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Laura is a born-and-raised Dominican creative with a deep passion for animation and an unhealthy obsession with Studio Ghibli. She has worked as Collider’s Social Media Coordinator since January 2021, where she oversees everything from day-to-day audience engagement to long-term growth strategies across all major social platforms.
Working closely within the entertainment industry has allowed Laura to develop a more critical and informed perspective on the media she consumes, which led to her training as a Features Writer in 2023. Since then, she has been avidly writing whatever she is allowed to put her hands on.
One of the highlights of Laura’s career has been the opportunity to interview several notable creatives behind the shows and films she loves. These include Dandadan Season 1 producer Hiroshi Kamei, voice actors Abby Trott, AJ Beckles, and Aleks Le, as well as Arcane showrunner Christian Linke, co-director Barthélemy Maunoury, and co-executive producer Amanda Overton.
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Happy New Year! Ready to become a brand-new, all-improved version of yourself? Us too. But as we start mapping out our New Year’s resolutions with new workout routines, better habits, and lofty goals, it’s just as important to carve out moments to rest and enjoy the things that bring us happiness. After all, rest is progress, as they say. And what better way to unwind than by kicking up your feet, grabbing the remote, and catching up on or discovering your next favorite anime series?
Luckily, this January has you covered. The Winter anime season is arriving with a stacked lineup full of fresh stories, long-awaited returns, and exciting continuations of fan-favorite worlds. Whether you’re in the mood for something cozy and romantic or you’re craving a high-stakes fantasy adventure, there’s something here for every kind of viewer. Looking for love? Love Through a Prism is ready to sweep you off your feet. Want more heartfelt fantasy? Frieren: Beyond Journey's End returns with new chapters in its stunning journey. And if action is more your speed, you can dive right back into hero society with My Hero Academia: Vigilantes Season 2. So settle in, relax, and let us guide you through the best anime series coming to your screen this month!
7 ‘My Hero Academia: Vigilantes’
Season 2
Image via Studio BonesRelease Date: January 5, 2026
Cast: Shuuichirou Umeda, Yasuhiro Mamiya, Ikumi Hasegawa, Kenta Miyake, Junichi Suwabe.
If you’re missing My Hero Academia after that epic finale, you can return to the world of All Might with My Hero Academia: Vigilantes. Based on the spin-off manga written by Hideyuki Furuhashi and illustrated by Betten Court, this exciting series serves as a prequel to Deku’s story, with several events directly connecting to the main storyline. Just like Izuku Midoriya, Kouichi Haimawari dreams of becoming a hero just like the ones he admires. Unfortunately for him, simply having a Quirk isn’t enough to join the ranks of pro heroes. Instead, he uses his “sliding” ability to perform small acts of kindness, the kind of everyday good deeds that fall through the cracks for both police and heroes.
Everything changes when Kouichi is rescued from a back-alley fight by an unlicensed hero, or vigilante, named Knuckleduster. Seeing untapped potential in Kouichi’s Quirk, Knuckleduster recruits him for a special mission to track down a dangerous new drug. Together with online sensation Pop☆Step, this unlikely trio sets out to uncover the truth and stop the criminals who slip past the law. With the same high-intensity fight scenes, emotional core, and dynamic animation as My Hero Academia, Vigilantes is a breath of fresh air for fans eager to spend a little more time in this beloved world.
6 ‘MF Ghost’
Season 3
Image via Felix FilmRelease Date: January 4, 2026
Cast: Yuuma Uchida, Ayane Sakura, Takehito Koyasu, Tomokazu Seki.
MF Ghost is the sequel to Initial D, the iconic 1995 street-racing manga that also received a beloved anime adaptation. The series is set sometime in the 2020s, where self-driving electric cars have largely replaced traditional cars. However, in Japan, a major organization known as MFG, founded by Initial D character Ryosuke Takahashi, keeps the spirit of street racing alive by focusing exclusively on high-speed competitions using combustion-engine cars.
The story follows 19-year-old Kanata Rivington, a Japanese-British racer who arrives on the scene driving a Toyota 86. Despite his older vehicle, Kanata quickly climbs the ranks thanks to his rigorous training under legendary downhill and rally racer Takumi Fujiwara, who is the protagonist of Initial D, at the Royal Donington Racing School in the UK. But Kanata’s main reason for returning to Japan has nothing to do with trophies, as he’s searching for his estranged father. With the same adrenaline-filled race sequences and technical detail that made Initial D a classic, MF Ghost offers a thrilling new chapter that both longtime fans and newcomers can enjoy.
5 Jujutsu Kaisen: The Culling Game
Part 1
Image via MAPPARelease Date: January 9
Cast: Junya Enoki, Yuuma Uchida, Megumi Ogata, Daisuke Namikawa.
In Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3, Yuji Itadori is forced to confront the devastating aftermath of Sukuna’s massacre in Shibuya, grappling with guilt and responsibility for the destruction left behind. With Gojo sealed inside the Prison Realm, Yuji must also face the unforgiving judgment of jujutsu society without his protection. As tensions rise, one of the world’s most powerful sorcerers and Gojo’s former pupil returns to Japan with the intention to execute Yuji. Meanwhile, Suguru Geto, now revealed as Kenjaku, sets an intricate plan into motion that threatens to plunge Japan and the world beyond into chaos.
