Welcome to the inaugural IAS Insider Brief! This week, we’re diving into massive anime announcements, new NYC pop-ups, and the complex business of Western animation.
ATTACK ON TITAN × Assassin’s Creed Shadows Crossover
From November 24th – December 22nd, Assassin’s Creed Shadows players can experience a free story quest and purchase themed cosmetics in celebration of the collab.
AOT Beyond the Walls World Tour
Attack on Titan Beyond the Walls World Tour – The Official Concert has dates in the USA, Europe, Asia and Oceana now through 2026. The tour has reportedly surpassed 160,000 attendees.
Learn More and Buy AoT Tickets
JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Steel Ball Run Anime Adaptation
JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Steel Ball Run set to premiere worldwide in 2026 on Netflix! The latest adapted chapters of Hirohiko Araki’s masterpiece Johnny Joestar, a paraplegic former jockey who forms an alliance with outlaw Gyro Zeppeli in 19th century North America’s first-ever cross-continental horse race.
ONE PIECE x MERCER LABS Pop Up Event NYC
Toei Animation and Mercer Labs have teamed up to present ONE PIECE x MERCER LABS – an immersive exhibition celebrating one of anime’s most beloved (and longest running) series! Journey through the digital landscapes of the Land of Wano arc with Luffy and the Straw Hats as they fight to “uncover allies and restore hope” to the island devastated by Emperor Kaido’s rule.
When: October 9 – November 30, 2025 Mon-Wed: 4pm-5:45pm & Thurs-Sun: 5pm-8:45pm
Where: Mercer Labs 21 Dey St, New York, NY 10007
Record of Ragnarok Season 3 Debuts December 10th on Netflix
Record of Ragnarok III returns to adapt the long-awaited manga fights between Hades vs. Qin Shi Huang, Beelzebub vs. Nikola Tesla, and Apollo vs. Leonidas! Who do you think will win, humanity or the gods?
Creator Spotlight in Animation
✨IAS Feature: Creator Spotlight✨
I initially wrote a list of things back in late September that are now past their shelf life (I got completely overwhelmed with NYCC news) but I still would like to put a spotlight on Glitch Productions’ Knights of Guinevere and one of its co-creators, Dana Terrace.
Written by Zach Marcus, John Bailey Owen, and Dana Terrace, Knights of Guinevere is set in a dystopian cyberpunk world where a Disneyesque company – Park Planet – has taken over all of the nearest galaxies near you, and continues to exercise a terraforming monopoly on unsuspecting communities.
Due to the community ecosystems revolving around those who work for Park Planet and those that scavenge for scraps, the society is highly divided and literally sick with “blue lung”, a disease rumored to be born from the cobalt of androids that “run on fear and blood”.
The Disney Company parallels with an infused twist of Arthurian lore aside, there were whispers of (alleged) conversations during the KoG Pilot premiere that Disney had dumped Owl House creator Terrace for reportedly, allegedly no longer “aligning” with their company image while simultaneously releasing a film, Hexed, that many online are claiming directly rips off Owl House’s story.
Strangely enough, Disney decided to release news about Hexed directly around the time KoG premiered on Glitch Production’s YouTube channel. Now, the director has recently made headlines again following Disney and Google’s public dispute over streaming channels licensing for YouTube TV.
In an attempt to appease the masses (and more importantly, their shareholders) Disney released plans to implement AI-generated content on Disney+, to which Terrace now infamously tweeted:
Gravity Falls creator Alex Hirsch seems to have struggled while working with Disney on his show as well, and I’m sure the blow was deeper after also working on The Owl House.
What do you think about this?
You can watch the Knights of Guinevere Pilot on YouTube. Read our thoughts here.
Anime, Manga & Film Announcements 2026/2027
✨Anime & Manga News ✨
Cat’s Eye Anime Remake is Out of the Bag
A remake of the 80s anime Cat’s Eye premiered in September on Disney+ and Hulu. Based on Tsukasa Hojo’s manga, the story follows Cat’s Eye, a group of thieves who target the works of European painter Michael Heinz.
Try as he might, Detective Toshio Utsumi can never seem to arrest the group, often sharing his displeasure with girlfriend Hitomi Kisugi – not realizing Hitomi and her sisters are the art thieves he seeks to capture.
