Published: June 22, 2026 | Category: Anime Weekly News | Worldwide & India Coverage
Okay anime fans, if you thought the anime world ever slows down — this week is your absolute proof that it never does, not even for a single day. The week of June 14 to June 21, 2026 was one of the most emotionally packed, announcement-heavy, and historically significant weeks in anime news that this blog has ever had to cover. We had MAPPA dropping its biggest presentation in studio history, revealing first-ever trailers for Jujutsu Kaisen Season 4 and Chainsaw Man: Assassins Arc and announcing not one but two brand new anime alongside a Dorohedoro Season 3 teaser. We had Baki-Dou Part 2 finally dropping on Netflix. We had Akane-Banashi's Season 1 finale and its immediate Season 2 announcement. We had a beloved voice actress and actress passing away and sending the entire global anime community into grief. We had the legendary Anime India Delhi convention wrapping up with 43,000 attendees. We had a Naruto and US politics controversy that reached Japan's government. We had new anime adaptations announced, Sunrise and SHAFT teaming up for a mystery project, and so much more. Let us go through every single story because every single one of them matters.
THE BIGGEST EVENT OF 2026 SO FAR: MAPPA 15th Anniversary Lineup Presentation — June 19, Everything That Was Revealed
This is the one. The event that every anime fan on earth had circled on their calendar for weeks. On Friday, June 19, 2026 — the studio's actual founding anniversary date — MAPPA held its 15th Anniversary Lineup Presentation, a massive livestream on the official MAPPA YouTube channel starting at 8:00 PM JST. Navigator Kenjiro Tsuda and narrator Kotono Mitsuishi guided viewers through one of the most packed and emotionally resonant studio presentations in anime industry history. By the time it was over, the anime world had been given more to discuss than any single event since the 10th Crunchyroll Anime Awards back in May. Let us go through every single reveal from the event.
1. Jujutsu Kaisen Season 4 — First Trailer Revealed, New Director Named!
The presentation opened with the absolute biggest announcement of the night: the very first trailer for Jujutsu Kaisen Season 4: Culling Game Arc Part 2. The trailer, dropped during the Juju Talk Special Edition segment featuring voice actors Junya Enoki (Yuji Itadori) and Megumi Ogata (Yuta Okkotsu), shows scenes of multiple large-scale fights, including clashes that fans of the manga know will fundamentally change the course of the story. This is the content of Chapters 181 through 221 of Gege Akutami's manga, and seeing it in animated form for the first time was genuinely electric.
A significant creative change was also announced: Shota Goshozono, who directed Seasons 2 and 3, moves to a Chief Director supervisory role, while Takeru Sato steps in as the new Season 4 director. Sato previously served as assistant director on Season 3, has a full directorial credit on the MAPPA film Zombie Land Saga: Yumeginga Paradise, and directed individual episodes of both Chainsaw Man and Dororo. The transition keeps creative continuity in place — Goshozono remains overhead as Chief Director — while developing the next generation of MAPPA talent. Most industry observers expect JJK Season 4 to premiere in late 2026 or early 2027. Additionally, Hulu confirmed on the same day that JJK Season 3 will arrive on their platform on July 10, 2026, expanding access to the Culling Game arc for audiences who have not yet followed the show on Crunchyroll.
2. New MAPPA Project Announcement #1: Fall in Love, You False Angels (Koi Seyo Mayakashi Tenshi-domo)
Right after the JJK segment, MAPPA unveiled its first brand new project of the night: an anime adaptation of Coco Uzuki's manga Fall in Love, You False Angels (Koi Seyo Mayakashi Tenshi-domo). A teaser visual, staff information, and teaser trailer were revealed, with the anime scheduled for 2027. The story follows Otogi Katsura, a girl who presents herself as a perfect beauty, and her classmate Toki Ninomae, who appears equally flawless — as both begin to suspect that neither is quite what they seem. The manga has been generating significant pre-anime buzz online, and MAPPA's involvement immediately elevates anticipation for the adaptation enormously.
3. New MAPPA Project Announcement #2: Jimoto Saiko! — Netflix Exclusive!
The second brand new project revealed at the event was the anime adaptation of usagi's manga Jimoto Saiko! (Hometown Is the Best!), which will stream exclusively on Netflix worldwide. A teaser visual and teaser PV were revealed, with the PV featuring "Milk" by singer-songwriter aiko — a devoted fan of the manga who was specifically selected to perform for the teaser. Director for the series is Tokio Igarashi, with screenplay by Ryo Takada and character design by Rio. The series follows Chanel and her friends who have never left their hometown — a place filled with violence, drugs, poverty, and discrimination — but who proudly declare their town the absolute best no matter what happens. What began as a viral manga on X (formerly Twitter) is now a MAPPA Netflix production. Creator usagi's comment was extraordinarily emotional: they shared that an editor once lent them a million yen from their own pocket when the series nearly collapsed financially, and that the anime is a testament to everyone who supported them through impossible times.
