New Anime in December 2026: Every Premiere, Finale and Movie

The short answer: the dates to circle

December is quieter than November for brand new series, but it has some big single dates. Steel Ball Run ends its current run on Friday 4 December on Netflix. The Apothecary Diaries film opens in Japanese cinemas on 11 December. Disney Twisted-Wonderland: The Animation, Episode of Savanaclaw starts on 23 December on Disney+. And Spirit Circle begins streaming at some point in December, with 18 episodes planned, though its exact date and platform are still to be announced. On top of that, six weekly series from the autumn season keep airing through the month.

New premieres in December

Spirit Circle: 18 episodes, streaming from December

This is the month's most interesting new start, and also the one with the most still missing. Spirit Circle streams from December 2026 and runs for 18 episodes. That's what's confirmed. The exact premiere date hasn't been announced yet, and neither has the streaming platform, so anyone telling you a specific day or service right now is guessing. We'll update this guide as soon as either one is confirmed.

Twisted-Wonderland: Episode of Savanaclaw, 23 December on Disney+

Disney Twisted-Wonderland: The Animation returns with Episode of Savanaclaw, starting 23 December exclusively on Disney+. It's an 8 episode run, with one new episode every Wednesday. If you watched the earlier episodes, this is a clean weekly watch through the end of the year and into January. If you didn't, you've got time to catch up before it starts.

Season finales in December

Steel Ball Run: final episode of this run, 4 December on Netflix

The current run of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Steel Ball Run ends on Friday 4 December on Netflix. A quick note on how we know that date: it follows the show's confirmed weekly Friday pattern, so 4 December is the Friday the final episode of this run lands on. If you've been saving episodes for a binge, that first weekend of December is your moment.

Films in December

The Apothecary Diaries film opens in Japan on 11 December

The Apothecary Diaries film opens in Japanese cinemas on 11 December. We are calling it the Apothecary Diaries film throughout this guide, because that's the safest name for it right now. Crunchyroll holds the international rights, which is good news for viewers outside Japan, but no overseas date has been set yet. So if you're in India, don't plan a December cinema trip around it. Wait for the international date, and we'll add it here when it lands.

Weekly shows that keep airing through December

Six series in our catalogue keep their weekly rhythm through December:

• Black Clover Season 2: new episodes on Saturdays.
• The Apothecary Diaries Season 3: new episodes on Fridays.
• Blue Box Season 2: new episodes on Sundays.
• Ranma 1/2 Season 3: new episodes on Saturdays.
• TOUGEN ANKI: new episodes on Fridays.
• Dragon Ball Super: Beerus: new episodes on Sundays.

Dates can shift, and our release calendar tracks the confirmed premieres month by month. Our November 2026 guide covers the month before this one, if you're catching up.

What to watch first, by mood

• You want a finale, not a first episode: Steel Ball Run on 4 December. Finish the run while everyone else is talking about it.
• You want something brand new: Spirit Circle. Eighteen episodes, starting in December, and it's the fresh start of the month.
• You want a cosy weekly watch over the holidays: Twisted-Wonderland: Episode of Savanaclaw from 23 December, one episode every Wednesday.
• You're an Apothecary Diaries fan: Keep up with Season 3 on Fridays, and keep an eye out for an international date for the film after its 11 December opening in Japan.
• You just want your regular shows: Black Clover on Saturdays, Blue Box and Dragon Ball Super: Beerus on Sundays. December doesn't interrupt them.

Quick questions