A Ton of Japanese Animation News Arrived Over the Festive Season
The Yuletide season present a multitude of pastimes far superior than catching up on the latest news: unwrapping gifts, indulging in delicious food, and harnessing meditation skills to not arguing with loved ones. It is wished you were able to accomplish all these things and more. Nevertheless, the showbiz industry never sleeps, and this is especially true for the realm of anime. Numerous exciting announcements surfaced over the break, and should you missed any, here is a summary of the juiciest bits.
One-Punch Man Season 3 Is Set to Continue (Come 2027)
Truly the most shocking piece of news, the widely-criticized troubled production that was season 3 of One-Punch Man proved insufficient to halt more episodes. The show will return with a follow-up batch of episodes in 2027—so far away they easily could have dubbed it season 4. More surprisingly, animation studio J.C. Staff will continue to be at the helm. On a positive note this time, director Shinpei Nagai is attached to direct from the start, which might be a good sign. However, the main art for the continuation is identical to the one used for season 3, just with protagonists Saitama and Garou oriented differently. This leads one to believe that, by now, they could be mocking the fans.
The Ruri Dragon Series Is Set to Be the First Shonen Jump Anime From Kyoto Animation
Kyoto Animation has established a standing for being an prestigious animation studio, distinguishing itself not just for the exceptional quality of its output but for the good working conditions of its employees—a sadly unusual standard in the industry. Unexpectedly, until now, it had not produced an anime adapted from a manga serialized in Shonen Jump, perhaps the most famous magazine in the industry. Ruri Dragon will break that tradition, and what a great choice it is. The manga by Masaoki Shindo became a huge following when it debuted in 2022 after just a small number of issues, but then went into a lengthy break due to the author's health issues. When it resumed publication with a reduced workload, the series showed it still retained the fans' support and goodwill, and now fans are thrilled about the forthcoming KyoAni adaptation.
The Kingdom Series Season 6 Has a Sequel In Production
Kingdom is the highly popular, decades-spanning Shueisha manga that is other than One Piece. If you've never heard of it before, it's because it only recently got an English translation, but the anime has been running for years, and season 6 was a further stellar entry. As it happens that was just the first half, because a "sequel" has been confirmed as in development, and it will almost certainly debut in 2026.
Science Saru Is Adapting A Witch in Mongolia Into an Anime Series
A further studio renowned for the superior craftsmanship of its projects, Science Saru has given 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, which is based on the real historical figure of Fatima, an influential woman and intellectual in the Mongol Empire in the 13th century. Judging from the trailer, the anime named Jaadugar: A Witch in Mongolia will have a truly original and fascinating visual style, which is somewhat reminiscent of Ranking of Kings. Debuting in July 2026, this one will definitely be on my watchlist.
Tougen Anki Will Continue With a Season Two
Shortly after the airing of the final episode of the first season, it was revealed that Tougen Anki will be receiving a second season. Adapted from the Japanese legend of Momotaro, Tougen Anki adapts the manga by Yura Urushibara. The second season of the anime will delve into the Nikko Kegon Falls Arc, but a firm release date has not yet been announced.
