Weekly Anime news, update, and releases

[DaniloGold]

Here's a compiled anime & manga news roundup from the last month (January 2026) with details on each item — covering new anime announcements, trailers, releases, adaptations, and industry developments that have been generating buzz in the community:

1. Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3 Begins Broadcast (Culling Game Arc)

Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3 officially premiered on January 8, 2026 (Japanese broadcast). The new arc, known as Culling Game, is one of the most anticipated parts of the series, featuring high-stakes battles and crucial story developments from Gege Akutami's original manga. A new visual and character footage were released alongside cast reveals, showcasing intense confrontations like Yuji and Yuta against new adversaries.

2. Cosmic Princess Kaguya! Debuts on Netflix

The anime film Cosmic Princess Kaguya!, a futuristic musical retelling of The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter, was released on Netflix on January 22, 2026. A limited theatrical run was also held in California the same week. Alongside the film, a manga adaptation began serialization on January 9, 2026, with the first volume set to come out in February, and a novelization and guidebook published on January 30, expanding the franchise's reach.

Why it matters: This release adds to anime's crossover into global streaming cinema, combining classic folklore with modern animation and music.

3. Wash It All Away Anime Premiere (Jan 5, 2026)

The anime adaptation of Mitsuru Hattori's Wash It All Away (Kirei ni Shite Moraemasu ka?) premiered on January 5, 2026 across multiple Japanese networks (Tokyo MX, AT-X, BS Asahi, and more). A key visual and trailer were revealed ahead of release, and the cast includes Sayumi Suzushiro, Shūichirō Umeda, and more. The series adapts a character-driven manga with elements of romance and drama.

4. Ichigo Aika: Strawberry Elegy Anime Begins Streaming

The adult-oriented anime Ichigo Aika: Strawberry Elegy — based on the manga by Hirafumi and Yagi Shinba — premiered on January 5, 2026 on platforms like AnimeFesta and OceanVeil (Tokyo MX, BS11). The series mixes romantic comedy with mature themes and continues to stream into January.

5. Ma To Seihei no Slave 2 Begins Early Streaming (Jan 8)

The second season of Ma To Seihei no Slave (Mato Seihei no Slave 2), an anime adaptation of the jump+ battle fantasy manga, started exclusive early streaming on ABEMA from January 8, 2026, with weekly episodes following. This continues the dystopian action story about a boy joined with a powerful female warrior to fight monsters.

6. Love Through a Prism (Purizumu Rondo) Hits Netflix with Manga Tie-In

Netflix released 20 episodes of the original net animation Love Through a Prism (Purizumu Rondo) in January 2026. The coming-of-age historical romance — created by Boys Over Flowers author Yoko Kamio — came with a simultaneous manga adaptation that began serialization on January 8, 2026 on Shueisha's digital platforms.

7. Reincarnated as a Dragon Hatchling Anime New Visual & January Premiere

The anime adaptation of Tensei Shitara Dragon no Tamago Datta: Saikyou Igai Mezasanee (Reincarnated as a Dragon Hatchling) unveiled a new key visual and confirmed a January 2026 TV premiere. Directed by Takamura Yuuta at GA-CREW/Felix Film and streamed on HIDIVE, the series follows a hatchling in a fantasy world aiming to become the strongest dragon.

Why it matters: Adds to the winter season's lineup of isekai/fantasy series, appealing to light-novel and adventure fans.

8. FX Fighter Kurumi-chan Anime Adaptation Announced (2026)

The forex-themed comedy manga FX Fighter Kurumi-chan is getting a 2026 TV anime adaptation, with a teaser visual and trailer released. Produced by Passione and directed by Yuki Ogawa, this series follows Kurumi Fukuga's misadventures trying to recover financial losses via forex trading. Aina Suzuki voices the titular character. The original manga's ninth volume is set for release on January 22, 2026 in Japan.

