A Mountain of Japanese Animation Updates Dropped During the Holidays
The Christmas holidays present a wealth of pursuits much better than catching up on the headlines: unwrapping gifts, indulging in festive fare, and employing meditation skills to avoid arguing with relatives. I hope you succeeded in enjoy all these things and more. However, the entertainment world never sleeps, and this is particularly true for the realm of anime. Numerous exciting announcements came out over the festive period, and just in case you missed any, here is a roundup of the most exciting bits.
The One-Punch Man Series Its Third Season Will Continue (By 2027)
Truly the most surprising revelation, the notorious troubled production that was the third season of One-Punch Man failed to halt further production. Season 3 will return with a follow-up batch of episodes in 2027—a date so remote they could have called it season 4. Adding to the surprise, the studio J.C. Staff will continue to be leading the project. Thankfully this time, helmer Shinpei Nagai is set to direct from the outset, which is seen as a good sign. But, the main art for the continuation is the same image the one used for season 3, just with characters Saitama and Garou facing different directions. This makes me think that, nowadays, they could be teasing the fans.
The Ruri Dragon Series Is Set to Be the First Shonen Jump Anime From Kyoto Animation
Kyoto Animation has built a standing for being an prestigious animation studio, distinguishing itself not just for the high caliber of its productions but for the good working conditions of its employees—a sadly unusual standard in the industry. Unexpectedly, until now, it had not produced an anime adapted from a manga from Shonen Jump, arguably the best-known magazine in the field. Ruri Dragon will end that streak, and what a great 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 resumed publication with a more relaxed pace, the series demonstrated it hadn't lost the fans' support and goodwill, and now fans are ecstatic about the upcoming KyoAni adaptation.
The Kingdom Series Its Sixth Season Will Get a Sequel Currently in Production
Kingdom is the highly popular, epic Shueisha manga that is not One Piece. If you've are unfamiliar with it before, it's because it only recently got an English release, but the anime has been airing for a while, and its sixth season was another outstanding entry. As it happens that was just the first cour, because a "sequel" has been revealed as in production, 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 projects, Science Saru has brought us masterpieces 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, based on the real historical figure of Fatima, an powerful woman and thinker in the Mongol Empire in the 13th century. Judging from the trailer, the anime called Jaadugar: A Witch in Mongolia will have a truly original and captivating visual style, which reminds me a bit of Ranking of Kings. Debuting in July 2026, this one will without a doubt be on my watchlist.
Tougen Anki Will Continue With a Season Two
Immediately following the release of the final episode of the first season, it was announced that Tougen Anki will be getting a follow-up. Adapted from the Japanese legend of Momotaro, Tougen Anki brings to life the manga by Yura Urushibara. The new season of the anime will cover the Nikko Kegon Falls Arc, but a firm premiere date has not been disclosed yet.
