A Heap of Japanese Animation Updates Dropped Over the Holidays
The Yuletide season offer a wealth of pastimes far superior than scanning the latest news: unwrapping gifts, getting stuffed on holiday treats, and harnessing deep breathing to refrain from snapping at loved ones. It is wished you were able to do all these things and more. Nevertheless, the world of entertainment never sleeps, and this is particularly true for the realm of anime. A slew of noteworthy developments emerged during the break, and if you overlooked some of them, here is a summary of the most exciting bits.
One-Punch Man Its Third Season Is Set to Continue (In 2027)
Perhaps the most shocking piece of news, the widely-criticized controversial season that was the third season of One-Punch Man proved insufficient to stop more episodes. The show will return with a second cour in 2027—such a distant date they might as well have labeled it season 4. Adding to the surprise, animation studio J.C. Staff will remain leading the project. On a positive note this time, director Shinpei Nagai is attached to direct from the start, which could be taken as a hopeful indicator. However, the main art for the continuation is identical to the one used for season 3, just with protagonists Saitama and Garou oriented differently. This suggests that, at this point, they must be teasing the fans.
The Ruri Dragon Series Is Set to Be the First Shonen Jump Anime From Kyoto Animation
Kyoto Animation has established a name for being an elite animation studio, setting itself apart not just for the superb artistry of its work but for the fair treatment of its employees—a sadly unusual standard in the industry. Surprisingly, until now, it had never worked on an anime adapted from a manga from Shonen Jump, perhaps the best-known magazine in the field. Ruri Dragon will change that, and what a superb choice it is. The manga by Masaoki Shindo gained massive popularity when it debuted in 2022 after just a handful of installments, but then went into a two-year hiatus due to the creator's health issues. When it returned with a reduced workload, the series proved it maintained the fans' support and enthusiasm, and now everyone is ecstatic about the forthcoming KyoAni adaptation.
The Kingdom Series Season 6 Is Getting a Follow-Up Now in the Works
Kingdom is the top-selling, long-running Shueisha manga that is not One Piece. If you've are unfamiliar with it before, it's because it only fairly recently obtained an English release, but the anime has been airing for some time, and its sixth season was yet another excellent entry. As it happens that was just the initial batch, because a "sequel" has been revealed as in production, and it will very likely air in 2026.
Science Saru Will Adapt A Witch in Mongolia Into an Anime Series
Another studio famous for the artistic merit of its productions, Science Saru has delivered masterpieces of the caliber of Space Dandy, Devilman Crybaby, and, most recently, Dandadan. This time, the studio will be handling the adaptation of Tomato Soup's manga A Witch's Life in Mongol, based on the real historical figure of Fatima, an influential woman and scholar in the Mongol Empire in the 13th century. From the trailer, the anime named Jaadugar: A Witch in Mongolia will have a truly original and intriguing visual style, which reminds me a bit of Ranking of Kings. Set to premiere in July 2026, this one will absolutely be on my list of anticipated shows.
The Tougen Anki Series Will Return With a Season Two
Shortly after the airing of its twenty-fourth episode, it was confirmed that Tougen Anki will be getting a sequel. Based on the Japanese legend of Momotaro, Tougen Anki brings to life the manga by Yura Urushibara. The upcoming season of the anime will cover the Nikko Kegon Falls Arc, but a concrete air date has not been disclosed yet.