Grendizer U Inception revisits Go Nagai’s legendary super robot saga with expanded backstory, deeper character motivations, and a modern retelling that gives longtime mecha fans and newcomers alike a fresh way to enter the world of Duke Fleed.
Titan Manga
With Grendizer U Inception, this latest take is not necessarily part of a reboot that began with Grendizer U, but instead is a deeper layer of backstory added on top. With Tatsuto Higuchi handling this prequel of sorts, the update feels like it’s in good hands. Back when Go Nagai shifted from one kind of story to another, he probably didn’t realise his work would help define the giant robot genre. It began with Mazinger Z in 1972, and when he introduced Grendizer three years later, the 74-episode series set a precedent before Gundam came along.
AnimEigo and MediaOCD are bringing Alien Nine to Blu-ray, giving this oddball schoolgirl sci-fi horror OVA a new HD life with restored visuals and plenty of archival extras.
Anime distributor AnimEigo and parent company MediaOCD have announced that Alien Nine is coming to Blu-ray on June 9, 2026. And while this original video animation focuses on elementary school girls battling aliens, I’m wondering when teens will get in on the act too. Technically, they have with Prefectural Earth Defense Force, but that prior licence belonged to ADV Films rather than this partnership to redistribute older titles. Technically, the original North American release was handled by Central Park media, so who knows?
Although the animated adaptation didn’t continue as the manga continued with Emulators and Next, chances are very slim when considering the height of its popularity was back in 2001.
From the Press Release:
This upcoming release is based on a manga series written and illustrated by Hitoshi Tomizawa that was originally serialized in Akita Shoten’s manga magazine, Young Champion. Set in the not-too-distant future, alien invasion is a daily occurrence. Someone must save the planet, so Yuri and her 6th grade classmates are elected for this important assignment. Can a trio of cute schoolgirls defeat terrifying creatures from outer space?
Witch Hat Atelier is finally making the leap from page to screen, bringing Kamome Shirahama’s lush fantasy world to life in what looks like a visually rich and ethically charged anime adaptation.
Fans of the high-fantasy manga series Witch Hat Atelier by Kamome Shirahama will be glad to hear the anime series will be simulcast in Japanese and English in April, and it’ll be the first two episodes back-to-back! It’ll be interesting to see how the manga translates to animation, and if the trailer is any indication, it’s energetic and wastes no time diving into what helps form the illusions and alters reality to those able to witness it. This series might look like another magical school story on the surface, but there’s much more going on beneath it.
Here, anyone can alter creation in little subtle ways. We don’t need the God Thoth to assist. Well, that’s just one school of thought which might get explored. Hermeticism focuses on the divine arts, the nature of reality, and the soul’s liberation flow of the universe. But in this tale, all it takes is knowing what to pen with the right ink, and letting the ideas flow. But when a mistake is made, what can our heroine Coco do? She’ll have to learn the craft, and hope to undo the stone curse….
This revelation transforms the series from a whimsical fairy tale into a high-stakes ethical drama about the morality of gatekeeping knowledge, all while being presented through some of the most stunning, storybook-inspired art in modern manga.
At long last, The Dagger of Kamui is getting a Blu-ray release. Fans of this classic should be pleased to see it receiving a cleaned-up remaster, and the trailer already makes a strong impression. AnimEigo and parent company MediaOCD are also going the extra mile with a newly recorded featurette, and for those familiar with the manga, this release offers a chance to revisit its cinematic adaptation in style.
From the Press Release:
The 1985 film is based on a series of novels written by Tetsu Yano and follows Jiro, an orphan who trained as a ninja and uses a special dagger to seek revenge against a priest for killing his adoptive family. During his quest, he uncovers a conspiracy involving hidden treasure, Ainu heritage, and a journey to the American Old West. Directed by the legendary Rintaro (Kimba The White Lion, Galaxy Express 999, Astro Boy Metropolis) and produced by the famed anime studio Madhouse, THE DAGGER OF KAMUI is a must-see for action fans. It also features the work of the acclaimed art director Mukuo Takamura (Adieu Galaxy Express 999, Sailor Moon).
Often mistaken for a cold, enigmatic figure, Black Jack is anything but heartless. This updated OVA release reveals a doctor driven by compassion, challenging rigid medical institutions and reminding us that empathy can matter as much as expertise.
MediaOCD has taken a careful, almost surgical approach in updating Black Jack, the OVA series, treating it less like a nostalgia item and more like an essential entry point for a classic manga series that many viewers may have missed reading. Alongside a revised song translation, this release restores the two episodes absent from earlier editions and makes a clear effort to remaster the material for modern digital viewing.
For anyone unfamiliar with the property, this set finally presents the series as a complete experience. I’ll also include a brief guide at the end to help newcomers understand how this fits into the wider world of Osamu Tezuka’s work and the many versions of his famously unconventional doctor, Kurō Hazama.
The Fable Manga Build Roguelike is a fresh sense of style, turning every encounter into a right-to-left comic page that springs to life. It’s ambitious, clever, and an intriguing experiment for fans of the long-running series.
Instead of traditional turn-based combat or flashy real-time brawls, The Fable Manga Build Roguelike hands you a very different way to stage a fight. You’re not pressing attack buttons; you’re making a comic. Each action is defined by a randomized manga panel you must arrange, and the layout flows right to left like an authentic Japanese graphic novel. When the page goes live, the game animates those panels and decides the outcome.
It’s clever, and best appreciated on a big screen. My only regret during playtesting was requesting the Nintendo Switch code first. This isn’t a small-screen experience; after activation issues, shifting to the Steam version became necessary. Unless the handheld is attached to an adapter for a big screen, enjoying the art is like squinting to appreciate the details.
Titan Manga
Release Date: April 7, 2026
