A Heap of Japanese Animation Updates Dropped Over the Festive Season

The Christmas holidays provide a multitude of activities far superior than checking the headlines: opening presents, getting stuffed on festive fare, and employing meditation skills to refrain from yelling at loved ones. It is wished you succeeded in enjoy all these things and more. That said, the world of entertainment never sleeps, and this is especially true for the realm of anime. A slew of exciting announcements emerged during the festive period, and if you overlooked any, here is a roundup of the juiciest bits.

One-Punch Man Season 3 Is Moving Forward (By 2027)

Perhaps the most shocking piece of news, the widely-criticized disaster that was season 3 of One-Punch Man proved insufficient to halt the series' continuation. The show will come back with a second cour in 2027—such a distant date they easily could have called it season 4. Even more shocking, the studio J.C. Staff will remain at the helm. Thankfully this time, helmer Shinpei Nagai is on board to direct from the beginning, which is seen as a positive development. Yet, the promotional image for the continuation is a mirror of the one used for season 3, just with protagonists Saitama and Garou oriented differently. This leads one to believe that, at this point, they could be teasing the fans.

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

Kyoto Animation has established a name for being an prestigious animation studio, distinguishing itself not just for the high caliber of its output but for the ethical practices of its employees—a rarity in the industry. Unexpectedly, until now, it had not produced an anime adapted from a manga from Shonen Jump, perhaps the most iconic magazine in the field. Ruri Dragon will break that tradition, and what a great choice it is. The manga by Masaoki Shindo became massive popularity when it debuted in 2022 after just a small number of issues, but then went into a two-year hiatus due to the mangaka's health issues. When it resumed publication with a reduced workload, the series showed it hadn't lost the fans' appreciation and enthusiasm, and now fans are overjoyed about the upcoming KyoAni adaptation.

The Kingdom Series Its Sixth Season Will Get a Sequel Now in the Works

Kingdom is the best-selling, long-running Shueisha manga that is other than One Piece. If you've are unfamiliar with it before, it's because it only just received an English release, but the anime has been airing for some time, and season 6 was another stellar entry. It turns out that was just the initial batch, because a "sequel" has been confirmed as currently being made, and it will very likely debut in 2026.

Science Saru Will Adapt A Witch in Mongolia To Anime

Another studio known for the superior craftsmanship of its projects, Science Saru has given us critically acclaimed works of the caliber 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, inspired by the actual historical person of Fatima, an powerful woman and intellectual in the Mongol Empire in the 13th century. From the trailer, the anime titled 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 absolutely be on my watchlist.

The Tougen Anki Series Is Set to Continue With a Season Two

Shortly after the release of the final episode of the first season, it was revealed that Tougen Anki will be receiving 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 cover the Nikko Kegon Falls Arc, but a firm air date has not yet been announced.