A Mountain of Japanese Animation News Dropped During the Holidays
The Yuletide season offer a wealth of activities far superior than checking the headlines: unwrapping gifts, getting stuffed on delicious food, and employing patience techniques to not arguing with family members. It is wished you succeeded in accomplish all these things and more. That said, the world of entertainment doesn't go on vacation, and this is especially true for the realm of anime. A slew of noteworthy announcements surfaced over the holidays, and if you overlooked some of them, here is a compilation of the most exciting bits.
One-Punch Man Season 3 Is Set to Continue (By 2027)
Truly the most shocking revelation, the much-discussed disaster that was the third season of One-Punch Man wasn't enough to deter the series' continuation. Season 3 will come back with a follow-up batch of episodes in 2027—so far away they could have labeled it season 4. More surprisingly, the studio J.C. Staff will remain at the helm. At least this time, helmer Shinpei Nagai is set to direct from the outset, which could be taken as a hopeful indicator. However, the promotional image for the new episodes is a mirror of the one used for season 3, just with characters Saitama and Garou oriented differently. This makes me think that, nowadays, they must 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 top-tier animation studio, setting itself apart not just for the exceptional quality of its output but for the fair treatment of its employees—a rarity in the industry. Unexpectedly, until now, it had not adapted an anime adapted from a manga serialized in Shonen Jump, arguably 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 widespread acclaim when it launched in 2022 after just a few chapters, but then went into a extended pause due to the author's health issues. When it returned with a reduced workload, the series demonstrated it still retained the fans' appreciation and goodwill, and now fans are thrilled about the forthcoming KyoAni adaptation.
Kingdom Its Sixth Season Will Get a Sequel In Production
Kingdom is the highly popular, decades-spanning Shueisha manga that is not One Piece. If you've are unfamiliar with it before, it's because it only fairly recently obtained an English release, but the anime has been airing for a while, and season 6 was a further stellar entry. It turns out that was just the first half, because a "sequel" has been revealed as in development, and it will almost certainly debut in 2026.
Science Saru Is Adapting A Witch in Mongolia To Anime
A further studio famous for the superior craftsmanship of its projects, Science Saru has brought 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 actual historical person of Fatima, an prominent woman and scholar in the Mongol Empire in the 13th century. Judging from the trailer, the anime called Jaadugar: A Witch in Mongolia will have a distinctly fresh and intriguing visual style, which evokes Ranking of Kings. Set to premiere in July 2026, this one will absolutely be on my list of anticipated shows.
The Tougen Anki Series Is Set to Continue With a Second Season
Shortly after the conclusion of episode 24, it was announced that Tougen Anki will be receiving a second season. Based on the Japanese legend of Momotaro, Tougen Anki adapts the manga by Yura Urushibara. The new season of the anime will delve into the Nikko Kegon Falls Arc, but a concrete release date has yet to be revealed.