A Heap of Anime News Dropped During the Holidays
The winter break offer a multitude of pastimes much better than checking the headlines: discovering surprises, getting stuffed on festive fare, and harnessing deep breathing to not snapping at relatives. Hopefully you managed to do all these things and more. That said, the showbiz industry never sleeps, and this is particularly true for the realm of anime. Numerous exciting announcements surfaced over the festive period, and should you didn't see any, here is a summary of the juiciest bits.
The One-Punch Man Series Season 3 Will Continue (Come 2027)
Without a doubt the most surprising announcement, the notorious troubled production that was the third season of One-Punch Man failed to deter the series' continuation. Season 3 will be back with a follow-up batch of episodes in 2027—a date so remote they easily could have dubbed it season 4. More surprisingly, animation studio J.C. Staff will still be leading the project. On a positive note this time, director Shinpei Nagai is attached to direct from the start, which is seen as a hopeful indicator. But, the key visual for the second cour is identical to the one used for season 3, just with characters Saitama and Garou oriented differently. This makes me think that, nowadays, they could be teasing the fans.
Ruri Dragon Will Be the First Shonen Jump Anime From Kyoto Animation
Kyoto Animation has forged a reputation for being an prestigious animation studio, setting itself apart not just for the exceptional quality of its work but for the good working conditions of its employees—a sadly unusual standard in the industry. Curiously, until now, it had not adapted an anime adapted from a manga serialized in Shonen Jump, possibly the best-known magazine in the business. Ruri Dragon will break that tradition, and what a superb choice it is. The manga by Masaoki Shindo achieved widespread acclaim 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 reduced workload, the series proved it maintained the fans' affection and goodwill, and now everyone is ecstatic about the forthcoming KyoAni adaptation.
The Kingdom Series Its Sixth Season Has a Sequel Currently in Production
Kingdom is the highly popular, decades-spanning Shueisha manga that is other than One Piece. If you've haven't come across it before, it's because it only just received an English release, but the anime has been running for some time, and its sixth season was a further excellent entry. It turns out that was just the first cour, because a "sequel" has been announced as in development, and it will almost certainly air in 2026.
Science Saru Is Bringing A Witch in Mongolia To Anime
A further studio famous for the artistic merit of its work, Science Saru has given us hit shows of the ilk of Space Dandy, Devilman Crybaby, and, more recently, Dandadan. This time, the studio will be handling the adaptation of Tomato Soup's manga A Witch's Life in Mongol, based on the actual historical person of Fatima, an prominent woman and thinker in the Mongol Empire in the 13th century. From the trailer, the anime titled Jaadugar: A Witch in Mongolia will have a distinctly fresh and captivating visual style, which evokes 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
Shortly after the airing of episode 24, it was confirmed that Tougen Anki will be getting a follow-up. Based on the Japanese legend of Momotaro, Tougen Anki adapts the manga by Yura Urushibara. The second season of the anime will adapt the Nikko Kegon Falls Arc, but a concrete release date has not yet been announced.
