Japan officially reveals the best summer animations of 2026

In the case of animation, what is popular in Japan is often popular overseas. This can be seen in large mainstream anime series such as: Do a jujutsu or one piece. But in other cases, some Japanese hits may be too niche for overseas fans. When it comes to the most anticipated summer anime of 2026, both Japanese and international fans agree. Mushoku Tensei Season 3 is so hyped.

A new Animate Times survey was recently conducted in Japan, asking fans which summer 2026 anime they are most looking forward to. Despite competition from the same series The Saga of Tanya the Evil and Smoke a cigarette with you behind the supermarketMushoku Tensei Season 3 is the anime that fans are most eagerly waiting to see Kickstart and luckily, the first two episodes have just been released on July 4, 2026.

Mushoku Tensei Season 3 Named Most Anticipated Animation of Summer 2026 Poll by Animate Times

Animate Times is a large Japanese digital outlet news page that focuses on all things anime, from new articles to voice actor interviews and opinion polls. This outlet was launched on April 27, 2016 and still remains a great destination for readers who want to read everything related to anime or manga. Polls conducted by Animate Times give us an idea of ​​the general opinions of Japanese netizens on various topics and series, and we were very excited to see a new series focusing on what Japanese fans believe to be the most anticipated anime series for the 2026 summer season. The poll results were released on June 29, 2026, and voting began two weeks earlier, on June 15, 2026.

Specifically, we looked at the top 15 in the polls. Unfortunately, we don't know the sample size of the survey or how many votes each series garnered, but at least we know that the Animate Times audience believes in it. Ignorant Reincarnation: Unemployed Reincarnation Season 3 is the most exciting new release of the summer. This is not surprising, as Mushoku Tensei has become one of the most popular Isekai series in recent years.

Why Mushoku Tensei will be a Japanese and international fan favorite for summer 2026

Image via Studio Bind

Mushoku Tensei is a fan-favorite anime both in Japan and abroad. This story was originally created as a novel serialized by Rifujin na Magonote from November 22, 2012 to April 3, 2015. The story became so popular that it spawned a light novel, manga, audio drama, and video game. Of course, of all these adaptations, the biggest and most popular version of the story is Studio Bind's TV animation, which debuted with Season 1 on January 11, 2021.

Mushoku Tensei Season 1 put the series on the radar of many fans, and the story now has two seasons completed. Season 2 came out on July 2, 2023 and ran until July 1, 2024. Now we finally have a third season as well. It officially launched on Crunchyroll this month. Even though it's still only the second episode, it's getting two back-to-back releases on its debut date. The long-awaited Mushoku Tensei Season 3 Episodes 1 and 2 were released two days ago, on July 4, 2026. This is one day earlier than fans expected. More content is coming out every week, and you can see why so many people believe this series is the best summer anime of 2026.

The story of Mushoku Tensei is one of the most fascinating Isekais to date. The story is about Rudeus, a man who has been reincarnated as a baby in a magical world and plans to live this new life to the fullest. The first two seasons were full of action and intrigue, and season 3 is only going to get better. Already this season's animation and directing looks amazing, and it's a huge upgrade over Season 2. The story of Mushoku Tensei Season 3 is something that fans of the novel are especially looking forward to. This is because it covers Turning Point 4, the most anticipated story so far. Turning Point 4 Arc is set to bring a dark twist that anime fans won't see coming.

Regardless, it's clear that fans are already loving this new series. With only two episodes aired, Mushoku Tensei is climbing the ranks of international fans on the MyAnimeList platform. Mushoku Tensei Season 3 is close to breaking into the top 10, boasting an incredible 9.03/10 rating. Currently, the anime is the 11th highest rated anime of all time with 230,000 user ratings. For context, it's currently tied with Hunter x Hunter, which has a score of 9.03 on MAL, but is rated much higher than that. Technically, the 2026 release places it in third place, right behind Re:Zero Season 4 and Jojo's Bizarre Adventure: Steel Ball Run. With more episodes, the story could rank higher and perhaps even become the highest-rated anime of the year. What is needed to achieve this is steady releases without quality compromise.

Another highly anticipated anime that Japan would love to see debut in the summer of 2026

Animate Times' Summer 2026 survey ranked Mushoku Tensei as the most anticipated series, but the survey also allowed us to explore 14 other series that Japanese fans are eager to see fully unfold. The final rankings are as follows:

1. Mushoku Tensei Unemployed Reincarnation Season 3

2. From Old Country Bumpkin to Master Swordsman Season 2

3. Saga Tanya the Evil Season 2

4. Hard to Find Samurai Season 2

5. You and I Are Opposite Season 2

6. Smoking With You Behind The Supermarket

7. Skeleton Knight of Another World Season 2

8. Hell Mode: Hardcore Gamers Rule Another World with Garbage Balancing Season 2

9. Ogre's Bride

10. ghost in the shell

The summer season of 2026 may not be as strong as the winter or spring seasons, but there are definitely still some amazing anime coming out. Speaking of highly anticipated isekai series, The Saga of Tanya the Evil is back for its second anime season after nine years. It will debut in just a few days, on July 8, 2026. Other standout series on the list include Smoking Behind the Supermarket With You, a new animation that many fans have already come to love, and The Ghost in the Shell, which releases tomorrow, July 7, 2026.

Source: AnimateTimes