If you've never watched Made in Abyss, I need you to understand something before you press play on that new trailer. The show looks like a Studio Ghibli fever dream, all wide-eyed kids and lush watercolor backgrounds and cute little rabbit creatures. And then it turns into one of the most emotionally devastating, physically brutal pieces of animation I've ever sat through. I love it. I'm also scared of it.

The franchise just dropped a trailer for the first film in a brand-new movie trilogy, and you can check it out over at ComicBook.com. The story follows Riko, a young girl who descends into a massive, mysterious pit called the Abyss. It's filled with ancient relics, terrifying creatures, and something called the Curse, which basically means the deeper you go, the worse things get for your body and mind on the way back up. She's joined by Reg, a robot boy with an extendable arm who might be one of the sweetest characters in modern anime.

The first two seasons and the two compilation films from 2019, Journey's Dawn and Wandering Twilight, already proved this world is something special. The show mixes wonder and dread in a way very few series even attempt. You'll be smiling at a beautiful landscape shot and then five minutes later you're staring at the screen with your hand over your mouth.

The new trilogy's first film is set to hit theaters on October 23, 2026. The trailer gives us a taste of what's coming without giving too much away, which is exactly how I like my trailers.

If you enjoy animation that takes real risks, stories that treat childhood adventure as something genuinely dangerous instead of just cute, and worlds that feel alive in ways that make your skin tingle, this franchise is mandatory viewing. Just maybe don't marathon it right before bed. Jess Wingo caught me watching an episode in the office last year and asked if I was okay. I was not, strictly speaking, okay.

I'll have more thoughts once we get a longer look. For now, consider this your friendly warning from your couch potato that the Abyss is calling again, and it does not care whether you're ready.