A Mountain of Japanese Animation Updates Landed During the Holidays
The Christmas holidays provide a wealth of pursuits much better than catching up on the headlines: unwrapping gifts, indulging in holiday treats, and harnessing meditation skills to refrain from yelling at relatives. I hope you were able to do all these things and more. Nevertheless, the world of entertainment doesn't take a break, and this is notably true for the realm of anime. Numerous noteworthy news items emerged during the holidays, and just in case you overlooked some of them, here is a summary of the juiciest bits.
One-Punch Man Season 3 Is Moving Forward (By 2027)
Truly the most surprising revelation, the notorious troubled production that was season 3 of One-Punch Man proved insufficient to stop the series' continuation. The show will be back with a subsequent part in 2027—a date so remote they might as well have called it season 4. More surprisingly, animation studio J.C. Staff will remain at the helm. Thankfully this time, director Shinpei Nagai is on board to direct from the outset, which is seen as a good sign. Yet, the main art for the second cour is identical to the one used for season 3, just with protagonists Saitama and Garou facing different directions. This makes me think that, nowadays, they are probably mocking the fans.
Ruri Dragon Is Poised to Be the Premiere Shonen Jump Anime From Kyoto Animation
Kyoto Animation has built a standing for being an top-tier animation studio, making its mark not just for the superb artistry of its output but for the good working conditions of its employees—a uncommon practice in the industry. Curiously, until now, it had not adapted an anime stemming from a manga published in Shonen Jump, possibly the best-known magazine in the industry. Ruri Dragon will change that, and what a excellent choice it is. The manga by Masaoki Shindo achieved a huge following when it launched in 2022 after just a small number of issues, but then went into a lengthy break due to the creator's health issues. When it came back with a lighter schedule, the series proved it maintained the fans' affection and goodwill, and now fans are overjoyed about the upcoming KyoAni adaptation.
Kingdom Its Sixth Season Is Getting a Follow-Up Currently in Production
Kingdom is the highly popular, decades-spanning Shueisha manga that is not One Piece. If you've are unfamiliar with it before, it's because it only fairly recently obtained an English localization, but the anime has been running for a while, and its sixth season was another stellar entry. As it happens that was just the first cour, because a "sequel" has been revealed as currently being made, and it will probably premiere in 2026.
Science Saru Will Adapt A Witch in Mongolia Into an Anime Series
Another studio famous for the artistic merit 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 taking on the adaptation of Tomato Soup's manga A Witch's Life in Mongol, which is based on the actual historical person of Fatima, an prominent woman and scholar in the Mongol Empire in the 13th century. Judging from the trailer, the anime titled Jaadugar: A Witch in Mongolia will have a distinctly fresh and captivating visual style, which is somewhat reminiscent of Ranking of Kings. Set to premiere in July 2026, this one will without a doubt be on my must-watch list.
The Tougen Anki Series Will Return With a Season Two
Shortly after the conclusion of episode 24, it was revealed that Tougen Anki will be receiving a sequel. Adapted from the Japanese legend of Momotaro, Tougen Anki adapts the manga by Yura Urushibara. The second season of the anime will adapt the Nikko Kegon Falls Arc, but a specific premiere date has not yet been announced.