9. Tatsuki Fujimoto 17–26 Short Story Anime Re-Releases Jan 16

The animated anthology Tatsuki Fujimoto 17–26, adapting eight short stories by Chainsaw Man creator Tatsuki Fujimoto, is being re-released in theaters starting January 16, 2026 in Japan in two parts. Initially screened in October 2025, the film series is also available on Prime Video. A special leaflet is being given to attendees.

10. Attack on Titan: The Final Chapter – The Last Attack New Ending Scene Reveals Mikasa's Future

A major fan-debated Attack on Titan mystery was resolved via the re-released theatrical compilation Attack on Titan: The Final Chapter – The Last Attack, which includes a new post-credits scene confirming that Mikasa Ackerman marries Jean and they raise a family, clarifying lingering questions left after the original anime/manga finale.

Bonus: 2026 Anime Industry & Future Projects

Sparks of Tomorrow

Netflix announced Sparks of Tomorrow, a steampunk-inspired series by Kyoto Animation, set in an alternative Kyoto dominated by steam technology. It will release July 2026 and is highly anticipated due to its creative team (creators of Violet Evergarden & A Silent Voice).

Baki-dou: El Samurái Invencible

A new Baki sequel, Baki-dou: El samurái invencible, was confirmed for February 26, 2026 on Netflix, featuring legendary samurai Musashi Miyamoto as the main threat.

These upcoming titles are shaping 2026's broader anime landscape, generating hype well before their premiere dates.

How January 2026 Shaped Up (Trends & Themes)

Strong winter season launches (Jujutsu Kaisen S3, Wash It All Away, Mato Seihei no Slave 2)
Netflix anime expansion (Love Through a Prism, Cosmic Princess Kaguya!)
Unique & niche adaptations (FX Fighter Kurumi-chan, anthology re-releases)
Big franchise developments (Attack on Titan closure scene)
New anime projects confirmed for 2026 (Sparks of Tomorrow, Baki-dou)

[DaniloGold]

Anime & Manga News (Feb 1-8, 2026)
1) "Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle" movie marketing campaign officially begins

The first large-scale promotion for the Kimetsu no Yaiba: Infinity Castle Arc theatrical project started this week.

What happened

New key visual featuring Tanjiro and the Hashira appeared in Japanese train stations and online platforms.

Cinema chains in Japan began early promotional tie-ins (standees, limited goods pre-orders).

Industry watchers noticed the release window is being positioned as a global theatrical event, similar to Mugen Train.

Why fans care
This arc is the final major battle arc of the manga — essentially the Avengers: Endgame equivalent for anime shounen fans.
The discussion online mainly revolves around:

Will it surpass Mugen Train's historic box-office record?

How Ufotable will animate the Upper Moon fights (especially Kokushibo).

Community reaction
Huge. This was probably the most talked-about anime topic of the week on anime Twitter and r/anime.

2) "Jujutsu Kaisen" Season 3 production updates surfaced

Animators and industry trackers noticed new staffing activity connected to MAPPA.

Details

Pre-production work for the Culling Game Arc is clearly underway.

Multiple key animators known from Season 2 posted work hints.

Voice cast scheduling reportedly began.

Why it matters
The Culling Game arc:

introduces many new characters

has extremely complex fight choreography

is one of the manga's longest arcs

Fans are especially concerned about MAPPA staff workload, a topic that has become part of anime culture discussion itself.

3) "Frieren: Beyond Journey's End" Season 2 rumors intensify

This week, insiders strongly suggested continuation is greenlit.

What sparked it

Merchandising contracts expanded

Voice actress event appearance hinted "the journey continues"

Production committee activity detected by industry trackers

Why fans excited
Frieren became one of the most critically acclaimed anime of the 2020s.
Unlike typical fantasy, it focuses on:

aging

memory

post-adventure life

It's popular among older anime viewers and even non-anime audiences — similar to how Violet Evergarden crossed demographics.

4) "One Punch Man" Season 3 new animation preview discussed

A short animation sample circulated at a Japanese event and spread online.

