A Heap of Japanese Animation Updates Landed During the Holidays
The winter break provide a wealth of pastimes far superior than scanning the latest news: opening presents, getting stuffed on holiday treats, and employing patience techniques to refrain from snapping at family members. I hope you were able to do all these things and more. That said, the showbiz industry never sleeps, and this is particularly true for the realm of anime. A slew of exciting news items surfaced during the festive period, and just in case you overlooked some of them, here is a compilation of the biggest bits.
One-Punch Man Season 3 Is Set to Continue (Come 2027)
Perhaps the most shocking revelation, the notorious troubled production that was season 3 of One-Punch Man failed to halt further production. Season 3 will be back with a second cour in 2027—such a distant date they easily could have dubbed it season 4. Even more shocking, animation studio J.C. Staff will still be in charge. Thankfully this time, helmer Shinpei Nagai is on board to direct from the outset, which might be a positive development. However, the main art for the new episodes is the same image the one used for season 3, just with protagonists Saitama and Garou looking opposite ways. This leads one to believe that, by now, they must be teasing the fans.
Ruri Dragon Is Set to Be the First Shonen Jump Anime Produced By Kyoto Animation
Kyoto Animation has forged a standing for being an elite animation studio, setting itself apart not just for the superb artistry of its productions but for the fair treatment of its employees—a sadly unusual standard in the industry. Surprisingly, until now, it had never worked on an anime stemming from a manga serialized in Shonen Jump, perhaps the most famous magazine in the industry. Ruri Dragon will break that tradition, and what a excellent choice it is. The manga by Masaoki Shindo gained widespread acclaim when it debuted in 2022 after just a few chapters, but then went into a lengthy break due to the creator's health issues. When it resumed publication with a lighter schedule, the series demonstrated it maintained the fans' support and enthusiasm, and now the community is overjoyed about the upcoming KyoAni adaptation.
The Kingdom Series Its Sixth Season Is Getting a Follow-Up Currently in Production
Kingdom is the highly popular, epic Shueisha manga that is other than One Piece. If you've never heard of it before, it's because it only fairly recently obtained an English localization, but the anime has been running for years, and its sixth season was another outstanding entry. As it happens that was just the first half, because a "sequel" has been revealed as currently being made, and it will probably air in 2026.
Science Saru Will Adapt A Witch in Mongolia Into an Anime Series
Another studio renowned for the superior craftsmanship of its productions, Science Saru has brought us hit shows of the quality of Space Dandy, Devilman Crybaby, and, most recently, Dandadan. This time, the studio will be handling the adaptation of Tomato Soup's manga A Witch's Life in Mongol, which is based on the real historical figure of Fatima, an prominent woman and thinker in the Mongol Empire in the 13th century. From the trailer, the anime titled Jaadugar: A Witch in Mongolia will have a highly unique and fascinating visual style, which is somewhat reminiscent of Ranking of Kings. Scheduled to launch in July 2026, this one will without a doubt be on my watchlist.
The Tougen Anki Series Will Continue With a Second Season
Right after the release of its twenty-fourth episode, it was revealed that Tougen Anki will be getting a sequel. Inspired by 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 yet to be revealed.
