A Heap of Anime Updates Arrived Over the Festive Season

The winter break offer a plethora of pastimes much better than scanning the latest news: discovering surprises, getting stuffed on festive fare, and using deep breathing to refrain from yelling at relatives. Hopefully you succeeded in do all these things and more. That said, the showbiz industry doesn't go on vacation, and this is notably true for the realm of anime. Numerous exciting announcements surfaced over the break, and just in case you missed a few, here is a roundup of the biggest bits.

The One-Punch Man Series Season 3 Will Continue (By 2027)

Perhaps the most shocking announcement, the much-discussed disaster that was the third season of One-Punch Man wasn't enough to deter the series' continuation. Season 3 will return with a second cour in 2027—such a distant date they might as well have labeled it season 4. Adding to the surprise, the studio J.C. Staff will continue to be at the helm. On a positive note this time, director Shinpei Nagai is set to direct from the start, which might be a good sign. Yet, the promotional image for the second cour is a mirror of the one used for season 3, just with protagonists Saitama and Garou looking opposite ways. This leads one to believe that, nowadays, they must be teasing the fans.

The Ruri Dragon Series Is Set to Be the Premiere Shonen Jump Anime Produced By Kyoto Animation

Kyoto Animation has built a reputation for being an top-tier animation studio, making its mark not just for the exceptional quality of its work but for the good working conditions of its employees—a rarity in the industry. Surprisingly, until now, it had not adapted an anime stemming from a manga serialized in Shonen Jump, possibly the most iconic magazine in the business. Ruri Dragon will break that tradition, and what a excellent choice it is. The manga by Masaoki Shindo gained a huge following when it launched in 2022 after just a few chapters, but then went into a lengthy break due to the mangaka's health issues. When it came back with a reduced workload, the series demonstrated it hadn't lost the fans' support and enthusiasm, and now fans are ecstatic about the upcoming KyoAni adaptation.

Kingdom Season 6 Is Getting a Follow-Up In Production

Kingdom is the highly popular, long-running Shueisha manga that is other than One Piece. If you've are unfamiliar with it before, it's because it only fairly recently obtained an English release, but the anime has been running for some time, and its sixth season was another excellent entry. As it happens that was just the first half, because a "sequel" has been announced as currently being made, and it will very likely air in 2026.

Science Saru Is Bringing A Witch in Mongolia To Anime

A further studio renowned for the excellent quality of its projects, Science Saru has given us masterpieces 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 actual historical person of Fatima, an influential woman and intellectual in the Mongol Empire in the 13th century. Judging 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. Debuting in July 2026, this one will without a doubt be on my list of anticipated shows.

Tougen Anki Will Return With a Season Two

Shortly after the airing of episode 24, it was announced that Tougen Anki will be getting a sequel. Adapted from the Japanese legend of Momotaro, Tougen Anki adapts the manga by Yura Urushibara. The upcoming season of the anime will cover the Nikko Kegon Falls Arc, but a specific release date has not yet been announced.