdose anime brings the viral indie hit to the screen to explore toxic internet fame. It captures the dark side of streaming culture through the story of a girl whose search for approval takes a mental toll.

Suntory is betting big on NOPE by flooding trains and vending machines with punk-inspired ads. This new craft cola features a complex blend of 99 flavors like spices and chocolate to offer a bold alternative to standard sodas. Check out our thoughts in this week's Konbini close-up!

Sakurazaka46 celebrated five years at MUFG Stadium with a high energy show for 140,000 fans. The massive venue glowed with penlights while the audience chants helped overcome stadium acoustics to create a powerful and unified experience.

The Edo-Tokyo Museum has reopened its doors after a four-year closure. Visitors enter a massive structure to walk through life-sized recreations of historic streets capturing the city's evolution from a fishing village to a metropolis.

A Scene at the Sea stands out as a serene entry in Takeshi Kitano's filmography. This nearly silent story follows a deaf trash collector who finds purpose in surfing. It uses the quiet bond with his girlfriend to explore deep human connection.

Monday means new music selections! Must listen new tracks in this week's update from LAUSBUB, Mall Boyz w/ Tohji & gummyboy, MONAKI, Otoboke Beaver, purini, and TORIENA!

Tatsuro Yamashita traveled to New York and Los Angeles to record Circus Town because he wanted to test his musical vision against his American influences. This 1976 solo debut helped him bridge the gap between US pop and his own sound.

Nobuyuki Fukumoto’s Nikaido Hell Golf subverts the sports genre by focusing on the agony of persistent failure. The series follows a middle-aged golfer trapped in a cycle of self-doubt as he struggles to go professional after twenty years.

Seven-Eleven Japan’s chocolate sprinkle and whipped cream sandwich brings a Technicolor twist to the convenience store shelf. This vibrant dessert emphasizes visual impact over taste, prioritizing social media appeal and aesthetics.

This is I brings the life of trans icon Ai Haruna to Netflix as a musical biopic. While it avoids heavier systemic hardships, the film offers a rare and optimistic celebration of trans joy through 1980s idol pop.

Gekidan Shinkansen is a unique Japanese theater troupe that blends heavy metal with historical fantasy and comedy. Their GEKI×CINE project brings these epic stage shows to movie theaters and streaming so fans everywhere can take in the spectacle.

Entertainment has entered a global oshikatsu economy where super fans drive the market. This intense devotion has long existed with Japanese idols and now similar business models and consumer habits can be seen globally through digital streaming and physical sales.

JR East has opened Oimachi Tracks on the site of the historic Yamanote Line depot. This new development features a mall and a park alongside a Toho Cinema. Visitors can also enjoy a great view of the Yamanote Line trains from the open air plaza.

Kick the week off with some brand new, hand picked music! New tracks added to our 2026 selections this week from 7th Jet Balloon, adieu, Blurred City Lights, Яu-a, Sugar House, and Vaundy!

With manga collecting heating up and more people getting into zasshi collecting, it can be hard to chase down key issues for your favorite series. With nearly 2000 chapters under its belt One Piece is no exception, so we've made a handy list of what issues to look out for!

Digimon Tamers stands out for its focus on what it means to actually raise a digital monster. Rather than focus on simple adventures the series also explores the weight of being responsible for another life and the bond of a true partnership.

Hodonaku, Owakare Desu is a moving film that explores grief through a woman who can see spirits at a funeral home. It offers a sensitive look at how we say goodbye and find the dignity to move forward after losing someone we love.

The Intermediatheque in Tokyo is a surreal mix of biology and art located in the old Japan Post building. You can see whale skeletons alongside ancient Egyptian statues in a space that feels like a massive cabinet of curiosities.

Music and baseball go hand in hand in Japan, from the chants from the fans to a wide selection of original theme songs written specifically for each of the 12 teams in the NPB league. It's even led to surprising international collaborations.

Every week we hand pick stand out new music releases that should be on your radar, this week is no exception. Highlights for this week include new tracks from Aooo, gl1tch.bby, HIYADAM, Kianna, okudakun, and SWEET STEADY!

Each month Patrick from Make Believes Melodies rounds up a selection of the month's best new albums & EPs for us to share with our readers. This month we have new drops from killwiz, Kaede Hirata, N-Feni, MANON, and STUTS with Julia Wu!

Japanese baseball stadiums offer a unique musical experience where players and teams are celebrated with their own custom chants. Fans create a massive open air concert atmosphere with trumpets and drums that feels as energetic and exciting as any music festival.

Director Takahiro Miki returns with a powerful new drama, The Last Song You Left Behind, starring Shunsuke Michieda and Meru Nukumi. This decade-long story follows two students who bond over songwriting to overcome personal barriers and find a deep connection.

The Railway Museum in Omiya is a dream for rail fans. It features everything from Japan’s very first steam engine to modern Shinkansen. You can drive mini trains, explore vintage carriages, enjoy an "authentic" train lunch, and much much more.

Samurai Ballerina: L’etoile de Paris en fleur is a beautiful original anime about two girls chasing their dreams in 1910s Paris. The story handles the real challenges of being an outsider while celebrating the power of art to connect people across different cultures.

Hololive SUPER EXPO 2026 changed things up from past years, opening on a Friday for a huge three day event. Fans got a deep dive into the new hololive Dreams mobile game and packed the arenas for incredible live concerts across the weekend amongst other activities.

Our weekly playlist update is here, featuring a selection of must listen new tracks from freespace, Kayoko Yoshizawa, Killwiz, LANA & Elle Teresa, Summer Eye, and TinyYawn!