We were truly spoiled for choice with shojosei for Winter 2026, from subtle drama to broad comedy, from high fantasy to slice-of-life, and from early contenders for anime of the year to some truly awful dreck. Spring doesn’t bring us quite the same embarrassment of riches, but there’s still a meaty selection available.
We’ve put together this guide ahead of the upcoming season to help our readers stay abreast of what’s coming out. While most of the series are new to the staff, I’ve cobbled together some notes about what catches our eye about each one based on trailers, summaries, reviews of the source material, and discussion between existing fans. In short, it’s all preliminary judgments and educated guesses, designed to help audiences find the right show for them.
Agents of the Four Seasons: Dance of Spring
Source: Light novel by Kana Akatsuki, Dengeki Bunko imprint, 2021 – present; Manga by Kana Akatsuki with art by Yuriko Asami, Lala magazine, 2022 – present
Airdate: March 28, 2026
What’s it about? Winter was once the only season in the world—but such an existence was too lonely to bear, and so it created Spring to love. Before long, the earth wished for more time to rest in the cycle, and Summer and Autumn were born. The ones who carry the cycle are called the Agents of the Four Seasons. Hinagiku, the Agent of Spring, disappeared from this land ten years ago, taking the season of spring with her. Now, after incredible hardship, she has returned to restore the cycle to its proper state—and, as in the myth passed down since the dawn of time, she sends her love to Winter. (from the Yen Press website)
Why we’re excited for it: Oooooh, pretty pictures! We here at AniFem love a shojo fantasy, and studio WIT is guaranteed to bring the world of Agents of the Four Seasons to breathtaking life. I also have a weakness for mythic, fairy tale-style stories about personifications of the natural world, which is exactly what this story is about. Akatsuki described the story as stemming from her interest in coming up with whimsical explanations for natural phenomena, which has potential to be a lot of fun.
What gives us pause: Akatsuki already has another work that has been adapted into anime: Violet Evergarden. While that may be a point in Agents of the Four Seasons’ favor for many, I found Violet Evergarden to be overwrought and maudlin. Four Seasons is a romance, which was easily the weakest part of its predecessor as well. Hinagiku, the agent of spring, also gives off a passive, damsel-ish vibe, rather than the kind of spirited protagonist we generally prefer in our action fantasy series.
Go For It, Nakamura-kun!!
Source: Manga by Syundei, Opera magazine, 2014-2016
Airdate: April 1, 2026
What’s it about? Nakamura is a shy boy who falls in love at first sight with one of his classmates–his dreamy high school classmate, Hirose. But there’s a problem: they haven’t met yet. And Nakamura is a total klutz who might bungle things before they even begin! (from the Seven Seas website)
Why we’re excited for it: Technically this is BL, not shojo, but it’s so universally beloved by the staff here that we’re giving it a pass anyway. It’s probably best-known among Anglophone fandom for the meme its cover spawned, but the story within is even more worthwhile. With a goofy sense of humor, good-natured character writing, and a fun 90’s-inspired art style, it’s hard not to be charmed by the manga. The anime is also being written and directed by Aoi Umeki, who gave us the wonderfully off-the-wall anime adaptation of Pop Team Epic and seems to be a good match for the series sense of humor.
What gives us pause: Two volumes of manga are hardly enough to sustain a twelve-episode anime series. While I have faith that Umeki will be adept enough to expand on the existing stories to fill up the time, you can’t blame me for being nervous. More than that, the studio producing it, Drive, has a rather… ignominious track record, with Tying the Knot with an Amagami Sister and the very rushed adaptation of The Demon Prince of Momochi House both included in their rather short resume. The series was also delayed for a year. Was that extension a sign that they wanted to take the time to do it right, or that they were scrambling?
Kirio Fan Club
Source: Manga by Ponchan Chikyū No Osakana, Comic Ruelle magazine, 2022-2024
Airdate: April 2, 2026
What’s it about? What would you do if your crush had ear-splitting farts? Such are the deep, philosophical questions Aimi and Nami, two friends-slash-rivals in romance, ponder as they pull out every unhinged stop to catch the eye of their oblivious classmate Kirio—conducting nightly rituals to entice him into their dreams and listing what they love about him down to the very last organ.
But can their hilarious friendship survive the battle for the heart of this boy who hardly seems to know they exist? (from the Kodansha website)
Why we’re excited for it: I haven’t checked out the manga yet myself, but I’ve talked with my reviewer colleagues who read an advance copy and this is going to be a strange one, y’all. You know, in case you couldn’t figure that out from the summary. Which, if you’re going to write a series about a couple of girls crushing on a milquetoast dude, you should get weird with it! The story is even in on the joke of his lack of interesting qualities, based on the trailer. There’s also the fact that the two main characters, Aimi and Nami, bond over their shared love instead treating one another as primarily rivals.
What gives us pause: Nothing really stands out, to be honest. It’s being streamed on HiDive, which will limit its audience to be sure, and director Sou Toyama’s sole credit helming an anime is the cancelled Ten Count movie. While I’m not super hyped for it, there’s no seed of doubt about the series in my heart either.
