The spring 2026 anime season is here, and it is absolutely stacked. We’re talking returning juggernauts, long-awaited manga adaptations finally getting their anime debut, and enough isekai sequels to keep you busy through June. This isn’t our 10 Most Anticipated Anime of Spring 2026 list — this is the full rundown. Every confirmed show. Every studio. Every streaming platform. Whether you’re a seasonal warrior who watches 20+ shows per week or a casual fan picking just a few, this is the guide you bookmark and come back to all season long.
Spring traditionally runs from April through June, and the spring 2026 anime season kicks off in earnest the first week of April. The sheer volume of titles this year is genuinely impressive — there are at least a dozen major sequels, several high-profile debut adaptations, and a handful of quieter shows that have the potential to be the sleeper hits of the year. Let’s break it all down, genre by genre, so you can build your perfect watchlist.
Quick note before we dive in: streaming availability can change, and some premiere dates are subject to last-minute shifts. Always double-check with the official streaming platforms for the most current schedule. With that said, let’s get into it — the spring 2026 anime season is not going to watch itself.
Action Sequels: The Big Guns Return
If you’re a shonen head, the spring 2026 anime season is basically Christmas morning. Almost every major action franchise is returning at the same time, and the competition for your hours is fierce. This section covers the heavy hitters — the returning franchises with massive fanbases that are about to make your watch schedule a beautiful, chaotic nightmare.
Fire Force Season 3 — Studio: David Production
Studio: David Production | Streaming: Crunchyroll
David Production is back with the third and likely final major arc of Atsushi Ohkubo’s blazing shonen epic. Fire Force Season 3 picks up in the aftermath of Shinra Kusakabe’s earth-shattering discoveries about the origins of the Infernal phenomenon and the truth behind the Great Cataclysm. The stakes have never been higher, and David Production — the same studio behind JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure — knows how to make fire look absolutely gorgeous on screen. If you fell off after Season 2, now is the perfect time to rewatch and get back on board. Hype Rating: 🔥🔥🔥🔥/5
Kaiju No. 8 Season 2 — Studio: TBA
Streaming: Crunchyroll
Kafka Hibino’s monster-transformation journey was one of the most talked-about debuts in recent memory, and Season 2 has the chance to push the story into genuinely epic territory. The manga source material gets wilder and more emotionally complex as it progresses, and fans who kept reading after Season 1 know exactly how much insane content is still waiting to be animated. The monster designs alone are reason enough to tune in every week. Hype Rating: 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥/5
Blue Lock Season 3 — Studio: Eight Bit
Streaming: Disney+
The spring 2026 anime season delivers another dose of the most intense, philosophical soccer anime ever conceived. Blue Lock Season 3 dives deeper into the World Five and Neo Egoist League arcs, and if the manga is any guide, this season is going to have some of the most visually ambitious match sequences in sports anime history. Isagi’s evolution from calculating striker to something almost beyond human logic is a genuinely compelling character journey. New soccer enjoyers: go watch Season 1 right now. Hype Rating: 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥/5
My Hero Academia: Vigilantes — Studio: Bones
Studio: Bones | Streaming: Crunchyroll
This is one of the most beloved spinoffs in the entire MHA ecosystem, and Bones bringing it to life is an absolute treat for the fanbase. Vigilantes follows Koichi Haimawari, a.k.a. The Crawler, a guy with an almost-useless Quirk who starts doing underground heroics in Naruhata. The tone is more street-level, more grounded, and honestly more emotionally resonant than the main series. If you’ve been sleeping on this manga, prepare to be converted. Hype Rating: 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥/5
One Piece: Elbaph Arc — Studio: Toei Animation
Premiere: April 2026 | Streaming: Crunchyroll, Netflix
The Straw Hats are finally heading to Elbaph, the Land of Giants — a location One Piece fans have been waiting to visit since the Little Garden arc back in the Alabasta Saga days. This is monumental for long-term fans. Toei’s recent production quality has been on a genuine upswing, and the anticipation around this arc has the community buzzing harder than almost anything else in the spring 2026 anime season. The lore implications alone are staggering. Hype Rating: 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥/5
Dr. Stone: Science Future Part 3 — Studio: TMS Entertainment
Premiere: April 2026 | Streaming: Crunchyroll
Senku Ishigami and the Kingdom of Science are racing toward the final confrontation with Why-Man, and Part 3 of Science Future is where it all comes together. The manga ending was emotional, satisfying, and surprisingly moving — watching it animated with the show’s signature blend of science explainers, hype music, and lovable characters is going to be a great ride. Hype Rating: 🔥🔥🔥🔥/5
New Anime Adaptations: Fresh Stories Hit the Screen
The spring 2026 anime season isn’t just about sequels — some of the most exciting titles this season are brand-new adaptations. These are the shows that manga and light novel readers have been begging to see animated, and Spring 2026 delivers on several long-standing community wishes in a big way. We’ve got a full deep-dive on one of these over at our Witch Hat Atelier Spring 2026 Guide, but here’s the overview for every major debut.
