“We’re so back!” is one of the most overused phrases on the internet, especially within the anime community. Fans of the biggest shonen hits and even the trashiest isekais throw out the coined phrase whenever a somewhat decent piece of news or a mediocre episode drops. But 2026 might be the year when we’re actually back. Where we’re coming back from, nobody knows. But all that anime fans care about is that 2026 might be one of the greatest years for anime of all time.
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2025 has already been one hell of a year. We’ve enjoyed Season 2 of Solo Leveling, Sakamoto Days, My Dress-Up Darling, Kaiju No. 8, and Dandadan, not to mention new releases like Gachiakuta and Takopi’s Original Sin. If that wasn’t enough, Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle has been cooking up a storm at the box office, with Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc set to follow this Fall. But the above is nothing compared to what 2026 has in store for anime fans. We’re talking the long-awaited returns of fan favorite series, as well as some very exciting new releases. So, say it one more time: “We’re so back!”
2026 Is a Stacked Year for Anime
What’s better than a year filled with stacked anime, another year filled with even bigger anime! 2025 may have been massive, but 2026 is about to set a new standard. Next year will mainly be dominated by returning franchises. One of the kings of modern shonen, Jujutsu Kaisen, is returning for its third season, which will adapt the Culling Game Arc. Following the twist-filled Season 2, fans have been desperate to jump back into the curse-ridden Shibuya to find out what happens next. Speaking of MAPPA, Hell’s Paradise will finally drop its second season next year. After two years of waiting with no updates, Hell’s Paradise fans recently learned that a second season is on the way, and it will drop in early 2026.
But that’s not all for returning shonen hits. The final season of Fire Force is set to drop next Winter, with Akira’s mission finally coming to an end (hopefully, it will end without the unnecessary fan service this time around). Fire Force won’t be the only big hit anime fans are saying goodbye to next year. Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War has, so far, blown everyone’s expectations out of the water. Thousand-Year Blood War: Calamity is set to drop in 2026, and it’ll bring the fan favorite anime revival to a close.
Of course, we can’t mention Winter 2026 without talking about one of the best modern anime of all time. After Season 1 blew everyone away in 2023, Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End is coming back for its highly anticipated second season in January 2026. But will it be able to retain its #1 ranking on MyAnimeList following Season 2?
If that wasn’t enough to get you excited, 2026 will also see hit shows like Oshi No Ko, Re:ZERO, and Wistoria all return for new seasons. However, it’s not just major franchises that are coming back with a bang in 2026, as the new year is also bringing with it a tidal wave of new anime for fans to enjoy.
2026 Is a Big Year for New Anime
2026 is arguably the year of exciting new releases. One of the biggest new shows of 2026 is the fantasy anime Witch Hat Atelier. Based on the manga by Kamome Shirahama, the seinen series was originally set to be released in late 2025. However, it was recently delayed to improve the animation quality. Another delayed anime is also being released in early 2026. The Winter 2026 season will finally see the release of Senteced to Be a Hero. Based on the light novel of the same name, the action series has been on anime fans’ radars since its announcement. In 2026, we’ll finally get to see Studio KAI’s adaptation for ourselves.
It’s hard to predict which new show will be the hit of 2026. After all, nobody expected Takopi’s Original Sin to bring us all to tears in 2025 (apart from those who read the manga). But there are plenty of exciting new releases that have loads of potential to be sleeper hits. Journal with Witch, The Darwin Incident, Kusunoki no Bannin (The Keeper of the Camphor Tree) movie, and the hotly anticipated anime adaptation of the Eleceed manhwa could all be huge next year.
Is 2026 one of the best years for anime in recent memory? What shows are you excited for? Are we so back? And where are we actually coming back from? Let us know in the comments below…
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image courtesy of 20th Century Studios -
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Image Courtesy of MAPPA
