A Mountain of Japanese Animation News Landed Over the Festive Season
The Yuletide season present a multitude of activities much better than checking the updates: opening presents, getting stuffed on holiday treats, and harnessing meditation skills to avoid arguing with relatives. Hopefully you succeeded in accomplish all these things and more. However, the world of entertainment doesn't take a break, and this is notably true for the realm of anime. Many thrilling news items surfaced during the holidays, and should you missed some of them, here is a summary of the biggest bits.
One-Punch Man Its Third Season Will Continue (By 2027)
Truly the biggest piece of news, the much-discussed disaster that was the third season of One-Punch Man proved insufficient to stop the series' continuation. Season 3 will be back with a follow-up batch of episodes in 2027—a date so remote they could have dubbed it season 4. Even more shocking, animation studio J.C. Staff will remain in charge. Thankfully this time, helmer Shinpei Nagai is attached to direct from the outset, which is seen as a positive development. However, the key visual for the second cour is a mirror of the one used for season 3, just with characters Saitama and Garou facing different directions. This leads one to believe that, by now, 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 forged a name for being an elite animation studio, making its mark not just for the superb artistry of its productions but for the ethical practices of its employees—a uncommon practice in the industry. Unexpectedly, until now, it had not adapted an anime stemming from a manga serialized in Shonen Jump, arguably the most iconic magazine in the industry. Ruri Dragon will break that tradition, and what a excellent choice it is. The manga by Masaoki Shindo became widespread acclaim when it launched in 2022 after just a handful of installments, but then went into a lengthy break due to the creator's health issues. When it resumed publication with a more relaxed pace, the series proved it hadn't lost the fans' support and goodwill, and now everyone is overjoyed about the forthcoming KyoAni adaptation.
The Kingdom Series Season 6 Will Get a Sequel Currently in Production
Kingdom is the top-selling, long-running Shueisha manga that is other than One Piece. If you've never heard of it before, it's because it only fairly recently obtained an English localization, but the anime has been running for some time, and its sixth season was a further stellar entry. As it happens that was just the initial batch, because a "sequel" has been revealed as in production, and it will probably debut in 2026.
Science Saru Is Bringing A Witch in Mongolia Into an Anime Series
One more studio renowned for the superior craftsmanship of its productions, Science Saru has delivered hit shows of the ilk of Space Dandy, Devilman Crybaby, and, lastly, Dandadan. This time, the studio will be handling the adaptation of Tomato Soup's manga A Witch's Life in Mongol, based on the actual historical person of Fatima, an influential woman and thinker in the Mongol Empire in the 13th century. From the trailer, the anime titled Jaadugar: A Witch in Mongolia will have a distinctly fresh and fascinating visual style, which is somewhat reminiscent of Ranking of Kings. Set to premiere in July 2026, this one will definitely be on my list of anticipated shows.
The Tougen Anki Series Is Set to Continue With a Season Two
Right after the release of the final episode of the first season, it was announced that Tougen Anki will be securing a sequel. Based on the Japanese legend of Momotaro, Tougen Anki is based on 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.
