Tokyo International News Agency

In the semifinals of the National High School Baseball Championship on August 20 at Hanshin Koshien Stadium, Chiben Wakayama (Wakayama) defeated Yokohama (Kanagawa) 7-1 to secure their first championship game appearance in five years. The decisive blow came from a thunderous blast by fifth-place hitter and infielder Ryusei Kusumoto. The momentum shifted in the top of the third inning. On the mound for Yokohama was Shoki Oda, a flamethrowing ace boasting a 157 km/h (97.5 mph) fastball and a projected top pick in the upcoming NPB draft. Stepping up to the plate with runners in scoring position, Kusumoto jumped on Oda's 152 km/h (94.5 mph) inside fastball. As the ball soared into the left-center stands, Kusumoto broke into a confident home run strut, celebrating a go-ahead three-run blast. Riding the wave of that home run, Chiben Wakayama plated four runs in the inning, chasing Yokohama's ace from the mound before the end of the third. Kusumoto led the offensive charge, driving in...

A new teaser promotional video and fresh stills have been released for Disney Twisted-Wonderland The Animation Season 2, titled Episode of Savanaclaw , generating massive buzz among fans of the popular smartphone game. The newly unveiled footage showcases tantalizing cuts hinting at the schemes brewed by Savanaclaw Dormitory members Leona, Ruggie, and Jack. Crucially, the video also offers the very first look at the key protagonist, Prefect Yuga Hirasaka. Adding to the excitement, acclaimed voice actress Ai Fairouz has been cast as Yuga Hirasaka. Fans immediately took to social media to celebrate the announcement with enthusiastic comments such as "It's Ai Fairouz!", "The absolute best casting choice," and "This matches my mental image of the character perfectly!" Yuga Hirasaka gained significant popularity in the official manga adaptation, and fans of the franchise expressed immense delight at seeing the character transition into anime, leaving comme...

To commemorate the 20th anniversary of AjiPanda, the official mascot of Ajinomoto Co., Inc., a new music video (MV) for the original dance song “AjiPanda Hanikanda” has been released. The announcement of a star-studded creative lineup featuring top music industry professionals and popular artists immediately sent the project trending across social media, generating massive buzz. The song was composed and produced by renowned music producer Akimitsu Homma, with lyrics penned by HIDE of GRe4N BOYZ, and choreography designed by globally acclaimed director and choreographer MIKIKO. Popular idol Kazuya Kamenashi of the group KAT-TUN was selected as the lead vocalist. The piece seamlessly blends a catchy, high-caliber sound crafted by this premier team with the adorable movements of AjiPanda. Immediately following the video's release, social media erupted with praise and excitement from fans. Comments included, “The contrast between AjiPanda’s cuteness and Kamenashi-ku...

A new drama titled Iroha no Koi wa Jidai o Kakeru (affectionately known as Koi-Toki ), starring actress Mone Kamishiraishi, is set to air this October in TBS's popular Tuesday drama slot, sparking massive buzz across social media. This marks Kamishiraishi's return to the network's Tuesday lineup after approximately five years, prompting an outpouring of joy from fans with comments such as "I'm so happy my Tuesday 10 PM routine is back!" and "Welcome back, Mone-chan!" The series is a romantic comedy sparked by a time slip spanning 300 years. Kamishiraishi takes on the challenge of playing dual roles for the first time: a young woman from the Edo period and a present-day Reiwa-era elementary school teacher. Starring opposite her is Snow Man member Koji Mukai, who plays Ikuru Ichinose, her chronically unlucky fellow schoolteacher, marking Mukai's first major teacher role in a serial drama. Immediately following the announcement, hashtags such as ...

The popular Nijisanji VTuber group project and unit, "7th Dimension Student Council!", has made a major announcement regarding new developments, creating a massive buzz on social media. According to the announcement, under the title "Theatrical Version: 7th Dimension Student Council! ~The Always Together Big Operation!~," the release of an original soundtrack titled "7th Dimension Corridor" and a brand-new live event incorporating a musical format have been confirmed. Following this news, posts filled with joy and anticipation from fans have been flooding X (formerly Twitter). Among the posts, comments expressing excitement such as "I am so thrilled about both the soundtrack and the live show!" and "I'm looking forward to it because it seems like a completely unprecedented style of live event" stand out. Furthermore, many voices praise the members and the project's ambitious attitude with remarks like, "There is a sense of ...

The special streaming program "Haikyu Reception," aired to commemorate "Haikyu!! Day" on August 19, caused a massive buzz on social media. Amidst the unwavering enthusiasm long after the conclusion of the serialization, the latest updates regarding the anime, films, and original manga were announced one after another, prompting a wave of joy and excitement among fans. During the program, it was announced that the "Haikyu!! Character Remix: Kizuna" volumes featuring Hinata and Kageyama (Upper and Lower volumes) will be released simultaneously on September 4, 2026. Additionally, a wealth of new visuals, merchandise, and event information was unveiled. The sheer volume of news flooded social media timelines with overwhelmed fans happily complaining that there was too much information to process and that the flood of updates was keeping them awake. Furthermore, talk segments and behind-the-scenes stories by the voice cast generated a huge response, leading man...

On the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), the popular VTuber pairing known affectionately as "Baito-gumi" (Part-time Job Group) has trended, sparking massive excitement among fans. The catalyst was the release of a new short dance video featuring the members of Baito-gumi. Their synchronized and sharp dance moves set to a catchy tune drew an influx of enthusiastic comments from fans, such as "Their sharpness is just the best," "The color scheme when they stand side-by-side is so adorable," and "I've put this on repeat countless times." Furthermore, the same day saw a rapid succession of major announcements regarding related merchandise, a large-scale streaming project, and event appearances. As a result, users' timelines were flooded with passionate posts like "There's too much information to keep up with" and "The happy screams just won't stop." As a unit that has already built a dedicated following t...