A wave of heavy-hitter sequels just got confirmed or dropped fresh footage this week. Here's how the biggest returns rank on our board right now, and where to watch each one — listed honestly across Netflix, Crunchyroll, Disney+ and Hulu, not whichever platform paid for placement.
Quick answer
The highest-ranked confirmed returns heading into Fall 2026 are Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War - The Calamity (8.9 Consensus), Witch Hat Atelier Season 2 (8.3), and Cyberpunk: Edgerunners 2 (original 8.1). According to SenpaiRanks, all three sit in the upper tier of their genres. Streaming splits across Disney+/Hulu (Bleach), Crunchyroll and Netflix (Witch Hat), and Netflix-exclusive (Edgerunners). Below, every entry is ranked by adjusted Consensus score.
The ranked list
1. Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War - The Calamity — 8.9 Consensus
Studio Pierrot's final part of the TYBW saga just grossed ~$3M in a US theatrical preview (#8 box office). Streams on Disney+ and Hulu internationally. The highest-ranked title in this group and one of the top shonen on our entire board. Full breakdown: where to watch The Calamity.
2. Witch Hat Atelier Season 2 — 8.3 Consensus
BUG FILMS' adaptation of Kamome Shirahama's manga got a Season 2 greenlight this week, with Crunchyroll streaming. A 2027 window is likely. Our first-season explainer covers whether to start now.
3. Cyberpunk: Edgerunners 2 — 8.1 Consensus (original)
Trigger's 10-episode sequel dropped a second teaser and full staff list; it premieres worldwide on Netflix in Fall 2026. The 2022 original's 8.1 is one of the best Netflix-anime scores we track. Details: Edgerunners 2 where to watch.
4. Wistoria: Wand and Sword Season 3 — 8.0 Consensus
The magic-school action series confirmed a third season right after its second wrapped. Solid mid-8s Consensus and a reliable Crunchyroll staple. See the Season 3 release window.
5. Welcome to Demon School! Iruma-kun Season 4 — 7.3 Consensus
The long-running fantasy-comedy just closed its fourth season. Comfort-watch energy with a loyal base. More: Iruma-kun Season 4 where to watch.
What to watch for this season
The pattern this cycle is finales and renewals landing in the same week — Bleach closing out, Witch Hat and Wistoria getting renewed off strong debuts. For everything currently airing, our what-to-watch hub and the best of summer 2026 board map the full slate. Rate any of these on their pages to push the rankings — the Consensus score is built from viewer votes, so your take moves it.
Frequently asked questions
Q: What is the best confirmed anime sequel coming up?
A: By SenpaiRanks Consensus score, Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War - The Calamity (8.9) is the highest-ranked confirmed return, followed by Witch Hat Atelier Season 2 (8.3).
Q: Where can I watch these sequels?
A: Bleach streams on Disney+/Hulu, Witch Hat on Crunchyroll and Netflix, Edgerunners 2 on Netflix, Wistoria on Crunchyroll, and Iruma-kun on Crunchyroll.
Q: How is this list ranked?
A: By adjusted Consensus score on SenpaiRanks — a Bayesian aggregate of viewer votes, separate from a single critic number.
Q: When do these sequels premiere?
A: Edgerunners 2 is Fall 2026; Witch Hat Atelier S2 and Wistoria S3 are expected in 2027; Bleach: The Calamity is airing now.
Q: Why trust SenpaiRanks rankings over a single score?
A: SenpaiRanks publishes two axes — Consensus (how broadly liked) and Quality (how well it holds up) — instead of one opaque average, so you can see exactly why a show ranks where it does.