Anime is a seasonal media now, with a lot of highly anticipated series returning every year. Some of these may be in their final seasons, making fans cling to their seats. While others are very new and just about to have their first sequel season, they are equally hyped.
Today, we shall be looking at some of the most hyped shows of all time, finally returning in 2026
Returning Anime Series That Are Highly Anticipated
Frieren: Beyond The Journey’s End Season 2
Studio Madhouse’s Frieren has become the quintessential comfy anime for almost every fan of the medium. It left fans yearning for what happens next in the story, a year back. Unfortunately, it has been a while since we have seen our beloved elven mage.
Most fans who are avid readers of manga moved to reading the source material to see the story. While the rest have been waiting for a new season to drop for a while.
That’s where the good news comes in, Frieren: Beyond the Journey’s End is finally returning in winter 2026 as one of the most anticipated series next year.
Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3
Jujutsu Kaisen is definitely one of the biggest shounen anime of the current generation. One thing that keeps this show alive and apart from a lot of the other anime out right now is that it does not focus on a single protagonist.
This show constantly has multiple stories revolving around the source material, may it be in movies or a flashback arc. It has been quite a while since the last time we saw Jujutsu Kaisen, which was the conclusion to the incredible Shibuya incident arc.
But the wait is finally coming to an end for the fans because a third season has been announced for 2026. The new trailers for this season instantly made it one of the most anticipated anime for next year.
Fire Force Final Season
We have been fed well with Kei Urana’s Gachiakuta, finally getting an anime this year. But let’s not forget that she also lent her talents to Atsushi Ohkubo’s incredible shounen manga, Fire Force. While it also got an anime and is quite popular, it’s been a while since it has been on everyone’s radar.
But the wait is over, 2026 is finally going to be the anticipated year when we finally get the final part of the last Fire Force season. The anime is being produced by the legendary David Productions, who are also known for the Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure anime series.
Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure Part 7
In that last context, we should also not forget that we are about to be graced by another part of the Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure anime series. This is going to be the 7th entry in the franchise, originally titled ‘Steel Ball Run.’
It has been a while since we have seen this series, which was in part 6 with Stone Ocean. If fans really did stick around till the end of the last season, then they know how heavily anticipated this one is. Manga readers often cite Steel Ball Run as one of their favorite parts as well.
Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War – The Calamity
Out of all the older series, Bleach is one franchise that has had the best comeback arc with the Thousand-Year Blood War saga. Originally, the anime had ended with an unfinished premise, never adapting the last arc of the manga.
Having agreed that the manga ended really uneventfully, Kubo Tite, the creator, decided to rework aspects of the arc. There have been new fight scenes and other aspects added to the reworked arc, which elevate the show further.
The Thousand-Year Blood War has been heavily praised by fans, and they cannot wait for it to return next year. The Calamity might just be the most anticipated season for a lot of us.
Hell’s Paradise Season 2
Hell’s Paradise may not be the most hyped anime among the general consensus, but it sure is a niche hit. Originally created as a web comic by illustrator and writer Yuji Kaku, this show brought us back to being excited about Ninjas in media.
To top things off, the anime is produced by the legendary animation studio MAPPA. The only issue with the show so far was that the gap between the last season and the upcoming one was massive.
Thankfully, the wait is almost at an end as the show is set to resume its second season early in 2026, and it is one of the most anticipated ones.
Dorohedoro season 2
We have been bragging about the return of popular shounen anime series for a while, but let’s not forget that there’s more to this medium than we’re eager to see again. Point in case being Dorohedoro, one of the weirdest and bizarre yet beautiful pieces of fiction.
Created by artist Q Hayashida, it stayed a cult classic in manga circles for years until studio Mappa finally rolled up its sleeves for an adaptation. We eagerly wait in anticipation for a new season, which has been finally announced to air next year.
Cyberpunk Edgerunners 2
CD Projekt Red and Studio Trigger were one of the most epic collaborations in recent decades, eventually producing the best video game adaptation ever. Cyberpunk Edgerunners took the world of the video game and put its own Trigger-coded spin into it.
While there may not be any more chances left for us to return to David’s story, fans are pretty satisfied yet hungover with sadness for its ending. But the sorrows are soon to be wiped away because a new entry in the Edgerunners has been greenlit with a completely new story and cast.
2026 just can’t come sooner, for this might just be the most anticipated thing ever for both video game and anime fans.
The Apothecary Diaries Season 3
Moving away into something different for a change, not all of the highly anticipated anime releasing next are action shows. Fans are also waiting for some grounded shows that are based on historical accuracy.
We are obviously talking about The Apothecary Diaries, which chronicles a fictional story based on the medieval Tang Dynasty. This one is special because we don’t really get to see other asian cultures and their history adapted into anime.
That is, of course, because all things considered, anime is a Japanese product. So it is really interesting to see medieval China through a different lens, which isn’t Western. We are sure some of you cannot wait for the third season, which is going to air next year.
Mushoku Tensei Season 3
Would you look at that? We went through a whole list of highly anticipated shows that are returning. But we did not once talk about any of the returning isekai shows, one of the most popular genres of anime in recent years.
Most isekai anime trace back to light novels as their source material. Mushoku Tensei is the same way, written by Rifujin na Magonote and animated by Studio Bind.
Isekai’s usually are about the power fantasies of living through your life all over again in a different world. Mushoku Tensei does this really well, and we cannot wait for it to finally return for the third season next year.
