Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha has just revealed the first concrete details of its major anniversary project. On Tuesday (January 6, 2026), the franchise’s official website released the promotional video, main cast, and new visuals for Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha EXCEEDS Gun Blaze Vengeance. This new anime, celebrating the series’ 20th anniversary, is scheduled to premiere in July 2026. The story takes place three decades after the appearance of an invasive alien species, which brought the world to the brink of collapse. Meanwhile, humanity fights for its survival in an ongoing conflict.
The narrative focus follows the hunter Shiina Kuze, who lives a peaceful life on an isolated island in the country of Mizuho with her sister Setsuna. However, her routine is about to change due to the work of the United Nations Investigation Agency EXCEEDS, which combats the invasive threats. Thus, the anime promises to blend the classic mythology of Nanoha with a post-apocalyptic setting, bringing a new look for fans who have followed the franchise since 2004. With a premiere scheduled for mid-year, the project emerges as the main attraction of the twentieth-anniversary celebrations.
Universe Expansion and Other Projects
In addition to the new anime, the franchise maintains constant expansion into other media. The manga Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha EXCEEDS, for example, has been in publication since April 2025 on the Suiyōbi no Sirius platform by Kodansha. This project features the original story by Masaki Tsuzuki, the creator of the franchise, and art by Shūichi Kawakami. Simultaneously, fans can also follow Lyrical Selection, an edited TV version of the first two films of the series, which began airing in October 2024. Therefore, 2026 is shaping up to be a year full of content for enthusiasts of Nanoha’s magical and technological universe.
Since its debut in 2004, the franchise has built a solid legacy with four TV series, four films, and various manga adaptations. Now, with Gun Blaze Vengeance, the proposal is to revisit this universe with a darker and more mature perspective, without abandoning the action and magic elements that won over the audience. Thus, the expectation is that the new anime will attract both veteran fans and a new generation of viewers, consolidating the historical milestone of two decades of one of the most influential magical girl series in otaku culture.
