Welcome to Weekly Anime News Part 26! If you’re an anime fan eager to stay updated with the hottest developments, you’re in the right place. This week brings exciting updates across anime, gaming, and live-action adaptations—from Netflix’s much-anticipated One Piece second season to a major new game launch for Kaiju No. 8, plus the return of the fan-favorite Reborn as a Vending Machine for a third season. Let’s dive into all the big news!
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Let’s start the article.
01. Netflix Drops Sneak Peek for One Piece Live-Action Season 2, Premiering in 2026
Netflix has unveiled a Sneak Peek video for the upcoming second live-action season of One Piece, featuring cast interviews, fresh footage, and a tease of fan-favorite character Tashigi. The new season will premiere in 2026 and cover the story up to the Drum Island arc, including key stops like Loguetown, Reverse Mountain, Twin Cape, Whiskey Peak, and Little Garden.
Production for the second season began in July 2024 and has now wrapped. Series creator Eiichiro Oda confirmed the story arc coverage, while Joe Tracz (Percy Jackson and the Olympians) joins as writer, executive producer, and co-showrunner alongside Matt Owens. Steve Maeda will continue as executive producer, and Owens has shared he’ll step back after Season 2 for mental health reasons.
The impressive new cast includes:
- Callum Kerr as Smoker
- Julia Rehwald as Tashigi
- Rigo Sanchez as Dragon
- Joe Manganiello as Mr. 0 (Crocodile)
- Lera Abova as Miss All Sunday (Nico Robin)
…and many more. Notably, Mikaela Hoover will voice Chopper and provide facial capture for the character.
The live-action series first premiered on Netflix in August 2023 with eight episodes, earning awards at the 3rd Annual Children’s & Family Emmy Awards for Outstanding Original Song and Outstanding Stunt Coordination. A third season has already been confirmed, making the Grand Line adventure far from over.
02. Kaiju No. 8 the Game Coming to Steam on October 1 After 3 Million Mobile Downloads
Akatsuki Games announced that Kaiju No. 8 the Game—inspired by Naoya Matsumoto’s hit manga and anime—will launch for PC via Steam on October 1. The game has already surpassed 3 million mobile downloads since its iOS and Android release on August 31.
This turn-based RPG lets players battle colossal Kaiju with powerful attacks and features a blend of the original storylines from the series along with exclusive game content. Players can team up with beloved characters such as Kafka Hibino (Kaiju No. 8), Mina Ashiro, Reno Ichikawa, and Kikoru Shinomiya, alongside new members of CLOZER, a unit formed to investigate the mysterious Kaiju Dimensional Gates.
The Kaiju No. 8 anime’s second season premiered July 19, streaming globally on Crunchyroll and even live on X (formerly Twitter) in real-time. Earlier this year, Crunchyroll and Sony Pictures also screened the compilation film Kaiju No. 8: Mission Recon in U.S. and Canadian theaters.
For manga fans, Viz Media releases the series in English under the title Monster #8, following Kafka Hibino, a man whose transformation into a Kaiju reignites his childhood dream of joining the Defense Force.
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03. Reborn as a Vending Machine, I Now Wander the Dungeon Confirms Season 3
Fans of the delightfully quirky series can celebrate—Reborn as a Vending Machine, I Now Wander the Dungeon is officially getting a third season!
The news came right after the Season 2 finale aired on July 2, which marked the conclusion of its 12-episode run. Both seasons have streamed on Crunchyroll, complete with an English dub.
Season 2 saw Takashi Yamamoto take over as director at Studio Gokumi and AXsiZ, with Tatsuya Takahashi overseeing scripts and Takahiro Sakai adapting the original character designs. Opening and ending themes included “Mirai Cider” by BRADIO and “Boku Dake no Chiheisen” by Aina Aiba.
Based on Hirukuma’s light novel series, the story follows a man reborn as a vending machine in a monster-filled dungeon. Despite being unable to move or speak normally, he must find creative ways to survive and help those around him. Yen Press has published all three light novel volumes and is releasing the ongoing manga adaptation digitally in English.
4. Kenshi Yonezu’s “KICK BACK” Becomes First Japanese-Language Song to Go Platinum in the U.S.
The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) has officially certified Kenshi Yonezu’s 2022 hit single “KICK BACK” as Platinum, making it the first Japanese-language song ever to earn this milestone in the United States.
Originally the opening theme for the 2022 anime Chainsaw Man, “KICK BACK” reached over 1 million units, which includes digital downloads and streams (150 streams = 1 unit). Yonezu reflected on the song’s creation with Daiki Tsuneta (King Gnu/MILLENNIUM PARADE), recalling the fun and challenges during production and how global audiences went wild for the track during his world tour.
The single previously went Gold in 2023, and its music video, directed by Yoshiyuki Okuyama, continues to impress fans. Yonezu’s latest single “Iris Out,” which serves as the theme for Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc, released just as the film premiered in Japan on September 19, with a U.S. release set for October 24.
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5. Sentenced to Be a Hero Anime Delayed to January 2026 – New Cast Revealed
During the KyoMAF event, a stage presentation for the anime adaptation of Rocket Shokai’s light novel series Sentenced to Be a Hero: The Prison Records of Penal Hero Unit 9004 revealed a new promotional video, a fresh visual, and two new cast members:
- Shōya Chiba as Jayce Partiract
- Yōko Hikasa as Neely
The anime was initially scheduled to air in October 2025, but it has now been delayed to January 2026, with a 60-minute special first episode. Crunchyroll will stream the series as it airs.
This dark fantasy follows criminals forced to become “heroes,” endlessly revived to fight the demon king’s army. Directed by Hiroyuki Takashima (Mushoku Tensei episode director) at Studio KAI, with scripts by Kenta Ihara (Tsukimichi – Moonlit Fantasy), the series promises intense action and moral dilemmas when it finally debuts.
6. KPop Demon Hunters Breaks Netflix Records with Over 300 Million Views
The Sony Pictures Animation film KPop Demon Hunters has become the most-watched title in Netflix history, smashing records with 314.2 million views as of September 17, according to Netflix’s official Tudum site.
It previously overtook Squid Game Season 1 (265.2 million views) and continues to dominate with 13 consecutive weeks in Netflix’s Top 10 for English-language films.
In late August, the film also became the first Netflix film to top the U.S. weekend box office, earning $19.2 million during its Sing-Along Event. Four songs from its soundtrack simultaneously reached the Billboard Hot 100 Top 10—a first for any film soundtrack.
KPop Demon Hunters has now reached No. 1 in 39 countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Spain, Argentina, Egypt, Malaysia, and Qatar, cementing its status as a global cultural phenomenon.
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Final Thoughts
From One Piece’s live-action adventure sailing into Drum Island and Kaiju No. 8’s epic game debut, to the whimsical return of the dungeon-exploring vending machine, this week proves anime’s incredible variety and global reach. Add to that Kenshi Yonezu’s historic Platinum certification, the highly anticipated 2026 debut of Sentenced to Be a Hero, and the record-breaking success of KPop Demon Hunters, and it’s clear that anime and pop culture are continuing to break boundaries worldwide.
Thank you for joining us for Weekly Anime News Part 26! Stay tuned for Part 27, where we’ll keep bringing you the biggest announcements, hidden gems, and global milestones from the world of anime and beyond.
