A Heap of Anime News Dropped Over the Holidays

The Yuletide season provide a plethora of pursuits far superior than checking the headlines: discovering surprises, getting stuffed on delicious food, and employing meditation skills to not snapping at loved ones. I hope you were able to accomplish all these things and more. However, the world of entertainment never sleeps, and this is especially true for the realm of anime. Numerous exciting announcements surfaced over the break, and if you didn't see any, here is a summary of the most exciting bits.

The One-Punch Man Series Its Third Season Will Continue (Come 2027)

Perhaps the most shocking piece of news, the widely-criticized disaster that was the third season of One-Punch Man proved insufficient to stop the series' continuation. Season 3 will return with a second cour in 2027—such a distant date they could have called it season 4. More surprisingly, the studio J.C. Staff will still be in charge. Thankfully this time, director Shinpei Nagai is on board to direct from the beginning, which could be taken as a good sign. But, the main art for the new episodes is a mirror of the one used for season 3, just with characters Saitama and Garou oriented differently. This suggests that, at this point, they are probably trolling the fans.

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

Kyoto Animation has established a reputation for being an top-tier animation studio, setting itself apart not just for the superb artistry of its productions but for the ethical practices of its employees—a sadly unusual standard in the industry. Surprisingly, until now, it had not adapted an anime stemming from a manga serialized in Shonen Jump, arguably the most iconic magazine in the industry. Ruri Dragon will change that, and what a superb choice it is. The manga by Masaoki Shindo became widespread acclaim when it first appeared in 2022 after just a handful of installments, but then went into a extended pause due to the creator's health issues. When it came back with a reduced workload, the series demonstrated it hadn't lost the fans' affection and positive sentiment, and now everyone is thrilled about the upcoming KyoAni adaptation.

The Kingdom Series Its Sixth Season Has a Sequel Currently in Production

Kingdom is the highly popular, decades-spanning Shueisha manga that is not One Piece. If you've never heard of it before, it's because it only recently got an English localization, but the anime has been going on for some time, and its sixth season was a further stellar entry. As it happens that was just the initial batch, because a "sequel" has been revealed as in production, and it will very likely debut in 2026.

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

A further studio known for the excellent quality of its productions, Science Saru has brought us critically acclaimed works of the quality 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, which is based on the real historical figure of Fatima, an influential 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 truly original and intriguing visual style, which reminds me a bit of Ranking of Kings. Set to premiere in July 2026, this one will absolutely be on my list of anticipated shows.

Tougen Anki Is Set to Continue With a Second Season

Immediately following the release of episode 24, 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 second season of the anime will adapt the Nikko Kegon Falls Arc, but a specific premiere date has not been disclosed yet.