A Mountain of Japanese Animation News Dropped During the Festive Season
The winter break offer a plethora of activities far superior than checking the headlines: discovering surprises, getting stuffed on delicious food, and employing meditation skills to refrain from yelling at family members. Hopefully you were able to accomplish all these things and more. Nevertheless, the world of entertainment doesn't take a break, and this is especially true for the realm of anime. Many noteworthy developments came out during the festive period, and if you didn't see a few, here is a roundup of the biggest bits.
One-Punch Man Season 3 Is Set to Continue (In 2027)
Truly the most shocking revelation, the notorious disaster that was the third season of One-Punch Man wasn't enough to stop more episodes. The show will return with a second cour in 2027—so far away they could have called it season 4. Adding to the surprise, the studio J.C. Staff will remain leading the project. On a positive note this time, helmer Shinpei Nagai is set to direct from the beginning, which is seen as a positive development. But, the main art for the continuation is the same image the one used for season 3, just with characters Saitama and Garou oriented differently. This makes me think that, nowadays, they could be trolling the fans.
The Ruri Dragon Series Will Be the First Shonen Jump Anime Produced By Kyoto Animation
Kyoto Animation has established a reputation for being an top-tier animation studio, distinguishing itself not just for the exceptional quality of its productions but for the ethical practices of its employees—a sadly unusual standard in the industry. Unexpectedly, until now, it had not produced an anime stemming from a manga published in Shonen Jump, arguably the best-known magazine in the business. Ruri Dragon will change that, and what a superb choice it is. The manga by Masaoki Shindo achieved massive popularity when it debuted in 2022 after just a few chapters, but then went into a extended pause due to the creator's health issues. When it resumed publication with a reduced workload, the series proved it maintained the fans' appreciation and enthusiasm, and now everyone is thrilled about the forthcoming KyoAni adaptation.
Kingdom Season 6 Will Get a Sequel Now in the Works
Kingdom is the highly popular, epic Shueisha manga that is not One Piece. If you've never heard of it before, it's because it only recently got an English translation, but the anime has been airing 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 revealed as in development, and it will almost certainly debut in 2026.
Science Saru Is Adapting A Witch in Mongolia To Anime
Another studio known for the superior craftsmanship of its productions, Science Saru has brought us masterpieces of the caliber of Space Dandy, Devilman Crybaby, and, more recently, 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 real historical figure of Fatima, an influential woman and scholar in the Mongol Empire in the 13th century. Based on the trailer, the anime called Jaadugar: A Witch in Mongolia will have a distinctly fresh and intriguing visual style, which reminds me a bit of Ranking of Kings. Set to premiere in July 2026, this one will absolutely be on my list of anticipated shows.
Tougen Anki Will Return With a Season Two
Immediately following the airing of episode 24, it was confirmed that Tougen Anki will be receiving a follow-up. 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 not been disclosed yet.
