by The Apothecary Diaries continues to dominate ABEMA’s Fall 2026 anime rankings, maintaining its position at No. 1 for an impressive fifth consecutive week. Meanwhile, an unusual fantasy series built around the concept of “revolving credit” has attracted growing attention, climbing from third place to second.
Japanese streaming platform ABEMA has published its latest weekly anime ranking, based on viewing data collected between Monday, October 26, and Sunday, November 1, 2026. The results show that established favourites and unconventional new adaptations are both attracting viewers during the autumn anime season.
While The Apothecary Diaries remained firmly at the top, The Magic Power I Lent Will Be Forcibly Collected Through Revolving Payments (Japanese: Kashita Maryoku wa [Ribo Barai] de Kyōsei Chōshū) made the biggest upward move among the leading titles, securing second place after ranking third the previous week.
The rest of the Top 5 also remained unchanged. Reincarnated as a Sword took third place, followed by The Ferocious Lady Nia Liston in fourth and The Banished Cheat Enchanter Enjoys a Carefree Second Life in fifth.
The latest results suggest that viewers are continuing to follow a mixture of returning anime favourites and newly adapted fantasy stories. However, it is important to remember that this is an ABEMA-specific ranking, not a measurement of every anime viewer in Japan.
The Apothecary Diaries Remains No. 1 for Five Consecutive Weeks
The biggest headline from this week’s ranking is the continued success of The Apothecary Diaries.
Currently airing its third TV anime season, the series has maintained its leading position since the season began. For the week of October 26, it secured first place for the fifth consecutive week, demonstrating its consistent performance on ABEMA.
Based on the light novel series written by Natsu Hyūga, The Apothecary Diaries follows Maomao, a knowledgeable young woman who is kidnapped and sold into service at the imperial palace. With her extensive knowledge of medicine, herbs, and poisons, she eventually becomes involved in investigating mysterious illnesses and incidents within the palace.
Maomao’s sharp observations and unusual personality make her an engaging protagonist. Rather than relying on conventional action scenes, the series builds much of its appeal around mysteries, medical knowledge, palace politics, and the relationships between its characters.
Her interactions with the influential Jinshi also provide humour and emotional tension, giving the story a balance of investigation, historical-inspired drama, and character-driven storytelling.
The anime’s continued position at the top of ABEMA’s weekly chart indicates that its audience remains highly engaged as the third season progresses. Its established fanbase, recognisable characters, and ongoing mysteries may all contribute to its strong performance.
Importantly, the five-week streak is based on ABEMA’s published weekly rankings. It should not be interpreted as proof that the series is the most-watched anime across every streaming service or television platform.
The Unusual “Revolving Credit” Anime Climbs to Second Place
One of the most interesting developments this week is the rise of The Magic Power I Lent Will Be Forcibly Collected Through Revolving Payments.
The series moved up from third place in the previous week’s ranking to second place in the October 26 chart. Its unusual premise has helped it stand out among the many fantasy and isekai-inspired anime released this season.
The Japanese title refers to a financial concept known as revolving credit, commonly associated with revolving-payment plans. Under this system, a borrower repays a balance through recurring payments rather than settling the entire amount at once.
The anime applies this familiar financial idea to a fantasy setting involving magic. Its distinctive concept is particularly unusual because magical power, which is normally treated as a supernatural ability or resource in fantasy stories, becomes connected to debt collection.
The series is also available through ABEMA and d Anime Store as an exclusive subscription-based streaming title, according to the ranking report. This distribution arrangement may help explain why it is attracting a concentrated audience on those platforms.
Its rise to second place is therefore worth watching. While the ranking does not reveal exactly why individual viewers chose the series, its unusual premise and exclusive streaming availability provide useful context for understanding its growing presence on the chart.
The result also highlights how an unconventional concept can help a new anime stand out in a crowded season. Fantasy series frequently feature reincarnation, powerful protagonists, magic systems, and adventurer guilds. A story that connects magical abilities with a modern financial arrangement offers a different kind of hook.
Reincarnated as a Sword Slips to Third Place
Taking third place this week is Reincarnated as a Sword, which dropped one position after ranking second in the previous week.
The series is based on the light novel written by Yuu Tanaka and illustrated by LLO. Its central premise is unusual even by isekai standards: the protagonist is reincarnated not as a human or another living creature, but as a magical sword.
The sword eventually meets Fran, a young catgirl who becomes its wielder. Together, they travel through a dangerous fantasy world, fight monsters, develop their abilities, and build a strong partnership.
