Winter 2026 is shaping up to be an incredibly exciting season for anime fans. It features a fantastic mix of brand new shows and the return of popular series. While shows like Sentenced to Be a Hero got things off to a strong start, much of the excitement centered around the third season of Jujutsu Kaisen and the second season of Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End. Frieren Season 2 quickly became a huge hit, even breaking records on MyAnimeList by becoming the highest-rated anime of all time, surpassing its own first season.
Despite all the buzz around this year’s most anticipated anime, neither of those shows has released an episode that’s become the highest-rated of 2026. That honor currently belongs to Fire Force, which recently launched the second part of its third season. The first episode of this new part, Fire Force Season 3 Episode 14, initially scored a 9.7 on IMDb and is currently rated at 9.5. This was unexpected, as the current season of Fire Force has faced some criticism, and few predicted such a strong episode.
Fire Force Season 3 Part 2 Delivers the Highest-Rated Episode of 2026 So Far Despite Its Controversial Position
‘FIRE FORCE’ Season 3 Episode 14 releases with an unbelievable 9.7/10 score on IMDb!
— Anime Updates (@animeupdates) January 20, 2026
The second half of Fire Force Season 3 is expected to be the anime’s last, and it will cover the remaining story from the manga in just 13 episodes. This means the anime needs to adapt about 88 chapters very quickly, which worried fans who feared the pacing might be rushed, similar to what happened with Season 2 of The Promised Neverland. Because of these concerns, it was surprising to see the second episode of this new season receive such positive feedback.
Episode 14 of Fire Force Season 3, titled “With the Sun at His Back,” has become the highest-rated anime episode of 2026 to date, covering about nine chapters of the original manga. Despite facing challenges, the episode was a huge success. Even with popular shows like Jujutsu Kaisen and Frieren getting a lot of attention, the studio David Production created an exceptional episode that exceeded expectations.
The most recent episode of Fire Force had some editing, but it didn’t feel hurried. It skillfully revealed important backstory before delivering what many fans are calling the series’ best fight – a battle between Benimaru and his former teacher. The episode’s positive reception was likely boosted by Benimaru’s popularity, but even so, its success is impressive given the show’s current position. However, viewers might still be a little worried that the story could be rushed as it heads towards the finale. Despite any potential concerns, achieving the highest viewer rating of 2026 is a remarkable accomplishment for Fire Force, especially considering the challenges it’s faced.
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2026-01-23 17:16