A Heap of Japanese Animation News Landed Over the Holidays
The Yuletide season provide a plethora of pastimes much better than catching up on the latest news: discovering surprises, indulging in festive fare, and employing meditation skills to avoid yelling at loved ones. Hopefully you were able to accomplish all these things and more. However, the world of entertainment doesn't take a break, and this is especially true for the realm of anime. Numerous exciting news items emerged over the holidays, and just in case you overlooked a few, here is a compilation of the juiciest bits.
One-Punch Man Its Third Season Is Set to Continue (In 2027)
Without a doubt the most surprising piece of news, the notorious controversial season that was season 3 of One-Punch Man wasn't enough to halt further production. Season 3 will return with a subsequent part in 2027—so far away they might as well have dubbed it season 4. More surprisingly, animation studio J.C. Staff will continue to be at the helm. At least this time, director Shinpei Nagai is on board to direct from the outset, which is seen as a positive development. However, the main art for the continuation is identical to the one used for season 3, just with characters Saitama and Garou facing different directions. This suggests that, at this point, they are probably teasing the fans.
The Ruri Dragon Series Will Be the Premiere Shonen Jump Anime By Kyoto Animation
Kyoto Animation has established a standing for being an prestigious animation studio, distinguishing itself not just for the high caliber of its work but for the fair treatment of its employees—a sadly unusual standard in the industry. Unexpectedly, until now, it had not produced an anime stemming from a manga published in Shonen Jump, possibly the best-known magazine in the field. Ruri Dragon will end that streak, and what a superb choice it is. The manga by Masaoki Shindo became massive popularity when it first appeared in 2022 after just a few chapters, but then went into a extended pause due to the creator's health issues. When it came back with a more relaxed pace, the series demonstrated it still retained the fans' affection and positive sentiment, and now the community is ecstatic about the upcoming KyoAni adaptation.
Kingdom Its Sixth Season Has a Sequel Now in the Works
Kingdom is the highly popular, 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 release, but the anime has been going on for years, and its sixth season was yet another outstanding entry. Apparently that was just the initial batch, because a "sequel" has been revealed as currently being made, and it will probably air in 2026.
Science Saru Is Adapting A Witch in Mongolia Into an Anime Series
One more studio renowned for the artistic merit of its projects, Science Saru has given us critically acclaimed works of the caliber 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 prominent woman and thinker in the Mongol Empire in the 13th century. Based on the trailer, the anime titled Jaadugar: A Witch in Mongolia will have a truly original and intriguing visual style, which is somewhat reminiscent of Ranking of Kings. Debuting in July 2026, this one will definitely be on my list of anticipated shows.
The Tougen Anki Series Is Set to Continue With a Season Two
Immediately following the conclusion of its twenty-fourth episode, it was revealed that Tougen Anki will be getting a follow-up. Based on the Japanese legend of Momotaro, Tougen Anki is based on the manga by Yura Urushibara. The second season of the anime will cover the Nikko Kegon Falls Arc, but a firm air date has yet to be revealed.
