A Ton of Japanese Animation Updates Dropped During the Festive Season

The Christmas holidays offer a wealth of pastimes much better than checking the updates: discovering surprises, indulging in delicious food, and harnessing deep breathing to not arguing with loved ones. Hopefully you managed to do all these things and more. However, the world of entertainment doesn't take a break, and this is notably true for the realm of anime. A slew of noteworthy news items surfaced over the festive period, and should you missed some of them, here is a roundup of the juiciest bits.

The One-Punch Man Series Season 3 Is Set to Continue (Come 2027)

Perhaps the biggest piece of news, the much-discussed controversial season that was season 3 of One-Punch Man proved insufficient to deter further production. The show will return with a subsequent part in 2027—such a distant date they could have dubbed it season 4. More surprisingly, the studio J.C. Staff will continue to be in charge. On a positive note this time, director Shinpei Nagai is attached to direct from the outset, which could be taken as a hopeful indicator. However, the promotional image for the new episodes is identical to the one used for season 3, just with characters Saitama and Garou looking opposite ways. This leads one to believe that, by now, they could be trolling the fans.

Ruri Dragon Will Be the Premiere Shonen Jump Anime From Kyoto Animation

Kyoto Animation has established a standing 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 rarity in the industry. Unexpectedly, until now, it had not adapted an anime based on a manga published in Shonen Jump, perhaps the most iconic magazine in the field. Ruri Dragon will change that, and what a superb choice it is. The manga by Masaoki Shindo gained widespread acclaim when it first appeared in 2022 after just a small number of issues, but then went into a lengthy break due to the author's health issues. When it returned with a reduced workload, the series demonstrated it hadn't lost the fans' appreciation and positive sentiment, and now fans are overjoyed about the upcoming KyoAni adaptation.

Kingdom Its Sixth Season Has a Sequel Currently in Production

Kingdom is the highly popular, decades-spanning Shueisha manga that is aside from One Piece. If you've never heard of it before, it's because it only fairly recently obtained an English localization, but the anime has been going on for years, and season 6 was a further excellent entry. Apparently that was just the first cour, because a "sequel" has been announced as in development, and it will very likely air in 2026.

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

Another studio renowned for the excellent quality of its work, Science Saru has delivered critically acclaimed works of the quality of Space Dandy, Devilman Crybaby, and, most recently, Dandadan. This time, the studio will be taking on the adaptation of Tomato Soup's manga A Witch's Life in Mongol, based on the real historical figure of Fatima, an influential woman and thinker in the Mongol Empire in the 13th century. Judging from the trailer, the anime called Jaadugar: A Witch in Mongolia will have a distinctly fresh and captivating visual style, which is somewhat reminiscent of Ranking of Kings. Set to premiere in July 2026, this one will definitely be on my watchlist.

Tougen Anki Will Return With a Season Two

Right after the release of episode 24, it was announced that Tougen Anki will be getting a sequel. Inspired by the Japanese legend of Momotaro, Tougen Anki adapts the manga by Yura Urushibara. The second season of the anime will delve into the Nikko Kegon Falls Arc, but a concrete premiere date has yet to be revealed.