A Ton of Japanese Animation News Arrived During the Holidays

The Christmas holidays present a multitude of pastimes considerably more enjoyable than catching up on the updates: unwrapping gifts, feasting on holiday treats, and harnessing deep breathing to avoid yelling at loved ones. It is wished you succeeded in enjoy all these things and more. However, the showbiz industry never sleeps, and this is especially true for the realm of anime. Many exciting developments emerged during the holidays, and just in case you missed any, here is a compilation of the juiciest bits.

The One-Punch Man Series Its Third Season Is Set to Continue (Come 2027)

Perhaps the most surprising revelation, the widely-criticized disaster that was the third season of One-Punch Man wasn't enough to stop further production. Season 3 will return with a follow-up batch of episodes in 2027—such a distant date they might as well have called it season 4. More surprisingly, the studio J.C. Staff will continue to be at the helm. Thankfully this time, helmer Shinpei Nagai is on board to direct from the outset, which could be taken as a good sign. However, the key visual for the new episodes is a mirror of the one used for season 3, just with protagonists Saitama and Garou oriented differently. This leads one to believe that, at this point, they are probably mocking the fans.

Ruri Dragon Is Set to Be the Premiere Shonen Jump Anime Produced By Kyoto Animation

Kyoto Animation has built a reputation for being an top-tier animation studio, distinguishing itself not just for the exceptional quality of its productions but for the good working conditions of its employees—a sadly unusual standard in the industry. Surprisingly, until now, it had never worked on an anime based on a manga published in Shonen Jump, arguably the most iconic magazine in the field. Ruri Dragon will break that tradition, and what a great choice it is. The manga by Masaoki Shindo became massive popularity when it debuted in 2022 after just a small number of issues, but then went into a extended pause due to the author's health issues. When it resumed publication with a more relaxed pace, the series demonstrated it still retained the fans' appreciation and positive sentiment, and now everyone is overjoyed about the upcoming KyoAni adaptation.

Kingdom Its Sixth Season Is Getting a Follow-Up Now in the Works

Kingdom is the highly popular, long-running Shueisha manga that is aside from One Piece. If you've haven't come across it before, it's because it only fairly recently obtained an English translation, but the anime has been going on for years, and season 6 was a further excellent entry. It turns out that was just the first half, because a "sequel" has been revealed as in production, and it will probably air in 2026.

Science Saru Is Bringing A Witch in Mongolia To Anime

One more studio famous for the superior craftsmanship of its projects, Science Saru has delivered hit shows of the caliber of Space Dandy, Devilman Crybaby, and, lastly, Dandadan. This time, the studio will be producing the adaptation of Tomato Soup's manga A Witch's Life in Mongol, inspired by the real historical figure 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 highly unique and captivating visual style, which reminds me a bit of Ranking of Kings. Scheduled to launch in July 2026, this one will definitely be on my watchlist.

The Tougen Anki Series Will Return With a Second Season

Immediately following the airing of episode 24, it was revealed that Tougen Anki will be getting a sequel. Adapted from the Japanese legend of Momotaro, Tougen Anki adapts the manga by Yura Urushibara. The second season of the anime will cover the Nikko Kegon Falls Arc, but a concrete premiere date has not yet been announced.