It's no secret that anime fans are always curious about what is or isn't performing well in Japan, the home country of anime, during each anime season. With such a strong beginning to the Winter 2026 season, there is a plethora of incredibly exciting anime out there, and fans in Japan have many options to choose from, as far as the top anime is concerned.

The number one anime through streaming services in Japan has finally been revealed to fans, and unsurprisingly, it’s none other than the hit series Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3. Despite facing some criticism in Japan, Jujutsu Kaisen is still a massive success all over the world, and based on how the story is moving, fans will only keep coming for more. With Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3 being popular both at home and abroad, it goes to show that it is the definitive best anime of Winter 2026, and a potential Anime of the Year contender already.

Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3 is Japan’s Number 1 Winter 2026 Anime

A Hit Anime Both in Japan and Abroad

Recently Dwango Co. Ltd revealed some major information pertaining to the top-rated anime in Japan in the Winter 2026 season via the PR Times. Through its streaming subsidiaries, it has been able evaluate the Initial Winter 2026 Anime Rankings. In other words, the best-performing anime series in Japan have been revealed.

To find the number one series, it accumulated views and comments and determined what the biggest hit of the Winter 2026 anime season was. Competition was always going to be tight, since many exciting anime are airing right now, but one series stands tall among the others, and that's Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3. Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3 marked the return of the beloved franchise after two long years, so it's quite easy to see why fans are incredibly hyped for it. With its comeback, it also kick-started the long-awaited Culling Game, and it is safe to say that it has been quite an intense ride since the very first episode.

Now, 5 episodes in, it's clear that it has been a major hit both in Japan and overseas. Fans can't wait for more Jujutsu Kaisen episodes to be released in the upcoming weeks and for the Culling Game to truly heat up.

JJK Season 3 Is Still Huge In Japan Despite Major Criticism

Jujutsu Kaisen Is The Biggest Modern Shonen

Fans who are up to date with Jujutsu Kaisen would know that, recently, the series received major criticism from fans in Japan, especially concerning the episode that focused on Maki Zenin. Some Jujutsu Kaisen fans in Japan were upset by Season 3’s creative and unique take on the manga. The anime takes a lot of liberties with how it adapts the original source material, but in doing so, it does stay faithful for the most part.

Given the quality, it is surprising to see it so heavily criticized. Fans in Japan were especially upset about Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3 episode 4. This episode received low ratings in Japan, while overseas, it received a near-perfect score of 9.8/10. Fans in Japan cited quite a few reasons for the lowratings. Quite a few did not like the director’s take on the panels of Toji Fushiguro, as well as the characterization of some of the Zenin characters, which they considered to have been cut short. In turn, this affected the plot of the massacre of the Zenin clan.

Given the actual quality that the episode delivered, these complaints are quite overblown in some cases. An anime adaptation like Jujutsu Kaisen, which adapts at least three to four chapters per episode, is not going to be able to adapt every single panel into the anime. The anime has to focus on what’s essential, and when it comes to that, the Culling Game has more than excelled.

Regardless, all faith is restored as JJK remains the most popular series in the country at the moment. Despite all this criticism, viewers in Japan are still tuning in every week and for the most part, the criticism could just be coming from a loud minority of fans unhappy with Episode 4 of the JJK Season 3.

Other Popular Hits In Japan Include Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End Season 2 And Fate/strange Fake

Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3 is definitely the biggest hit in Japan, but it certainly isn't the only one. JJK Season 3 was released side-by-side with many other hit anime series in Japan. According to PR Times, the top ten biggest anime in Japan are clear, and aside from Jujutsu Kaisen, there are some other incredible anime series that the fans would be absolutely delighted to see get attention as well.

The number 2 most popular anime right now in Japan is Fate/strange Fake. Fate has always been one of the most popular anime series in Japan, receiving countless extra content, games, and merch. The newest Fate season has proven to be stunning, with its art, animation, and direction being on a whole other level.

Jujutsu Kaisen and Fate aside, fans can’t forget about Frieren: Beyond Journey's End. Frieren returned in January 2026 and it has been a massive success, as is clear from its third rank on the list. Fans couldn't wait for Frieren to make her grand return and she definitely didn't disappoint. Even abroad, Frieren Season 2 has received a lot of praise, and it is ranked as the highest-rated anime of all time on MAL.

The Rest of Japan’s Top 10 Include the Likes of Oshi no Ko and Sentenced to be A Hero

The top 3 most popular anime in Japan are Jujutsu Kaisen, Fate, and Frieren, but the rest of the top 10 in Japan are also great. Some of these series will be recognized by overseas fans, while others have yet to pick up abroad. At number 4 is Oshi no Ko Season 3. This anime's story has fans hooked in Japan, and it has also become a worldwide sensation, so it's not surprising to see it this high.

Sentenced to be a Hero is featured in number 5. This new series came out of nowhere and has taken the anime world by storm. With just a few episodes, this anime has gripped the attention of all anime viewers both in Japan and abroad.

The rest of the top 10 might be less recognizable to overseas fans, but it includes the following popular series in Japan:

Shiboyugi: Playing Death Games to Put Food On the Table (6th)
Jack-Of-All-Trades, Party of None (7th)
Wash It All Away (8th)
High School! Kimengumi (2026) (9th)
Tis Time For "Torture," Princess Season 2 (10th)

Fans who haven't checked out these anime should definitely give them a chance, because they definitely hold a lot of potential.

Source: PR Times

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TV-14

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Release Date: October 3, 2020
Network: TBS, MBS, CBC, Tulip Television, BSN, tys, NBC, HBC, RKK, i-Television, SBS, IBC, BSS, MRO, OBS, TUF, RSK, TUY, tbc, RKB, SBC, KUTV, RBC, UTY, RCC, MRT, atv, MBC
Directors: Ryohei Takeshita, Masataka Akai, Chie Nishizawa, Daisuke Tsukushi, Tomomi Kamiya, Kakushi Ifuku, Ken Takahashi