Top 10 Most Anticipated Anime of Summer 2026

Historical fiction is a genre in anime that has been gaining popularity in recent years, but they’re often set in locations that viewers are most likely familiar with. Medieval Europe and Feudal Japan are by far the most popular in anime, but Jaadugar: A Witch In Mongolia instead sets its political intrigue in the Khanate of Mongolia.

History buffs will almost certainly take notice of how much attention to detail is paid not only to Mongol culture but also to Persian culture. That’s because the show’s protagonist, Sitara, who later takes on the name Fatima, is originally from Persia, but when the Mongols invade, she is captured and taken to Mongolia, where she proceeds to use her knowledge to plot revenge against the people who ruined her life. If that sounds like a cross between Vinland Saga (2019) and The Apothecary Diaries (2023), you wouldn’t be too far off, but there’s a certain artistry and beauty in Jaadugar that just hits different. Even if you’re not the biggest history buff, just knowing that Science Saru is animating the series should make anime buffs at least somewhat curious about what could be an underrated gem of the summer season.

Clevatess was one of the biggest surprises from last summer. A dark fantasy series in every definition of the word, Clevatess wasn’t afraid to make its world grim and brutal, though fans of the first season may have to adjust a bit to the new setting in Season 2.

Gone are the military campaigns and monsters that Klen, Alicia, and Luna had to fight in the first season. Now, the trio is moving to Soulsane Magic Academy, where Klen will instruct the still infant Luna in the art of magic. It’s undeniably a transition that will take some time getting used to, especially if you’re someone who’s grown tired of the glut of school-based magic anime like Reign of the Seven Spellblades (2023), but it’s still Clevatess at its core. It’s only a matter of time until Klen coldly dismembers those who dare to harm Luna, Alicia is mutilated and is gruesomely revived, or the new supporting characters are killed by monsters. The setting shift may sand off some of Clevatess’ rougher edges, hence its cautious placement towards the bottom of the list, but have faith that Studio Lay-duce will keep the series’ darker charms mostly intact.

Very few anime today try to evoke the aesthetics and styles of the ‘80s and ‘90s. Some do, like last season's Go For It, Nakamura-kun!! (2026), but by and large, anime projects that feel like a long-lost time capsule don’t come up super often. And then there’s Goodbye, Lara, an anime from Kinema Citrus that exudes ‘80s nostalgia.

To be clear, Goodbye, Lara isn’t showing off cyberpunk aesthetics, edgelord grit, or over-the-top Shoujo energy. No, it’s a quaint and down-to-earth anime that evokes the tone and mood of Kiki’s Delivery Service (1989). It’s a reinterpretation of Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Little Mermaid” about a mermaid who becomes a human to find true love, but a few twists and turns are thrown in there that will almost certainly lead to some fun romantic drama. But most importantly, this is an anime original series. True original anime experiences are becoming rarer and rarer, and when one looks as good as Goodbye, Lara, it can turn some heads. Like all anime original shows, we won’t know if the show can stick the landing until it ends, but all signs point to Goodbye, Lara being a classic in the making.

Kyoto Animation is one of the most trusted names in the anime industry. When you see that KyoAni logo attached to a show, you know it’s going to be something special, and that’s exactly what Sparks of Tomorrow is.

If you love a good steampunk aesthetic, then you need to put Sparks of Tomorrow on your radar ASAP. It takes place in an alternate past where Japan doesn’t have electricity, but two young kids decide to seek out a book called the Electrical Catalog, which will allow Japan to transition from a steam-powered society to one that runs on electricity. While not much is known about the overarching story, as the original light novel remains untranslated, having KyoAni attached is enough to give it a recommendation. They rarely, if ever, miss, opting to focus on immaculate production design and presentation that other anime production companies envy, with Sparks of Tomorrow in particular channeling the same style that captivated audiences back in Violet Evergarden (2018). There’s still a lot we don’t know about Sparks of Tomorrow, but there’s enough to say that it’s going to be an adventure that anime fans will definitely want to watch.

If there’s one thing that Japan loves, it’s kaiju. Giant monsters are one of Japan’s national treasures. You want to know what else Japan loves? Anime rom-coms. So why not combine the two with Kaiju Girl Caramelise? That’s a money-making idea right there!

The premise of Kaiju Girl Caramelise is pretty simple: Take a shy teenage girl, and have her turn into a giant kaiju whenever her emotions are too strong. Then add in a cute teenage boy who is trying to get to know her, and the comedy writes itself. It’s a pretty blunt metaphor about what it’s like to be a teenage girl, but sometimes subtext is for cowards, and people want to see a giant monster stomping around the place because a girl feels like a social outcast. There’s definitely potential for some good dramatic bits, as well as a good amount of comedy, too, making it a shoo-in for fans of Dandadan (2024) that may be looking for some unconventional monster romance while waiting for the series to return next year. Kaiju Girl Caramelise has heart, and that counts for a lot these days.