The contrast between Fran’s determination and the sword’s guidance is one of the series’ defining features. Its combination of action, character development, fantasy adventure, and an unconventional reincarnation premise has helped it establish a dedicated audience.
Its third-place result shows that the series remains among the most-watched titles in this week’s ABEMA Top 5, even after moving down one position.
A one-place decline does not necessarily indicate a significant loss of interest. Weekly rankings can shift as viewers catch up with episodes, new instalments become available, and competing titles attract attention.
The Ferocious Lady Nia Liston Holds Fourth Place
In fourth place is The Ferocious Lady Nia Liston: The Magnificent Unrivaled Record of a God-Slaying Warrior Reincarnated as a Sickly Lady.
The series retained the same position it held the previous week, continuing its presence among the season’s five leading titles on ABEMA.
Based on the light novel series by Minami no Umi Kaze, the story centres on Nia Liston, a young woman whose body is physically frail. However, her situation is far from ordinary: she carries the soul and fighting experience of a powerful warrior who once challenged gods.
This contrast between her delicate appearance and extraordinary combat potential forms the foundation of the story. The series combines reincarnation fantasy with battles, character growth, and the spectacle of a protagonist who possesses abilities far beyond what her physical condition initially suggests.
The premise gives the anime a familiar appeal for fans of powerful protagonists, but its character setup adds another layer to the fantasy adventure.
Remaining in fourth place for another week suggests that the series continues to attract viewers as the Fall 2026 season develops.
The Banished Cheat Enchanter Continues Its Top Five Run
Rounding out the ranking in fifth place is The Banished Cheat Enchanter Enjoys a Carefree Second Life.
The series also maintained its position from the previous week, making it another title with a stable presence in the latest Top 5.
The story follows Rain Garland, an enhancement magician who is expelled from his former adventurer guild. His special ability allows him to strengthen weapons and armour by assigning enhancement points. After leaving the guild, he sets out to begin a new life and use his abilities on his own terms.
Although the premise initially resembles a familiar fantasy adventure, the anime has attracted attention for its unusual world-building, eccentric humour, and sudden changes in tone.
Its story moves between monster battles, strange comedic scenes, and surprisingly serious character drama. Modern-looking objects appearing in a fantasy environment have also become a talking point among viewers.
The series’ fifth-place result shows that it continues to attract an audience alongside more established titles and other new fantasy adaptations.
Its position has remained unchanged for the second consecutive week, giving it a consistent presence near the top of ABEMA’s ranking.
What Does This Ranking Tell Us About Fall 2026 Anime?
This week’s chart highlights the variety of anime attracting viewers during the Fall 2026 season.
At the top, The Apothecary Diaries demonstrates the continuing appeal of a well-established series with an engaging central mystery and a popular cast of characters. Its fifth consecutive week at No. 1 is a particularly notable achievement within ABEMA’s weekly chart.
At the same time, the rise of The Magic Power I Lent Will Be Forcibly Collected Through Revolving Payments shows that unusual concepts can also attract attention. Its combination of fantasy and financial terminology makes it stand out from more conventional magical adventures.
The continued presence of Reincarnated as a Sword, The Ferocious Lady Nia Liston, and The Banished Cheat Enchanter further demonstrates the strength of fantasy-based stories in this week’s Top 5.
However, rankings from streaming services should always be interpreted carefully. ABEMA’s results are based on viewing activity within its own service, and factors such as exclusive streaming arrangements, release schedules, and episode availability can influence the order.
The chart is therefore best understood as a snapshot of what ABEMA viewers watched during a particular week, rather than a definitive ranking of the entire anime industry.
The Apothecary Diaries continues to lead ABEMA’s Fall 2026 weekly anime ranking, securing its fifth consecutive first-place finish for October 26–November 1.
The biggest upward movement belongs to The Magic Power I Lent Will Be Forcibly Collected Through Revolving Payments, which climbed to second place and became one of the week’s most interesting ranking stories.
Meanwhile, Reincarnated as a Sword moved to third, while The Ferocious Lady Nia Liston and The Banished Cheat Enchanter Enjoys a Carefree Second Life held their fourth- and fifth-place positions.
With all five titles remaining in the Top 5 for another week, the next ABEMA ranking will be worth watching. The key question is whether The Apothecary Diaries can extend its winning streak or whether one of the rising fantasy titles will manage to challenge its position.
