A Ton of Japanese Animation Updates Dropped Over the Festive Season

The winter break offer a plethora of pastimes considerably more enjoyable than checking the latest news: unwrapping gifts, indulging in holiday treats, and employing deep breathing to avoid yelling at relatives. 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 especially true for the realm of anime. A slew of thrilling news items came out over the break, and if you didn't see some of them, here is a compilation of the biggest bits.

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

Without a doubt the most shocking piece of news, the widely-criticized disaster that was the third season of One-Punch Man failed to deter further production. Season 3 will be back with a second cour in 2027—such a distant date they could have labeled it season 4. More surprisingly, animation studio J.C. Staff will remain in charge. At least this time, helmer Shinpei Nagai is set to direct from the outset, which is seen as a positive development. However, the promotional image for the second cour is the same image the one used for season 3, just with characters Saitama and Garou oriented differently. This suggests that, by now, they are probably teasing the fans.

Ruri Dragon Is Set to Be the First Shonen Jump Anime From Kyoto Animation

Kyoto Animation has built a standing for being an prestigious animation studio, distinguishing itself not just for the superb artistry of its productions but for the ethical practices of its employees—a sadly unusual standard in the industry. Surprisingly, until now, it had not produced an anime adapted from a manga from Shonen Jump, perhaps the most iconic magazine in the field. Ruri Dragon will change that, and what a great choice it is. The manga by Masaoki Shindo achieved 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 more relaxed pace, the series demonstrated it hadn't lost the fans' affection and positive sentiment, and now the community is overjoyed about the impending KyoAni adaptation.

Kingdom Its Sixth Season Has a Sequel In Production

Kingdom is the highly popular, decades-spanning 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 translation, but the anime has been running for some time, and season 6 was another outstanding entry. As it happens that was just the initial batch, because a "sequel" has been announced as in development, and it will almost certainly debut in 2026.

Science Saru Will Adapt A Witch in Mongolia To Anime

A further studio renowned for the excellent quality of its work, Science Saru has brought us hit shows of the quality 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 actual historical person of Fatima, an powerful woman and scholar in the Mongol Empire in the 13th century. From the trailer, the anime called Jaadugar: A Witch in Mongolia will have a highly unique and fascinating visual style, which is somewhat reminiscent of Ranking of Kings. Scheduled to launch in July 2026, this one will definitely be on my must-watch list.

Tougen Anki Is Set to Continue With a Second Season

Shortly after the airing of the final episode of the first season, it was revealed that Tougen Anki will be getting a sequel. Based on the Japanese legend of Momotaro, Tougen Anki adapts the manga by Yura Urushibara. The second season of the anime will delve into the Nikko Kegon Falls Arc, but a firm air date has not been disclosed yet.