Anime Expo 2026 announcements delivered one of the biggest weekends of anime news in recent memory, with major updates from Netflix, Prime Video, Disney Plus, Crunchyroll, HBO Max, Studio Trigger, WIT Studio, CloverWorks, Warner Bros. Japan and more. Across four packed days in Los Angeles, fans saw new trailers, early episode premieres, sequel reveals, original projects and release windows for some of the most anticipated anime titles coming in 2026 and 2027.
This year’s event showed just how wide the anime industry has become outside Japan. Streaming platforms, game publishers, manga studios and animation houses all used Anime Expo as a launchpad for their next wave of projects. From the return of Cyberpunk: Edgerunners to a new era for The Ghost in the Shell and the long-awaited rise of Kagurabachi, the convention had something for nearly every kind of anime fan.
Here are the 13 biggest Anime Expo 2026 announcements you need to know.
13. Cyberpunk: Edgerunners 2 Takes Over Anime Expo
One of the biggest reveals of Anime Expo 2026 was Cyberpunk: Edgerunners 2, which is set to arrive on Netflix in fall 2026. The new season is not a direct continuation of the first story, but a standalone 10-episode project set once again in Night City. CD Projekt Red and Studio Trigger are returning, with a new cast and a fresh emotional angle on the violent world of Cyberpunk. Early reports from the Anime Expo premiere say the new season keeps the brutal tone and visual energy that made the original such a breakout hit.
Fans at the event were able to watch the first episode early, making the panel one of the convention’s most talked-about moments. CD Projekt Red later thanked thousands of attendees for avoiding major spoilers after the advance screening, which shows how much anticipation surrounds the new season.
12. The Ghost in the Shell Begins a New Chapter
The Ghost in the Shell is back with a new series from Science Saru, streaming on Prime Video. The new adaptation premiered on July 7, 2026, and follows a weekly release schedule rather than dropping all episodes at once. Reports describe this version as a faithful take on the original manga, with 10 episodes expected in the season.
The series uses a mostly hand-drawn approach, with the creative team emphasizing the human body and physicality in a franchise often defined by technology, identity and cybernetic philosophy. For longtime fans, this marks a major new attempt to bring Masamune Shirow’s world to a modern audience without simply remaking the classic 1995 film.
11. Star Wars: Visions — The Ninth Jedi Gets Its Own Series
One of the most beloved Star Wars: Visions stories is becoming a full series. The Ninth Jedi is expanding beyond its original short episode, with Production I.G. returning to build out the story further. The new series is scheduled to premiere on August 5, 2026, on Disney Plus and Hulu.
Anime Expo attendees were shown the first episode, which reportedly introduced new villains and more lightsaber-focused action. For fans who felt The Ninth Jedi had enough world-building potential to become its own saga, this was one of the most satisfying announcements of the weekend.
10. Kagurabachi Makes a Huge First Impression
Kagurabachi was already one of the most anticipated upcoming anime adaptations, and Anime Expo 2026 only increased the hype. The series is planned for April 2027 on Crunchyroll, with production from Cypic, Shochiku and CyberAgent.
Fans at the event saw around 20 minutes of the first episode, which reportedly impressed the crowd with stylish sword action, a dramatic atmosphere and a powerful soundtrack. With its strong manga following and cinematic katana combat, Kagurabachi is already being positioned as one of the biggest anime debuts of 2027.
9. Modern Fantasy’s Biggest Names Show Up
Fantasy anime had a strong presence at Anime Expo 2026, with major updates for Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End, Delicious in Dungeon and Witch Hat Atelier. Frieren season 3 and Delicious in Dungeon’s next season are both expected in October 2027, while Witch Hat Atelier season 2 is in development with no confirmed release date yet.
These three titles represent very different sides of modern fantasy anime. Frieren focuses on quiet emotion and the passage of time, Delicious in Dungeon mixes adventure with food and comedy, and Witch Hat Atelier leans into magical wonder and detailed world-building. Together, they made fantasy one of the strongest categories at this year’s convention.
8. Solo Leveling Expands With a Theatrical Film
Solo Leveling continues to grow into one of anime’s biggest global franchises. At Anime Expo, the next major project was confirmed as Solo Leveling: Beyond the System, a feature-length film planned for 2027.
The movie is expected to receive a global theatrical run before later streaming on Crunchyroll. Produced by A-1 Pictures and directed by Tao Tajima, the film shows that Solo Leveling is no longer just a popular series; it is becoming a full-scale franchise with the kind of international momentum usually reserved for anime’s biggest names.
