A Mountain of Japanese Animation News Arrived Over the Festive Season
The Christmas holidays present a plethora of activities much better than checking the headlines: discovering surprises, indulging in festive fare, and harnessing deep breathing to refrain from snapping at family members. I hope you succeeded in accomplish all these things and more. That said, the world of entertainment doesn't take a break, and this is particularly true for the realm of anime. Numerous thrilling developments emerged over the festive period, and if you didn't see some of them, here is a roundup of the juiciest bits.
One-Punch Man Season 3 Will Continue (By 2027)
Truly the biggest announcement, the much-discussed troubled production that was the third season of One-Punch Man failed to stop the series' continuation. The show will be back with a second cour in 2027—so far away they might as well have called it season 4. More surprisingly, animation studio J.C. Staff will still be in charge. Thankfully this time, helmer Shinpei Nagai is set to direct from the beginning, which might be a hopeful indicator. Yet, the key visual for the second cour is the same image the one used for season 3, just with characters Saitama and Garou facing different directions. This makes me think that, at this point, they are probably mocking the fans.
The Ruri Dragon Series Is Poised to Be the First Shonen Jump Anime From Kyoto Animation
Kyoto Animation has built a name for being an prestigious animation studio, making its mark not just for the exceptional quality of its productions but for the fair treatment of its employees—a sadly unusual standard in the industry. Curiously, until now, it had not produced an anime adapted from a manga published in Shonen Jump, perhaps the most iconic magazine in the industry. Ruri Dragon will change that, and what a excellent choice it is. The manga by Masaoki Shindo became massive popularity when it launched in 2022 after just a small number of issues, but then went into a extended pause due to the author's health issues. When it resumed publication with a lighter schedule, the series showed it still retained the fans' support and enthusiasm, and now the community is ecstatic about the forthcoming KyoAni adaptation.
Kingdom Its Sixth Season Will Get a Sequel Now in the Works
Kingdom is the best-selling, decades-spanning Shueisha manga that is aside from One Piece. If you've haven't come across it before, it's because it only fairly recently obtained an English release, but the anime has been going on for some time, and season 6 was yet another outstanding entry. It turns out that was just the first half, because a "sequel" has been confirmed as currently being made, and it will probably air in 2026.
Science Saru Will Adapt A Witch in Mongolia To Anime
Another studio known for the superior craftsmanship of its productions, Science Saru has given us hit shows of the caliber of Space Dandy, Devilman Crybaby, and, most recently, Dandadan. This time, the studio will be producing the adaptation of Tomato Soup's manga A Witch's Life in Mongol, based on the actual historical person of Fatima, an powerful woman and intellectual in the Mongol Empire in the 13th century. Judging from the trailer, the anime called Jaadugar: A Witch in Mongolia will have a highly unique and captivating visual style, which is somewhat reminiscent of Ranking of Kings. Set to premiere in July 2026, this one will without a doubt be on my list of anticipated shows.
Tougen Anki Will Continue With a Second Season
Right after the release of its twenty-fourth episode, it was revealed that Tougen Anki will be getting a second season. Inspired by the Japanese legend of Momotaro, Tougen Anki adapts the manga by Yura Urushibara. The upcoming season of the anime will cover the Nikko Kegon Falls Arc, but a firm release date has not yet been announced.
