A Mountain of Japanese Animation Updates Landed During the Festive Season
The Yuletide season present a multitude of pastimes far superior than checking the updates: opening presents, getting stuffed on delicious food, and harnessing deep breathing to avoid snapping at relatives. It is wished you managed to enjoy all these things and more. Nevertheless, the world of entertainment doesn't take a break, and this is particularly true for the realm of anime. Many exciting news items emerged during the festive period, and just in case you missed a few, here is a compilation of the most exciting bits.
One-Punch Man Season 3 Is Moving Forward (By 2027)
Truly the biggest revelation, the notorious troubled production that was season 3 of One-Punch Man wasn't enough to stop further production. The show will come back with a second cour in 2027—such a distant date they might as well have dubbed it season 4. Adding to the surprise, animation studio J.C. Staff will still be in charge. At least this time, director Shinpei Nagai is attached to direct from the beginning, which could be taken as a hopeful indicator. But, the promotional image for the continuation is identical to the one used for season 3, just with characters Saitama and Garou looking opposite ways. This leads one to believe that, by now, they must be trolling the fans.
The Ruri Dragon Series Will Be the Premiere Shonen Jump Anime 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 good working conditions of its employees—a rarity in the industry. Curiously, until now, it had not produced an anime adapted from a manga published in Shonen Jump, arguably the best-known magazine in the business. Ruri Dragon will break that tradition, and what a superb choice it is. The manga by Masaoki Shindo gained widespread acclaim when it debuted in 2022 after just a small number of issues, 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 enthusiasm, and now the community is ecstatic about the upcoming KyoAni adaptation.
Kingdom Season 6 Has a Sequel In Production
Kingdom is the top-selling, epic 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 release, but the anime has been going on for some time, and season 6 was yet another stellar entry. As it happens that was just the first cour, because a "sequel" has been announced as in production, and it will very likely air in 2026.
Science Saru Will Adapt A Witch in Mongolia Into an Anime Series
Another studio famous for the superior craftsmanship of its work, Science Saru has delivered masterpieces of the ilk 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 influential 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 truly original and fascinating visual style, which evokes Ranking of Kings. Scheduled to launch in July 2026, this one will definitely be on my list of anticipated shows.
Tougen Anki Will Return With a Second Season
Right after the release of its twenty-fourth episode, it was revealed that Tougen Anki will be securing 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 cover the Nikko Kegon Falls Arc, but a concrete release date has yet to be revealed.
