Dead Account Anime 2026 Preview: Is This Just Another 'Edgy' Social Media Horror?

Social media is scary. We get it. Black Mirror did it years ago.

Now anime is trying again with Dead Account, premiering January 10, 2026. The premise? Exorcists fighting ghosts that live in your TikTok feed. It sounds cool on paper, but I have some serious trust issues here.

The "Real Account" PTSD

If the art style looks familiar, it’s because the creator, Shizumu Watanabe, also wrote Real Account.

For those who don't remember, Real Account started great and then drove itself off a cliff. It was "edgy" for the sake of being edgy. Dead Account seems to follow the same path. The protagonist, Soji, is a streamer trying to pay medical bills by hunting digital ghosts. It screams "2020s commentary" a bit too loudly.

Studio SynergySP... Really?

Let’s be honest. SynergySP isn't exactly Ufotable or MAPPA.

They are decent, but for a show that relies heavily on "glitch aesthetics" and digital monsters, average animation isn't going to cut it. If the CGI looks cheap, this entire show falls apart. We need Mob Psycho 100 creativity, but we might get powerpoint slides.

I want to like this. The idea of spirits feeding on "Clout" and "Likes" is relevant.

But there is a 50% chance this ends up being a cringefest where boomer writers try to understand Gen Z internet culture. Watch the first episode, but don't get your hopes up.

!NOTE This series is part of our Winter 2026 Anime Lineup. Check out what else is airing this season!