A Heap of Anime Updates Dropped Over the Holidays
The winter break offer a plethora of pursuits much better than catching up on the latest news: opening presents, indulging in holiday treats, and harnessing meditation skills to refrain from yelling at relatives. Hopefully you managed to enjoy all these things and more. That said, the entertainment world doesn't go on vacation, and this is notably true for the realm of anime. Many noteworthy news items emerged over the break, and just in case you missed a few, here is a roundup of the most exciting bits.
One-Punch Man Its Third Season Is Moving Forward (In 2027)
Truly the biggest piece of news, the notorious disaster that was the third season of One-Punch Man wasn't enough to stop the series' continuation. The show will be back with a second cour in 2027—so far away they easily could have dubbed it season 4. More surprisingly, animation studio J.C. Staff will remain at the helm. At least this time, director Shinpei Nagai is set to direct from the outset, which could be taken as a hopeful indicator. However, the main art for the continuation is the same image the one used for season 3, just with protagonists Saitama and Garou oriented differently. This suggests that, by now, they could be trolling the fans.
The Ruri Dragon Series Will Be the Premiere Shonen Jump Anime By Kyoto Animation
Kyoto Animation has built a name for being an prestigious animation studio, making its mark not just for the high caliber of its productions but for the good working conditions of its employees—a sadly unusual standard in the industry. Unexpectedly, until now, it had not produced an anime based on a manga serialized in Shonen Jump, arguably the best-known magazine in the industry. Ruri Dragon will change that, and what a great choice it is. The manga by Masaoki Shindo became a huge following when it launched 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 came back with a lighter schedule, the series showed it still retained the fans' affection and positive sentiment, and now fans are thrilled about the impending KyoAni adaptation.
The Kingdom Series Season 6 Has a Sequel In Production
Kingdom is the highly popular, decades-spanning Shueisha manga that is not One Piece. If you've are unfamiliar with it before, it's because it only just received an English localization, but the anime has been airing for a while, and its sixth season was yet another excellent entry. As it happens that was just the first half, because a "sequel" has been revealed as in production, and it will very likely premiere in 2026.
Science Saru Is Adapting A Witch in Mongolia To Anime
One more studio renowned for the excellent quality of its work, Science Saru has brought us masterpieces 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, which is based on the true story of Fatima, an prominent woman and scholar in the Mongol Empire in the 13th century. Based on the trailer, the anime titled Jaadugar: A Witch in Mongolia will have a highly unique and fascinating visual style, which evokes Ranking of Kings. Set to premiere in July 2026, this one will absolutely be on my must-watch list.
Tougen Anki Will Return With a Second Season
Right after the release of the final episode of the first season, it was revealed that Tougen Anki will be receiving a sequel. Inspired by the Japanese legend of Momotaro, Tougen Anki is based on the manga by Yura Urushibara. The new season of the anime will cover the Nikko Kegon Falls Arc, but a specific release date has not yet been announced.
