A Heap of Japanese Animation News Dropped During the Festive Season
The Yuletide season offer a multitude of pastimes considerably more enjoyable than scanning the latest news: discovering surprises, indulging in holiday treats, and employing meditation skills to not snapping at relatives. It is wished you managed to do all these things and more. However, the entertainment world never sleeps, and this is notably true for the realm of anime. Many exciting developments came out over the holidays, and if you overlooked some of them, here is a summary of the biggest bits.
One-Punch Man Its Third Season Is Set to Continue (Come 2027)
Truly the most surprising announcement, the widely-criticized troubled production that was season 3 of One-Punch Man failed to stop more episodes. Season 3 will come back with a second cour in 2027—so far away they easily could have called it season 4. More surprisingly, animation studio J.C. Staff will remain leading the project. On a positive note this time, helmer Shinpei Nagai is set to direct from the start, which could be taken as a positive development. But, the main art for the second cour is a mirror of the one used for season 3, just with characters Saitama and Garou looking opposite ways. This makes me think that, by now, they could be mocking the fans.
The Ruri Dragon Series Will Be the First Shonen Jump Anime From Kyoto Animation
Kyoto Animation has built a name for being an elite animation studio, setting itself apart not just for the exceptional quality of its work but for the fair treatment of its employees—a rarity in the industry. Curiously, until now, it had not adapted an anime stemming from a manga serialized in Shonen Jump, perhaps the most iconic magazine in the industry. Ruri Dragon will end that streak, and what a excellent choice it is. The manga by Masaoki Shindo became widespread acclaim when it launched in 2022 after just a few chapters, but then went into a lengthy break due to the author's health issues. When it resumed publication with a more relaxed pace, the series demonstrated it still retained the fans' affection and enthusiasm, and now everyone is overjoyed about the upcoming KyoAni adaptation.
The Kingdom Series Season 6 Is Getting a Follow-Up Currently in Production
Kingdom is the top-selling, long-running 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 translation, but the anime has been airing for years, and season 6 was another stellar entry. It turns out that was just the first cour, because a "sequel" has been revealed as currently being made, and it will probably premiere in 2026.
Science Saru Is Adapting A Witch in Mongolia Into an Anime Series
One more studio famous for the excellent quality of its productions, Science Saru has given us masterpieces of the caliber of Space Dandy, Devilman Crybaby, and, most recently, 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 true story of Fatima, an prominent woman and intellectual in the Mongol Empire in the 13th century. From the trailer, the anime named Jaadugar: A Witch in Mongolia will have a distinctly fresh and captivating visual style, which is somewhat reminiscent of Ranking of Kings. Debuting in July 2026, this one will without a doubt be on my watchlist.
The Tougen Anki Series Will Return With a Season Two
Right after the conclusion of episode 24, it was confirmed that Tougen Anki will be securing a follow-up. Adapted from 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 not been disclosed yet.
