A Ton of Japanese Animation News Dropped Over the Festive Season

The Christmas holidays present a wealth of activities much better than scanning the latest news: discovering surprises, getting stuffed on holiday treats, and using deep breathing to avoid yelling at relatives. It is wished you managed to accomplish all these things and more. Nevertheless, the showbiz industry never sleeps, and this is notably true for the realm of anime. Many noteworthy developments emerged over the break, and just in case you missed a few, here is a summary of the biggest bits.

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

Truly the most surprising announcement, the notorious troubled production that was season 3 of One-Punch Man wasn't enough to halt further production. The show will return with a second cour in 2027—such a distant date they could have dubbed it season 4. Even more shocking, animation studio J.C. Staff will continue to be at the helm. At least this time, helmer Shinpei Nagai is on board to direct from the outset, which could be taken as a positive development. Yet, the promotional image for the second cour is a mirror of the one used for season 3, just with protagonists Saitama and Garou oriented differently. This makes me think that, at this point, they must be teasing the fans.

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

Kyoto Animation has established a name for being an prestigious animation studio, making its mark not just for the high caliber of its output but for the good working conditions of its employees—a rarity in the industry. Surprisingly, until now, it had never worked on an anime stemming from a manga serialized in Shonen Jump, perhaps the most famous magazine in the industry. Ruri Dragon will end that streak, and what a great 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 two-year hiatus due to the mangaka's health issues. When it returned with a more relaxed pace, the series proved it still retained the fans' support and positive sentiment, and now the community is ecstatic about the upcoming KyoAni adaptation.

The Kingdom Series Season 6 Is Getting a Follow-Up In Production

Kingdom is the top-selling, decades-spanning 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 release, but the anime has been running for years, and its sixth season was another stellar entry. It turns out that was just the initial batch, because a "sequel" has been revealed as currently being made, and it will very likely air in 2026.

Science Saru Is Bringing A Witch in Mongolia To Anime

A further studio famous for the superior craftsmanship of its projects, Science Saru has delivered critically acclaimed works of the ilk 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, inspired by the real historical figure of Fatima, an powerful woman and thinker in the Mongol Empire in the 13th century. From the trailer, the anime titled Jaadugar: A Witch in Mongolia will have a truly original and fascinating visual style, which evokes Ranking of Kings. Scheduled to launch in July 2026, this one will definitely be on my must-watch list.

The Tougen Anki Series Is Set to Continue With a Season Two

Shortly after the release of episode 24, it was announced that Tougen Anki will be getting a second season. Based on the Japanese legend of Momotaro, Tougen Anki is based on the manga by Yura Urushibara. The new season of the anime will cover the Nikko Kegon Falls Arc, but a concrete air date has yet to be revealed.