Already a massive success, Jujutsu Kaisen's third season is among the most-awaited anime projects of the year. Season 2 was among the biggest hits of 2023, and expectations are high for the follow-up. Adapting three of the manga's story arcs — "Itadori's Extermination", "Perfect Preparation", and "Culling Game" — Season 3 of this popular show will return with a fury, promising more of the same relentless action that fans have come to expect.
4 'Fire Force'
Season 3 Part 2
Image via CrunchyrollRelease Date: January 10
Cast: Gakuto Kajiwara, Yuusuke Kobayashi, Aoi Yuuki, Mao Ichimichi, Saeko Kamijou, Kazuya Nakai, Kenichi Suzumura.
In Fire Force, the world is plagued by a mysterious phenomenon that causes people to spontaneously combust and transform into violent, fire-based creatures known as Infernals. While Infernals represent the first generation of Human Combustion, second and third-generation cases are known as pyrokinetics, humans gifted with the ability to manipulate flames while retaining their humanity. Among them is third-generation pyrokinetic Shinra Kusakabe, nicknamed “Devil’s Footprints” for his explosive ability to ignite his feet at will. Determined to fight the Infernals, Shinra joins the Special Fire Force, an organization tasked with battling these creatures and uncovering the cause behind Human Combustion.
Assigned to Company 8, Shinra hopes to help rid the world of this fiery terror, but the reality of being a hero is more complicated than Shinra imagined, as the Fire Force is fractured by feuding brigades and a shadowy organization claims to hold answers to the mysterious blaze that killed Shinra’s family when he was just a child. Facing threats both within and beyond the Fire Force, Shinra fights to uncover the truth behind the burning secrets that haunt him. Fire Force Season 3 will be the series’ final chapter, centering on Company 8’s battle against the White-Clad and the Evangelist to stop the Earth from becoming a second sun.
3 ‘Hell’s Paradise’
Season 2
Image via YUJI KAKU/SHUEISHA, TWIN ENGINE, MAPPARelease Date: January 11
Cast: Chiaki Kobayashi, Yumiri Hanamori, Rie Takahashi, Chikahiro Kobayashi.
After leading a life steeped in death and violence, ninja Gabimaru the Hollow is sentenced to execution, yet every attempt to kill him inexplicably fails. When Sagiri Yamada, a member of a famed executioner clan, is tasked with ending Gabimaru’s life, she offers him a different fate instead: to earn a full pardon for his crimes, Gabimaru must travel to the island of Shinsenkyo and retrieve the Elixir of Life, a legendary substance said to grant immortality, and deliver it to the shogun. The mission is anything but simple, as nearly everyone who has set foot on the island has returned either broken in mind or not at all.
Unaware of the true horrors that await them, Gabimaru and ten other death-row convicts are sent on this perilous journey as they venture into the unknown. Hell’s Paradise Season 2 will continue the brutal quest for the Elixir of Life on Shinsenkyo, diving deeper into the island’s mysteries, revealing more of Gabimaru’s past, and exploring new alliances among the remaining survivors.
2 Love Through a Prism
Image via NetflixRelease Date: January 15
Cast: Kouki Uchiyama, Atsumi Tanezaki, Yuuko Kaida, Junichi Suwabe.
While most anime are adapted from manga series, ONAs (original net animations) have become increasingly more common. Love Through a Prism is one such example. Created by the author of the beloved classic manga Boys Over Flowers and produced by WIT Studio, the series promises to be everyone's new romantic obsession and an ideal mix of historical fiction and coming-of-age with a heavy dose of love.
It follows Lili Ichijouin, a Japanese exchange student who travels to England in the early 1900s to enroll at the prestigious Saint Thomas Art Academy. Determined to become a painter, Lili must prove to her parents that her dream is worth pursuing by rising to the top of her class within six months; otherwise, she’ll be forced to return home. Lili’s resolve is tested when she meets Kit Church, a gifted aristocratic student known for both his exceptional talent and emotional detachment from everyone around him. While Kit has devoted himself entirely to his art, Lili’s sincerity begins to stir something within him. Though the two share little beyond their passion for painting, their growing connection quickly becomes the focal point of everyone at the academy.
1 ‘Frieren: Beyond Journey's End’
Season 2
Image via MadhouseRelease Date: January 16, 2026
Cast: Atsumi Tanezaki, Kana Ichinose, Chiaki Kobayashi.
The hero Himmel and his party — composed of the priest Heiter, the dwarf warrior Eisen, and the elven mage Frieren — embark on a decade-long quest to defeat the Demon King, creating long-lasting and beautiful memories… for most of them. But for Frieren, who has lived for over a thousand years, the time she spent with her companions is only a brief moment, and soon after their victory, she returns to her routine of wandering the continent in search of new spells. As the years pass, however, Frieren slowly begins to understand just how deeply her time with the hero’s party affected her. After witnessing the deaths of two of her former companions, she begins to regret having taken their presence for granted. Determined to better understand humans and form genuine connections, she sets out on a new journey, one that leads her to Fern and Stark, the new friends who will accompany her on the adventures ahead.
Frieren: Beyond Journey's End has been widely celebrated as one of the best anime series of all time thanks to its masterful storytelling, emotional depth, and stunning animation. It’s no surprise that Season 2 has become one of the most anticipated returns of the year, and fans only have to wait a few more days before they get to experience this story again.
English (US) ·