A Mountain of Japanese Animation Updates Dropped Over the Festive Season

The winter break offer a multitude of pursuits considerably more enjoyable than scanning the headlines: opening presents, getting stuffed on delicious food, and using patience techniques to refrain from arguing with family members. I hope you managed to enjoy all these things and more. That said, the entertainment world doesn't go on vacation, and this is particularly true for the realm of anime. Many noteworthy developments emerged over the break, and if you didn't see a few, here is a roundup of the biggest bits.

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

Perhaps the most surprising revelation, the much-discussed disaster that was the third season of One-Punch Man failed to stop the series' continuation. The show will return with a subsequent part in 2027—a date so remote they could have called it season 4. Even more shocking, animation studio J.C. Staff will continue to be in charge. Thankfully this time, director Shinpei Nagai is attached to direct from the beginning, which might be a good sign. Yet, the main art for the continuation is identical to the one used for season 3, just with characters Saitama and Garou facing different directions. This leads one to believe that, nowadays, they must be mocking the fans.

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

Kyoto Animation has established a standing for being an top-tier animation studio, making its mark not just for the superb artistry of its productions but for the good working conditions of its employees—a sadly unusual standard in the industry. Unexpectedly, until now, it had not adapted an anime adapted from a manga serialized in Shonen Jump, possibly the best-known magazine in the industry. Ruri Dragon will end that streak, and what a excellent choice it is. The manga by Masaoki Shindo became massive popularity when it debuted in 2022 after just a small number of issues, but then went into a two-year hiatus due to the creator's health issues. When it came back with a lighter schedule, the series demonstrated it maintained the fans' support and enthusiasm, and now everyone is overjoyed about the impending KyoAni adaptation.

The Kingdom Series Its Sixth Season Is Getting a Follow-Up Now in the Works

Kingdom is the highly popular, decades-spanning Shueisha manga that is not One Piece. If you've are unfamiliar with it before, it's because it only fairly recently obtained an English translation, but the anime has been running for a while, and its sixth season was yet another outstanding entry. As it happens that was just the first cour, because a "sequel" has been revealed as in production, and it will very likely debut in 2026.

Science Saru Is Adapting A Witch in Mongolia To Anime

A further studio known for the artistic merit of its work, Science Saru has given us critically acclaimed works of the caliber of Space Dandy, Devilman Crybaby, and, lastly, Dandadan. This time, the studio will be handling the adaptation of Tomato Soup's manga A Witch's Life in Mongol, which is based on the actual historical person of Fatima, an influential woman and thinker in the Mongol Empire in the 13th century. Based on the trailer, the anime named Jaadugar: A Witch in Mongolia will have a truly original and fascinating visual style, which evokes Ranking of Kings. Set to premiere in July 2026, this one will definitely be on my must-watch list.

The Tougen Anki Series Will Continue With a Second Season

Right after the conclusion of the final episode of the first season, it was confirmed that Tougen Anki will be getting a sequel. 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 yet to be revealed.