A Ton of Japanese Animation Updates Landed Over the Festive Season
The winter break offer a plethora of activities much better than checking the headlines: discovering surprises, feasting on holiday treats, and harnessing meditation skills to refrain from snapping at loved ones. Hopefully you succeeded in do all these things and more. That said, the showbiz industry never sleeps, and this is particularly true for the realm of anime. Many exciting developments surfaced during the break, and just in case you didn't see a few, here is a summary of the juiciest bits.
One-Punch Man Season 3 Will Continue (By 2027)
Perhaps the most surprising announcement, the widely-criticized disaster that was season 3 of One-Punch Man wasn't enough to halt further production. The show will be back with a subsequent part in 2027—such a distant date they could have dubbed it season 4. Adding to the surprise, animation studio J.C. Staff will still be leading the project. At least this time, director Shinpei Nagai is on board to direct from the outset, which might be a hopeful indicator. However, the main art for the continuation is the same image the one used for season 3, just with protagonists Saitama and Garou facing different directions. This leads one to believe that, at this point, they are probably trolling the fans.
Ruri Dragon Is Set to Be the Premiere Shonen Jump Anime From Kyoto Animation
Kyoto Animation has forged a reputation for being an prestigious animation studio, making its mark not just for the superb artistry of its output but for the fair treatment of its employees—a sadly unusual standard in the industry. Curiously, until now, it had not produced an anime based on a manga serialized in Shonen Jump, possibly the best-known magazine in the industry. Ruri Dragon will end that streak, and what a excellent choice it is. The manga by Masaoki Shindo became a huge following when it debuted in 2022 after just a small number of issues, but then went into a two-year hiatus due to the author's health issues. When it returned with a more relaxed pace, the series proved it still retained the fans' affection and enthusiasm, and now fans are ecstatic about the upcoming KyoAni adaptation.
The Kingdom Series Season 6 Has a Sequel Currently in Production
Kingdom is the best-selling, epic 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 airing for a while, and its sixth season was yet another stellar entry. As it happens that was just the first cour, because a "sequel" has been announced as currently being made, and it will probably debut in 2026.
Science Saru Will Adapt A Witch in Mongolia Into an Anime Series
One more studio known for the artistic merit of its projects, Science Saru has delivered critically acclaimed works of the caliber of Space Dandy, Devilman Crybaby, and, lastly, Dandadan. This time, the studio will be producing the adaptation of Tomato Soup's manga A Witch's Life in Mongol, inspired by the actual historical person of Fatima, an prominent woman and scholar in the Mongol Empire in the 13th century. 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. Debuting in July 2026, this one will without a doubt be on my must-watch list.
Tougen Anki Will Return With a Season Two
Shortly after the airing of episode 24, it was revealed that Tougen Anki will be receiving a second season. 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 concrete air date has not been disclosed yet.
