A Ton of Japanese Animation News Dropped Over the Festive Season
The Yuletide season offer a plethora of activities far superior than checking the updates: opening presents, getting stuffed on festive fare, and employing deep breathing to not arguing with family members. I hope you were able to enjoy all these things and more. However, the world of entertainment never sleeps, and this is especially true for the realm of anime. Numerous noteworthy announcements surfaced over the festive period, and if you missed some of them, here is a compilation of the biggest bits.
One-Punch Man Its Third Season Will Continue (In 2027)
Truly the most surprising announcement, the notorious controversial season that was season 3 of One-Punch Man proved insufficient to deter the series' continuation. Season 3 will be back with a second cour in 2027—a date so remote they easily could have dubbed it season 4. More surprisingly, the studio J.C. Staff will still be leading the project. On a positive note this time, helmer Shinpei Nagai is attached to direct from the beginning, which could be taken as a good sign. Yet, the promotional image for the new episodes is a mirror of the one used for season 3, just with protagonists Saitama and Garou oriented differently. This suggests 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 forged a name 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 rarity in the industry. Surprisingly, until now, it had never worked on an anime adapted from a manga from Shonen Jump, perhaps the best-known magazine in the industry. Ruri Dragon will change that, and what a great choice it is. The manga by Masaoki Shindo became massive popularity when it debuted 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 resumed publication with a more relaxed pace, the series proved it still retained the fans' appreciation and goodwill, and now the community is thrilled about the impending KyoAni adaptation.
Kingdom Season 6 Has a Sequel Now in the Works
Kingdom is the highly popular, epic Shueisha manga that is other than One Piece. If you've never heard of it before, it's because it only fairly recently obtained an English localization, but the anime has been going on for some time, and season 6 was another 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 air in 2026.
Science Saru Will Adapt A Witch in Mongolia To Anime
One more studio renowned for the superior craftsmanship of its work, Science Saru has brought us critically acclaimed works of the ilk 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 prominent woman and scholar in the Mongol Empire in the 13th century. Based on the trailer, the anime called Jaadugar: A Witch in Mongolia will have a highly unique and fascinating visual style, which reminds me a bit of Ranking of Kings. Scheduled to launch in July 2026, this one will definitely be on my watchlist.
The Tougen Anki Series Will Continue With a Season Two
Right after the release of episode 24, it was revealed that Tougen Anki will be receiving a second season. Inspired by the Japanese legend of Momotaro, Tougen Anki brings to life the manga by Yura Urushibara. The upcoming season of the anime will cover the Nikko Kegon Falls Arc, but a concrete air date has not yet been announced.
