Established in 2011, the renowned animation studio MAPPA took only a few years to become one of the biggest in the industry. The studio is best known for creating globally popular shows such as Jujutsu Kaisen, Chainsaw Man, Attack on Titan (from Season 4), and many more acclaimed series. These series have some of the largest fan bases across the globe, pushing the studio to new heights of popularity. Before adapting these Shonen series, the studio gained global recognition with Yuri!!! on Ice, making 2016 its breakthrough year. Following the anime’s success, Banana Fish was also released under MAPPA’s banner in 2018 and received critical acclaim for the incredible adaptation.
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During the controversies regarding the cancellation of the anticipated Yuri!!! on Ice prequel film in 2024, MAPPA had already climbed the ladder and etched its name in the industry. Over the years, the studio has been focusing on popular titles, especially Shonen. However, there are several upcoming series and even a film fans have been waiting for.
9) The Mourning Children
This anticipated film was initially being produced under the banner of CONTRAIL, MAPPA’s subsidiary animation studio established by Sunao Katabuchi. After directing MAPPA’s award-winning film, In This Corner of the World, he returned with a new project, but the studio was eventually absorbed by MAPPA. The film is still under production, and while it’s rumored to be released in 2027, MAPPA has yet to officially share more updates. Even during its 15th anniversary celebration in June this year, the studio stayed silent on the film’s updates.
The story takes place in the Heian period (792-1185), following Sei Shonagon, a real Japanese historical figure. She is a legendary author and poet, best known for The Pillow Book. The film is a loose portrayal of her life and the struggles women faced during that era. It also raises existential questions about death through the protagonist’s lens. The film is expected to hit the Japanese theatres before a global release. However, with the studio staying silent on its promising project, nothing can be confirmed yet.
8) Beat & Motion
Based on a beloved Shonen Jump+ manga written and illustrated by Naoki Fujita, the anime adaptation will premiere exclusively on Netflix. It’s a grounded slice-of-life story, as the story explores the themes of chasing one’s dreams and living life in pursuit of them. It centers around a young boy named Tatsuhiko, who has given up on his dream of becoming an animator and has since abandoned his aspirations.
However, a chance encounter with a drunk woman named Nico, who is also a music artist, reignites Tatsuhiko’s passion to pursue art. Not only that, but the two also get the opportunity to work together as they do their best to achieve their goals while discovering new hurdles along the way. At its core, it is a coming-of-age series, and its first look makes it especially appealing thanks to its striking visuals. The anime was announced during MAPPA’s 15th anniversary event, and it will surely be an exciting series to watch when it arrives on Netflix in 2027.
7) Ranma 1/2 Season 3
Rumiko Takahashi is one of the most celebrated manga creators of all time, best known for her classic fantasy Inuyasha. She has also worked on over a dozen acclaimed manga series, including Ranma 1/2, which received an anime reboot in 2024. The third season is scheduled for a release this October as part of the Fall 2026 anime schedule, but an exact release date has not yet been confirmed. The anime will be streaming exclusively on Netflix after its debut, where you can also catch up with the first two seasons. It’s one of the many franchise projects that Studio MAPPA shared new updates about in June this year.
The story centers around Ranma Saotome, a martial artist prodigy, whose life takes a drastic turn when he and his father accidentally fall into a cursed spring. He can now transform into a girl when splashed with cold water. Not only that, but his father has arranged for him to marry one of Soun Tendo’s three daughters to stabilize the future of the Tendo dojo. The story follows the chaotic adventures of Ranma and Akane as they encounter new threats and even allies and love interests along the way.
6) Oblivion Battery Season 2
The acclaimed sports manga, Oblivion Battery, by Eco Mikawa, began serialization in Shueisha’s Shonen Jump+ platform in 2018. Around six years after the manga’s debut, MAPPA released an anime adaptation in 2024, further popularizing the exceptional series. The anime is all set for its second season next year, although a release date has yet to be confirmed. This sports drama follows a group of baseball players who reunite in high school after attending middle school together. While attending middle school together, Haruka Kiyomine and Kei Kaname were known as the most formidable pitcher-catcher duo.
Their incredible talent crushed the dreams of many, including high school freshman Taro Yamada, who enrolls in Kotesashi High School later on. However, he never expected to attend the same class as Haruka and Kei in high school. Taro, who has already met the players he once admired, is disappointed to see them abandon their dreams even though he knows the reason behind it. After the school forms a small baseball club, he makes it his mission to convince these talented athletes to start playing once again.