7. CloverWorks Shows Its Range With New Projects
CloverWorks had a busy Anime Expo with several projects that showed the studio’s range. The original film Grotesqqque is scheduled for November 6, 2026, while The Guy She Was Interested in Wasn’t a Guy at All is expected in January 2027.
Grotesqqque gives the studio a chance to showcase an ambitious original story, while The Guy She Was Interested in Wasn’t a Guy at All brings a music-driven romantic premise to the screen. Combined with ongoing fan favorites like My Dress-Up Darling, Bocchi the Rock! and The Fragrant Flower Blooms With Dignity, CloverWorks looks set for another major run.
6. Warner Bros. Japan Highlights Steel Ball Run and More
Warner Bros. Japan used Anime Expo 2026 to celebrate its anime catalog while also teasing what comes next. New looks at projects like Devil’s Crest and Blade & Bastard were joined by updates on JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Steel Ball Run and the upcoming Fist of the North Star anime.
Devil’s Crest is set for Prime Video on November 6, 2026, while Blade & Bastard is expected in 2027 on HIDIVE. Instead of relying on one major reveal, Warner Bros. Japan used its panel to show the size and variety of its upcoming slate.
5. WIT Studio Looks Ahead With LONA and a New Awards Festival
WIT Studio’s next original project, LONA, was one of the major topics at the studio’s Anime Expo panel. The series, officially titled Laboratory of Optics and Neural Analysis, is planned for spring 2027.
Studio president George Wada also announced Tokyo Anime Next, a new festival and awards program designed to recognize anime in Japan. The event is being organized with the Association of Japanese Animations and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, with the first edition scheduled for Tokyo’s Ikebukuro district from October 30 to November 2.
4. Studio Trigger Teases a New Imaishi and Nakashima Collaboration
While Cyberpunk: Edgerunners 2 was the biggest Studio Trigger news, the studio also teased another major project: a fourth collaboration between Hiroyuki Imaishi and Kazuki Nakashima. The pair is best known for works like Gurren Lagann, Kill la Kill and Promare.
No release date, platform or story details have been confirmed yet, but the announcement alone was enough to excite fans. Whenever Imaishi and Nakashima reunite, expectations are high for bold visuals, wild action and emotional chaos.
3. MAPPA Joins Persona 4 Revival
Anime Expo also delivered gaming-related anime news, with MAPPA confirmed to be producing animated cutscenes for Persona 4 Revival. The remake is scheduled for February 18, 2027, on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and PC.
The collaboration connects Atlus and Sega with one of anime’s most recognizable modern studios. MAPPA’s experience with expressive character animation and high-energy action makes it a strong fit for Persona’s mix of emotional drama, supernatural mystery and stylish presentation.
2. Final Fantasy Artist Yoshitaka Amano Reveals ZAN
Legendary Final Fantasy artist Yoshitaka Amano is developing an original anime titled ZAN. The project is being produced by Yoshitaka Amano Inc. and Twin Planet Co., and early footage shown around Anime Expo highlighted a hand-drawn fantasy world built around Amano’s unmistakable visual identity.
The project is still several years away, partly because of its ambitious hand-drawn approach. Even so, ZAN already stands out as one of the most artistic and unusual reveals from Anime Expo 2026, especially for fans who have followed Amano’s work across Final Fantasy and beyond.
1. Junji Ito Returns to Television With Strange
Horror fans had one major reason to pay attention to Anime Expo 2026: Junji Ito: Strange. The new television anthology adapts more unsettling stories from the legendary horror creator and is expected to reach international audiences on HBO Max in fall 2026. The first episodes premiered at Anime Expo, while the series has also begun airing in Japan on TV Tokyo.
Instead of relying only on sudden scares, Strange appears to focus on the creeping dread that has made Ito’s manga so influential. Everyday fears, bodily horror and surreal nightmares are expected to shape the anthology, making it one of the most important horror anime releases to watch this year.
Anime Expo 2026 Set Up a Huge Future for Anime
Taken together, the biggest Anime Expo 2026 announcements made one thing clear: the next two years are packed. Cyberpunk: Edgerunners 2 and Junji Ito: Strange are leading the fall 2026 conversation, while Kagurabachi, Solo Leveling, LONA, Persona 4 Revival and several major fantasy sequels are already building hype for 2027.
For anime fans, Anime Expo 2026 was not just a weekend of trailers and panels. It was a preview of where the industry is heading next, with streaming platforms, game studios and major animation houses all competing to deliver bigger, stranger and more ambitious projects.