A Mountain of Japanese Animation News Landed Over the Festive Season

The winter break present a multitude of activities far superior than scanning the latest news: discovering surprises, getting stuffed on holiday treats, and using deep breathing to refrain from arguing with family members. I hope you managed to accomplish all these things and more. That said, the world of entertainment doesn't go on vacation, and this is particularly true for the realm of anime. Many noteworthy news items came out during the festive period, and if you didn't see some of them, here is a roundup of the most exciting bits.

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

Perhaps the most shocking piece of news, the widely-criticized controversial season that was the third season of One-Punch Man failed to deter further production. Season 3 will return with a follow-up batch of episodes in 2027—such a distant date they could have labeled it season 4. Even more shocking, animation studio J.C. Staff will continue to be at the helm. Thankfully this time, helmer Shinpei Nagai is attached to direct from the beginning, which could be taken as a good sign. However, 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 makes me think that, nowadays, they are probably mocking the fans.

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

Kyoto Animation has established a reputation for being an elite animation studio, distinguishing itself not just for the superb artistry of its output but for the fair treatment of its employees—a sadly unusual standard in the industry. Curiously, until now, it had not adapted an anime stemming from a manga from Shonen Jump, possibly the best-known magazine in the business. Ruri Dragon will end that streak, and what a superb choice it is. The manga by Masaoki Shindo achieved massive popularity when it launched in 2022 after just a few chapters, but then went into a lengthy break due to the creator's health issues. When it returned with a lighter schedule, the series proved it maintained the fans' support and goodwill, and now the community is overjoyed about the impending KyoAni adaptation.

Kingdom Season 6 Is Getting a Follow-Up In Production

Kingdom is the highly popular, long-running Shueisha manga that is aside from One Piece. If you've haven't come across 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 yet another excellent entry. As it happens 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 Is Adapting A Witch in Mongolia To Anime

One more studio known for the artistic merit of its work, Science Saru has brought us hit shows of the quality of Space Dandy, Devilman Crybaby, and, most recently, Dandadan. This time, the studio will be handling the adaptation of Tomato Soup's manga A Witch's Life in Mongol, based on the true story of Fatima, an powerful woman and intellectual in the Mongol Empire in the 13th century. From the trailer, the anime called Jaadugar: A Witch in Mongolia will have a distinctly fresh and captivating visual style, which is somewhat reminiscent of Ranking of Kings. Set to premiere in July 2026, this one will absolutely be on my watchlist.

Tougen Anki Is Set to Continue With a Second Season

Right after the airing of the final episode of the first season, it was confirmed that Tougen Anki will be securing a second season. Inspired by the Japanese legend of Momotaro, Tougen Anki adapts the manga by Yura Urushibara. The upcoming season of the anime will cover the Nikko Kegon Falls Arc, but a concrete premiere date has not been disclosed yet.