A Ton of Japanese Animation News Landed During the Festive Season
The Yuletide season offer a wealth of pastimes much better than checking the headlines: discovering surprises, getting stuffed on festive fare, and using patience techniques to refrain from arguing with family members. Hopefully you were able to accomplish all these things and more. That said, the world of entertainment never sleeps, and this is notably true for the realm of anime. Numerous thrilling announcements surfaced over the break, and should you missed any, here is a compilation of the most exciting bits.
One-Punch Man Its Third Season Is Moving Forward (Come 2027)
Truly the biggest announcement, the widely-criticized controversial season that was season 3 of One-Punch Man proved insufficient to halt further production. The show will come back with a subsequent part in 2027—such a distant date they could have called it season 4. More surprisingly, animation studio J.C. Staff will continue to be in charge. At least this time, director Shinpei Nagai is attached to direct from the outset, which might be a hopeful indicator. Yet, the main art for the second cour is the same image the one used for season 3, just with characters Saitama and Garou oriented differently. This leads one to believe that, at this point, they must be teasing the fans.
The Ruri Dragon Series Is Poised to Be the Premiere Shonen Jump Anime From Kyoto Animation
Kyoto Animation has built a standing for being an elite animation studio, distinguishing itself not just for the exceptional quality of its productions but for the ethical practices of its employees—a uncommon practice in the industry. Curiously, until now, it had not produced an anime stemming from a manga serialized in Shonen Jump, perhaps the best-known magazine in the field. Ruri Dragon will break that tradition, and what a great choice it is. The manga by Masaoki Shindo achieved widespread acclaim when it launched in 2022 after just a few chapters, but then went into a lengthy break due to the creator's health issues. When it returned with a lighter schedule, the series demonstrated it still retained the fans' affection and enthusiasm, and now the community is overjoyed about the upcoming KyoAni adaptation.
Kingdom Its Sixth Season Will Get a Sequel Now in the Works
Kingdom is the best-selling, long-running Shueisha manga that is other than One Piece. If you've haven't come across it before, it's because it only just received an English translation, but the anime has been running for years, and its sixth season was another excellent entry. Apparently that was just the first cour, because a "sequel" has been confirmed as in production, and it will very likely air in 2026.
Science Saru Is Adapting A Witch in Mongolia Into an Anime Series
A further studio known for the excellent quality of its work, Science Saru has given us critically acclaimed works of the ilk 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, inspired by the actual historical person of Fatima, an influential woman and thinker in the Mongol Empire in the 13th century. From the trailer, the anime titled Jaadugar: A Witch in Mongolia will have a truly original and captivating visual style, which is somewhat reminiscent of Ranking of Kings. Scheduled to launch in July 2026, this one will absolutely be on my list of anticipated shows.
The Tougen Anki Series Will Return With a Season Two
Immediately following the release of the final episode of the first season, it was confirmed that Tougen Anki will be getting a second season. Based on the Japanese legend of Momotaro, Tougen Anki brings to life the manga by Yura Urushibara. The upcoming season of the anime will delve into the Nikko Kegon Falls Arc, but a specific air date has not been disclosed yet.