4. Attack on Titan Final Season — Memories Segment, AoT Game Opening Announced
The Attack on Titan Final Season segment, framed as a "memories" tribute to the concluded series, featured director Yuichiro Hayashi and Mikasa Ackerman voice actress Yui Ishikawa. During the segment, MAPPA announced it will produce the opening animation for the video game Attack on Titan: Brave Order Game 3. This is a continuation of MAPPA's involvement in the AoT gaming ecosystem and keeps the franchise alive in a new creative context even after the anime's conclusion.
5. Dorohedoro Season 3 — First Teaser Revealed!
Season 3 of Dorohedoro got its first public teaser at the anniversary event, and while the preview is brief and includes storyboard-level footage in parts — confirming the project is still in early production — it establishes the tone immediately: wild, chaotic, and completely faithful to the manga's unique dark energy. No release date was announced, but the storyboard footage visible in the latter half of the teaser suggests Season 3 is genuinely past the concept stage and actively being built. Given MAPPA's current workload, realistic projections put Season 3's premiere at 2028 or 2029.
6. Ranma 1/2 Season 3 — New Trailer, October 2026 Premiere!
The Ranma 1/2 segment featured a warm and nostalgic special talk with original anime voice actors Kappei Yamaguchi, Noriko Hidaka, and Koichi Yamadera, who have all reprised their classic roles in the Netflix revival. During the segment, a brand new trailer for Ranma 1/2 Season 3 was unveiled, confirming its October 2026 premiere date. Season 3 is part of MAPPA and Netflix's strategic partnership announced in January 2026, and continues to be a massive nostalgia event for Japanese fans and older anime watchers worldwide who grew up with Rumiko Takahashi's beloved martial arts romantic comedy.
7. Oblivion Battery Season 2 — Behind-the-Scenes Feature
The Oblivion Battery segment featured a behind-the-scenes look at Season 2 production with cast members Yohei Azakami and Nobunaga Shimazaki appearing alongside director Masato Nakazono. Oblivion Battery — the baseball anime that swept fan polls in Spring 2026 — is one of MAPPA's quieter but deeply beloved ongoing productions, and seeing the team's commitment to Season 2 confirmed with this level of detail was deeply satisfying for the show's passionate fanbase.
8. Chainsaw Man: Assassins Arc — New Teaser Trailer + Mobile Game!
MAPPA closed the night with a bang. The Chainsaw Man franchise segment revealed multiple announcements: first, an entirely original opening animation movie for the Chainsaw Man title was unveiled. Second, a brand new Chainsaw Man mobile game was announced. And finally, and most excitingly — a new teaser trailer for Chainsaw Man: Assassins Arc was shared, building on the key visual revealed at Jump Festa 2026 in December. The trailer spends its time building up Denji's next big problem: after defeating Reze and having his heart broken, Devil Hunters from around the globe are converging on Japan to kill him. These include three American brothers, a Chinese Hunter with Fiends under her command, and a young man and his master. Whether the format will be a film or a full TV season has still not been clarified, but the trailer itself sent the Chainsaw Man fanbase into a complete frenzy of excitement.
9. Beat & Motion — New MAPPA Netflix Anime for 2027!
As part of the Netflix partnership reveals, MAPPA also confirmed it is producing an anime adaptation of Naoki Fujita's Beat & Motion manga, coming to Netflix in 2027. Beat & Motion was the Grand Prix winner of the manga creator scouting audition MILLION TAG, hosted by Shueisha. The anime will be directed by Yuki Komada, with Shūichirō Umeda voicing Tatsuhiko and Aya Gomazuru voicing Nico. The story is a coming-of-age story about music, animation, and creative dreams — Tatsuhiko posts an animation online that goes viral, and then discovers that the musician Nico who reaches out to collaborate is someone he already knows from a night that changed his life. Viz Media and MANGA Plus both publish the manga in English.
