Frieren and Jujutsu Kaisen are the best anime of the season according to Japan

Deciding which series is the best of the season always sparks an internet war, but this time the battle ended in a completely unexpected way. This Tuesday, within the anime community, the Winter 2026 voting results were revealed, declaring a historic perfect tie for first place between the sorcery of Jujutsu Kaisen and the beautiful magic of Frieren: Beyond Journey's End.

Magic and spells dominate Japan

The famous Japanese portal AnimeAnime was responsible for organizing this survey to ask otakus which was their favorite work to get through the cold season. The results showed that fans' hearts are divided. On one hand, the third season of Jujutsu Kaisen captivated everyone with its brutal combat, top-tier animation, and a story full of unpredictable deaths. On the other, the second season of our favorite elf proved that you don't need fights every second to succeed, winning over the audience with its emotional moments and spectacular duels against demons.

The rest of the Top 5

But life isn't all about curses and ancient elves. The rest of the popularity list showed that Japanese fans consume highly varied stories of all kinds. The idol comedy Tamon-kun Ima Docchi!? surprised everyone by snatching the bronze medal in third place. Following closely, the intense ice skating drama of Medalist in its second season took fourth place, while the dark secrets of the entertainment industry in Oshi no Ko closed out the coveted Top 5.

Hype explodes with new announcements

To make the victory even sweeter, the voting period brought with it massive announcements for the future of the winning franchises that left fans screaming with excitement:

• The return of the elf: It was officially confirmed that the third season of Frieren, titled "The Golden Land Arc," is already in production and will premiere in October 2027.
• Magic on ice: Fans of the sports drama also celebrated the announcement of a new animated film for Medalist, scheduled to hit theaters in 2027.
• A healthy market: This historic tie shows us that the anime industry is at its peak, giving equal value to a high-octane action shonen and a slow, emotional story.

With these massive announcements on the table and millions of dollars invested in the upcoming seasons, the war to see which of these two franchises becomes the most important anime of the decade is more alive than ever, leaving the community counting down the days on the calendar for their next releases.