A magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck Kumamoto Prefecture on Japan’s southern island of Kyushu on July 28, killing at least 13 people and leaving others missing. The epicenter was about 20 kilometers south of Kumamoto City, and the shaking reached the highest level on Japan’s seismic-intensity scale in the hardest-hit areas. Rescue operations continued Wednesday at collapsed homes, a damaged shopping center, and an industrial facility.

Some of the most serious damage occurred at the Aeon Mall in Kashima, where part of the building collapsed after an apparent explosion about an hour after the quake. Eight people were rescued from the rubble, but three later died, while four mall employees remained unaccounted for. At a Nippon Paper Industries factory in Yatsushiro, a collapsed chimney left seven people missing and four seriously injured. The suspected gas explosion at the mall remains under investigation.

Damage spread across the region: houses collapsed, roads cracked or buckled, part of a bridge fell into the Kumagawa River, and stone walls at Kumamoto Castle were damaged. Hospitals treated dozens of injured people, with one facility accepting 86 patients before suspending further admissions. More than 36,000 homes remained without electricity, thousands lacked gas service, and bullet-train and airport operations were disrupted. Manufacturers including Sony, Honda, Renesas Electronics, and Tokyo Electron temporarily suspended local production.

Authorities warned residents in the areas that experienced the strongest shaking to remain alert for another powerful quake for roughly one week. The earthquake struck at a shallow depth of about 10 kilometers, which intensified the shaking at the surface and increased the danger posed by any strong aftershocks. Although shallow depth does not by itself guarantee a major aftershock, additional shaking could bring down already weakened buildings, trigger landslides, and further damage roads and utilities. With rescue teams still searching for missing people, the confirmed death toll may rise as officials continue assessing the full extent of the disaster.

The Jujutsu Kaisen stage series will return this November with Butai Jujutsu Kaisen: Shibuya Jihen Zenpen, the first half of a theatrical adaptation of the manga’s Shibuya Incident arc. Performances will run at Shibuya LOVEZ in Tokyo from November 14–23, followed by shows at Sky Theater MBS in Osaka on November 28–29.

Returning cast members include Ryūji Satō as Yuji Itadori, Kazuaki Yasue as Megumi Fushiguro and Nonoka Yamaguchi as Nobara Kugisaki. New additions include Mondo Yamagishi as Jogo and Yūki Kamisato as Mahito, alongside several characters making their stage debut. Kensaku Kobayashi returns as director, while Tōji Fushiguro performer Yūki Kubota is writing the script.

The production gives audiences in Japan another way to experience one of Jujutsu Kaisen’s largest story arcs, although no livestream, recorded release or international presentation has been announced.

The creditless opening and ending videos for BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War Part 4 – The Calamity were released following the final cour’s July 25 premiere. The opening features “I-BULL” by jo0ji, while 9Lana performs the ending theme, “Rasen.”

The new videos offer an early look at the music and imagery accompanying the anime’s concluding battles. Part 4 is also expected to expand upon the manga with additional material involving original creator Tite Kubo, continuing the anime adaptation’s approach of developing scenes beyond what appeared on the page.

Watch both here courtesy of VizMedia:
OP4 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3b00HiT4B04
ED4 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3AljQAapii4

Hirokazu Kore-eda’s live-action adaptation of Tatsuki Fujimoto’s Look Back has been selected for the main competition at the 83rd Venice International Film Festival. The Japanese film, starring Natsuki Deguchi and Aju Makita, marks the manga’s first live-action adaptation following its 2024 animated film version.

The festival selection gives the new adaptation an international showcase shortly before it opens in Japanese theaters on September 11, 2026. GKIDS has acquired theatrical distribution rights for the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Ireland, with a release planned for later in 2026.

Doraemon and his friends will travel to 19th-century London in Doraemon the Movie: Nobita’s Steam-Powered Time Machine, which is scheduled to open in Japanese theaters in spring 2027. The original story begins in modern-day Japan before sending the group across time and space for an adventure involving steam technology and the nature of time.

The Victorian-era setting offers a notable change of scenery for the long-running film series, placing its familiar characters in a historical Western city shaped by steam engines and industrial development. Rushio Moriyama will make his Doraemon film debut as director, while Makoto Ueda, known for science-fiction stories involving time, is writing the screenplay.