Witch Hat Atelier — Studio: Bug Films
Premiere: April 6, 2026 | Streaming: Crunchyroll
This is the adaptation fans have been dreaming about since the manga first started wowing readers with its impossibly detailed artwork. Witch Hat Atelier follows Coco, a girl without magical talent who stumbles into the secret world of witches and discovers that magic isn’t innate — it’s a craft, learned and practiced. Studio Bug Films has clearly poured everything into this production, and early preview footage suggests the meticulous detail of Kamome Shirahama’s original art has been honored beautifully. This is the kind of show that earns the phrase “must-watch” without any exaggeration. Check out Crunchyroll’s official page for episode schedules. Hype Rating: 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥/5
Ghost in the Shell: New Series — Studio: Science Saru
Studio: Science Saru | Streaming: TBA
Science Saru taking on Ghost in the Shell is the kind of pairing that makes the entire anime community sit up straight. Masaaki Yuasa’s studio brings a distinctive fluidity and visual boldness to every project they touch — from Devilman Crybaby to Inu-Oh — and the Ghost in the Shell IP is deep enough to support essentially any creative direction. What does a post-2025 vision of the Major, Section 9, and cyberconsciousness look like? We’re about to find out. Details are still under wraps, but this is one of the most intriguing premieres of the entire spring 2026 anime season. Hype Rating: 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥/5
Yoru to Asa no Uta (Night and Morning Song) — Studio: TBA
Premiere: April 4, 2026
One of the more visually striking new concepts of the season, this show follows twins separated at birth — one who lives by day, one locked away who lives by night — until a violent attack by mysterious armed men forces the surviving brother Yuru on the run. The premise blends action, supernatural mystery, and sibling drama in a way that feels genuinely fresh. This one has “sleeper hit” written all over it based purely on the source synopsis. Hype Rating: 🔥🔥🔥🔥/5
Princess Knight is a Barbarian’s Bride (Himekishi wa Barbaroi no Yome) — Studio: Jumondou
Premiere: April 9, 2026
A strong female knight gets captured after losing a war — and instead of the expected grim fate, she’s offered a marriage proposal from the barbarian king. The manga has a sharp comedic edge alongside its romance, and the subversion of expectations in the premise is already generating serious buzz in the community. A fun, energetic addition to the spring 2026 anime season romance/fantasy crossover bracket. Hype Rating: 🔥🔥🔥/5
Romance and Slice of Life: The Feel-Good Corner
Every great spring 2026 anime season needs its cozy shows — the ones you put on after a long day to decompress and feel something warm. Romance and slice-of-life anime have been having an extended golden run in recent years, and Spring 2026 continues that trend with a strong lineup ranging from heartfelt drama to pure comfort food.
