A Heap of Japanese Animation News Landed During the Festive Season
The Yuletide season offer a plethora of pursuits much better than checking the updates: discovering surprises, getting stuffed on delicious food, and employing meditation skills to not arguing with loved ones. Hopefully you managed to enjoy all these things and more. However, the showbiz industry doesn't take a break, and this is particularly true for the realm of anime. A slew of exciting news items came out over the break, and just in case you didn't see any, here is a summary of the juiciest bits.
One-Punch Man Its Third Season Is Moving Forward (By 2027)
Truly the biggest revelation, the much-discussed controversial season that was season 3 of One-Punch Man failed to halt further production. Season 3 will return with a second cour in 2027—a date so remote they might as well have called it season 4. Even more shocking, animation studio J.C. Staff will still be at the helm. At least this time, helmer Shinpei Nagai is attached to direct from the outset, which is seen as a good sign. Yet, the key visual for the new episodes is a mirror of the one used for season 3, just with protagonists Saitama and Garou oriented differently. This leads one to believe that, nowadays, they could be mocking the fans.
Ruri Dragon Is Poised to Be the First Shonen Jump Anime From Kyoto Animation
Kyoto Animation has forged a standing for being an top-tier animation studio, setting itself apart not just for the high caliber of its work but for the good working conditions of its employees—a uncommon practice in the industry. Unexpectedly, until now, it had never worked on an anime based on a manga from Shonen Jump, arguably the best-known magazine in the industry. Ruri Dragon will change that, and what a great choice it is. The manga by Masaoki Shindo achieved massive popularity when it launched in 2022 after just a handful of installments, but then went into a extended pause due to the mangaka's health issues. When it returned with a more relaxed pace, the series demonstrated it still retained the fans' affection and positive sentiment, and now everyone is thrilled about the upcoming KyoAni adaptation.
Kingdom Its Sixth Season Will Get a Sequel In Production
Kingdom is the top-selling, epic Shueisha manga that is aside from One Piece. If you've are unfamiliar with it before, it's because it only recently got an English translation, but the anime has been airing for a while, and season 6 was yet another excellent entry. Apparently that was just the first cour, because a "sequel" has been revealed as in development, and it will probably premiere in 2026.
Science Saru Is Adapting A Witch in Mongolia Into an Anime Series
One more studio renowned for the artistic merit of its productions, Science Saru has brought us critically acclaimed works of the quality of Space Dandy, Devilman Crybaby, and, more recently, Dandadan. This time, the studio will be producing the adaptation of Tomato Soup's manga A Witch's Life in Mongol, which is based on the true story of Fatima, an prominent woman and scholar in the Mongol Empire in the 13th century. Judging from the trailer, the anime named Jaadugar: A Witch in Mongolia will have a distinctly fresh and fascinating 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 announced that Tougen Anki will be securing a follow-up. Adapted from the Japanese legend of Momotaro, Tougen Anki is based on the manga by Yura Urushibara. The upcoming season of the anime will adapt the Nikko Kegon Falls Arc, but a firm release date has yet to be revealed.
