A Heap of Japanese Animation Updates Arrived During the Holidays
The Christmas holidays offer a multitude of pursuits far superior than scanning the headlines: unwrapping gifts, feasting on delicious food, and employing meditation skills to not yelling at relatives. It is wished you were able to do 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 exciting developments surfaced during the festive period, and just in case you overlooked a few, here is a roundup of the biggest bits.
One-Punch Man Its Third Season Is Moving Forward (In 2027)
Without a doubt the biggest revelation, the much-discussed troubled production that was season 3 of One-Punch Man failed to halt further production. The show will come back with a follow-up batch of episodes in 2027—a date so remote they easily could have called it season 4. More surprisingly, animation studio J.C. Staff will remain in charge. Thankfully this time, helmer Shinpei Nagai is set to direct from the start, which is seen as a positive development. However, the promotional image for the new episodes is identical to the one used for season 3, just with protagonists Saitama and Garou facing different directions. This makes me think that, by now, they must be mocking the fans.
Ruri Dragon Is Poised to Be the Premiere Shonen Jump Anime From Kyoto Animation
Kyoto Animation has established a name for being an top-tier animation studio, distinguishing itself not just for the exceptional quality of its productions but for the good working conditions of its employees—a uncommon practice in the industry. Unexpectedly, until now, it had never worked on an anime stemming from a manga published in Shonen Jump, possibly the best-known magazine in the field. Ruri Dragon will end that streak, and what a superb choice it is. The manga by Masaoki Shindo became widespread acclaim 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 more relaxed pace, the series proved it hadn't lost the fans' support and goodwill, and now everyone is overjoyed about the forthcoming KyoAni adaptation.
Kingdom Its Sixth Season Has a Sequel In Production
Kingdom is the best-selling, long-running Shueisha manga that is other than 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 running for some time, and its sixth season was another stellar entry. As it happens that was just the initial batch, because a "sequel" has been confirmed as currently being made, and it will almost certainly debut in 2026.
Science Saru Is Adapting A Witch in Mongolia To Anime
One more studio famous for the excellent quality of its projects, Science Saru has delivered masterpieces of the ilk of Space Dandy, Devilman Crybaby, and, lastly, 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 intellectual in the Mongol Empire in the 13th century. Based on the trailer, the anime titled Jaadugar: A Witch in Mongolia will have a highly unique and fascinating visual style, which evokes Ranking of Kings. Scheduled to launch in July 2026, this one will absolutely be on my watchlist.
The Tougen Anki Series Will Continue With a Season Two
Right after the release of episode 24, it was confirmed that Tougen Anki will be receiving a second season. Inspired by the Japanese legend of Momotaro, Tougen Anki brings to life the manga by Yura Urushibara. The second season of the anime will delve into the Nikko Kegon Falls Arc, but a firm release date has not been disclosed yet.
