A Heap of Japanese Animation Updates Landed During the Holidays
The winter break present a wealth of pursuits considerably more enjoyable than catching up on the latest news: discovering surprises, feasting on holiday treats, and using patience techniques to refrain from arguing with family members. It is wished you managed to do all these things and more. That said, the world of entertainment doesn't go on vacation, and this is notably true for the realm of anime. A slew of noteworthy news items emerged over the festive period, and just in case you didn't see a few, here is a roundup of the biggest bits.
One-Punch Man Its Third Season Is Moving Forward (Come 2027)
Truly the biggest revelation, the notorious disaster that was the third season of One-Punch Man proved insufficient to halt the series' continuation. The show will return with a follow-up batch of episodes in 2027—such a distant date they easily could have labeled it season 4. More surprisingly, animation studio J.C. Staff will remain at the helm. Thankfully this time, helmer Shinpei Nagai is on board to direct from the beginning, which is seen as a good sign. But, the key visual for the new episodes is identical to the one used for season 3, just with characters Saitama and Garou oriented differently. This leads one to believe that, nowadays, they could be teasing the fans.
Ruri Dragon Is Poised to Be the First Shonen Jump Anime By Kyoto Animation
Kyoto Animation has forged a reputation for being an prestigious animation studio, making its mark not just for the high caliber of its productions but for the good working conditions of its employees—a sadly unusual standard in the industry. Unexpectedly, until now, it had never worked on an anime adapted from a manga published in Shonen Jump, arguably the best-known magazine in the field. Ruri Dragon will change that, and what a superb choice it is. The manga by Masaoki Shindo achieved widespread acclaim when it debuted in 2022 after just a few chapters, but then went into a two-year hiatus due to the mangaka's health issues. When it returned with a lighter schedule, the series proved it still retained the fans' affection and positive sentiment, and now the community is overjoyed about the impending KyoAni adaptation.
Kingdom Its Sixth Season 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 haven't come across it before, it's because it only fairly recently obtained an English translation, but the anime has been airing for years, and its sixth season was another stellar entry. It turns out that was just the first cour, because a "sequel" has been revealed as in production, and it will probably premiere in 2026.
Science Saru Is Bringing A Witch in Mongolia To Anime
Another studio famous for the superior craftsmanship of its projects, Science Saru has given us hit shows of the caliber of Space Dandy, Devilman Crybaby, and, lastly, Dandadan. This time, the studio will be handling the adaptation of Tomato Soup's manga A Witch's Life in Mongol, inspired by the actual historical person of Fatima, an influential woman and thinker in the Mongol Empire in the 13th century. Judging from the trailer, the anime titled Jaadugar: A Witch in Mongolia will have a distinctly fresh and captivating visual style, which is somewhat reminiscent of Ranking of Kings. Set to premiere in July 2026, this one will definitely be on my must-watch list.
The Tougen Anki Series Will Return With a Second Season
Right after 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 firm release date has not yet been announced.