A Heap of Japanese Animation News Landed Over the Festive Season

The Yuletide season present a wealth of pastimes considerably more enjoyable than checking the latest news: opening presents, indulging in delicious food, and harnessing meditation skills to avoid snapping at loved ones. Hopefully you were able to enjoy all these things and more. That said, the entertainment world never sleeps, and this is especially true for the realm of anime. Numerous noteworthy developments emerged during the festive period, and should you overlooked a few, here is a compilation of the biggest bits.

The One-Punch Man Series Season 3 Will Continue (By 2027)

Perhaps the most shocking revelation, the widely-criticized controversial season that was season 3 of One-Punch Man proved insufficient to deter the series' continuation. Season 3 will return with a follow-up batch of episodes in 2027—so far away they could have called it season 4. More surprisingly, animation studio J.C. Staff will continue to be at the helm. On a positive note this time, helmer Shinpei Nagai is set to direct from the start, which is seen as a positive development. But, the key visual for the new episodes 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, nowadays, they must be mocking the fans.

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

Kyoto Animation has forged a standing for being an top-tier animation studio, making its mark not just for the high caliber of its output but for the good working conditions of its employees—a uncommon practice in the industry. Unexpectedly, until now, it had not adapted an anime adapted from a manga serialized in Shonen Jump, arguably the best-known magazine in the industry. Ruri Dragon will change that, and what a excellent choice it is. The manga by Masaoki Shindo achieved a huge following when it debuted in 2022 after just a small number of issues, but then went into a extended pause due to the author's health issues. When it came back with a reduced workload, the series demonstrated it maintained the fans' affection and goodwill, and now the community is ecstatic about the forthcoming KyoAni adaptation.

Kingdom Season 6 Has a Sequel Currently in Production

Kingdom is the highly popular, epic Shueisha manga that is not One Piece. If you've haven't come across it before, it's because it only just received an English release, but the anime has been airing for a while, and its sixth season was a further stellar entry. Apparently that was just the initial batch, because a "sequel" has been revealed as in development, 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 superior craftsmanship of its projects, Science Saru has delivered critically acclaimed works of the caliber of Space Dandy, Devilman Crybaby, and, lastly, 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. Judging from the trailer, the anime named 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 absolutely be on my watchlist.

The Tougen Anki Series Will Return With a Season Two

Shortly after the airing of its twenty-fourth episode, it was announced that Tougen Anki will be receiving a sequel. Inspired by the Japanese legend of Momotaro, Tougen Anki adapts the manga by Yura Urushibara. The second season of the anime will cover the Nikko Kegon Falls Arc, but a specific release date has not been disclosed yet.