The new season starting in January 2026 feels overwhelming and packed with shows… Of course: FRIEREN season 02 every Friday afternoon is a “must” for everyone! But this time, we have decided to SCREEN the rest of shows with several “strict” filters, namely:
❌ not including any “battle shonen” —those are already popular and everyone already talks about them anyway. ❌ exclude almost all the Isekai (new or returning) except those that are reaally well-written ❌ avoiding most of the “high-school romance”, shows with less originality, or anime featuring those cheesy “harem” tropes ❌ we haven’t listed many fantasy shows: only those that we think contribute something interesting to the genre
✔️ in general we have prioritized shows with emotional impact, good storytelling, more profound themes, chilling qualities and featuring slice-of-life over fantasy.
Hope it might give you a very ALTERNATIVE TASTE of this new season, it is a list for people that don’t necessarily enjoy so much those mainstream anime shows! (WARNING— List in progress: as we start to watch them, we might add or discard some of them)
Returning Shows
The Journey continues towards new places: both beautiful and dangerous!
Frieren Beyond Journey’s End Sosou no Frieren
SEASON: 02 Recap » The Journey takes our elf protagonist and her party to new and dangerous places in the North of the continent.
PREMIERES ON: January 16th, 2025 SCHEDULE: FRIDAYS at 3:00PM UTC (Crunchyroll) STUDIO: Madhouse No. of EPISODES: 10 Based on: MANGA.
Preview: This second season is going to be adapting TWO small arcs, but will finish right before a peak moment on the story. The journeying and flashbacks will still be there, but prepare yourself for a brief and darks arc too. Our conclusion: a short but sweet season before the best of Frieren arrives on S03.
A “josei” manga adaptation that will be one of the emotional underdogs!
Diary of a Strange Land (Journal with Witch) Ikuko Nikki
SEASON: 01 Recap » A 35-year old introvert novelist decides to shelter her 15-year niece that has recently lost her parents. This relationship between two strangers that have to become family forced by an awful turn of events, will be nurtured by people around them, showing us how human connection is hard, but rewarding.
AIRS ON: SUNDAYs JAN 4th, 2026 STUDIO: Shuka (produced by Pony Canyon) No. of EPISODES: 13 BASED ON: MANGA (finished). Watch the LATEST TRAILER (PV02) here
What we like/expect: This real-life drama has much more positive sides than downsides, so expect an emotional ride but with a focus on the potential we all have as humans. Also the music by Kensuke Ushio will surely add to the goosebump! We love the detailed cooking scenes and supporting cast in this anime based on a “josei” manga (stories aimed at 18+ women).
Charlie’s VA in Japanese is Atsumi Tanezaki! (Frieren/Anya)
The Darwin Incident Darwin Jihen
SEASON: 01 Recap » Charlie is a half human, half chimpanzee lb hybrid known as a “Humanzee”. Raised by adoptive human parents, Charlie is now 15 and starting high school. There he meets Lucy, a clever loner who becomes his first-ever friend. But his “normal” life is shattered when the animal rights extremists who freed his mother from the lab fifteen years ago reemerge as terrorists bent on kidnapping Charlie at all costs.
PREMIERES ON: Jan 7th, 2026 SCHEDULE: WED at 17:00 UTC STUDIO: BELLNOX FILMS, produced by TOHO No. of EPISODES: 13 Based on: Manga (9 VOLs). Watch the Official TRAILER here
TAGS: Thriller · sci-fi · sociopolitical
Our take after the first two episodes: Underpromising, but VERY GOOD at several aspects: story, characters, situations animation and music. Dubs aren’t bad either. WARNING: it includes some disturbing scenes of terrorism and shootings that aren’t appropriate for those underaged or suffering PTSD from violent events.
Lily on a cultural/social class shock, also voiced by Atsumi Tanezaki?
Love Though a Prism Prism Rondo
SEASON: 01 (only) Recap » In early 1900s London, a young Japanese woman enrolls in a famous art school, only to be surprised when rivalry with a gifted classmate becomes romance.
PREMIERED ON: January 15th, 2026 SCHEDULE: All episodes released(!) STUDIOS: WIT No. of EPISODES: 20 Based on: a ORIGINAL story (manga is being serialised now).
TAGS: Artsy · ROMANCE · period drama
Our take after the first episode: Studio WIT has created an AWESOME anime that is very much worth of watching, especially if you love romance or period series. The music and the overall atmosphere are great. Netflix has done a terrible job of promoting this very little and release all the eps. at once on one of the busiest seasons of these last year!
A more than watchable fantasy series that has started on a high note!
Sentenced to be a Hero Yuusha-kei ni Shosu: Choubatsu Yuusha 9004-tai Keimu Kiroku
SEASON: 01 In a world where heroism is a punishment, Xylo Forbartz, a condemned goddess killer, battles endless hordes of monstrous abominations as part of Penal Hero Unit 9004. Death is no escape, only a cycle of resurrection and relentless combat. But when Xylo encounters a goddess, their unlikely alliance sparks an opportunity to maybe advance towards their freedom?
PREMIERED ON: January 3rd, 2026 SCHEDULE: Thursdays at 3:00PM UTC STUDIOS: STUDIO KAI No. of EPISODES: 12 Based on: LIGHT NOVELS (5) .
TAGS: Dark Fantasy · drama · comedy
Our take after the first three episodes: Fantasy shows are sometimes mid, falling on the same absurd tropes and featuring a “loser” Main Character that, despite it, gets all the girls’ attention. Thankfully this fantasy anime has great animation, a solid worldbuilding, and avoids all harem tropes (and the lolicon situation). It’s not a masterpiece, but if you liked Clevatess last year, it is a solid replacement, even better we’d say!
There is surely one or more of these 8 stories that looks fresh and appealing
Champignon Witch Champignon No Majo
SEASON: 01 Recap » The story follows the dark forest-dwelling Luna, who people fear is a black witch because poisonous mushrooms grow wherever she goes. As such, the townspeople call her the “Mushroom Witch.” However, despite never feeling any warmth from them, Luna begins to feel affection for them…? It’s a magical fantasy of love, adventure and emotions!.
PREMIERED ON: January 8th, 2026 SCHEDULE: THU at 6:00PM (UTC). STUDIOS: Qzilla & TyPhoon Studios No. of EPISODES: 12 Based on: MANGA (6 VOLS).
Our initial take: The manga is a naïf take on a forest witch story, beautifully illustrated. The emotion and art make up for the animation shortcomings. Cute characters, and a story worthy of a great children’s book.
SEASON: 01 Recap » For the past two years, cheerful and hardworking Kinme Wakana has run a small laundry shop in the seaside hot springs town of Atami. As she goes about her quiet days, Wakana finds herself drawn into the bittersweet, heartwarming stories of the people around her.
PREMIERED ON: January 5th, 2026 SCHEDULE: MON at 2:30PM (UTC). STUDIO: Okuruto Noburu, produced by Happinet No. of EPISODES: 12 Based on: MANGA (finished – 11 VOLS).
Out Take after Three episodes: It’s relaxing, beautiful and moving. Not the greatest animation in history yep: but the chilling atmosphere & sceneries, the cleaning techniques explained and the romance components make it appealing and “comfy”. There is a mild component of “fan service”, without getting to be lewd.
