A Ton of Japanese Animation Updates Dropped Over the Festive Season
The Yuletide season provide a wealth of activities much better than catching up on the updates: discovering surprises, feasting on holiday treats, and harnessing meditation skills to not yelling at relatives. Hopefully you were able to enjoy all these things and more. That said, the world of entertainment doesn't take a break, and this is notably true for the realm of anime. Many noteworthy news items came out over the break, and if you overlooked a few, here is a summary of the most exciting bits.
The One-Punch Man Series Season 3 Will Continue (Come 2027)
Truly the most surprising announcement, the notorious controversial season that was season 3 of One-Punch Man wasn't enough to stop the series' continuation. The show will be back with a subsequent part in 2027—a date so remote they easily could have dubbed it season 4. Even more shocking, animation studio J.C. Staff will remain leading the project. On a positive note this time, helmer Shinpei Nagai is set to direct from the outset, which is seen as a hopeful indicator. But, the key visual for the second cour is a mirror of the one used for season 3, just with protagonists Saitama and Garou looking opposite ways. This makes me think that, at this point, they could be mocking the fans.
Ruri Dragon Is Set to Be the Premiere Shonen Jump Anime From Kyoto Animation
Kyoto Animation has forged a standing for being an top-tier animation studio, making its mark not just for the superb artistry of its work but for the fair treatment of its employees—a uncommon practice in the industry. Surprisingly, until now, it had never worked on an anime based on a manga serialized in Shonen Jump, perhaps the most iconic magazine in the field. Ruri Dragon will break that tradition, and what a great choice it is. The manga by Masaoki Shindo achieved widespread acclaim when it first appeared in 2022 after just a handful of installments, 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 still retained the fans' support and goodwill, and now everyone is ecstatic about the impending KyoAni adaptation.
The Kingdom Series Season 6 Will Get 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 fairly recently obtained an English translation, but the anime has been going on for years, and its sixth season was yet another excellent entry. Apparently that was just the initial batch, because a "sequel" has been announced as currently being made, and it will probably debut in 2026.
Science Saru Is Adapting A Witch in Mongolia To Anime
One more studio known for the excellent quality of its projects, Science Saru has brought us critically acclaimed works of the quality of Space Dandy, Devilman Crybaby, and, most recently, Dandadan. This time, the studio will be producing the adaptation of Tomato Soup's manga A Witch's Life in Mongol, inspired by the true story of Fatima, an powerful woman and scholar in the Mongol Empire in the 13th century. From the trailer, the anime called Jaadugar: A Witch in Mongolia will have a distinctly fresh and intriguing visual style, which evokes Ranking of Kings. Scheduled to launch in July 2026, this one will definitely be on my must-watch list.
Tougen Anki Will Return With a Second Season
Shortly after the release of episode 24, it was confirmed that Tougen Anki will be receiving a second season. Adapted from the Japanese legend of Momotaro, Tougen Anki is based on the manga by Yura Urushibara. The upcoming season of the anime will cover the Nikko Kegon Falls Arc, but a concrete premiere date has not yet been announced.