A Ton of Japanese Animation News Landed Over the Festive Season

The Christmas holidays provide a plethora of activities far superior than checking the updates: discovering surprises, indulging in festive fare, and harnessing patience techniques to refrain from arguing with family members. It is wished you succeeded in do all these things and more. Nevertheless, the world of entertainment doesn't take a break, and this is particularly true for the realm of anime. A slew of noteworthy developments emerged over the break, and just in case you didn't see a few, here is a roundup of the biggest bits.

One-Punch Man Its Third Season Is Set to Continue (By 2027)

Perhaps the most surprising announcement, the widely-criticized disaster that was season 3 of One-Punch Man wasn't enough to stop the series' continuation. Season 3 will come back with a second cour in 2027—such a distant date they easily could have dubbed it season 4. Adding to the surprise, animation studio J.C. Staff will still be in charge. Thankfully this time, helmer Shinpei Nagai is on board to direct from the start, which is seen as a positive development. But, the key visual for the continuation is a mirror of the one used for season 3, just with protagonists Saitama and Garou oriented differently. This leads one to believe that, nowadays, they could be teasing the fans.

The Ruri Dragon Series Is Poised to Be the Premiere Shonen Jump Anime From Kyoto Animation

Kyoto Animation has established a reputation for being an elite animation studio, distinguishing itself not just for the high caliber of its output but for the ethical practices of its employees—a sadly unusual standard in the industry. Unexpectedly, until now, it had not adapted an anime based on a manga published in Shonen Jump, arguably the most iconic magazine in the business. Ruri Dragon will end that streak, and what a superb choice it is. The manga by Masaoki Shindo achieved massive popularity when it first appeared in 2022 after just a handful of installments, but then went into a extended pause due to the author's health issues. When it came back with a lighter schedule, the series proved it maintained the fans' appreciation and enthusiasm, and now fans are ecstatic about the impending KyoAni adaptation.

Kingdom Its Sixth Season Will Get a Sequel Currently in Production

Kingdom is the highly popular, decades-spanning Shueisha manga that is aside from One Piece. If you've haven't come across it before, it's because it only just received an English localization, but the anime has been airing for some time, and season 6 was a further outstanding entry. As it happens that was just the first cour, because a "sequel" has been confirmed as currently being made, and it will probably premiere in 2026.

Science Saru Is Adapting A Witch in Mongolia To Anime

A further studio known for the excellent quality of its projects, Science Saru has delivered critically acclaimed works of the caliber 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 true story 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 highly unique and intriguing visual style, which reminds me a bit of Ranking of Kings. Set to premiere in July 2026, this one will absolutely be on my watchlist.

Tougen Anki Will Continue With a Second Season

Shortly after the release of episode 24, it was revealed that Tougen Anki will be receiving a follow-up. Inspired by the Japanese legend of Momotaro, Tougen Anki is based on the manga by Yura Urushibara. The upcoming season of the anime will adapt the Nikko Kegon Falls Arc, but a specific premiere date has not been disclosed yet.