10. PEOPLE 1's "Seikatsu" (Life) — The Anniversary Movie Closes the Show
The presentation concluded with the premiere of MAPPA's 15th Anniversary Movie, set to "Seikatsu" ("Life") — an original song written specifically for MAPPA's 15th anniversary by the beloved band PEOPLE 1, who also performed the ending theme for Episode 10 of Chainsaw Man. The anniversary movie looked back at MAPPA's entire journey from 2011 to 2026, and by all accounts brought many viewers to genuine tears. MAPPA also announced a live celebration event — the MAPPA 15th Anniversary Event — scheduled for November 29, 2026, at Tachikawa Stage Garden in Tokyo, where the studio will hold a live celebration with fans. Tickets and details to be announced soon.
HEARTBREAKING TRIBUTE: Daveigh Chase, English Voice of Chihiro in Spirited Away, Passes Away at 35
This is the news from the week that hit the anime community in the softest and most painful place. On June 16, 2026, actress Daveigh Chase passed away at the age of just 35. TMZ first reported the news, with her boyfriend Roy Hernandez confirming her death. She died from meningitis and a blood infection that caused septic issues — a sudden and devastating illness that took her far too young.
For anime fans, Daveigh Chase holds a place of genuine reverence. She was the English voice of Chihiro Ogino in Studio Ghibli's Spirited Away, the 2001 film that won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature in 2003 and remains to this day one of the most celebrated animated films in history. The English dub of Spirited Away was produced by Disney and directed by Pixar's Pete Docter, and Chase's voice performance as the young protagonist — a frightened ten-year-old navigating a world of spirits with courage she didn't know she had — is considered by many to be one of the finest English dub performances in anime dubbing history.
Beyond Spirited Away, Chase is also well known for voicing Lilo in Disney's Lilo and Stitch (2002) and continuing that role across multiple sequels, series, and games. She played Samara Morgan in the horror film The Ring. Her other roles included Rhonda Volmer in HBO's Big Love, Joyce in Fillmore!, and Samantha Darko in the cult film Donnie Darko.
The global anime community's response to Chase's passing was immediate, enormous, and deeply emotional. Spirited Away is arguably the single most beloved animated film on earth — it has introduced millions of people in India and across the world to the magic of Studio Ghibli and to anime as an art form. Chase's voice is inseparable from Chihiro for the massive English-speaking fanbase that grew up watching her performance. Tributes poured in from voice actors, directors, anime critics, and ordinary fans across every major social media platform.
Studio Ghibli has not yet formally commented, but the loss is felt deeply by everyone who loves Spirited Away — which is to say, by an enormous portion of the global anime community. Rest in peace, Daveigh Chase. Your voice brought one of animation's greatest characters to life for hundreds of millions of people. That is a legacy that will never fade.
BAKI-DOU: THE INVINCIBLE SAMURAI PART 2 DROPS ON NETFLIX — JUNE 18!
One of the most anticipated Netflix anime drops of 2026 arrived right on schedule. Baki-Dou: The Invincible Samurai Part 2 premiered on Netflix worldwide on June 18, 2026, with all 12 episodes — Episodes 14 through 25 — available simultaneously. TMS Entertainment produced the series based on Keisuke Itagaki's manga, and the creditless opening animation set to the Part 2 theme song "MUSASHI" performed by Chevon was released on the same day to celebrate.
The opening animation is a visual feast that captures everything Baki-Dou Part 2 is about. It opens on Musashi Miyamoto gazing sharply downward with a full moon behind him — radiant, terrifying, ancient. Baki Hanma's scarred body radiates the presence of someone honed to an absolute limit. Then the animation races through the combatants who will face the sword saint: Doppo Orochi, Goki Shibukawa, the ferocious prehistoric warrior Pickle brimming with savage energy, Kaoru Hanayama throwing punches with wild abandon, and more. The final clash between Baki and Musashi is depicted as a ferocious battle where both characters hurl everything they have at each other.
Part 2 continues directly from where Part 1 ended, as Musashi Miyamoto — resurrected in the present day through a forbidden cloning experiment by combat enthusiast Mitsunari Tokugawa — continues cutting down modern fighters who believe themselves to be the strongest in the world. The philosophical question at the heart of Part 2 is whether any modern warrior, trained by decades of contemporary martial arts evolution, can match a man who achieved mastery through a completely different — and far more violent — historical process.
TMS Entertainment also announced that a Baki-Dou panel will take place at Anime Expo 2026 on July 3, 2026, at 8:00 PM PT in Room 408AB, titled "Bring It On BAKI-DOU! Experience the Showdown with the BAKI-DOU Team." The panel features longtime Baki manga editor Yūki Yokoi, BAKI-DOU producer Takayoshi Aso, MC Andrew Alandy, and content creators Logan Chitwood and Kaz Kobayashi. For Indian Netflix subscribers, all 12 episodes of Part 2 are available right now — making this the perfect weekend binge-watch for Baki franchise fans who have been counting down since the May announcement.
