The winter 2026 anime season has concluded, and 115 people have decided the winners. AnimeAnime.jp conducted its survey between March 16 and 23, and the sample size is, frankly, tiny. But the results? Surprisingly accurate to what dominated social media.
Two titans tied for first place. Brainless action versus melancholy and magic. The audience couldn’t pick a side.
The Final Ranking
- Jujutsu Kaisen β Shimetzu Kaiju Zenpen: MAPPA delivered visceral combat, unpredictable narrative swings, and overwhelming visual quality.
- Sousou no Frieren (Season 2): A tie at the top. Emotionally resonant storytelling with battle choreography that looks like cinema.
- Tamon-kun Ima Docchi!?: The surprise. An idol comedy about a star’s double life that captivated female readers.
- Medalist (Season 2): Ice skating drama with an extremely loyal fanbase.
- Oshi no Ko (Season 3): The entertainment industry’s dark side continues generating hype.
- Six-way draw: Android wa Keiken Ninzuu ni Hairimasu ka??, Dead Account, GΕmon Baito-kun no NichijΕ, Jigokuraku (Season 2), and Seihantai na Kimi to Boku.
Context for the Two Winners
Sousou no Frieren runs in Weekly Shonen Sunday, written by Kanehito Yamada and illustrated by Tsukasa Abe. It asks a question most fantasy ignores: what happens after the Demon King is defeated? A meditation on time, memory, and outliving everyone you’ve loved.
Jujutsu Kaisen is Gege Akutami’s work in Weekly Shonen Jump. It redefined urban horror and action with curses, sacrificial mechanics, and a power system so complex it needs flowcharts. Brainless action Tactical brutality.
A survey of 115 people produced results that align almost perfectly with actual cultural momentum. Intuition, coincidence, or does anime fandom operate with a strangely unified hive mind?
Both series represent opposite ends of a spectrum. One introspective and melancholic. The other kinetic and brutal. The audience couldn’t choose. Fair enough.
Do you agree with these 115 voters, or did the winter season produce something these results completely missed?
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