A Ton of Anime Updates Arrived During the Festive Season

The Christmas holidays present a multitude of activities far superior than catching up on the headlines: unwrapping gifts, feasting on delicious food, and harnessing deep breathing to not yelling at family members. Hopefully you succeeded in do all these things and more. That said, the world of entertainment never sleeps, and this is especially true for the realm of anime. Numerous thrilling announcements emerged during the holidays, and just in case you overlooked a few, here is a summary of the most exciting bits.

The One-Punch Man Series Its Third Season Is Set to Continue (By 2027)

Perhaps the biggest announcement, the widely-criticized controversial season that was season 3 of One-Punch Man failed to stop further production. The show will return with a follow-up batch of episodes in 2027—such a distant date they easily could have called it season 4. Adding to the surprise, animation studio J.C. Staff will remain at the helm. On a positive note this time, director Shinpei Nagai is attached to direct from the start, which is seen as a hopeful indicator. But, the promotional image for the new episodes is identical to the one used for season 3, just with protagonists Saitama and Garou oriented differently. This leads one to believe that, by now, they must be trolling the fans.

Ruri Dragon Is Set to Be the First Shonen Jump Anime Produced By Kyoto Animation

Kyoto Animation has established a standing for being an top-tier animation studio, distinguishing itself 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 never worked on an anime stemming from a manga published in Shonen Jump, arguably the most iconic magazine in the business. Ruri Dragon will change that, and what a great choice it is. The manga by Masaoki Shindo became widespread acclaim when it first appeared in 2022 after just a few chapters, but then went into a two-year hiatus due to the creator's health issues. When it resumed publication with a lighter schedule, the series proved it hadn't lost the fans' support and enthusiasm, and now everyone is overjoyed about the impending KyoAni adaptation.

Kingdom Season 6 Is Getting a Follow-Up Now in the Works

Kingdom is the top-selling, epic Shueisha manga that is not One Piece. If you've never heard of it before, it's because it only recently got an English release, but the anime has been running for a while, and its sixth season was a further stellar entry. As it happens that was just the first cour, because a "sequel" has been confirmed as in development, and it will probably debut in 2026.

Science Saru Is Bringing A Witch in Mongolia To Anime

A further studio renowned for the artistic merit of its projects, Science Saru has delivered masterpieces of the ilk of Space Dandy, Devilman Crybaby, and, more 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 actual historical person of Fatima, an influential woman and scholar in the Mongol Empire in the 13th century. Judging from the trailer, the anime named Jaadugar: A Witch in Mongolia will have a highly unique and fascinating visual style, which is somewhat reminiscent of Ranking of Kings. Scheduled to launch in July 2026, this one will absolutely be on my must-watch list.

Tougen Anki Will Return With a Season Two

Immediately following the airing of episode 24, it was revealed that Tougen Anki will be securing a second season. Inspired by the Japanese legend of Momotaro, Tougen Anki adapts the manga by Yura Urushibara. The new season of the anime will cover the Nikko Kegon Falls Arc, but a firm air date has not been disclosed yet.