A new anime season has officially begun in Japan!

And honestly, Fall 2026 is looking pretty exciting.

We've got major returning series, long-awaited adaptations, romance, sports, classic titles coming back for a new generation, and even a few shows that might become your next unexpected obsession.

So rather than giving you a giant list of every anime airing this season, I thought I'd do something a little different.

Here are 10 Fall 2026 anime worth keeping an eye on, picked from Japan.

Think of this as a recommendation from your otaku friend in Japan rather than a ranking.

Let's find your next oshi.

1. The Apothecary Diaries Season 3

Japanese title: 薬屋のひとりごと 第3期
Genre: Mystery / Historical / Drama

Maomao is back.

The Apothecary Diaries has grown into one of the biggest anime series in recent years, and Season 3 is easily one of the most anticipated returning titles of Fall 2026.

For anyone new to the series, the story follows Maomao, a clever young apothecary who becomes involved in mysteries and political intrigue inside the imperial court.

What makes the series so addictive isn't just the mystery.

It's Maomao herself.

She's intelligent, curious, wonderfully strange, and completely capable of stealing a scene without trying.

If you enjoy clever protagonists, mysteries, palace intrigue, and a slow-burning relationship developing in the background, this should be very high on your watchlist.

TOMODACHI recommends it for:
Mystery lovers, historical drama fans, and anyone who already knows that Maomao is best girl.

2. Black Clover Season 2

Genre: Fantasy / Action / Shonen

Asta and the Magic Knights are finally back.

For overseas anime fans especially, Black Clover probably needs very little introduction.

It's classic shonen energy: magic, rivalry, friendship, huge battles, impossible odds, and a protagonist who absolutely refuses to give up.

Season 2 continues the fight involving the Spade Kingdom and the Dark Triad, so this isn't one to jump into completely blind.

But if you've been waiting for Black Clover to return, Fall 2026 is your season.

TOMODACHI recommends it for:
Shonen fans, fantasy lovers, and people who believe screaming louder really can make you stronger.

3. Magic Knight Rayearth

Japanese title: 魔法騎士レイアース
Genre: Fantasy / Adventure / Magical Girl

This one is particularly interesting.

Magic Knight Rayearth, the legendary CLAMP series, has returned with a new TV anime.

For longtime Japanese anime fans, Rayearth carries serious nostalgia.

For younger viewers and international fans who never experienced the original, this is an opportunity to discover one of the iconic fantasy anime titles of the 1990s in a completely new era.

Three girls—Hikaru, Umi, and Fuu—are transported from Tokyo Tower to the magical world of Cephiro, where an enormous adventure awaits them.

Magical girls?

Fantasy?

Mecha?

Yes.

Rayearth does all of it.

And that's exactly why it's still remembered.

TOMODACHI recommends it for:
CLAMP fans, magical-girl fans, 90s anime lovers, and anyone curious about the classics that helped shape Japanese anime culture.

4. Ranma ½ Season 3

Japanese title: らんま1/2 第3期
Genre: Comedy / Romance / Martial Arts

Another Japanese classic continues its comeback.

Rumiko Takahashi's Ranma ½ remains one of the most recognizable manga and anime comedies to come out of Japan.

The setup is wonderfully ridiculous.

Ranma Saotome is a martial artist who fell into a cursed spring while training in China. Cold water turns him into a girl. Hot water changes him back.

Add an arranged engagement, martial arts, romance, rivals, misunderstandings and increasingly absurd characters, and you get Ranma ½.

Season 3 of the new anime continues this chaotic formula.

If modern anime has made you curious about some of the series that older Japanese otaku grew up with, this is a very easy place to start.

TOMODACHI recommends it for:
Rom-com fans, Rumiko Takahashi fans, and anyone who appreciates beautifully organized chaos.

5. Blue Box Season 2

Japanese title: アオのハコ Season 2
Genre: Romance / Sports / School Life

Need something a little softer?

Blue Box combines high-school romance with competitive sports without making either side feel like an afterthought.

Taiki plays badminton. Chinatsu plays basketball.

And, of course, feelings start getting complicated.

The appeal of Blue Box is that its relationships feel much quieter and more natural than many exaggerated anime romances.

There are awkward moments, small gestures, jealousy, ambition and all those feelings that become incredibly important when you're young.

Season 2 continues that story this fall.

TOMODACHI recommends it for:
Romance fans, sports anime fans, and anyone who enjoys a good slow burn.

6. PSYREN

Japanese title: PSYЯEN -サイレン-
Genre: Supernatural / Action / Mystery

Here's one that longtime Weekly Shonen Jump readers have been waiting for.

