Bandai Namco Filmworks started streaming on Saturday the first 10 minutes of the fifth film in the six-part Girls und Panzer das Finale film series. 

The fifth film of Girls und Panzer das Finale opened in Japan on Friday. The film is screening in Dolby Cinema, Dolby Atmos, 4DX, and MX4D, in addition to normal screenings. This marks the first time the film series is playing in Dolby Cinema.

The fifth film is set after Ōarai Girls High School’s win in the fierce semi-finals of the Winter Continuous Track Cup, and they head to the finals, where they will face St. Gloriana Girls’ College, led by Darjeeling. Among the members of St. Gloriana Girls’ College is Alice, who transferred to St. Gloriana to be able to face Miho again.

The first Girls und Panzer das Finale film opened in Japan in 59 theaters in December 2017. The film features new characters from BC Freedom High School as they engage in a winter battle.

The second film opened in Japan in June 2019. The film depicts the finale of the battle between Ōarai Girls Academy and BC Freedom High School, and also shows the battles for Kuromorimine Girls Academy, Pravda Girls High School, and other schools.

The third film opened in Japanese theaters in March 2021. The film features six more schools competing on three additional battlegrounds.

The fourth film opened in Japan in October 2023. The fourth film continues with Ōarai’s battle with Continuation (Jaktkosota) High School, after the loss of important teammates at the onset of the match in the third film. The film also shows the match between two strong schools, Kuromorimine and St. Gloriana, with Kuromorimine headed up by Maho’s successor Erika, and St. Gloriana’s commander Darjeeling in her last match.

The four Girls und Panzer: Motto Love Love Sakusen Desu! films opened in order on December 26, January 30, March 6, and April 10. The manga that spawned these films follows the unknown daily lives of the Ōarai Girls Team and other students. Maruko Nii launched the manga in 2013 in Kadokawa‘s (then Media Factory‘s) Monthly Comic Alive magazine.

The fourth Girls und Panzer: Motto Love Love Sakusen Desu! film included a “pilot video” based on Takeshi Nogami and Takaaki Suzuki‘s Girls und Panzer: Ribon no Musha manga.

The Girls und Panzer television anime premiered in October 2012 and had 12 episodes. The Girls und Panzer der Film anime film follow up opened in Japan in November 2015.

Source: Bandai Namco Filmworks‘ YouTube channel via Crunchyroll

Disclosure: Bandai Namco Filmworks Inc. (Sunrise) is a non-controlling, minority shareholder in Anime News Network Inc.

Bandai Namco Entertainment started streaming the gameplay reveal trailer for Roger Jr., one of the characters for the Tekken 8 fighting game’s Season 3, on Sunday. The character will be available for early access on November 11, and will launch officially on November 16. The video also previews the in-game model for another Season 3 character Yūjirō Hanma, the father of protagonist Baki Hanma from the Baki manga and anime series. The video announced that a new Yūjirō Hanma trailer will premiere on January 17 at the Tekken World Tour Finals event, which will be held in Singapore. 

Other Season 3 characters include Kunimitsu and Bob. Kunimitsu launched on June 2 in Japan and June 1 in the United States. The character launched on Early Access on May 28 in Japan and May 27 in the U.S. Bob released for early access on August 19, and officially released on August 24. Yūjirō Hanma will debut in early 2027.

Season 2 added Anna Williams in March 2025, Fahkumram in July 2025, Armor King on October 13, and Miary Zo on December 4.

Tekken 8 launched for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam in January 2024.

The game featured the following characters at launch: Jin Kazama, Kazuya Mishima, Nina Williams, Jun Kazama, Paul Phoenix, Marshall Law, King, Lars Alexandersson, Jack-8, Ling Xiaoyu, Asuka Kazama, Leroy Smith, Lili, Hwoarang, Bryan, Azucena, Claudio, Raven, Devil Jin, Lee Chaolan, Alisa Bosconovitch, Victor Chevalier, Reina, Leo, Steve, Dragunov, Feng, Yoshimitsu, Shaheen, KUMA, Panda, Zafina, and Lee Chaolan.

The story of the game takes place nearly six months after Tekken 7. The Guinness World Records recognize the Tekken franchise as having the longest running narrative in video game history. 

Eddy Gordo was added to the game in April 2024 as the first DLC character, followed by Lidia Sobieska in July 2024, and Heihachi Mishima in September 2024. The game added Clive Rosfield, the protagonist of Square Enix‘s Final Fantasy XVI game, as a playable character in December 2024. 

The Tekken: Bloodline anime series, which follows the storyline of the Tekken 3 fighting game, premiered on Netflix in August 2022.

