The Best Anime of 2026 So Far: 10 Shows Worth Your Time

The best anime of 2026 have arrived in a hurry. Big returning franchises, quiet newcomers and a long-awaited JoJo adaptation have made this one of the strongest years in a while.

This list covers shows that premiered in 2026 and are streaming on MyAnimeVerse right now. To rank them, we compared the picks critics and fans keep coming back to in their mid-year roundups with each show's AniList score and how well it holds up across a full run. We favored complete seasons over single specials, and we skipped anything that only works if you have watched five earlier seasons. Since it is November 9 and the year isn't over, think of this as the top anime of 2026 so far. We will update it when the fall shows finish.

How we picked the top anime of 2026

Three questions decided every spot. First, is it great on its own terms, with animation, writing and pacing that hold up past the first few episodes? Second, does the wider community agree? Third, is it worth starting now? A sequel can rank high, but we tell you exactly what you need to have seen first.

Scores below are AniList averages on a 0 to 100 scale. Anything in the mid-80s or higher is excellent. If you would rather sort the whole catalog yourself, our top rated anime page does that in one click.

1. Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End Season 2

Frieren's first season set a bar that most sequels would buckle under. Season 2 clears it. Madhouse brings Frieren, Fern and Stark to the dangerous Northern Plateau, and the 10 episodes give the supporting cast room to grow, especially Stark, who finally has to face the doubts he has been carrying since the start.

What makes it the best anime of 2026 so far is restraint. The show still trusts quiet moments: a meal, a memory of Himmel, a joke that lands two episodes later. When the fights come, they are gorgeous and short, and they always mean something for the characters. It scores 87 on AniList, and it showed up on nearly every critic's mid-year list we studied.

It is for anyone who likes fantasy that makes you feel something besides adrenaline. You need Season 1 first, but that is a pleasure, not homework. An English dub is available.

2. JUJUTSU KAISEN Season 3: The Culling Game Part 1

If Frieren is the year's slow exhale, Jujutsu Kaisen is the punch to the jaw. MAPPA's 12-episode first half of the Culling Game arc picks up after the Shibuya Incident and throws Itadori and the rest of the cast into a battle royale spread across ten colonies in Japan.

The arc is famous among manga readers for its sheer density of rules, new sorcerers and wild cursed techniques, and the adaptation keeps the pace high without losing track of what Itadori is going through. The fight choreography is the best MAPPA has done for this series, and that is saying a lot. It holds an 86 on AniList and is one of the most-watched shows of the year.

Who it's for: action fans and anyone who has kept up with the first two seasons. It is not a starting point, so begin at Season 1 if you are new. There is an English dub.

3. STEEL BALL RUN JoJo's Bizarre Adventure 1st STAGE

Fans waited years for this. Steel Ball Run is the seventh JoJo story, and it drops nearly everything from the earlier parts: it is 1890, it is America, and the plot is a horse race across the entire continent. Johnny Joestar, a former star jockey who can no longer walk, joins the race after meeting the strange and charming Gyro Zeppeli.

david production released the 1st STAGE as a single long ONA episode, and it is one of the best premieres of the year, with a confident Western look and a slow-burn friendship at its center. The story continues in the 11-episode 2nd - 3rd STAGE, which is also on the site. The opener scores 87 on AniList.

The nice surprise: you don't need the earlier JoJo parts to follow it. It works as a standalone adventure. English dub available.

4. Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World- Season 4

By the numbers, Re:ZERO Season 4 is the highest-rated show on this list at 90 on AniList. White Fox's 19-episode season sends Subaru and his allies after a legendary all-knowing figure at the Pleiades Watchtower, and it leans hard into what the series does best: tension, dread and a hero who keeps paying for every win.

So why fourth? Re:ZERO is one of the most demanding 2026 anime to jump into. It builds directly on three earlier seasons, and its psychological intensity is not for everyone. For fans, though, this is the series at its peak, with some of the sharpest writing it has ever had. If you love isekai with real consequences, it belongs near the top of your list too. Our best isekai anime guide has more like it.

There is an English dub.

5. Journal with Witch

The quietest show on this list is also one of the best. Journal with Witch follows Makio, a reclusive novelist who suddenly becomes the guardian of her 15-year-old niece, Asa, after a family tragedy. Two people who barely know each other learn to share a home, and the show lets that process be awkward, funny and very moving.

Studio Shuka adapts the manga over 13 episodes with real care. There is no magic and no villain, just sharp dialogue and characters who feel like people you have met. Several critics put it at the very top of their 2026 lists, and its 87 AniList score backs that up.

It is the pick for viewers who love character drama and slice of life anime, and it is a great entry point for friends who think anime is all fights. No prior seasons needed.

6. Witch Hat Atelier

Witch Hat Atelier has one of the most beloved fantasy manga of the past decade behind it, and BUG FILMS clearly knew the pressure. The result looks like an illustrated storybook in motion. Coco is a girl who was told magic is something you are born with. Then she learns it is actually drawn, and her whole life changes.

The 13-episode ONA treats magic as a craft with rules, lessons and mistakes, which makes every spell feel earned. It is warm without being childish, and it has a few genuinely tense moments as Coco's new world turns out to be less safe than it looks. AniList has it at 85.

