Even judged against the high expectations entering this year, 2026 has kicked off with an impressive range and volume of promising shows: Sharply animated action, adorkable romances, and slow-paced dramas about metaphorical and real witches round out a stacked slate that covers a wide range of topics and tones. On the more anticipated end of things, we got sequels to some of the best shows in recent years, alongside at least two follow-ups with hints of redemption. Where things proved truly surprising, though, is that on top of a stacked lineup of returning hits, there is also a compelling batch of newcomers that range from dramas about navigating grief and the alienation of contemporary capitalism to well-animated spectacles where a cool guy blows up monsters with magic daggers. Here are ten standouts from the winter season that you should check out (alongside some honorable mentions).
Studio Orange’s 2023 Trigun reboot was a mixed bag, boasting strong imagery and direction but lacking the original’s narrative clarity. Oh, and it committed the unforgivable sin of leaving out the gentle giant Milly Thompson, the best character in the whole dang series. Luckily, the second season of this space western fixes at least the latter problem, reuniting us with Meryl and Milly as they attempt to track down Vash, who disappeared in the years since the JuLai disaster depicted in the season finale. This first new episode reminds us of this brutal wasteland’s strong sense of place, where human survival is only possible thanks to a morally reprehensible energy source. Between musings on this central ethical quandary and brief glimpses of a guilt-stricken Vash, this follow-up has the potential to deliver narrative heft alongside its impressive visuals.
9. Isekai Office Worker: The Other World’s Books Depend On The Bean Counter
Tying into the long-running tradition of anime about white-collar crunch culture, Isekai Office Worker: The Other World’s Books Depend On The Bean Counter offers a fantastical twist on this depressing subject matter. After working overtime, the perpetually tired accountant Seiichirou Kondou accidentally gets pulled into a magic portal while trying to rescue a young girl. It turns out this was a targeted teleportation spell aimed to summon a “Holy Maiden” who could save the land from ruin—the point is, Kondou is not the prophesied chosen one, but a jobber who accidentally ends up in a different land.
It’s these decidedly more low-key circumstances that make this series unique, as Kondou finds himself caught up in bureaucratic power struggles centered around the nation’s spending habits. It’s an intriguing set-up that in many ways feels like the opposite of the typical isekai power fantasy, with its focus on politics and its protagonist recovering from self-destructive work habits proving quite promising. Also, if a tender moment in the ending theme and the manga’s Boys’ Love genre tags are to be believed, this will be an unambiguously queer story that will follow Kondou as he gets to know the handsome, but somewhat enigmatic, knight Aresh Indolarke. Between the hints at this relationship and its surprisingly thorough look at governmental strife, Isekai Office Worker is far more interesting than its name would imply.
Samurai Troopers wastes no time hitting the viewer with an odd tonal juxtaposition. Despite looking like a kid-friendly henshin series with Super Sentai-style heroes, this sequel to the 1988 show of the same name begins with a surprisingly graphic slaughter, as demons indiscriminately behead and eviscerate bystanders. Then, it turns out that the current “good guys” meant to prop up Japan’s anti-demon forces are mostly a bunch of posers unable and unwilling to do much after the long-dormant seal to the demon realm suddenly cracks open. While this introductory episode didn’t give much insight into how things will play out on a week-to-week basis, it did feature a bunch of dastardly villains with Mega Man boss vibes dishing out well-animated carnage. Tokusatsu fans, Shin Kamen Rider enjoyers, and action enthusiasts in general will likely find something in Samurai Troopers’ colorful carnage.
In many ways, Jujutsu Kaisen’s second season was a letdown: after a strong start, it devolved into an endless battle that was light on storytelling and heavy on distracting dips in animation quality. In that context, the first two episodes of this third season proved a welcome return to form. Shouta Goshozono’s direction is deliberate and purposeful, allowing the viewer to soak in the sights of a post-disaster Shibuya as Itadori struggles to live with his guilt and alienation from his friends. And thankfully, once this deliberate pacing segues into a fight sequence, these battles are defined by speed and flashiness that remind us what MAPPA’s animators can do when they’re given the time they need (that said, it should be noted that the show’s last season began with strong direction and animation before nosediving in spots.) Only time will tell if the upcoming Culling Game arc will continue to balance small character moments alongside slickly animated fights, but so far it’s off to a very solid start.
The dark fantasy series Sentenced To Be A Hero made quite an impression as it bombarded us with grit, gore, and an alarming number of human-eviscerating monsters. Events begin in medias res as our protagonist, Xylo Forbartz, launches incendiary daggers to try and save a group of knights from launching an ill-advised assault against demonic forces. He’s a “Hero,” an immortal warrior sentenced to fight for a corrupt theocracy. He may not be able to truly die, but each trip to the other side robs him of memories and other pieces of himself.
This first episode smartly brings us up to speed on two essential aspects of Forbartz: First, he is a force of nature on the battlefield who uses explosive swordplay to mow down monsters, and second, despite his outwardly cynical demeanor, he very clearly cares about his comrades. As a grandiose fight plays out, we eventually learn how a previous tragedy weighs on his soul, something he at least partially overcomes when he once again teams up with a “Goddess,” a sentient super weapon in the form of a young girl (who demands head pats). While it will be difficult for Studio Kai to keep up the impressive craft demonstrated in this opening skirmish, the series seems to have a bit more going for it than just spectacle.
