A Mountain of Japanese Animation News Landed Over the Holidays
The Yuletide season present a plethora of activities considerably more enjoyable than checking the headlines: opening presents, feasting on holiday treats, and harnessing deep breathing to avoid yelling at loved ones. Hopefully you were able to do all these things and more. However, the showbiz industry never sleeps, and this is especially true for the realm of anime. A slew of thrilling developments came out over the break, and if you overlooked any, here is a roundup of the most exciting bits.
The One-Punch Man Series Its Third Season Is Set to Continue (By 2027)
Truly the most shocking announcement, the widely-criticized disaster that was the third season of One-Punch Man wasn't enough to stop the series' continuation. The show will return with a second cour in 2027—so far away they could have dubbed it season 4. More surprisingly, the studio J.C. Staff will continue to be in charge. At least this time, helmer Shinpei Nagai is on board to direct from the start, which could be taken as a positive development. But, the key visual for the continuation is a mirror of the one used for season 3, just with characters Saitama and Garou facing different directions. This suggests that, by now, they could be trolling the fans.
The Ruri Dragon Series Will Be the First Shonen Jump Anime Produced By Kyoto Animation
Kyoto Animation has built a name for being an prestigious animation studio, setting itself apart not just for the exceptional quality of its output but for the good working conditions of its employees—a uncommon practice in the industry. Curiously, until now, it had never worked on an anime based on a manga from Shonen Jump, possibly the most iconic magazine in the business. Ruri Dragon will break that tradition, and what a great choice it is. The manga by Masaoki Shindo became widespread acclaim when it launched in 2022 after just a few chapters, but then went into a extended pause due to the creator's health issues. When it came back with a reduced workload, the series showed it hadn't lost the fans' appreciation and goodwill, and now everyone is overjoyed about the upcoming KyoAni adaptation.
The Kingdom Series Season 6 Has a Sequel In Production
Kingdom is the best-selling, decades-spanning Shueisha manga that is not One Piece. If you've haven't come across it before, it's because it only fairly recently obtained an English localization, but the anime has been running for a while, and its sixth season was another outstanding entry. As it happens that was just the first half, because a "sequel" has been revealed as in development, and it will almost certainly air in 2026.
Science Saru Is Adapting A Witch in Mongolia To Anime
A further studio known for the excellent quality of its projects, Science Saru has given us masterpieces of the caliber 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, 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 named Jaadugar: A Witch in Mongolia will have a distinctly fresh and captivating visual style, which evokes Ranking of Kings. Set to premiere in July 2026, this one will absolutely be on my list of anticipated shows.
Tougen Anki Is Set to Continue With a Second Season
Right after the conclusion of the final episode of the first season, it was announced that Tougen Anki will be getting a second season. Inspired by the Japanese legend of Momotaro, Tougen Anki adapts the manga by Yura Urushibara. The second season of the anime will adapt the Nikko Kegon Falls Arc, but a specific air date has not been disclosed yet.
