A Ton of Japanese Animation News Arrived Over the Festive Season

The Christmas holidays offer a multitude of pastimes considerably more enjoyable than catching up on the headlines: discovering surprises, getting stuffed on holiday treats, and using patience techniques to avoid snapping at loved ones. Hopefully you succeeded in accomplish all these things and more. However, the showbiz industry never sleeps, and this is particularly true for the realm of anime. Many noteworthy announcements came out during the break, and just in case you overlooked any, here is a compilation of the most exciting bits.

The One-Punch Man Series Its Third Season Is Set to Continue (By 2027)

Perhaps the most surprising piece of news, the widely-criticized troubled production that was the third season of One-Punch Man proved insufficient to deter further production. The show will come back with a subsequent part in 2027—so far away they easily could have called it season 4. Adding to the surprise, the studio J.C. Staff will remain at the helm. On a positive note this time, director Shinpei Nagai is set to direct from the outset, which could be taken as a hopeful indicator. However, the main art for the new episodes is the same image the one used for season 3, just with characters Saitama and Garou oriented differently. This suggests that, by now, they are probably trolling the fans.

Ruri Dragon Will Be the Premiere Shonen Jump Anime From Kyoto Animation

Kyoto Animation has established a reputation for being an prestigious animation studio, making its mark not just for the superb artistry of its work but for the good working conditions of its employees—a sadly unusual standard in the industry. Surprisingly, until now, it had never worked on an anime adapted from a manga serialized in Shonen Jump, perhaps the best-known magazine in the industry. Ruri Dragon will change that, and what a superb choice it is. The manga by Masaoki Shindo gained widespread acclaim when it launched in 2022 after just a few chapters, but then went into a two-year hiatus due to the author's health issues. When it returned with a more relaxed pace, the series proved it maintained the fans' affection and goodwill, and now everyone is ecstatic about the upcoming KyoAni adaptation.

Kingdom Season 6 Is Getting a Follow-Up Now in the Works

Kingdom is the top-selling, decades-spanning Shueisha manga that is other than One Piece. If you've are unfamiliar with it before, it's because it only just received an English localization, but the anime has been running for years, and season 6 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 very likely debut in 2026.

Science Saru Is Adapting A Witch in Mongolia Into an Anime Series

One more studio known for the superior craftsmanship of its projects, Science Saru has delivered hit shows 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, inspired by the true story of Fatima, an powerful woman and intellectual 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 captivating visual style, which evokes Ranking of Kings. Scheduled to launch in July 2026, this one will absolutely be on my list of anticipated shows.

Tougen Anki Will Continue With a Second Season

Shortly after the release of episode 24, it was confirmed that Tougen Anki will be securing a sequel. Inspired by the Japanese legend of Momotaro, Tougen Anki brings to life the manga by Yura Urushibara. The upcoming season of the anime will adapt the Nikko Kegon Falls Arc, but a firm air date has not yet been announced.