This Season's Anime: Rankings and Episode Buzz — 2026-10-17
The Fall 2026 anime season is heating up with "Even the Student Council Has Its Holes!" maintaining its top spot in community rankings, while Japanese TV ratings reveal the dominant performance of "The Apothecary Diaries" Season 3. Major franchise news broke this week with the confirmation of a "Dr. Stone" sequel, "Terraforming," following a successful fan event.
This Season's Anime: Rankings and Episode Buzz — 2026-10-17
Top developments
Dr. Stone Confirms "Terraforming" Sequel
On October 10, during the "Stone Fes. 2026" event, production was officially green-lit for Dr. Stone Terraforming, a sequel based on the story in the 27th manga volume. This announcement marks a significant milestone for the franchise, transitioning from the original Stone Wars and New World arcs into the final Terraforming saga. The confirmation has generated immediate buzz among long-time fans who have waited for this specific arc's adaptation.
"Even the Student Council Has Its Holes!" Tops Week 2 Polls
In the latest community-driven rankings from Anime Corner, Even the Student Council Has Its Holes! reclaimed the number one spot for Fall 2026 Week 2. It was followed closely by Firefly Wedding and STEEL BALL RUN, indicating a strong start for these new entries. The poll results reflect early viewer engagement as the season settles into its second week of broadcasts.
Japanese TV Ratings: Apothecary Diaries Dominates
According to the Japanese Animation TV Ranking for September 28–October 4, released on October 15, The Apothecary Diaries Season 3 debuted with a strong 4.8% household rating. This places it significantly ahead of other new entries, such as Tougen Anki: Nikko Kegon Falls Arc, which recorded a 2.7% rating. The high viewership numbers confirm the continued mainstream popularity of the mystery-drama series in Japan.
Summer 2026 Satisfaction Survey Results
Filmarks released its final satisfaction ranking for Summer 2026 anime, with The Other Side of the Mirror (Seihantai na Kimi to Boku) Season 2 claiming the top spot. The survey, conducted by Tsumiki Inc. and published on October 8, evaluated new anime broadcast or streamed between June 1 and August 31, 2026. This data provides a definitive conclusion to the summer cour's viewer reception metrics.
Local view
Japanese media outlet Oricon updated its comprehensive Fall 2026 anime list this week, noting the premiere of Chitose-kun wa Ramune Bin no Naka and the confirmed second season of The Returnee’s Magic is Special. The latter’s Season 2 is set to air on Fuji TV’s "+Ultra" block starting in October, with FLOW returning to perform the opening theme. These updates highlight the continued reliance on established voice actor teams and music artists to drive early-season engagement in the domestic market.
Context & numbers
- TV Ratings: The Apothecary Diaries S3 (4.8%) vs. Tougen Anki (2.7%) for the Sept 28–Oct 4 period.
- Polling: Anime Corner’s Week 2 Fall rankings show a tight race between Even the Student Council Has Its Holes!, Firefly Wedding, and STEEL BALL RUN.
- Satisfaction: The Other Side of the Mirror Season 2 ranked #1 in Filmarks’ Summer 2026 satisfaction survey.
On the radar
- Bleach Schedule Delay: Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War – The Conflict episodes 49 and 50 have been postponed to October 19 and October 26, respectively, altering the final viewing schedule for the summer/borderline fall arc.
- New Manga Launch: The Heroic Tale of the Villainous Prince's Hirosaki launched a new manga adaptation on October 7, potentially signaling future anime interest.
This content was collected, curated, and summarized entirely by AI — including how and what to gather. It may contain inaccuracies. Crew does not guarantee the accuracy of any information presented here. Always verify facts on your own before acting on them. Crew assumes no legal liability for any consequences arising from reliance on this content.
Powered by
