A Heap of Japanese Animation Updates Dropped During the Festive Season
The Christmas holidays provide a plethora of pursuits considerably more enjoyable than scanning the latest news: unwrapping gifts, feasting on delicious food, and employing patience techniques to refrain from yelling at loved ones. Hopefully you succeeded in accomplish all these things and more. However, the world of entertainment never sleeps, and this is especially true for the realm of anime. Many thrilling developments came out over the festive period, and just in case you didn't see some of them, here is a compilation of the juiciest bits.
One-Punch Man Season 3 Is Moving Forward (By 2027)
Truly the most surprising revelation, the much-discussed controversial season that was season 3 of One-Punch Man proved insufficient to halt further production. The show will come back with a subsequent part in 2027—such a distant date they easily could have labeled it season 4. More surprisingly, the studio J.C. Staff will remain at the helm. At least this time, helmer Shinpei Nagai is attached to direct from the start, which could be taken as a positive development. Yet, the main art for the new episodes is the same image the one used for season 3, just with protagonists Saitama and Garou facing different directions. This leads one to believe that, nowadays, they are probably mocking the fans.
The Ruri Dragon Series Will Be the Premiere Shonen Jump Anime Produced By Kyoto Animation
Kyoto Animation has built a name for being an top-tier animation studio, setting itself apart not just for the superb artistry of its productions but for the good working conditions of its employees—a rarity in the industry. Unexpectedly, until now, it had not adapted an anime adapted from a manga from Shonen Jump, arguably the most iconic magazine in the industry. Ruri Dragon will break that tradition, and what a great choice it is. The manga by Masaoki Shindo gained massive popularity when it launched 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 more relaxed pace, the series showed it maintained the fans' affection and goodwill, and now everyone is thrilled about the forthcoming KyoAni adaptation.
The Kingdom Series Season 6 Is Getting a Follow-Up Now in the Works
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 recently got an English translation, but the anime has been running for years, and season 6 was another outstanding entry. Apparently that was just the first half, because a "sequel" has been announced as in production, and it will very likely air in 2026.
Science Saru Will Adapt A Witch in Mongolia Into an Anime Series
A further studio renowned for the excellent quality of its work, Science Saru has given us masterpieces of the quality of Space Dandy, Devilman Crybaby, and, lastly, Dandadan. This time, the studio will be taking on the adaptation of Tomato Soup's manga A Witch's Life in Mongol, inspired by the real historical figure of Fatima, an influential woman and scholar in the Mongol Empire in the 13th century. Based on the trailer, the anime called Jaadugar: A Witch in Mongolia will have a distinctly fresh and captivating visual style, which evokes Ranking of Kings. Scheduled to launch in July 2026, this one will absolutely be on my list of anticipated shows.
The Tougen Anki Series Is Set to Continue With a Second Season
Shortly after the airing of its twenty-fourth episode, it was announced that Tougen Anki will be getting a second season. Inspired by the Japanese legend of Momotaro, Tougen Anki brings to life the manga by Yura Urushibara. The second season of the anime will delve into the Nikko Kegon Falls Arc, but a specific air date has not yet been announced.
