A Heap of Japanese Animation Updates Dropped During the Festive Season
The Christmas holidays provide a plethora of activities far superior than checking the updates: discovering surprises, getting stuffed on holiday treats, and using meditation skills to not yelling at family members. Hopefully you were able to do all these things and more. That said, the entertainment world never sleeps, and this is particularly true for the realm of anime. Numerous noteworthy developments emerged over the holidays, and just in case you didn't see any, here is a roundup of the juiciest bits.
The One-Punch Man Series Its Third Season Is Set to Continue (By 2027)
Without a doubt the biggest announcement, the much-discussed troubled production that was season 3 of One-Punch Man proved insufficient to halt the series' continuation. The show will come back with a follow-up batch of episodes in 2027—so far away they easily could have called it season 4. Adding to the surprise, the studio J.C. Staff will continue to be leading the project. On a positive note this time, helmer Shinpei Nagai is set to direct from the outset, which might be a good sign. Yet, the key visual for the second cour is the same image the one used for season 3, just with protagonists Saitama and Garou oriented differently. This suggests that, nowadays, they could be teasing the fans.
Ruri Dragon Will Be the First Shonen Jump Anime From Kyoto Animation
Kyoto Animation has established a reputation for being an elite animation studio, making its mark not just for the exceptional quality of its work but for the good working conditions of its employees—a rarity in the industry. Unexpectedly, until now, it had not produced an anime stemming from a manga serialized in Shonen Jump, arguably the most iconic magazine in the industry. Ruri Dragon will change that, and what a excellent choice it is. The manga by Masaoki Shindo became massive popularity when it launched in 2022 after just a few chapters, but then went into a extended pause due to the creator's health issues. When it resumed publication with a lighter schedule, the series proved it still retained the fans' support and goodwill, and now the community is overjoyed about the upcoming KyoAni adaptation.
Kingdom Season 6 Will Get a Sequel In Production
Kingdom is the best-selling, decades-spanning 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 a while, and season 6 was another outstanding entry. As it happens that was just the initial batch, because a "sequel" has been announced as in development, and it will probably air in 2026.
Science Saru Is Bringing A Witch in Mongolia To Anime
A further studio renowned for the superior craftsmanship of its projects, Science Saru has delivered critically acclaimed works 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 prominent woman and intellectual in the Mongol Empire in the 13th century. From the trailer, the anime titled Jaadugar: A Witch in Mongolia will have a truly original 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 must-watch list.
The Tougen Anki Series Will Continue With a Season Two
Right after the airing of episode 24, it was revealed that Tougen Anki will be receiving a follow-up. Adapted from the Japanese legend of Momotaro, Tougen Anki adapts the manga by Yura Urushibara. The second season of the anime will cover the Nikko Kegon Falls Arc, but a specific premiere date has yet to be revealed.
