A Ton of Anime Updates Dropped Over the Festive Season

The Christmas holidays provide a plethora of activities far superior than scanning the latest news: opening presents, feasting on holiday treats, and harnessing deep breathing to avoid snapping at family members. Hopefully you were able to enjoy all these things and more. However, the entertainment world doesn't take a break, and this is particularly true for the realm of anime. Numerous thrilling announcements came out over the break, and just in case you didn't see any, here is a summary of the biggest bits.

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

Without a doubt the most surprising piece of news, the much-discussed troubled production that was the third season of One-Punch Man wasn't enough to stop the series' continuation. The show will come back with a second cour in 2027—such a distant date they might as well have dubbed it season 4. More surprisingly, the studio J.C. Staff will still be in charge. On a positive note this time, director Shinpei Nagai is attached to direct from the beginning, which could be taken as a good sign. However, the key visual for the new episodes is a mirror of the one used for season 3, just with protagonists Saitama and Garou looking opposite ways. This suggests that, by now, they could be trolling the fans.

Ruri Dragon Is Set to Be the Premiere Shonen Jump Anime From Kyoto Animation

Kyoto Animation has built a reputation for being an prestigious animation studio, setting itself apart not just for the superb artistry of its work but for the good working conditions of its employees—a sadly unusual standard in the industry. Curiously, until now, it had not adapted an anime adapted from a manga serialized in Shonen Jump, perhaps the most iconic magazine in the business. Ruri Dragon will change that, and what a superb choice it is. The manga by Masaoki Shindo achieved widespread acclaim when it launched in 2022 after just a few chapters, but then went into a extended pause due to the author's health issues. When it resumed publication with a reduced workload, the series showed it maintained the fans' affection and goodwill, and now the community is thrilled about the forthcoming KyoAni adaptation.

The Kingdom Series Season 6 Will Get a Sequel In Production

Kingdom is the highly popular, long-running Shueisha manga that is other than One Piece. If you've never heard of it before, it's because it only just received an English translation, but the anime has been going on for years, and season 6 was yet another excellent entry. As it happens that was just the first half, because a "sequel" has been confirmed as in production, and it will almost certainly debut in 2026.

Science Saru Is Adapting A Witch in Mongolia To Anime

A further studio famous for the artistic merit of its productions, Science Saru has given us hit shows of the caliber of Space Dandy, Devilman Crybaby, and, most recently, Dandadan. This time, the studio will be handling the adaptation of Tomato Soup's manga A Witch's Life in Mongol, based on the real historical figure of Fatima, an powerful woman and scholar in the Mongol Empire in the 13th century. From the trailer, the anime called Jaadugar: A Witch in Mongolia will have a highly unique 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 watchlist.

The Tougen Anki Series Will Return With a Second Season

Shortly after the release of episode 24, it was confirmed that Tougen Anki will be receiving a sequel. Based on the Japanese legend of Momotaro, Tougen Anki adapts the manga by Yura Urushibara. The new season of the anime will delve into the Nikko Kegon Falls Arc, but a firm premiere date has yet to be revealed.