A Heap of Japanese Animation News Landed Over the Festive Season
The Christmas holidays present a wealth of pastimes considerably more enjoyable than scanning the updates: opening presents, indulging in festive fare, and employing patience techniques to refrain from yelling at relatives. Hopefully you managed to enjoy all these things and more. That said, the showbiz industry never sleeps, and this is notably true for the realm of anime. Many thrilling announcements came out over the break, and if you didn't see some of them, here is a compilation of the juiciest bits.
One-Punch Man Season 3 Is Set to Continue (Come 2027)
Truly the most shocking piece of news, the widely-criticized troubled production that was season 3 of One-Punch Man proved insufficient to stop further production. Season 3 will return with a second cour in 2027—so far away they might as well have dubbed it season 4. Adding to the surprise, animation studio J.C. Staff will still be in charge. Thankfully this time, director Shinpei Nagai is attached to direct from the beginning, which could be taken as a good sign. However, the promotional image for the continuation is a mirror of the one used for season 3, just with protagonists Saitama and Garou oriented differently. This makes me think that, by now, they must be mocking the fans.
The Ruri Dragon Series Is Set to Be the First Shonen Jump Anime By Kyoto Animation
Kyoto Animation has established a standing for being an top-tier animation studio, making its mark not just for the superb artistry of its productions but for the fair treatment of its employees—a uncommon practice in the industry. Surprisingly, until now, it had never worked on an anime adapted from a manga published in Shonen Jump, possibly the most famous magazine in the field. Ruri Dragon will break that tradition, and what a excellent choice it is. The manga by Masaoki Shindo achieved massive popularity when it launched in 2022 after just a handful of installments, but then went into a two-year hiatus due to the mangaka's health issues. When it came back with a reduced workload, the series showed it hadn't lost the fans' affection and goodwill, and now fans are overjoyed about the upcoming KyoAni adaptation.
The Kingdom Series Season 6 Has a Sequel Now in the Works
Kingdom is the top-selling, decades-spanning 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 localization, but the anime has been airing for years, and its sixth season was a further outstanding entry. As it happens that was just the first half, because a "sequel" has been confirmed as currently being made, and it will very likely debut in 2026.
Science Saru Will Adapt A Witch in Mongolia Into an Anime Series
A further studio famous for the superior craftsmanship of its work, Science Saru has delivered critically acclaimed works 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 actual historical person of Fatima, an influential 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 evokes Ranking of Kings. Debuting in July 2026, this one will definitely be on my must-watch list.
Tougen Anki Will Return With a Second Season
Shortly after the conclusion of episode 24, it was announced that Tougen Anki will be securing a follow-up. Based on the Japanese legend of Momotaro, Tougen Anki brings to life the manga by Yura Urushibara. The upcoming season of the anime will adapt the Nikko Kegon Falls Arc, but a concrete release date has not been disclosed yet.
