A Mountain of Japanese Animation Updates Dropped Over the Holidays
The winter break present a plethora of pursuits far superior than catching up on the updates: discovering surprises, feasting on holiday treats, and using meditation skills to not yelling at relatives. I hope you managed to do all these things and more. However, the entertainment world never sleeps, and this is particularly true for the realm of anime. Numerous noteworthy developments surfaced over the festive period, and just in case you overlooked any, here is a summary of the most exciting bits.
The One-Punch Man Series Its Third Season Is Set to Continue (In 2027)
Truly the biggest piece of news, the much-discussed controversial season that was season 3 of One-Punch Man wasn't enough to deter further production. The show will be back with a follow-up batch of episodes in 2027—such a distant date they might as well have called it season 4. Even more shocking, the studio J.C. Staff will still be in charge. At least this time, director Shinpei Nagai is set to direct from the beginning, which might be a hopeful indicator. However, the promotional image for the second cour is a mirror of the one used for season 3, just with characters Saitama and Garou oriented differently. This leads one to believe that, nowadays, they must be teasing 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, making its mark not just for the high caliber of its work but for the good working conditions of its employees—a sadly unusual standard in the industry. Surprisingly, until now, it had not produced an anime stemming from a manga from Shonen Jump, possibly the best-known magazine in the business. Ruri Dragon will break that tradition, and what a excellent choice it is. The manga by Masaoki Shindo became massive popularity when it first appeared in 2022 after just a small number of issues, but then went into a two-year hiatus due to the creator's health issues. When it returned with a lighter schedule, the series demonstrated it still retained the fans' support and goodwill, and now fans are overjoyed about the forthcoming KyoAni adaptation.
Kingdom Its Sixth Season Has a Sequel Currently in Production
Kingdom is the highly popular, long-running Shueisha manga that is not 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 some time, and its sixth season was another outstanding entry. It turns out that was just the first cour, because a "sequel" has been announced as in development, and it will almost certainly premiere in 2026.
Science Saru Is Adapting A Witch in Mongolia To Anime
Another studio known for the excellent quality of its projects, Science Saru has delivered hit shows of the ilk of Space Dandy, Devilman Crybaby, and, more recently, Dandadan. This time, the studio will be producing 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 intellectual in the Mongol Empire in the 13th century. Based on the trailer, the anime called Jaadugar: A Witch in Mongolia will have a truly original and intriguing visual style, which is somewhat reminiscent of Ranking of Kings. Debuting in July 2026, this one will without a doubt be on my list of anticipated shows.
The Tougen Anki Series Will Continue With a Season Two
Shortly after the airing of the final episode of the first season, it was confirmed that Tougen Anki will be receiving a second season. Adapted from the Japanese legend of Momotaro, Tougen Anki brings to life the manga by Yura Urushibara. The second season of the anime will adapt the Nikko Kegon Falls Arc, but a concrete air date has yet to be revealed.