A Heap of Japanese Animation Updates Landed During the Holidays

The Christmas holidays provide a multitude of pursuits considerably more enjoyable than checking the updates: discovering surprises, indulging in delicious food, and employing deep breathing to not yelling at relatives. I hope you were able to enjoy all these things and more. Nevertheless, the entertainment world never sleeps, and this is especially true for the realm of anime. A slew of exciting news items emerged during the break, and should you didn't see any, here is a roundup of the juiciest bits.

One-Punch Man Season 3 Will Continue (Come 2027)

Perhaps the most surprising piece of news, the widely-criticized controversial season that was the third season of One-Punch Man failed to stop further production. Season 3 will come back with a subsequent part in 2027—such a distant date they easily could have called it season 4. Even more shocking, the studio J.C. Staff will still be in charge. On a positive note this time, helmer Shinpei Nagai is attached to direct from the start, which could be taken as a hopeful indicator. However, the main art for the continuation is a mirror of the one used for season 3, just with characters Saitama and Garou facing different directions. This makes me think that, at this point, they are probably trolling the fans.

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

Kyoto Animation has forged a name for being an elite animation studio, making its mark not just for the exceptional quality of its work but for the ethical practices of its employees—a sadly unusual standard in the industry. Surprisingly, until now, it had not adapted an anime stemming from a manga published in Shonen Jump, perhaps the best-known magazine in the business. Ruri Dragon will change that, and what a great choice it is. The manga by Masaoki Shindo became a huge following when it launched in 2022 after just a small number of issues, but then went into a extended pause due to the creator's health issues. When it came back with a more relaxed pace, the series showed it maintained the fans' affection and goodwill, 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 highly popular, decades-spanning Shueisha manga that is aside from One Piece. If you've never heard of it before, it's because it only fairly recently obtained an English release, but the anime has been running for a while, and its sixth season was yet 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 probably premiere in 2026.

Science Saru Is Bringing A Witch in Mongolia To Anime

Another studio known for the superior craftsmanship of its work, Science Saru has delivered critically acclaimed works of the caliber 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, based on the real historical figure of Fatima, an powerful 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 highly unique and intriguing visual style, which evokes Ranking of Kings. Set to premiere in July 2026, this one will absolutely be on my watchlist.

Tougen Anki Will Return With a Season Two

Immediately following the airing of the final episode of the first season, it was confirmed that Tougen Anki will be getting a sequel. Adapted from the Japanese legend of Momotaro, Tougen Anki adapts the manga by Yura Urushibara. The upcoming season of the anime will cover the Nikko Kegon Falls Arc, but a concrete air date has yet to be revealed.