The winter break provide a multitude of pastimes much better than scanning the headlines: unwrapping gifts, indulging in holiday treats, and using meditation skills to refrain from snapping at relatives. It is wished you managed to accomplish all these things and more. Nevertheless, the showbiz industry doesn't go on vacation, and this is notably true for the realm of anime. Many noteworthy developments surfaced during the holidays, and if you didn't see a few, here is a compilation of the biggest bits.
The One-Punch Man Series Its Third Season Is Set to Continue (In 2027)
Perhaps the biggest piece of news, the widely-criticized disaster that was season 3 of One-Punch Man proved insufficient to halt more episodes. The show will come back with a follow-up batch of episodes in 2027—such a distant date they could have called it season 4. More surprisingly, animation studio J.C. Staff will remain leading the project. On a positive note this time, helmer Shinpei Nagai is attached to direct from the start, which could be taken as a positive development. However, the key visual for the new episodes is a mirror of the one used for season 3, just with characters Saitama and Garou oriented differently. This leads one to believe that, nowadays, they could be teasing the fans.
The Ruri Dragon Series Will Be the First Shonen Jump Anime Produced By Kyoto Animation
Kyoto Animation has built a standing for being an top-tier animation studio, making its mark not just for the exceptional quality of its work but for the ethical practices of its employees—a rarity in the industry. Surprisingly, until now, it had not produced an anime stemming from a manga published in Shonen Jump, arguably the most iconic magazine in the industry. Ruri Dragon will change that, and what a great choice it is. The manga by Masaoki Shindo achieved massive popularity 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 returned with a reduced workload, the series demonstrated it maintained the fans' appreciation and positive sentiment, and now everyone is ecstatic about the forthcoming KyoAni adaptation.
The Kingdom Series Season 6 Will Get a Sequel Currently 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 recently got an English release, but the anime has been running for years, and season 6 was a further excellent entry. As it happens that was just the initial batch, because a "sequel" has been confirmed as in development, and it will probably premiere in 2026.
Science Saru Is Adapting A Witch in Mongolia To Anime
A further studio known for the superior craftsmanship of its projects, Science Saru has delivered hit shows of the quality of Space Dandy, Devilman Crybaby, and, more 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 actual historical person of Fatima, an influential woman and scholar in the Mongol Empire in the 13th century. From the trailer, the anime named Jaadugar: A Witch in Mongolia will have a truly original and fascinating visual style, which is somewhat reminiscent of 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 Second Season
Shortly after the airing of episode 24, it was revealed that Tougen Anki will be securing a second season. Based on 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 firm release date has not yet been announced.
