Fullmetal Alchemist Creator’s New Dark Anime Storms Spring 2026 Charts

The Spring 2026 anime lineup came up with some of the exciting new and returning anime series. However, guess who is dominating among them? It is none other than Daemons of the Shadow Realm, the latest project from Hiromu Arakawa, the same legendary creator behind Fullmetal Alchemist. The anime has reached the number 1 position on Nico Video Japan’s Spring Anime Ranking chart (via Nico Video Japan) as of April 17, 2026, which, honestly, is a really big achievement, especially when you consider the other entries in the same list.

The list also features popular anime shows like Dorohedoro Season 2, Re: Zero Season 4, and That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime Season 4, and getting the number 1 position against them alone shows its immediate impact. As of this writing, the anime has released 2 episodes, with Daemons of the Shadow Realm Episode 3 set to be released on April 18, 2026. So what could be the reasons behind this early, strong performance? Let us take a closer look.

A Powerful Return from Fullmetal Alchemist Creator Hiromu Arakawa

Hiromu Arakawa is a legendary manga creator whose name will always come to mind when talking about great artists in manga history. She has created one of the most successful and beloved manga series of all time with Fullmetal Alchemist, so everyone was expecting great things from her next project.

Yuru from Daemons of the Shadow Realm. | Credit: Bones Film

However, rather than going for the safe route for her new series, Daemons of the Shadow Realm, Arakawa has taken it in a completely different direction and heavily focused on exploring darker themes, moral ambiguity, and psychological tension. If you have watched the first two episodes, you can immediately tell how well structured the story is.

Instead of trying to add a lot of fast-paced action scenes (which, by the way, is the new norm that is being followed by many new titles), the story builds suspense gradually, which feels like you are watching a psychological thriller disguised as a fantasy anime. The first episode sets up a mysterious world and introduces the main idea behind the story.

Daemons of the Shadow Realm Episode 2, on the other hand, goes deeper in exploring the characters’ motives, showing us that nothing in this world is as straightforward as it seems. This kind of layered storytelling is exactly what keeps viewers hooked, and honestly, it feels refreshing in a season filled with sequels.

Beyond Daemons of the Shadow Realm: Spring 2026’s Top 10 Anime

Apart from Daemons of the Shadow Realm, some of the notable entries under the top 10 in Nico Video Japan’s Spring Anime Ranking chart were – Dorohedoro Season 2 (rank 4), Witch Hat Atelier (rank 6), Re:Zero Season 4 (rank 7), and That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime Season 4 (rank 9).

Dorohedoro returned with its signature chaos, dark humor, and gritty environment, while continuing to be known for its unapologetically chaotic narrative. Meanwhile, the beautiful art style and engaged magical system of Witch Hat Atelier have shown that visual storytelling can be at least as effective as action.

Re:Zero continues to expand on the emotional limits, revealing new depths of Subaru’s struggles and producing the kind of emotional character-driven story that viewers are used to getting from the franchise. And finally, That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime has continued to lean further into political intrigue and world-building, demonstrating that the story still has an engaged audience.

Thus, here is the Top 10 anime, according to Nico Video Japan’s Spring Anime Ranking chart. Please note that the MyAnimeList Ratings that we have mentioned below are as of April 17, 2026, which may change in the future.

The Spring 2026 anime season is looking to be one of the most competitive seasons in recent memory, and at the centre of it all is a series that cannot be overlooked! Daemons of the Shadow Realm is not only leading the charts; it is redefining expectations.

So the real question now is: Will it be able to keep this momentum going for the remainder of the season, or will one of these heavy hitters take home the crown? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.

Daemons of the Shadow Realm is currently available to watch on Crunchyroll.