In the current anime season, Witch Hat Atelier and Daemons of the Shadow Realm are the main contenders for the best series in Spring 2026. However, there is another anime that many may not have on their radar.
What kind of anime is this? Marriage Toxin is reminiscent of John Wick with its action-packed scenes, but combined with a dating simulation.
- The protagonist Hikaru Gero is the heir of a legendary clan of assassins. He is an elite killer who has nothing to do with love.
- However, the clan’s grandmother demands an heir for the clan, which is why Gero must urgently find a suitable candidate – and preferably as soon as possible.
- To find the perfect bride, he is assisted by Mei Kinozaki, a con artist who can disguise herself as a woman and manipulate others.
- Actually, Mei is Gero’s next target, but he spares the con artist. In return, she must become Gero’s personal dating coach.
Thus, the two of them venture into the murderous underworld, trying to find a suitable woman for Gero to preserve the bloodline. Every battle could potentially lead to a first date, where Gero finds his future partner for life.
True love amid the explosive chaos
How is it received? On MyAnimeList, it shows that the series is running a bit under the radar. Among all the animes that started with Season 1 this season, Marriage Toxin is doing quite well in terms of ratings.
Over 61,000 users have shown interest in the series, which has currently been rated 7.57 out of 10 stars. In comparison, Witch Hat Atelier, one of the hits of this season, has 188,000 interested viewers and currently holds a rating of 8.75.
However, only two episodes of each of the two animes have been released so far. But the comparison of user numbers shows that about a third of the interested viewers of Witch Hat Atelier are aware of the anime Marriage Toxin. So it is still flying under the radar for many.
MyMMO editor Jasmin says: The animation style of the anime is particularly noteworthy, as the responsible studio is Bones Film. This studio has recently proven its expertise in action-packed scenes with Gachiakuta and the final season of My Hero Academia. Daemons of the Shadow Realm, another strong candidate for anime of the year 2026, was also produced by them.
The action-packed chase sequences, such as cutting through a car at full speed, flow seamlessly. In addition, the vibrant colors are due to the poisons, for example.
And the premise is also unique. An assassin specializing in poison teaming up with a cross-dressing con artist to find a woman so his lesbian sister doesn’t have to end up in an arranged marriage.
Even the first two episodes sold me completely on the anime, and I am curious to see what amazing scenes will still be included. Especially the action scenes reminiscent of movies like John Wick look incredibly good so far.
I truly did not foresee that this anime would catch my attention so much. You can find all the other highlights that will be featured in the coming months in a separate article: 8 Anime recommendations for Spring 2026, one of which has the potential to be the best anime of all time
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