A Ton of Japanese Animation Updates Arrived During the Festive Season
The Yuletide season provide a multitude of activities far superior than checking the latest news: discovering surprises, indulging in holiday treats, and using deep breathing to refrain from yelling at loved ones. Hopefully you managed to do all these things and more. However, the entertainment world never sleeps, and this is notably true for the realm of anime. A slew of noteworthy developments came out over the festive period, and should you didn't see any, here is a roundup of the biggest bits.
One-Punch Man Its Third Season Is Set to Continue (By 2027)
Truly the biggest announcement, the much-discussed controversial season that was season 3 of One-Punch Man failed to stop more episodes. The show will return with a subsequent part in 2027—a date so remote they could have called it season 4. Adding to the surprise, the studio J.C. Staff will still be leading the project. At least this time, director Shinpei Nagai is attached to direct from the start, which is seen as a good sign. But, the main art for the continuation is a mirror of the one used for season 3, just with protagonists Saitama and Garou looking opposite ways. This leads one to believe that, nowadays, they must be trolling the fans.
Ruri Dragon Is Set to Be the Premiere Shonen Jump Anime By Kyoto Animation
Kyoto Animation has forged a standing for being an prestigious animation studio, making its mark not just for the high caliber of its productions but for the ethical practices of its employees—a sadly unusual standard in the industry. Unexpectedly, until now, it had never worked on an anime stemming from a manga from Shonen Jump, possibly 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 gained massive popularity when it launched in 2022 after just a small number of issues, but then went into a lengthy break due to the mangaka's health issues. When it resumed publication with a lighter schedule, the series showed it still retained the fans' affection and goodwill, and now the community is ecstatic about the impending KyoAni adaptation.
Kingdom Its Sixth Season Will Get a Sequel In Production
Kingdom is the top-selling, decades-spanning Shueisha manga that is other than One Piece. If you've never heard of it before, it's because it only recently got an English localization, but the anime has been going on for some time, and season 6 was another 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 Will Adapt A Witch in Mongolia Into an Anime Series
One more studio famous for the artistic merit of its projects, Science Saru has brought us hit shows of the quality 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, which is based on the true story of Fatima, an powerful woman and intellectual in the Mongol Empire in the 13th century. From the trailer, the anime named 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 definitely be on my list of anticipated shows.
Tougen Anki Will Return With a Season Two
Shortly after the conclusion of episode 24, it was revealed that Tougen Anki will be getting a second season. Based on the Japanese legend of Momotaro, Tougen Anki is based on the manga by Yura Urushibara. The second season of the anime will cover the Nikko Kegon Falls Arc, but a specific release date has not yet been announced.
