With anime like Jujutsu Kaisen and Frieren airing, it’s rare for other series to rise to the top and surpass these giants. However, a rare opportunity recently opened up for currently airing anime to climb higher in the rankings, and one dark action fantasy seized it. Last week, neither Jujutsu Kaisen nor Frieren released new episodes, as both series took a mid-season break. This created the perfect opening for other shows to take the top spot, and one of MAPPA’s currently airing anime managed to do exactly that.
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That anime is Hell’s Paradise, which returned for its second season nearly three years after its initial debut. At the start of this week, as noted by FlixPatrol, Hell’s Paradise emerged as the top TV show on Crunchyroll on Monday, February 23, 2026. This feat was likely driven by the latest episode released on Sunday, February 22, which propelled the series to the top of the weekly rankings. It proves that even amid the dominance of major hits, Hell’s Paradise is one of the anime that fans are actively watching, hinting at the current direction of anime audience interest.
Hell’s Paradise Takes the Top Spot During Jujutsu Kaisen and Frieren’s Break
While some fans may argue that FlixPatrol’s rankings are just one metric, the latest episode of the anime also boasts a high IMDb score of 9.4, making it the highest-rated episode of the anime ever and the top-rated episode released last week. Meanwhile, there are several other reasons why Hell’s Paradise’s recent achievements prove it truly stands as the top anime in the absence of already popular series. In recent years, especially over the past year and into Winter 2026, darker anime have consistently emerged as fan favorites. Last year reinforced this trend with the release of Takopi’s Original Sin, arguably one of Crunchyroll’s darkest series in recent years, and Gachiakuta’s success in the Fall further showed that even shōnen anime with darker tones are becoming more appealing to viewers.
Hell’s Paradise embodies this same appeal and is clearly the darkest anime of this season, rising to the top for the same reason. While the first season already established that the series would lean heavily into dark themes, the second season has elevated this even further by introducing one of the most terrifying characters in the anime and intensifying its brutal action sequences across multiple arcs. Meanwhile, the animation quality has drastically improved compared to the first season, and it is emerging as one of MAPPA’s best-looking modern productions.
This feat is not something to scoff at, as Hell’s Paradise has risen above Oshi no Ko Season 3 and Sentenced to Be a Hero, both of which generated massive hype with their debuts. Additionally, Hell’s Paradise has recently received a rating update on Crunchyroll that surpassed Gachiakuta as well. These factors truly underscore that Hell’s Paradise is currently the best anime airing right now outside of juggernauts like Jujutsu Kaisen and Frieren, and that its success is driven largely by the dark elements that have captivated fans.
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