September has been a strong month for anime fans in Japan, with major sequel announcements, theatrical milestones, anniversary events and new projects arriving just as the autumn anime season begins.
This month also offered several stories that connect especially well with traveling in Japan. Kyoto hosted one of western Japan’s biggest anime events, Sound! Euphonium reached its conclusion in cinemas, and a new Hololive anime was announced with a story built around traveling across Japan itself.
Here are ten of the biggest anime stories from Japan in September 2026, including major franchise updates, cinema news and real-world experiences worth keeping on your radar.
Planning an anime-focused trip to Japan? You can also browse our pilgrimage and travel guides for more ideas.
1. Chiikawa Becomes Japan’s Highest-Grossing Film of 2026 So Far
Image source: Chiikawa the Movie official website
Chiikawa the Movie: The Secret of Mermaid Island continued its extraordinary box-office run in September.
By September 20, the film had earned ¥15.84 billion and attracted more than 10.85 million admissions after 59 days in Japanese cinemas. According to Fuji TV, that made it the highest-grossing film released in Japan in 2026 at that point in the year.
That is a major jump from August, when the film had only recently passed the ¥10 billion mark. The speed of its continued growth shows just how large the Chiikawa phenomenon has become in Japan.
For international visitors, Chiikawa is also one of those franchises that is difficult to miss once you arrive. The characters appear across shops, temporary collaborations, merchandise displays and themed campaigns around the country.
The movie’s success is therefore more than a cinema story. It is another sign that Chiikawa has become one of the defining character franchises in contemporary Japan.
Read more: Fuji TV Official Report
2. The Apothecary Diaries Season 3 Gets Its Final Trailer Before October
The Apothecary Diaries is preparing for its return this autumn.
On September 25, the official anime website released a new promotional video for Season 3 ahead of its Japanese premiere on October 2 at 11:00 p.m. The new trailer also revealed the ending theme, “AIYOU,” performed by Eve.
The story is set to expand beyond the rear palace, with Maomao and Jinshi facing a new mystery connected to a mysterious immortal woman, political responsibility and a possible disaster threatening the country.
The timing makes this one of September’s most important announcements for fans following the autumn anime season. The series has developed a large international audience, and the new season arrives only days after the end of the month.
For fans traveling in Japan, the timing is especially good. A collaboration event between The Apothecary Diaries and Tokyo City View is currently running at Roppongi Hills through October 26, combining the anime’s world with panoramic views across Tokyo. September also brought new merchandise, a photo contest and additional event campaigns, giving visitors another way to experience the series in Japan just before Season 3 begins.
3. Sound! Euphonium Reaches Its Final Chapter in Japanese Cinemas
One of Kyoto Animation’s best-known series reached an emotional milestone in September.
The second half of Final Chapter Sound! Euphonium opened in Japanese cinemas on September 11, bringing the long-running anime story toward its conclusion after more than a decade.
The theatrical release has also been treated as a special cinema experience. Additional stage greetings were announced for Nagoya, Osaka and Kyoto, while Dolby Atmos and 7.1-channel screenings were offered at selected cinemas. A Dolby Cinema version is scheduled to begin on October 2 at nine theaters around Japan.
For AnimeInJapan readers, this is especially interesting because Sound! Euphonium has such a strong connection with Uji in Kyoto Prefecture. Fans have long visited the city to see riverside scenery, stations, streets and other places associated with the series.
That makes the finale more than simply the end of an anime. For many fans, it is also a reason to look again at the real Kyoto locations that helped give the series its identity.
Read more: Sound! Euphonium Official Website
4. Kyoto International Manga Anime Fair 2026 Draws 31,000 Visitors
According to Kyoto City, approximately 31,000 visitors attended the main venues at Miyako Messe and ROHM Theatre Kyoto, up 7.4 percent from the previous year.
The 2026 event was also its 15th edition. A total of 63 companies and organizations participated across 206.5 exhibition booths, the largest exhibition area in the event’s history. The program included 37 stages, also a record.
What makes KYOMAF especially interesting for visitors is the setting. Unlike an event held in a convention district far from major sightseeing areas, KYOMAF takes place in the middle of Kyoto, with the Kyoto International Manga Museum serving as a second venue.
This year also included collaborations linking anime with Kyoto traditions, including special visuals and a prayer-board project connected with Heian Jingu Shrine.
It is a good example of how anime events in Japan can become part of a wider city experience rather than a destination completely separate from sightseeing. If KYOMAF gives you a reason to visit Kyoto, our Detective Conan Kyoto pilgrimage guide is another way to build an anime-focused day around the city.
Read more: Kyoto City Official Event Report
5. Attack on Titan Returns to Japanese Cinemas in ScreenX and 4DX
Attack on Titan is heading back to the big screen in Japan with a more immersive format.
On September 9, the official anime website announced that Attack on Titan: Crimson Bow and Arrow will return to Japanese cinemas on October 23 in ScreenX, 4DX and Ultra 4DX.
The film originally opened in 2014 and compiles the first part of the TV anime. The upcoming release will mark the first time an Attack on Titan title has been shown in ScreenX, a format that extends images onto the side walls of the theater to create a panoramic three-screen experience.
A new theatrical trailer followed later in September, emphasizing that this is the film’s first return to cinemas in around 12 years.
The Final Season compilation film THE LAST ATTACK is also scheduled to receive ScreenX and 4DX screenings in 2027.
For fans visiting Japan in late October, this creates a relatively unusual way to revisit the beginning of the series: not through streaming, but in a premium Japanese cinema format designed to make its action feel even larger.
