A Ton of Japanese Animation News Dropped Over the Holidays

The Christmas holidays offer a multitude of activities much better than checking the updates: opening presents, indulging in festive fare, and harnessing patience techniques to not arguing with loved ones. I hope you were able to do all these things and more. However, the world of entertainment doesn't go on vacation, and this is particularly true for the realm of anime. A slew of exciting developments surfaced during the holidays, and if you overlooked some of them, here is a roundup of the biggest bits.

The One-Punch Man Series Its Third Season Is Moving Forward (Come 2027)

Without a doubt the biggest announcement, the much-discussed controversial season that was season 3 of One-Punch Man failed to deter more episodes. The show will come back with a subsequent part in 2027—a date so remote they easily could have called it season 4. More surprisingly, animation studio J.C. Staff will continue to be in charge. At least this time, helmer Shinpei Nagai is on board to direct from the start, which could be taken as a hopeful indicator. However, the promotional image for the second cour is identical to the one used for season 3, just with characters Saitama and Garou facing different directions. This makes me think that, at this point, they could be trolling the fans.

The Ruri Dragon Series Will Be the Premiere Shonen Jump Anime Produced By Kyoto Animation

Kyoto Animation has forged a name for being an prestigious animation studio, making its mark not just for the superb artistry of its output but for the fair treatment of its employees—a rarity in the industry. Unexpectedly, until now, it had never worked on an anime adapted from a manga from Shonen Jump, perhaps the most iconic magazine in the business. Ruri Dragon will break that tradition, and what a excellent choice it is. The manga by Masaoki Shindo became a huge following when it first appeared in 2022 after just a few chapters, but then went into a extended pause due to the creator's health issues. When it came back with a more relaxed pace, the series demonstrated it maintained the fans' affection and goodwill, and now the community is overjoyed about the impending KyoAni adaptation.

Kingdom Its Sixth Season Will Get a Sequel Currently in Production

Kingdom is the best-selling, long-running Shueisha manga that is not 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 a further excellent entry. Apparently that was just the first half, because a "sequel" has been announced as in production, and it will probably premiere in 2026.

Science Saru Is Bringing A Witch in Mongolia To Anime

A further studio renowned for the superior craftsmanship of its projects, Science Saru has given us critically acclaimed works of the ilk 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, inspired by the actual historical person of Fatima, an prominent woman and thinker in the Mongol Empire in the 13th century. Judging 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. Set to premiere in July 2026, this one will absolutely be on my watchlist.

The Tougen Anki Series Will Return With a Season Two

Shortly after the release of its twenty-fourth episode, it was announced that Tougen Anki will be receiving a second season. Inspired by the Japanese legend of Momotaro, Tougen Anki brings to life the manga by Yura Urushibara. The new season of the anime will adapt the Nikko Kegon Falls Arc, but a concrete premiere date has yet to be revealed.