A Ton of Japanese Animation Updates Landed During the Holidays
The Yuletide season provide a multitude of activities considerably more enjoyable than catching up on the updates: discovering surprises, getting stuffed on holiday treats, and employing meditation skills to refrain from snapping at family members. I hope you managed to enjoy 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. A slew of exciting news items surfaced over the festive period, and just in case you missed some of them, here is a roundup of the juiciest bits.
One-Punch Man Season 3 Is Set to Continue (In 2027)
Truly the most shocking piece of news, the notorious disaster that was the third season of One-Punch Man wasn't enough to deter the series' continuation. The show will be back with a second cour in 2027—a date so remote they might as well have called it season 4. Even more shocking, the studio J.C. Staff will still be at the helm. Thankfully this time, helmer Shinpei Nagai is set to direct from the outset, which might be a good sign. Yet, the key visual for the continuation is identical to the one used for season 3, just with protagonists Saitama and Garou looking opposite ways. This makes me think that, at this point, they must be teasing the fans.
Ruri Dragon Is Set to Be the First Shonen Jump Anime Produced By Kyoto Animation
Kyoto Animation has built a standing for being an top-tier animation studio, distinguishing itself not just for the superb artistry of its output but for the ethical practices of its employees—a rarity in the industry. Unexpectedly, until now, it had not produced an anime stemming from a manga published in Shonen Jump, possibly the most famous magazine in the field. Ruri Dragon will change that, and what a great choice it is. The manga by Masaoki Shindo became widespread acclaim when it debuted in 2022 after just a small number of issues, but then went into a two-year hiatus due to the creator's health issues. When it returned with a lighter schedule, the series demonstrated it still retained the fans' appreciation and goodwill, and now fans are overjoyed about the upcoming KyoAni adaptation.
Kingdom Season 6 Will Get a Sequel In Production
Kingdom is the highly popular, long-running Shueisha manga that is not One Piece. If you've never heard of it before, it's because it only fairly recently obtained an English release, but the anime has been running for years, and season 6 was yet another outstanding entry. It turns out that was just the first half, because a "sequel" has been announced as in production, and it will very likely air in 2026.
Science Saru Is Adapting A Witch in Mongolia To Anime
One more studio renowned for the artistic merit of its productions, Science Saru has given us masterpieces of the caliber of Space Dandy, Devilman Crybaby, and, most recently, Dandadan. This time, the studio will be taking on the adaptation of Tomato Soup's manga A Witch's Life in Mongol, which is based on the real historical figure of Fatima, an influential woman and scholar 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 is somewhat reminiscent of Ranking of Kings. Scheduled to launch in July 2026, this one will definitely be on my list of anticipated shows.
The Tougen Anki Series Will Return With a Season Two
Immediately following the airing of its twenty-fourth episode, it was announced that Tougen Anki will be securing a follow-up. Based on the Japanese legend of Momotaro, Tougen Anki adapts the manga by Yura Urushibara. The new season of the anime will adapt the Nikko Kegon Falls Arc, but a firm release date has not been disclosed yet.
