The year 2026 is starting off with a bang for anyone who loves anime. We all knew this year would be huge, but the winter season is even better than we expected. Huge shows like Fire Force and Jujutsu Kaisen are already out. But the real star of the show is Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End. It has climbed right to the very top of the rankings.
For a long time, the first season of Frieren was the number one show on MyAnimeList. It stayed there for nearly three years and was hard to beat. Now, something very strange has happened. The only show that could beat Frieren was actually Frieren itself. The new second season has officially taken over the first place spot. It is now the most loved anime of the last few years.
When the show first started back in 2023, not everyone knew about it. The manga was good but it wasn’t a global hit yet. That all changed once the anime was released. It did something that many thought was impossible. It beat out Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, which had been the top-rated show for over ten years. Frieren became a legend almost overnight.
The first season was perfect in every way. The art and the story were just beautiful. But now its time at the top is over. Season two has taken the crown with an even higher score. It is truly impressive to see a sequel perform this well. Fans are already calling it a masterpiece, and it only just started.
We still have to see if the high score stays until the end. This new season is only ten episodes long, which is much shorter than the first. If the last few episodes aren’t as good, the ranking could change. But right now, things are looking great. The final results will be clear once the show finishes its run in a few months.
There are other big shows trying to catch up too. Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3 is looking incredible so far. Some fans think it could eventually be the one to challenge Frieren. Even Chainsaw Man came very close to the top spot recently. It seems like the competition is getting tighter every day.
The second season of Frieren is focusing on some great new stories from the manga. Fans are excited to see what the studio has planned next. Even though the season is short, it means the quality stays high. The creators have been dealing with health issues, so they are taking their time to do things right. For now, fans are just happy to be back on the journey.