Read more: Attack on Titan Official Website
6. Hololive Announces a Travel-Themed TV Anime Across Japan
Few September announcements fit AnimeInJapan’s travel focus as naturally as Odekake Hololive.
Hololive first announced its first-ever TV anime project on September 7 as part of its anniversary initiatives. Then, on September 23, the project was officially revealed as Odekake Hololive, a travel-themed anime featuring 29 Hololive talents and produced by Studio KAI.
Rather than placing the characters in a fantasy world, the anime is built around travel. Its official introduction describes the members spending their days off exploring places around Japan, enjoying seasonal scenery, local food and destinations they have not visited before.
The result will be an omnibus travel story set across the country.
That concept creates an interesting bridge between VTuber culture, anime and domestic tourism. Depending on which destinations appear in the series, real locations could quickly become new fan destinations in the same way that towns and neighborhoods connected to conventional anime attract pilgrimage visitors.
No broadcast date has been announced yet, but this is already one of the most travel-friendly anime projects to watch.
Read more: Odekake Hololive Official Website
7. That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime Announces Clayman Revenge Anime
The That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime franchise is expanding again.
On September 25, the official portal confirmed that the spin-off manga That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime: Clayman Revenge will receive a TV anime adaptation beginning in April 2027.
The story revisits Clayman, one of the main series’ antagonists, and gives him the chance to redo events after his defeat. The project is based on the official spin-off created from an idea by original author Fuse.
The announcement was part of a wider update for the franchise. The third cour of the main anime’s fourth season is also scheduled to begin in July 2027.
For international fans, the two announcements show how large the Slime franchise has become: the main storyline and a character-focused spin-off will both be on television within the same year.
It also gives fans planning ahead for 2027 two separate releases to follow rather than a single continuation.
Read more: That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime Official Portal
8. Magic Knight Rayearth Reveals a New Trailer Ahead of Its TV Return
A major 1990s anime name is returning to Japanese television this October.
At KYOMAF on September 20, the new Magic Knight Rayearth anime revealed its second main promotional video, theme-song information and additional cast details. The official website also confirmed that the series will run for two consecutive cours.
Broadcasting begins in Japan on October 7 on TV Asahi’s nationwide IMAnimation W programming block.
For longtime international anime fans, Rayearth carries particular nostalgia. The original CLAMP manga began in the 1990s, and the earlier TV adaptation became one of the era’s recognizable fantasy series.
The new version has already been promoted internationally through events including Anime Expo and Otakon, but the September update brought the focus back to Japan just before broadcast.
Its appearance at KYOMAF also made the announcement feel closely tied to the event itself, giving visitors in Kyoto a chance to experience a major revival project immediately before its television debut.
Read more: Magic Knight Rayearth Official Website
9. Welcome to Demon School! Iruma-kun Launches a Movie Project
Welcome to Demon School! Iruma-kun is heading to theaters.
On September 27, the official anime website announced that a theatrical movie project has begun and released a short special video to mark the news.
At this stage, details remain limited. The title, release date and story have not yet been announced, so this is very much the beginning of the project rather than a full movie reveal.
Even so, it is a notable expansion for a franchise that has continued to build a strong audience through its television anime and manga.
The announcement came on the same day as the DEVIL’S PARTY! 2 special event in Tokyo, where cast members and the original creator were among the scheduled participants.
For overseas fans, the main thing to watch now is how the film will fit into the wider series and whether it will receive theatrical screenings outside Japan. For fans planning future trips, a Japanese cinema release could also create another opportunity to experience the franchise in its home market.
Read more: Welcome to Demon School! Iruma-kun Official Website
10. Yomi no Tsugai Confirms a Second Anime Season
Yomi no Tsugai will continue with a second anime season.
Aniplex announced the new season on September 20, releasing both a teaser video and a new “super teaser” visual. No broadcast date has been confirmed yet.
The series is based on the manga by Hiromu Arakawa, creator of Fullmetal Alchemist, and the anime is produced by bones film. That combination alone has made the project an easy one for international anime fans to notice.
The second-season announcement is also a useful reminder of how quickly major news can arrive while a franchise is still building its anime audience. Rather than waiting years for confirmation, fans already know that the adaptation will continue.
Among a month filled with films, events and travel-related announcements, Yomi no Tsugai provides a straightforward sequel story to close out the list.
For viewers discovering the series now, September’s announcement offers a simple reason to catch up: the story is officially moving forward.
The timing also coincided with a real-world appearance in Tokyo. Later on September 20, voice actors Kensho Ono and Yume Miyamoto appeared on the Yomi no Tsugai stage at ABEMA Anime Festival 2026 at MIYASHITA PARK in Shibuya. For fans in Japan, it was a rare opportunity to experience the series through a live cast event on the same day its second season was announced.
Read more: Aniplex Official Website
What to Watch Next
September connected anime and Japan in several different ways. Chiikawa continued to dominate cinemas, Kyoto hosted one of the country’s biggest regional anime events, and Odekake Hololive turned travel around Japan into the premise of an anime itself.
October now brings the start of a busy autumn season, including The Apothecary Diaries Season 3 and Magic Knight Rayearth, while Attack on Titan returns to Japanese cinemas later in the month.
We will be back next month with another roundup of the biggest anime news, releases and experiences from Japan.
Nao is an Osaka based writer with a love for travel and anime. She loves exploring the Kansai region and hopes to inspire readers to visit Japan for their own pilgrimage experiences.