Magical Sisters LuluttoLilly
Source: Original
Airdate: April 5, 2026
What’s it about? Fuu Nonoyama and Rui Nonoyama are sisters from a “land of magic,” who were once on terms with one another, but have drifted apart. Suddenly, they are given magical powers by two cat-like spirits, Uguisu and Azuki, allowing them to transform into magical girl idols. However, there is a catch: these powers only last for a year and they cannot tell anyone that that magic exists. While neither Fuu nor Rui knows one another are magical girls, they soon begin their careers as idols. (from Wikipedia)
Why we’re excited for it: Some people may be asking why we’re including an original magical girl series in the post-Madoka era in this list. Sit down, kiddos, it’s time for a history lesson. Once upon a time, when original anime series were more commonplace, studio Pierrot had a meta-series of magical girl series that shared a number of traits but were otherwise unrelated, starting with Magical Angel Creamy Mami. In 1998, the fifth installment, Fancy Lala, was not a huge success, and the series was abandoned. That is, until now. Magical Sisters LuluttoLily is picking up the mantle, providing little girls with a modern update to the classic magical girl genre without being part of a huge franchise.
What gives us pause: Wait, why is this airing at 10:30pm, when most of those little girls are asleep? Deeply concerning.
An Observation Log of My Fiancée Who Calls Herself a Villainess
Source: Light novel by Shiki and illustrated by Wan Hachipisu, Regina Books, 2017; manga by Shiki with art by Natsume Hasumi, Regina Comics, 2018-2021
Airdate: April 6, 2026
What’s it about? Exceptionally gifted to his own detriment, Prince Cecil had always found life effortlessly mundane. One ordinary day, his life took an unexpected turn when he became engaged to Miss Bertia, the Chancellor’s daughter. This engagement, however, was anything but typical.
“Prince Cecil! I must confess – I am the villain of this story!” Bertia’s declaration was startling. She claimed to have memories of her former life, where she had been the antagonist in a “Otome game”. Her lofty ambition was to excel as a villainess and thus have her engagement annulled. However, despite her plans for various misdeeds, her attempts have always been unsuccessful.
Is her fiancé, who aspires to master villainous finesse, simply misguided in his endeavours? (from Hanashi media)
Why we’re excited for it: This sounds like a fun twist on the villainess genre, doesn’t it? Yes, the genre is getting played out, but every few seasons one still manages to charm me with strong character writing or a creative iteration on the format. Observation Log has the potential, at the very least, to be in the second category. The story is told from the point of view of Prince Cecil, who has his own issues instead of being a dully idealized love interest; maybe stepping outside of the heroine’s perspective will bring some fresh life.
What gives us pause: Junichi Yamamoto may have directed Maebashi Witches, but I think we can all agree most of the magic of that show came from the writing, right? Yamamoto bears responsibility for such often unfortunate-looking series as Anyway, I’m Falling in Love with You and More than a Married Couple, But Not Lovers, and the outright disaster that was Haigakura. The trailers for Observation Log don’t look promising, either; they have none of the manic energy you’d want from a show like this, or really any energy at all, since they consist mostly of people standing still with their mouths opening and closing. Plus, while the premise does have some promise, it appears that the antagonist is, of course, another person reincarnated as the game’s heroine and has an inflated ego. This is now almost as cliche as the public rejection scenes and regency-inspired setting, and has a vaguely misogynistic flavor.
Beyond Twilight
Source: Manga by Ichiko Ima, Nemuki magazine, 1995-present
Airdate: April 7, 2026
What’s it about? Ritsu is a young man who has inherited the ability to see spirits and demons from his late grandfather, a renowned novelist and spiritualist. This “sixth sense” makes Ritsu visible to entities from the spirit world, leaving him vulnerable to good and evil forces. After his grandfather’s death, Ritsu loses the protection he once had under his care and forms a contract with a demon guardian known as Blue Storm, whose motives are not always aligned with Ritsu’s well-being. The series is structured as a collection of largely self-contained stories, centered on supernatural incidents that arise around Ritsu and Blue Storm. (from Wikipedia)
Why we’re excited for it: Horror shojo has a long history, but it hasn’t been getting a lot of adaptations for the past few decades. Beyond Twilight has been running for over thirty years and has been printed in 31 collected volumes, along with a live-action drama from 2007. We are always excited to see shojo series in genres other than romance get their due; while horror isn’t my genre of choice, I’m glad it’s going to exist. The protagonist is played by Nobuhiko Okamoto, who you may know as Mizuki from Kamisama Kiss, Usui from Maid-sama, or Sinha from Yona of the Dawn. Or just, you know, Bakugo from My Hero Academia, but who even watches that show anyway?
What gives us pause: For one thing, it’s a short, and those haven’t been getting picked up by licensing companies quite as often as they did for a spell. On top of that, the animation looks awful. It’s more of a motion comic than anything else, with static figures sliding across the screen as they recreate manga panels. It makes Way of the Househusband’s awful anime adaptation look good.