AKANE-BANASHI SEASON 1 FINALE + SEASON 2 CONFIRMED FOR JANUARY 2027!
On Saturday, June 21, 2026, the Spring 2026 anime season's most critically acclaimed surprise hit reached its conclusion: Akane-Banashi Season 1 aired its final episode on TV Asahi, concluding the Karaku Cup Arc. And right as the finale aired, TV Asahi dropped a second enormous piece of news: Akane-Banashi Season 2 has been officially confirmed and will debut in January 2027.
This announcement was celebrated across the anime community as exactly what the show deserved. Akane-Banashi, the rakugo drama based on the manga by Yūki Suenaga and Takamasa Moue, has been one of the most delightful stories to follow this spring — and its adaptation by Studio ZEXCS under director Ayumu Watanabe has been praised as one of the finest anime debuts of 2026. The story of Akane and her passionate, determined journey to master rakugo and avenge her father has resonated deeply with audiences who appreciate anime that takes its artform subject seriously.
Six new cast members for characters who appeared in the season finale were also revealed alongside the Season 2 announcement, giving fans a tantalizing glimpse of who will be introduced in January. Character designer Kii Tanaka drew a special celebratory illustration to mark the Season 2 confirmation. Simultaneously, Netflix — which had been streaming Akane-Banashi globally with a weekly format — received Season 2 confirmation as well, meaning international fans including those in India will be able to continue watching Akane's journey from January 2027.
After graduating from high school and officially becoming an apprentice of Shiguma Arakawa, Akane will begin her professional journey as a rakugoka under the name Akane Arakawa in Season 2. For fans who followed Season 1 week by week, that progression from passionate amateur to professional apprentice is exactly the kind of character evolution that makes long-form anime storytelling so rewarding. January 2027 cannot arrive fast enough.
SUNRISE x SHAFT NEW ANIME — MYSTERY COUNTDOWN LAUNCHED!
One of the most intriguing and exciting pieces of news from the week came on Thursday, June 18, 2026, when animation studios Sunrise and SHAFT jointly launched an official X (formerly Twitter) account titled "Sunrise x Shaft New Anime," kicking off a countdown to a reveal on June 23 at 24:30 JST (effectively June 24 at 12:30 AM JST). The account began posting countdown updates leading up to the reveal.
Let that sink in for a moment. Sunrise — the legendary studio behind Mobile Suit Gundam, Code Geass, Love Live!, The Witch from Mercury, and countless other titans of anime — is collaborating with SHAFT — the visually distinctive studio behind Puella Magi Madoka Magica, Monogatari Series, and Nisekoi — on a brand new anime project that neither studio has revealed anything about beyond the countdown. This is an unprecedented collaboration between two of the most historically significant and stylistically distinctive studios in the entire industry, and the fan speculation it has generated within the two days since the announcement hit the internet is, frankly, astronomical. Whatever this new anime is — it is going to be enormous news for the anime world.
The reveal is scheduled for June 23-24, which falls just after our recap period, but the launch of the countdown was very much a story of this week — and one that every anime fan needs to be watching. The two studios together have the creative pedigree to produce something genuinely historic, and the secrecy they have maintained suggests the project is significant enough to warrant maximum reveal impact.
NEW ANIME ANNOUNCEMENTS: The Fake Alchemist, Neko to Ryū, and More!
Beyond the MAPPA bombshells, the week of June 14-21 also delivered a strong wave of additional new anime announcements and updates.
The Fake Alchemist (Nisemono no Renkinjutsushi) — Kadokawa & Passione: Kadokawa announced this week the television anime adaptation of Jirō Sugiura and Umemaru's The Fake Alchemist manga, with a commemorative trailer and teaser visual revealed alongside the announcement. Animation is being handled by Passione studio. Kadokawa describes the story as an indie hit that surpassed 1 million copies, following a alchemist whose secrets and deceptions drive a gripping fantasy narrative. This is part of Kadokawa's very active push heading into Anime Expo 2026, where the corporation confirmed its full booth and panel lineup on the same day (June 19).
Neko to Ryū (The Cat and the Dragon) — Cast and Songs Revealed: The official website for the anime adaptation of Amara's Neko to Ryū novel revealed this week that Natsuki Hanae, Yōji Ueda, and more voice actors have joined the cast. Additionally, the opening theme will be performed by suis from yorushika, and the ending theme by shallm — two highly beloved and deeply respected artists in the anime music community. Suis from yorushika's involvement in any anime project is a major draw, given her vocal work's reputation for extraordinary emotional depth. This announcement generated significant enthusiasm among fans of the novel series and music fans alike.
