Top 12 Upcoming 2026 Anime You Need on Your Watchlist

2026 is shaping up to be an absolutely stacked year for anime. We’ve got long-awaited sequels finally getting release dates, ambitious original projects from powerhouse studios, and manga adaptations that fans have been begging for.

Whether you’re into action-packed shounen, mind-bending thrillers, wholesome slice-of-life, or romance that’ll wreck you emotionally, this year’s lineup has something that’ll make you clear your schedule. These are the most anticipated anime dropping in 2026 that you should be tracking right now before everyone starts talking about them and you’re stuck avoiding spoilers.

1. Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End Season 2

Premiere: 16 January 2026
Studio: Madhouse
Genre: Fantasy, Adventure, Drama

Premiering January 16, 2026, at 11 p.m. JST with simulcast on Crunchyroll, the most anticipated sequel of the year finally arrives. Studio Madhouse returns with Tomoya Kitagawa directing after working on Season 1 storyboards, while original director Keiichiro Saito supervises. The first season won Best Drama, Best Director, Best Background Art, and Best Supporting Character at the 9th Crunchyroll Anime Awards, setting impossibly high expectations.

Season 2 reportedly runs only 10 episodes, sparking mixed reactions from fans who expected another 28-episode run. The story continues Frieren, Fern, and Stark’s northern travels, exploring time, loss, and what it means to live. Composer Evan Call returns with his signature melancholy piano and ethereal harmonies.

After narrowly losing Anime of the Year to Solo Leveling, fans hope Frieren finally claims the crown in 2026. The slower episode count might disappoint, but if Madhouse maintains Season 1’s painterly visuals and emotional depth, this remains 2026’s most unmissable anime regardless of length.

2. Hell’s Paradise Season 2

Premiere: 11 January 2026
Studio: MAPPA
Genre: Action, Dark Fantasy, Historical

MAPPA scheduled both Hell’s Paradise Season 2 and Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3 for January 2026, creating an absolutely stacked month for dark fantasy fans. Hell’s Paradise drops January 11, 2026, at 11:45 p.m. JST on TV Tokyo, with Crunchyroll handling worldwide streaming outside Asia. Director Kaori Makita returns to tackle the “Lord Tensen” and “Hōrai” arcs that fans have been demanding since July 2023.

Part of MAPPA’s so-called “dark trio of shōnen” alongside JJK and Chainsaw Man, season 2 intensifies the brutal action and moral ambiguity that made season 1 a breakout hit. The fragile alliances between criminals and executioners fracture as the island’s true nature emerges. The Tensen, divine beings capable of endless regeneration, transform from obstacles into symbols of ambition and punishment.

Whether releasing two major dark fantasy shows simultaneously cannibalizes audiences or creates a viewing party atmosphere remains to be seen. Either way, the violence, philosophical questions about redemption, and spectacular fight choreography MAPPA delivers make Winter 2026’s opening week unmissable for anyone craving mature storytelling that refuses to pull punches.

3. Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3: The Culling Game Part 1

Premiere: 8 January 2026
Studio: MAPPA
Genre: Action, Supernatural, Shounen

The stakes couldn’t be higher: save Tsumiki, free Gojo from the Prison Realm, and survive Kenjaku’s nationwide battle royale, forcing sorcerers into deadly combat. MAPPA’s adaptation of the Culling Game arc premieres on January 8, 2026, on Crunchyroll with a two-episode premiere that manga readers call the franchise’s most brutal storyline yet. Director Shota Goshozono returns after orchestrating Shibuya’s devastation with the core animation staff intact.

New characters debut, including Kinji Hakari (voiced by Kazuya Nakai from One Piece), lawyer-turned-sorcerer Hiromi Higuruma (Tomokazu Sugita from Gintama), and comedic wildcard Fumihiko Takaba, who somehow survives through sheer absurdity.

The “Part 1” subtitle confirms split-cour treatment, likely 13 episodes before Part 2 later in the year. Netflix only streams in select Asian regions, meaning global fans need Crunchyroll subscriptions. After losing Anime of the Year to Solo Leveling, JJK believers think the Culling Game will finally claim that crown and cement the series as this generation’s defining battle shounen.

4. [Oshi no Ko] Season 3

Premiere: 14 January 2026
Studio: Doga Kobo
Genre: Drama, Music, Mystery

Ruby finally gets her moment. After two seasons watching Aqua dominate the narrative with his revenge quest, season 3 shifts focus to Ruby’s ascent in the entertainment industry while Aqua continues stacking acting and variety show credits. Launching January 14, 2026, on Crunchyroll, Doga Kobo returns with director Daisuke Hiramaki and the core staff that made the 90-minute premiere episode an instant sensation.

The Mainstay Arc adaptation introduces variety show directors Tetsu Urushibara (voiced by Yoji Ueda) and his overworked assistant Shun Yoshizumi (Yuto Takenaka). Six months after “POP IN 2,” B-Komachi teeters on the edge of genuine stardom thanks to MEM-Cho’s hustle, while Kana struggles to reclaim her spark, and Akane’s career stays scorching hot.

