The Monogatari anime saga is extending into 2026. Aniplex announced that a new episode titled "Wazamonogatari: Karen Ogre" will premiere this winter, continuing the Off & Monster Season adaptation of NisiOisin's beloved light novel franchise.

The episode marks the return of the show's core creative team. Director Akiyuki Simbo is back as chief director, with Midori Yoshizawa handling directing duties at studio SHAFT. Fuyashi Tou returns to write scripts alongside Simbo, and character designer Akio Watanabe continues overseeing animation direction. This consistency has been a hallmark of the series' quality throughout its multi-year production.

The anime launched on Japan's ABEMA streaming service in July 2024, with Crunchyroll distributing episodes internationally as they aired. The 14th episode premiered in October 2024, and the new winter installment will continue the story's momentum.

About the Source Material

The Off & Monster Season draws from NisiOisin's sprawling Monogatari novel series, which began in 2006 with Bakemonogatari. The franchise received its first anime adaptation in 2009 and has since grown into a complex, interconnected narrative spanning multiple seasons of stories.

The "Off Season" volumes—including Wazamonogatari, the basis for this new episode—present standalone stories set at various points in the timeline. These were published between 2015 and 2017. The subsequent "Monster Season," launched in 2017 with Shinobumonogatari, advances the narrative into the characters' college years.

NisiOisin concluded his original series with Zoku Owarimonogatari in 2014, but a teaser for "Next Season" suggested the story would continue. That continuation arrived with Tsugimonogatari, the latest novel, which shipped in October 2025—demonstrating the franchise's ongoing evolution after nearly two decades.

For fans who've followed Monogatari's elaborate storytelling and visual style through the years, the winter 2026 episode promises another chance to experience the narrative that has consistently pushed anime's creative boundaries. The specific release date within the winter season will likely be announced closer to air time.