The anime returning for its second season on Crunchyroll this Fall may have just cemented its position as the platform’s Anime of the Year. With the year about to end and all the new anime scheduled for release having finally premiered, it is now a good time to start analyzing which series could take the throne. This year has seen plenty of epic titles, including Jujutsu Kaisen, which has claimed the Anime of the Year title for both of its seasons. Winter also saw the release of Frieren Season 2. However, several other notable titles have also premiered, including Jaadugar: A Witch in Mongolia and Bleach, which are both strong contenders.
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However, one particular anime, which premiered at the start of the Fall season, has been thriving more than any other series. Considering that Crunchyroll’s Anime Awards are based entirely on fan votes, this anime is already surpassing several of this year’s titles in ratings, giving it a strong chance of becoming the Anime of the Year based purely on fan support. The anime in question is Black Clover, which has already established a strong position and is looking increasingly likely to claim the title. What further strengthens Black Clover‘s chances of winning is another factor that also helped Solo Leveling secure the Anime of the Year title for its first season.
Fall 2026’s Biggest Returning Anime May Have Just Cemented Its Place as Crunchyroll’s Anime of the Year
Black Clover Season 2’s premiere episode blew every other anime premiere this year on Crunchyroll out of the water, earning more than 130K likes and surpassing even the premieres of other major anime, including Jujutsu Kaisen and Frieren. This highlights how much fans are enjoying Black Clover‘s return after five years. This is further supported by the IMDb ratings for its episodes, all of which have scored above 9, with the latest episode currently sitting at a 9.9 rating based on 23K fan votes at the time of writing. However, the biggest factor that could help Black Clover become the Anime of the Year is a pattern that also helped Solo Leveling achieve the title.
It has become evident that Black Clover Season 2 will be split into two cours, with the first already released and the second potentially arriving in the spring. If the second and final cour of Black Clover does arrive in April, just as fans begin voting for the Crunchyroll Anime Awards, the hype surrounding the second part could also help boost votes for the first, much like the hype surrounding Solo Leveling‘s second season helped its first season win the award. This is a major factor that could make Black Clover Season 2 a strong contender for the Anime of the Year title. However, another significant factor that could influence fans to vote for either Black Clover or Bleach is how both anime depict the final moments of their respective stories.
Just as My Hero Academia secured the Anime of the Year title thanks to the emotional attachment fans had to its final season, alongside its overall quality, Black Clover and Bleach hold a similar position. However, Black Clover is making a particularly strong impression right now, and with its second part potentially releasing next year during the Crunchyroll Anime Awards voting period, its chances of winning the Anime of the Year title for 2026 have skyrocketed.
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