A Heap of Japanese Animation Updates Dropped During the Festive Season

The Christmas holidays present a wealth of activities far superior than scanning the updates: unwrapping gifts, getting stuffed on holiday treats, and harnessing patience techniques to not arguing with loved ones. Hopefully you succeeded in do all these things and more. Nevertheless, the world of entertainment doesn't take a break, and this is notably true for the realm of anime. Many exciting news items surfaced over the break, and if you missed a few, here is a compilation of the juiciest bits.

One-Punch Man Its Third Season Is Moving Forward (By 2027)

Without a doubt the most surprising revelation, the widely-criticized controversial season that was the third season of One-Punch Man proved insufficient to stop more episodes. The show will be back with a follow-up batch of episodes in 2027—such a distant date they could have called it season 4. Even more shocking, animation studio J.C. Staff will continue to be at the helm. On a positive note this time, helmer Shinpei Nagai is set to direct from the beginning, which might be a good sign. But, the promotional image for the new episodes is identical to the one used for season 3, just with protagonists Saitama and Garou oriented differently. This makes me think that, at this point, they must be mocking the fans.

The Ruri Dragon Series Will Be the Premiere Shonen Jump Anime Produced By Kyoto Animation

Kyoto Animation has forged a standing for being an top-tier animation studio, making its mark not just for the exceptional quality of its output but for the fair treatment of its employees—a rarity in the industry. Curiously, until now, it had not adapted an anime adapted from a manga serialized in Shonen Jump, perhaps the best-known magazine in the field. Ruri Dragon will end that streak, and what a great 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 author's health issues. When it resumed publication with a more relaxed pace, the series demonstrated it still retained the fans' support and enthusiasm, and now everyone is overjoyed about the forthcoming KyoAni adaptation.

Kingdom Season 6 Is Getting a Follow-Up Now in the Works

Kingdom is the best-selling, decades-spanning Shueisha manga that is not One Piece. If you've never heard of it before, it's because it only just received an English localization, but the anime has been going on for some time, and its sixth season was yet another excellent entry. As it happens that was just the initial batch, because a "sequel" has been confirmed as in development, and it will very likely premiere in 2026.

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

Another studio renowned for the superior craftsmanship of its projects, 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 true story of Fatima, an powerful woman and thinker in the Mongol Empire in the 13th century. From the trailer, the anime called Jaadugar: A Witch in Mongolia will have a highly unique and fascinating visual style, which evokes Ranking of Kings. Debuting in July 2026, this one will definitely be on my watchlist.

Tougen Anki Is Set to Continue With a Season Two

Right after the airing of episode 24, it was announced that Tougen Anki will be securing a sequel. Based on the Japanese legend of Momotaro, Tougen Anki is based on the manga by Yura Urushibara. The upcoming season of the anime will cover the Nikko Kegon Falls Arc, but a firm release date has yet to be revealed.