PSYREN originally ran in Weekly Shonen Jump, and after years of fans hoping for an adaptation, it's finally an anime.

The story begins when Ageha Yoshina encounters a mysterious calling card marked "PSYREN."

From there... things get much stranger.

Rather than explaining too much, I'd actually recommend going into this one knowing as little as possible.

It's action-heavy, mysterious and has the kind of premise that makes you want to immediately watch the next episode.

TOMODACHI recommends it for:
Shonen fans looking for something darker, mystery lovers, and veteran Jump readers who've been waiting a very long time for this moment.

7. Firefly Wedding

Japanese title: ホタルの嫁入り
Genre: Romance / Historical / Drama

This might be one of the titles to watch if you're looking for something beyond the obvious blockbuster sequels.

Set in the Meiji era, Firefly Wedding begins with a rather unusual relationship involving a young woman and a dangerous assassin.

Calling it a simple romance doesn't really do it justice.

There's danger, obsession and a relationship that's considerably more complicated than your average meet-cute.

If your favorite romance stories involve characters who make you think,

"This is probably a terrible idea... but I need to know what happens next,"

you may have found your show.

TOMODACHI recommends it for:
Historical romance fans and anyone who likes their love stories with a slightly dangerous edge.

8. Aoashi Season 2

Japanese title: アオアシ Season 2
Genre: Sports / Football / Drama

Football fans, this one's for you.

Ashito Aoi continues his journey through the demanding world of elite youth football.

What makes Aoashi particularly interesting is its attention to the tactical and developmental side of the sport.

It's not simply about one character discovering a magical super-shot.

Players have to understand positioning, teamwork, tactics and what it actually takes to develop at an elite level.

That gives the series a different flavor from many traditional sports anime.

TOMODACHI recommends it for:
Football fans, sports anime lovers, and anyone who enjoys watching a talented character realize just how much they still have to learn.

9. Tokyo Revengers: War of the Three Titans Arc

Japanese title: 東京リベンジャーズ 三天戦争編
Genre: Action / Drama / Time Travel

Takemichi's story isn't finished yet.

Tokyo Revengers returns this fall with the Three Titans War Arc, bringing us back into its strange combination of delinquent gangs, friendship, tragedy and time travel.

If you've already followed Takemichi this far, you probably don't need me to convince you.

You're going to watch it.

For everyone else: start from the beginning. This definitely isn't the season to randomly jump into halfway through.

TOMODACHI recommends it for:
Existing Tokyo Revengers fans, delinquent manga fans, and viewers who enjoy emotional drama mixed with fists.

10. Dragon Ball Super: Beerus

Japanese title: ドラゴンボール超 ビルス
Genre: Action / Martial Arts / Dragon Ball

And finally...

It's Dragon Ball.

Dragon Ball Super: Beerus is a newly reconstructed version of the Dragon Ball Super story, beginning with the arrival of Beerus, the God of Destruction.

For Japanese fans, Dragon Ball occupies a very unusual position.

It's an anime, of course—but at this point it's also part of Japanese pop culture history.

And seeing Goku, Vegeta, Beerus and the rest of the cast return to television gives Fall 2026 one more major title with truly global recognition.

Whether you've followed Dragon Ball for decades or discovered it much later, this is one to keep an eye on.

TOMODACHI recommends it for:
Dragon Ball fans everywhere.

Obviously.

So, What Are We Watching?

That's the difficult part.

Fall 2026 has a little bit of everything.

If you want mystery, start with The Apothecary Diaries.

If you want big shonen action, try Black Clover or PSYREN.

For romance, there's Blue Box and Firefly Wedding.

For sports, Aoashi is back.

And if you're interested in experiencing some of the DNA of Japanese anime culture itself, the return of Magic Knight Rayearth and the continuing revival of Ranma ½ make this season particularly interesting.

But here's my real recommendation:

Don't only watch the biggest title.

Every anime season in Japan has one or two shows that start quietly and suddenly become everyone's new obsession.

Give something unfamiliar a chance.

You might discover your next oshi.

Found a New Oshi This Season?

And then comes the dangerous part.

You watch an anime.

You find a character you love.

And suddenly you're searching for acrylic stands, can badges, plushies, collaboration goods and merchandise that somehow only seems to exist in Japan.

We know that feeling very well.

That's part of why we created TOMODACHI.

Tell us who your oshi is, and we'll hunt for their merchandise here in Japan and build a surprise Oshi Box just for you.

Because discovering your new favorite character is only the beginning.

Which Fall 2026 Anime Are You Watching?

These are our picks from Japan—but now we want to hear yours.

What's your favorite anime this season?

And more importantly...

Who's your new oshi?

See you next time!