A Mountain of Anime News Landed During the Festive Season

The Christmas holidays provide a wealth of pastimes considerably more enjoyable than catching up on the headlines: opening presents, getting stuffed on delicious food, and harnessing meditation skills to not arguing with relatives. I hope you succeeded in enjoy all these things and more. That said, the showbiz industry never sleeps, and this is particularly true for the realm of anime. Numerous thrilling announcements surfaced over the holidays, and should you didn't see a few, here is a compilation of the biggest bits.

One-Punch Man Its Third Season Is Moving Forward (Come 2027)

Truly the most surprising announcement, the widely-criticized disaster that was the third season of One-Punch Man wasn't enough to deter further production. Season 3 will return with a second cour in 2027—a date so remote they easily could have labeled it season 4. Even more shocking, animation studio J.C. Staff will remain in charge. Thankfully this time, helmer Shinpei Nagai is set to direct from the outset, which could be taken as a positive development. However, the main art for the continuation is identical to 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 trolling the fans.

Ruri Dragon Will Be the Premiere Shonen Jump Anime Produced By Kyoto Animation

Kyoto Animation has built a standing for being an top-tier animation studio, making its mark not just for the superb artistry of its productions but for the good working conditions of its employees—a uncommon practice in the industry. Surprisingly, until now, it had not adapted an anime stemming from a manga published in Shonen Jump, possibly the most iconic magazine in the field. Ruri Dragon will break that tradition, and what a superb choice it is. The manga by Masaoki Shindo gained massive popularity when it debuted in 2022 after just a handful of installments, but then went into a lengthy break due to the author's health issues. When it came back with a lighter schedule, the series showed it maintained the fans' affection and positive sentiment, and now fans are overjoyed about the upcoming KyoAni adaptation.

The Kingdom Series Its Sixth Season Has a Sequel In Production

Kingdom is the top-selling, long-running Shueisha manga that is other than One Piece. If you've haven't come across it before, it's because it only recently got an English localization, but the anime has been airing for years, and its sixth season was a further outstanding entry. Apparently that was just the first cour, because a "sequel" has been confirmed as currently being made, and it will almost certainly premiere in 2026.

Science Saru Will Adapt A Witch in Mongolia Into an Anime Series

One more studio famous for the artistic merit of its projects, 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, inspired by the actual historical person of Fatima, an influential woman and scholar in the Mongol Empire in the 13th century. Based on the trailer, the anime called Jaadugar: A Witch in Mongolia will have a highly unique and fascinating visual style, which reminds me a bit of Ranking of Kings. Set to premiere in July 2026, this one will absolutely be on my watchlist.

Tougen Anki Will Continue With a Second Season

Immediately following the conclusion of its twenty-fourth episode, it was confirmed that Tougen Anki will be receiving a sequel. Inspired by the Japanese legend of Momotaro, Tougen Anki brings to life the manga by Yura Urushibara. The upcoming season of the anime will adapt the Nikko Kegon Falls Arc, but a specific premiere date has yet to be revealed.