
Sign up to save your podcasts
Or


Winter 2026 anime is already shaping up to be something special.
In this episode of Bento Radio, I walk through what I’m actually watching this season—and why this lineup feels like a real shift in the air for anime.
I talk about returning heavy-hitters like Jujutsu Kaisen, Frieren, Hell’s Paradise, and My Hero Academia: Vigilantes, along with the one new adaptation that completely caught me off guard after seeing it at Anime NYC. This season feels confident in a way anime hasn’t always allowed itself to be lately—less interested in smoothing out rough edges, and more willing to embrace strong ideas, genre messiness, and point-of-view storytelling.
We get into why horror-adjacent shonen works so well right now, how fantasy anime is quietly evolving, and why some shows hit harder when they stop trying to be for everyone. If you’re looking for a thoughtful seasonal watchlist, an old-head otaku perspective, or just want help figuring out what’s actually worth your time this winter, this episode’s for you.
New episodes of Bento Radio drop every Thursday night.
If you enjoy grounded anime discussion, convention coverage, and seasonal breakdowns with context, I’m glad you’re here.
Visit https://bento-box.ghost.io/ for more anime thoughts
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
By Alex Holt-CohanWinter 2026 anime is already shaping up to be something special.
In this episode of Bento Radio, I walk through what I’m actually watching this season—and why this lineup feels like a real shift in the air for anime.
I talk about returning heavy-hitters like Jujutsu Kaisen, Frieren, Hell’s Paradise, and My Hero Academia: Vigilantes, along with the one new adaptation that completely caught me off guard after seeing it at Anime NYC. This season feels confident in a way anime hasn’t always allowed itself to be lately—less interested in smoothing out rough edges, and more willing to embrace strong ideas, genre messiness, and point-of-view storytelling.
We get into why horror-adjacent shonen works so well right now, how fantasy anime is quietly evolving, and why some shows hit harder when they stop trying to be for everyone. If you’re looking for a thoughtful seasonal watchlist, an old-head otaku perspective, or just want help figuring out what’s actually worth your time this winter, this episode’s for you.
New episodes of Bento Radio drop every Thursday night.
If you enjoy grounded anime discussion, convention coverage, and seasonal breakdowns with context, I’m glad you’re here.
Visit https://bento-box.ghost.io/ for more anime thoughts
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.