A Mountain of Anime News Landed During the Holidays
The Christmas holidays offer a multitude of pursuits much better than catching up on the headlines: discovering surprises, getting stuffed on festive fare, and using patience techniques to refrain from snapping at relatives. Hopefully you succeeded in do all these things and more. That said, the entertainment world never sleeps, and this is notably true for the realm of anime. A slew of exciting announcements came out over the festive period, and just in case you overlooked any, here is a compilation of the biggest bits.
The One-Punch Man Series Season 3 Is Moving Forward (In 2027)
Truly the biggest piece of news, the much-discussed troubled production that was season 3 of One-Punch Man wasn't enough to halt further production. Season 3 will come back with a subsequent part in 2027—a date so remote they could have called it season 4. Adding to the surprise, animation studio J.C. Staff will remain leading the project. On a positive note this time, helmer Shinpei Nagai is on board to direct from the start, which could be taken as a hopeful indicator. Yet, the main art for the new episodes is the same image the one used for season 3, just with protagonists Saitama and Garou oriented differently. This suggests that, by now, they must be trolling the fans.
Ruri Dragon Is Set to Be the First Shonen Jump Anime By Kyoto Animation
Kyoto Animation has forged a standing for being an top-tier animation studio, making its mark not just for the high caliber of its work but for the good working conditions of its employees—a sadly unusual standard in the industry. Surprisingly, until now, it had not adapted an anime stemming from a manga serialized in Shonen Jump, perhaps 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 gained massive popularity when it launched in 2022 after just a few chapters, but then went into a two-year hiatus due to the creator's health issues. When it resumed publication with a more relaxed pace, the series showed it hadn't lost the fans' support and goodwill, and now fans are thrilled about the upcoming KyoAni adaptation.
Kingdom Season 6 Has a Sequel Currently in Production
Kingdom is the top-selling, decades-spanning Shueisha manga that is not One Piece. If you've never heard of it before, it's because it only recently got an English localization, but the anime has been going on for some time, and season 6 was a further stellar entry. Apparently that was just the first cour, because a "sequel" has been announced as in development, and it will very likely debut in 2026.
Science Saru Is Adapting A Witch in Mongolia Into an Anime Series
A further studio renowned for the artistic merit of its productions, Science Saru has given us critically acclaimed works of the ilk of Space Dandy, Devilman Crybaby, and, lastly, Dandadan. This time, the studio will be producing the adaptation of Tomato Soup's manga A Witch's Life in Mongol, based on the actual historical person of Fatima, an influential woman and scholar in the Mongol Empire in the 13th century. From the trailer, the anime named Jaadugar: A Witch in Mongolia will have a truly original and intriguing visual style, which is somewhat reminiscent of Ranking of Kings. Set to premiere in July 2026, this one will definitely be on my list of anticipated shows.
Tougen Anki Will Continue With a Second Season
Right after the conclusion of episode 24, it was revealed that Tougen Anki will be receiving a follow-up. Based on the Japanese legend of Momotaro, Tougen Anki brings to life the manga by Yura Urushibara. The second season of the anime will delve into the Nikko Kegon Falls Arc, but a concrete release date has not yet been announced.