Key points

Action scenes appear closer to Season 1 quality than Season 2

Studio J.C. Staff seems to have increased animation resources

Garou fight scenes were teased

Why important
Season 2 was heavily criticized for animation downgrade.
This preview restored fan confidence — a rare case where a sequel's reputation may recover.

5) "Oshi no Ko" manga entering its final phase

The manga story officially moved toward its climax arc.

What this means

Major plot threads (Ai, Aqua, film industry conspiracy) are converging.

Anime Season 3 is now very likely.

Community discussion
Fans are debating:

Will it end tragically?

Will Aqua achieve revenge or closure?

This series has one of the strongest Western anime fandoms right now.

6) New isekai anime adaptation announced

A popular web-novel-origin fantasy series (title reveal pending internationally) was confirmed for anime production.

Details

Produced by a mid-tier studio known for light-novel adaptations

Female-protagonist story

Political kingdom-management theme instead of pure action

Why interesting
The isekai genre is evolving:

Early era: power fantasy (SAO)

Middle era: comedy (Konosuba)

New era: economics/politics (Bookworm, Realist Hero)

Fans see this as part of the "smart isekai" trend.

7) "Spy x Family" new special episode planned

A TV special/OVA project connected to the franchise is reportedly in production.

Likely content

Focus on Anya school life

Comedy slice-of-life format

Why it matters
The franchise is now one of the biggest cross-media anime properties:

anime

movie

manga

merchandise

It's considered a "gateway anime" for new viewers and families.

"Blue Lock" continues explosive manga sales

Weekly sales charts showed the manga still performing extremely strongly.

Reasons

World-Cup-like football hype

Anime Season 2 boosting readership

Strong appeal to teenage audiences

It has become one of the best-selling sports manga of the modern era, rivaling Haikyuu's peak.

9) Studio Bones teases new original anime project

Studio BONES (My Hero Academia, Mob Psycho 100) released a cryptic teaser image.

What we know

Not a sequel

Completely original story

Stylized character silhouettes

Why big news
Original anime from major studios are rare now.
Fans expect something closer to Eureka Seven or Mob Psycho 100 rather than a typical adaptation.

10) "Attack on Titan" franchise continuation discussions resurface

A producer interview sparked conversation.

Important clarification
Not a sequel to the manga story — but:

side stories

spin-offs

possible prequel projects

Because AoT remains globally profitable, the franchise likely won't disappear.

11) "Chainsaw Man" movie (Reze Arc) promotion starting soon

Marketing indicators suggest:

trailer imminent

festival screenings planned

Why huge
The Reze arc is widely considered one of the manga's best arcs.
Fans expect this to be MAPPA's most cinematic anime project yet.

12) Manga industry trend: romance and slice-of-life rising

Japanese bookstore rankings this week showed:

rom-com

relationship dramas

cozy life stories

are increasingly dominating sales.

This explains why anime like:

The Dangers in My Heart

Skip and Loafer

Horimiya

keep getting adaptations — they now compete with battle shounen in popularity.

 Overall Trends This Week

From all the news together, you can see 3 big directions anime is moving in 2026:

Cinematic anime movies are replacing final seasons
(Demon Slayer, Chainsaw Man)

Character-driven stories gaining popularity
(Frieren, Oshi no Ko, romance manga boom)

Studios returning to original projects
(BONES teaser)

[DaniloGold]

Here is a weekly anime & manga news digest (Feb 9 – Feb 15, 2026).

 Anime & Manga News (Feb 9-15, 2026)
1) Chainsaw Man – Reze Arc movie teaser countdown campaign begins

The official Chainsaw Man accounts began a structured promotion push this week.

What happened

A countdown website appeared featuring Denji's cord-rip sound effect

Character posters (Makima and Reze silhouettes) released gradually

Japanese theaters started advance promotional booking notices

Why this matters
The Reze Arc is considered one of the manga's strongest emotional arcs.
MAPPA is treating it like a cinematic project rather than a TV sequel — similar strategy to Demon Slayer movies.

