A Ton of Japanese Animation News Landed During the Festive Season

The Yuletide season present a plethora of activities far superior than checking the updates: opening presents, indulging in festive fare, and using deep breathing to not yelling at loved ones. It is wished you succeeded in accomplish all these things and more. Nevertheless, the showbiz industry doesn't take a break, and this is notably true for the realm of anime. Many exciting announcements surfaced over the holidays, and just in case you didn't see some of them, here is a roundup of the juiciest bits.

One-Punch Man Its Third Season Is Moving Forward (By 2027)

Truly the biggest announcement, the widely-criticized controversial season that was season 3 of One-Punch Man wasn't enough to deter the series' continuation. Season 3 will come back with a follow-up batch of episodes in 2027—such a distant date they could have dubbed it season 4. Adding to the surprise, animation studio J.C. Staff will continue to be leading the project. Thankfully this time, helmer Shinpei Nagai is attached to direct from the outset, which might be a hopeful indicator. But, the key visual for the new episodes is a mirror of the one used for season 3, just with characters Saitama and Garou facing different directions. This makes me think that, at this point, they must be trolling the fans.

Ruri Dragon Is Set to Be the First Shonen Jump Anime Produced By Kyoto Animation

Kyoto Animation has established a standing for being an prestigious animation studio, making its mark not just for the exceptional quality of its work but for the ethical practices of its employees—a uncommon practice in the industry. Surprisingly, until now, it had not produced an anime adapted from a manga serialized in Shonen Jump, possibly the best-known magazine in the industry. Ruri Dragon will change that, and what a great choice it is. The manga by Masaoki Shindo gained massive popularity when it first appeared in 2022 after just a small number of issues, but then went into a extended pause due to the author's health issues. When it came back with a reduced workload, the series demonstrated it still retained the fans' appreciation and goodwill, and now everyone is overjoyed about the forthcoming KyoAni adaptation.

Kingdom Season 6 Has a Sequel In Production

Kingdom is the top-selling, long-running Shueisha manga that is aside from One Piece. If you've never heard of it before, it's because it only just received an English release, but the anime has been running for a while, and its sixth season was a further outstanding entry. It turns out that was just the initial batch, because a "sequel" has been revealed as currently being made, and it will very likely debut in 2026.

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

A further studio renowned for the artistic merit of its productions, Science Saru has brought us masterpieces of the caliber 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 prominent woman and intellectual in the Mongol Empire in the 13th century. Judging from the trailer, the anime titled Jaadugar: A Witch in Mongolia will have a distinctly fresh and intriguing visual style, which is somewhat reminiscent of Ranking of Kings. Set to premiere in July 2026, this one will absolutely be on my must-watch list.

Tougen Anki Is Set to Continue With a Second Season

Shortly after the release of episode 24, it was announced that Tougen Anki will be securing a sequel. 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 concrete air date has not been disclosed yet.