A Mountain of Japanese Animation Updates Landed During the Festive Season
The Christmas holidays present a plethora of pursuits considerably more enjoyable than checking the updates: discovering surprises, getting stuffed on festive fare, and using deep breathing to refrain from yelling at relatives. I hope you were able to do all these things and more. Nevertheless, the entertainment world doesn't go on vacation, and this is especially true for the realm of anime. Numerous exciting developments emerged over the break, and if you overlooked any, here is a compilation of the most exciting bits.
The One-Punch Man Series Season 3 Will Continue (By 2027)
Without a doubt the most surprising piece of news, the much-discussed troubled production that was the third season of One-Punch Man proved insufficient to halt the series' continuation. Season 3 will come back with a subsequent part in 2027—such a distant date they easily could have labeled it season 4. Even more shocking, the studio J.C. Staff will remain leading the project. Thankfully this time, helmer Shinpei Nagai is on board to direct from the beginning, which could be taken as a positive development. Yet, the key visual for the new episodes is identical to the one used for season 3, just with protagonists Saitama and Garou oriented differently. This makes me think that, nowadays, they are probably teasing the fans.
The Ruri Dragon Series Will Be the Premiere Shonen Jump Anime Produced By Kyoto Animation
Kyoto Animation has established a reputation for being an elite animation studio, distinguishing itself not just for the exceptional quality of its work but for the fair treatment of its employees—a rarity in the industry. Surprisingly, until now, it had not produced an anime adapted from a manga serialized in Shonen Jump, possibly the most famous magazine in the business. Ruri Dragon will change that, and what a great choice it is. The manga by Masaoki Shindo gained a huge following when it first appeared in 2022 after just a small number of issues, but then went into a two-year hiatus due to the creator's health issues. When it came back with a reduced workload, the series proved it still retained the fans' support and enthusiasm, and now fans are overjoyed about the forthcoming KyoAni adaptation.
The Kingdom Series Its Sixth Season Is Getting a Follow-Up Currently in Production
Kingdom is the highly popular, epic Shueisha manga that is aside from One Piece. If you've are unfamiliar with it before, it's because it only fairly recently obtained an English localization, but the anime has been going on for years, and its sixth season was a further outstanding entry. It turns out that was just the first half, because a "sequel" has been revealed as in development, and it will almost certainly premiere in 2026.
Science Saru Is Adapting A Witch in Mongolia To Anime
One more studio famous for the excellent quality of its projects, Science Saru has brought us hit shows of the caliber 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, based on the true story 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 highly unique and intriguing visual style, which is somewhat reminiscent of Ranking of Kings. Debuting in July 2026, this one will absolutely be on my must-watch list.
The Tougen Anki Series Will Return With a Second Season
Right after the airing of the final episode of the first season, it was confirmed that Tougen Anki will be getting a follow-up. Inspired by the Japanese legend of Momotaro, Tougen Anki is based on the manga by Yura Urushibara. The second season of the anime will adapt the Nikko Kegon Falls Arc, but a concrete air date has not been disclosed yet.
