10 anime films on our 2026 radar

Updated 24 July 2026: this is not presented as a single worldwide box-office chart. Anime film releases are split across Japan, streaming, and limited international runs. These are ten editorial picks that best represent what is worth watching or tracking this year.

1. Cosmic Princess Kaguya! — streaming on Netflix since 22 January. It reimagines the old Kaguya tale inside a music-charged virtual world shaped by livestream culture, making it a strong choice for anyone seeking an original rather than a franchise extension.

2. All You Need Is Kill — opened in Japan on 9 January and in North American theaters on 16 January. Studio 4°C turns the science-fiction novel and its time loop into a visually concentrated standalone anime feature.

3. Mobile Suit Gundam Hathaway: The Sorcery of Nymph Circe — opened in Japan on 30 January and reached North American theaters on 15 May. Its number-one Japanese box-office debut showed that Gundam’s political drama still commands a big-screen audience.

4. Gintama: Yoshiwara in Flames — opened in Japan on 13 February with an IMAX version. The film brings one of Gintama’s best-known conflicts to theaters, balancing the franchise’s comic identity with heavier dramatic and action stakes.

5. The Dangers in My Heart: The Movie — released in Japan on 13 February with early U.S. screenings. It is a compilation of the television anime, best approached as a theatrical way to revisit the central relationship rather than a wholly separate story.

6. That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime: Tears of the Azure Sea — began its Japanese run on 27 February before an international rollout. Rimuru and company move into a new seaside adventure, offering an accessible franchise event for established fans.

7. Mononoke the Movie: The Curse of the Serpent — opened in Japan on 29 May as the third and final chapter of the Mononoke film trilogy. Its saturated color and theatrical design make the large screen part of the experience rather than merely a delivery format.

8. Assassination Classroom the Movie: Our Time — released in Japan on 20 March and began streaming on Crunchyroll on 23 July. It is now one of the easiest films on this list to watch at home, especially for viewers already attached to Class 3-E.

9. Your Name. — new 4K remaster (from 14 August in selected North American theaters): this tenth-anniversary return is not a new story, but it is a chance to revisit Makoto Shinkai’s backgrounds and light in an upgraded theatrical presentation.

10. The Last Blossom — a limited North American theatrical event on 30 and 31 August. It is the first original feature-length anime from ODDTAXI director Baku Kinoshita, written by Kazuya Konomoto, which makes it an auteur project rather than a franchise checkpoint.

How to use this list: start with what is legally available in your country, then set reminders for limited events. Theatrical and streaming access varies by region, so check the local distributor before buying tickets or a subscription.