September 2026 is expected to be a relatively quiet month for major standalone anime premieres, serving largely as a bridge between the summer season and the much larger Fall 2026 lineup. While several ongoing series will wrap up their runs, only a handful of notable new releases are scheduled before October brings a wave of major sequels and highly anticipated titles.
Among the most notable September releases are SEKIRO: NO DEFEAT, arriving in Japanese theaters on September 4, 2026, and The Prince of Tennis II: U-17 World Cup Kessho Member Ketteisen, which begins its Japanese television broadcast on September 30, 2026.
September 2026 Anime: SEKIRO: NO DEFEAT Arrives September 4
SEKIRO: NO DEFEAT is one of the biggest releases scheduled for September. Based on FromSoftware’s action-adventure game SEKIRO: SHADOWS DIE TWICE, the anime film will begin a three-week limited theatrical run across Japan on September 4, 2026.
The project is a fully hand-drawn 2D animated production created by Qzil.la, with Kenichi Kutsuna serving as director and Takuya Sato handling the screenplay. The cast includes Daisuke Namikawa as Wolf, Miyuki Sato as Kuro, Kenjiro Tsuda as Genichiro Ashina, Shizuka Ito as Emma, Takashi Kondo as Hanbei and other established voice actors.
The film carries a PG12 rating in Japan and uses the tagline “Together. To live and die.” Its story follows the shinobi Wolf and the Divine Heir Kuro against the backdrop of a war-torn Ashina.
The Prince of Tennis II: U-17 World Cup Returns on September 30
Another significant September 2026 anime release arrives at the very end of the month. The Prince of Tennis II: U-17 World Cup Kessho Member Ketteisen begins broadcasting on September 30, 2026.
The series will air on TV Tokyo every Wednesday at midnight, with broadcasts also scheduled for TV Osaka at 1:35 a.m. and TV Aichi at 1:30 a.m.
The new installment expands its cast with Spanish representatives voiced by Tasuku Hatanaka as Julio Roman, Reiji Kawashima as Mars de Colon, Ryuho Nagaoka as Silva Serra Banbieri and Megumi Han as Sedah.
September 2026 Anime Releases: A Quiet Month Before October
A smaller OVA/special release is also expected around mid-September 2026, with Mujikaku na Osananajimi listed among the month’s releases. Current listings place its OVA run later in September, although the exact timing may vary by release schedule.
Beyond these titles, September primarily functions as a transition period. Many ongoing summer anime, including long-running series and seasonal holdovers such as One Piece, are expected to complete their current runs before the next major seasonal wave begins.
Major Anime Arrivals Move to October 2026
The relatively light September 2026 anime schedule is largely due to major titles waiting until early October. Among the prominent releases moving into the Fall 2026 season are Tokyo Revengers: War of the Three Titans, Blue Box Season 2, and Ranma ½ Season 3.
As a result, September offers fewer major television premieres. Still, it provides notable releases for anime fans, particularly SEKIRO: NO DEFEAT on September 4 and The Prince of Tennis II: U-17 World Cup Kessho Member Ketteisen at the end of the month.
The month ultimately serves as a short transition between the conclusion of summer programming and the much heavier Fall 2026 anime schedule.
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