The Fall 2026 anime season has seen the return of many old favorites along with a gauntlet of newly-televised IPs that are quickly gaining traction in Japan. Newly-released viewer data from one of the country’s biggest streaming platforms has now revealed the 10 most popular titles of October 2026.
Per PR Times, Niconico’s “2026 Anime First-Show Ranking” is based on the aggregate number of “views, comments and access numbers” accumulated by each new anime work from Oct. 1 to Oct. 18. Factoring in totals from all three categories, Niconico determined that its top-performing anime is P.A. Works’ The Exiled Cheat-Granting Sorcerer Enjoys a Carefree Second Life.
While isekai-style fantasy works have been trending for the past few years, this series strictly belongs to the traditional fantasy genre. The site’s complete top 10 list can be viewed below.
Japan’s Most Popular Anime of the Fall 2026 Season Revealed by Niconico
Rein gathers all the points he had used in The Laid-Off Cheat-Granting Mage Enjoys a Second Lease on Life.Image via P.A. Works
The Laid-Off Cheat-Granting Mage Enjoys a Second Lease on Life
Even the Student Council Has Its Holes!
FX Fighter Kurumi-chan
The Apothecary Diaries Season 3
Magic Knight Rayearth (2026)
Psyren
Girls Und Panzer: Motto Love Love Sakusen Desu!
Super Psychic Policeman Chojo
Nia Liston: The Merciless Maiden
Magical Girl Raising Project: Restart
Lily scolds Rein in The Laid-Off Cheat-Granting Mage Enjoys a Second Lease on Life.Image via P.A. Works
Niconico’s top-ranked anime is based on the titular web novel by Asa Rokushima, which launched on the self-publishing site Shosetsuka ni Naro in January 2021. One year after its release, Kodansha published the work as a physical light novel series featuring illustrations by “Kisui.” The Laid-Off Cheat-Granting Mage Enjoys a Second Lease on Life revolves around Rein, an adventurer in a Dungeons & Dragons-esque fantasy world who specializes in enchanting weapons and armor with magic.
Rein’s life progresses smoothly until the day he is kicked from his guild for failing to be ‘useful’ after everyone’s gear is enhanced. Frustrated, he collectively removes all the mana from the guild member’s weapons and armor and infuses it all into an ordinary copper sword. Consequently, this modest weapon instantly gains ‘overpowered’ status, allowing a woefully inexperienced fighter like Rein to conquer any danger he faces.
Based on responses left by Niconico’s viewers, P.A. Works’ adaptation of Rokushima’s hit series has garnered attention due to its “chaotic” mix of “comedy and seriousness.” This balance is particularly evident in Episode 2, where a character with a famously tragic backstory is depicted cheerfully singing the anime’s ending theme. Since this scene has no equivalent in the source material, many viewers reacted with confusion or bewilderment online, leaving comments such as “You’re the one singing?” and “What is this?”
Komaro Michinoku knocking over her drink in Even the Student Council Has Its Holes!Image via Passione
Niconico’s second highest-ranked work also relies heavily on comedy. Produced by Studio Passione (From Old Country Bumpkin to Master Swordsman), Even the Student Council Has Its Holes! revolves around a quiet literary enthusiast named Ume Mizunoe. While attending the elite Fujinasu Academy, Ume is informed that they may have to repeat a year due to their poor grades. To prevent this, they join the student council — a group populated entirely by the school’s most eccentric characters.
While the series is not categorized as a parody, Passione’s zany slice-of-life anime series does revel in a degree of absurdity common within the realm of satire. In one scene, Student Council treasurer Arisu Terui — a sadist who normally conceals this aspect of their personality — punishes a bully by throwing them against the wall of a building. This humorous moment garnered a significant amount of attention on Niconico. “Be gentle with the wall,” one viewer commented jokingly.
For viewers outside Japan, The Laid-Off Cheat-Granting Mage Enjoys a Second Lease on Life is streaming on Crunchyroll, while Even the Student Council Has Its Holes! is available on OceanVeil.