A Ton of Japanese Animation Updates Dropped Over the Holidays
The winter break offer a wealth of activities far superior than checking the updates: discovering surprises, feasting on holiday treats, and harnessing patience techniques to avoid arguing with relatives. Hopefully you managed to enjoy all these things and more. However, the showbiz industry never sleeps, and this is particularly true for the realm of anime. A slew of noteworthy developments surfaced over the festive period, and if you didn't see some of them, here is a summary of the biggest bits.
The One-Punch Man Series Its Third Season Is Set to Continue (By 2027)
Truly the biggest revelation, the notorious disaster that was season 3 of One-Punch Man failed to stop the series' continuation. The show will return with a second cour in 2027—a date so remote they might as well have called it season 4. More surprisingly, animation studio J.C. Staff will still be at the helm. On a positive note this time, helmer Shinpei Nagai is set to direct from the beginning, which is seen as a positive development. Yet, the promotional image for the new episodes is the same image the one used for season 3, just with protagonists Saitama and Garou oriented differently. This suggests that, by now, they are probably trolling the fans.
Ruri Dragon Is Poised to Be the Premiere Shonen Jump Anime From Kyoto Animation
Kyoto Animation has built a standing for being an top-tier animation studio, distinguishing itself not just for the exceptional quality of its output but for the fair treatment of its employees—a uncommon practice in the industry. Curiously, until now, it had not adapted an anime adapted from a manga from Shonen Jump, possibly the best-known magazine in the field. Ruri Dragon will end that streak, and what a great choice it is. The manga by Masaoki Shindo became a huge following when it first appeared in 2022 after just a few chapters, but then went into a lengthy break due to the author's health issues. When it resumed publication with a reduced workload, the series demonstrated it maintained the fans' appreciation and enthusiasm, and now the community is overjoyed about the upcoming KyoAni adaptation.
Kingdom Its Sixth Season Will Get a Sequel Now in the Works
Kingdom is the top-selling, long-running Shueisha manga that is aside from 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 airing for years, and season 6 was a further stellar entry. Apparently that was just the initial batch, because a "sequel" has been revealed as in production, and it will very likely premiere in 2026.
Science Saru Is Adapting A Witch in Mongolia Into an Anime Series
One more studio renowned for the superior craftsmanship of its work, Science Saru has given us critically acclaimed works of the quality of Space Dandy, Devilman Crybaby, and, lastly, Dandadan. This time, the studio will be producing the adaptation of Tomato Soup's manga A Witch's Life in Mongol, inspired by the actual historical person of Fatima, an powerful 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 distinctly fresh and intriguing visual style, which evokes Ranking of Kings. Scheduled to launch in July 2026, this one will definitely be on my list of anticipated shows.
Tougen Anki Will Continue With a Season Two
Shortly after the airing of its twenty-fourth episode, it was revealed 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 upcoming season of the anime will adapt the Nikko Kegon Falls Arc, but a specific release date has not been disclosed yet.
