The Most Anticipated Anime Arrivals in January 2026

January 2026 is shaping up to be a banner month for anime, with long-awaited sequels, climactic arcs, and fresh adaptations landing across TV schedules and simulcast platforms. From sprawling fantasy journeys and high-stakes sorcerer battles to dark prisons-for-hire and “kicked out of the hero’s party” reinventions, there’s a lot to keep track of—so here’s a clean rundown of what’s coming and who’s making it.

Below you’ll find ten notable premieres and returns, each with key plot context and confirmed staff and cast. Release day specifics can vary by region and platform, so consider this your quick-reference guide to the what, who, and where of January’s biggest anime launches.

‘Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End’ (2023– )

Season 2 returns at Madhouse with director Keiichirō Saitō and writer Tomohiro Suzuki continuing from the award-winning first season; music is by Evan Call. The new run is slated for Nippon TV’s Friday Anime Night block starting mid-January and is expected to pick up the “continued northern travels” as Frieren, Fern, and Stark push toward Aureole. Atsumi Tanezaki, Kana Ichinose, and Chiaki Kobayashi reprise as Frieren, Fern, and Stark.

Story-wise, the series adapts Kanehito Yamada and Tsukasa Abe’s fantasy manga, following the immortal mage Frieren long after the hero party’s victory over the Demon King, as she confronts memory, grief, and the scale of time that separates her from mortal companions. Broadcast details and the key visual tease a crystal-strewn setting and weekly Friday airings; international streaming continues via the usual partners.

‘Hell’s Paradise’ (2023– )

Season 2, animated by MAPPA and directed by Kaori Makita, premieres in January 2026 with returning composer Yoshiaki Dewa and character designer Koji Hisaki; Akira Kindaichi continues series composition. New cast additions include Kōji Yusa (Jikka), Maaya Uchida (Kiyomaru), and Sayaka Ohara (Isuzu).

Based on Yūji Kaku’s manga, the series follows ninja Gabimaru and executioner Sagiri amid the lethal mysteries of Shinsenkyo in a search for the Elixir of Life. Season 2 trailers preview the next phase of that island’s trials and the Asaemon dynamics, with a simulcast plan noted by multiple outlets for the January window.

‘Chained Soldier’ (2024– )

Season 2 of ‘Chained Soldier’ (Mato Seihei no Slave) is slated for 2026, with announcements confirming the continuation following its 2024 debut. Season 1 was produced by Seven Arcs with Junji Nishimura as chief director, Gorō Kuji directing, Yasuhiro Nakanishi on series composition, and music by Kōta Yamamoto; Yūya Hirose and Akari Kitō star as Yūki Wakura and Kyōka Uzen.

Takahiro and Yōhei Takemura’s source manga centers on a boy who forms a contract with a commander in an all-female unit to fight monstrous invaders from alternate spaces. Season 2 materials to date highlight staffing carryovers and production continuity, with a 2026 broadcast frame publicly noted.

‘Jujutsu Kaisen’ (2020– )

Season 3 adapts the ‘Culling Game’ arc and premieres in January 2026, with Shota Goshozono directing at MAPPA and series composition by Hiroshi Seko continuing. Returning cast includes Junya Enoki (Yuji Itadori), Yūma Uchida (Megumi Fushiguro), Megumi Ogata (Yuta Okkotsu), and Daisuke Namikawa (Choso).

The arc follows Yuji, Megumi, and allies as they enter Kenjaku’s deadly domain-expanding contest to rescue Tsumiki, protect Tengen, and reckon with the aftermath of Shibuya. A pre-launch theatrical compilation bridging into Season 3 is dated for November–December 2025 in Japan and North America, respectively, ahead of the weekly January rollout.

‘Oshi no Ko’ (2023– )

Season 3 arrives in January 2026 from Doga Kobo, with director Daisuke Hiramaki, character designer Kanna Hirayama, and series composition by Jin Tanaka returning; the announcement was made following Season 2’s finale. Core cast continues with Takeo Ōtsuka (Aqua) and Yurie Igoma (Ruby), among others.

