A Heap of Japanese Animation News Arrived Over the Festive Season

The Christmas holidays offer a wealth of pastimes much better than checking the updates: opening presents, feasting on holiday treats, and harnessing meditation skills to avoid arguing with relatives. Hopefully you succeeded in enjoy all these things and more. However, the entertainment world doesn't go on vacation, and this is particularly true for the realm of anime. Numerous noteworthy developments came out over the festive period, and just in case you didn't see a few, here is a roundup of the biggest bits.

One-Punch Man Season 3 Is Moving Forward (Come 2027)

Perhaps the biggest announcement, the much-discussed disaster that was season 3 of One-Punch Man proved insufficient to deter further production. Season 3 will return with a follow-up batch of episodes in 2027—such a distant date they easily could have called it season 4. Even more shocking, the studio J.C. Staff will remain at the helm. At least this time, helmer Shinpei Nagai is attached to direct from the outset, which might be a hopeful indicator. However, 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, by now, they are probably teasing the fans.

The Ruri Dragon Series Will Be the Premiere Shonen Jump Anime By Kyoto Animation

Kyoto Animation has forged a reputation for being an top-tier animation studio, setting itself apart not just for the exceptional quality of its productions but for the good working conditions of its employees—a uncommon practice in the industry. Surprisingly, 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 superb choice it is. The manga by Masaoki Shindo achieved massive popularity when it first appeared in 2022 after just a handful of installments, but then went into a extended pause due to the creator's health issues. When it returned with a reduced workload, the series showed it still retained the fans' support and enthusiasm, and now fans are ecstatic about the upcoming KyoAni adaptation.

The Kingdom Series Its Sixth Season Has a Sequel Currently 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 translation, but the anime has been going on for a while, and season 6 was another outstanding entry. It turns out that was just the first half, because a "sequel" has been confirmed as currently being made, and it will almost certainly premiere in 2026.

Science Saru Is Adapting A Witch in Mongolia To Anime

A further studio famous for the artistic merit of its projects, Science Saru has brought us hit shows of the quality of Space Dandy, Devilman Crybaby, and, more recently, Dandadan. This time, the studio will be taking on the adaptation of Tomato Soup's manga A Witch's Life in Mongol, which is based on the true story of Fatima, an powerful woman and scholar in the Mongol Empire in the 13th century. From the trailer, the anime called Jaadugar: A Witch in Mongolia will have a truly original and fascinating visual style, which is somewhat reminiscent of Ranking of Kings. Set to premiere in July 2026, this one will without a doubt be on my list of anticipated shows.

The Tougen Anki Series Will Continue With a Season Two

Shortly after the conclusion of episode 24, it was revealed that Tougen Anki will be receiving a follow-up. Adapted from the Japanese legend of Momotaro, Tougen Anki brings to life the manga by Yura Urushibara. The second season of the anime will adapt the Nikko Kegon Falls Arc, but a specific premiere date has yet to be revealed.