A Mountain of Japanese Animation Updates Dropped During the Festive Season

The Yuletide season provide a plethora of pastimes far superior than scanning the latest news: discovering surprises, feasting on festive fare, and harnessing deep breathing to refrain from arguing with relatives. Hopefully you were able to accomplish all these things and more. That said, the world of entertainment doesn't go on vacation, and this is notably true for the realm of anime. A slew of exciting news items surfaced during the break, and just in case you didn't see some of them, here is a compilation of the juiciest bits.

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

Perhaps the most shocking piece of news, the much-discussed troubled production that was season 3 of One-Punch Man failed to halt the series' continuation. Season 3 will be back with a follow-up batch of episodes in 2027—such a distant date they easily could have dubbed it season 4. Even more shocking, the studio J.C. Staff will continue to be in charge. On a positive note this time, helmer Shinpei Nagai is set to direct from the beginning, which could be taken as a good sign. However, the key visual for the continuation is identical to the one used for season 3, just with protagonists Saitama and Garou oriented differently. This suggests that, at this point, they could be teasing the fans.

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

Kyoto Animation has built a name for being an elite animation studio, distinguishing itself not just for the superb artistry of its output but for the ethical practices of its employees—a uncommon practice in the industry. Curiously, until now, it had not adapted an anime stemming from a manga published in Shonen Jump, possibly the most famous magazine in the field. Ruri Dragon will change that, and what a great choice it is. The manga by Masaoki Shindo gained massive popularity when it launched in 2022 after just a few chapters, but then went into a extended pause due to the creator's health issues. When it came back with a lighter schedule, the series showed it hadn't lost the fans' support and goodwill, and now everyone is overjoyed about the impending KyoAni adaptation.

Kingdom Its Sixth Season Will Get a Sequel Now in the Works

Kingdom is the top-selling, decades-spanning Shueisha manga that is aside from One Piece. If you've never heard of it before, it's because it only recently got an English localization, but the anime has been going on for a while, and season 6 was a further excellent entry. Apparently 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 Will Adapt A Witch in Mongolia Into an Anime Series

Another studio famous for the superior craftsmanship of its work, Science Saru has brought us critically acclaimed works of the quality 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 real historical figure of Fatima, an powerful woman and intellectual in the Mongol Empire in the 13th century. Based on the trailer, the anime named Jaadugar: A Witch in Mongolia will have a distinctly fresh and intriguing visual style, which is somewhat reminiscent of Ranking of Kings. Scheduled to launch in July 2026, this one will without a doubt be on my watchlist.

Tougen Anki Will Continue With a Second Season

Immediately following the airing of its twenty-fourth episode, it was announced 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 cover the Nikko Kegon Falls Arc, but a specific release date has not yet been announced.