Adapted from Aka Akasaka and Mengo Yokoyari’s manga, the show tracks twin siblings navigating Japan’s entertainment industry while pursuing the truth behind idol Ai Hoshino’s death. Official updates note the January window and tease deeper dives into film production arcs central to Aqua’s investigation.

‘To Your Eternity’ (2021– )

Season 3 features a staff shuffle with Sōta Yokote stepping in as director and Season 2’s Kiyoko Sayama moving to chief director; returning staff include script supervisor Shinzō Fujita, character designer Kōji Yabuno, composer Ryō Kawasaki, and sound director Takeshi Takadera. The anime continues at studio Drive (with additional production partners noted in coverage).

Based on Yoshitoki Ōima’s manga, the series follows Fushi’s evolving journey as an immortal being who learns humanity through bonds and loss. Season 3 previews and write-ups outline the next narrative continent and new characters—along with the continuity of key audio and design leads from the prior season.

‘Fire Force’ (2019– )

‘Fire Force’ Season 3 returns with Part 2 (episodes 13–24) in January 2026 after a split-cour schedule that began in April 2025; the final season will conclude during the winter 2026 cour. Streaming is on Crunchyroll with additional platform rollouts expected. Core cast includes Gakuto Kajiwara (Shinra), with franchise regulars reprising their roles.

Atsushi Ōkubo’s firefighting-meets-infernal-phenomena saga continues through late-series confrontations and lore reveals tying into the broader ‘Soul Eater’ mythos. Coverage notes weekly Friday airings in Japan for Part 1 and a January comeback for Part 2 to wrap the adaptation.

‘Fate/strange Fake’ (2026– )

The TV series follow-up to the 2023 special ‘Fate/strange Fake: Whispers of Dawn’ is set to begin broadcasting on January 3, 2026. A-1 Pictures animates; the 2023 special listed Shun Enokido and Takahito Sakazume as directors, scripts by Daisuke Ōhigashi, character designs by Yūkei Yamada, and music by Hiroyuki Sawano (SawanoHiroyuki[nZk]).

Ryōgo Narita’s spin on the Holy Grail War features “fake” parameters and an American setting, mixing unusual Master–Servant pairings and lore twists distinct from ‘Fate/stay night’. The English-casted special and official site materials serve as the bridge into the series proper, which continues the distorted Grail conflict teased in the prologue.

‘Sentenced to Be a Hero’ (2026– )

Studio KAI’s adaptation of Rocket Shokai’s ‘Sentenced to Be a Hero: The Prison Records of Penal Hero Unit 9004’ is scheduled for January 2026, with Hiroyuki Takashima directing and Kenta Ihara handling series composition; music is by Shunsuke Takizawa. Reported cast includes Shun Horie among the leads, with Crunchyroll set to stream.

The story follows convicts conscripted into a penal “hero” unit and deployed to suicidal battlefronts in exchange for commuted sentences, chronicled as grim prison records. The light novel began on Kakuyomu before expansions into print and manga; the anime’s delay from October 2025 to January 2026 was announced to improve quality.

‘Yūsha Party o Oidasareta Kiyōbinbō’ (2026– )

The TV anime of Itsuki Togami’s light novel—Japanese title ‘Yūsha Party o Oidasareta Kiyōbinbō’—is set to premiere in January 2026, directed by Hiroyuki Kanbe at animation studio42 with series composition by Masashi Suzuki and character designs by Naoto Nakamura. Early materials list Takeo Ōtsuka among the cast as the expelled adventurer protagonist (localized as Orun/Orhun depending on source).

The setup sees a versatile but underappreciated swordsman expelled from the hero’s party, forced to rebuild on his own and refine the all-round skillset others dismissed. Kodansha publishes the novels and manga; recent coverage and databases place the adaptation in the January 2026 slate alongside multiple high-profile sequels.

Share which January 2026 title you’re most excited about in the comments!