Top 12 Trending Anime You Need to Watch Right Now! (Spring 2026)

Whether we like it or not, anime, compared to years ago, has gone full-blown mainstream. With how popular it has become, it’s only normal that more shows are made to meet the demand. The problem is; now there’s just way too much anime to watch. In case you feel like you want to get through the door but don’t know where to start, have no fear, we are here! Without any further delay, here are the top 12 trending anime you need to watch right now! Most of them may evolve to become timeless and beloved shows, so if you can’t watch them now, maybe later.

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1. Jigokuraku (Hell’s Paradise)

In our first trending anime right now on this list, we go on a trip to paradise. We meet with Gabimaru, a former shinobi who is renowned as the strongest in Iwagakure. Unfortunately, his crime catches up with him, and he gets convicted and slapped with an imminent death penalty.

When all seems lost, he is given a condition in order to be let off the hook: To find and bring back the Elixir of Life from the pure Buddhist land of Sukhavati.

 As anyone who would want to stay alive, he gladly takes the offer, with his wife in mind. He heads to the island with his executioner, and on arrival, they notice that there are other death row convicts on the same quest.

Not only that, but the island is full of unknowns and peculiarities. Will he find the Elixir of Life and save his own life, or lose his life while trying to save it?

2. Tengoku Daimakyou (Heavenly Delusion)

The scene of this popular anime right now is set in a post-apocalyptic land, which was once Tokyo. Fifteen years back, disaster struck human civilisation, leaving the earth plagued with man-eating monsters that could wipe out humankind.

As a countermeasure, an isolated facility was put in place to nurture children and keep mankind going which is run by androids. Curiosity about beyond the walls begins to riddle these children nonetheless.

On the flip side of this serenity, our protagonists; Maru and Kiruko team up to scour what is left of the world to find a place called heaven.

Each embarking on the quest for personal reasons and carrying past burdens and secrets, they probe the world for answers. One question is very important though; is this “heaven” a reality or merely a delusion?

3. [Oshi no Ko]

Among the trending anime right now, you must have heard of Oshi no Ko, even in passing. It is making waves in the anime community, perhaps for good reason. The plot stars Ai Hoshino, a talented and beautiful idol.

At only 16 years old, she has garnered a big fanbase, as she is viewed as a perfect, pure maiden. As always, things aren’t always as they seem, as Ai, in fact, hiding a pregnancy from the public. She goes to Gorou Amemiya, a gynaecologist and a superfan of hers, to help with the delivery process.

He gladly agrees to this and promises to keep it a secret. It remains a secret, but through death, as he is killed on the eve of her delivery by a delusional stalker. 

Lo and behold, goodness always lives on somehow, as Gorou opens his eyes, reborn as Ai’s newborn son; Aquamarine Hoshino! Gifted with this new lens into life, he soon realises that the world of showbiz is a dark and mysterious world.

Backed with his memories of his past life, will he be able to watch the back of Ai whom he loved so much? And can he do it alone?

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4. Skip To Loafer

The next on our list of trending anime right now is a rom-com, which is a popular genre worthy of checking out. Mitsumi Iwakura is a book-smart country girl who has great prospects for Japan.

Being from the countryside, huge masses of people aren’t an issue people think of. In order to have an impact on Japan as she planned, she moved to Tokyo to pursue a high school education. With such zeal and smarts, she had everything mapped out; it couldn’t possibly go wrong, right?

Mitsumi was so focused on her goals that she didn’t prepare for the very different, estranged and overwhelming city life. With the help of a friendly fellow first-year student, Sousuke Shima, she embarks on a journey of conquering her oversights.

From fear of the public to social anxiety and awkwardness, it’s a journey which is not only relatable but amusing.

5. Kimi wa Houkago Insomnia (Insomniacs After School)

A peculiar one among trending anime right now is based on a sleeping disorder. It may sound a bit worrying, but trust us, it gets better. Ganta Nakami, one of our protagonists, has a sleep disorder. He grudgingly gets through his day at school and looks for a serene spot to nap later.

Isaki Magari is quite the same, but is always high energy and free-spirited, appearing less of an insomniac. She has it all sorted out, as she found a perfect spot to nap; the school’s abandoned astronomy club observation.

When Ganta stumbles upon the observatory, he meets Isaki, who agrees to share her lair with him. The two begin to share this environment and also discover that they suffer from the same ailment.

This helps them realise that there are people who understand their situation and gives them the strength to work past it together.

6. Kono Subarashii Sekai ni Bakuen Wo! (KONOSUBA: An Explosion on this Wonderful World) 

This show is definitely a trending anime right now, particularly among Konosuba fans. Anyone who has heard of Isekai anime has probably encountered/heard about Konosuba. An Explosion on this Wonderful World is simply a spin-off of the series, starring a fan-favourite: Megumin. 

Before Megumin meets a certain whimpering goddess, shut-in NEET and insanely incompetent knight, she leads a life of her own. She belongs to the Crimson Demon clan, characterised by their red eyes and radical behaviour.

As a society of mages, everyone is expected to learn and hone their skills in particular types of magic. After a mysterious mage saves Megumin’s life with explosion magic, she vows to harness the same magic by any means necessary.

In her case, there’s a drawback- once she uses it, she will be incapacitated for the rest of the day, making her a sitting duck.

Along with her self-proclaimed rival, Yunyun, and other familiar faces, witness Megumin’s journey to harness her dream magic, the origins of Chomuske (her familiar) and her trip to Axel to become an adventurer and greatest explosion magic user!

