A Heap of Japanese Animation Updates Landed During the Holidays
The Yuletide season present a multitude of pursuits considerably more enjoyable than scanning the headlines: discovering surprises, indulging in holiday treats, and harnessing patience techniques to refrain from arguing with loved ones. I hope you succeeded in enjoy all these things and more. That said, the showbiz industry never sleeps, and this is particularly true for the realm of anime. Numerous noteworthy announcements surfaced during the break, and if you overlooked some of them, here is a summary of the biggest bits.
One-Punch Man Its Third Season Is Set to Continue (By 2027)
Perhaps the most surprising piece of news, the widely-criticized controversial season that was season 3 of One-Punch Man failed to deter the series' continuation. The show will be back with a second cour in 2027—such a distant date they could have called it season 4. More surprisingly, animation studio J.C. Staff will still be in charge. Thankfully this time, director Shinpei Nagai is set to direct from the beginning, which might be a good sign. Yet, the main art for the continuation is the same image the one used for season 3, just with protagonists Saitama and Garou looking opposite ways. This leads one to believe that, at this point, they are probably mocking the fans.
Ruri Dragon Is Set to Be the Premiere Shonen Jump Anime Produced By Kyoto Animation
Kyoto Animation has established a name for being an prestigious animation studio, making its mark not just for the high caliber of its output but for the fair treatment of its employees—a sadly unusual standard in the industry. Surprisingly, until now, it had not produced an anime adapted from a manga serialized in Shonen Jump, arguably the most famous magazine in the business. Ruri Dragon will break that tradition, and what a superb choice it is. The manga by Masaoki Shindo achieved a huge following when it launched in 2022 after just a few chapters, but then went into a extended pause due to the mangaka's health issues. When it resumed publication with a more relaxed pace, the series proved it hadn't lost the fans' support and goodwill, and now fans are thrilled about the forthcoming KyoAni adaptation.
The Kingdom Series Season 6 Will Get a Sequel Currently in Production
Kingdom is the highly popular, long-running Shueisha manga that is not One Piece. If you've never heard of it before, it's because it only fairly recently obtained an English translation, but the anime has been running for years, and its sixth season was yet another stellar entry. Apparently that was just the first cour, because a "sequel" has been confirmed as in production, and it will probably air in 2026.
Science Saru Will Adapt A Witch in Mongolia Into an Anime Series
Another studio known for the superior craftsmanship of its work, Science Saru has brought us critically acclaimed works of the caliber 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 thinker in the Mongol Empire in the 13th century. From the trailer, the anime titled Jaadugar: A Witch in Mongolia will have a distinctly fresh and intriguing visual style, which is somewhat reminiscent of Ranking of Kings. Debuting in July 2026, this one will without a doubt be on my must-watch list.
Tougen Anki Will Continue With a Season Two
Shortly after the release of the final episode of the first season, it was confirmed 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 new season of the anime will adapt the Nikko Kegon Falls Arc, but a concrete premiere date has not yet been announced.