Short answer: The biggest anime movie of 2026 is Chiikawa the Movie: The Secret of the Mermaid Island, the top-grossing film of any kind in Japan this year at ¥18.15 billion (about $115 million). Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway is second. For anime fans outside Japan, the big ones are Mobile Suit Gundam: Hathaway – The Sorcery of Nymph Circe, Cosmic Princess Kaguya!, All You Need Is Kill and Puella Magi Madoka Magica – Walpurgisnacht: Rising.
Updated October 21, 2026 · Japanese box office through October 20, 2026 · Release dates are Japanese theatrical dates; US release dates vary
The biggest anime movies of 2026, by box office
| # | Movie | Japan release | Japan box office |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chiikawa the Movie: The Secret of the Mermaid Island | Jul 24 | ¥18.15 billion (about $115M) |
| 2 | Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway | Apr 10 | ¥13.70 billion (about $87M) |
| 3 | Doraemon: New Nobita and the Castle of the Undersea Devil | Feb 27 | ¥4.27 billion (about $27M) |
| 4 | Cosmic Princess Kaguya! | Jan 22 | ¥3.30 billion (about $21M) |
| 5 | Crayon Shin-chan the Movie: Spooky! My Yokai Vacation | Jul 31 | ¥2.89 billion (about $18M) |
| 6 | Mobile Suit Gundam: Hathaway – The Sorcery of Nymph Circe | Jan 30 | ¥2.74 billion (about $17M) |
Anime films in the top 10 of Japan’s 2026 box office, as of October 20. The rest of the top 10 are live-action films.
The anime movies of 2026 worth knowing
Chiikawa the Movie: The Secret of the Mermaid Island
The tiny, round Chiikawa characters became a box-office phenomenon in July: this Cypic-animated film is the highest-grossing film in Japan this year, live-action included.
Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway
Conan’s annual April movie did what it always does and dominated spring, finishing second for the year so far at ¥13.70 billion.
Mobile Suit Gundam: Hathaway – The Sorcery of Nymph Circe
The long-awaited second film in Sunrise’s Hathaway trilogy, directed by Shūkō Murase, opened January 30 and is the year’s biggest mecha film.
Cosmic Princess Kaguya!
An original film from Studio Colorido and Studio Chromato, released January 22, and the highest-grossing original anime of the year in Japan so far.
All You Need Is Kill
Studio 4°C’s anime take on the novel that inspired Edge of Tomorrow, directed by Ken’ichiro Akimoto, opened January 9.
Puella Magi Madoka Magica – Walpurgisnacht: Rising
Shaft’s long-awaited new Madoka film, directed by Akiyuki Shinbo, opened in Japan on August 28.
Also out in 2026
- That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime the Movie: Tears of the Azure Sea (Feb 27)
- Doraemon: New Nobita and the Castle of the Undersea Devil (Feb 27)
- Crayon Shin-chan the Movie: Spooky! My Yokai Vacation (Jul 31)
- A New Dawn, directed by Yoshitoshi Shinomiya (Mar 6)
Catching up? Last year’s big two
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle won Film of the Year at the 2026 Crunchyroll Anime Awards (our review), and Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc was 2025’s other huge anime film. For the all-time greats, see our 20 best anime movies of all time.
Keep Reading: Best Anime of 2026 So Far: Every Great Show, Ranked · Top 10 Anime of 2025: The Best Shows of the Year, Ranked · Best Anime Movies of All Time: 20 Films, Ranked
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the biggest anime movie of 2026?
Chiikawa the Movie: The Secret of the Mermaid Island, at ¥18.15 billion (about $115 million) in Japan, the top-grossing film of any kind there this year.
What anime movies came out in 2026?
The big ones include Chiikawa the Movie, Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway, Mobile Suit Gundam: Hathaway – The Sorcery of Nymph Circe, Cosmic Princess Kaguya!, All You Need Is Kill and Puella Magi Madoka Magica – Walpurgisnacht: Rising.
When did the new Madoka Magica movie come out?
Puella Magi Madoka Magica – Walpurgisnacht: Rising opened in Japan on August 28, 2026.
What was the best anime movie of 2025?
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle, which won Film of the Year at the 2026 Crunchyroll Anime Awards.
Sources: Japanese box office figures as compiled in Wikipedia’s List of Japanese films of 2026 (updated October 20, 2026); release dates and studios from the films’ announcements and AniList.
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