A Mountain of Anime Updates Arrived During the Holidays

The Christmas holidays present a wealth of activities much better than catching up on the latest news: discovering surprises, getting stuffed on holiday treats, and using deep breathing to refrain from yelling at relatives. Hopefully you managed to enjoy all these things and more. Nevertheless, the entertainment world never sleeps, and this is notably true for the realm of anime. A slew of exciting developments surfaced during the festive period, and if you didn't see a few, here is a roundup of the most exciting bits.

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

Perhaps the most shocking announcement, the widely-criticized controversial season that was season 3 of One-Punch Man wasn't enough to deter further production. Season 3 will return with a follow-up batch of episodes in 2027—so far away they could have labeled it season 4. Adding to the surprise, the studio J.C. Staff will remain at the helm. On a positive note this time, director Shinpei Nagai is on board to direct from the start, which could be taken as a positive development. However, the main art for the continuation is a mirror of the one used for season 3, just with characters Saitama and Garou oriented differently. This makes me think that, by now, they must be trolling the fans.

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

Kyoto Animation has forged a reputation for being an prestigious animation studio, distinguishing itself 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 never worked on an anime based on a manga published in Shonen Jump, arguably the most iconic magazine in the industry. Ruri Dragon will break that tradition, and what a superb choice it is. The manga by Masaoki Shindo became a huge following when it first appeared in 2022 after just a few chapters, but then went into a lengthy break due to the creator's health issues. When it resumed publication with a reduced workload, the series demonstrated it hadn't lost the fans' affection and goodwill, and now everyone is thrilled about the impending KyoAni adaptation.

Kingdom Its Sixth Season Is Getting a Follow-Up In Production

Kingdom is the top-selling, long-running Shueisha manga that is not One Piece. If you've haven't come across it before, it's because it only fairly recently obtained an English localization, but the anime has been running for years, and its sixth season was another stellar entry. Apparently that was just the first half, because a "sequel" has been revealed as in production, and it will probably air in 2026.

Science Saru Is Adapting A Witch in Mongolia To Anime

A further studio famous for the excellent quality of its projects, Science Saru has brought us masterpieces of the quality of Space Dandy, Devilman Crybaby, and, more 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 true story of Fatima, an prominent woman and intellectual in the Mongol Empire in the 13th century. From the trailer, the anime called Jaadugar: A Witch in Mongolia will have a distinctly fresh and captivating visual style, which evokes Ranking of Kings. Set to premiere in July 2026, this one will definitely be on my watchlist.

The Tougen Anki Series Will Continue With a Season Two

Shortly after the airing of episode 24, it was confirmed 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 second season of the anime will adapt the Nikko Kegon Falls Arc, but a concrete air date has not yet been announced.