It is no surprise to know that, over the last few years, Frieren has been one of the biggest anime sensations all around the world. Frieren kick-started in 2023 with its first season, and it immediately exploded in terms of popularity. After an excruciatingly long wait, it has returned with its second season with great success. That said, Freiren Season 2 is about to be a short ride, so fans won't get to enjoy too much of their favorite elf mage. Luckily, another fantasy magical anime is coming to take over shortly after Frieren, and it. This series is Witch Hat Atelier.
Witch Hat Atelier is an incredible magical fantasy story that is a long-overdue anime, an d it's finally beginning its run starting in April 2026. This anime could even go on to surpass Frieren.
Frieren Has Become The Biggest Magic Anime
Frieren Is Loved Both In Japan And Overseas
Frieren: Beyond Journey's End has become the most popular new-gen magic anime. It introduced fans to its cast of lovable characters, as well as a magic system that has managed to captivate all readers, and is especially showcased by beloved characters like Frieren and Fern.
Added to that is a slow-paced, melancholic adventure, and one can see why Frieren has been a major success. The Frieren story, for the most part, follows the journey of the main character, Frieren, an ancient elf mage who goes on a quest to meet the soul of Himmel the Hero once again. On her way, she meets new allies and fights ruthless demons. The Frieren story is about enjoying the slow moments in life and appreciating each one of them. At times, the story also heats up with exciting action and battles.
"There's nothing wrong with being a fake hero. I'll defeat the Demon King and bring peace to the world. Then it won't matter if I'm fake or not." – Himmel
Its first season, which aired between 2023 and 2024, gave the fans 28 episodes to enjoy, and the reception was so good that it ended up becoming the highest-rated anime of all time on MAL. Evidently, Frieren is considered to be one of the greatest new hit anime, and the series showcased its popularity once again with its grand return in 2026.
As fans know, Frieren Season 2 started airing in January 2026, and with just one episode, this new season was able to surpass everything before it and become the new highest-rated anime of all time. Frieren Season 2 even surpassed its predecessor season, and it continues to evolve along the way, especially thanks to the incredible support of the fans.
Witch Hat Atelier Is The Next Frieren Of 2026
Frieren Season 2 Will End Very Quickly
So far, Frieren Season 2 has been quite an exciting ride. Fans have been tuning in weekly to see the new adventure of Frieren, Fern, and Stark, but as is evident, this adventure won't last long. Frieren Season 2 is only going to have 10 episodes, which is incredibly short. Even the average short anime seasons tend to have at least 12 episodes, so Frieren having this run comes as a surprise. This is even more disappointing when comparing it to the first season of Frieren, which had 28 episodes.
As things stand, Frieren is on track to conclude sometime around April. Luckily for fans, just as Frieren is going away, another highly anticipated magical fantasy anime is making its debut. This anime series is none other than Witch Hat Atelier, and it's a series that fans have been waiting for years.
Witch Hat Atelier is based on the manga series with the same name, by creator Kamome Shirahama, which first debuted in 2016. Now, over ten years later, it's finally getting its anime adaptation. The Witch Hat Atelier anime was previously delayed due to production issues. Now, the production is completed, and fans are guaranteed to get this new anime series in April 2026. Undoubtedly, Witch Hat Atelier is going to give the fans an exciting new adventure and a beautiful new world of magic.
Witch Hat Atelier Has The Potential To Surpass Freiren
Witch Hat Atelier Can Become The Best Magic Anime In Frieren's Absence
Witch Hat Atelier has yet to air, so its performance can't be gauged just yet. For that, one would have to wait until it starts broadcasting in April, but given the content in the manga and the brilliant story that it features, it can be said with great confidence that Witch Hat Atelier will be a major hit. After all, even though the manga doesn't have an anime yet, it's already an incredibly popular work, beloved by millions of fans.
Witch Hat Atelier, compared to Frieren, has a far more captivating cast that fans will come to love. Coco, the main character, as well as the likes of Qifrey, are fan favorites of the series whose goals and motivations will have fans enthralled and wanting more. The magic system in Witch Hat Atelier is also far more complex and exciting, as are the villains, and the side characters, in general.
Furthermore, fans should remember that Frieren Season 2 is short, and its return date after that is currently unknown. Since the anime has been catching up with the manga at a blazing fast pace, it might be that the Frieren anime will have to go on a hiatus while the Witch Hat Atelier series continues with a huge fanbase behind it.
At the end of the day, Frieren vs Witch Hat Atelier would all come down to how the studio delivers on the adaptation of the latter. Frieren already has an incredible adaptation by Madhouse, which elevates the story of the manga with amazing direction and animation. Meanwhile, Witch Hat Atelier has already had issues with its production by Studio Bug Films, so things could be different here. But, if the adaptation is as good as Frieren, fans will have an anime gem just as good as it, if not even better, in their hands.
Fans are still worried due to some rumors circulating about the studio lying about the production being concluded. Based on the first look, it seems that the series will be promising. If adapted properly, Witch Hat Atelier could go on to become the new number 1 fantasy magical anime, surpassing even Frieren. Its rating on platforms like MAL should showcase its popularity and reception.
In either case, the heartwarming story of Coco, who heads out on her quest to become a skilled witch, under the tutelage of Qifrey, in the hopes of someday reversing the spell she accidentally put on her mother, is about to take the world by storm soon enough.
- Release Date
- September 29, 2023
- Network
- Nippon TV, YTV, FBS, Chukyo TV, RNB, FCT, STV, KNB, HTV, YBS, RAB, TVI, YBC, UMK TV Miyazaki, TSB, MMT, TeNY, RNC, NIB, KKT, KTK, NKT, ABS, JRT, Daiichi-TV, FBC, RKC, KYT, KRY
- Directors
- Kento Matsui, Kota Mori, Takahiro Natori, Morio Asaka, Lim Ka-hee, Taku Kimura, Ken Ando, Hirotaka Mori, Ayaka Tsuji
Cast
-
Atsumi TanezakiFrieren (voice) -
Kana IchinoseFern (voice)
WHERE TO WATCH
- Studio
- Madhouse
- Creator
- Kanehito Yamada
- Streaming Service(s)
- Crunchyroll
