A Mountain of Japanese Animation News Arrived Over the Holidays

The Christmas holidays present a multitude of pursuits much better than checking the headlines: opening presents, indulging in holiday treats, and employing deep breathing to avoid arguing with relatives. I hope you were able to do all these things and more. However, the entertainment world never sleeps, and this is particularly true for the realm of anime. Many exciting developments surfaced during the break, and if you missed a few, here is a summary of the juiciest bits.

The One-Punch Man Series Its Third Season Is Moving Forward (Come 2027)

Truly the most shocking piece of news, 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 follow-up batch of episodes in 2027—such a distant date they easily could have called it season 4. Even more shocking, animation studio J.C. Staff will continue to be leading the project. On a positive note this time, director Shinpei Nagai is on board to direct from the beginning, which might be a positive development. But, the main art for the second cour is identical to the one used for season 3, just with protagonists Saitama and Garou oriented differently. This suggests that, nowadays, they are probably teasing the fans.

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

Kyoto Animation has established a name for being an prestigious animation studio, making its mark not just for the exceptional quality of its output but for the ethical practices of its employees—a rarity in the industry. Unexpectedly, until now, it had never worked on an anime based on a manga serialized in Shonen Jump, possibly the most famous magazine in the business. Ruri Dragon will end that streak, and what a great choice it is. The manga by Masaoki Shindo became widespread acclaim when it first appeared in 2022 after just a few chapters, but then went into a two-year hiatus due to the mangaka's health issues. When it resumed publication with a lighter schedule, the series proved it still retained the fans' support and positive sentiment, and now fans are overjoyed about the upcoming KyoAni adaptation.

The Kingdom Series Its Sixth Season Has a Sequel Now in the Works

Kingdom is the highly popular, epic Shueisha manga that is not One Piece. If you've never heard of it before, it's because it only recently got an English localization, but the anime has been running for some time, and season 6 was yet another excellent entry. Apparently that was just the initial batch, because a "sequel" has been revealed as currently being made, and it will probably air in 2026.

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

A further studio famous for the superior craftsmanship of its projects, Science Saru has delivered masterpieces of the ilk of Space Dandy, Devilman Crybaby, and, most recently, Dandadan. This time, the studio will be producing the adaptation of Tomato Soup's manga A Witch's Life in Mongol, inspired by the true story of Fatima, an prominent woman and scholar in the Mongol Empire in the 13th century. From the trailer, the anime named Jaadugar: A Witch in Mongolia will have a distinctly fresh and intriguing visual style, which reminds me a bit of Ranking of Kings. Debuting in July 2026, this one will absolutely be on my watchlist.

The Tougen Anki Series Is Set to Continue With a Season Two

Right after the release of episode 24, it was revealed that Tougen Anki will be securing a sequel. Based on the Japanese legend of Momotaro, Tougen Anki adapts the manga by Yura Urushibara. The upcoming season of the anime will adapt the Nikko Kegon Falls Arc, but a firm air date has yet to be revealed.