A Mountain of Japanese Animation Updates Landed During the Festive Season
The winter break present a plethora of pastimes considerably more enjoyable than catching up on the latest news: discovering surprises, indulging in delicious food, and using deep breathing to avoid arguing with relatives. It is wished you managed to enjoy all these things and more. Nevertheless, the world of entertainment doesn't go on vacation, and this is particularly true for the realm of anime. Many exciting developments came out over the break, and if you missed a few, here is a summary of the most exciting bits.
The One-Punch Man Series Its Third Season Is Moving Forward (By 2027)
Truly the most surprising announcement, the notorious troubled production that was the third season of One-Punch Man proved insufficient to deter further production. The show will come back with a follow-up batch of episodes in 2027—such a distant date they might as well have dubbed it season 4. More surprisingly, the studio J.C. Staff will remain in charge. Thankfully this time, helmer Shinpei Nagai is on board to direct from the beginning, which is seen as a good sign. Yet, the promotional image for the new episodes is identical to the one used for season 3, just with protagonists Saitama and Garou looking opposite ways. This makes me think that, by now, they could be teasing the fans.
The Ruri Dragon Series Is Set to Be the Premiere Shonen Jump Anime By Kyoto Animation
Kyoto Animation has forged a standing for being an top-tier animation studio, making its mark not just for the superb artistry of its output but for the fair treatment of its employees—a sadly unusual standard in the industry. Surprisingly, until now, it had not produced an anime based on a manga from Shonen Jump, arguably the most iconic magazine in the business. Ruri Dragon will break that tradition, and what a great choice it is. The manga by Masaoki Shindo became widespread acclaim when it launched in 2022 after just a handful of installments, but then went into a two-year hiatus due to the creator's health issues. When it returned with a lighter schedule, the series showed it still retained the fans' affection and positive sentiment, and now everyone is thrilled about the forthcoming KyoAni adaptation.
Kingdom Season 6 Is Getting a Follow-Up Currently in Production
Kingdom is the top-selling, 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 airing for years, and its sixth season was another stellar entry. It turns out that was just the initial batch, because a "sequel" has been confirmed as currently being made, and it will probably air in 2026.
Science Saru Is Bringing A Witch in Mongolia Into an Anime Series
Another studio famous for the artistic merit of its productions, Science Saru has given us masterpieces of the ilk 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, inspired by the true story of Fatima, an powerful woman and scholar in the Mongol Empire in the 13th century. Judging from the trailer, the anime called Jaadugar: A Witch in Mongolia will have a distinctly fresh and captivating visual style, which evokes Ranking of Kings. Set to premiere in July 2026, this one will definitely be on my list of anticipated shows.
Tougen Anki Will Continue With a Season Two
Right after the conclusion of the final episode of the first season, it was revealed that Tougen Anki will be getting a follow-up. Inspired by the Japanese legend of Momotaro, Tougen Anki adapts the manga by Yura Urushibara. The upcoming season of the anime will delve into the Nikko Kegon Falls Arc, but a firm air date has not yet been announced.
