It's the Pictures Winter Anime Preview 2026

The last time I did this, the preview was posted on Paste Magazine. Since then, Paste has dissolved most of its coverage of anime and moved it to its sister site, The A.V. Club. So instead of not covering anime anymore (something I never even considered), I'm going to pick up the preview and share it here. I know this is the first time I've shared anime coverage here on the Ghost version of this newsletter, so let me know what you think. Do you find anime previews interesting? How could I change the format? Feel free to sound off in the comments.

I’m going to be writing about some of the anime I've watched in the Winter 2026 season. While there are plenty of highly anticipated sequels, I mainly stuck with shows making their debut. That means you won't have to have seen three seasons of Fire Force to understand the preview. Don’t worry if Japanese Anime isn’t for you; I’ll be back with movie reviews and features soon. Most TV series can be watched on streaming services like Crunchyroll, HIDIVE, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, and Netflix.

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In the Clear Moonlit Dusk

Based on the Japanese manga series of the same name, In the Clear Moonlit Dusk is a pretty typical Shoujo anime series. The protagonist, Yoi Takiguchi, is a first-year high school student who is tall and has masculine features. Among her peers, she's known as "Prince," and unintentionally earns the affections of her classmates. She's never really been seen as a woman to anyone except when she runs into a boy, Kohaku Ichimura, who becomes enraptured by her features. For Yoi, this is the first time a boy has hit on her, and she isn't quite sure how to feel about it!

If you're a fan of the Shoujo genre, this premise doesn't sound too original. What I liked about the show was mostly the modern animation. I don't think this does anything revolutionary, but if you're looking for a cute romance anime this season, could do worse than In the Clear Moonlit Dusk.

Rating: 3/5
Release date: Now Airing
Where to watch: Crunchyroll

The Holy Grail of Eris

The Holy Grail of Eris is based on a Japanese light novel series written by Kujira Tokiwa and illustrated by Yuunagi. This fantasy/suspense anime follows the life of Constance Grail, a young socialite whose family has lost its fortune. Grail is engaged to a young man who will provide for her family, and although she wishes to marry for love, her fiancé doesn't seem so bad. That's until she discovers he's cheating on her with another woman! Maybe she could tolerate that as long as her family was secure, but the woman looks to shame Grail as well. When all hope is lost, Grail becomes possessed by Scarlett Castiel, a woman who was executed over a decade ago. Is this the answer to all of Grail's problems, or is it only the beginning of them?

Crunchyroll aired a show last season, May I Ask for One Final Thing?, that had a very similar setup. But instead of a frail protagonist seeking help, that character can handle things on her own. That being said, both shows worked for me with their premise. I don't know which one will be better (or if it's even fair to compare them based on one episode), but I liked The Holy Grail of Eris fine. There is a tease late in the episode that hints that this show might be darker than its premise would make you believe, so that might be something to look forward to as well.

Rating: 3.5/5
Release date: Now Airing
Where to watch: Crunchyroll

Hana-Kimi

Hana-Kimi is a romance anime that began serialization almost thirty years ago. It's received multiple live-action adaptations, but never in anime form, until now. I guess my biggest question is, why now? The premise, laid out from the first episode, is that Mizuki Ashiya is a Japanese girl who lives in the United States. Seemingly, on a whim, she decides to attend high school in Japan. The reason? She idolizes a young male athlete and wants to attend the same school he does. It isn't enough that she's decided to travel to Japan to follow this boy, but she also has to disguise herself because he attends an all-boys school.

I have family members who have plenty of nostalgia for Hana-Kimi because they grew up reading it. Maybe at the ages of 8-12, this romance anime can double as a wish-fulfillment story of following someone you love across the ocean. Maybe that even was fine in the 90s when this was published (no, it really wasn't). Even if you like this genre of story, where a masculine female character (Bifauxnen) dresses as a boy and has boys fall for her, I'm positive this has been done better since. I mean, even look at In the Clear Moonlit Dusk, as another example of this. So the biggest question for this adaptation isn't what took them so long; rather, why now?

Rating: 2/5
Release date: Now Airing
Where to watch: Crunchyroll

Journal with Witch

This season's winner for worst translated title is Journal with Witch. This story has no magic or fantasy elements, so if that's what you were expecting, better leave this one behind. Instead, we get the type of story that is atypical for the anime genre. Following the tragic death of her parents, 15-year-old Asa Takumi is left with no home to call her own. The only person who is willing to take her in is her aunt, Makio Kodai, a 35-year-old novelist who likes to keep to herself. In fact, the fewer people around her, the better. It's really odd then that Makio would decide to take her niece in. Especially since Makio had a really adversarial relationship with her deceased sister. Journal with Witch is really about these two women learning to become a family despite everything that has happened to them.

