A Mountain of Japanese Animation News Dropped During the Festive Season
The Yuletide season offer a multitude of pursuits much better than checking the headlines: discovering surprises, feasting on delicious food, and using deep breathing to not snapping at family members. I hope you succeeded in enjoy all these things and more. Nevertheless, the showbiz industry doesn't take a break, and this is particularly true for the realm of anime. Numerous noteworthy announcements emerged over the festive period, and should you missed any, here is a compilation of the juiciest bits.
The One-Punch Man Series Its Third Season Is Moving Forward (By 2027)
Without a doubt the most surprising piece of news, the widely-criticized troubled production that was the third season of One-Punch Man wasn't enough to halt further production. The show will be back with a second cour in 2027—so far away they might as well have labeled it season 4. More surprisingly, the studio J.C. Staff will continue to be leading the project. At least this time, director Shinpei Nagai is attached to direct from the beginning, which might be a positive development. Yet, the main art for the continuation is identical to the one used for season 3, just with characters Saitama and Garou oriented differently. This makes me think that, nowadays, they must be mocking the fans.
The Ruri Dragon Series Will Be the First Shonen Jump Anime Produced By Kyoto Animation
Kyoto Animation has established a standing for being an prestigious animation studio, making its mark not just for the exceptional quality of its output but for the ethical practices of its employees—a rarity in the industry. Surprisingly, until now, it had not adapted an anime adapted from a manga serialized in Shonen Jump, possibly the most famous magazine in the business. Ruri Dragon will break that tradition, and what a superb choice it is. The manga by Masaoki Shindo achieved a huge following when it debuted in 2022 after just a handful of installments, but then went into a two-year hiatus due to the creator's health issues. When it returned with a more relaxed pace, the series proved it maintained the fans' affection and positive sentiment, and now fans are thrilled about the impending KyoAni adaptation.
The Kingdom Series Its Sixth Season Will Get a Sequel Currently in Production
Kingdom is the best-selling, epic Shueisha manga that is not One Piece. If you've never heard of it before, it's because it only just received an English translation, but the anime has been running for a while, and its sixth season was another stellar entry. As it happens that was just the initial batch, because a "sequel" has been revealed as in development, and it will very likely debut in 2026.
Science Saru Will Adapt A Witch in Mongolia To Anime
A further studio known for the superior craftsmanship of its projects, Science Saru has brought us hit shows of the quality 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, which is based on the real historical figure of Fatima, an prominent woman and thinker in the Mongol Empire in the 13th century. Based on the trailer, the anime called Jaadugar: A Witch in Mongolia will have a highly unique and captivating visual style, which is somewhat reminiscent of Ranking of Kings. Debuting in July 2026, this one will absolutely be on my list of anticipated shows.
The Tougen Anki Series Will Continue With a Season Two
Immediately following the conclusion of its twenty-fourth episode, it was announced that Tougen Anki will be getting a follow-up. Inspired by the Japanese legend of Momotaro, Tougen Anki is based on the manga by Yura Urushibara. The second season of the anime will adapt the Nikko Kegon Falls Arc, but a firm release date has not been disclosed yet.
