A Ton of Japanese Animation News Dropped Over the Festive Season
The Christmas holidays offer a plethora of pursuits much better than scanning the headlines: unwrapping gifts, getting stuffed on holiday treats, and harnessing patience techniques to avoid arguing with family members. Hopefully you succeeded in enjoy all these things and more. Nevertheless, the showbiz industry never sleeps, and this is notably true for the realm of anime. Numerous thrilling developments came out over the break, and if you missed any, here is a roundup of the most exciting bits.
The One-Punch Man Series Its Third Season Will Continue (By 2027)
Perhaps the most surprising revelation, the much-discussed disaster that was the third season of One-Punch Man wasn't enough to deter further production. Season 3 will return with a subsequent part in 2027—such a distant date they might as well have dubbed it season 4. Adding to the surprise, animation studio J.C. Staff will continue to be at the helm. At least this time, director Shinpei Nagai is attached to direct from the start, which is seen as a good sign. Yet, the promotional image for the new episodes is the same image the one used for season 3, just with protagonists Saitama and Garou facing different directions. This leads one to believe that, nowadays, they could be teasing the fans.
Ruri Dragon Is Set to Be the Premiere Shonen Jump Anime By Kyoto Animation
Kyoto Animation has built a name for being an prestigious animation studio, making its mark not just for the exceptional quality of its work 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 stemming from a manga serialized in Shonen Jump, arguably the best-known magazine in the industry. Ruri Dragon will change that, and what a excellent choice it is. The manga by Masaoki Shindo achieved widespread acclaim when it debuted in 2022 after just a few chapters, but then went into a extended pause due to the creator's health issues. When it returned with a more relaxed pace, the series proved it hadn't lost the fans' affection and goodwill, and now fans are thrilled about the upcoming KyoAni adaptation.
The Kingdom Series Season 6 Will Get a Sequel In Production
Kingdom is the highly popular, 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 going on for a while, and its sixth season was a further outstanding entry. It turns out that was just the first cour, because a "sequel" has been announced as in development, and it will probably air in 2026.
Science Saru Is Bringing A Witch in Mongolia To Anime
Another studio famous for the artistic merit of its productions, Science Saru has given us hit shows of the caliber of Space Dandy, Devilman Crybaby, and, lastly, Dandadan. This time, the studio will be taking on the adaptation of Tomato Soup's manga A Witch's Life in Mongol, inspired by the true story of Fatima, an influential 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 distinctly fresh and intriguing visual style, which reminds me a bit of Ranking of Kings. Set to premiere in July 2026, this one will without a doubt be on my watchlist.
The Tougen Anki Series Will Continue With a Second Season
Immediately following the release of episode 24, it was announced that Tougen Anki will be getting a sequel. Based on the Japanese legend of Momotaro, Tougen Anki is based on the manga by Yura Urushibara. The second season of the anime will delve into the Nikko Kegon Falls Arc, but a specific air date has not yet been announced.
