Updated on December 2, 2025, 10:50 a.m. (GMT+8): Added official release dates.
2026 is already shaping up to be an exciting year for anime, with several major titles preparing for highly anticipated returns and new adaptations.
The top anime to look for in 2026 are positioned to kick off the new year strong as the winter anime season brings a mix of long-awaited sequels and standout premieres.
Some of these series are continuing arcs that left viewers eager for answers, while others are stepping in with fresh stories that already have solid fan interest.
However the year unfolds, the opening months of 2026 promise an anime lineup that’s well worth keeping an eye on.
Top 10 anime to look for in 2026 — bookmark these titles!
Jujutsu Kaisen season 3
Release date: January 8, 2026
Studio: MAPPA
Trailer
Following the events of the Shibuya Incident and the intense developments that carried into season 2, Jujutsu Kaisen season 3 is set to adapt the prequel arcs before the Culling Game, one of the most expansive and intense events in the series.
Season 3 is set to shift the state of the sorcerer world, with rising conflicts triggered by Kenjaku’s plans. Fans can anticipate a heavier focus on Yuji Itadori, Yuta Okkotsu, and Maki Zenin, alongside the introduction of several key characters whose roles become central during the Culling Game.
With major battles, new domains, and high-stakes power shifts on the horizon, season 3 is positioned to be one of the biggest anime releases of early 2026.
Freiren season 2
Release date: January 16, 2026
Studio: Madhouse Studio
Trailer
It’s been almost two years since Frieren Beyond Journey’s End wrapped up its first season back in March 22, 2024, making Frieren season 2 one of the most anticipated returns in early 2026.
The new season continues the quiet yet emotionally rich journey of the elven mage as she moves forward on her long path of reflection, growth, and discovery.
Season 2 is expected to cover the next major arcs that deepen her bonds with Fern and Stark, while introducing new regions, formidable magical trials, and characters who further explore the series’ themes of time, memory, and legacy.
With its blend of thoughtful pacing, worldbuilding, and character-driven storytelling, season 2 is shaping up to be one of the standout titles as the year begins.
Oshi no Ko season 3
Release date: January 14, 2026
Studio: Doga Kobo
Trailer
Oshi no Ko season 3 continues the series’ steady climb into its most ambitious material yet, building on the momentum from a well-received second season.
With the Tokyo Blade arc laying the groundwork for rising tensions and shifting character dynamics, the new season is poised to challenge Aqua Hoshino, Ruby Hoshino, and Kana Arima in ways that go beyond personal ambition. Several long-running mysteries also start to close in, giving the series a sharper, more suspense-driven tone as key revelations draw nearer.
Season 3 of the anime is also expected to spend more time exploring the realities of the entertainment industry, from media scrutiny to the professional pressure that shapes each performer’s choices.
Hell’s Paradise season 2
Release date: January 11, 2026
Studio: MAPPA
Trailer
Hell’s Paradise season 2 picks up after the brutal confrontations on Kotaku Island, where the surviving criminals and executioners finally came face-to-face with the truth behind the Tensen.
With the first season ending back on July 1, 2023, this follow-up has been a long time coming, and it arrives right as the story shifts into its most intense phase. The new season dives deeper into the island’s origins, the nature of the Elixir of Life, and the growing divide among the remaining characters as their motives start to clash.
Anime viewers can expect more of the series’ signature mix of violence, tension, and unsettling supernatural elements, along with several major fights that define the latter half of the arc. Season 1 focused on survival, while season 2 pushes the narrative toward revelation — and the consequences that come with it.
Fire Force season 3 part 2
Release date: January 9, 2026
Studio: David Production
Trailer
The Fire Force anime enters the final phase of the adaptation, covering the last major arcs of Atsushi Ohkubo’s manga.
This portion of the story pushes Company 8 and Shinra Kusakabe into the endgame conflict against the White-Clad and the Evangelist’s forces, with the narrative shifting firmly toward large-scale battles and world-shaping revelations.
As the truth behind the Adolla Burst, the Great Cataclysm, and the origin of pyrokinetic powers comes fully into focus, the stakes rise for every faction involved.