Learn More About Cat’s Eye Remake
Cosmic Princess Kaguya! Netflix Anime Film Set to Premiere in January 2026
Director Shingo Yamashita, known for his work on the opening sequences of Chainsaw Man and Jujutsu Kaisen Season 1, and Urusei Yatsura, will debut his first feature length film Cosmic Princess Kaguya! in January, 2026. Animated by Studio Colorido and Yamashita’s own Studio Chromato, the movie reimagines The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter in the digital age for a new generation. (Lots of Vocaloid producers involved in this project!)
Learn More About Princess Kaguya
Get Ready to Read: The NIUHI Manga App is Coming to iPhone!
NIUHI Manga App Launches on iPhone Dec 1st, Featuring Free Moon Ciders Episode 3
KOMODO’s next-gen manga platform, NIUHI, is officially launching its iPhone app in the U.S. and Japan on December 1st! To celebrate, they are releasing Episode 3 of the original sci-fi action manga, Moon Ciders (created by TALI), for free on the same day. Discover new titles from Japan, the U.S., and Hong Kong, plus features like the Community Translations tool and personalized reader profiles.
Download Details & Free Episode Info
Hosoda’s Scarlet Film Theatrical Release Dates
Director Mamoru Hosoda’s anime film Scarlet will have a special limited IMAX run in select theaters on December 12, ahead of its official nationwide IMAX release in theatres February 6th, 2026 .
✨Graphic Novels✨
Comic Art Fans (CAF) released a massive update to their mobile app with the release of deCAF v2.1 and added ART SCOUT, a web crawler capable of tracking your want list keywords across 147+ international websites for art sales.
Indie Comics Creator Con (IC3) is a comic convention held in New Haven, CT. Produced by Comic Art Fans and sponsored by publishers like Comix Well Spring, Dark Horse Comics, and DiTullio Art Collective, the event seems to connect creators and upcoming talent in an old-school celebration of the creative medium. The event will return in 2026.
Original Art Expo (OAX) is a comic book, illustration, and narrative art fair returning for its 3rd year in Orlando, Florida on February 20 to 22, 2026.
✨Film, TV & Video Games✨
Rush Hour 4 Film in Production
Rush Hour 4 is in the works! That is all!
Read about this latest development
Solo Leveling: ARISE OVERDRIVE is Officially Live on Steam & Xbox PC!
Solo Leveling: ARISE OVERDRIVE Officially Launches on Steam/Xbox PC: Become the Ultimate Shadow Monarch
The long-awaited action RPG from Netmarble is officially available! Based on the international hit webtoon, Solo Leveling: ARISE OVERDRIVE lets you craft your own perfect version of Hunter Sung Jinwoo to unleash his ultimate power. Find out how to join 4-player co-op raids and start your journey to become the Shadow Monarch today!
Get the Game Details and Launch Info
Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 Debuts to Netflix in 2026
An animated spin-off featuring the original characters is set to premiere on Netflix in 2026, set in the winter between seasons two and three of the TV show. Eric Robles will be the showrunner, and executive producer along with the franchise co-creators Matt and Ross Duffer.
Learn More About the Stranger Things Spin-off
The Legend of Zelda Live-Action Film Adaptation
The Legend of Zelda live-action movie has begun filming! Actress Bo Bragason will portray Zelda, with actor Benjamin Evan Ainsworth playing Link. The theatrical release is currently scheduled for May 7th, 2027.
Exclusive Creator Interviews & Analysis
✨Interviews✨
Composing with An Ear for Anime: Interview with Composer Spencer Creaghan
We sat down for a chat with Canadian composer Spencer Creaghan and his experience working on SYFY’s horror series SurrealEstate, TIFF feature film The Quickening, and how Shonen anime of all things inspires his music!
“… I’ve noticed Shonen anime does really well, especially during different seasonal arcs with characters that only show up for a few episodes but make a lasting impact, and I think it seeped into my process when writing SurrealEstate.”
