Crunchyroll Kicks Off 2026 With Major Streaming Surprise (And It’s a Big Anime Return)

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Crunchyroll is starting 2026 strong with a huge lineup of anime, including the unexpected return of a fan-favorite series. The Winter 2026 schedule is packed with both brand new shows that fans have been eagerly awaiting, and returning blockbusters with fresh episodes. There’s a lot for anime fans to enjoy in the coming weeks!

Fans of Kaguya-sama: Love is War can now watch a two-episode special that recently premiered. The new episodes, titled Kaguya-sama: Love is War -Stairway to Adulthood , have sparked some debate among viewers, as they cover material different from where the third season and movie ended. You can now stream the special on Crunchyroll and decide for yourself what you think.

Kaguya-sama: Love is War Makes Surprise Streaming Return

Kaguya-sama: Love is War -Stairway to Adulthood- is a special two-episode series that continues the story after the third season and the movie, The First Kiss That Never Ends. It shows a future Kaguya reflecting on her high school days, revisiting key moments through flashbacks. However, some fans have criticized it for jumping ahead in the timeline and skipping over several story arcs before reaching the ending.

The new special, *Kaguya-sama: Love is War -Stairway to Adulthood, shows significant developments for Miyuki and Kaguya’s relationship and hints at events the anime hasn’t covered before. It introduces characters who play a big role in the story’s conclusion, but these characters may seem unfamiliar to viewers who haven’t read the source material, as some details have been left out of the anime adaptation. If you’re watching on Crunchyroll, be aware that some plot points might not make complete sense without this extra context.

Kaguya-sama: Love is War Anime Is Ending Soon

The popular anime series Kaguya-sama: Love is War is concluding, but not without one last adventure! A final movie, Kaguya-sama: Love is War – The Final Chapter, has been announced to wrap up the story. The film will feature the beloved characters as adults and will be written by the original creator, Aka Akasaka. Unfortunately, it seems any story elements skipped in the anime won’t be revisited.

Akasaka announced a special message for fans, confirming that the anime’s finale will feature a brand new story. He described it as both fresh and familiar, and hopes it will serve as the definitive conclusion to Kaguya-sama. The finale is designed to be enjoyed by both manga and anime fans, even without knowledge of the manga’s final chapters. A release date hasn’t been announced yet.

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2026-01-04 21:13