Part 2 is also where several long-running character arcs move toward their resolution, tying together motivations, rivalries, and the ideological clash that has defined the series since the beginning.
Fate/strange Fake
Release date: January 3, 2026
Studio: A-1 Pictures
Trailer
The Fate/strange Fake anime brings an intriguing twist to the long-running Fate series by exploring a distorted version of the Holy Grail War in the city of Snowfield, where a faulty copy of the ritual creates unexpected terms and dangerous variables.
This adaptation by A‑1 Pictures, already teased via the special Whispers of Dawn, signals one of the most anticipated entries of the Fate series.
In this new era of the series, watchers will see new Masters and Servants enter the battle, identities and loyalties shift, and the rules of the grail war itself bend under the weight of its imperfect replication.
What makes strange Fake especially worth watching is how it plays with familiar Fate tropes while deliberately subverting them, reducing the sense of hierarchy between Masters and Servants, and introducing chaotic variables that keep veterans and newcomers alike on their toes.
Sentenced to Be a Hero
Release date: January 2026 (Exact date to be determined)
Studio: Studio KAI
Trailer
Sentenced to Be a Hero is our sleeper pick for the winter anime season, offering a sharp twist on the typical fantasy war setup.
In this world, becoming a “Hero” is a punishment reserved for the worst criminals, forcing them into a cycle of mandatory military service against the Demon Lords, with resurrection ensuring they never escape the front lines.
The story follows Xylo Forbartz, a former commander now leading a penal unit composed of criminals who fight simply because they have no choice. His situation changes when he meets Teoritta, a powerful goddess-class weapon who proposes a pact that may give him a chance at both survival and payback.
Adapting a serious tone with a focus on a protagonist trapped between duty and revenge, this adaptation has the potential to quietly surprise viewers starting the year.
Classroom of the Elite season 4
Release date: April 2026
Studio: Studio Hibari
Trailer
Classroom of the Elite season 4 continues the third-year storyline, following the events adapted in season 3, which began covering the Year 3 arc of the light novels.
Season 4 is expected to explore the shifting class dynamics, rising pressure surrounding the final hierarchy, and the increasingly strategic confrontations between students as they move closer to graduation.
With Kiyotaka Ayanokoji stepping into a more pivotal phase of his long-running plans, the competition among the top classes intensifies, and new exam formats push the students into situations that test both cooperation and manipulation.
While official details on the specific arcs remain limited, season 4 is positioned as the next major advancement in the elite school’s escalating power struggle, making it one of the notable returning titles to watch in 2026.
Re:Zero season 4
Release date: April 2026
Studio: White Fox
Trailer
Re:Zero season 4 moves into the The Stars That Engrave History arc, the fifth major storyline in the series.
The arc follows the aftermath of the Priestella incident and shifts the story toward the increasingly fragile political climate in Lugnica, the royal candidates’ competing agendas, and the deeper influence of the Witches.
Season 4 places Subaru Natsuki, Emilia, and the rest of their group in situations where resets offer fewer straightforward solutions, forcing them to confront problems that require more than trial and error.
The story also broadens its focus on how Lugnica’s various factions operate, giving this arc a stronger emphasis on diplomacy, internal conflict, and the consequences of past decisions rather than solely on battlefield encounters.
The Apothecary Diaries season 3 part 1
Release date: October 2026
Studio: OLM, Toho Animation Studio
Trailer
The Apothecary Diaries season 3 part 1 continues Maomao’s work within the Inner Court as she becomes involved in a new set of cases tied to palace politics, medical anomalies, and the everyday complications of court life.
Since her reputation is more established, Maomao is entrusted with responsibilities that place her closer to the center of the court’s decision-making, exposing her to people and situations she previously would have been kept away from.
Season 3 also shifts more attention toward Jinshi’s role in the palace as his status becomes harder for Maomao, and even those around him, to ignore. Season 3 also suggests that the answers Maomao finds could place her uncomfortably close to secrets the palace isn’t ready to reveal.
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