A Ton of Japanese Animation Updates Dropped During the Holidays
The winter break present a plethora of activities far superior than checking the latest news: opening presents, indulging in holiday treats, and harnessing patience techniques to avoid yelling at loved ones. Hopefully you succeeded in enjoy all these things and more. However, the world of entertainment never sleeps, and this is particularly true for the realm of anime. A slew of exciting news items came out over the holidays, and if you missed some of them, here is a roundup of the most exciting bits.
The One-Punch Man Series Season 3 Is Set to Continue (Come 2027)
Perhaps the biggest announcement, the widely-criticized disaster that was season 3 of One-Punch Man proved insufficient to halt more episodes. The show will be back with a second cour in 2027—so far away they easily could have dubbed it season 4. Even more shocking, animation studio J.C. Staff will remain leading the project. Thankfully this time, director Shinpei Nagai is on board to direct from the start, which could be taken as a hopeful indicator. However, the promotional image for the second cour is identical to the one used for season 3, just with protagonists Saitama and Garou oriented differently. This makes me think that, nowadays, they must be teasing the fans.
Ruri Dragon Will Be the First Shonen Jump Anime Produced By Kyoto Animation
Kyoto Animation has built a reputation for being an prestigious animation studio, setting itself apart not just for the superb artistry of its productions but for the good working conditions of its employees—a sadly unusual standard in the industry. Surprisingly, 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 excellent choice it is. The manga by Masaoki Shindo achieved widespread acclaim when it debuted in 2022 after just a handful of installments, but then went into a lengthy break due to the mangaka's health issues. When it returned with a more relaxed pace, the series showed it maintained the fans' support and positive sentiment, and now fans are ecstatic about the forthcoming KyoAni adaptation.
The Kingdom Series Season 6 Has a Sequel Now in the Works
Kingdom is the highly popular, decades-spanning Shueisha manga that is aside from 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 going on for years, and its sixth season was another outstanding entry. It turns out that was just the initial batch, because a "sequel" has been revealed as in development, and it will very likely air in 2026.
Science Saru Is Adapting A Witch in Mongolia To Anime
Another studio known for the artistic merit of its productions, Science Saru has delivered critically acclaimed works of the quality of Space Dandy, Devilman Crybaby, and, lastly, Dandadan. This time, the studio will be producing the adaptation of Tomato Soup's manga A Witch's Life in Mongol, based on the real historical figure of Fatima, an prominent woman and intellectual in the Mongol Empire in the 13th century. Based on the trailer, the anime called Jaadugar: A Witch in Mongolia will have a highly unique and intriguing visual style, which evokes Ranking of Kings. Set to premiere in July 2026, this one will without a doubt be on my list of anticipated shows.
The Tougen Anki Series Will Continue With a Season Two
Immediately following the airing of its twenty-fourth episode, it was revealed that Tougen Anki will be receiving a sequel. Inspired by the Japanese legend of Momotaro, Tougen Anki brings to life the manga by Yura Urushibara. The upcoming season of the anime will cover the Nikko Kegon Falls Arc, but a concrete release date has not yet been announced.
