A Ton of Japanese Animation Updates Dropped Over the Festive Season

The Yuletide season provide a plethora of activities far superior than checking the latest news: unwrapping gifts, getting stuffed on delicious food, and using patience techniques to avoid arguing with family members. Hopefully you managed to do all these things and more. Nevertheless, the showbiz industry never sleeps, and this is notably true for the realm of anime. Many thrilling news items came out over the holidays, and if you overlooked a few, here is a compilation of the most exciting bits.

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

Truly the most shocking revelation, the much-discussed disaster that was the third season of One-Punch Man wasn't enough to deter the series' continuation. The show will return with a second cour in 2027—a date so remote they easily could have called it season 4. Adding to the surprise, the studio J.C. Staff will still be leading the project. On a positive note this time, helmer Shinpei Nagai is set to direct from the beginning, which is seen as a positive development. However, the promotional image for the continuation is the same image the one used for season 3, just with characters Saitama and Garou oriented differently. This suggests that, nowadays, they could be trolling the fans.

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

Kyoto Animation has established a standing for being an top-tier animation studio, distinguishing itself not just for the exceptional quality 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 adapted from a manga from Shonen Jump, arguably the most iconic magazine in the industry. Ruri Dragon will change that, and what a excellent choice it is. The manga by Masaoki Shindo achieved a huge following when it first appeared in 2022 after just a handful of installments, but then went into a two-year hiatus due to the author's health issues. When it came back with a more relaxed pace, the series showed it maintained the fans' appreciation and goodwill, and now the community is thrilled about the impending KyoAni adaptation.

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

Kingdom is the highly popular, 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 release, but the anime has been going on for some time, and season 6 was yet another excellent entry. Apparently that was just the first cour, because a "sequel" has been revealed as in production, and it will probably premiere in 2026.

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

One more studio famous for the excellent quality of its work, Science Saru has brought us hit shows of the caliber of Space Dandy, Devilman Crybaby, and, most recently, Dandadan. This time, the studio will be producing the adaptation of Tomato Soup's manga A Witch's Life in Mongol, inspired by the true story of Fatima, an influential woman and scholar in the Mongol Empire in the 13th century. Based on the trailer, the anime called Jaadugar: A Witch in Mongolia will have a distinctly fresh and fascinating visual style, which evokes Ranking of Kings. Debuting in July 2026, this one will definitely be on my must-watch list.

The Tougen Anki Series Will Return With a Season Two

Shortly after the airing of episode 24, it was confirmed that Tougen Anki will be getting a follow-up. Adapted from the Japanese legend of Momotaro, Tougen Anki adapts the manga by Yura Urushibara. The upcoming season of the anime will adapt the Nikko Kegon Falls Arc, but a concrete release date has not been disclosed yet.