The Most Heretical Last Boss Queen: From Villainess to Savior — Season 2
Source: Light novel by Tenichi, 2019-present; manga written by Tenichi with art by Bunko Matsuura, Monthly Comic Zero Sum, 2020-present
Airdate: April 7, 2026
What’s it about? Pride Royal Ivy is an eight-year-old princess. One day she realizes something: in her previous life she had been an ordinary girl born into a typical Japanese family—nothing special, just a normal child. But now, she has been reborn as the cruel and merciless final-boss queen in the otome game Kimi to Hitosuji no Hikari o (“A Ray of Light With You”). Realizing this, she now decides to rely on her memories of having played the game and achieve something only she can do: avoid the coming tragedies and create a world where every character can find happiness. Thus begins a fantasy about a highly capable villainess princess striving to avoid becoming the final boss. (from HIDIVE)
Why we’re excited for it: For one thing, a second season is reason enough to celebrate. Hurrah for a josei series getting its due! The Most Heretical Last Boss Queen may be one of the more straightforward takes on the genre, but what sets it apart is its tone. Villainess series tend to be silly comedies or focus on the personal circumstances of the protagonist. Pride, on the other hand, looks farther ahead than her own life, and seeks to become a wise and competent leader for her country. Series about women in leadership roles are worth valuing.
What gives us pause: I’ve never really engaged with this one outside of the obligatory first episode, but I asked fellow staff member Alex Henderson for their take. They responded, “I watched the first season and was not too impressed with it—it did some odd stuff with Fantasy Slavery that was inconsistent and uncomfortable.” Basically, “slavery is bad, but the heroine mind-controlling a (notably darker-skinned) character to bend them to her will is fine!” makes for quite a tonal dissonance.
Pardon the Intrusion, I’m Home!
Source: Manga by Watomura, Koisuru Soiree magazine, 2020-present
Airdate: April 7, 2026
What’s it about? So is this what it means to have roommates now?! Office worker Rinko, 24, lives alone and is secretly an otaku. One day, her apartment gets connected to the two neighboring rooms through a “hole” in the wall. In the room on the left is a fresh-faced yet mysterious guy who is overly-sweet to Rinko. The room on the right is occupied by a guy with violent tendencies who is similarly mysterious… But wait! “I… I think I know him!” Rinko’s only source of solitude, her apartment, has been turned upside down. Now, every day is full of heart-pounding surprises! (from MangaPlaza)
Why we’re excited for it: This one looks genuinely adorable. I have my hesitations about the premise, but the vibes in the trailer were just nice. While this is a romantic comedy focused on a love triangle, there’s a coziness to the three of them sitting together for a meal that makes me want to jump through the screen and join them. Maybe it’s because Rinko’s cooking looks delectable. Maybe it’s because I look back fondly on past communal living situations. Regardless of the reasons, I kind of want to hang out with these characters.
What gives us pause: Unfortunately, Rinko’s cooking is the only thing that looks enticing. You know you’re in trouble when there’s off-model animation in the trailer. Is that GONZO I see in the list of animation studios? Uh-oh. But more than that, while my heart liked the cozy feeling of the trailer, my brain is telling me that this Usada guy is bad news. He’s kicking holes through the wall, growling and yelling at Rinko, and just generally being an ass all throughout. The other dude is nicer, but shows some possessive signs as well. I guess it is a love triangle series, after all.
A Hundred Scenes of AWAJIMA
Source: Manga by Takako Shimura, PocoPoco 2011-2016, Ohta Web Comic 2016-2024
Airdate: April 9 2026
What’s it about? Awajima Opera School—where countless girls from across the country flock in hopes of one day standing on the big stage. As they work toward achieving their dreams of stardom, their time at Awajima is filled with as much friendship and admiration as competition and jealousy. The precious feelings of girls who are at once both classmates and rivals, tenderly captured in the portraits of an ensemble cast! (from Yen Press)
Why we’re excited for it: I’ve read the first volume of this, and it’s exactly what you’d expect from the creator of Sweet Blue Flowers and Even Though We’re Adults: sensitive, delicate storytelling about emotionally intense relationships between girls, with at least a hint of gay. It takes place in a pseudo-Takarazuka training academy, making it something that exists in a similar aesthetic space to Kageki Shojo!! but focused on wistful vignettes rather than an overarching story of one class’s journey. It’s also directed by Morio Asaka, who has adapted some of the greatest shojosei adaptations of the past 30 years: Cardcaptor Sakura, Chihayafuru, and MY love STORY!!, to name a few.
What gives us pause: Technically speaking, PocoPoco and Ohta Web Comic don’t have demographic designations, at least not as far as I could tell in my research; however, looking at the list of titles they’ve published, I feel comfortable including this one. And while Shimura is a great storyteller, she’s had her share of missteps as well; historically monumental though it is, there’s a reason I didn’t include Wandering Son in the list of reasons to be excited. Still, there’s not a lot at this point that could dampen my enthusiasm for AWAJIMA (except maybe the anime being stuck with a much more stilted title translation than the official manga release).
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