Fullmetal Alchemist and Daemons of the Shadow Realm head to USJ in 2027

Universal Studios Japan announced on October 28 that Fullmetal Alchemist and Daemons of the Shadow Realm, two works by Hiromu Arakawa, will receive dedicated experiences at Universal Cool Japan 2027. Both are scheduled for spring 2027 in Japan, although the park has not disclosed exact dates or attraction formats.

The announcement places two different stages of Arakawa’s career side by side. Fullmetal Alchemist, a franchise with more than 90 million copies in circulation worldwide according to USJ, returns to the park 22 years after a 2005 collaboration. Daemons of the Shadow Realm, the international title of Yomi no Tsugai, will make its theme-park debut after passing 7.5 million copies and receiving an anime adaptation in 2026.

Fullmetal Alchemist returns to the park

The 2005 collaboration was called the Fullmetal Alchemist Premier Tour. Beyond establishing the 22-year gap highlighted in the new announcement, it holds a place in USJ’s own history: the event was the park’s first collaboration with a Japanese television anime.

The new experience uses the Fullmetal Alchemist brand on the park’s international website, while some English material identifies the participating 2009 anime as Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. The official description points to a new confrontation involving brothers Edward and Alphonse Elric, but it does not say whether that encounter will take the form of a ride, a live show, a narrative walkthrough or another format.

That missing information sets a firm boundary around what is confirmed. Promotional artwork identifies the participating characters and properties, but it should not be read as a representation of a physical attraction design. Prices, access rules and any requirement for a separate ticket also remain unannounced.

Daemons of the Shadow Realm gets its first themed experience

Daemons of the Shadow Realm occupies a different position in the announcement. Arakawa’s newer work is receiving its first theme-park collaboration after its anime adaptation completed a first season and entered production on a second.

USJ names Yuru, Asa and the supernatural beings known as Tsugai as elements of the experience, while leaving the format for a later update. It is therefore too early to say whether visitors will enter a mechanical ride, an interactive mission or a live performance.

Announcing both titles together creates a clear editorial contrast. The park is reviving a partnership that marked the beginning of its relationship with television anime while simultaneously positioning the same creator’s newer series as an in-person experience. That is an interpretation of the event’s lineup, not a company statement about the expected size or popularity of either attraction.

Universal Cool Japan 2027 now includes five franchises

With the two additions, Universal Cool Japan 2027 includes five properties: Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon, Detective Conan, The Apothecary Diaries, Fullmetal Alchemist and Daemons of the Shadow Realm. The broader program begins rolling out on December 2, 2026, but that date is not the opening day for the two Arakawa experiences, which remain scheduled only for spring 2027.

The park has also reserved the formats, internal locations, complete schedules, merchandise and food information for future announcements. For anyone considering a trip around either property, the practical consequence is straightforward: the spring window confirms the general season, but it is not precise enough to set travel dates or purchase related services.