A Heap of Japanese Animation Updates Landed During the Festive Season
The winter break provide a multitude of pursuits much better than checking the headlines: discovering surprises, getting stuffed on delicious food, and employing meditation skills to refrain from yelling at relatives. It is wished you were able to accomplish all these things and more. However, the entertainment world doesn't take a break, and this is especially true for the realm of anime. Many thrilling developments emerged over the break, and should you missed some of them, here is a compilation of the juiciest bits.
One-Punch Man Its Third Season Is Moving Forward (Come 2027)
Perhaps the most shocking piece of news, the widely-criticized controversial season that was the third season of One-Punch Man wasn't enough to halt the series' continuation. Season 3 will return with a second cour in 2027—a date so remote they could have dubbed it season 4. More surprisingly, animation studio J.C. Staff will still be in charge. On a positive note this time, helmer Shinpei Nagai is set to direct from the outset, which could be taken as a good sign. Yet, the key visual for the continuation is identical to the one used for season 3, just with characters Saitama and Garou facing different directions. This suggests that, nowadays, they could be teasing the fans.
The Ruri Dragon Series Is Poised to Be the First Shonen Jump Anime By Kyoto Animation
Kyoto Animation has forged a standing for being an elite animation studio, distinguishing itself not just for the exceptional quality of its output but for the good working conditions of its employees—a rarity in the industry. Curiously, until now, it had never worked on an anime stemming from a manga published in Shonen Jump, arguably the most famous magazine in the business. Ruri Dragon will break that tradition, and what a great choice it is. The manga by Masaoki Shindo gained massive popularity when it launched in 2022 after just a small number of issues, but then went into a lengthy break due to the author's health issues. When it came back with a more relaxed pace, the series proved it maintained the fans' support and positive sentiment, and now everyone is ecstatic about the forthcoming KyoAni adaptation.
The Kingdom Series Season 6 Will Get a Sequel Now in the Works
Kingdom is the highly popular, long-running Shueisha manga that is other than One Piece. If you've never heard of it before, it's because it only just received an English localization, but the anime has been running for some time, and season 6 was another outstanding entry. It turns out that was just the initial batch, because a "sequel" has been revealed as in production, and it will probably debut in 2026.
Science Saru Is Bringing A Witch in Mongolia Into an Anime Series
A further studio renowned for the superior craftsmanship of its productions, Science Saru has given us critically acclaimed works of the ilk of Space Dandy, Devilman Crybaby, and, most recently, Dandadan. This time, the studio will be handling 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. 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. Set to premiere in July 2026, this one will without a doubt be on my must-watch list.
Tougen Anki Will Continue With a Second Season
Shortly after the release of the final episode of the first season, it was confirmed that Tougen Anki will be getting a follow-up. Based on the Japanese legend of Momotaro, Tougen Anki brings to life the manga by Yura Urushibara. The second season of the anime will adapt the Nikko Kegon Falls Arc, but a firm air date has yet to be revealed.