A Mountain of Japanese Animation News Landed Over the Holidays
The Christmas holidays offer a multitude of pastimes much better than checking the headlines: discovering surprises, getting stuffed on delicious food, and employing deep breathing to refrain from snapping at relatives. Hopefully you succeeded in enjoy all these things and more. Nevertheless, the showbiz industry doesn't go on vacation, and this is particularly true for the realm of anime. Numerous noteworthy developments emerged over the holidays, and if you missed any, here is a roundup of the biggest bits.
One-Punch Man Season 3 Is Set to Continue (Come 2027)
Truly the biggest piece of news, the much-discussed troubled production that was season 3 of One-Punch Man failed to stop more episodes. The show will be back with a subsequent part in 2027—such a distant date they could have called it season 4. Adding to the surprise, the studio J.C. Staff will remain leading the project. At least this time, director Shinpei Nagai is set to direct from the outset, which might be a good sign. But, the promotional image for the new episodes is a mirror of the one used for season 3, just with protagonists Saitama and Garou looking opposite ways. This leads one to believe that, nowadays, they must be mocking the fans.
The Ruri Dragon Series Will Be the First Shonen Jump Anime By Kyoto Animation
Kyoto Animation has forged a name for being an elite animation studio, distinguishing itself not just for the exceptional quality of its work but for the good working conditions of its employees—a sadly unusual standard in the industry. Curiously, until now, it had never worked on an anime adapted from a manga published in Shonen Jump, arguably the most iconic magazine in the business. Ruri Dragon will break that tradition, and what a excellent choice it is. The manga by Masaoki Shindo achieved widespread acclaim when it first appeared in 2022 after just a small number of issues, but then went into a extended pause due to the author's health issues. When it resumed publication with a more relaxed pace, the series demonstrated it hadn't lost the fans' appreciation and positive sentiment, and now fans are overjoyed about the upcoming KyoAni adaptation.
Kingdom Its Sixth Season Will Get a Sequel In Production
Kingdom is the top-selling, epic Shueisha manga that is aside from One Piece. If you've haven't come across it before, it's because it only just received an English translation, but the anime has been going on for years, and season 6 was another outstanding entry. It turns out that was just the first cour, 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
A further studio renowned for the excellent quality of its projects, Science Saru has given us critically acclaimed works of the ilk of Space Dandy, Devilman Crybaby, and, more recently, Dandadan. This time, the studio will be producing 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. From the trailer, the anime named Jaadugar: A Witch in Mongolia will have a truly original and fascinating visual style, which evokes 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 Is Set to Continue With a Second Season
Immediately following the conclusion of the final episode of the first season, it was confirmed that Tougen Anki will be securing a follow-up. Based on the Japanese legend of Momotaro, Tougen Anki brings to life the manga by Yura Urushibara. The upcoming season of the anime will delve into the Nikko Kegon Falls Arc, but a specific release date has not yet been announced.