You and I Are Polar Opposites Season 2 — New Trailer with Ending Song: The third trailer for You and I Are Polar Opposites (Seihantaina Kimi to Boku) Season 2 was released this week with English subtitles, unveiling and previewing the anime's ending theme "Unmei no Kimi" ("You are the one") by Mega Shinnosuke. The trailer gives fans a fuller picture of the season's direction. MANGA Plus publishes the manga in English for those who want to read ahead of the anime.
You Are Ms. Servant Manga Returns June 21: Shogakukan's Sunday Webry manga website announced this week that Shotan's You Are Ms. Servant (Kimi wa Meido-sama.) manga will resume serialization on June 21, returning after a four-month hiatus. This is welcome news for fans of the series who have been patiently waiting for the story to continue.
Mistress Kanan is Devilishly Easy Season 2 Green-Lit: The official website for the television anime of nonco's Mistress Kanan is Devilishly Easy (Kanan-sama wa Akumade Choroi) manga announced this week that production on a second season has been green-lit, with character designer Akari Minagawa drawing a celebratory illustration. Season 1 premiered on April 4, 2026, and the rapid Season 2 green-light suggests strong viewership performance for the demoness-infiltrating-human-society comedy.
INDUSTRY CONTROVERSY: The Naruto and Trump Situation — Japan's Government Responds
One of the more unusual stories of the week — and one that crossed the normally separate worlds of anime and international politics — was the Naruto and Donald Trump controversy that erupted in early June and continued generating significant discussion throughout this recap period.
On June 6, 2026, it was reported that US President Donald Trump's Truth Social account posted a video that used the likenesses of the Naruto manga and anime franchise — a video that had been circulating online and clearly incorporated Naruto imagery without permission from the rights holders. When this was reported, it immediately became a significant story both in the United States and in Japan.
Japan's Minister of State for Economic Security, Science and Technology responded directly, stating: "[We] should exercise extreme caution to avoid situations where the reputation of a work is damaged by its use in a manner contrary to the rights holders' intent." This is a remarkably pointed statement from a Japanese government minister about the use of a Japanese intellectual property by an American politician, and it signals the seriousness with which Japan's creative industry takes unauthorized use of anime and manga characters.
The Naruto franchise is owned by Shueisha and Pierrot Studio, who have not made a formal public statement as of this writing, but the Japanese government's intervention signals that the rights holders are not pleased. This story generated enormous discussion in the anime community about intellectual property rights, the global commodification of anime characters, and the responsibility of public figures when using creative works. It also highlighted just how global and culturally significant anime has become when a Japanese government minister is issuing statements about the use of a manga character in a video posted by the President of the United States.
INDIA MEGA STORY: Anime India Delhi 2026 — 43,000 Fans, Kakashi's Voice Actor, and One of India's Greatest Anime Events Ever
For Indian anime fans, the biggest story of the entire week — and perhaps one of the most significant anime event stories in Indian history — is the extraordinary success of Anime India Delhi 2026, which took place on June 6-7 at the Yashobhoomi Convention Centre, Dwarka, New Delhi. Though the event itself occurred just before our June 14-21 recap period, the official post-event report, attendance numbers, and media coverage all emerged during this week, making it very much a story of June 14-21.
The headline number: over 43,000 anime enthusiasts attended Anime India Delhi 2026 across the two days, making it Anime India's biggest and most attended event in its history. To put that in perspective — 43,000 people came together in Delhi specifically to celebrate anime, manga, gaming, and Japanese pop culture. That is not a niche hobby anymore. That is a mainstream cultural phenomenon.
The event headlined with legendary voice actor Kazuhiko Inoue, famous worldwide for voicing Kakashi Hatake in Naruto (his most iconic role), Yoriichi Tsugikuni in Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, Kars in JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Gildarts Clive in Fairy Tail, Toichirou Suzuki in Mob Psycho 100, and Joe Shimamura in Cyborg 009. Inoue participated in a live Naruto performance session at 12:30 PM IST on June 7, a special "Chat with the Legendary Voice Actor" session at 3:00 PM IST, and a meet-and-greet session for ticket holders. Fans who attended these sessions got to hear Kakashi's iconic voice live in India — an experience that is genuinely once in a lifetime for Naruto fans who grew up with the show.
Japanese anime singer YURiKA — known for her songs from Little Witch Academia, Land of the Lustrous, BEASTARS, Hanebado!, and Romantic Killer — performed live at the event, headlining what was described as one of India's largest-ever ticketed J-Pop concerts. The energy at the Shoutengai Stage during YURiKA's performance was reportedly extraordinary, with the audience singing along to beloved anime theme songs in an atmosphere that perfectly captured the joy of the global anime community.
