A Ton of Anime Updates Arrived Over the Holidays
The Yuletide season present a plethora of pastimes considerably more enjoyable than checking the latest news: opening presents, getting stuffed on festive fare, and using deep breathing to not yelling at relatives. I hope you were able to do all these things and more. That said, the world of entertainment doesn't take a break, and this is notably true for the realm of anime. A slew of thrilling developments surfaced during the break, and should you overlooked any, here is a roundup of the biggest bits.
The One-Punch Man Series Its Third Season Is Set to Continue (By 2027)
Perhaps the most shocking revelation, the notorious controversial season that was season 3 of One-Punch Man proved insufficient to halt more episodes. The show will come back with a second cour in 2027—such a distant date they might as well have dubbed it season 4. Even more shocking, the studio J.C. Staff will continue to be in charge. On a positive note this time, helmer Shinpei Nagai is attached to direct from the outset, which might be a good sign. However, the key visual for the new episodes is identical to the one used for season 3, just with protagonists Saitama and Garou facing different directions. This makes me think that, at this point, they could be trolling the fans.
The Ruri Dragon Series Is Poised to Be the First Shonen Jump Anime From Kyoto Animation
Kyoto Animation has established a reputation for being an top-tier animation studio, making its mark not just for the high caliber 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 stemming from a manga published in Shonen Jump, arguably the most famous magazine in the industry. Ruri Dragon will end that streak, and what a superb choice it is. The manga by Masaoki Shindo gained massive popularity when it launched in 2022 after just a small number of issues, but then went into a extended pause due to the mangaka's health issues. When it resumed publication with a more relaxed pace, the series showed it hadn't lost the fans' affection and positive sentiment, and now the community is overjoyed about the impending KyoAni adaptation.
Kingdom Season 6 Has a Sequel Now in the Works
Kingdom is the highly popular, decades-spanning Shueisha manga that is other than 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 running for some time, and its sixth season was yet another excellent entry. Apparently that was just the first cour, because a "sequel" has been announced as in development, and it will very likely air in 2026.
Science Saru Will Adapt A Witch in Mongolia To Anime
One more studio famous for the superior craftsmanship of its projects, Science Saru has delivered masterpieces of the quality of Space Dandy, Devilman Crybaby, and, more recently, Dandadan. This time, the studio will be taking on the adaptation of Tomato Soup's manga A Witch's Life in Mongol, which is based on the actual historical person of Fatima, an influential woman and scholar in the Mongol Empire in the 13th century. Judging from the trailer, the anime named Jaadugar: A Witch in Mongolia will have a distinctly fresh and captivating visual style, which is somewhat reminiscent of Ranking of Kings. Debuting in July 2026, this one will definitely be on my watchlist.
Tougen Anki Is Set to Continue With a Second Season
Immediately following the conclusion of the final episode of the first season, it was announced that Tougen Anki will be receiving a sequel. Based on the Japanese legend of Momotaro, Tougen Anki brings to life the manga by Yura Urushibara. The upcoming season of the anime will delve into the Nikko Kegon Falls Arc, but a concrete release date has not been disclosed yet.