Japan’s anime industry reached a record 2025 spending of 4.45 trillion yen, or about $28.2 billion, according to preliminary figures released by the Association of Japanese Animations at TIFFCOM. The total rose 15.8 percent from 2024, marking the fastest growth in the sector’s history.
Overseas sales climbed 17.2 percent to 2.54 trillion yen, accounting for 57.1 percent of the market, while domestic spending grew 14.1 percent to 1.91 trillion yen. The overseas share has edged higher each year, overtaking domestic revenue in 2023 and widening the gap.
Studio‑level revenue hit a record 505.5 billion yen, up 8.4 percent, with overseas business making up 27.9 percent of that total. The AJA report, due in December 2026, also notes that anime is expected to contribute 6 trillion yen to Japan’s 20‑trillion‑yen overseas content export goal by 2033.
The report highlights localization and anti‑piracy as key priorities for studios, and suggests that expanding merchandising overseas could help reach the export target. Hasegawa Masahiro, the AJA editor‑in‑chief, said the industry’s growing global presence is a breakthrough that will drive future growth.
Square Enix has made its latest role‑playing title, Final Fantasy Resonance, available for free on Steam, allowing players to experience the first chapter without purchase. The demo, which runs for roughly three to five hours, caps character progression at level 15 but lets progress carry over to the full game. It has already earned a 9‑out‑of‑10 average rating from Steam users and received the same score from ScreenRant’s own review. The game features a classic turn‑based combat system, a lush soundtrack, and visuals that echo the series’ heritage. Players can unlock iconic Final Fantasy characters such as Cloud Strife from FF7 and Tidus from FF10, who appear as “Visions” that can be summoned in battle. The demo is cross‑platform, available on PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, Switch 2, and Xbox Series X|S in addition to Steam. The full title, priced at $49.99, is not yet discounted and is slated for a broader release later in the year. Fans of the franchise can try the free chapter to decide whether the new entry meets their expectations.
MVP co‑founder Nakisa Bidarian has said Jake Paul could defeat former two‑time heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua if he had a proper training camp. Paul announced that he will return to the ring on December 24 in Dubai, his first scheduled bout since the December 2023 fight with Joshua. The 2023 bout ended with Joshua stopping Paul in the sixth round after Paul suffered a broken jaw, requiring titanium plates. Bidarian noted that Paul had been rushed into the fight on a three‑week notice and had to cut weight to face a heavier opponent. She believes that with adequate preparation, Paul would have a strong chance against Joshua. Paul has already named a few potential opponents for his Dubai return, including former UFC star Darren Till. The announcement comes as Joshua is preparing for a December 11 showdown with Tyson Fury in Cardiff. The boxing community remains divided over whether Paul’s recent experience will translate into a win over Joshua.
FourFourTwo has launched a new Quickfire Quiz that challenges fans to answer ten football trivia questions in just 90 seconds. The quiz is part of the magazine’s partnership with Kwizly, which powers a range of interactive quizzes. Players can test their knowledge on a variety of topics, from the Champions League’s full list of participating teams to every Premier League hat‑trick scorer. The collection also includes a quiz on English football grounds, a challenge covering all A‑League Men teams in the 2026‑27 season, and a photo‑identification quiz that asks participants to name the Premier League seasons behind iconic images. The 30‑minute version of the quiz offers a deeper dive, asking users to name every team that has ever played in the Champions League. In addition to the quizzes, FourFourTwo promotes a weekend crossword and encourages readers to sign up for the newsletter and join “The Club” for free membership perks. The new quizzes aim to keep football fans engaged between match days.
Brazil’s president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva was re‑elected in a landslide, giving the Amazon a new mandate to halt deforestation by 2030. The win was hailed by environmental groups who say Lula’s policies have already cut deforestation to an all‑time low. In the UK, London’s Mayor Sadiq Khan announced the first phase of Oxford Street’s pedestrianisation, banning cars, bikes and scooters for 0.6 miles and promising a £82 million boost to the local economy and 700 new jobs. The government also rolled out interest‑free loans up to £35,000 for heat pumps, solar panels and batteries, potentially saving households up to £850 a year on energy bills. In medicine, Moderna and MSD’s mRNA‑based personalised vaccine Intismeran cut the risk of skin‑cancer recurrence by 42 % in a clinical trial, offering a new treatment pathway. Portuguese island Corvo switched off its lights to aid fledgling seabirds’ star‑based navigation, protecting a key breeding population. Together, these stories illustrate how policy, science and community action can create tangible benefits for people and the planet.
A study by energy think tank Ember indicates that six European nations avoided nearly $2.2 billion in crude oil import expenses over a six-month span in 2026. The financial relief came as electric vehicle fleets curbed petroleum demand during a steep 33 percent rise in crude prices sparked by conflict in the Middle East. Brent crude surged to roughly $100 per barrel following disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz.
Worldwide adoption of electric vehicles displaced approximately 200 million barrels of crude valued at $20 billion during the same timeframe. China accounted for the vast majority of these savings, retaining $14 billion through its fleet of 44 million battery-powered cars. Within Europe, Germany and France recorded the largest total financial reductions at $760 million and $560 million, while Denmark replaced 13 percent of its prior year oil consumption.
Global sales of electric vehicles expanded by 11 percent year-on-year, even as traditional internal combustion vehicle purchases declined by six percent. Analysts highlighted that expanding electric mobility provides nations with a vital buffer against volatile international energy markets.