One of the breakout hits from the winter season, unquestionably, was You and I Are Polar Opposites. As far as rom-coms go, it found the perfect balance between being silly and sweet and was able to find its way into the hearts of plenty of otaku, and now, after a three-month break, it’s back with a second season and ready to worm its way into our hearts again.

What helped make You And I Are Polar Opposites such a fun show back in the winter was how its cast interacted with each other. Obviously, you have the dynamic between the loud, extroverted, and occasionally cringe Suzuki and her soft-spoken, stoic boyfriend Tani, but it goes far beyond that. It rarely draws upon genre tropes that make anime fans roll their eyes. There’s no “will they, won’t they” dynamic. By the end of the first episode, Suzuki and Tani are already dating, and we get to watch their relationship grow and develop in a way that feels natural. It’s the best rom-com since My Dress-Up Darling (2022), and while it can be a bit extra, it also never pretends to be something it isn’t. 

There’s no denying that anime today skews towards younger audiences. After all, Shonen series are meant to be for teenagers, and as anime becomes more and more popular in the West, that divide between younger and older fans will only grow, but as a jaded adult, shows like Smoking Behind the Supermarket With You remind me that there will always be shows aimed at older audiences.

In case you couldn’t tell by the title alone, Smoking Behind the Supermarket With You is about two adults… just smoking behind a supermarket. They need a release from the drudge that is adulting, so they just sit, smoke, and talk about life. Obviously, smoking is bad, but there’s no denying that the show captures a sense of shared exhaustion that feels all too real. Everyone has a vice to help unwind, and if you sympathize with anime like Recovery of an MMO Junkie (2017) and its cast of adults finding ways to balance those vices with companionship, Smoking Behind the Supermarket With You will speak to you. In fact, most of the anime is already available on Crunchyroll via a dozen shorts, so sample one or two and see if the series is for you!

Waiting nine years for a new season of any show is painful, but waiting that long for an anime is especially agonizing. In fact, very few anime ever get sequels after waiting nearly a decade, but thanks to cameos in shows like Isekai Quartet (2019), people remembered The Saga of Tanya the Evil, and a second season was greenlit. 

The Saga of Tanya the Evil isn’t your typical isekai. Yes, it follows a salaryman who is reincarnated into a new world, but this world is going through its version of World War I, and he’s now reincarnated as a little girl named Tanya. Spite is the name of the game in The Saga of Tanya the Evil. Everything she does is, quite literally, to spite the god that brought her into this world, and she’ll commit war crime after war crime to do so. Tanya is, by all accounts, a villain, and she owns up to it. Tanya is right up there with Light Yagami from Death Note (2006) as a villain you can’t help but root for. The Saga of Tanya the Evil is unconventional, but it crushes weaker isekai series under its confident and powerful jackboot.

The Saga of Tanya the Evil isn’t the only hotly anticipated anime returning this season. The nine-year wait between the first and last season has been rough, but it’s been 22 years since Bleach (2004) began, and now, after delays, copious filler arcs, and a whole pandemic, Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood Arc is finally set to end the series.

The battle between Soul Society and the Quincies has reached its breaking point, with the strongest members of both factions finally bringing out the big guns. There are only 24 chapters left to adapt in the anime, and both series creator Tite Kubo and Studio Pierrot have made it clear that there will be some changes between the manga’s rushed ending and the show’s finale. But make no mistake; this will be a spectacle for the ages, much like how the climax of Dragon Ball Super (2015) broke the internet from the pure amount of adrenaline in each blow. Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War may not contain as much testosterone in its finale, but it won’t hold back any of its punches as Studio Pierrot aims to give Bleach the send-off that a member of the Big 3 deserves.

Bleach defined an era, but Ghost in the Shell (1995) defined the entire anime industry. It, alongside Akira (1988), helped popularize cyberpunk aesthetics in media and would even directly inspire The Matrix (1999). Its transhumanist ideas are thought-provoking and powerful, and to this day, it remains one of the all-time greats. And Science Saru is looking to replicate that magic, and it may very well do so. 

The important thing to note about Ghost in the Shell is that it isn’t going to be a direct retelling of Mamoru Oshii’s film. Instead, it’s looking to be a more faithful adaptation of the original manga, much like how Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood (2009) was more faithful to its source material than Fullmetal Alchemist (2003) was. Science Saru is working their magic yet again, delivering a show whose aesthetics, much like Goodbye, Lara, are evocative of the ‘80s and contain a gorgeous array of bright and blinding colors that will make you think that Bubblegum Crisis (1987) has returned. Sci-fi anime has never looked as good as Ghost in the Shell, and there’s zero doubt that this will be one of, if not the, best anime to watch this summer.