A Mountain of Japanese Animation News Arrived Over the Festive Season

The Yuletide season present a wealth of pastimes far superior than scanning the latest news: opening presents, feasting on delicious food, and employing meditation skills to avoid snapping at relatives. Hopefully you managed to accomplish all these things and more. However, the showbiz industry doesn't take a break, and this is notably true for the realm of anime. A slew of noteworthy developments came out during the break, and if you didn't see a few, here is a compilation of the juiciest bits.

The One-Punch Man Series Its Third Season Is Moving Forward (By 2027)

Truly the most shocking revelation, the much-discussed disaster that was season 3 of One-Punch Man proved insufficient to halt more episodes. The show will be back with a second cour in 2027—such a distant date they might as well have labeled it season 4. Adding to the surprise, the studio J.C. Staff will remain in charge. Thankfully this time, director Shinpei Nagai is set to direct from the beginning, which might be a positive development. Yet, the key visual for the new episodes is the same image the one used for season 3, just with characters Saitama and Garou oriented differently. This makes me think that, by now, they are probably teasing the fans.

The Ruri Dragon Series Will Be the Premiere Shonen Jump Anime From Kyoto Animation

Kyoto Animation has built a reputation for being an top-tier animation studio, distinguishing itself not just for the superb artistry of its work but for the good working conditions of its employees—a rarity in the industry. Surprisingly, until now, it had not produced an anime adapted from a manga published in 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 gained widespread acclaim when it launched in 2022 after just a handful of installments, but then went into a extended pause due to the creator's health issues. When it resumed publication with a more relaxed pace, the series showed it maintained the fans' appreciation and enthusiasm, and now fans are ecstatic about the upcoming KyoAni adaptation.

Kingdom Its Sixth Season Is Getting a Follow-Up Now in the Works

Kingdom is the best-selling, decades-spanning Shueisha manga that is aside from One Piece. If you've never heard of it before, it's because it only recently got an English localization, but the anime has been going on for a while, and season 6 was yet another outstanding entry. As it happens that was just the initial batch, because a "sequel" has been confirmed as in development, and it will almost certainly premiere in 2026.

Science Saru Is Adapting A Witch in Mongolia To Anime

One more studio renowned for the artistic merit of its projects, Science Saru has brought 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 real historical figure of Fatima, an influential woman and scholar in the Mongol Empire in the 13th century. Based on the trailer, the anime named Jaadugar: A Witch in Mongolia will have a distinctly fresh and fascinating visual style, which is somewhat reminiscent of Ranking of Kings. Debuting in July 2026, this one will definitely be on my must-watch list.

Tougen Anki Will Return With a Second Season

Shortly after the airing of its twenty-fourth episode, it was revealed that Tougen Anki will be securing a sequel. Based on the Japanese legend of Momotaro, Tougen Anki adapts the manga by Yura Urushibara. The new season of the anime will adapt the Nikko Kegon Falls Arc, but a concrete premiere date has not been disclosed yet.