A Mountain of Japanese Animation News Arrived During the Festive Season
The Christmas holidays present a plethora of pursuits far superior than catching up on the updates: unwrapping gifts, feasting on holiday treats, and harnessing meditation skills to refrain from arguing with loved ones. I hope you managed to enjoy all these things and more. That said, the world of entertainment doesn't go on vacation, and this is notably true for the realm of anime. A slew of exciting developments emerged over the holidays, and just in case you didn't see some of them, here is a summary of the biggest bits.
One-Punch Man Its Third Season Is Moving Forward (In 2027)
Truly the biggest piece of news, the notorious troubled production that was the third season of One-Punch Man failed to stop the series' continuation. The show will come back with a follow-up batch of episodes in 2027—such a distant date they might as well have labeled it season 4. Even more shocking, animation studio J.C. Staff will continue to be leading the project. Thankfully this time, helmer Shinpei Nagai is on board to direct from the start, which could be taken as a good sign. Yet, the key visual for the second cour is the same image the one used for season 3, just with protagonists Saitama and Garou looking opposite ways. This suggests that, nowadays, they could be teasing the fans.
Ruri Dragon Is Poised to Be the Premiere Shonen Jump Anime Produced By Kyoto Animation
Kyoto Animation has established a standing for being an elite animation studio, making its mark not just for the exceptional quality of its work but for the ethical practices of its employees—a rarity in the industry. Surprisingly, until now, it had never worked on an anime stemming from a manga serialized in Shonen Jump, perhaps the best-known magazine in the industry. Ruri Dragon will end that streak, and what a excellent choice it is. The manga by Masaoki Shindo became a huge following when it debuted in 2022 after just a small number of issues, but then went into a lengthy break due to the mangaka's health issues. When it came back with a lighter schedule, the series demonstrated it hadn't lost the fans' appreciation and enthusiasm, and now the community is thrilled about the forthcoming KyoAni adaptation.
The Kingdom Series Its Sixth Season Is Getting a Follow-Up Currently in Production
Kingdom is the highly popular, long-running Shueisha manga that is other than One Piece. If you've haven't come across it before, it's because it only just received an English release, but the anime has been airing for a while, and its sixth season was another excellent entry. Apparently that was just the first cour, because a "sequel" has been revealed as in production, and it will probably premiere in 2026.
Science Saru Is Adapting A Witch in Mongolia To Anime
A further studio famous for the superior craftsmanship of its projects, Science Saru has given us masterpieces of the caliber of Space Dandy, Devilman Crybaby, and, more recently, Dandadan. This time, the studio will be producing the adaptation of Tomato Soup's manga A Witch's Life in Mongol, which is based on the real historical figure of Fatima, an prominent woman and thinker in the Mongol Empire in the 13th century. From the trailer, the anime called Jaadugar: A Witch in Mongolia will have a highly unique and intriguing visual style, which reminds me a bit of Ranking of Kings. Scheduled to launch in July 2026, this one will definitely be on my list of anticipated shows.
Tougen Anki Will Continue With a Season Two
Immediately following the release of the final episode of the first season, it was confirmed that Tougen Anki will be receiving a sequel. Adapted from the Japanese legend of Momotaro, Tougen Anki brings to life the manga by Yura Urushibara. The upcoming season of the anime will delve into the Nikko Kegon Falls Arc, but a specific release date has yet to be revealed.
