A Heap of Japanese Animation News Dropped During the Festive Season
The Yuletide season offer a wealth of pastimes much better than scanning the headlines: discovering surprises, indulging in festive fare, and harnessing deep breathing to not yelling at family members. I hope you managed to accomplish all these things and more. Nevertheless, the showbiz industry doesn't go on vacation, and this is particularly true for the realm of anime. A slew of noteworthy announcements came out during the holidays, and just in case you overlooked any, here is a compilation of the juiciest bits.
The One-Punch Man Series Season 3 Is Moving Forward (Come 2027)
Truly the most shocking piece of news, the much-discussed disaster that was the third season of One-Punch Man failed to stop more episodes. The show will come back with a subsequent part in 2027—such a distant date they easily could have labeled it season 4. Adding to the surprise, the studio J.C. Staff will remain at the helm. On a positive note this time, director Shinpei Nagai is attached to direct from the outset, which could be taken as a positive development. However, the main art for the continuation is identical to the one used for season 3, just with protagonists Saitama and Garou facing different directions. This makes me think that, by now, they must be mocking the fans.
Ruri Dragon Is Set to Be the Premiere Shonen Jump Anime By Kyoto Animation
Kyoto Animation has built a standing for being an top-tier animation studio, setting itself apart not just for the exceptional quality of its output but for the good working conditions of its employees—a uncommon practice in the industry. Surprisingly, until now, it had not adapted an anime stemming from a manga from Shonen Jump, possibly the most iconic magazine in the industry. Ruri Dragon will break that tradition, and what a superb choice it is. The manga by Masaoki Shindo achieved a huge following when it launched in 2022 after just a handful of installments, but then went into a two-year hiatus due to the author's health issues. When it returned with a reduced workload, the series proved it still retained the fans' support and positive sentiment, and now fans are ecstatic about the forthcoming KyoAni adaptation.
Kingdom Its Sixth Season Is Getting a Follow-Up In Production
Kingdom is the best-selling, long-running Shueisha manga that is aside from 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 a while, and its sixth season was a further excellent entry. It turns out that was just the first cour, because a "sequel" has been revealed as currently being made, and it will almost certainly premiere in 2026.
Science Saru Will Adapt A Witch in Mongolia Into an Anime Series
One more studio renowned for the superior craftsmanship of its projects, Science Saru has given us masterpieces of the quality of Space Dandy, Devilman Crybaby, and, more 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 true story of Fatima, an prominent 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 fascinating visual style, which evokes Ranking of Kings. Debuting in July 2026, this one will absolutely be on my list of anticipated shows.
Tougen Anki Will Return With a Second Season
Right after the release of its twenty-fourth episode, it was revealed that Tougen Anki will be securing a second season. Inspired by the Japanese legend of Momotaro, Tougen Anki adapts the manga by Yura Urushibara. The second season of the anime will adapt the Nikko Kegon Falls Arc, but a firm release date has yet to be revealed.
