A Mountain of Japanese Animation Updates Dropped During the Festive Season

The winter break offer a multitude of pursuits considerably more enjoyable than checking the updates: opening presents, getting stuffed on festive fare, and employing meditation skills to refrain from snapping at relatives. Hopefully you succeeded in do all these things and more. That said, the showbiz industry doesn't go on vacation, and this is notably true for the realm of anime. A slew of noteworthy news items came out during the holidays, and just in case you overlooked a few, here is a roundup of the most exciting bits.

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

Truly the most shocking announcement, the widely-criticized troubled production that was season 3 of One-Punch Man failed to stop further production. Season 3 will come back with a follow-up batch of episodes in 2027—so far away they could have dubbed it season 4. Even more shocking, the studio J.C. Staff will remain leading the project. At least this time, director Shinpei Nagai is attached to direct from the outset, which might be a positive development. But, the key visual for the second cour is identical to the one used for season 3, just with characters Saitama and Garou looking opposite ways. This leads one to believe that, by now, they must be mocking the fans.

Ruri Dragon Will Be the Premiere Shonen Jump Anime By Kyoto Animation

Kyoto Animation has built a standing for being an elite animation studio, distinguishing itself not just for the high caliber of its output 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 published in Shonen Jump, arguably the most iconic magazine in the industry. Ruri Dragon will change that, and what a great choice it is. The manga by Masaoki Shindo achieved a huge following when it first appeared in 2022 after just a handful of installments, but then went into a lengthy break due to the author's health issues. When it came back with a lighter schedule, the series demonstrated it still retained the fans' support and positive sentiment, and now everyone is overjoyed about the forthcoming KyoAni adaptation.

The Kingdom Series 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 recently got an English release, but the anime has been running for some time, and season 6 was a further excellent entry. As it happens that was just the initial batch, because a "sequel" has been revealed as in development, and it will almost certainly air in 2026.

Science Saru Is Adapting A Witch in Mongolia To Anime

A further studio renowned for the artistic merit of its productions, Science Saru has brought us hit shows of the ilk of Space Dandy, Devilman Crybaby, and, more 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 actual historical person of Fatima, an prominent woman and scholar in the Mongol Empire in the 13th century. Based on the trailer, the anime named Jaadugar: A Witch in Mongolia will have a truly original and intriguing visual style, which reminds me a bit of Ranking of Kings. Scheduled to launch in July 2026, this one will without a doubt be on my must-watch list.

Tougen Anki Will Continue With a Season Two

Shortly after the airing of episode 24, it was announced that Tougen Anki will be receiving a second season. Based on the Japanese legend of Momotaro, Tougen Anki adapts the manga by Yura Urushibara. The new season of the anime will cover the Nikko Kegon Falls Arc, but a firm air date has not yet been announced.