📡 ANIME INTEL WEEKLY BRIEFING

PANEL SOLO LEVELING AT MUMBAI COMIC CON — A-1 PICTURES' 21ST BIRTHDAY

A-1 Pictures celebrated its 21st birthday at Mumbai Comic Con with a featured Solo Leveling panel. Lineup: producer Atsushi Kaneko, Sung Jinwoo JP voice actor Taito Ban, Hindi voice actor Rajesh Shukla, host Vijay Vikram Singh, and a live performance by Hiroshi Kitadani. Behind-the-scenes Season 2 production content shared. Live Hindi dubbing segment performed.

Confirmed outcome: No new title announced. No Season 3 schedule announced. Kaneko's reported framing: "Give us a bit more time, and we will share something, they are working on it right now." Solo Leveling Season 3 remains officially in development with format (Season 3 vs theatrical film) still uncommitted; A-1 Pictures continues to commit to "something soon." Solo Leveling SERIES entry on anime/index.html remains current.

Sources: cbr.com (Solo Leveling Fans Officially Have 2 Big Reasons to Celebrate May 9; A-1 Pictures birthday Mumbai Comic Con panel), respawn.outlookindia.com, otakukart.com, filmibeat.com, soapcentral.com, animationxpress.com, freepressjournal.in, movietalkies.com, imdb.com (Solo Leveling Anime Studio Lands New Movie for 2026).

CONFIRMED DAN DA DAN SEASON 3 — 2027 AIR WINDOW

Popverse (DanDaDan release schedule, updated May 2026) and Soapcentral coverage confirm Science SARU's official Season 3 commitment with a 2027 air window following the Season 2 cliffhanger. Manga chapter 233 publishes this week on the post-hiatus weekly schedule. The DAN DA DAN Exhibition at Matsuya Ginza concludes today (April 22 – May 11, 2026).

HTML change applied: anime/index.html Dandadan upcoming-projects description was refreshed to lock in 2027 per Popverse / Soapcentral coverage, removing the "late 2026 or 2027" hedge.

Sources: thepopverse.com (DanDaDan release schedule), soapcentral.com (Anime of the Year 2026 nominees breakdown).

CONVENTION CRUNCHYROLL ANIME AWARDS 2026 — ADDED TO SCANNER

10th edition. 32 categories honoring anime released January – December 2025. Hosts: Sally Amaki + Jon Kabira. Presenters: Winston Duke, RZA, Hannah Bahng, The Weeknd (presenting Anime of the Year). Sony Group Corporation CEO Hiroki Totoki opening remarks. Yoko Takahashi performing "A Cruel Angel's Thesis" for the Neon Genesis Evangelion 30th-anniversary tribute. Voting closed April 15.

Notable: Solo Leveling absent from Anime of the Year nominations — journalists speculate this is in response to last year's win controversy.

HTML change applied: ADDED to the Convention Scanner on anime/index.html (CONVENTIONS array, top of list).

Sources: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/10th_Crunchyroll_Anime_Awards, crunchyroll.com/animeawards/, awn.com, deadline.com, animecorner.me, alvinology.com, thewrap.com.

BRAND ANI-MAY 2026 — CRUNCHYROLL GLOBAL CELEBRATION

Crunchyroll's "Ani-May 2026" is the global anime celebration branding for May (retail / gaming / events / cross-promotion). Originally announced April 23 by Crunchyroll. Cross-references multiple licensed franchises through end of May.

Source: crunchyroll.com/news/announcements/2026/4/23/ani-may-2026-crunchyroll-global-celebration-of-anime.

SEPARATE PROJECT KAWAHARA'S "DEVILS' CREST" — FIRST LOOK

Comicbook.com (and re-coverage by other outlets) confirms the first look at Reki Kawahara's new 2026 anime project: Devils' Crest, a series set in a world where a virtual world game has completely blended with the real world. This is NOT the SAO film — it is a separate project from the SAO theatrical film expected at Anime Expo 2026. SAO dossier optional footnote deferred until Devils' Crest has a premiere window.

Source: comicbook.com (Sword Art Online Creator Returns With First Look at New 2026 Anime).