A Mountain of Japanese Animation News Dropped During the Festive Season
The Christmas holidays provide a multitude of pursuits much better than catching up on the headlines: unwrapping gifts, getting stuffed on delicious food, and using deep breathing to refrain from yelling at relatives. Hopefully you were able to accomplish all these things and more. Nevertheless, the showbiz industry doesn't go on vacation, and this is especially true for the realm of anime. A slew of exciting announcements came out during the break, and just in case you didn't see some of them, here is a summary of the biggest bits.
One-Punch Man Its Third Season Is Set to Continue (In 2027)
Perhaps the most shocking revelation, the widely-criticized troubled production that was the third season of One-Punch Man failed to stop more episodes. Season 3 will return with a follow-up batch of episodes in 2027—a date so remote they easily could have called it season 4. Even more shocking, animation studio J.C. Staff will remain in charge. At least this time, helmer Shinpei Nagai is on board to direct from the outset, which is seen as a positive development. However, the key visual for the new episodes is identical to 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 trolling the fans.
The Ruri Dragon Series Will Be the First Shonen Jump Anime From Kyoto Animation
Kyoto Animation has built a standing for being an top-tier animation studio, making its mark not just for the exceptional quality of its productions but for the ethical practices of its employees—a uncommon practice in the industry. Surprisingly, until now, it had never worked on an anime based on a manga from Shonen Jump, perhaps the most famous magazine in the business. Ruri Dragon will break that tradition, and what a excellent choice it is. The manga by Masaoki Shindo became massive popularity when it launched 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 reduced workload, the series proved it still retained the fans' appreciation and goodwill, and now everyone is overjoyed about the impending KyoAni adaptation.
The Kingdom Series Season 6 Has a Sequel Currently in Production
Kingdom is the best-selling, epic 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 running for some time, and its sixth season was a further excellent entry. As it happens that was just the first half, because a "sequel" has been confirmed as currently being made, and it will very likely premiere in 2026.
Science Saru Is Adapting A Witch in Mongolia Into an Anime Series
A further studio known for the artistic merit of its projects, Science Saru has delivered masterpieces 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 prominent woman and scholar in the Mongol Empire in the 13th century. From the trailer, the anime named Jaadugar: A Witch in Mongolia will have a highly unique and intriguing visual style, which evokes Ranking of Kings. Scheduled to launch in July 2026, this one will without a doubt be on my must-watch list.
Tougen Anki Is Set to Continue With a Season Two
Right after the airing of the final episode of the first season, it was confirmed that Tougen Anki will be getting a second season. Inspired by the Japanese legend of Momotaro, Tougen Anki adapts the manga by Yura Urushibara. The new season of the anime will adapt the Nikko Kegon Falls Arc, but a specific release date has yet to be revealed.
