A Mountain of Japanese Animation News Landed Over the Festive Season

The Yuletide season present a plethora of activities much better than checking the headlines: discovering surprises, indulging in festive fare, and employing patience techniques to refrain from snapping at family members. Hopefully you succeeded in accomplish all these things and more. Nevertheless, the showbiz industry doesn't take a break, and this is especially true for the realm of anime. Numerous noteworthy news items emerged during the holidays, and should you overlooked any, here is a summary of the most exciting bits.

One-Punch Man Season 3 Is Set to Continue (In 2027)

Truly the most surprising piece of news, the widely-criticized troubled production that was the third season of One-Punch Man wasn't enough to stop the series' continuation. Season 3 will come back with a second cour in 2027—so far away they might as well have labeled it season 4. More surprisingly, the studio J.C. Staff will remain in charge. Thankfully this time, director Shinpei Nagai is on board to direct from the outset, which is seen as a positive development. However, the promotional image for the second cour is the same image the one used for season 3, just with protagonists Saitama and Garou looking opposite ways. This suggests that, nowadays, they must be trolling the fans.

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

Kyoto Animation has forged a reputation for being an top-tier animation studio, distinguishing itself not just for the exceptional quality of its work but for the ethical practices of its employees—a uncommon practice in the industry. Curiously, until now, it had never worked on an anime based on a manga published in Shonen Jump, perhaps the most iconic magazine in the field. Ruri Dragon will change that, and what a great choice it is. The manga by Masaoki Shindo became a huge following when it launched in 2022 after just a small number of issues, but then went into a extended pause due to the creator's health issues. When it returned with a lighter schedule, the series showed it maintained the fans' appreciation and positive sentiment, and now everyone is thrilled about the impending KyoAni adaptation.

Kingdom Its Sixth Season Has a Sequel Currently in Production

Kingdom is the highly popular, decades-spanning Shueisha manga that is other than One Piece. If you've haven't come across it before, it's because it only fairly recently obtained an English translation, but the anime has been going on for some time, and season 6 was another stellar entry. It turns out that was just the initial batch, because a "sequel" has been confirmed as in development, and it will almost certainly air in 2026.

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

One more studio renowned for the superior craftsmanship of its productions, Science Saru has delivered critically acclaimed works of the caliber of Space Dandy, Devilman Crybaby, and, most recently, Dandadan. This time, the studio will be handling the adaptation of Tomato Soup's manga A Witch's Life in Mongol, which is based on the actual historical person of Fatima, an prominent woman and intellectual in the Mongol Empire in the 13th century. Judging from the trailer, the anime titled Jaadugar: A Witch in Mongolia will have a distinctly fresh and intriguing visual style, which reminds me a bit of Ranking of Kings. Set to premiere in July 2026, this one will definitely be on my watchlist.

The Tougen Anki Series Will Continue With a Season Two

Shortly after the airing of the final episode of the first season, it was announced that Tougen Anki will be getting a sequel. Based on the Japanese legend of Momotaro, Tougen Anki is based on the manga by Yura Urushibara. The second season of the anime will delve into the Nikko Kegon Falls Arc, but a specific premiere date has yet to be revealed.