A Ton of Japanese Animation News Landed Over the Holidays

The winter break offer a multitude of pastimes much better than checking the updates: discovering surprises, feasting on festive fare, and harnessing meditation skills to refrain from arguing with relatives. I hope you succeeded in do all these things and more. Nevertheless, the world of entertainment doesn't take a break, and this is particularly true for the realm of anime. Numerous exciting developments came out during the holidays, and if you overlooked some of them, here is a roundup of the most exciting bits.

One-Punch Man Season 3 Is Moving Forward (By 2027)

Perhaps the most shocking announcement, the notorious troubled production that was season 3 of One-Punch Man failed to stop the series' continuation. Season 3 will return with a subsequent part in 2027—such a distant date they could have dubbed it season 4. More surprisingly, animation studio J.C. Staff will remain at the helm. On a positive note this time, helmer Shinpei Nagai is on board to direct from the start, which is seen as a positive development. Yet, the key visual for the second cour is identical to the one used for season 3, just with characters Saitama and Garou oriented differently. This suggests that, by now, they are probably teasing the fans.

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

Kyoto Animation has forged a reputation for being an top-tier animation studio, distinguishing itself not just for the exceptional quality of its productions 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 published in Shonen Jump, possibly the best-known magazine in the business. Ruri Dragon will change that, and what a great choice it is. The manga by Masaoki Shindo gained massive popularity when it first appeared in 2022 after just a small number of issues, but then went into a extended pause due to the creator's health issues. When it resumed publication with a more relaxed pace, the series showed it hadn't lost the fans' support and enthusiasm, and now fans are ecstatic about the upcoming KyoAni adaptation.

The Kingdom Series Its Sixth Season Is Getting a Follow-Up In Production

Kingdom is the highly popular, epic Shueisha manga that is other than One Piece. If you've are unfamiliar with it before, it's because it only recently got an English localization, but the anime has been going on for some time, and season 6 was another stellar entry. Apparently that was just the first cour, because a "sequel" has been revealed as currently being made, and it will almost certainly premiere in 2026.

Science Saru Is Adapting A Witch in Mongolia Into an Anime Series

A further studio famous for the excellent quality of its work, Science Saru has given us masterpieces of the caliber of Space Dandy, Devilman Crybaby, and, more recently, Dandadan. This time, the studio will be handling the adaptation of Tomato Soup's manga A Witch's Life in Mongol, inspired by the real historical figure of Fatima, an powerful woman and intellectual 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 fascinating visual style, which evokes Ranking of Kings. Set to premiere in July 2026, this one will definitely be on my must-watch list.

Tougen Anki Will Return With a Second Season

Shortly after the conclusion of its twenty-fourth episode, it was confirmed that Tougen Anki will be securing a second season. Inspired by the Japanese legend of Momotaro, Tougen Anki adapts the manga by Yura Urushibara. The second season of the anime will adapt the Nikko Kegon Falls Arc, but a specific release date has not been disclosed yet.