Lots of popular books are being adapted into anime and animated series, and we’ve picked out ten that we’re really looking forward to. While animation used to be mainly for kids, it’s now become a wonderfully varied form of television.
Animation gives storytellers the freedom to create truly unique worlds and stories, unburdened by the limits of reality. This often leads to animated TV shows that are even more captivating than live-action ones.
Many animated shows aren’t original stories; they’re actually based on existing books, just like live-action TV shows. While anime often comes from manga, a wide variety of books – including manga, manhwa, light novels, web novels, and traditional novels – are being adapted into exciting animated series. We’ve put together a list of the most captivating shows based on these sources.
Hana-Kimi
Fans of the classic ’90s manga Hana-Kimi will be excited to hear it’s getting its first anime adaptation! The series will premiere on Crunchyroll on January 4, 2026. It tells the story of Mizuki Ashiya, a Japanese-American athlete who pretends to be a boy to enroll in the same school as her track-and-field hero, Izumi Sano. Things get even more complicated when they’re assigned to share a room!
You might recognize the premise – the popular anime Ouran Host Club actually takes inspiration from Hana-Kimi. This manga pioneered many of the classic tropes we see in rom-com anime today, so it’s exciting to finally see the original story adapted for television. As a bonus, the J-pop group YOASOBI will be creating the show’s opening and ending theme songs.
Cradle Unsouled
The popular Cradle series follows Lindon, a unique member of a magical family—he’s the only one without the ability to use magic. But when he receives a warning of an impending disaster, he discovers he’s the world’s only hope, launching him into an epic adventure.
Will Wight’s epic fantasy series, Cradle, is getting an animated adaptation! The story’s incredible world and exciting action are a great fit for animation. Author Will Wight is working with experienced animator Jay Oliva to bring the series to life. Because the project was funded by fans through Kickstarter, the exact format of the adaptation – whether it’s a movie, series, or something else – is still being decided.
An animatic – a rough, moving storyboard – for Cradle Unsouled will be released to the public on January 8, 2026. If it gains enough attention, the project could move forward with a pilot episode or even develop into a full TV series. The creators hope this release will generate more interest in the project.
You And I Are Polar Opposites
The anime series based on You and I Are Polar Opposites is coming to Crunchyroll in January 2026. It’s a sweet story about Miyu Suzuki, a cheerful and outgoing girl, and her classmate, Yusuke Tani, who’s quiet and doesn’t worry about what others think. They both have a crush on each other, but are too shy to say anything, and the show will follow their developing relationship.
I’m so excited about the “You and I Are Polar Opposites” adaptation! It actually started as just a short story, but it’s grown into a full graphic novel series, which is amazing. And the trailers? Seriously gorgeous! They really nail the look and feel of the books. The voice acting seems spot-on too – the actors totally get their characters. It’s hard to say if it’ll be everything we hope for, but as a romance fan, I definitely think this is one to watch!
John Carter Of Mars
Custom Image by Yailin Chacon
Edgar Rice Burroughs’s John Carter stories, first published in 1911, tell the exciting tale of a Virginia soldier magically transported to Mars. There, he encounters the princess Dejah Thoris and dedicates himself to defending the planet from dangerous creatures, strange aliens, and hostile forces.
John Carter is a well-known character across many different forms of entertainment, and has inspired numerous popular science fiction authors and filmmakers. While a 2012 Disney movie based on the character wasn’t successful, the story is now being reimagined as a new animated TV series (according to MovieWeb).
I’m encouraged to hear that Michael Kogge, the showrunner, believes an animated series is the right way to go. He points to the success of shows like Castlevania, Blood of Zeus, and Twilight of the Gods as evidence that animation can really deliver a compelling fantasy story. Plus, it’s great that the author’s estate is going to be actively involved in making it happen.
Fate/Strange Fake
Originally a 2008 April Fool’s joke, Fate/Strange Fake, a light novel by Ryōgo Narita and Morii Shizuki, was later published in 2009. It quickly became a popular fantasy story within the larger Fate series.