It is perfect for fans of Frieren, Studio Ghibli or anyone who wants a fresh start rather than a sequel. An English dub is available. For more in this vein, see our best fantasy anime list.

7. OSHI NO KO Season 3

Oshi no Ko keeps finding new corners of the entertainment industry to pick apart. Season 3 opens with B-Komachi on the edge of a major break, Aqua juggling his career and his long-running obsession, and Kana in a rough place. Doga Kobo's 11 episodes keep the series' signature mix of glossy idol energy and real darkness.

What earns it a spot is how well it balances its two halves. The showbiz satire is still sharp, and the mystery that has driven the series since its first episode keeps tightening. The cast is also stronger than ever, with Kana and Akane getting some of their best material. It scores 86 on AniList.

This one is for viewers who like psychological anime with a glamorous surface. Watch the first two seasons first. English dub available.

8. BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War - The Calamity

Bleach fans waited more than a decade for a proper ending, and The Calamity is the last stretch of it. PIERROT FILMS' 10 episodes push the Thousand-Year Blood War toward its finale, with big battles breaking out across the Quincy stronghold and the stakes as high as the series has ever gone.

The animation is the reason this ranks so high. The whole Thousand-Year Blood War project has looked better than almost any long-running shonen revival, and this part keeps that level up. It holds an 88 on AniList, one of the best scores of the year.

It sits at eighth only because it is the end of a very long road. If you have never seen Bleach, this is the last place to start. If you have, it is essential. There is an English dub.

9. The Apothecary Diaries Season 3

Maomao is back in the pleasure district, back at her pharmacy and, of course, back to poking at mysteries that are none of her business. OLM's 12-episode third season keeps The Apothecary Diaries' winning formula: a sharp, slightly rude heroine, a court full of secrets and cases that turn on poisons, medicine and human nature.

The series has become one of the most reliable shows in anime, and Season 3 is no exception. The mysteries are clever, the humor is dry, and the slow push and pull between Maomao and Jinshi keeps getting more interesting. It scores 85 on AniList.

It's for fans of mystery anime and historical drama. You will want the earlier seasons first, but they go down easily. English dub available.

10. NIPPON SANGOKU: The Three Nations of the Crimson Sun

The most ambitious new series of 2026 is a political epic. Nippon Sangoku imagines a future Japan broken apart by war, disaster and bad government, then split into three rival nations. Aoteru Misumi, a former agricultural officer with no army and no title, sets out to unify the country with his wits.

Studio Kafka's 12 episodes play like a modern spin on the Three Kingdoms, with debates, schemes and power plays that matter as much as any battle. Critics praised its world-building, and it rewards close attention. It scores 84 on AniList.

If you liked shows built on strategy and ideas rather than power-ups, give it a few episodes and it will hook you. It's a fresh start, so no homework is needed. English dub available.

Honorable mentions: more top anime of 2026

These four came very close.

Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation Season 3 continues Rudeus's long life story over 14 episodes from Studio Bind. It scores 86, but it only works if you are already invested in the earlier seasons.

You and I Are Polar Opposites Season 2 is the year's most comforting rom-com. The couple is already together, and watching them simply enjoy it is the whole charm. Fans of our best romance anime picks should start here.

Cosmic Princess Kaguya! is a single-film modern retelling of Japan's oldest folktale, with music and virtual worlds from Studio Colorido. It's one of the best anime movies of 2026.

Link Click Season 3 Part 1 brings back the time-diving photo studio duo for 12 more twisty episodes, with an 85 score.

A few other 2026 anime earned strong buzz, including Medalist Season 2, Hell's Paradise Season 2 and Snowball Earth, but they aren't streaming on MyAnimeVerse yet.

Best anime of 2026 compared

Here is the top 10 at a glance, with the facts that matter when you're deciding what to watch next.

FAQ about 2026 anime

What is the best anime of 2026 so far?

Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End Season 2 is our pick. It is the most consistently praised show of the year, and it improves on an already excellent first season. Jujutsu Kaisen's Culling Game is the top choice if you want pure action.

What is the highest-rated anime of 2026?

Among shows on our site, Re:ZERO Season 4 has the highest AniList score so far at 90, followed by Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War - The Calamity at 88.

What 2026 anime can I watch without seeing earlier seasons?

Journal with Witch, Witch Hat Atelier, Nippon Sangoku and Steel Ball Run all work as fresh starts. Steel Ball Run is a new JoJo story with a new cast, so you can skip the earlier parts.

What anime is airing right now?

The fall 2026 season is still in progress. Check our currently airing anime list, the weekly airing schedule and the fall 2026 season page for what's new this week.

Will this list change before the year ends?

Yes. Several fall shows are still airing, so we will revisit the ranking once the season wraps up in December.

The best anime of 2026: where to go next

The best anime of 2026 so far range from Frieren's gentle fantasy to Jujutsu Kaisen's chaos, with smaller gems like Journal with Witch proving that a quiet show can stand next to the giants. If you only have time for one, start with Frieren. If you want something brand new, try Witch Hat Atelier or Steel Ball Run.

Want to go season by season? Browse winter 2026, spring 2026 and summer 2026. Want to dig deeper by genre? Jump into action anime or fantasy anime. And if you're ready to look beyond this year, our list of the best anime of all time picks up where this one leaves off.