A Heap of Japanese Animation Updates Landed Over the Festive Season

The Christmas holidays present a wealth of pastimes much better than catching up on the headlines: unwrapping gifts, getting stuffed on delicious food, and employing meditation skills to refrain from yelling at relatives. I hope you were able to do all these things and more. Nevertheless, the entertainment world doesn't go on vacation, and this is notably true for the realm of anime. Many thrilling developments surfaced over the break, and should you missed a few, here is a roundup of the most exciting bits.

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

Perhaps the most shocking announcement, the widely-criticized disaster that was the third season of One-Punch Man wasn't enough to deter further production. Season 3 will come back with a follow-up batch of episodes in 2027—a date so remote they could have called it season 4. More surprisingly, the studio J.C. Staff will still be in charge. At least this time, helmer Shinpei Nagai is on board to direct from the outset, which might be a good sign. Yet, the promotional image for the new episodes is the same image the one used for season 3, just with characters Saitama and Garou oriented differently. This leads one to believe that, by now, they must be mocking the fans.

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

Kyoto Animation has forged a reputation for being an top-tier animation studio, making its mark not just for the exceptional quality of its productions but for the fair treatment 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, arguably the most famous magazine in the business. Ruri Dragon will break that tradition, and what a great 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 extended pause due to the mangaka's health issues. When it came back with a more relaxed pace, the series showed it hadn't lost the fans' affection and goodwill, and now everyone is overjoyed about the upcoming KyoAni adaptation.

Kingdom Season 6 Will Get a Sequel Currently in Production

Kingdom is the top-selling, epic Shueisha manga that is not One Piece. If you've haven't come across it before, it's because it only recently got an English localization, but the anime has been running for some time, and season 6 was yet another outstanding entry. As it happens that was just the initial batch, because a "sequel" has been revealed as in development, and it will very likely debut in 2026.

Science Saru Is Adapting A Witch in Mongolia To Anime

One more studio known for the artistic merit of its projects, 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 producing the adaptation of Tomato Soup's manga A Witch's Life in Mongol, inspired by the real historical figure of Fatima, an prominent woman and scholar in the Mongol Empire in the 13th century. From the trailer, the anime named Jaadugar: A Witch in Mongolia will have a truly original and captivating 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 Will Continue With a Season Two

Immediately following the airing of its twenty-fourth episode, it was announced that Tougen Anki will be securing a second season. Adapted from the Japanese legend of Momotaro, Tougen Anki is based on the manga by Yura Urushibara. The new season of the anime will adapt the Nikko Kegon Falls Arc, but a specific release date has not been disclosed yet.