Tekken 8 game director Kohei Ikeda (also known as Nakatsu) announced on June 1 that he has left Bandai Namco Entertainment, having worked at the company for 20 years. Ikeda was the game director on the fighting games Tekken 7 and Tekken 8, the producer on the Tekken 3D Prime Edition game, and a designer for Tekken Tag Tournament 2. He was also a designer and battle effect director on SoulCalibur IV.

Source: Bandai Namco Entertainment America‘s YouTube channel

German publisher Dokico announced on Saturday that Ayster will draw a manga adaptation of author Inori‘s Homunculus Tears: Alchemy for the Brokenhearted (Homunculus no Namida ~Kietai Kimi e no Renkinjutsu~) novel. Dokico will begin releasing the manga in German, English, and Japanese simultaneously in January 2027.

Inori offered the following statement regarding the manga adaptation:

“Homunculus Tears: Alchemy for the Brokenhearted” is getting a manga adaptation! Though the previous plans for it had to be canceled, the project has been restructured and is officially moving forward. […]

I wrote this novel for my teenage self, who didn’t believe she had a place in life, and for all those who have ever felt the same. It’s a dear story to me, and although there have been many twists and turns, I have found an artist who understands its painful yet caring nature. I hope Ayster-sensei’s Maha and Ruri will keep you company on a cold, lonely night, and I hope you’re as excited about this adaptation as I am.

Ayster offered the following statement regarding the manga adaptation:

I’m honored to be drawing the manga adaptation of Homunculus Tears! I’ll do my best to bring Maha and Ruri’s story to life! Thank you for your support!

The announcement notes that there was an earlier announcement for a manga adaptation of the novel, which originally had Nata Ōkura and Kadokawa working on it, but the project fell through.

Inori self-published the original novel digitally in Japanese in April 2025, as well as in English in May 2025. Sekai Edition published the novel in Spanish, and Dokico handled the German release. Kevin Ishizaka worked on the novel’s English translation. AONOSHIMO drew the illustration for the novel.

Inori describes the novel:

Amid a prolonged conflict between humans and demons, humanity stands on the brink.

The protagonist, Maha, is a powerful human alchemist fighting on the frontlines. One day, however, Maha’s mother, Diriyah—who is also an engineer—announces that she has achieved a breakthrough by successfully creating a “Homunculus” through the use of alchemy.

According to Diriyah, with the Homunculus to stand in and fight, humanity can triumph over the demons without further sacrifice of human lives.

Paying little heed to the rejoicing troops, Maha—who has only ever found purpose on the battlefield—is shaken by the prospect of losing the only meaning in life she has ever known.

“If I’m not even expected to fight… What exactly am I supposed to do?”

This is a story about overcoming the despair of having never wanted to be born.

Dokico announced on June 25 earlier this year that it will release its first original light novel series titled Poison for the Moon, Medicine for the Night—An Assassin Who Longs for Death and a Vampire Marked for Death (Tsuki ni Doku, Yoru ni Kusuri: Shinitai Ansatsusha to, Shi wo Nozomareru Kyūketsuki), under the company’s Yurico project, with the first volume scheduled for release digitally worldwide in December. Inori is writing the story with illustration by Komizuki.

Inori launched the I’m in Love with the Villainess (Watashi no Oshi wa Akuyaku Reijō) light novel series on the Shōsetsuka ni Narō website in January 2018. GL Bunko began publishing the story in digital volumes with the first volume in February 2019, and it published the fifth and final volume in August 2021. Hanagata draws the illustrations for the novels. Seven Seas Entertainment is releasing the light novels in English.

AONOSHIMO launched a manga adaptation of the novel series in Ichijinsha‘s Comic Yuri Hime magazine in June 2020, where it is currently ongoing. Ichijinsha published the manga’s 12th compiled book volume on April 17. Seven Seas Entertainment is also publishing the manga in English.

The series inspired a television anime adaptation that premiered in October 2023. Crunchyroll streamed the anime.

Inori launched the series’ sequel titled I’m in Love with the Villainess: Come on and Notice Me Already (Furimukinasai, Watakushi ni!) with its first volume on January 26. Hanagata returned as the illustrator for the novel. The novel focuses on Rae and Claire’s daughter Aleah. Seven Seas will release the novel in English in January 2027.

Inori launched a spinoff story titled Heimin no Kuse ni Namaikina! on Shōsetsuka ni Narō in May 2021, and ended it in October 2021. GL Bunko released the story in a digital novel volume in February 2022. Seven Seas Entertainment also released the novel spinoff with the title I’m in Love with the Villainess Spin-Off: She’s so Cheeky for a Commoner. 

Source: Press release

Disclosure: Kadokawa World Entertainment (KWE), a wholly owned subsidiary of Kadokawa Corporation, is the majority owner of Anime News Network, LLC. One or more of the companies mentioned in this article are part of the Kadokawa Group of Companies.