Anime Expo 2026 wasn’t short on blockbuster announcements. Between the debut of the first two episodes of The Ghost in the Shell, the first look at Yoshitaka Amano’s ZAN, and new details on Star Wars: Visions spin-off The Ninth Jedi, the anime convention was packed with social media-dominating headlines. Throw in major updates for Cyberpunk: Edgerunners 2, Kagurabachi, and Black Clover, and it was easy for even dedicated anime fans to leave the Los Angeles Convention Center feeling like they’d barely scratched the surface.
That’s the nature of Anime Expo. The biggest franchises inevitably suck up most of the oxygen, while smaller premieres, unexpected adaptations, and offbeat passion projects quietly make their debut in neighboring panel rooms. Some are attached to celebrated creators taking creative swings, while others adapt beloved manga or light novels that haven’t yet broken into the mainstream.
To help spread the word about these overlooked announcements, here is a list of the most fascinating new projects announced at Anime Expo that didn’t get the attention they deserved. Whether you’re looking for your next favorite romance, an ambitious historical drama, or an original series that came out of nowhere, these are the projects worth keeping on your watch list.
10
The Guy She Was Interested in Wasn’t a Guy at All
One of the internet’s favorite romance manga is finally making the jump to anime, and it somehow slipped through Anime Expo with far less fanfare than it deserved. Sumiko Arai’s breakout yuri series follows high schooler Aya, who develops a crush on the cool record store clerk she assumes is a guy — only later does she discover the clerk is actually her quiet classmate Mitsuki. It’s an irresistible premise that pairs awkward romance with a genuine love of music, particularly classic rock like Led Zeppelin, David Bowie, Smashing Pumpkins, and Pink Floyd.
The series comes from animation studio CloverWorks, which has become one of anime’s most reliable hitmakers thanks to fan-favorite shows like Spy x Family, Bocchi the Rock!, My Dress-Up Darling, and Wind Breaker. That pedigree alone makes The Guy She Was Interested in Wasn’t a Guy at All worth keeping an eye on. If CloverWorks captures even half of the manga’s distinctive green-and-black aesthetic and understated chemistry, it could become one of next year’s breakout romances.
The small snippet shown off at Anime Expo — brandishing its rock-infused premise with Nirvana’s “Breed” — makes this show a no-brainer once it debuts in January 2027. Aniplex even interviewed Dave Grohl, the legendary drummer for Nirvana and later founder of the Foo Fighters, as promotional material for the convention, so expect a bunch of awesome music for the series.
9
Jaadugar: A Witch in Mongolia
Historical anime are rare enough, but historical anime directed by Naoko Yamada are basically unheard of. Best known for A Silent Voice, Liz and the Blue Bird, and The Heike Story, Yamada brings her trademark emotional subtlety to Jaadugar: A Witch in Mongolia, which adapts Tomato Soup’s acclaimed manga from 2021. Set during the height of the Mongol Empire, the story tracks Sitara in the wake of being orphaned and sold into slavery. The journey follows her quest for revenge against the empire, tip-toeing her way up the dangerous political ladder of the Khan’s harem.
The project reunites Yamada with animation director Abel Góngora, whose work on Scott Pilgrim Takes Off, Dandadan, and Star Wars: Visions has made him one of the industry’s most exciting visual stylists. It’s an unusual pairing of creators for an already unconventional historical drama, making it one of Anime Expo’s most surprising revelations. The series premiered its first two episodes at the convention, but they’re available to watch now on Crunchyroll.
8
The World Is Dancing
One of Anime Expo’s quietest standouts wasn’t an action series, but one eerily reminiscent of Akane-banshi in its depiction of the birth of Noh theater. The World Is Dancing follows the young Oniyasha, the boy who would eventually become Zeami, a legendary playwright and performer credited with shaping one of Japan’s oldest surviving theatrical traditions.
Rather than treating dance as a spectacle, the series asks why people create art in the first place. Director Toshimasa Kuroyanagi is helming the project alongside CygamesPictures, and it’s clear from the research alone that this show is spectacular. In crafting beautiful performances for the screen, the production went the extra mile by bringing in professional Noh performers and choreographers for authenticity. It’s a refreshingly different kind of period anime that’s already available to stream on HIDIVE.
7
Jurassic Shadows
The Apothecary Diaries exploded onto the scene with rabid fan support, quickly becoming one of the most exciting shows in 2023, and the follow-up season that premiered in 2025 only amplified its success. At the core of that is director Norihiro Naganuma, who is set to return for The Deceased Empress’ Treasure film and The Apothecary Diaries season 3, both of which will premiere later this year. But Naganuma has another project he’s working on that was teased at Anime Expo, one that largely went under the radar.
Jurassic Shadows is a rather interesting pivot for the renowned storyteller, but “Ninjas versus dinosaurs” sounds more like a joke than the start of a legitimate anime. The story centers on a sect of dinosaurs and secret ninja clans that wage war using an ancient pigment that unlocks prehistoric powers. It might not be the most bombastic of the bunch, like your Edgerunners 2 or Kagurabachi, but Jurassic Shadows sounds ludicrous enough to be a hit when it releases within the next few years.
