September 2026 Anime: Movies and Premieres to Watch

August closes tonight, and September arrives carrying the year’s most anticipated premiere. Here is the full calendar worth circling.

The dates

September 4. cocoon brings its acclaimed Battle of Okinawa story to US theaters.

September 25. The big one: JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure Steel Ball Run premieres, adapting the saga’s consensus masterpiece at last. The same day, the new Rilakkuma short animation debuts in Japan.

Through the month. The summer season runs its finales, including the last stretch of Bleach Thousand Year Blood War The Calamity, closing the book on the anime’s true ending. Re:Zero Season 4 Part 2 continues into the fall, and the Transformers 40th anniversary theatrical event lands September 17 for the crossover crowd.

October then opens the fall floodgates with Black Clover’s return and Magic Knight Rayearth on the seventh. The runway to the end of 2026 is fully loaded.

My take: September 25 is the most important single premiere date of the year. Steel Ball Run is the best thing Araki ever made, and television is about to find out.