Some of the most remarkable moments from the event included: Toyota presenting a special Attack on Titan-themed immersive experience for fans. Takaratomy officially bringing the Beyblade experience to India during the event for the first time, introducing one of Japan's most beloved toy/anime crossover properties to the Indian market in a formal, hands-on activation. The Baahubali franchise showcasing its first official promotional materials at a public event — a remarkable intersection of India's biggest film franchise with the anime convention world. And the largest gaming zone ever seen at an anime convention in India, featuring competitive tournaments and interactive gaming experiences across the festival floor.
Three major cosplay competitions were held across the two days, with cosplayers from across India showcasing months of work and craftsmanship in recreating characters from Demon Slayer, Jujutsu Kaisen, My Hero Academia, One Piece, Spy x Family, Blue Lock, and dozens of other beloved series. The Cosplay Circuit is described in the official report as "one of the event's most celebrated attractions," and photographs from the competition have been circulating widely in Indian anime fan communities throughout this week.
The Artists Alley at Anime India Delhi 2026 featured original artwork, handcrafted creations, and exclusive merchandise from India's independent anime art creators — a community that has grown enormously in recent years and whose talent was on full display for 43,000 attendees. This is particularly exciting because it shows that the Indian anime fanbase is not just a consuming community but a creating one, producing art, merchandise, and content that reflects Indian fans' unique relationship with anime culture.
Anime India's official post-event release described the convention as having "transformed the capital into a vibrant hub of anime, cosplay, gaming, manga, and Japanese pop culture." ANN's coverage of the event — including a feature titled "Whether You Want to Develop a Game or Become A Magical Girl, Anime India Delhi Had a Panel for Everyone" — reflects the diversity and depth of programming that went far beyond just celebrity appearances. The event featured industry panels, cultural showcases, live entertainment, and fan engagement spread across three dedicated stages: the Flagship Stage, the Shoutengai Stage, and the Meet and Greet Stage.
Anime India has now held successful events in Mumbai, Kolkata, and Delhi in 2026, and further events in Mumbai, Hyderabad, and Indore are expected later in the year. The growth trajectory of Indian anime conventions is nothing short of extraordinary. This is a community that has waited years for this kind of global-level celebration of anime in India, and it is now receiving exactly that — and more.
ANIME INDIA DELHI 2026: Japan-India Cross-Cultural Anime Idea Contest Launched!
In further excellent news for Indian anime fans and creators, Anime Times and Anime India launched a contest for a Japan-India Cross-Cultural Anime Idea, inviting Indian creators and fans to submit original anime concepts that blend Japanese and Indian cultural elements. This contest was announced during the lead-up to and aftermath of Anime India Delhi 2026 and represents a genuinely significant step forward in the Japanese entertainment industry's engagement with Indian creative talent.
The idea of a Japan-India co-produced or India-inspired anime concept has been discussed in the anime community for years. India's rich mythology, folklore, history, and contemporary urban culture offer extraordinary source material for anime storytelling, and this contest is an invitation for Indian creators to articulate exactly what that could look like. The contest is being run through Anime Times (the Japan-based anime news publication) and Anime India, giving it genuine industry visibility in both countries. For aspiring Indian anime creators and storytellers, this is a meaningful opportunity to get their ideas in front of the right eyes.
KADOKAWA ANNOUNCES FULL ANIME EXPO 2026 LINEUP — June 19!
On the same day as the MAPPA anniversary event — June 19 — KADOKAWA Corporation officially announced its complete lineup for Anime Expo 2026, covering booth exhibits, exclusive merchandise, panels, and autograph sessions at the Los Angeles Convention Center from July 2-5. Kadokawa is one of the most significant manga and anime publishers in the world, and their Anime Expo presence every year is a major event in itself.
Kadokawa's confirmed Anime Expo activities include panels for several major titles from their catalog, with specific panel content and guest announcements expected in the coming days. The Kadokawa booth will feature exclusive merchandise tied to their biggest anime franchises, and autograph sessions will give fans the opportunity to meet manga creators and anime staff in person. The full details will be announced through Kadokawa's official channels as Anime Expo approaches.
As noted in previous weeks, Kodansha House — Kadokawa's competitor in the manga publishing space — will also make its first-ever Los Angeles appearance at Anime Expo 2026, bringing Blue Lock and Witch Hat Atelier creators. The combined presence of both Kadokawa and Kodansha at Anime Expo 2026 makes this year's convention one of the most significant publisher-participation events in recent memory for Western anime fans.