This story takes place hundreds of years after a major conflict called the Third Holy Grail War, and centers on a new, unofficial Holy Grail War happening in America. Notably, this version lacks a participant in the ‘Saber’ class. Various groups are attempting to exploit the war for their own purposes. While enjoyable on its own, the story is also connected to the larger Fate universe.
It’s no surprise that the popular light novel is getting an anime adaptation! Even better, the creators have already released the first two episodes as a preview. Fans won’t have to wait too long – the anime is scheduled to premiere on January 3, 2026.
Kiranmala & The Kingdom Beyond
Sayantani DasGupta’s popular Kiranmala and the Kingdom Beyond series is a thrilling fantasy adventure for middle-grade readers. The books blend elements of Bengali folklore and even string theory, telling the story of Kiranmala, a sixth grader who discovers she’s actually an Indian princess destined to fight demons across different dimensions.
Freebird Films Entertainment has acquired the rights to adapt the books into a TV series. The show will be based on the first three books in the series, which center around Kiranmala’s journey into a magical world. There, she has to solve puzzles and battle demons in order to rescue her parents and save the world.
Just from reading the books, I already think “Kiranmala and the Kingdom Beyond” is going to be amazing. The story creates a really rich and detailed world, and I immediately connected with the characters. But knowing who’s working on it makes me even more excited – the team behind “Submarine Sublime” and “Rebel Maverick” are involved, and the script is being co-written by Emmy-winner Michael Ryan and DasGupta.
The Ghost In The Shell
Next year isn’t just about Neuromancer and Blade Runner 2099 in the cyberpunk world. I’m excited to see that the Japanese studio Science SARU is adapting a really popular manga into an anime. What’s even more promising is that they’ve got some seriously talented people working on it, which gives me confidence this version will be great.
Mokochan, an animator known for assisting director Masaaki Yuasa on projects like Dan Da Dan and Scott Pilgrim Takes Off, will make their directorial debut with Ghost in the Shell. The scriptwriter, EnJoe Toh, is well-versed in science fiction.
Plus, the show’s first teaser trailer looks amazing! They’ve perfectly captured the gritty, futuristic vibe, and it clearly draws inspiration from the classic neon-noir style often seen in cyberpunk stories. It seems like 2026 will be a great year for fans of the genre.
Wings Of Fire
Okay, seriously, if you love dragons, you HAVE to check out Wings of Fire! I’m completely hooked – Tui T. Sutherland has already written fifteen amazing novels, and there are even more books like graphic novels and short stories too! She’s actually working on the sixteenth one right now, which is incredible. The first story arc – there are three arcs in total so far – is all about these young dragons who are destined to stop a war that’s been raging for twenty years between different dragon tribes. It’s so good!
I’ve been following this series for ages, and it’s no surprise it’s been a New York Times bestseller for over 200 weeks! I was a little bummed when Netflix decided to pass on adapting it, but I’m SO excited that Prime Video picked it up. They’re really making amazing progress and I can’t wait to finally see this incredible story come to life on screen!
Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint
Originally a web novel by singNsong, Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint gained popularity and was later adapted into a manhwa and webtoon. Now, Aniplex and Crunchyroll are teaming up to create an anime version as well.
Kim Dokja is a man who was the sole reader of a novel called ‘Three Ways to Survive in a Ruined World.’ When the events of the novel start happening in real life, he’s driven to rewrite the story’s ending, no matter what it takes.
It’s been quiet since the anime was first revealed at Anime Expo 2024, but the interesting concept behind Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint already suggests it has the potential to be a fantastic show.
Eleceed
Custom Image by Ana Nieves
Eleceed, a popular webtoon that launched in 2018, quickly became Webtoon’s top battle-action series, racking up over 1.42 billion views. The fantasy story, which follows a young person’s journey, has been praised for its exciting action and compelling narrative.
The popular story is now becoming an animated series, created by the team behind several Oscar-nominated films at DandeLion Animation Studio. Fans can expect it to premiere in 2026, and a trailer is already available to watch.
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2025-11-26 08:44