A Mountain of Japanese Animation Updates Landed During the Holidays
The Christmas holidays offer a wealth of pastimes far superior than scanning the updates: discovering surprises, indulging in delicious food, and harnessing deep breathing to refrain from snapping at relatives. Hopefully you managed to do all these things and more. However, the entertainment world never sleeps, and this is notably true for the realm of anime. Many thrilling announcements surfaced during the break, and just in case you overlooked any, here is a compilation of the biggest bits.
The One-Punch Man Series Its Third Season Is Moving Forward (In 2027)
Truly the biggest announcement, the widely-criticized troubled production that was season 3 of One-Punch Man wasn't enough to halt more episodes. The show will return with a second cour in 2027—a date so remote they could have labeled it season 4. Adding to the surprise, animation studio J.C. Staff will still be at the helm. Thankfully this time, director Shinpei Nagai is set to direct from the start, which might be a positive development. But, the promotional image for the new episodes 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, at this point, they could be mocking the fans.
Ruri Dragon Is Poised to Be the Premiere Shonen Jump Anime From Kyoto Animation
Kyoto Animation has established a name for being an prestigious animation studio, setting itself apart not just for the superb artistry of its work but for the fair treatment of its employees—a uncommon practice in the industry. Surprisingly, until now, it had not produced an anime based on a manga published in Shonen Jump, arguably the most iconic magazine in the industry. Ruri Dragon will change that, and what a great choice it is. The manga by Masaoki Shindo became massive popularity when it first appeared in 2022 after just a few chapters, but then went into a lengthy break due to the mangaka's health issues. When it came back with a more relaxed pace, the series showed it hadn't lost the fans' affection and goodwill, and now the community is thrilled about the forthcoming KyoAni adaptation.
Kingdom Season 6 Will Get a Sequel In Production
Kingdom is the top-selling, long-running Shueisha manga that is aside from 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 running for a while, and season 6 was yet another stellar entry. As it happens that was just the first cour, because a "sequel" has been confirmed as currently being made, and it will almost certainly debut in 2026.
Science Saru Is Adapting A Witch in Mongolia Into an Anime Series
Another studio famous for the superior craftsmanship of its productions, Science Saru has brought us masterpieces of the caliber of Space Dandy, Devilman Crybaby, and, lastly, Dandadan. This time, the studio will be handling 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 thinker in the Mongol Empire in the 13th century. Based on the trailer, the anime named Jaadugar: A Witch in Mongolia will have a highly unique and fascinating visual style, which evokes Ranking of Kings. Scheduled to launch in July 2026, this one will without a doubt be on my list of anticipated shows.
The Tougen Anki Series Will Return With a Second Season
Right after the release of its twenty-fourth episode, it was announced that Tougen Anki will be receiving a follow-up. Based on the Japanese legend of Momotaro, Tougen Anki is based on the manga by Yura Urushibara. The new season of the anime will delve into the Nikko Kegon Falls Arc, but a firm air date has not been disclosed yet.