5) Fall in Love, You False Angels
The upcoming Shojo anime is based on a manga written and illustrated by Coco Uzuki, who is also known for her underrated short series, Hoteri Hotette First Kiss. The anime announcement sparked quite a lot of excitement since the manga already has a wide fanbase for its exceptional story and gorgeous art. An anime adaptation by MAPPA only confirms that the manga’s art will be done justice in the anime. The story centers around Otogi Katsura, the first-year class president, often called the Madonna of her school.
Due to her perceptive nature, she is able to take on the role of a gracious girl and uphold that image in front of those around her. The only person who rivals her in both appearance and charisma is the vice-president of her class, Toki Ninomae. However, Otogi is confident that Toki wears the same mask as her. During an unexpected incident, Otogi reveals her true nature and also learns that Toki isn’t what he appears to be, which is why the two of them start to shed their false angelic facades before an unexpected relationship blossoms.
4) Jimoto Saiko!
Jimoto Saiko! is yet another anime that was announced during the 15th anniversary celebration. It’s based on an ongoing manga written and illustrated by Usagi. It’s the type of series that perfectly fits MAPPA’s push toward more distinct narratives across all kinds of genres. This dark comedy centers around a delinquent girl whose bright pink attire sharply contrasts with her personality in a rundown town. It is a story about various individuals who carry their own burdens in a town where drug and substance abuse and violence are commonplace.
What makes this even more appealing is its stunning animation style, which contrasts with the darker elements to present them as dark comedy. The manga began as a web comic released on the author’s Twitter account since September 22, 2020. It was later posted on the series’s official Twitter account since February 28, 2021, and published in print by Saiz-sha since August 29, 2022. This new series was by far the biggest reveal at MAPPA’s event last month, and it will also arrive exclusively on Netflix in 2027.
3) Dorohedoro Season 3
The dark fantasy anime is based on Q Hayashida’s Seinen manga, which reached its conclusion in 2018. MAPPA released the anime adaptation in 2020, two years after the manga’s ending. The second season was released in Spring 2026, after making fans wait for six years for a sequel. However, it appears that Season 3 won’t take that long since the anime has already shared its first look. The supernatural action takes place in an urban fantasy world, focusing on a dark and dangerous district called the Hole, where the strong prey on the weak.
The entire area is also a testing ground for sorcerers who perform experiments on those around the Hole’s hospital on a daily basis. Caiman, a half-reptile, half-man, is a victim of such experiments. He is cursed with his strange appearance and tormented by nightmares. In hopes of returning to normal, he hunts magic users thanks to his trusted pair of bayonets and his immunity to magic. Accompanied by his female companion, Nikaido, the man discovers the dark secrets lingering in the alleys of the underground area while also uncovering what transpired in his past.
2) Chainsaw Man: Assassins Arc
After the box office blockbuster film, which was released last year, Tatsuki Fujimoto’s most popular series is all set for its return. Chainsaw Man: The Assassins Arc has already released its first trailer, highlighting what lies in wait for Denji. The first look confirms that MAPPA is planning to go all out with the animation. The trailer also highlights the paid killers set to fight Chainsaw Man. The upcoming arc might be adapted into a longer film since it has four more chapters than the Reze Arc. However, MAPPA has yet to confirm if it will be a TV series or a feature-length film.
It’s one of the later arcs of the manga’s first part and will pick up the story from where the Reze Arc film ended. The arc follows a chaotic survival story where elite devil hunters from the US, China, and the Soviet Union gather together to capture the Chainsaw Man Devil. Using this crisis as an opportunity, Makima plans to use him as bait to draw out and neutralize foreign threats.
1) Jujutsu Kaisen Season 4
Jujutsu Kaisen Season 4 is by far the biggest project MAPPA is currently working on, which is expected to wrap up the Culling Game Arc. The third season began with Itadori’s Extermination and Perfect Preparation Arcs to focus on the aftermath of the Shibuya Incident. It doesn’t take long for things to take a turn for the worse when Kenjaku forces all the sorcerers to fight in the Culling Game, a deadly battle royale. The third season ends on a major cliffhanger, leaving several questions unanswered, including what Ryomen Sukuna and Kenjaku have planned so far.
MAPPA already revealed the first teaser, confirming that fans won’t have to wait for long before the anime’s return. Fans might even get a glimpse of the Shinjuku Showdown Arc if the anime ends on a cliffhanger after a major plot twist. The latest season ends after Yuta Okkotsu’s epic battle in Sendai, where he once again proves why he’s the strongest sorcerer after Satoru Gojo. However, despite his victory, the Culling Game is far from over, and the upcoming season will feature several more intense battles and anticipated moments.
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