7. Mahoutsukai no Yome (The Ancient Magus’ Bride) Season 2

Much like a lot of trending anime right now, this show involves magic. The show’s protagonist is Chise Hatori, a 15-year-old girl, who has lived until then, a life of neglect and abuse. Due to her somewhat unconventional behaviour, she was highly ridiculed by her peers and devastatingly, abandoned by her family.

As a last resort, she ends up at an auction, in a desperate attempt to find a home for herself. To her delight, she does indeed get sold, at a price of five million pounds.

This is where the story truly goes south, as her new owner is a man with the head of a beast, wielding strange powers. This man intends to make her his apprentice and BRIDE. Will her life ever be the same again?

RELATED: 15 Best Fantasy Manga Series to Look Out for.

8. Yamada-kun to Lv999 no Koi wo Suru (My Love Story with Yamada-kun at Lv999)

Given how popular the romantic-comedy genre is, it’s no surprise there are so many among the trending anime right now. As the title suggests, Akane’s story is one revolving around love. Akane Kinoshita is a college student who ends up getting dumped by her boyfriend for another girl.

As a way of dealing with her frustration, she continues to play Forest of Saviour, an MMO which she played with him. While bumbling around in the game, she meets Yamada, who is a member of her guild.

On impulse, she begins to lord out her frustration to him, only to be met with an extremely cold shoulder. Not paying much heed to this, she proceeds to scheme her next plan: To go to an in-person event of Forest of Saviour and make her boyfriend regret leaving her.

In the end, she goes for the meet-up and meets a handsome boy who is uninterested in dating. She discovers that this boy is in fact, Yamada, and decides to strike a deal with him.

He is to pretend to be her boyfriend in exchange for a super-rare in-game item.  Just like that, a relationship is kindled, but what fruit could come of such a twisted union?

9. Dr. STONE: NEW WORLD

Among trending anime right now, DR. Stone has quite a unique premise. With the reception of all three seasons, its success is apparent. The series follows Senku, a high-schooler in his quest to rebuild civilisation with the power of science.

The story starts off with the world being enveloped by a flash of green light, which ends up petrifying close to all life forms. After 3,700 years, Senku awakes, breaking out of his petrification to a world in which all traces of advancement have eroded over time.

He then begins to work on finding the cause of this event, and a cure for the petrification. In the long run, after a couple of his friends are awake, he takes on the goal of rebuilding civilisation from scratch, all through science.

Apart from being a pretty good show to watch, it’s quite educational, subtly teaching science on the job. The show has two seasons and a lengthy OVA to watch before New World, so it’s worth getting up to speed in order to ride the hype train!

10. Kimetsu no Yaiba: Katanakaji no Sato-hen (Demon Slayer: Swordsmith Village Arc)

There’s probably not a single person who’s into anime that hasn’t heard of Demon Slayer. It’s not just a trending anime right now, but it’s consistently popular. Kimetsu no Yaiba’s premise is nonetheless straightforward.

Tanjiro Kamado is a young boy who sells charcoal for a living and lives in the mountains with his family. One day, upon returning from work, meets his home smeared with blood. His whole family has been massacred and killed, all except for his sister.

She didn’t go unscathed, as she had transformed into a demon herself, though a benign one. Tanjiro, in his fury, decides to become a demon slayer in order to avenge his family, kill the demons and revert his sister. Like Dr. Stone, this is the third season of the anime, so some groundwork needs to be done to join the fray.

RELATED: 10 places to watch anime in Japanese.

11. Tonikaku Kawaii (TONIKAWA: Over the Moon for You) Season 2

Spring in Japan is often associated with youth, passion and love among other things, so it’s no surprise that rom-coms are popular anime right now. TONIKAWA stars Nasa (not the company) as a young boy who has the brains to match his name, but always gets mocked because of it.

His name aside, his smarts are no joke; ranking first in the national mock exam and gunning for an elite high school. He has everything mapped out. Or so he thought. Upon getting his grades and leaving the centre, he notices a  beautiful girl across the street. In a daze, he tries to approach her but is KO’d by an oncoming truck. 

Thankfully, he survived the onslaught due to the girl’s intervention. As he regains consciousness, he sees her walk away in the moonlight- a feast for his eyes. Determined to finish what he started, he wills his body to go and meet her. He succeeds and then asks her out, but she agrees on one condition: Only if he marries her first!

12. Kidou Senshi Gundam: Suisei No Majou (Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury) Season 2

The Gundam series has been around for almost as long as anime as a whole but has always remained relatively niche. Nevertheless, that changed with this entry in the series: The Witch from Mercury.

The series follows the exploits of Suletta Mercury, a young teenager from Mercury who, by orders from her mother, transfers to an academic institute run by megacorporations and attended by the children of the most powerful CEOs.

With a scarlet light burning in her pure heart, this girl walks step by step through a new world. For people who may have wanted to get into Gundam, this may be a good place to start. It does not require you to watch any of the past entries in the series.

As a most honourable mention, we’d like to shout out Vinland Saga which had its season 2 finish airing as we finished this article. Animated by Studio WIT, it’s a truly phenomenal show with an interesting premise as well. It carries a darker tone like another familiar WIT animated series; Attack On Titan.

In conclusion, it’s almost impossible to list all the anime we think you should watch. At the very least, these 12 should keep you grounded and current with the seasonal trends. We handpicked those with high ratings in particular, so trust us. In case you’re more of a timeless one, these epic all-time favourites might interest you.

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