A Heap of Japanese Animation Updates Arrived During the Festive Season

The Yuletide season present a plethora of activities far superior than scanning the updates: discovering surprises, indulging in festive fare, and using deep breathing to not arguing with loved ones. I hope you were able to enjoy all these things and more. Nevertheless, the entertainment world never sleeps, and this is particularly true for the realm of anime. A slew of exciting developments came out during the festive period, and just in case you missed any, here is a summary of the most exciting bits.

The One-Punch Man Series Season 3 Is Set to Continue (In 2027)

Perhaps the most surprising revelation, the widely-criticized disaster that was the third season of One-Punch Man proved insufficient to halt more episodes. The show will be back with a second cour in 2027—such a distant date they easily could have dubbed it season 4. Even more shocking, animation studio J.C. Staff will continue to be at the helm. Thankfully this time, director Shinpei Nagai is set to direct from the outset, which could be taken as a hopeful indicator. But, the main art for the new episodes is identical to the one used for season 3, just with characters Saitama and Garou oriented differently. This leads one to believe that, nowadays, they are probably mocking the fans.

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

Kyoto Animation has built a reputation for being an top-tier animation studio, distinguishing itself not just for the high caliber of its productions but for the fair treatment of its employees—a uncommon practice in the industry. Curiously, until now, it had never worked on an anime adapted from a manga published in Shonen Jump, perhaps the most famous magazine in the industry. Ruri Dragon will break that tradition, and what a superb choice it is. The manga by Masaoki Shindo became a huge following when it debuted in 2022 after just a small number of issues, but then went into a lengthy break due to the mangaka's health issues. When it resumed publication with a more relaxed pace, the series showed it maintained the fans' appreciation and enthusiasm, and now everyone is thrilled about the upcoming KyoAni adaptation.

Kingdom Its Sixth Season Is Getting a Follow-Up Currently in Production

Kingdom is the best-selling, epic 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 running for a while, and season 6 was a further excellent entry. Apparently 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 Into an Anime Series

Another studio famous for the excellent quality of its projects, Science Saru has brought us masterpieces of the quality 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 intellectual 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 reminds me a bit of Ranking of Kings. Scheduled to launch in July 2026, this one will without a doubt be on my list of anticipated shows.

The Tougen Anki Series Will Continue With a Season Two

Shortly after the release of the final episode of the first season, it was announced that Tougen Anki will be securing a follow-up. Adapted from the Japanese legend of Momotaro, Tougen Anki is based on the manga by Yura Urushibara. The upcoming season of the anime will adapt the Nikko Kegon Falls Arc, but a firm release date has yet to be revealed.