A Mountain of Japanese Animation News Arrived During the Holidays
The Christmas holidays provide a plethora of pursuits considerably more enjoyable than checking the latest news: unwrapping gifts, indulging in festive fare, and employing patience techniques to avoid snapping at loved ones. Hopefully you were able to enjoy all these things and more. That said, the world of entertainment doesn't take a break, and this is particularly true for the realm of anime. Many exciting announcements came out over the holidays, and if you didn't see some of them, here is a roundup of the biggest bits.
The One-Punch Man Series Its Third Season Is Moving Forward (Come 2027)
Without a doubt the most shocking piece of news, the notorious controversial season that was season 3 of One-Punch Man wasn't enough to stop further production. Season 3 will come back with a second cour in 2027—a date so remote they might as well have labeled it season 4. More surprisingly, animation studio J.C. Staff will still be leading the project. Thankfully this time, helmer Shinpei Nagai is set to direct from the start, which is seen as a good sign. Yet, the promotional image for the new episodes is a mirror of the one used for season 3, just with protagonists Saitama and Garou oriented differently. This leads one to believe that, at this point, they are probably mocking the fans.
The Ruri Dragon Series Is Poised to Be the First Shonen Jump Anime From Kyoto Animation
Kyoto Animation has built a reputation for being an elite animation studio, setting itself apart not just for the exceptional quality of its work but for the fair treatment of its employees—a rarity in the industry. Unexpectedly, until now, it had not produced an anime stemming from a manga serialized in Shonen Jump, perhaps the best-known magazine in the business. Ruri Dragon will change that, and what a superb choice it is. The manga by Masaoki Shindo achieved widespread acclaim when it debuted in 2022 after just a handful of installments, but then went into a extended pause due to the mangaka's health issues. When it came back with a more relaxed pace, the series demonstrated it maintained the fans' support and positive sentiment, and now everyone is thrilled about the impending KyoAni adaptation.
Kingdom Season 6 Will Get a Sequel Currently in Production
Kingdom is the best-selling, epic Shueisha manga that is not One Piece. If you've haven't come across it before, it's because it only fairly recently obtained an English localization, but the anime has been running for years, and its sixth season was a further stellar entry. It turns out that was just the first cour, because a "sequel" has been announced as in production, and it will almost certainly debut in 2026.
Science Saru Is Adapting A Witch in Mongolia To Anime
One more studio famous for the artistic merit of its projects, Science Saru has brought us masterpieces of the quality of Space Dandy, Devilman Crybaby, and, most 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 powerful woman and thinker 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 reminds me a bit of Ranking of Kings. Scheduled to launch in July 2026, this one will absolutely be on my watchlist.
Tougen Anki Will Continue With a Second Season
Immediately following the airing of episode 24, it was confirmed that Tougen Anki will be securing a follow-up. Inspired by 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 firm air date has yet to be revealed.
