A Mountain of Japanese Animation News Dropped During the Festive Season
The Yuletide season present a multitude of pastimes far superior than scanning the updates: unwrapping gifts, getting stuffed on delicious food, and using meditation skills to avoid yelling at family members. It is wished you managed to accomplish all these things and more. That said, the entertainment world never sleeps, and this is particularly true for the realm of anime. Numerous noteworthy developments came out over the break, and if you overlooked a few, here is a summary of the biggest bits.
One-Punch Man Its Third Season Will Continue (Come 2027)
Without a doubt the most surprising announcement, the much-discussed troubled production that was season 3 of One-Punch Man proved insufficient to halt further production. Season 3 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 at the helm. Thankfully this time, director Shinpei Nagai is on board to direct from the start, which could be taken as a positive development. However, the promotional image for the second cour 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 are probably mocking the fans.
Ruri Dragon Will Be the Premiere Shonen Jump Anime Produced By Kyoto Animation
Kyoto Animation has built a standing for being an elite animation studio, setting itself apart not just for the high caliber of its productions but for the fair treatment of its employees—a sadly unusual standard in the industry. Curiously, until now, it had never worked on an anime adapted from a manga serialized in Shonen Jump, arguably the best-known magazine in the field. Ruri Dragon will change that, and what a excellent choice it is. The manga by Masaoki Shindo achieved massive popularity when it launched in 2022 after just a small number of issues, but then went into a lengthy break due to the author's health issues. When it came back with a reduced workload, the series demonstrated it hadn't lost the fans' support and enthusiasm, and now fans are ecstatic about the forthcoming KyoAni adaptation.
The Kingdom Series Season 6 Is Getting a Follow-Up 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 translation, but the anime has been going on for years, and its sixth season was yet another outstanding entry. It turns out that was just the first cour, because a "sequel" has been announced as in production, and it will very likely debut in 2026.
Science Saru Will Adapt A Witch in Mongolia To Anime
One more studio famous for the excellent quality of its productions, Science Saru has brought us critically acclaimed works of the ilk of Space Dandy, Devilman Crybaby, and, lastly, Dandadan. This time, the studio will be taking on the adaptation of Tomato Soup's manga A Witch's Life in Mongol, based on the real historical figure of Fatima, an influential woman and thinker in the Mongol Empire in the 13th century. Based on the trailer, the anime titled Jaadugar: A Witch in Mongolia will have a highly unique and intriguing visual style, which evokes Ranking of Kings. Debuting in July 2026, this one will without a doubt be on my watchlist.
Tougen Anki Will Return With a Season Two
Right after the release of the final episode of the first season, it was confirmed that Tougen Anki will be securing a follow-up. Inspired by 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 premiere date has not been disclosed yet.
