A Ton of Japanese Animation News Arrived During the Holidays
The Christmas holidays offer a plethora of activities considerably more enjoyable than scanning the latest news: unwrapping gifts, getting stuffed on delicious food, and using meditation skills to avoid yelling at loved ones. Hopefully you managed to accomplish all these things and more. Nevertheless, the entertainment world doesn't go on vacation, and this is notably true for the realm of anime. A slew of exciting developments surfaced over the break, and just in case you missed some of them, here is a summary of the most exciting bits.
One-Punch Man Season 3 Is Set to Continue (Come 2027)
Truly the biggest announcement, the widely-criticized disaster that was the third season of One-Punch Man wasn't enough to halt further production. The show will come back with a follow-up batch of episodes in 2027—a date so remote they easily could have dubbed it season 4. Even more shocking, animation studio J.C. Staff will continue to be at the helm. On a positive note this time, helmer Shinpei Nagai is set to direct from the outset, which could be taken as a positive development. Yet, the key visual for the second cour is a mirror of the one used for season 3, just with characters Saitama and Garou facing different directions. This suggests that, nowadays, they must be mocking the fans.
The Ruri Dragon Series Is Set to Be the Premiere Shonen Jump Anime From Kyoto Animation
Kyoto Animation has forged a name for being an top-tier animation studio, distinguishing itself not just for the high caliber of its work but for the fair treatment of its employees—a sadly unusual standard in the industry. Surprisingly, until now, it had never worked on an anime adapted from a manga from Shonen Jump, perhaps the best-known magazine in the field. Ruri Dragon will change that, and what a great choice it is. The manga by Masaoki Shindo achieved widespread acclaim when it launched in 2022 after just a few chapters, but then went into a lengthy break due to the author's health issues. When it came back with a reduced workload, the series demonstrated it maintained the fans' affection and positive sentiment, and now fans are ecstatic about the forthcoming KyoAni adaptation.
The Kingdom Series Season 6 Will Get a Sequel Currently in Production
Kingdom is the top-selling, decades-spanning Shueisha manga that is other than One Piece. If you've are unfamiliar with it before, it's because it only just received an English release, but the anime has been running for some time, and season 6 was another outstanding entry. It turns out that was just the first cour, because a "sequel" has been announced as in production, and it will probably debut in 2026.
Science Saru Will Adapt A Witch in Mongolia Into an Anime Series
One more studio renowned for the excellent quality of its projects, Science Saru has delivered hit shows of the quality 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 true story of Fatima, an powerful woman and scholar in the Mongol Empire in the 13th century. Based on the trailer, the anime titled Jaadugar: A Witch in Mongolia will have a distinctly fresh and fascinating visual style, which is somewhat reminiscent of Ranking of Kings. Set to premiere in July 2026, this one will without a doubt be on my must-watch list.
The Tougen Anki Series Will Return With a Second Season
Right after the airing of the final episode of the first season, it was announced that Tougen Anki will be getting a sequel. Based on the Japanese legend of Momotaro, Tougen Anki brings to life the manga by Yura Urushibara. The upcoming season of the anime will delve into the Nikko Kegon Falls Arc, but a concrete air date has yet to be revealed.