6
Grotesqqque
Grotesqqque is one of the most intriguing projects announced this year. The theatrical anthology film, which debuted its first trailer during the CloverWorks panel at Anime Expo, marks the feature-length directorial debut of Atsushi Nishigori, whose work stretches from The Idolmaster to Darling in the Franxx. Rather than another franchise adaptation, Nishigori is telling an original story, with character designs that lean into exaggerated expressions and surreal imagery hinted at in the project’s early artwork.
There’s still plenty we don’t know about the project, aside from the fact that it’s a trilogy of short movies that all seem to focus on female characters, but that’s part of the appeal. Anime fans often lament that the medium relies too heavily on manga and light novel adaptations, but much like WIT Studio’s LONA, Grotesqqque feels like the kind of beautiful swing that can only happen when experienced creators are given room to experiment. The first trailer fully displays how promising the project looks, with its gorgeous blend of flat-shaded color palettes reminiscent of popman3580 art, the avant-garde graphic realism of Monogatari, and the “neo-kawaii” character designs that made Nishigori a standout in the first place.
Grotesqqque releases in Japan on November 6, but a U.S. release has not been announced.
5
Magic Knight Rayearth
CLAMP’s beloved fantasy classic is finally getting the remake fans have been desperately waiting for decades. Originally published in the early 1990s, Magic Knight Rayearth mixes magical girls, giant robots, isekai fantasy, and shoujo romance into this fun tale set in the land of Cephiro. It’s a wonderfully colorful version of Gundam meets Sailor Moon, and is long overdue for a series revival.
The original anime debuted in 1994 and quickly became an instant classic for redefining what was possible with stories aimed at young girls. Magic Knight Rayearth’s influence can still be felt across modern fantasy series, making this revival feel less like nostalgia and more like the return of an overlooked hit, but you’ll have to wait until October 7, 2026 to feast your eyes on this exciting remake.
4
Studio Trigger untitled project
Whenever director Hiroyuki Imaishi and writer Kazuki Nakashima come together for an anime, fans pay attention. Together, the two have delivered incredible works in the medium, including Gurren Lagann, Kill la Kill, and Promare. The two series and feature film include some of the most kinetic, over-the-top action that perfectly fit the Studio Trigger mode, and its next anime seems poised to revive the storied collaboration.
Imaishi and Nakashima‘s fourth project remains mostly under wraps at this time, but that’s beside the point. Imaishi’s reputation for explosive visual direction, coupled with the Nakashima‘s ability to write stories that thrive on impossible stakes and larger-than-life characters make for an epic whole. Even with only a minor tease at Anime Expo, which didn’t include any official screens, trailers, or artwork, a project carrying this much pedigree is sure to be a phenomenon.
3
Though I Am an Inept Villainess
Adapted from Satsuki Nakamura’s popular light novels, Though I Am an Inept Villainess stands out from other villainess stories by swapping European fantasy for an imperial Chinese-inspired setting. The story begins when a graceful noblewoman and her frail rival mysteriously switch bodies, forcing each other to survive under drastically different circumstances. It’s a clever twist that leans more heavily into palace intrigue than most of its peers, and its U.S. premiere at Anime Expo went largely under the radar.
Between its lavish setting and character-driven drama, Though I Am an Inept Villainess could become one of the more distinctive fantasy series this year, judging by its fairly beautiful trailer. You can catch the series on Crunchyroll starting July 12.
2
Sparks of Tomorrow
Sparks of Tomorrow is an original anime from Kyoto Animation, the legendary studio behind Violet Evergarden. Long celebrated for its meticulous animation and deeply human storytelling, KyoAni rarely rushes projects, making each new release feel like an event, and its new Netflix original has all the trappings of being the next My Happy Marriage.
The series had already built momentum after earning a competition slot at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival before arriving at Anime Expo for its U.S. premiere. That’s an encouraging sign for a studio whose originals often rely less on flashy hooks than emotional resonance and exceptional craftsmanship, and you can see for yourself the amount of dedication Kyoto Animation put into the series, as it already started streaming exclusively on Netflix on July 5.
1
Hanaori-san Still Wants to Fight in the Next Life
Reincarnation stories are a dime a dozen, but Hanaori-san Still Wants to Fight in the Next Life (long title aside) puts an entertaining spin on the formula. Instead of following an ordinary teenager transported to another world, the series centers on a former Demon King who’s been reborn in modern Japan. However, Ryusei Narukami would rather spend his days gaming than return to his old life. It’s a knowingly playful premise that mixes action with slice-of-life comedy rather than treating its fantasy setup too seriously.
Crunchyroll quietly hosted an early screening during Anime Expo, but the series was easy to overlook amid the convention’s bigger premieres. For fans of laid-back fantasy comedies like The Devil is a Part-Timer! or Konosuba, Hanaori-san Still Wants to Fight in the Next Life feels like a sleeper hit this year. It lands on Crunchyroll starting July 11.
