Akutami’s Beloved Dark Fantasy Is on Top of Crunchyroll’s Top 10 Most-Watched Anime of the Week List Once Again

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The world of Japanese anime streaming is constantly changing, with new shows battling for viewers alongside popular classics. Current rankings on Crunchyroll show a wide range of favorites – from dark fantasy and unusual portal fantasies to long-running action series that are popular worldwide. Whether it’s the return of beloved characters or the start of brand new stories based on popular novels, these are the most-watched anime right now.

‘DARK MOON: THE BLOOD ALTAR’ (2026)

I’m so excited about this story! It centers around seven guys at Decelis Academy, all with incredible powers and a hidden connection to each other. When a new student named Sooha shows up, their lives get turned upside down as they’re pulled into a really old battle between vampires and werewolves. What’s even cooler is that it’s connected to the K-pop group ENHYPEN – it builds on the stories and visuals from their webtoons and music videos. It’s a great mix of school life, fantasy, and action as they all work together to keep Sooha safe. It’s seriously gripping!

‘Easygoing Territory Defense by the Optimistic Lord’ (2026)

Van, a young nobleman, is exiled to a desolate frontier after his family believes he lacks talent. Instead of giving up, he uses a special magic focused on creation and development to turn the harsh land into a prosperous and comfortable home. The story follows Van as he leads with optimism, gathering skilled people to help him. As his settlement expands, he faces the challenge of protecting his community from outside dangers while striving to maintain a calm and peaceful way of life.

‘Solo Leveling’ (2024–)

In a world filled with dangerous dungeons and monstrous creatures, Sung Jinwoo is considered the weakest hunter. But after a life-threatening experience in a particularly difficult dungeon, he’s selected by a unique program called the System. This program lets him grow stronger and learn new skills faster than anyone else. The story follows Jinwoo’s journey as he evolves from a struggling, low-ranked hunter into a powerful warrior who could change the future of mankind.

‘Fire Force’ (2019–)

Okay, so I’m totally hooked on this anime called Fire Force. It’s about this group, Special Fire Force Company 8, who deal with people suddenly bursting into flames – they turn into these crazy fire demons called Infernals. I’m following this rookie, Shinra, who joins the team hoping to become a hero, but also to figure out what really happened to his family in a fire years ago. It’s not just fighting monsters though; they’re up against pyrokinetics gone bad and these secret groups trying to cause another huge disaster. Honestly, the animation is insane – super fast-paced and dynamic – and the way they built the whole power system around heat and flames is just really clever and unique. It’s a wild ride!

‘Hell’s Paradise’ (2023–)

Gabimaru, a highly skilled ninja facing execution, is given a chance at freedom: he must find the legendary Elixir of Life on a remote, dangerous island. Accompanied by his executioner, Sagiri, and a group of fellow criminals, he journeys to the mysterious island of Shinkuraku. There, they face terrifying creatures and powerful gods, pushing them to their absolute limits. This captivating dark fantasy explores themes of finding redemption and simply surviving in a stunning, yet unsettling, world.

‘ROLL OVER AND DIE: I Will Fight for an Ordinary Life with My Love and Cursed Sword!’ (2026)

Flum Apricot is unexpectedly abandoned by the hero’s group because they believe she’s too weak. After a friend sells her into slavery, she finds a magical sword that unlocks incredible power due to her unusual body. Now, with her companion Milkit, she’s fighting to survive, exploring a new path, and seeking payback from those who wronged her. The story flips the usual fantasy narrative by showing a character gaining power from what others saw as her biggest flaw.

‘Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End’ (2023–)

As a huge fan of fantasy, I’m completely captivated by this series. It starts after the typical ‘hero defeats the evil king’ trope, but then takes a really interesting turn. We follow Frieren, an elf mage, as she deals with the fact that her human friends are… well, they don’t live forever. It’s a surprisingly emotional story about time passing, and Frieren trying to understand what it means to be human, and the friends she didn’t fully appreciate before they were gone. She sets off on a new journey, this time with a younger group of mages, heading towards a place where souls go. It’s not about epic battles, it’s about reflecting on life, loss, and what we leave behind – honestly, it’s beautifully done.

‘Jack-of-All-Trades, Party of None’ (2026)

The story follows a hero who isn’t a master of one specific fighting style, but instead has a lot of different, useful skills. Powerful adventurers initially overlook him, preferring brute strength, but he proves his worth by tackling challenges they can’t solve with their limited abilities. He then builds his own team, valuing each member’s unique talents and working together strategically. The show emphasizes thinking outside the box and making the most of what you have in a world that often relies on traditional power and skill sets.

‘Sentenced to Be a Hero’ (2026)

I’m totally hooked on this dark fantasy world! It’s a really twisted concept – instead of celebrating heroes, they are the criminals. Basically, if you mess up badly enough, you’re sentenced to fight for your freedom as part of the Penal Hero Unit 9004. I’m following Hyllo, who’s been forced into this unit, and they’re constantly thrown into these insane battles against the Demon King’s forces. It’s brutal because these ‘heroes’ are seen as disposable, and the only way out is to survive long enough to earn their release. It’s a really gritty look at a world where they use the people they’ve cast out to keep a shaky peace going.

‘Jujutsu Kaisen’ (2020–)

When Yuji Itadori swallows a cursed object to save his friends, he’s thrown into the hidden world of Jujutsu Sorcerers. He teams up with fellow students Megumi Fushiguro and Nobara Kugisaki to fight dangerous Curses and protect humanity. They train at Tokyo Jujutsu High under the powerful sorcerer Satoru Gojo. Known for its thrilling action and dark, supernatural elements, the series has quickly become a standout in modern anime.

Let us know in the comments which of the currently popular anime shows you’ve enjoyed watching the most this week!

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2026-02-15 13:48