Crunchyroll announced it will stream several new anime series in 2026, including 'Smoking Behind the Supermarket With You,' 'Hanaori-san Still Wants to Fight in the Next Life,' and 'Reborn as a Space Mercenary.' The second season of 'The World's Finest Assassin' is set for 2027. English dub casts were also revealed for 'Wistoria: Wand and Sword' Season 2.
Crunchyroll revealed its streaming lineup for upcoming anime, including five new series in 2026 and a second season for 'The World's Finest Assassin' in 2027. The company also announced the English dub cast for 'Wistoria: Wand and Sword' Season 2. Among the new titles are adaptations of light novels and manga, such as 'Reborn as a Space Mercenary,' which originated as a web novel.
Several of these anime are adaptations of light novels or web novels, highlighting the ongoing pipeline from serialized fiction to anime. For readers of translated web novels, these announcements signal which series may gain broader exposure and potentially drive interest in the original source material. Crunchyroll's continued investment in such adaptations reinforces the importance of digital publishing platforms as feeders for anime production.
Crunchyroll is a major streaming service for anime, often licensing adaptations of light novels and web novels. 'Reborn as a Space Mercenary' began as a web novel on Shōsetsuka ni Narō.
The anime adaptation of Amara's light novel 'Neko to Ryuu' has announced additional cast members and a second promotional video. The series is set to premiere in July 2026 on Tokyo MX, BS NTV, and Yomiuri TV, directed by Jin-Gu Oh at OLM.
A short-form live-action series adaptation of the popular BL webtoon 'Painter of the Night' by Byeonduck is set for release on May 28 exclusively on Lezhin Snack. The series will be available on the Lezhin platform's dedicated short-form content service.
A Reddit user asks for advice on whether to continue the Shield Hero series via light novels after watching only the first anime season, which they enjoyed. They inquire about reading order, quality comparison with the anime, and where to purchase or read the light novels, sparking discussion among fans.