The Fall 2026 season is here, and it is already heading into its second weekend. Yet, the new and exciting anime haven’t completely arrived, as this weekend is poised to bring many new series once again. This season has already proven to be an interesting one, thanks to the variety of series that have arrived, including returning favorites and many new series. The first weekend was especially focused on several returning anime alongside great new series.
However, the second weekend’s debuts differ from what the first weekend of Fall had to offer. It will see two new anime arriving, one being a dark romantic series, while the other is a dark shonen series with the perfect premise. The final series debuting on the upcoming Sunday will actually mark the return of a beloved franchise with an intriguing project, making it something no one should miss.
Starting this weekend, on Friday, October 8th, arguably one of the most distinctive anime of Fall 2026 will arrive. Firefly Wedding, based on the manga of the same name, has a popular fanbase that has been looking forward to seeing the anime adaptation, especially since the manga came to an end only a month after the anime’s announcement. It is one of the most talked-about shojo manga among fans, and it is all thanks to its premise.
The premise, featuring a fragile noblewoman on the verge of death proposing marriage to an assassin, seems very far-fetched, but their romantic blend, made up of the components that both lack, emerges as a thrilling dark romance series. What makes this anime adaptation even more exciting is David Production, the studio behind anime such as JoJo and Fire Force, which only reinforces that it will be an exciting anime that you can’t miss.
The new dark shonen anime arriving this Saturday, October 10th, 2026, is The Vermilion Mask, and out of everything on this list, this might just be the most exciting anime debut of the weekend. In fact, it wouldn’t be an overstatement to call this anime one of the best new shonen anime of Fall 2026, as it captures the perfect modern nuances that recent anime have become known for.
The Vermilion Mask features a protagonist named Peru, who is given an overpowered ability thanks to the mask his master made. However, the gravity of the power is too much for Peru to handle, and he ends up killing his master and the other apprentices. This sets the tone for Peru venturing on a journey to destroy the masks and redeem his actions. It has the dark shonen protagonist found in anime like Gachiakuta and Jujutsu Kaisen, and has the potential to stand out like them, making it an anime that fans shouldn’t miss this weekend.
The final great anime arriving on the second weekend of Fall 2026 is actually the return of the Dragon Ball franchise, with the anime Dragon Ball Super: Beerus, on Sunday, October 11th. It was a surprise announcement earlier this year that Dragon Ball‘s next anime would actually be a remastered version of the Dragon Ball Super series, which kicked off the God era. It has been emphasized that the decade-old anime adaptation now needs a remastered version to modernize its old animation.
However, it is also clear that the primary reason is to bring back fans of the franchise, diving into the God era so that they will be able to depict the new proper arc, Dragon Ball Super: The Galactic Patrol, which will arrive late next year. Even decades later, the Dragon Ball franchise still remains one of the top anime series ever, and Fall 2026’s second week is yet again starting something new for the franchise that will undoubtedly last for many more years to come.
