A Mountain of Japanese Animation News Dropped During the Festive Season
The winter break offer a wealth of pastimes much better than scanning the updates: opening presents, indulging in festive fare, and employing meditation skills to refrain from yelling at loved ones. I hope you were able to enjoy all these things and more. That said, the entertainment world never sleeps, and this is particularly true for the realm of anime. Numerous thrilling announcements came out during the break, and just in case you missed a few, here is a roundup of the juiciest bits.
One-Punch Man Its Third Season Is Set to Continue (Come 2027)
Perhaps the most shocking piece of news, the much-discussed controversial season that was season 3 of One-Punch Man proved insufficient to halt more episodes. Season 3 will return with a follow-up batch of episodes in 2027—a date so remote they easily could have labeled it season 4. Adding to the surprise, animation studio J.C. Staff will remain in charge. At least this time, helmer Shinpei Nagai is set to direct from the outset, which could be taken as a positive development. Yet, the main art for the second cour is identical to the one used for season 3, just with protagonists Saitama and Garou facing different directions. This makes me think that, by now, they are probably mocking the fans.
The Ruri Dragon Series Will Be the First Shonen Jump Anime From Kyoto Animation
Kyoto Animation has established a name for being an elite animation studio, making its mark not just for the high caliber of its output but for the fair treatment of its employees—a sadly unusual standard in the industry. Unexpectedly, until now, it had not adapted an anime based on a manga from Shonen Jump, possibly the best-known magazine in the industry. Ruri Dragon will change that, and what a great choice it is. The manga by Masaoki Shindo gained widespread acclaim when it first appeared in 2022 after just a small number of issues, but then went into a lengthy break due to the mangaka's health issues. When it came back with a lighter schedule, the series demonstrated it hadn't lost the fans' affection and enthusiasm, and now the community is thrilled about the impending KyoAni adaptation.
The Kingdom Series Its Sixth Season Will Get a Sequel In Production
Kingdom is the highly popular, 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 translation, but the anime has been running for a while, and its sixth season was another outstanding entry. Apparently that was just the initial batch, because a "sequel" has been revealed as in production, and it will probably debut in 2026.
Science Saru Is Bringing A Witch in Mongolia To Anime
Another studio known for the excellent quality of its projects, Science Saru has given us masterpieces of the caliber of Space Dandy, Devilman Crybaby, and, more recently, 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 thinker in the Mongol Empire in the 13th century. Based on 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 without a doubt be on my must-watch list.
Tougen Anki Will Return With a Season Two
Right after the airing of episode 24, it was revealed that Tougen Anki will be securing a second season. Adapted from the Japanese legend of Momotaro, Tougen Anki is based on the manga by Yura Urushibara. The second season of the anime will cover the Nikko Kegon Falls Arc, but a firm release date has not been disclosed yet.