Season 2’s slower pace disappointed some fans after season 1’s critical acclaim, but the manga’s Mainstay Arc promises sharper industry politics and the father reveal readers have been anticipating. With Natori performing the ending theme “Serenade,” expect a darker, glossier production that pushes both twins toward uncomfortable truths about their mother’s murder and the entertainment machine that consumed her.

5. Saga of Tanya the Evil Season 2

Premiere: 2026 (exact date TBA)
Studio: NUT
Genre: Military, Fantasy, Drama

Nine years. That’s how long fans waited since 2017’s first season for confirmation that Tanya Degurechaff would return. Studio NUT finally made it official on November 28, 2025, revealing a 2026 broadcast window after the announcement sat dormant since June 2021. The wait actually got accidentally leaked earlier when animator Dong Chang mentioned working on “the making of Tanya the Evil season 2, coming out in 2026” in a YouTube video.

Takayuki Yamamoto takes over directing duties from Yutaka Uemura, bringing experience from My Hero Academia’s episode direction. The core creative team returns: Kenta Ihara on scripts, Yuji Hosogoe on character design. Season 2 adapts Volume 5 “Abyssus abyssum invocat,” sending Tanya’s 203rd Aerial Mage Battalion to the frigid Eastern Front against the Rus Federation.

The atheist salaryman reincarnated as a ruthless little girl in an alternate World War I finally continues her defiance against Being X. After a 2019 movie that left fans hungry for more strategic warfare mixed with dark theological commentary, this remains one of isekai’s most unique premises, getting its long-deserved continuation.

6. Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation Season 3

Premiere: April 2026
Studio: Studio Bind
Genre: Fantasy, Isekai, Adventure

Studio Bind was literally created just to adapt this series, and that commitment shows no signs of stopping. After Season 2’s devastating finale, watching Paul die saving Zenith, Rudeus picks up the pieces of his shattered family while confronting god-tier threats that make previous adventures look like tutorial levels. TOHO Animation’s financial report pinpoints April 2026 for the third season, with Crunchyroll handling global streaming as always.

Director Ryosuke Shibuya returns after helming Season 2 Part 2, adapting light novel Volume 13 onwards into what’s expected to be another 24-episode run. The Summoning Arc introduces Perugius and builds toward Rudeus’ inevitable clash with Orsted, the Dragon God who ranks among the Seven Great Powers. Encounters with Atoferatofe Rybak and a reunion with Eris promise emotional gut-punches alongside spectacular magic battles.

The anime community crowned this the most influential modern isekai for good reason: it commits to showing Rudeus’ entire flawed journey without shortcuts or sanitization. Season 3 dives deeper into fatherhood, political intrigue, and choices that define whether redemption actually means anything when your past life’s sins keep haunting you.

7. Re:Zero − Starting Life in Another World Season 4

Premiere: April 2026
Studio: White Fox
Genre: Fantasy, Drama, Psychological

Light novel readers have been screaming about Arc 6 for years, calling it the most cerebral and psychologically devastating arc in the entire series. White Fox heard them loud and clear, announcing Season 4 immediately after Season 3’s finale on March 26, 2025, with an April 2026 premiere locked in. This isn’t another death loop marathon where Subaru dies 47 times per episode. Arc 6 shifts gears into mind-bending puzzles and identity crises at the Pleiades Watchtower, buried in the Auguria Sand Dunes.

Following the intense conflict in Priestella, the story shifts to the treacherous Augria Sand Dunes. Subaru leads the group into a desert that has historically defeated even the strongest warriors, facing trials in the legendary Pleiades Watchtower that force the cast to confront their pasts.

Masahiro Shinohara continues as director, with most of the core staff returning to maintain the series’ signature tone. Crunchyroll will handle the global simulcast, and composer Kenichiro Suehiro returns with a new orchestral score.

8. Fire Force Season 3 Part 2

Premiere: 9 January 2026
Studio: David Production
Genre: Action, Supernatural, Shounen

Atsushi Ohkubo’s firefighting inferno returns on January 10, 2026, bringing an end to the mystery that’s kept fans theorizing for years: the connection between Fire Force and Soul Eater. David Production returns with director Tatsuma Minamikawa wrapping up what Part 1 started back in April 2025. The final cour is expected to be around 13 episodes, which has some manga readers wondering whether that will be enough to fully adapt key arcs, including doppelganger origins, Shinra’s flashback, and the moon’s significance.

Part 1 left off with Shinra unconscious after the first Pillar revelation, teasing answers about where doppelgangers actually came from and how to defeat them permanently. Takanori Nishikawa performs the opening “Ignis” while Survive Said The Prophet delivers the ending “Speak of the Devil.” Crunchyroll handles global streaming with both Japanese and English audio available.

The rushed episode count sparked debate about whether David Production should’ve done a movie finale like Demon Slayer and Chainsaw Man instead. Still, after five years of watching Company 8 battle Infernals and uncover the Great Cataclysm’s truth, fans are ready for closure, even if pacing suffers. The manga has sold over 20 million copies, proving this underrated shounen deserves its grand finale regardless of format.

