A Mountain of Japanese Animation News Arrived During the Festive Season

The Christmas holidays provide a multitude of pastimes far superior than catching up on the updates: discovering surprises, feasting on holiday treats, and employing deep breathing to refrain from snapping at relatives. I hope you were able to enjoy all these things and more. However, the world of entertainment never sleeps, and this is particularly true for the realm of anime. Numerous noteworthy news items emerged over the holidays, and just in case you overlooked some of them, here is a summary of the biggest bits.

The One-Punch Man Series Its Third Season Is Set to Continue (In 2027)

Without a doubt the biggest revelation, the notorious controversial season that was season 3 of One-Punch Man failed to deter further production. The show will return with a subsequent part in 2027—a date so remote they easily could have dubbed it season 4. More surprisingly, animation studio J.C. Staff will still be in charge. At least this time, helmer Shinpei Nagai is attached to direct from the outset, which is seen as a hopeful indicator. However, the promotional image 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 are probably trolling the fans.

Ruri Dragon Is Poised to Be the First Shonen Jump Anime From Kyoto Animation

Kyoto Animation has built a name for being an top-tier animation studio, distinguishing itself not just for the superb artistry of its productions but for the good working conditions of its employees—a sadly unusual standard in the industry. Curiously, until now, it had not adapted an anime adapted from a manga serialized in Shonen Jump, possibly the most famous magazine in the business. Ruri Dragon will change that, and what a superb choice it is. The manga by Masaoki Shindo gained a huge following when it launched in 2022 after just a small number of issues, but then went into a extended pause due to the creator's health issues. When it resumed publication with a lighter schedule, the series demonstrated it hadn't lost the fans' appreciation and positive sentiment, and now everyone is ecstatic about the forthcoming KyoAni adaptation.

Kingdom Season 6 Is Getting a Follow-Up In Production

Kingdom is the top-selling, long-running Shueisha manga that is not One Piece. If you've never heard of it before, it's because it only just received an English localization, but the anime has been airing for years, and season 6 was a further stellar entry. It turns out that was just the first cour, because a "sequel" has been revealed as currently being made, and it will very likely debut in 2026.

Science Saru Is Bringing A Witch in Mongolia Into an Anime Series

Another studio renowned for the artistic merit of its work, Science Saru has delivered critically acclaimed works of the quality 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, inspired by the real historical figure of Fatima, an influential woman and intellectual in the Mongol Empire in the 13th century. From the trailer, the anime called Jaadugar: A Witch in Mongolia will have a truly original and fascinating visual style, which is somewhat reminiscent of Ranking of Kings. Debuting in July 2026, this one will without a doubt be on my list of anticipated shows.

Tougen Anki Is Set to Continue With a Second Season

Shortly after the airing of the final episode of the first season, it was announced that Tougen Anki will be securing a follow-up. Adapted from the Japanese legend of Momotaro, Tougen Anki brings to life the manga by Yura Urushibara. The second season of the anime will cover the Nikko Kegon Falls Arc, but a firm release date has not been disclosed yet.