SPRING 2026 SEASON FINALES — Witch Hat Atelier and Others Wrap Up
As June 21 marks the official end of our recap period, the Spring 2026 anime season is in its final days, with most series approaching or completing their season finales. This week saw several beloved Spring 2026 shows air their final episodes, bringing an incredible season to its conclusion.
Witch Hat Atelier, widely considered the most visually extraordinary and emotionally resonant anime of Spring 2026, is completing its season run at Wit Studio. The series — based on Kamome Shirahama's manga — has been praised as one of the finest fantasy anime productions in years, and its finale has fans eagerly anticipating what a second season might eventually look like.
Akane-Banashi's Season 1 finale aired on Saturday, June 21, as covered above, with the simultaneous Season 2 announcement making the farewell immediately less painful.
Anime Corner published its final weekly anime poll for Spring 2026 on June 19, 2026 — the same day as the MAPPA anniversary event — capturing the community's assessments of the season's best shows heading into the summer hiatus. With the Summer 2026 season beginning in just days (Ghost in the Shell on July 7, 100 Girlfriends Season 3 on July 5, and others even earlier), the transition from a beloved spring season to an extraordinarily stacked summer lineup is underway.
MORE NEWS IN BRIEF: Everything Else From June 14-21
The week had even more stories beyond the massive headline events. Here is everything else that happened:
JJK Season 3 on Hulu from July 10: Hulu confirmed on June 19 that Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3 will arrive on the platform on July 10, 2026 in both subbed and dubbed versions. This expands access to the Culling Game arc for US audiences who prefer Hulu over Crunchyroll.
Dan Da Dan Season 3 Confirmed for 2027: Science SARU and the Dan Da Dan anime team confirmed a third season with a 2027 premiere date and released a new key visual this week. Season 2 ended in March 2026 and Season 3 continuing in 2027 maintains the franchise's momentum.
Blue Box Anime Season 2 Confirmed for Fall 2026: The Blue Box anime — the heartwarming school romance and sports series from Koji Miura — confirmed a Fall 2026 premiere for its second season, continuing the story of Taiki and Chinatsu's intertwined athletic and romantic lives.
Kiki's Delivery Service Live-Action TV Series Announced: BBC Studios Kids & Family announced a partnership with UK production company Wheel in Motion and Kadokawa to develop a live-action television series based on Eiko Kadono's Kiki's Delivery Service novels — the books that inspired Studio Ghibli's beloved 1989 animated film. The series is planned as 10 half-hour episodes based on the first novel volume, written by Irena Brignull. For Ghibli fans, this is a fascinating development that raises many questions about how Kiki's world will translate to live-action.
Dr. Stone Science Future Continues to Its Finale: The final part of Dr. Stone: Science Future continues airing weekly, with the English dub voice cast — Aaron Dismuke (Senku) and Felecia Angelle (Kohaku) — giving interviews about the experience of finishing the series. ANN's interview with them this week is a warm and emotional tribute to the show's legacy.
One Piece Anime Continues & Chapter 1184 Released: One Piece Episode 1165 aired this week, continuing the Elbaph Arc and the Holy Knights storyline. Chapter 1184 of the manga was also released, maintaining the parallel advancement of both the anime and manga arms of the Elbaph story. Discussion of the Holy Knights' abilities and motivations continued to dominate One Piece fan communities throughout the week.
Sunrise's 50th Anniversary Projects: Bandai Namco Filmworks revealed its Sunrise 50th Anniversary project this week, which includes six short film projects celebrating the legendary mecha studio's half-century of production history. Sunrise has produced Gundam, Code Geass, Tiger & Bunny, Love Live!, and countless other beloved franchises, making a 50th anniversary celebration a landmark moment in anime history.
Hunter x Hunter New Volume July 3: It was confirmed this week that Hunter x Hunter will release its first new compiled manga volume in 22 months on July 3. Yoshihiro Togashi's beloved series, which has faced extreme publication delays due to his health challenges, continues to be one of the most followed and anticipated manga stories in the world. Any new HxH volume is a genuinely massive event for the fanbase.
The Greatest Magicmaster's Retirement Plan Anime for 2027: A website opened this week announcing the television anime adaptation of Izushiro and Ruria Miyuki's The Greatest Magicmaster's Retirement Plan light novel series, with Yūto Uemura starring and the anime set for a 2027 premiere.
Rurouni Kenshin: Hokkaido Arc Manga Takes Break: The Rurouni Kenshin: Hokkaido Arc manga announced a one-issue break this week. The manga has been a passionate continuation project for Nobuhiro Watsuki's beloved historical swordsman franchise, and fans are hoping the break is brief.