Fan reaction
Very positive. Many fans believe this arc will determine the franchise's long-term popularity after mixed reactions to Season 1 pacing.

2) Dandadan anime adaptation reveals main voice cast

The highly anticipated supernatural-comedy manga Dandadan finally confirmed its lead cast.

Details

Both protagonists (Momo and Okarun) revealed with experienced young VAs

A short voiced PV clip released

The tone leaned heavily toward comedy rather than horror

Why significant
Dandadan is widely viewed as a potential "next big hit shounen," blending:

aliens

ghosts

romance

absurd humor

Online communities immediately compared its potential impact to Mob Psycho 100.

3) One Piece anime announces major pacing changes

To address long-standing criticism, the production committee confirmed structural changes.

New approach

Denser episode adaptations

Improved storyboard scheduling

Fewer recap-style scenes

Why important
For years, fans loved the story but complained about pacing during the Wano and Egghead arcs.
This move suggests the studio is actively reacting to audience feedback — which is actually rare in long-running anime.

4) My Hero Academia final season promotion begins

Promotion materials for the concluding anime season were released.

What was shown

New hero vs villain key visual

Focus on Deku vs Shigaraki

War-arc scale emphasized

Why big news
This is the ending of one of the most influential 2010s anime.
Many anime viewers started watching anime because of MHA, so anticipation is strongly nostalgic rather than just hype.

5) Frieren manga sales surge again after award nominations

The manga received additional literary award recognition in Japan.

Effect

Bookstores reported restocking shortages

Older readers (30-40 demographic) purchasing volumes

Libraries adding it to recommended reading lists

Interesting note
Unlike typical anime hits, Frieren is attracting people who usually read novels rather than manga — showing anime's expanding audience.

6) Rom-com anime trend continues — new adaptation announced

Another romantic comedy manga received anime confirmation.

What makes it notable

High school setting

Dialogue-heavy storytelling

Focus on awkward communication rather than fanservice

The industry is clearly following the success of:

The Dangers in My Heart

Horimiya

Kubo Won't Let Me Be Invisible

Romance anime is currently one of the safest adaptation investments.

7) Gundam project teaser released

A new Mobile Suit Gundam project teaser image appeared this week.

What fans noticed

Different mechanical design style

Younger protagonist silhouette

Possibly a standalone timeline (not Universal Century)

Why important
Gundam alternates between:

hardcore military drama

entry-level beginner series

Fans think this one is intended to attract new viewers globally, especially after the success of Witch from Mercury.

Oshi no Ko live-action expansion confirmed

The franchise is expanding beyond anime and manga again.

Announcement

Additional live-action continuation project planned

Focus on entertainment industry drama aspects

This series is now becoming a multi-media franchise comparable to Tokyo Revengers in cross-platform popularity.

9) New manga by a famous veteran mangaka begins serialization

A well-known long-time manga author launched a brand-new series this week.

Why notable

Not an isekai

Not a battle manga

More of a mature seinen drama

Japanese readers welcomed it — showing some audience fatigue toward formulaic web-novel adaptations.

10) Anime movie theaters reporting higher attendance again

Japanese cinema chains reported stronger attendance for anime films compared to last year's winter period.

Industry meaning
Anime movies are becoming:

reliable box-office earners

safer investments than live-action films

This supports why studios now prefer movie finales instead of TV endings.

11) Blue Lock collaboration events announced

Sports brand collaborations (apparel and real-world football tie-ins) were announced.

Why interesting
Anime influencing real sports culture is rare — previously only Slam Dunk achieved similar impact.
Youth football clubs in Japan even reported increased participation connected to the series.

 What This Week Tells Us About Anime (2026)

From all these stories combined, the direction of anime is becoming clear:

Movie projects are replacing big finales

Romance and character-driven stories are rising

Long-running series are adapting to fan feedback

Anime is expanding into mainstream culture beyond "otaku" audiences

Anime in 2026 is no longer just a niche hobby — it is behaving like a global entertainment industry comparable to Western franchises.