Anime has never been bigger than in 2026, and that’s partially due to the incredible quality of so many recent series. New-gen anime are doing more than just appeasing niche fanbases; they’re reaching out to broad audiences with deep stories, incredible animation, and unforgettable characters.

Though not every new-gen anime is destined for greatness, there are a handful that are nothing short of perfect.

10

The Summer Hikaru Died

Animated by CygamesPictures, Based On the Manga Created By Mokumokuren

Horror is notoriously difficult to master in anime, with only a few series truly nailing the genre. This is what made 2025’s The Summer Hikaru Died feel like such a revelation.

Far from the cold and dark settings of many horror stories, The Summer Hikaru Died uses light expertly to deliver some of the year’s biggest scares. Even ignoring the horror aspect, though, there’s a solid beating heart to the series that is undeniably compelling.

The Summer Hikaru Died was 2025’s best anime series, and fans can only hope that its future is bright.

9

Pluto

Animated By Studio M2, Based On the Manga Created By Naoki Urasawa and Takashi Nagasaki

Pluto is pure science fiction at its finest. Quietly released on Netflix in 2023, Pluto takes the bones of Osamu Tezuka’s Astro Boy and turns it into one of the best sci-fi thrillers in recent memory.

Many fans might be unaware of Studio M2, but their work on Pluto is nothing short of exemplary. From the sound design to the animation, cinematic is the only word to describe Pluto.

If retro anime fans are looking for a successor to genre classics like Ghost in the Shell, then they can’t do much better than Pluto. It was 2023’s best anime series, and easily earns a high place among the best new-gen anime.

8

Odd Taxi

Original Anime Series Created By Studio OLM

Fitting for a series with odd in its title, Odd Taxi is nothing short of an anomaly when it comes to anime.

The series does everything it can to defy anime conventions by starring a middle-aged cab driver with remarkable skills and by featuring a story that has more in common with Pulp Fiction than the likes of beloved anime classics like Dragon Ball.

Odd Taxi is nothing if not memorable, and it features one of the greatest last episodes in anime history.

Crime dramas aren’t exactly common anime, but Odd Taxi shows that the medium has the potential to tell incredibly compelling stories in the genre.

7

Bocchi the Rock

Animated By CloverWorks, Based On the Manga Created By Aki Hamazi

Anime is no stranger to tackling issues of mental illness, but rarely is it handled with as much grace and comedy as Bocchi the Rock.

What makes Bocchi the Rock so compelling is how it visualizes its main character’s anxiety. CloverWorks finds incredible ways to make viewers feel exactly what the title heroine is going through, creating a unique experience.

Many anime fans have found Bocchi’s struggles with social anxiety relatable, and for that alone, Bocchi the Rock deserves a spot among the best new-gen anime of all time.

6

Jujutsu Kaisen

Animated By MAPPA, Based On the Manga Created By Gege Akutami

Jujutsu Kaisen is living proof that the battle shonen genre isn’t just alive in 2026, it’s absolutely thriving.

The series takes everything good about classics like Naruto and Bleach, and distills it down into pure adrenaline. Without the need for filler episodes, Jujutsu Kaisen is simply all gas, and with jaw-dropping animation from MAPPA, it’s nothing short of exhilarating.

Far from just a thrill-ride, however, Jujutsu Kaisen has more than a few weighty questions on its mind.

Jujutsu Kaisen is already set to be 2026’s biggest anime, and with perfect episode after perfect episode, Jujutsu Kaisen’s anime dominance is likely to continue far into the future.

5

Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End

Animated By Madhouse, Based On the Manga Created By Kanehito Yamada & Tsukasa Abe

Frieren was an absolute revelation when it was first released in 2023. The anime almost feels like a magic trick, turning fantasy’s oldest and most worn-out tropes into something fresh and original.

Not only is Frieren’s story moving, but it is all aided by immaculate production work from Madhouse. The animation, combined with Evan Call’s score, never fails to nail the exact right emotion for each scene.

Frieren is returning for a second season in 2026, and all signs point to the latest adventures of Frieren, Fern, and Stark being one for the history books.

4

Chainsaw Man

Animated By MAPPA, Based On the Manga Created By Tatsuki Fujimoto

Fans of the Chainsaw Man manga probably predicted the anime’s meteoric rise, but it was still gratifying to watch all the same.

With a name as ridiculous as Chainsaw Man, MAPPA had a lot of work to do to convince anime fans across the globe that their new series was a heavy hitter. To say that they succeeded would be an understatement.

Chainsaw Man‘s anime adaptation is nothing short of perfect, taking everything good about Tatsuki Fujimoto’s manga and enhancing it. Though the anime’s first season was glorious, the Reze Arc movie was somehow even better.

Hopefully, when Chainsaw Man returns for the International Assassins Arc, it will maintain the hype.

3

Cyberpunk: Edgerunners

Animated By Studio Trigger, Based On the RPG Series Created By Mike Pondsmith

The best word to describe Cyberpunk: Edgerunners is brave. Edgerunners sits among the best modern tragedies as a tale of power, corruption, and what it means to sacrifice for others.

Far from an easy watch, Edgerunners is known as one of the saddest anime series. Far from being cheap or manipulative, however, the series earns its moments of darkness with some incredibly compelling character writing.

Edgerunners was so good that it single-handedly revived interest in the Cyberpunk: 2077 game, which struggled on launch for a variety of reasons.

Only time will tell, however, if Trigger can pull it off again with Cyberpunk: Edgerunners 2.

2

Mob Pyscho 100

Animated By Studio Bones, Based On the Manga Created By ONE

Everything good about anime is present in Mob Psycho 100. The series is funny, has great action, and is ridiculously heartwarming.

In many ways, Mob Psycho 100 feels like an inversion of many classic anime tropes. Far from a power fantasy, Mob Psycho 100 shows that power for power’s sake is pointless; what matters is what people do with that power and how it connects them to others.

Few other anime in recent memory have left the same emotional impact as Mob Psycho 100, and that alone marks it among the best new-gen anime.

1

Sonny Boy

Original Anime Created By Madhouse

No new-gen anime feels quite as fresh as Sonny Boy. The series takes anime’s inherently youthful energy and turns it on its head, creating a series that is about what it’s like to be crossing the bridge between childhood and adulthood.

While the story alone is meaningful and has plenty to dissect, what really makes Sonny Boy stand out is its rich and dense atmosphere. Sonny Boy is simply dripping with vibes, and that makes it stand out in a crowded pack.

Sonny Boy might not have been the most popular new-gen anime, but it left a lasting impact on any whose life it touched, solidifying it as the best new-gen anime.

Release Date

2021 – 2021

Directors

Shingo Natsume

Writers

Shingo Natsume

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