A Ton of Japanese Animation Updates Arrived Over the Festive Season

The winter break offer a plethora of pastimes considerably more enjoyable than checking the headlines: discovering surprises, getting stuffed on delicious food, and harnessing patience techniques to refrain from snapping at family members. I hope 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. A slew of thrilling developments emerged during the break, and just in case you missed some of them, here is a roundup of the most exciting bits.

One-Punch Man Season 3 Will Continue (By 2027)

Without a doubt the most surprising announcement, the much-discussed disaster that was the third season of One-Punch Man proved insufficient to stop the series' continuation. The show will come back with a follow-up batch of episodes in 2027—so far away they could have dubbed it season 4. More surprisingly, animation studio J.C. Staff will continue to be in charge. Thankfully this time, director Shinpei Nagai is set to direct from the start, which is seen as a positive development. However, the promotional image for the new episodes is the same image the one used for season 3, just with characters Saitama and Garou looking opposite ways. This suggests that, at this point, they could be mocking the fans.

The Ruri Dragon Series Is Poised to Be the First Shonen Jump Anime From Kyoto Animation

Kyoto Animation has established a standing for being an top-tier animation studio, setting itself apart not just for the exceptional quality of its work but for the good working conditions of its employees—a rarity 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 break that tradition, and what a great choice it is. The manga by Masaoki Shindo achieved a huge following when it launched in 2022 after just a handful of installments, but then went into a extended pause due to the creator's health issues. When it resumed publication with a lighter schedule, the series proved it maintained the fans' appreciation and enthusiasm, and now the community is overjoyed about the impending KyoAni adaptation.

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

Kingdom is the best-selling, long-running Shueisha manga that is aside from One Piece. If you've never heard of it before, it's because it only just received an English release, but the anime has been airing for years, and season 6 was another outstanding entry. Apparently that was just the first cour, because a "sequel" has been announced as in development, and it will almost certainly premiere in 2026.

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

Another studio famous for the excellent quality of its work, Science Saru has delivered masterpieces of the caliber 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 titled Jaadugar: A Witch in Mongolia will have a highly unique and intriguing visual style, which evokes Ranking of Kings. Debuting in July 2026, this one will without a doubt be on my must-watch list.

Tougen Anki Will Continue With a Season Two

Immediately following the airing of its twenty-fourth episode, it was announced that Tougen Anki will be securing a second season. Inspired by 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 specific release date has not been disclosed yet.