A Heap of Japanese Animation Updates Dropped Over the Holidays
The winter break provide a plethora of pursuits considerably more enjoyable than catching up on the latest news: discovering surprises, indulging in holiday treats, and employing deep breathing to refrain from snapping at relatives. I hope you managed to accomplish all these things and more. However, the showbiz industry never sleeps, and this is especially true for the realm of anime. Numerous exciting news items emerged during the break, and if you overlooked some of them, here is a roundup of the juiciest bits.
One-Punch Man Season 3 Will Continue (Come 2027)
Truly the most surprising revelation, the widely-criticized disaster that was the third season of One-Punch Man proved insufficient to halt further production. The show will return with a follow-up batch of episodes in 2027—a date so remote they might as well have called it season 4. Even more shocking, animation studio J.C. Staff will still be in charge. Thankfully this time, director Shinpei Nagai is set to direct from the beginning, which is seen as a positive development. However, the key visual for the new episodes is the same image the one used for season 3, just with characters Saitama and Garou facing different directions. This suggests that, at this point, they must be trolling the fans.
Ruri Dragon Is Poised to Be the Premiere Shonen Jump Anime From Kyoto Animation
Kyoto Animation has built a standing for being an prestigious animation studio, setting itself apart not just for the exceptional quality of its work but for the fair treatment of its employees—a uncommon practice in the industry. Curiously, until now, it had not produced an anime based on a manga serialized 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 creator's health issues. When it resumed publication with a reduced workload, the series demonstrated it hadn't lost the fans' appreciation and goodwill, and now the community is overjoyed about the impending KyoAni adaptation.
Kingdom Its Sixth Season Will Get a Sequel Currently in Production
Kingdom is the best-selling, decades-spanning Shueisha manga that is other than One Piece. If you've haven't come across it before, it's because it only recently got an English translation, but the anime has been running for some time, and its sixth season was another outstanding entry. As it happens that was just the first half, because a "sequel" has been announced as currently being made, and it will very likely premiere in 2026.
Science Saru Will Adapt A Witch in Mongolia To Anime
A further studio known for the excellent quality of its work, Science Saru has delivered masterpieces of the quality of Space Dandy, Devilman Crybaby, and, more recently, Dandadan. This time, the studio will be taking on the adaptation of Tomato Soup's manga A Witch's Life in Mongol, which is based on the true story of Fatima, an prominent woman and thinker in the Mongol Empire in the 13th century. Judging from the trailer, the anime titled Jaadugar: A Witch in Mongolia will have a truly original and intriguing visual style, which is somewhat reminiscent of Ranking of Kings. Scheduled to launch in July 2026, this one will without a doubt be on my must-watch list.
The Tougen Anki Series Will Continue With a Season Two
Shortly after the conclusion of the final episode of the first season, it was confirmed that Tougen Anki will be receiving a second season. Inspired by 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 air date has not been disclosed yet.
