Highlights
- Netflix Hits: One Piece Season 2 arrives March 10, followed by the live-action Viral Hit on May 28.
- Golden Kamuy and Sakamoto Days headline the spring, with Kingdom 5 set for summer.
- A Blue Lock film releases for the World Cup, alongside the prestige drama Look Back.
It wasn’t long ago that the phrase "live-action anime adaptation" struck fear into the hearts of fans worldwide. However, that era is officially a thing of the past. Following the massive global success of One Piece in 2023 and the acclaim of Alice in Borderland, streaming giants and Japanese studios are doubling down on the medium. The 2026 calendar is packed with the most aggressive lineup of adaptations to date, signaling a new era where these projects are treated as premium global events rather than risky experiments. The year kicks off with the biggest heavyweight of them all. After a two-year production cycle involving multiple international locations, the Straw Hat Pirates return in One Piece Season 2, premiering on Netflix on March 10, 2026.
One Piece Live Action, The Most Awaited Season 2 of the Year
This new season is expected to cover the Loguetown Arc before tackling the massive Arabasta Saga. Fans are eagerly awaiting the introduction of iconic characters like Tony Tony Chopper, Miss All Sunday, and the villainous Crocodile. With a reported budget increase, Netflix aims to replicate the scale of the Grand Line with more flamboyant CGI and frenetic action, positioning this release as the biggest streaming event of the first quarter.
Just three days later, Japan’s domestic box office will see its first major hit with the release of Golden Kamuy: The Attack on Abashiri Prison on March 13, 2026. This sequel follows the successful 2024 film and the 2025 Netflix series, continuing the survival treasure hunt of Sugimoto the Immortal and his Ainu ally.
The film adapts one of the manga’s most action-heavy arcs featuring a massive prison break. Given that previous installments were acquired by Netflix and praised for their faithful reflection of Satoru Noda’s original work, international fans are hopeful this chapter will follow suit.
As spring warms up, the hit Shonen Jump series Sakamoto Days makes its big-screen debut in Japanese theaters on April 29, 2026. Positioned as an action-comedy blockbuster, the film follows Taro Sakamoto, a legendary hitman turned convenience store owner, as he defends his quiet life from the criminal underworld. Described as "John Wick meets slice-of-life," the trailers have already highlighted a lighthearted tone mixed with intense combat. With the anime adaptation already topping Netflix charts in 2025, a global streaming pickup for the movie seems likely in the coming months.
Kingdom 5 & Summer 2026 Blockbusters
Netflix pivots back to gritty, grounded combat on May 28, 2026, with the premiere of Viral Hit. Based on the acclaimed manhwa and anime, this series follows a bullied student who finds fame and profit through livestreamed street fights.
Interestingly, this is a Japanese production of a Korean source material, marking the first Netflix collaboration between director Hideki Takeuchi and writer Yuichi Tokunaga. Starring Ouji Suzuka, the show targets the growing demand for "revenge dramas" and aims to redeem the franchise after the anime received mixed reviews for its animation quality.
The summer season belongs to the Kingdom franchise, with its fifth installment scheduled for a Summer 2026 release. Widely considered one of the few adaptations to surpass its anime counterpart in quality, the Kingdom films are known for massive-scale battle sequences and stellar production values. The original author, Yasuhisa Hara, is writing the screenplay for this entry, which continues the epic tale of Shin and the unification of China. While promotional materials suggest the film might skip a story arc, the franchise remains the gold standard for historical epics in Japan.
Sports fans have their own blockbuster to look forward to in July 2026 with the live-action adaptation of Blue Lock. Produced by CREDEUS and in development since 2022, the film is strategically timed to coincide with the hype for the 2026 World Cup. The production has focused heavily on realism, with the cast training alongside professional soccer players to capture the manga’s unique "egoist" philosophy. Following a controversial second anime season, this film aims to win back fans with high-stakes, realistic gameplay.
Rounding out the year’s diverse slate is a prestige project that highlights the depth of the current pipeline. Look Back, based on Tatsuki Fujimoto’s emotional one-shot, is scheduled for a 2026 release. The film is directed by the acclaimed Hirokazu Kore-eda, known for Shoplifters, bringing high-caliber cinematic talent to the anime world.
The story revolves around two young girls connecting through their passion for manga, offering a realistic look at the artistic journey. These projects prove that the live-action boom now extends far beyond traditional battle shonen. Live-action anime is no longer a niche curiosity or a guaranteed flop; it is now a cornerstone of global entertainment strategy for streaming giants and cinema chains alike.