As last season’s slate can attest, there is no shortage of anime rom-coms, especially of the coming-of-age variety. But despite You And I Are Polar Opposites being another installment in this crowded genre, it manages to stand apart for one very simple reason. Instead of following an extended, confusing courtship, it is about a couple who get together in the very first episode. This refreshing change-up allows the series to center on the stressful nature of first-time dating, as the internal monologues of our deeply likable lead, Miyu, convey the anxieties and glee of teen romance. Lapin Track convincingly sells both her inner world and outward behavior; the bouncy visuals switch art styles to sell a gag, before more sincerely portraying a whirlwind of thoughts that detail why she’s so interested in her “polar opposite,” Yuusuke. Add in well-considered needle drops and an endearing larger cast, and you have all the makings of a stylish rom-com that brings wholesome moments and laughs in equal measure.
4. SHIBOYUGI: Playing Death Games To Put Food On The Table
From Squid Game to The Long Walk, death game fiction continues to strike a chord, and the first episode of SHIBOYUGI: Playing Death Games To Put Food On The Table works as an uncomfortable reminder of why. Here, doll-like young women dressed in French maid regalia are forced to play an Escape the Room from hell, all to appease a distant, never-visualized gaggle of monstrous bourgeoisie who gamble on their suffering. As the show’s blunt name would suggest, it’s a pointed critique of the kind of horrific exploitation wrought under systems of capital, as these players, many of whom are in debt, are physically and emotionally tortured while an out-of-sight upper class embibes on their suffering.
However, perhaps the most striking element of this premiere is how thoroughly this is all presented from Yuuki’s perspective, a veteran participant who, for some unspecified reason, needs to clear 99 of these death games. Director Souta Ueno and Studio Deen’s transfixing visual style emphasizes Yuuki’s calculated emotional remove, as stomach-churning sights are presented with an unflinching eye; the camera lingers for an uncomfortably long time as Yuuki comments on her inability to look away from these awful sights. There is an artful sterility to the presentation, a lack of over-the-top reactions or excessive gore that, when combined with the lethargic pace, burns the afterimage of this nightmare into your retinas. Gathering the mental fortitude to watch SHIBOYUGI every week may prove a tall task, but this double-length premiere suggests that this carefully crafted misery is worth seeking out.
While Oshi No Ko has had its share of controversy over its first two seasons, the series has repeatedly delivered thrills, strong characters, and a much-needed, clear-eyed portrayal of the entertainment industry. The third season continues that trajectory, following Aqua and Ruby as they attempt to make it in showbiz for very different reasons; Aqua is finally free from his destructive pull towards revenge, only for his sister Ruby to secretly pick up this cause in his stead. This latest season starts immediately after this change and showcases how this shift fixes the story’s previous overreliance on classic “angry male” revenge tropes, refreshingly flipping the script as his previously carefree sister is sucked down that same dark path. It sets the stage for compelling relationship drama that neatly ties into the series’ unromanticized portrayal of working in entertainment. Meanwhile, Dogo Kobo continues to sell the drama and music performances through detailed designs and smooth character animation—man, that dance sequence in the opening is extremely good. Despite negative buzz around upcoming storybeats from the manga, this premiere offers plenty of reasons to be excited about this rising star.
It feels like a gross understatement to say that the second season of Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End has big shoes to fill. The series’ initial 28-episode run was one of the most impressive productions in years, with gorgeous background art, a melancholy score, and an introspective tone that made it an instant favorite among not just seasoned weebs but also those who enjoy high fantasy—or just those who like a well-told story. Thankfully, despite some changes in key staff, such as the departure of director Keiichirou Saitou, Madhouse has painstakingly maintained that aesthetic. Evan Call’s score accompanies bucolic background art as our central trio of weirdos gets into a one-off adventure involving magic negation crystals, an ordeal that offers well-considered character moments for all three. While the rumors that this latest season will only run for 10 episodes slightly dampen its return, it’s a very good sign that the seemingly biggest problem with the show is that there may not be more of it.
In a season where fantastical worlds and high-octane action spectacles will almost certainly dominate in popularity, Journal With Witch serves as a thoughtful counterbalance, a drama about grief and change that carries a literary touch. After a freak accident leaves Asa Takumi orphaned, she is taken in by her taciturn aunt, Makio Koudai, who is a novelist. Despite this tragedy, there’s an immediate complication to this situation: Koudai doesn’t grieve these deaths because she had a horrible relationship with her sister, Takumi’s mom, and Takumi is unable to internalize the loss of her parents, a confusion visualized as being stranded in the desert. It’s not the kind of portrayal of loss you see every day, and this pair’s unusual reactions grant them an immediate sense of complexity. Meanwhile, the interactions between Koudai and Asa are laced with an unmistakable warmth and empathy; at one point, as the extended family gossips at the funeral, Koudai stands up for her niece and takes responsibility in a way she’s never done before. Thoughtful and emotionally intelligent, Journal With Witch has a spark of magic so far.
Honorable Mentions
’Tis Time For “Torture,” Princess feels like an experiment in how long you can get away with repeating the same exact joke without it getting old—in this case, a warrior princess is “tortured” into revealing info about her imperialistic kingdom after being offered treats. However, at least through the first episode of its second season, the combination of over-the-top animation and wholesome moments ensures this recurring gag lands every time.
Hell’s Paradise has finally returned after a lengthy break, and while throwing us back into the middle of a subplot with little recap didn’t do this premiere any favors, it’s easy to be optimistic given how the first season combined brutal action with surprisingly affecting emotional undercurrents. Hopefully, the best is yet to come.
Tamon’s B-side is a fluffy romance story about a fangirl meeting her idol that has largely landed so far thanks to exuberant character reactions and some very good jokes poking fun at fandom.
Lastly, while we haven’t seen the new season of the skating series Medalist yet (it’s coming on January 24), if it’s anywhere near as good as its predecessor, it will be a must-watch.
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