Photo from Prime Video

2026 has many anime fans buzzing with excitement as there are a lot of hit returning series. Here are some of the most talked-about anime series that they’ve been waiting for. 

10) Hell’s Paradise Season 2

Released in 2023, Hell’s Paradise is gory, provocative and oddly wholesome, following Gabimaru, a superhuman death row convict whose sole motivation is returning to his wife. Season One culminated in an impressive battle between the convicts, their escorts and antagonists: The Tensens. Questions also arose about the existence of Gabimaru’s beloved, too, which fans expect answers to in Season 2. 

Season 2 kicks off this January and will stream on Crunchyroll, Netflix and Amazon Prime Video. Those in Japan can also catch it on TV Tokyo. 

9) BEASTARS Final Season Part 2

BEASTARS first drew attention in 2019 for its take on societal conflict through the world of anthropomorphic characters. Now three and a half seasons in, fans are eager to see how the vicious villain Melon is thwarted, achieving peace among carnivores and herbivores.  

The first half of the final season wrapped up in December 2025, ending on a cliffhanger that left viewers questioning whether Legoshi survives after being shot by Melon. K-pop fans have added to the anticipation for this finale, with “Tiny Light” by SEVENTEEN featured as the ending theme song for part two of the final season. 

You can watch BEASTARS Final Season Part 2 exclusively on Netflix this March.

8) My Hero Academia: Vigilantes Season 2

The global hit My Hero Academia ended last month after eight eventful seasons. For many, last year’s release of the prequel, My Hero Academia: Vigilantes, provides a grittier context for the superpowered citizens (and villains) we’ve come to know and love. Season 2 will delve deeper into the concept of unlicensed heroes fighting crime while committing some themselves. 

My Hero Academia: Vigilantes Season 2 kicked off in January on Crunchyroll and broadcasts on Tokyo MX. A one-off special episode of My Hero Academia titled “My Hero Academia: More” will also premiere this May on the same platform. 

7) Oshi no Ko Season 3

Reincarnation, mystery and the entertainment industry set the scene for Oshi no Ko. This anime, released in 2023, gained a fanbase not only from its compelling take on idol culture but also from its catchy J-pop tunes courtesy of B-KOMACHI. 

The series follows fraternal twins, Ruby and Aqua, children of the popular idol Ai Hoshino. After their mother is killed, the twins enter the entertainment world, motivated to find the killer. After two seasons, Ruby’s group, B-KOMACHI is prospering alongside Aqua’s acting career. Curiosity also grows about their mother’s death. What will season three reveal?

Oshi no Ko Season 3 will stream on Crunchyroll in January and broadcast on Tokyo MX.

6) Golden Kamuy The Final Chapter

Released in 2018, Golden Kamuy has helped bring wider attention to Ainu culture, even boosting tourism in Hokkaido thanks to its comical and often dark take on a post Russo-Japanese War treasure hunt. Despite its crude humor, the anime’s depiction of war veteran Sugimoto and young Ainu huntress Asirpa’s growing father-daughter dynamic has kept people watching for four seasons. The fifth and final season follows the two-part anime movie Sapporo Beer Factory Arc, which hit cinemas in Japan last October. 

Golden Kamuy: The Final Chapter starts this month on Crunchyroll and broadcasts on Tokyo MX. 

5) Apothecary Diaries: Season 3 

A slow-burning romance riddled with mysteries, Apothecary Diaries transports viewers to a fictional imperial Chinese court. After two seasons, fans are eager to learn the fate of Loulan, a consort with a secret identity, as well as see more scenes of Maomao and Jinshi’s cat-and-mouse relationship. Hopefully, Season three will provide!

Apothecary Diaries Season 3, set to air in October, will be followed by a theatrical film release in December.

4) Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End Season 2

Hailed for its thoughtful cinematography and storytelling, Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End stands apart as both quietly tragic and deeply reflective. These attributes earned the anime the 2025 title of “Best TV Series” at the Tokyo Anime Award Festival (TAAF). More than a year after the first season’s finale, anticipation is building for Frieren’s journey toward the legendary land of Aureole. 

Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End Season 2 comes in January to Crunchyroll, simulcast alongside its broadcast on Nippon TV in Japan. 

3) Steel Ball Run: JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure Season 6

Running since 2012, JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure offers five seasons of flamboyance and absurdity, including torture dances and infinite death loop attacks. The coming Season 6 is set in 1890s America and follows Johnny Joestar as he races on horseback in pursuit of the powerful weapon known as the steel ball and its wielder, Gyro Zeppeli. The anime’s devoted cult following has flooded social media with reactions to the latest trailer for Season 6, which was released in December. 

Steel Ball Run: JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure will stream exclusively on Netflix this March. 

2) One Piece Elbaph Arc

Older than some of its fans, One Piece boasts over 1,000 episodes and has one of the largest international fanbases in the world. Season 21’s Egghead Arc concluded last month, revealing more mysteries of the Devil Fruits, and viewers must wait three months to see how the Straw Hats clash with the World Government in the Land of Gods. 

Crunchyroll will stream One Piece Elbaph Arc this April. Those in Japan can watch it via Fuji TV. 

1) Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3

With two seasons and a standalone film already released, Jujutsu Kaisen has shattered popularity records worldwide. According to Parrot Analytics, the series has achieved a global demand rating 71.2 times higher than the market average, surpassing many of its predecessors. Season 3, titled Jujutsu Kaisen: The Culling Game Part 1, will launch with a two-part event that picks up directly after the Shibuya Incident Arc. This includes battles between the sorcerers and vessels orchestrated by antagonist Kenjaku, who is causing havoc in Japan to create a new world based on cursed energy.

Jujutsu Kaisen: The Culling Game Part 1 broadcasts in January on TV Tokyo and streams on Crunchyroll. 

Want more anime action? Check out The Best Anime Songs of All Time.