A Heap of Japanese Animation News Dropped During the Holidays

The winter break offer a multitude of activities considerably more enjoyable than checking the latest news: discovering surprises, indulging in festive fare, and harnessing meditation skills to avoid snapping at relatives. I hope you succeeded in do all these things and more. Nevertheless, the entertainment world doesn't go on vacation, and this is notably true for the realm of anime. Numerous exciting announcements came out over the holidays, and if you missed some of them, here is a roundup of the most exciting bits.

The One-Punch Man Series Its Third Season Will Continue (In 2027)

Without a doubt the most shocking piece of news, the notorious controversial season that was season 3 of One-Punch Man proved insufficient to halt the series' continuation. Season 3 will return with a second cour in 2027—such a distant date they easily could have called it season 4. More surprisingly, the studio J.C. Staff will still be in charge. On a positive note this time, helmer Shinpei Nagai is set to direct from the outset, which might be a positive development. Yet, the main art for the new episodes is a mirror of the one used for season 3, just with characters Saitama and Garou oriented differently. This makes me think that, at this point, they must be trolling the fans.

Ruri Dragon Is Poised to Be the Premiere Shonen Jump Anime By Kyoto Animation

Kyoto Animation has built a reputation for being an top-tier animation studio, distinguishing itself not just for the superb artistry of its work but for the ethical practices of its employees—a rarity in the industry. Curiously, until now, it had not adapted an anime adapted from a manga published in Shonen Jump, possibly the best-known magazine in the business. Ruri Dragon will end that streak, and what a great choice it is. The manga by Masaoki Shindo became a huge following when it debuted in 2022 after just a small number of issues, but then went into a two-year hiatus due to the mangaka's health issues. When it returned with a lighter schedule, the series demonstrated it still retained the fans' affection and positive sentiment, and now the community is ecstatic about the upcoming KyoAni adaptation.

Kingdom Its Sixth Season Will Get a Sequel Now in the Works

Kingdom is the best-selling, 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 release, but the anime has been airing for a while, and season 6 was a further excellent entry. As it happens that was just the initial batch, because a "sequel" has been confirmed as in production, and it will almost certainly air in 2026.

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

One more studio renowned for the excellent quality of its productions, Science Saru has brought us masterpieces of the caliber of Space Dandy, Devilman Crybaby, and, most recently, Dandadan. This time, the studio will be taking on the adaptation of Tomato Soup's manga A Witch's Life in Mongol, based on the real historical figure of Fatima, an powerful woman and thinker in the Mongol Empire in the 13th century. Judging from the trailer, the anime named Jaadugar: A Witch in Mongolia will have a truly original and fascinating visual style, which reminds me a bit of Ranking of Kings. Debuting in July 2026, this one will absolutely be on my must-watch list.

The Tougen Anki Series Will Return With a Second Season

Shortly after the airing of the final episode of the first season, it was confirmed 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 upcoming season of the anime will delve into the Nikko Kegon Falls Arc, but a concrete premiere date has yet to be revealed.