Read the Interview with Spencer Creaghan
Wushu Gold to Oscar Gold: Alfred Hsing on Train Dreams & Challenging Stereotypes
Don’t miss the Train Dreams premiere on Netflix Friday, November 21st! We sat down with actor and Wushu Gold Medalist Alfred Hsing to discuss his unforgettable role as Fu Sheng, the Chinese laborer whose tragic story highlights the erased history of the Transcontinental Railroad.
Hsing details his acting methodology, his work on Jackie Chan’s Dragon Blade, and his upcoming projects, including designing action for Avatar: The Last Airbender.
Before Watching the Netflix Premiere, Read the Full Interview
How Studio Orange is Adapting Leviathan: Steampunk, CGI, and Global Ambition
We have the full press conference details from Anime NYC! Author Scott Westerfeld and producer Justin Leach explain the unprecedented international team (NY, Tokyo, Paris) behind the Leviathan Netflix anime adaptation. Learn how they plan to use Studio Orange’s 3D CGI mastery to appeal to both long-time fans and newcomers, and why they believe the future holds Turkish and Vietnamese anime!
Read the Exclusive Interview & Production Details
The Legacy of Conan: Ties to Cthulhu Mythos and Anne Rice?
Did you know Conan the Barbarian is older than Superman and shares Pulp Fiction roots with the literature that influenced Anne Rice?
We sat down with writer Jim Zub to discuss the deep legacy of Conan, how his new series ties into the Cthulhu Mythos, and the challenge of honoring Robert E. Howard while pushing the lore forward. This is a must-read for any fan of fantasy or comic book history.
Read the Full Interview from NYCC
Speed Racer’s New Story: Spritle’s Job and Pops’ Heart Attack
Ringo Award-winner David Pepose (Mad Cave Studios) breaks down the biggest changes he made to the Speed Racer canon! We discuss aging up Spritle to be Speed’s social media manager, using his background as a journalist to inform the story, and the desperate, high-stakes reason Speed must win the Formula X Championship (Pops needs a heart transplant!).
Read the Exclusive Writer Interview from NYCC
Anime Recommendation for Classic Thriller Fans
✨IAS Recommendation: Terror in Resonance✨
Why You Should Watch This Week’s Psychological Thriller
Why You Need to Watch: Terror in Resonance (Zankyou no Terror)
Length: 1 Season, 11 Episodes
Genre: Psychological Thriller, Suspense
Created by the legendary Shinichirō Watanabe (Cowboy Bebop, Samurai Champloo), this series follows Nine and Twelve—two intellectually gifted orphans turned teenage terrorists. Their game of cat-and-mouse with the police is a calculated mechanism of theatrical attacks, designed to expose a dark conspiracy without harming civilians.
But when an outsider, Lisa, enters their lives, and a sharp counter-spy named Five begins to close in, their perfectly crafted plan starts to unravel.
Where to Watch: Available on Crunchyroll, Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Philo TV.
IAS Deep Dive Coming Soon: This is one of my all-time favorites, and I’m currently writing a full analysis on why it’s Watanabe’s most underrated work for the IAS Blog. Watch it this week, and look for the full review sometime soon!
Local & International Event Roundup
📍Japanese Pop Culture Events📍
Pokémon Fossil Museum Exhibition Comes to Chicago, 2026
The Pokémon Fossil Museum exhibition will make its North American debut at the Field Museum in Chicago, May 22, 2026 — April 11, 2027! The one-of-a-kind-experience aims to merge the worlds of Pokémon and paleontology, inviting visitors to visit real-world fossils like Tyrantrum and Archeops that may have influenced Pokémon.
Visit the Field Museum Website
World’s First Pokémon Theme Park, PokéPark Kanto, Set to Open Feb 2026
The world’s first Pokémon theme park, PokéPark Kanto, is projected to open its doors February 5th, 2026. Nestled inside Tokyo’s Yomiuriland, the new park will be split into two immersive areas, Pokémon Forest and Kayatsuri Town.
Entry to the classic Kanto-inspired adventure will be based on a lottery ticket system, covering visits from February 5th – March 31st, 2026. Applications opened November 21st and will close December 8th, 2025.
Visit the Official PokéPark Kanto Website
📍NYC & Local Events📍
Akiba House Opens Chinatown Location!
