Weekly Anime News: Crunchyroll’s Big Expansion, Sakamoto Days Hits 18 Million & More - AniWorldTV

This week has been packed with major developments across the anime and manga industry. From Shueisha launching a new global manga platform with support for more than 100 languages, to Crunchyroll expanding its reach beyond traditional screens, the anime industry continues to grow and change in exciting ways.

Meanwhile, Sakamoto Days has crossed a massive 18 million copies in circulation, Mobile Suit Gundam Hathaway is heading to Netflix, and a new fantasy series, Destiny Unchain, has officially been announced as a TV anime.

But the week also brought heartbreaking news for manga fans, with the passing of Vermeil in Gold artist Yōko Umezu and a new hiatus for Battle Game in 5 Seconds due to its creator’s health.

Here are the biggest anime and manga news stories you need to know from this week.

1. Shueisha Launches Manga Million With 400+ Manga in 100+ Languages

One of the biggest announcements of the week came from Shueisha, which has launched a new global digital manga platform called Manga Million.

The platform launched with more than 400 manga titles, including over 150 popular series such as One Piece, Naruto, Bleach, Demon Slayer, Jujutsu Kaisen, Kingdom, Oshi no Ko, and Spy × Family.

What makes the launch especially significant is its international focus. Manga Million supports more than 100 languages, including English, Hindi, Arabic, Chinese, Spanish, French, and many others.

The service is also offering its library for free without registration for a limited promotional period.

For international manga readers, especially fans who have struggled to find official manga in their preferred language, this could be a major step forward.

2. Crunchyroll Is Expanding Anime Beyond Your Phone and TV

Crunchyroll continues to push anime into new markets and new forms of entertainment.

One major development was its collaboration with Sony Pictures Entertainment to bring eight Makoto Shinkai movies to anime fans in India, including Your Name, Weathering With You, Suzume, The Garden of Words, and several others. Some major titles also received Hindi dubs for the first time.

But Crunchyroll had another interesting announcement this week.

The platform is partnering with Appning by FORVIA to bring Crunchyroll streaming to select vehicles, beginning with BMW and MINI before expanding to more brands. The service is expected to reach markets including India, North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia, and Australia.

Of course, video playback will be disabled while the vehicle is moving and will only become available when parked.

Together, these developments show how aggressively Crunchyroll is expanding anime accessibility and distribution beyond traditional streaming devices.

3. Sakamoto Days Manga Surpasses 18 Million Copies

Sakamoto Days continues to prove just how successful the franchise has become.

The manga has officially surpassed 18 million copies in circulation worldwide, with the milestone announced alongside the release of Volume 28 in Japan.

The success of the anime adaptation has helped introduce the series to an even larger international audience. The anime premiered in January 2025 and streamed worldwide on Netflix, with its second cour following in July of the same year.

And the story isn’t slowing down.

The second season of the anime is scheduled for January 2027, while the manga has already entered its final battle and is moving toward its conclusion.

With 18 million copies now in circulation, Sakamoto Days has clearly established itself as one of the major modern Shonen Jump franchises.

4. Mobile Suit Gundam Hathaway 2 Gets Netflix Release Date

Gundam fans also received an important update this week.

Netflix has revealed a new trailer for Mobile Suit Gundam Hathaway: The Sorcery of Nymph Circe, the second movie in the Hathaway trilogy.

The movie is scheduled to begin streaming on Netflix on August 31 in select regions.

The film continues Hathaway Noa’s story as he leads Mafty while dealing with his complicated relationship with Gigi Andalucia. At the same time, Kenneth Sleg continues his mission to stop Mafty.

The movie promises a combination of large-scale mobile suit battles, political conflict, and emotional drama.

For international Gundam fans, the Netflix release gives the second installment a much wider potential audience.

5. Destiny Unchain Is Officially Getting a TV Anime

A new fantasy series has also entered the anime world.

Destiny Unchain Online: How I Became the Crimson Devil has officially been announced as a TV anime adaptation.

The series is based on the light novel written by Resn, with a manga adaptation illustrated by Yahimoto. The announcement was made through the newly launched official account, accompanied by a special illustration.

The series combines fantasy adventure, action, magic, and an RPG-inspired world.

However, fans will have to wait for more information because the studio, staff, cast, and release date have not yet been announced.

For now, this is definitely one series worth keeping on your radar.

6. Battle Game in 5 Seconds Manga Goes on Hiatus

Not all of this week’s manga news was positive.

The Battle Game in 5 Seconds manga has entered another hiatus after creator Miyako Kashiwa revealed that health problems have made it difficult to continue drawing.

According to the announcement, Kashiwa had been struggling with poor health for some time. After undergoing medical examinations, the creator was diagnosed with depression and an underlying medical condition was also identified.

The creator is now taking time away from the manga to focus on treatment and recovery.

This isn’t the first hiatus for the series. The manga previously went on break from October 2024 until January 2025 before serialization resumed.

For now, fans will have to wait for further news about when the manga will return.

We hope Miyako Kashiwa gets the time and support needed for a full recovery.

7. Vermeil in Gold Artist Yōko Umezu Passes Away

The week also brought heartbreaking news from the manga industry.

Yōko Umezu, the artist behind Vermeil in Gold, has passed away.

Square Enix’s Monthly Shonen Gangan announced the news on August 12. According to the announcement, Umezu died on July 7 after suffering an ischemic stroke.

Umezu was known for illustrating Vermeil in Gold, written by Kōta Amana. The manga was later adapted into a TV anime in 2022, introducing the series to an even wider audience.

The anime and manga community has lost another talented creator whose work brought entertainment to countless readers and viewers.

Our condolences go to Umezu’s family, friends, colleagues, and fans.

Final Thoughts

From Shueisha opening manga to a global audience through Manga Million, to Crunchyroll expanding anime into India and even vehicle entertainment systems, this week showed just how quickly the anime industry is expanding.

At the same time, major milestones like Sakamoto Days reaching 18 million copies demonstrate the growing strength of today’s anime and manga franchises.

And while there were plenty of exciting announcements, the industry also faced difficult moments with the passing of Yōko Umezu and the health-related hiatus of Battle Game in 5 Seconds.

That’s your roundup of the biggest anime and manga news from this week.

For more anime news, manga updates, reviews, recommendations, and upcoming releases, keep visiting AniWorldTV.