Oshi no Ko Season 3 — Studio: Doga Kobo
Studio: Doga Kobo | Streaming: HIDIVE
Doga Kobo returns to arguably the most emotionally complex idol drama in anime history. If Season 2 punched you in the stomach — and it absolutely did — Season 3 continues the manga’s deeper exploration of Aqua’s obsession with revenge, Ruby’s rise in the idol world, and the increasingly dark truths about their mother Ai’s death. The show is a master class in blending entertainment industry critique with genuine emotional storytelling. Even among the packed competition of the spring 2026 anime season, Oshi no Ko stands apart. Hype Rating: 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥/5
Friends with the Second Prettiest Girl in Class (Class de 2-banme ni Kawaii Onnanoko) — Studio: CONNECT
Premiere: April 2026 | Streaming: TBA
The title pretty much sells itself: a socially isolated high school boy starts spending Fridays with the “second cutest girl in class,” and what unfolds is a warm, unhurried slice-of-life romance built on shared junk food and video games. This is the kind of wholesome, low-drama relationship story the community has been craving as an antidote to some of the more chaotic romance anime of recent seasons. Hype Rating: 🔥🔥🔥🔥/5
Chitose-kun wa Ramune Bin no Naka — Studio: feel.
Streaming: Crunchyroll
Saku Chitose is the kind of naturally gifted, socially magnetic high school protagonist who gets thrust into helping a shut-in classmate reconnect with school life. The light novel source has a devoted following and a reputation for genuine character depth beneath the harem comedy surface. Studio feel. has a strong track record with this exact genre, so the adaptation is in good hands. Hype Rating: 🔥🔥🔥/5
Rent-A-Girlfriend Season 5 (Kanojo, Okarishimasu) — Studio: TMS Entertainment
Premiere: April 2026
Kazuya Kinoshita is back, and yes, the situation with Chizuru is still complicated. Season 5 of the divisive-but-hugely-popular rental girlfriend romcom continues its slow march toward… something. Love it or hate it, the sheer passion of this fanbase keeps it a perennial conversation topic every time a new season drops during the spring 2026 anime season or any other. Hype Rating: 🔥🔥🔥/5
The Angel Next Door Spoils Me Rotten Season 2 (Otonari no Tenshi-sama) — Studio: TBA
Premiere: April 3, 2026
The first season of this “ice princess turns soft” romcom was one of the surprise hits of its season, and Season 2 picks up with Mahiru and Amane’s relationship having finally moved forward. The gentle pacing, beautiful domestic scenes, and restrained emotional beats are exactly what makes this series special. This is certified comfort food for the spring 2026 anime season. Hype Rating: 🔥🔥🔥🔥/5
Isekai and Fantasy: The Parallel World Parade
Let’s be honest — the spring 2026 anime season would not be complete without a healthy serving of isekai. And this season delivers some of the biggest returning names in the subgenre alongside a few fresh fantasy worlds worth exploring. Whether you’re a die-hard isekai fan or you only watch the prestige tier, there’s something here for you.
If you’re newer to the genre and wondering where to start, check out our beginner’s guide to watching anime — it breaks down how to get into different genres without feeling overwhelmed.