Akiba House opened a new store location in Chinatown this past September. Akiba House is an anime figure and merch store in the same vein as BookOff, Kinokuniya, and Tamashii Nations. They sell anime and manga, plushies, figures, cards, stickers, etc.
Where: 116 Bowery, New York, NY 10013
Delicious in Dungeon Pop-Up Shop at Kinokuniya Locations
Following Kadokawa’s Ryoko Kui Exhibition and Delicious in Dungeon Exhibition at Chelsea Walls in NYC, the Delicious in Dungeon Pop-Up Shop is returning to all Kinokuniya stores from 12/12/25 – 1/31/26 with new merch on the menu! The event will have single packs and box sets of blind bags, a photo-op with the adventurers, and more surprises to follow!
Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End x Universal Studios Japan Collab
Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End is confirmed to be collaborating with Universal Studios Japan. Although not much is known about the collab yet, a teaser visual image of Frieren, Fern, and Stark has been released seated underneath the Universal logo. More details will be announced as we get closer to summer 2026.
Learn More About the USJ Collab
New Poke Court Store Location
Poke Court opened a brand new, larger store in NYC earlier this month! The fan favorite “pack bar” where you can open new card packs with friends has returned, as well!
Where: 412 West 13th Street, New York, NY, 10014
The SHONEN JUMP SHOP Pop-Up is NOW OPEN at American Dream Mall!
Tri-State anime fans, get ready! The Viz Media SHONEN JUMP SHOP Pop-Up is officially open for a limited run at the American Dream Mall in New Jersey, from November 21, 2025, to January 20, 2026!
This is your chance to snag exclusive apparel, collectibles, and accessories from iconic franchises like One Piece, My Hero Academia, Jujutsu Kaisen, Dragon Ball, Demon Slayer, and brand-new WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP logo merchandise! Plus, score a free blind bag sticker with a $20+ purchase.
Get the Full Details, Dates, and Hours Here!
📍Past Events📍
Japanese Food Expo New York 2025
Sample your way through traditional and authentic food and drink at the Japanese Food Expo. The event offers free admission and will be held at Japan Village’s 2nd Floor Loft. Apparently, there will also be a “DIY Onigiri Bar” – sounds delicious.
When: Nov 21 (12PM–7PM) | Nov 22 (11AM–8PM) | Nov 23 (11AM–6PM)
Where: Japan Village 2nd Floor LOFT, 934 3rd Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11232
Persona 5 Royal Themed Character Café in Brooklyn
Persona 5 Royal is Dimension Poptown USA’s themed cafe for this month! The 1st officially licensed themed-cafe property in NYC debuted with Heaven’s Official Blessing last month (October). Merch from both events is still currently being sold on property, and fans can enjoy a Phantom Thieves-themed menu!
They do have a Leblanc style curry made with dark chocolate and coffee, and a coffee-strawberry fusion drink so that we can all sit down and pretend we’re being served by Sojiro (or maybe that’s just me, haha)
When: 11/07/2025 – TBA [Note: This may close soon due to insufficient decorative materials and shipment issues – check their IG page before you plan to go.
Where: Dimension Poptown USA, 136-98 Roosevelt Ave, Flushing, NY 11354
Smiling Friends HQ Pop-Up
When: Friday, November 21, 2025 – Sunday, November 23, 2025 10:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Where: Empire Fulton Ferry, Brooklyn NY
Adult Swim is bringing a Smiling Friends Pop-Up Event to Brooklyn, recreating the iconic break room from the beloved show. A cosplay event will take place Saturday from 9-10 am, and fans can spin a wheel to win prizes, take photo ops, win vinyls in a giveaway, and more!
Read More about this Event
Studio Ghibli Fest 2025
GKIDS and Fathom Entertainment’s Studio Ghibli Fest returned for 2025 with a lineup of eight beloved films from Studio Ghibli’s catalog in celebration of the studio’s 40th anniversary. The Boy and the Heron recently played in select theatres from 11/15 – 11/19/2025.
That’s all for this week! For a deeper dive into the creator spotlight and all the event details, check out the full post on the IAS blog (link below). See you December 15th!
☆ In Asian Spaces ☆ Ephesians 6:12 ☆
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