A Mountain of Japanese Animation Updates Landed During the Holidays
The Yuletide season provide a plethora of activities much better than checking the latest news: unwrapping gifts, feasting on festive fare, and using patience techniques to avoid arguing with loved ones. Hopefully you managed to do all these things and more. That said, the entertainment world doesn't go on vacation, and this is especially true for the realm of anime. Many noteworthy developments surfaced during the festive period, and just in case you overlooked any, here is a roundup of the biggest bits.
The One-Punch Man Series Season 3 Is Moving Forward (Come 2027)
Truly the most shocking piece of news, the much-discussed troubled production that was the third season of One-Punch Man proved insufficient to deter the series' continuation. The show will come back with a subsequent part in 2027—such a distant date they could have called it season 4. Adding to the surprise, animation studio J.C. Staff will remain at the helm. On a positive note this time, director Shinpei Nagai is set to direct from the start, which could be taken as a positive development. However, the promotional image for the new episodes is a mirror of the one used for season 3, just with characters Saitama and Garou looking opposite ways. This leads one to believe that, at this point, they are probably teasing the fans.
Ruri Dragon Will Be the First Shonen Jump Anime Produced By Kyoto Animation
Kyoto Animation has established a reputation for being an prestigious animation studio, setting itself apart not just for the superb artistry of its work but for the ethical practices of its employees—a rarity in the industry. Surprisingly, until now, it had not produced an anime adapted from a manga serialized in Shonen Jump, arguably the most famous magazine in the industry. Ruri Dragon will break that tradition, and what a excellent choice it is. The manga by Masaoki Shindo achieved widespread acclaim when it launched in 2022 after just a handful of installments, but then went into a two-year hiatus due to the mangaka's health issues. When it came back with a reduced workload, the series demonstrated it hadn't lost the fans' affection and positive sentiment, and now the community is ecstatic about the impending KyoAni adaptation.
The Kingdom Series Season 6 Has a Sequel Currently in Production
Kingdom is the highly popular, epic Shueisha manga that is aside from One Piece. If you've never heard of it before, it's because it only just received an English localization, but the anime has been going on for some time, and its sixth season was a further stellar entry. Apparently that was just the first cour, because a "sequel" has been confirmed as in development, and it will probably debut in 2026.
Science Saru Will Adapt A Witch in Mongolia To Anime
Another studio renowned for the superior craftsmanship of its projects, Science Saru has brought us masterpieces of the caliber of Space Dandy, Devilman Crybaby, and, more recently, Dandadan. This time, the studio will be taking on the adaptation of Tomato Soup's manga A Witch's Life in Mongol, based on the true story of Fatima, an powerful woman and thinker in the Mongol Empire in the 13th century. Based on the trailer, the anime called Jaadugar: A Witch in Mongolia will have a distinctly fresh and intriguing visual style, which reminds me a bit of Ranking of Kings. Set to premiere in July 2026, this one will without a doubt be on my watchlist.
Tougen Anki Is Set to Continue With a Season Two
Right after the release of its twenty-fourth episode, it was revealed that Tougen Anki will be receiving a second season. Based on 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 firm release date has not yet been announced.
