As 2025 comes to a wrap, there’s no better time to look ahead and mark down the dates for the biggest releases of the upcoming year. For anime enthusiasts, Jump Festa 2026 got the hype going with a slew of announcements, from release date reveals to, of course, trailer debuts.
Held on 20 and 21 December in Japan, the annual celebration saw fanfare for the latest titles and legacy franchises, with a handful of surprises sprinkled in between — updates about Reborn!, or Katekyō Hitman Reborn!, were certainly not on our bingo card, whileBlack Clover is finally making its long-awaited return to the small screen. Alongside an extra episode for the 10th anniversary of My Hero Academia, other heavy hitters include Sakamoto Days Season 2, a third season for Mashle: Magic and Muscles, the Chainsaw Man Assassins Arc anime, Jujutsu Kaisen: The Culling Game Part 1, Dandadan Season 3, and more.
Here’s a recap of the top 10 highlights that were showcased during Jump Festa 2026.
TOP 10 ANNOUNCEMENTS (in alphabetical order)
Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War Final Part — The Calamity
Tensions between the Quincies and Soul Reapers are set to reach a fever pitch in July 2026, as Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War Final Part — The Calamity brings the four-part saga to its resounding climax. Opening with a recap of events from the original anime classic, an explosive new trailer offers a tantalising look at the high-octane action to come, including the highly anticipated showdown between Ishida Uryuu and Jugram Haschwalth, as well as Ichigo’s new form that was previously teased in an earlier visual.
More good news for fans: the stage also unveiled a special anime project called “Bleach: The Stories”, which will revisit each arc of the series so far, a new game called Bleach: Mirrors High, and a new novel adaptation titled “Don’t Bleach My Fist” by Ryogo Narita, known for previous Bleach novels like “Spirits Are Forever With You” and “Can’t Fear Your Own World”.
Chainsaw Man: Assassins Arc
Chaos is the name, and Chainsaw Man: Assassins Arc is the game. Following the success of Reze Arc, the popular dark fantasy anime will enter the International Assassins story arc, widely considered as one of the most unhinged and best instalments, and serve as a direct sequel to the film.
Animation powerhouse MAPPA returns to helm the project, with further details such as a release date, format, staff, and cast yet to be disclosed. What’s certain, though, is the appearance of Quanxi and other global mercenaries, which means fans will be in for a treat.
Dandadan Season 3
The momentum of Dandandan is in full swing, with a Season 3 release date announcement coming three months after the conclusion of its sophomore outing. 2027 will welcome kaiju into the fold as Momo Ayase and Okarun continue their paranormal adventures, helmed by returning studio Science Saru.
Gachiakuta Season 2
A five-second teaser may be over in a flash, but it still counts for something. While details are scarce, a second season of Gachiakuta is confirmed to be in the works, accompanied by new celebratory art from author Kei Urana and graffiti designer Ando Hideyoshi. That’s not all for Rudo and company — a stage play adaptation has been scheduled for 2026, while an action-RPG video game is currently in production.
Haikyu!! vs. The Little Giant + Special Episode
The time to take flight yet again is nigh. In a double treat for fans, Haikyuu!! is returning with a new anime film and a special episode in 2027, with the former, titled TheLittle Giant, picking up after the conclusion of the match between Karasuno and Nekoma High School. Fresh off their victory, Hinata Shoyo and his team are now in the quarter-finals, gearing up for an epic showdown against Kamomedai High School, whose star player shares the same nickname as a player Hinata once admired.
As for the special broadcast, “The Place Where Monsters Go” pits Kotaro Bokuto of Fukurodani Academy and Mujinazaka High School’s Wakatsu Kiryu in a battle of the star players, so strap in for plenty of volleyball fun.
Hell’s Paradise Season 2
There are several reasons to be excited about the return of Hell’s Paradise on 11 January 2026, and the arrival of two new Tensen, Ju Fa and Tao Fa, is one of them. The other is an unexpected collaboration between Tatsuya Kitani and Babymetal, big names that should be familiar to Japanese music and genre fans, who performed the banger opening song, “Kasuka na Hana”, in the trailer.
Jujutsu Kaisen: Culling Game Arc Part 1
Offering a huge dose of adrenaline is Jujutsu Kaisen: Culling Game Arc Part 1, and the high-stakes confrontation between Yuji Itadori and his assigned “executioner” Yuta Okkotsu looks set to ramp up the already intense combat sequences. Between the introduction of new characters such as Kinji Hakari, Kirara Hoshi, Hiromi Higuruma, Fumihiko Takaba, Reggie Star and Kogane, the badassery of returning characters like Maki Zenin, Yuji, Megumi Fushiguro, and more, and a preview of “AIZO”, the new opening song by third-timer King Gnu, the upcoming season teases a thrilling time ahead of its two-episode premiere on 8 January 2026.
One Piece Elbaph Anime Arc + Season 2 (Netflix live-action)
Hot on the heels of its 26th anniversary celebrations, the One Piece anime is gearing up to unfurl its sails again. The Straw Hat Crew will drop anchor on Elbaph in the next arc of the ongoing adaptation of Eiichiro Oda’s manga, picking up three months after the Egghead Arc concludes on 28 December. Mark your calendars – 5 April 2026 is the date to embark on another new adventure.
But that’s not the only instance of seafaring fun in store. Before that, Season 2 of Netflix’s live-action One Piece series will return to the small screen on 10 March 2026, with a brand-new trailer putting the voice of Tony Tony Chopper into focus, featuring Mikaela Hoover and other voice actors from around the world.
Reborn! 20th Anniversary Project
Surprise, surprise! 20 years after introducing the anime world to Mafia mayhem and hitman action, sprinkled with a healthy dose of humour, Reborn! (otherwise known as Katekyo Hitman Reborn!) is ringing in its anniversary next year with a host of festivities, including a two-minute commemorative trailer that pays homage to the first and final opening theme songs for the anime, “Drawing days” and “Listen to the Stereo!”, respectively, and free-to-stream short videos of all 203 episodes on YouTube.
While rumours of a reboot are rife, there’s no further confirmation of any further projects, and more information will be available nearer to the anniversary.
Steel Ball Run: JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure
Giddy up, Steel Ball Run: JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure is racing to Netflix worldwide on 19 March 2026. Marking the next entry in the Joestar family saga, the forthcoming outing follows former jockey Johnny Joestar, who embarks on a gruelling cross-continental horse race – despite losing the use of his legs in a freak accident – with mysterious outlaw-turned-ally Gyro Zeppeli for a $50 million grand prize. Fans would recognise the debut of Sand Man and Pocoloco in the trailer, voiced respectively by Masaaki Mizunaka (Lu Wutang in Sakamoto Days) and Kenichiro Matsuda (Thors in Vinland Saga). Yare yare daze, indeed.
BONUS: Look Back live-action film adaptation
Tatsuki Fujimoto’s one-shot manga Look Back tugged at the heartstrings, not once, but twice, courtesy of an animated film adaptation from Studio Durian last year. Get ready for a third time, as acclaimed Palme d’Or-winning Japanese filmmaker Hirokazu Kore-eda (Shoplifters, Broker), best known for his humanistic touch, has released a first look at key footage from his live-action adaptation, including the main Fujino-Kyomoto pair sketching together across changing seasons. Shot entirely on analogue film, the pic is slated for release sometime in 2026.
Si Jia is a casual geek at heart – or as casual as someone with Sephiroth’s theme on her Spotify playlist can get. A fan of movies, games, and Japanese culture, Si Jia’s greatest weakness is the Steam Summer Sale. Or any Steam sale, really.