Re:Zero — Starting Life in Another World Season 3 Part 2 — Studio: White Fox
Premiere: April 3, 2026 | Streaming: Crunchyroll
Subaru Natsuki’s journey to the Pleiades Watchtower is one of the most anticipated arcs in the entire Re:Zero story — a brutal, mysterious tower full of threats that even the Sword Saint Reinhard couldn’t overcome. This part of the story is where Re:Zero gets truly mind-bending, and White Fox’s production quality on Season 3 Part 1 proved they are giving this arc the treatment it deserves. The emotional stakes involving Rem, Crusch, and Julius are at their highest point. Hype Rating: 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥/5
That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime Season 4 — Studio: Unknown
Premiere: April 3, 2026 | Streaming: Crunchyroll
Rimuru Tempest’s nation-building adventure continues into its fourth season, and the source light novel promises that the political intrigue and world-scale conflicts are only going to get bigger. Slime has evolved into one of the longest-running isekai properties of its generation, and the fanbase’s loyalty is a testament to how consistently the story manages to escalate without losing its charm. Hype Rating: 🔥🔥🔥🔥/5
Classroom of the Elite Season 4 — Studio: Lerche
Premiere: April 1, 2026 | Streaming: Crunchyroll
Technically more psychological thriller than isekai, but the hyper-prestigious, reality-bending school setting of Classroom of the Elite earns it a spot in the “alternate world” conversation. Season 4 covers the second year of high school, and if the light novel is any indication, Ayanokouji’s calculated manipulation of everyone around him is about to reach genuinely unsettling new heights. Lerche continues to be the perfect studio for this show’s cool, calculated aesthetic. Hype Rating: 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥/5
Ascendance of a Bookworm Part 3 — Studio: WIT Studio
Premiere: April 4, 2026 | Streaming: Crunchyroll
WIT Studio takes over the beloved book-obsessed isekai with Myne — now going by Rozemyne — navigating her new life as the adopted daughter of a noble house. The transition from lower-city printer’s apprentice to noble-society High Bishop makes for fascinating character drama, and Rozemyne’s book obsession driving her through brutal noble etiquette training is exactly the charming absurdity this series does best. Hype Rating: 🔥🔥🔥🔥/5
Welcome to Demon School, Iruma-kun Season 4 — Studio: Bandai Namco Pictures
Premiere: April 2026 | Streaming: Crunchyroll
The beloved demon school comedy is back for its fourth run, picking up with Iruma and the Misfit Class facing the seemingly impossible challenge of getting all thirteen of them to Rank 4 by winning the Demonic Music Festival. The warmth, humor, and found-family energy of this series are unmatched, and every new season delivers more of the endlessly charming cast dynamics that made it a community favorite. Hype Rating: 🔥🔥🔥🔥/5
Wistoria: Wand and Sword Season 2 — Studio: TBA
Premiere: April 2026
Season 1 of this magic school action series earned strong reviews for its kinetic fight choreography and its unconventional protagonist — a boy with no magical ability in a world powered by magic. Season 2 has plenty of momentum to work with, and fans of the first season are ready for the next chapter of Will’s uphill journey. Hype Rating: 🔥🔥🔥/5
Farming Life in Another World Season 2 (Isekai Nonbiri Nouka) — Studio: Zero-G
Premiere: April 2026
The ultimate low-stakes isekai comfort watch returns. A terminally ill man reincarnates with an all-powerful farming tool and proceeds to build an absurdly idyllic rural paradise. No stakes, no drama, just good vibes. This is the isekai equivalent of a warm bath, and Season 2 delivers exactly more of what made Season 1 a sleeper hit. Hype Rating: 🔥🔥🔥/5
Sci-Fi and Thriller: Mind Games and Cyberpunk Dreams
The spring 2026 anime season has a genuinely strong offering for fans who want something more cerebral — shows that play with identity, technology, conspiracy, and psychological tension. This is the genre bracket where Science Saru’s Ghost in the Shell revival is the undisputed crown jewel, but there are a few other titles worth your attention.
Ghost in the Shell: New Series — Studio: Science Saru (Expanded Coverage)
Studio: Science Saru | Streaming: TBA
It bears repeating: Science Saru doing Ghost in the Shell is one of the most exciting creative pairings the spring 2026 anime season has to offer. The original 1995 film by Mamoru Oshii is one of the most influential works in all of science fiction, not just anime. The Stand Alone Complex series added procedural depth. This new incarnation, filtered through Science Saru’s fluid, expressive animation style, has the potential to take the IP somewhere genuinely new. Questions of personhood, consciousness, and what it means to be human have never felt more timely. The anime community’s collective breath is held for the first episode. Hype Rating: 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥/5
Branch of Reincarnation Series — Studio: TBA
Premiere: April 2026
A fresh thriller concept set around an object called the “Branch of Reincarnation” — a weapon that grants the talents of past lives to those willing to pay its gruesome price. The story follows low-confidence student Touya Senji and a classmate who has already undergone the transformation, as they get drawn into a world of serial killers and supernatural combat. Dark, stylish, and high-concept: this one could be a major breakout of the spring 2026 anime season if the execution matches the premise. Hype Rating: 🔥🔥🔥🔥/5
Sports Anime: Beyond Blue Lock
Blue Lock is obviously the flagship sports title of the spring 2026 anime season, but it’s worth taking a moment to appreciate just how dominant the sports anime genre has become as a mainstream force — and how a new season of Blue Lock landing in the same season as several other heavy hitters makes Spring 2026 a particularly stacked sports anime moment.
