A Heap of Japanese Animation News Dropped Over the Holidays

The Yuletide season offer a wealth of pursuits far superior than checking the updates: discovering surprises, feasting on holiday treats, and using patience techniques to refrain from yelling at relatives. It is wished you succeeded in do all these things and more. Nevertheless, the showbiz industry never sleeps, and this is particularly true for the realm of anime. A slew of exciting announcements emerged during the holidays, and just in case you missed some of them, here is a summary of the most exciting bits.

One-Punch Man Season 3 Is Moving Forward (By 2027)

Truly the biggest revelation, the notorious controversial season that was season 3 of One-Punch Man failed to stop the series' continuation. The show will come back with a follow-up batch of episodes in 2027—such a distant date they could have called it season 4. Adding to the surprise, animation studio J.C. Staff will continue to be in charge. Thankfully this time, director Shinpei Nagai is attached to direct from the start, which is seen as a positive development. But, the main art for the second cour is the same image the one used for season 3, just with protagonists Saitama and Garou looking opposite ways. This suggests that, at this point, they are probably mocking the fans.

Ruri Dragon Is Poised to Be the First Shonen Jump Anime From Kyoto Animation

Kyoto Animation has established a standing for being an elite animation studio, distinguishing itself not just for the high caliber of its work but for the ethical practices of its employees—a sadly unusual standard in the industry. Unexpectedly, until now, it had not produced an anime adapted from a manga from Shonen Jump, perhaps the most famous magazine in the field. Ruri Dragon will change that, and what a superb choice it is. The manga by Masaoki Shindo gained a huge following when it first appeared in 2022 after just a small number of issues, but then went into a two-year hiatus due to the creator's health issues. When it came back with a reduced workload, the series proved it still retained the fans' support and goodwill, and now the community is ecstatic about the upcoming KyoAni adaptation.

The Kingdom Series Season 6 Will Get a Sequel In Production

Kingdom is the top-selling, decades-spanning Shueisha manga that is aside from One Piece. If you've never heard of it before, it's because it only fairly recently obtained an English localization, but the anime has been airing for a while, and season 6 was yet another stellar entry. Apparently that was just the first half, because a "sequel" has been confirmed as currently being made, and it will almost certainly debut in 2026.

Science Saru Is Adapting A Witch in Mongolia To Anime

Another studio known for the artistic merit of its work, Science Saru has delivered critically acclaimed works of the ilk 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, based on the actual historical person of Fatima, an powerful woman and intellectual in the Mongol Empire in the 13th century. Judging from the trailer, the anime called 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 absolutely be on my must-watch list.

Tougen Anki Will Continue With a Second Season

Immediately following the release of its twenty-fourth episode, it was revealed that Tougen Anki will be receiving a second season. Based on the Japanese legend of Momotaro, Tougen Anki brings to life the manga by Yura Urushibara. The new season of the anime will adapt the Nikko Kegon Falls Arc, but a concrete air date has yet to be revealed.