2025 was a successful year for anime, but 2026 promises to be even better. With the return of legends like JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure season 7 and highly anticipated blockbusters like Jujutsu Kaisen season 3 and Frieren season 2, fans are preparing for a 2026 filled with high-quality series.
1. Jujutsu Kaisen season 3
Not many anime have such strong development momentum as Jujutsu Kaisen currently. Coming off the back of two great seasons, a strong prequel, a compilation film, and another compilation film on the way, JJK is one of the biggest anime series today. Even though the manga ended in September 2024, the anime is still going strong. With the spin-off series Modulo, currently running in Weekly Shonen Jump, it seems like the series won’t be slowing down.
Slated for release in January 2026, season 3 of Jujutsu Kaisen will be a strong contender for the title of Anime of the Year.
2. Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End season 2
After a strong first season that left its mark on anime fans around the world, Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End is about to return. It’s part of a huge Winter 2026 anime lineup, though it won’t be hard for Frieren to stand out among his competitors. With great animation and characters, the series has attracted a large number of loyal fans.
Although the series may have been overlooked for the 2025 Anime of the Year awards, you can believe that season 2 will set an even stronger precedent to be recognized among the best series today.
3. JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure part 7: Steel Ball Run
It’s been almost three years since the Stone Ocean anime ended. Fans have been eagerly waiting for news about Steel Ball Run season 7 being animated, and they received the news in April this year.
The first installment to take place in a different timeline than the previous installments, Steel Ball Run is set in the United States in 1890. It follows paralyzed jockey Johnny Joestar and former executioner Gyro Zeppeli as they seek to win the Steel Ball Run cross-country race and claim the $50 million grand prize. Many fans consider Steel Ball Run to be the best JoJo installment, and given what came before, that’s really worth mentioning. After years of waiting, we will finally see Johnny and Gyro animated.
4. The Apothecary Diaries season 3
The Apothecary Diaries has quickly become a fan-favorite series, with the anime scheduled to have three seasons three years in a row. This series has a little something for everyone: romance, drama, mystery, and two great main characters make the series fun to watch.
Not only will season 3 premiere in October 2026, but a new movie will also premiere shortly after. Expected to be released in December of the same year, the new movie will premiere immediately after the first cour of part 3 ends. 2026 is already a jam-packed year for Apothecary Diaries fans, and with the second cour of season 3 scheduled to release in April 2027, 2027 isn’t bad either.
5. Oshi No Ko season 3
The excitement surrounding the series may have waned a bit after the manga’s controversial ending, but Oshi no Ko season 3 will still attract a lot of attention when it premieres in January 2026. Season 3 of the anime is expected to adapt the Mainstay Arc, and if there’s time, the Scandal Arc as well.
The Mainstay Arc will see Ruby become more prominent in the entertainment industry, and the Scandal Arc will see Kana in a difficult situation with the media. Both arcs promise an exciting season, and if there is a fourth season, there’s still plenty of content for the anime to explore.
6. DanDaDan season 3
DanDaDan has captured the hearts of many anime fans with its quirky humor and wonderful cast of characters. Momo and Okarun’s supernatural and alien adventures have made for two great seasons so far, and things look to be picking up speed for season 3.
The explosive climax at the end of part 2 makes everyone want to see more. Although no specific time frame has been revealed, DanDaDan season 3 will probably release sometime in the summer or fall of 2026.
7. Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World- season 4
While each season has seen new approaches to the Isekai and fantasy genres, not many series over the years have shaken things up like Re:ZERO. After being suddenly transported to another world, lazy teenager Subaru Natsuki discovers that if killed, he has the ability to revive himself at different points before his death. With this power, Subaru begins to help the girl Emilia in her journey to become the new ruler of the Kingdom of Lugunica.
Season 1 of Re:ZERO debuted in 2016 and became an instant hit. With a four-year gap between seasons 1 and 2, and three years between seasons 2 and 3, it’s great to see White Fox keeping up the momentum and releasing season 4 so soon after season 3 ended in March. We could see season 4 release in the spring or summer of 2026.