We’ve written at length about why the current era is genuinely special for anime fans over at our piece on living through a golden age of anime — and the breadth and quality of the spring 2026 anime season is yet another piece of evidence for that argument. The production values, the storytelling ambition, the fandom engagement — all of it is at an all-time high.
Blue Lock Season 3 specifically enters at a point in the manga where Isagi’s “devour or be devoured” philosophy gets stress-tested in the most extreme ways. The World Five arc introduced a roster of international supergeniuses who make even Rin and Sae Itoshi look approachable by comparison. The animation demands of depicting these characters’ superhuman spatial awareness and instantaneous reaction speeds are enormous — Eight Bit has a serious challenge and a massive opportunity in front of them. We’re here for it.
Hidden Gems: The Shows to Watch Before Everyone Else
Every spring 2026 anime season has them — the shows that don’t have decades of manga history behind them, don’t have a major studio’s full marketing might, and don’t arrive with sky-high community expectations. And every season, at least one of those shows turns into something genuinely special. Here are the under-the-radar picks for Spring 2026 that you should put on your watchlist right now.
Part of being a passionate fan of anime means taking the time to support legal streaming and give lesser-known shows a chance. Our guide on how to support anime legally is worth a read — your streams matter more than you might think for whether niche shows get sequels and adaptations get greenlit.
Yoru to Asa no Uta (Night and Morning Song)
Premiere: April 4, 2026
The concept here is genuinely gripping: twins born in isolation, separated by the cycles of day and night, until a violent incursion by mysterious “dragon” helicopters tears their world apart. The mythological undertones, the daemon-summoning climax of the first arc’s description, and the raw emotional stakes of the sibling separation all suggest a show with serious ambitions. In a season full of established brands, this original-feeling story stands out. Give it three episodes before judging.
Princess Knight is a Barbarian’s Bride
Premiere: April 9, 2026
The subversive romantic comedy setup — strongest knight gets captured, offered marriage instead of misery — has genuine comedic potential, and the manga’s sharp writing has won it a loyal readership. In the context of the spring 2026 anime season, where the romance lineup is crowded with established properties, this debut has a real chance to carve out its own audience.
Farming Life in Another World Season 2
Yes, it’s back in the Hidden Gems section as well, because it deserves double recognition. This show is chronically underseen relative to how genuinely relaxing and enjoyable it is. If your seasonal watch schedule is stressing you out and you need a palate cleanser, this is your prescription. Zero conflict, maximum wholesomeness.
Movies and Special Releases in Spring 2026
The spring 2026 anime season extends beyond the weekly streaming schedule into theatrical releases and special OVAs that deserve their own attention. Japan’s anime film pipeline has been operating at an exceptionally high level, and Spring 2026 is no exception.
While specific theatrical slate details are still being confirmed as of this writing, several major franchise films are targeting spring windows — including follow-ups and tie-in films for properties that have series entries this season. The intersection of the Blue Lock and Fire Force theatrical film pipelines with their respective Season 3 broadcasts means fans of those properties have an especially content-rich spring ahead.
The broader conversation about why theatrical anime films have become such a global cultural phenomenon is one worth having — our breakdown of why modern anime animation is so good covers the technical and creative evolutions that have made both TV anime and film productions reach new heights of visual quality. The spring 2026 anime season is a direct beneficiary of every investment and innovation that piece describes.
