A Mountain of Japanese Animation Updates Arrived During the Holidays

The Christmas holidays present a plethora of activities much better than scanning the latest news: opening presents, indulging in holiday treats, and employing meditation skills to refrain from snapping at loved ones. I hope you managed to enjoy all these things and more. However, the showbiz industry doesn't take a break, and this is notably true for the realm of anime. Numerous thrilling developments surfaced over the festive period, and just in case you missed a few, here is a roundup of the biggest bits.

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

Truly the most surprising revelation, the notorious disaster that was season 3 of One-Punch Man proved insufficient to halt the series' continuation. Season 3 will be back with a follow-up batch of episodes in 2027—such a distant date they easily could have dubbed it season 4. More surprisingly, the studio J.C. Staff will still be in charge. On a positive note this time, director Shinpei Nagai is set to direct from the outset, which might be a positive development. Yet, the promotional image for the continuation is a mirror of the one used for season 3, just with protagonists Saitama and Garou facing different directions. This suggests that, nowadays, they could be mocking the fans.

The Ruri Dragon Series Is Poised to Be the Premiere Shonen Jump Anime Produced By Kyoto Animation

Kyoto Animation has forged a name for being an elite animation studio, distinguishing itself not just for the high caliber of its output but for the good working conditions of its employees—a rarity in the industry. Unexpectedly, until now, it had never worked on an anime based on a manga serialized in Shonen Jump, arguably the best-known magazine in the business. Ruri Dragon will end that streak, and what a great choice it is. The manga by Masaoki Shindo achieved a huge following when it launched in 2022 after just a few chapters, but then went into a extended pause due to the mangaka's health issues. When it returned with a more relaxed pace, the series demonstrated it hadn't lost the fans' affection and enthusiasm, and now everyone is ecstatic about the forthcoming KyoAni adaptation.

Kingdom Its Sixth Season Will Get a Sequel In Production

Kingdom is the highly popular, long-running Shueisha manga that is not One Piece. If you've haven't come across it before, it's because it only just received an English translation, but the anime has been running for years, and its sixth season was another outstanding entry. It turns out that was just the first half, because a "sequel" has been revealed as in production, and it will very likely debut in 2026.

Science Saru Is Adapting A Witch in Mongolia To Anime

One more studio famous for the artistic merit of its productions, Science Saru has brought us masterpieces of the quality of Space Dandy, Devilman Crybaby, and, most recently, Dandadan. This time, the studio will be producing 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. Judging from the trailer, the anime titled Jaadugar: A Witch in Mongolia will have a highly unique and intriguing visual style, which reminds me a bit of Ranking of Kings. Set to premiere in July 2026, this one will definitely be on my list of anticipated shows.

Tougen Anki Will Continue With a Second Season

Right after the airing of its twenty-fourth episode, it was announced that Tougen Anki will be getting a second season. 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 specific premiere date has not yet been announced.