My peers have been giving this show rave reviews, likely because it's something we don't usually see adapted into an anime. It's a change of pace, and it's a really wonderful story at the same time. If you've found yourself tired of following the latest Shonen action series or Isekai show, Journal with Witch is like a soothing balm. It shows that the genre is capable of quite a few different things, and this one might be worth trying.

Rating: 4.5/5
Release date: Now Airing
Where to watch: Crunchyroll

You and I Are Polar Opposites

While I hate to use this word in my writing, You and I Are Polar Opposites can only be defined as cute. Based on the Japanese web manga series written and illustrated by Kocha Agasawa, this romantic comedy has the juice. Miyu Suzuki is a gyaru with pink hair and painted nails, whose bubbly personality invites everyone into her circle. What she can't let anyone know is that she has feelings for her classmate, Yusuke Tani, who is the polar opposite of her. He's quiet and a bit of an introvert. While Miyu is desperate to convey her feelings, she can't fathom a world where Yusuke would like her in return.

Before you get worried that this premise would be excruciating to watch over a 12-episode series, the show mainly focuses on what happens after they get together. So if you are a person who prefers the chase of a romance, I might suggest a series like Kimi ni Todoke. Otherwise, I imagine You and I Are Polar Opposites will be an adorable series with an unlikely pair.

Rating: 3.5/5
Release date: Now Airing
Where to watch: Crunchyroll

Frieren: Beyond Journey's End Season 2

Frieren: Beyond Journey's End is one of only two shows on this list that's a sequel. That's simply because it's really good and I think it's well worth your time. The premise is that Frieren is a mage who went on a successful epic quest with her allies. Having completed her mission, she went on to explore other mysteries. What she didn't anticipate was that she would miss her allies. She's an elf, so time is measured differently for her, and when she finally returns to see her allies once again, they are near death. Guilt overwhelms her, and she begins a quest to the resting place of souls so that she can see her fallen allies one more time.

The first season was really great with Frieren gaining allies like the apprentice mage, Fern, and a young warrior, Stark. For the premiere of season 2, the episode works to get the audience reacquainted with these characters. So I expect the show to pick up quite a bit from here. If you missed out on the first season, you can watch it on Crunchyroll or Netflix.

Rating: S2 premier (3/5), the show (4.5/5)
Release date: January 16th
Where to watch: Crunchyroll

Love Through a Prism

Love Through a Prism is Netflix's big original this season, and it's an anime original series from author Yoko Kamio (Boys Over Flowers). It is being produced by Wit Studios (Attack on Titan), so in addition to a promising story, there expectation that this will be a high-quality production as well. I haven't seen any of this yet, but I had to include it here. I'll certainly be tuning in.

Release date: January 16th
Where to watch: Netflix

Medalist S2

In perfect timing for the return of this figure skating anime, Medalist Season 2 is set to premiere on Disney+ and Hulu on January 25th. The premise for this one is that 11-year-old Inori Yuitsuka dreams of becoming a figure skater. Although that's her dream, her mother won't let her pursue it because Inori's older sister got injured in the sport. It looks like a lost cause until a former ice dancer, Tsukasa Akeuraji, decides to become her coach. With permission to skate secured, she has a lot of ground to make up to pursue her dreams of becoming a competitive figure skater.

If you are looking for one figure skating anime to watch during the Olympics, watch Yuri on Ice. If you are looking for a second figure skating anime to watch during the Olympics, Medalist is a pretty sweet story. While I watched a few episodes of this dubbed in English with my six-year-old, I think I'd probably put the age rating at Y7. Either way, I enjoyed what I've seen of this sports anime (having seen 8 season one episodes), so I can easily recommend it.

Release date: January 25th
Where to watch: Disney+, Hulu

This is a list of some other series that anime fans were looking forward to this season. I didn't get to watch these, but wanted to include them here:

• Oshi No Ko Season 3
• Sentenced to Be a Hero
• Fate/strange Fake
• Golden Kamuy Final
• SHIBOYUGI
• Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3
• Fire Force Season 3 Part 2
• Trigun Stargaze