We’ll update this section as theatrical release dates are confirmed closer to the season premiere windows. Keep an eye on the MyAnimeList Spring 2026 page for the most up-to-date schedule information on both TV and theatrical releases.
Streaming Platform Breakdown: Where to Watch Spring 2026 Anime
One of the most practical questions at the start of any spring 2026 anime season is simple: what do you need to be subscribed to in order to watch everything? Here’s a platform-by-platform breakdown of where the major shows are landing.
| Platform | Key Spring 2026 Titles |
|---|---|
| Crunchyroll | Witch Hat Atelier, My Hero Academia: Vigilantes, Kaiju No. 8 S2, Fire Force S3, Re:Zero S3 Part 2, Slime S4, Classroom of the Elite S4, Dr. Stone: Science Future Part 3, Ascendance of a Bookworm Part 3, Iruma-kun S4, One Piece: Elbaph |
| HIDIVE | Oshi no Ko Season 3 |
| Disney+ | Blue Lock Season 3 |
| Netflix | One Piece: Elbaph Arc (simulcast), potential Ghost in the Shell |
| TBA | Ghost in the Shell (Science Saru), Branch of Reincarnation, several seasonal debuts |
The reality of the spring 2026 anime season is that if you want to watch the full lineup, you’re going to need at least Crunchyroll and HIDIVE as your core subscriptions, with Disney+ for Blue Lock fans. Netflix remains a wildcard for same-day simulcasts versus delayed drops — always worth checking the specific show page before the season starts.
If you’re looking for the best anime available on Netflix specifically, we’ve got a constantly updated list of the best anime on Netflix that covers both seasonal simulcasts and the deep back-catalog worth discovering.
Your Spring 2026 Watchlist Builder: Final Recommendations
Alright — you’ve made it through the full rundown of the spring 2026 anime season. Now it’s time to build your actual watchlist. Not everyone can watch 20 shows per season (though if you can, respect), so here are tier-based recommendations depending on how many shows you’re picking up.
The “Just the Essentials” List (5 shows or fewer): Witch Hat Atelier, Kaiju No. 8 Season 2, Re:Zero Season 3 Part 2, Oshi no Ko Season 3, and either Ghost in the Shell or Blue Lock Season 3 depending on your taste. These five represent the best the spring 2026 anime season has to offer in terms of anticipated quality across different genres.
The “Full Seasonal Warrior” List: Add My Hero Academia: Vigilantes, Fire Force Season 3, Classroom of the Elite Season 4, Ascendance of a Bookworm Part 3, Yoru to Asa no Uta, Friends with the Second Prettiest Girl in Class, and One Piece: Elbaph. You’ll be busy. You’ll be happy about it.
The “Comfort Watch” Supplement: Iruma-kun Season 4, Angel Next Door Season 2, and Farming Life in Another World Season 2 form a perfect low-stress trio for those evenings when you want anime that won’t make you cry or stress-eat your way through a cliffhanger.
The spring 2026 anime season is stacked in a way that only happens once every few years — where almost every genre has a flagship-level representative, where the new adaptations are as exciting as the returning sequels, and where even the mid-tier shows have genuine quality potential. This is the season that reminds you why you became an anime fan in the first place.
For new fans just getting started, or people who want to understand why shows like these resonate so deeply, we’d point you toward the Frieren Episode 1 breakdown — a masterclass example of what anime can do when it’s at its very best, and a good reference point for what to look for in any strong season premiere.
The spring 2026 anime season premieres begin April 1 with Classroom of the Elite Season 4, and the major launch window runs through the first two weeks of April. Set your streaming reminders, clear your Wednesday and Saturday evenings (or whatever day your favorites land on), and let’s experience this one together. The spring 2026 anime season is going to be remembered for a long time.
Want just the highlights? Check out our curated 10 Most Anticipated Anime of Spring 2026 for the short version. But if you’re here, you already know — the complete guide is always better.