5 Sci-Fi Anime We’re Excited for in 2026, Ranked

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As the year winds down, anime fans are already looking ahead to 2025 and what it holds for new releases. This year was fantastic, with several anime films breaking box office records, popular shows returning with new seasons, and exciting new series debuting. However, early signs suggest that 2026 is also going to be a strong year for anime fans.

Anime fans have a lot to look forward to next year, with exciting new releases like JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, Jujutsu Kaisen, and Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End. Sci-fi is expected to be particularly popular in 2026 – it’s consistently one of anime’s most beloved genres, right up there with fantasy and action. As 2026 approaches, we want to highlight some of the upcoming sci-fi series you won’t want to miss.

5) The Darwin Incident

Based on a well-known manga, The Darwin Incident is a science fiction anime coming in January 2026. It’s being produced by Bellnox Films, led by Koji Kajita (formerly of David Production). The series delves into thought-provoking themes like ethics, animal welfare, what it means to be human, and finding your place in the world. It stands out from many popular action-focused sci-fi anime by offering a more intellectual and narrative-driven experience.

I’m so excited about The Darwin Incident! It’s a really fascinating story about Charlie, a human-chimpanzee hybrid, who just wants to be a normal high school kid. But of course, it’s not that simple! He’s constantly dealing with being different, and to make things even more complicated, a pretty intense activist group wants to use him as the symbol for their cause. The whole anime follows Charlie’s struggle to balance wanting a regular life with being caught in the middle of all this extremism – it’s going to be a wild ride!

4) Snowball Earth

Fans are eagerly anticipating the upcoming anime adaptation of the popular manga, Snowball Earth. Many believe this sci-fi series could be the next big hit, and its existing fanbase loves its imaginative world, detailed setting, and compelling characters. Produced by Studio Kai – the team behind Sentenced to be a Hero – the anime is scheduled for release in April 2026. Snowball Earth explores themes of survival, loss, human resilience, environmental concerns, and the search for meaning.

The series imagines a future where Earth has been defeated in an alien invasion, leaving humanity fighting for survival on a ruined planet. The story follows Tetsuo, a mecha pilot who wakes up after years in a coma to find a frozen, devastated world. He must learn to connect with others and navigate this unfamiliar, dangerous landscape as he tries to survive.

3) Trigun Stargaze

The highly anticipated final season of the Trigun reboot, titled Trigun Stargaze, is scheduled to premiere in early 2026. The first part, Trigun Stampede, originally aired in 2023, and Stargaze will conclude the anime, adapting the complete storyline from the manga. The series is notable for its unique 3D CGI animation, created by Studio Orange, the team behind popular shows like Beastars and Black Bullet.

The new reboot of this anime is winning over fans because it stays true to the original story and atmosphere while also adding interesting details about Vash’s history. It expands the world of Trigun, fleshing out the main plot and filling in gaps from the first series. The story still follows Vash the Stampede’s travels and the conflict between his beliefs and those of his twin brother. If you’re a fan of the series or curious about how the story concludes, Trigun Stargaze is definitely one to watch.

2) Cyberpunk: Edgerunners 2

If you’re into anime and science fiction, you’ve probably heard of Cyberpunk: Edgerunners, the popular Netflix series. It’s rare for an anime not based on an existing manga to receive so much positive attention, but Edgerunners did just that. While heavily inspired by the game Cyberpunk 2077, the anime isn’t a direct adaptation. When it was released, many considered it a standout series, perfectly blending stunning animation, thrilling action, and characters with real emotional depth.

Good news for fans! A sequel to Cyberpunk: Edgerunners is coming in early 2026. A short teaser trailer has been released, offering a quick look back at the first season and showcasing the show’s signature visual style. While the sequel won’t continue the original storyline, it will feature a brand new group of characters exploring the same world. If you loved the first season, you’ll definitely want to get excited for this!

1) Dr. Stone

Dr. Stone is widely considered one of the best sci-fi anime series of the last ten years. First released in 2019, the show is currently finishing its fourth and final season, with new episodes expected in 2026. What sets Dr. Stone apart is its focus on genuine scientific principles, rather than relying on robots or fantasy. The series explores important ideas like the value of knowledge, the potential of science, human ingenuity, how people survive, and questions of right and wrong.

Dr. Stone tells the story of a world where everyone has been turned to stone by a mysterious event. Thousands of years later, a brilliant young scientist named Senku awakens and dedicates himself to finding a way to restore humanity. As he works towards a cure, he also tries to uncover the truth behind the strange light that caused everyone to become petrified. The anime is built around the power of science, and it’s a story about the resilience of humankind and their will to survive, even when facing impossible challenges.

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2025-12-17 02:45