WHAT'S COMING NEXT: The Road to Summer 2026
With everything that just happened this week, it is almost hard to believe how much more is still coming in the immediate days and weeks ahead. Here is your complete roadmap:
June 23-24: The Sunrise x SHAFT new anime is revealed on June 24 at 12:30 AM JST. This is the most anticipated mystery reveal in anime right now.
July 2-5: Anime Expo 2026 in Los Angeles — Crunchyroll's massive Showcase on July 3, Studio Trigger's panel on July 4 with Cyberpunk Edgerunners 2 first look and a new project reveal, Mushoku Tensei Season 3 world premiere on July 3, Baki-Dou panel on July 3, Kodansha House debut with Blue Lock and Witch Hat Atelier creators, and Kadokawa's full Anime Expo activities. This is going to be the biggest anime information week of the summer.
July 2-10: Summer 2026 anime begins. The Exiled Heavy Knight on July 2, Draw This Then Die on July 3, Skeleton Knight Season 2 on July 4, 100 Girlfriends Season 3 on July 5, I Want to Love You Till Your Dying Day and Ghost in the Shell on July 7, Hanaori-san on July 11, Trapped in a Dating Sim Season 2 on July 8, and From Old Country Bumpkin to Master Swordsman Season 2 on July 8.
July 10: Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3 arrives on Hulu in the US.
July 3: Hunter x Hunter's first new manga volume in 22 months releases.
November 29, 2026: MAPPA 15th Anniversary live event at Tachikawa Stage Garden, Tokyo.
October 2026: Apothecary Diaries Season 3 begins. Blue Lock: Neo Egoist League (Season 3) premieres October 9. Ranma 1/2 Season 3 premieres. Jyu-Oh Mujin Dandivine begins. Ninja Scroll 4K theatrical screenings in North America.
FINAL THOUGHTS: A Week That Moved the Entire Anime World
Looking back at June 14 to June 21, 2026, this was a week that moved the entire anime world. MAPPA's 15th anniversary presentation was not just a collection of trailer drops — it was a celebration of 15 years of artistic achievement that has genuinely shaped global popular culture. Every title MAPPA discussed — from Jujutsu Kaisen to Chainsaw Man to Attack on Titan to Dorohedoro — represents anime that has crossed the boundaries of fandom and entered the mainstream consciousness of millions of people worldwide.
The passing of Daveigh Chase reminded the entire anime community of how deeply personal and meaningful voice performances are — that a voice actress can die at 35 and be mourned by millions of people across the world because her performance as a ten-year-old girl in a Japanese animated film 25 years ago meant that much to that many people. Spirited Away is not just a movie. For countless fans across India and around the world, it was the film that opened the door to anime itself. Daveigh Chase's voice was part of that door.
Anime India Delhi 2026 with 43,000 attendees is a number that deserves to be said again clearly: forty-three thousand people in Delhi, gathered together over one weekend to celebrate anime. India's anime community is not growing — it has already grown. It is large, passionate, organized, and globally connected. It deserves the world-class events it is receiving, and it is building something genuinely extraordinary.
And as we head into Summer 2026 — the Ghost in the Shell premiere, Anime Expo, 100 Girlfriends Season 3, Baki-Dou binge-watches, the Sunrise x SHAFT mystery reveal, and everything else just around the corner — the anime world is as alive, diverse, and exciting as it has ever been. Keep watching, keep reading, and keep being proud to be part of the greatest entertainment community on earth.
That is your complete anime news roundup for June 14 to June 21, 2026! Which moment hit you the hardest this week? The MAPPA anniversary reveals? The passing of Daveigh Chase? Baki-Dou Part 2 finally dropping? Or the incredible numbers from Anime India Delhi? Tell us in the comments below — we read every single one!
Tags: Anime News, MAPPA 15th anniversary, JJK season 4 trailer, Chainsaw Man Assassins Arc, Dorohedoro season 3 teaser, Jimoto Saiko anime Netflix, Beat Motion anime Netflix, Fall in Love False Angels MAPPA, Ranma half season 3 October, Baki-Dou Part 2 Netflix, Daveigh Chase death Spirited Away, Akane-Banashi season 2 announced January 2027, Sunrise SHAFT new anime, The Fake Alchemist anime, Anime India Delhi 43000, Kazuhiko Inoue India, YURiKA concert India, Naruto Trump controversy Japan, anime India news June 2026, anime summer 2026, weekly anime news June 14-21 2026
0 Comments