9. Delicious in Dungeon Season 2

Premiere: 2026 (exact date TBA)
Studio: Trigger
Genre: Fantasy, Adventure, Cooking

Cooking monsters never felt this high-stakes. Studio Trigger confirmed Season 2 production immediately after the June 2024 finale, announcing a 2026 premiere window that has fans both relieved and impatient. Director Yoshihiro Miyajima returns with the full staff that turned Ryoko Kui’s completed 97-chapter manga into Netflix’s surprise fantasy hit, blending dungeon crawling with genuinely educational cooking segments that somehow work perfectly together.

Season 1’s 24 episodes adapted through chapter 52 “Bacon and Eggs,” meaning roughly 45 chapters remain for Season 2 to cover. If Trigger maintains the same pacing, another 24-episode run could wrap the entire story with no loose ends. The party’s quest to rescue Falin takes darker, weirder turns as the dungeon’s true purpose reveals itself through increasingly dangerous floors and morally complex encounters.

What separated this from typical fantasy anime was the tabletop RPG logic applied to ecology and cooking. Season 2 promises more of that thoughtful worldbuilding while escalating emotional stakes, proving you can make viewers cry over a perfectly seared griffon while simultaneously teaching them about sustainable dungeon resource management.

10. That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime Season 4

Premiere: April 2026 (first two cours)
Studio: 8bit
Genre: Fantasy, Isekai, Adventure

Five cours. Roughly 60 episodes total. This isn’t just another anime season; it’s a historic broadcast commitment that proves how confident Bandai Namco Filmworks feels about Rimuru Tempest’s continued dominance. Studio 8bit announced the unprecedented format in December 2025, revealing the first two cours will air consecutively starting April 2026, with the remaining three cours following later in split-cour fashion. Miho Okasaki returns voicing Rimuru as the Monster Federation navigates diplomatic relations while the cunning Russel family plots from the shadows.

The light novel concluded with Volume 23 in November 2025, meaning 8bit can adapt without worrying about catching up to the source material. The Rosso Family Arc kicks things off, focusing on political intrigue over pure combat as Rimuru seeks Western Nations Council membership.

Before Season 4 drops, the second theatrical film “Tears of the Azure Sea“ will be released on February 27, 2026, with Crunchyroll handling global distribution. The sheer scale of this announcement positions That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime as one of anime’s most important long-running franchises, proving wholesome nation-building can sustain audiences just as effectively as endless battle shounen escalation.

11. Bocchi the Rock! Season 2

Premiere: 2026 (exact date TBA)
Studio: CloverWorks
Genre: Music, Slice of Life, Comedy

Fans waited three agonizing years watching compilation films nobody asked for, but CloverWorks finally listened. Announced February 15, 2025, during the “We will B” concert event in Tokyo, Season 2 enters production with a director change that’s got some people nervous and others cautiously optimistic. Yuusuke Yamamoto, Season 1’s assistant director, takes the lead from Keiichiro Saito, who admitted the increased music focus would be too challenging and chose to stay with Frieren instead.

Season 2 adapts the Unidentified Riot arc, where Kessoku Band enters an amateur band contest after a reporter insults them, trying to poach Bocchi while calling her bandmates deadweight. The manga has sold over 3 million copies, and this arc is where character development finally matches the comedy and visuals that made Season 1 a 2022 phenomenon.

No release date confirmed yet, but 2026 seems likely given CloverWorks’ commitment to quality over rushed production. Erika Yoshida returns to writing scripts with Keito Oda and Kerorira handling character design. After compilation films that disappointed everyone, a proper continuation feels like validation for fans who refused to let Bocchi fade quietly.

12. Classroom of the Elite Season 4: Year 2

Premiere: April 2026
Studio: Lerche
Genre: Psychological, School, Thriller

The wait between seasons shrank dramatically this time. Studio Lerche announced Season 4 on November 16, 2025, barely 22 months after Season 3 wrapped in January 2024. April 2026 premiere confirmed, adapting the first semester of Shogo Kinugasa’s Year 2 light novel arc that concluded in November 2024. Noriyuki Nomata takes over directing duties, marking the first director change since the franchise began in 2017.

Year 2 light novel readers warn that this arc is significantly more brutal than Year 1’s psychological games. New first-year students Ichika Amasawa and Riku Utomiya enter the mix, complicating class dynamics while Ayanokoji continues hiding his genius from Advanced Nurturing High School’s ruthless point system. Crunchyroll secured global streaming rights outside Asia.

Seasons 2 and 3 faced criticism for cramming too many volumes into limited episodes, resulting in rushed pacing that frustrated source material fans. The production committee apparently listened, giving Season 4 breathing room to properly adapt the complex mind games, betrayals, and strategic warfare that make this psychological thriller work. If you thought Ayanokoji was cold before, Year 2 proves he’s barely started manipulating everyone around him.