A Mountain of Japanese Animation News Landed During the Festive Season

The winter break offer a plethora of pursuits considerably more enjoyable than checking the latest news: discovering surprises, feasting on delicious food, and using patience techniques to not yelling at family members. Hopefully you succeeded in accomplish all these things and more. However, the showbiz industry doesn't go on vacation, and this is notably true for the realm of anime. Numerous exciting news items emerged during the break, and should you didn't see a few, here is a roundup of the biggest bits.

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

Perhaps the most surprising revelation, the much-discussed controversial season that was season 3 of One-Punch Man failed to halt the series' continuation. The show will be back with a second cour in 2027—so far away they could have labeled it season 4. Even more shocking, the studio J.C. Staff will still be at the helm. Thankfully this time, director Shinpei Nagai is set to direct from the beginning, which could be taken as a good sign. Yet, the main art for the continuation is identical to the one used for season 3, just with characters Saitama and Garou oriented differently. This leads one to believe that, by now, they are probably teasing the fans.

The Ruri Dragon Series Is Poised to Be the First Shonen Jump Anime Produced By Kyoto Animation

Kyoto Animation has established a reputation for being an prestigious animation studio, setting itself apart not just for the superb artistry of its work but for the ethical practices of its employees—a uncommon practice in the industry. Curiously, until now, it had not produced an anime stemming from a manga serialized in Shonen Jump, possibly the most famous magazine in the field. Ruri Dragon will change that, and what a superb 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 two-year hiatus due to the creator's health issues. When it returned with a lighter schedule, the series showed it hadn't lost the fans' appreciation and positive sentiment, and now everyone is overjoyed about the impending KyoAni adaptation.

Kingdom Season 6 Has 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 just received an English localization, but the anime has been running for years, and its sixth season was yet another excellent entry. Apparently that was just the initial batch, because a "sequel" has been announced as currently being made, and it will very likely air in 2026.

Science Saru Is Adapting A Witch in Mongolia Into an Anime Series

One more studio renowned for the artistic merit of its productions, Science Saru has delivered masterpieces of the ilk of Space Dandy, Devilman Crybaby, and, lastly, Dandadan. This time, the studio will be handling the adaptation of Tomato Soup's manga A Witch's Life in Mongol, based on the real historical figure of Fatima, an prominent woman and scholar in the Mongol Empire in the 13th century. Based on 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 definitely be on my watchlist.

Tougen Anki Will Continue With a Season Two

Shortly after the airing of episode 24, it was revealed that Tougen Anki will be securing a sequel. Adapted from the Japanese legend of Momotaro, Tougen Anki is based on the manga by Yura Urushibara. The second season of the anime will delve into the Nikko Kegon Falls Arc, but a concrete release date has yet to be revealed.