A Ton of Japanese Animation Updates Landed During the Holidays
The Christmas holidays present a plethora of pursuits far superior than catching up on the updates: discovering surprises, feasting on holiday treats, and employing meditation skills to refrain from arguing with loved ones. It is wished you were able to enjoy all these things and more. However, the entertainment world never sleeps, and this is notably true for the realm of anime. A slew of exciting announcements surfaced over the festive period, and just in case you overlooked some of them, here is a compilation of the most exciting bits.
One-Punch Man Its Third Season Will Continue (Come 2027)
Without a doubt the most surprising revelation, the notorious controversial season that was the third season of One-Punch Man proved insufficient to stop more episodes. The show will return with a subsequent part in 2027—such a distant date they easily could have labeled it season 4. Even more shocking, animation studio J.C. Staff will still be leading the project. Thankfully this time, helmer Shinpei Nagai is set to direct from the outset, which might be a hopeful indicator. However, 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 could be mocking the fans.
The Ruri Dragon Series Will Be the First Shonen Jump Anime Produced By Kyoto Animation
Kyoto Animation has forged a standing for being an elite animation studio, setting itself apart not just for the high caliber of its work but for the good working conditions of its employees—a sadly unusual standard in the industry. Curiously, until now, it had not adapted an anime adapted from a manga serialized in Shonen Jump, possibly the most famous magazine in the field. Ruri Dragon will end that streak, and what a great choice it is. The manga by Masaoki Shindo gained a huge following when it first appeared in 2022 after just a small number of issues, but then went into a extended pause due to the creator's health issues. When it returned with a lighter schedule, the series demonstrated it maintained the fans' affection and goodwill, and now fans are overjoyed about the forthcoming KyoAni adaptation.
Kingdom Its Sixth Season Will Get a Sequel In Production
Kingdom is the best-selling, epic Shueisha manga that is aside from One Piece. If you've are unfamiliar with it before, it's because it only fairly recently obtained an English release, but the anime has been going on for years, and its sixth season was another excellent entry. Apparently that was just the initial batch, because a "sequel" has been confirmed as in production, and it will almost certainly air in 2026.
Science Saru Will Adapt A Witch in Mongolia Into an Anime Series
One more studio renowned for the superior craftsmanship of its productions, Science Saru has given us masterpieces of the caliber of Space Dandy, Devilman Crybaby, and, more recently, Dandadan. This time, the studio will be handling the adaptation of Tomato Soup's manga A Witch's Life in Mongol, inspired by the true story of Fatima, an powerful 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 highly unique and intriguing visual style, which reminds me a bit of Ranking of Kings. Set to premiere in July 2026, this one will absolutely be on my list of anticipated shows.
The Tougen Anki Series Is Set to Continue With a Season Two
Immediately following the release of the final episode of the first season, it was confirmed that Tougen Anki will be getting a follow-up. Adapted from the Japanese legend of Momotaro, Tougen Anki brings to life the manga by Yura Urushibara. The second season of the anime will cover the Nikko Kegon Falls Arc, but a concrete air date has not been disclosed yet.