U-NEXT Announces First Half of 2026 Rankings! "Chiruran Shinsengumi Requiem" and "Exit 8" Become Top Titles in Their Respective Genres

U-NEXT Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Tenshin Tsutsumi), which operates the video distribution service "U-NEXT" under USEN & U-NEXT GROUP, announced the "U-NEXT First Half of 2026 Rankings" on Tuesday, July 7, 2026.

In the Film category, "Exit 8," a live-action adaptation of the infinitely looping horror game where players search for anomalies, starring Kazunari Ninomiya and a global hit, took the No. 1 spot. The game's highly addictive world, centered on "escaping" a creepy underground passage, was masterfully brought to the screen, generating significant buzz immediately after its release.

In the International Drama category, "The Knight of the Seven Kingdoms," a new prequel set 100 years before the global hit drama "Game of Thrones," was the most-watched series. The casting of Tomokazu Sugita as the protagonist Dunk and Rie Kugimiya as the squire Egg, two actors who frequently co-star, also became a talking point.

In the Domestic Drama category, "Chiruran Shinsengumi Requiem," a Japanese sword action entertainment depicted on an unprecedented scale in drama history as a global project by TBS, U-NEXT, and THE SEVEN, secured the No. 1 position. This authentic historical drama, portraying the turbulent days and life-or-death battles of the Shinsengumi active in the late Edo period, captivated many fans with performances by a star-studded cast including Yuki Yamada, Kento Nakajima, Jun Matsumoto, and Gou Ayano.

In the Korean Drama category, "I Got a Kid" ranked first. This romantic comedy depicts the chaotic events that unfold when a man with zero desire for marriage and a woman have a child due to a mistake one night. Based on a popular webtoon, the series comically and romantically portrays the evolving relationship between the two characters through an unexpected pregnancy, captivating Korean drama fans.

In the Anime category, the highly anticipated third season of the popular anime series "Jujutsu Kaisen," titled "Jujutsu Kaisen: Culling Game Arc Part 1," claimed a solid No. 1 spot. This series features the full participation of Yuta Okkotsu, the protagonist of "Jujutsu Kaisen 0 The Movie." With the appearance of new sorcerers as participants in the "Culling Game," the series garnered overwhelming support not only from original fans but also from a wide range of generations.

U-NEXT offers a rich lineup, from major hits that have taken the world by storm to "ONLY ON" exclusive content available only on U-NEXT.

<Film>

https://video.unext.jp/browse/feature/FET0002921 *Accessible from Tuesday, July 7, 12:00 PM

Exit 8

Minecraft: The Movie *

One Battle After Another *

Superman *

Dollhouse

Black Showman

TOKYO Taxi

Mr. Nobody 2

Sinners *

Unrequited World *

*Works without special notes are rental titles. Some are included in unlimited viewing (marked with *).

<International Drama>

https://video.unext.jp/browse/feature/FET0013035 *Accessible from Tuesday, July 7, 12:00 PM

The Knight of the Seven Kingdoms

The Pit: Pittsburgh Emergency Medicine Season 2

Euphoria Season 3

FBI: International Season 4

Lord of the Flies

Albus: The Professor of Criminology's Murder Investigation Team

Looking for Harry / Behind the Magic Stage

NCIS: Hawai'i Season 3

Ted the Series 2

Amadeus

<Domestic Drama>

https://video.unext.jp/browse/feature/FET0013022 *Accessible from Tuesday, July 7, 12:00 PM

Chiruran Shinsengumi Requiem

Reboot

My Future Son

GIFT

Tabisashi Brothers

Is It Too Late!?

The Revenge of the Wronged - Wives Who Formed an Alliance -

Is This Love a Mistake? - Atonement for Adultery -

DREAM STAGE

Toyotomi Brothers!

<Korean Drama>

https://video.unext.jp/browse/feature/FET0013029 *Accessible from Tuesday, July 7, 12:00 PM

I Got a Kid

I'll Give You the Universe

Shin Iran Law Firm ~The Truth Comes from the Afterlife!?~

Undercover High School

Motel California

My Beloved Thief

Queen Cheonchu

FACE ME

The Department Head in the City Goes to the Countryside ~My Transfer Destination is Shim-Umi-myeon Yong-ri~

<Anime>

https://video.unext.jp/browse/feature/FET0013019 *Accessible from Tuesday, July 7, 12:00 PM

"Jujutsu Kaisen" "Culling Game Arc Part 1"

"Frieren: Beyond Journey's End" Season 2

That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime Season 4

The Skillful Greedy Person Kicked Out of the Hero's Party

Reincarnated as a Noble ~Gaining Ultimate Power from a Blessed Birth~

"Oshi no Ko" Season 3

Three Kingdoms of Japan

Easygoing Lord's Fun Territory Defense ~Turning a Nameless Village into a Fortress City with Production Magic~

Hell Mode ~The Gamer Who Loves Grinding Unfettered in a World with Disadvantageous Settings~

Tsugai of the Underworld

*Reporting Period: January 1, 2026 - June 8, 2026

*Viewer numbers were extracted for titles released on or after January 1, 2026, in the categories of "Film," "International Drama," "Domestic Drama," "Korean Drama," and "Anime."

*Titles are subject to change without notice. Please be aware of this in advance.

©︎ 2025 "Exit 8" Film Production Committee

© 2026 WarnerMedia Direct Asia Pacific, LLC. All rights reserved. HBO Max and related elements are property of Home Box Office, Inc.

© Eiji Hashimoto, Shinya Umemura/Coamix © THE SEVEN

© Channel A All Rights Reserved

© Gege Akutami/Shueisha, Jujutsu Kaisen Production Committee

U-NEXT

U-NEXT is the No. 1 video distribution service in terms of the number of unlimited viewing titles*. Enjoy over 460,000 titles including movies, dramas, and anime, as well as live music and stage performances, and real-time viewing of world-class sports such as soccer, golf, and martial arts. Furthermore, with over 1.29 million manga and books also available, it offers a genre-defying entertainment experience where you can seamlessly enjoy "Video," "Books," "Sports," and "Live" within a single app. With the service integration of Paravi in July 2023, we have further enhanced our service with a large lineup of dramas and variety shows from TBS and TV Tokyo.

U-NEXT Co., Ltd. is a group company of U-NEXT HOLDINGS Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Yasuhide Uno).

U-NEXT: https://video.unext.jp

*Survey by GEM Partners / as of April 2026

Survey conducted on major domestic subscription video distribution services for Western films, Japanese films, international dramas, Korean/Asian dramas, domestic dramas, and anime. Paid content is available separately.