Photo Credit: Crunchyroll

2026 is shaping up to be a promising year for Japanese cinema. With a healthy mix of sequels, blockbusters and live-action versions of manga series, here are the most anticipated movies for the year ahead. 

More good news in 2026! Here is our list for the 10 most anticipated Anime in 2026.

1. Mag Mag

Mag Mag is a horror-comedy film directed by comedian Yuriyan Retriever. Starring Sara Minami as Sanae Uehara, whose beloved is killed by the Mag Mag ghost, Sanae vows revenge, but discovers the identity of the person responsible for everything. Screening February 6, be prepared to laugh at the unexpected while enjoying the hallmark creepy and bizarre elements of the genre.

2. The Specials

Snow Man is a boy band group that’s been trending in Japan ever since New Year’s Eve. Starring the band’s Daisuke Sakuma, NCT’s Yuta Nakamoto and acting veteran Kippei Shiina, The Specials follows a group of assassins on a top-secret case where they have to take part in a dance competition to fulfill their mission. In theaters March 6, be prepared for an amusing journey of unlikely heroes tackling new obstacles for an unusual goal.

3. Golden Kamuy: The Attack on Abashiri Prison

The much-awaited sequel to Golden Kamuy (2024), Golden Kamuy: The Attack on Abashiri Prison is out March 13. This live-action manga adaptation is set after the Russo-Japanese War, and explores survival, hidden treasure and identity against Hokkaido’s harsh landscape. Kento Yamazaki returns as Sugimoto, and Anna Yamada as Asirpa in this high-stakes treasure hunt that takes place at Abashiri Prison, all while navigating betrayal and shifting alliances.

4. Etoile Blooming in Paris

In theaters March 13, Etoile Blooming in Paris is directed by One Piece Film Red’s Goro Taniguchi, with character design by Katsuya Kondo (Studio Ghibli’s Ponyo, Kiki’s Delivery Service). Set in early twentieth-century Paris, it follows two Japanese girls pursuing their dreams of becoming a painter and a ballerina in a foreign land. This coming-of-age flick balances whimsy and realism to get you right in the feels.

5. Sakamoto Days

This live-action adaptation of the manga Sakamoto Days stars Snow Man’s Ren Meguro as protagonist Taro Sakamoto, a legendary, but now-retired assassin living a quiet life as a family man. But Sakamoto has to defend everything he loves when his past catches up with him. Expect comedy with flashy fighting scenes, contrasting the life of a hitman with everyday domesticity. Screening in theaters from April 29.

6. Kingdom 

The fifth installment of the Kingdom movie series hits theaters this summer. This manga adaptation tells a fictionalized account of China during the Warring States period. Directed by Shinsuke Sato, Ryo Yoshizawa reprises his role as King Ei Sei, who rallies the quest to unite the country, and Kento Yamazaki as Shin, a high-ranking soldier in the Qin army who fights for him on the battlefield. Expect epic-scale battle scenes, smart warfare strategy and stunning camerawork.

7. Godzilla Minus Zero

Following the international success of Godzilla Minus One (2023), the much-anticipated sequel, Godzilla Minus Zero, slated for release in late 2026. With Takashi Yamazaki at the helm as director, Ryunosuke Kamiki will reprise his role as Koichi, a former kamikaze pilot, while Minami Hamabe returns as his girlfriend Noriko. The film is expected to continue the series’ focus on postwar trauma and human resilience, using Godzilla as a reflection of national anxiety as much as a force of destruction. If you’re a fan of monster mayhem, this one’s for you.

Check out our picks on the best Japanese LGBTQ+ Films To Watch in 2026.