A Ton of Anime Updates Arrived During the Holidays
The Christmas holidays present a plethora of activities considerably more enjoyable than checking the headlines: opening presents, feasting on holiday treats, and using patience techniques to avoid arguing with family members. Hopefully you succeeded in accomplish all these things and more. However, the showbiz industry doesn't take a break, and this is especially true for the realm of anime. A slew of noteworthy developments surfaced over the festive period, and just in case you missed a few, here is a compilation of the juiciest bits.
The One-Punch Man Series Season 3 Is Set to Continue (Come 2027)
Truly the biggest piece of news, the notorious disaster that was season 3 of One-Punch Man proved insufficient to stop more episodes. Season 3 will return with a follow-up batch of episodes in 2027—a date so remote they could have called it season 4. Adding to the surprise, the studio J.C. Staff will remain leading the project. At least this time, helmer Shinpei Nagai is set to direct from the beginning, which might be a good sign. Yet, the promotional image for the new episodes is identical to the one used for season 3, just with protagonists Saitama and Garou looking opposite ways. This leads one to believe that, nowadays, they could be trolling the fans.
Ruri Dragon Will Be the Premiere Shonen Jump Anime By Kyoto Animation
Kyoto Animation has built a standing for being an prestigious animation studio, distinguishing itself not just for the high caliber of its work but for the fair treatment of its employees—a sadly unusual standard in the industry. Surprisingly, until now, it had never worked on an anime stemming from a manga published in Shonen Jump, perhaps 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 massive popularity when it first appeared in 2022 after just a handful of installments, but then went into a extended pause due to the mangaka's health issues. When it came back with a lighter schedule, the series proved it still retained the fans' affection and goodwill, and now the community is ecstatic 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 other than One Piece. If you've never heard of it before, it's because it only fairly recently obtained an English translation, but the anime has been running for a while, and its sixth season was a further outstanding entry. It turns out that was just the first cour, because a "sequel" has been confirmed as currently being made, and it will almost certainly air in 2026.
Science Saru Is Bringing A Witch in Mongolia Into an Anime Series
A further studio renowned for the excellent quality of its work, Science Saru has delivered hit shows of the quality of Space Dandy, Devilman Crybaby, and, most recently, Dandadan. This time, the studio will be producing the adaptation of Tomato Soup's manga A Witch's Life in Mongol, based on the real historical figure of Fatima, an influential woman and scholar in the Mongol Empire in the 13th century. From the trailer, the anime titled Jaadugar: A Witch in Mongolia will have a distinctly fresh and intriguing 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 must-watch list.
The Tougen Anki Series Will Return With a Season Two
Immediately following the airing of the final episode of the first season, it was confirmed that Tougen Anki will be receiving a second season. Inspired by the Japanese legend of Momotaro, Tougen Anki brings to life the manga by Yura Urushibara. The new season of the anime will cover the Nikko Kegon Falls Arc, but a concrete release date has not been disclosed yet.
