2026 Spring Anime Season Begins: One Piece Elbaph Arc and Major Productions Are Now Airing!

Today, Sunday, April 5, 2026, goes down in history as one of the landmark days for the anime world. According to information shared by Comic Natalie and major streaming platforms, the 2026 Spring anime season has officially kicked off. The biggest bombshell of the season, One Piece: Elbaph Arc, meets the audience today with Toei Animation's new quality-focused broadcast strategy. This first step into the Land of Giants opens the doors to a brand-new adventure for fans in the series' 27th year.

Another major event today marks the end of an era. Fire Force (Enen no Shouboutai), which has been running since 2019 and is adapted from Atsushi Okubo's cult manga, makes its grand finale today with the 25th episode of its 3rd season. The final episode, produced by David Production, concludes Shinra's journey and his showdown with the Evangelist, adding an emotional start to the spring season. At the same time, baseball fans' favorite Ace of the Diamond act II is also among the productions returning to screens today with its second season.

The rest of the week will be just as busy as today. On April 6, Witch Hat Atelier (Tongari Boushi no Atelier), which is expected to enchant viewers with its visual quality after long delays, will premiere. On April 8, one of the pinnacles of the isekai genre, Re:Zero - Starting Life in Another World, returns with its 4th season. Another notable point this season is One Piece's decision to now air only 26 episodes per year to maximize animation quality. This strategy signals that the Elbaph arc will be a visual feast.

Across the industry, the spring of 2026 is being called the "year of sequel seasons." Productions that premiered in recent days, such as Dorohedoro Season 2, That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime Season 4, and Classroom of the Elite Season 4, show that the industry continues its trend of protecting popular brands. Additionally, Daemons of the Shadow Realm (Yomi no Tsugai), the new work by Fullmetal Alchemist creator Hiromu Arakawa, is among the strongest new candidates of the season. Anime lovers can follow all these productions up-to-date on Crunchyroll, Netflix, and Disney+.