The winter break provide a wealth of activities considerably more enjoyable than catching up on the headlines: discovering surprises, getting stuffed on delicious food, and harnessing patience techniques to refrain from arguing with family members. It is wished you managed to accomplish all these things and more. Nevertheless, the showbiz industry doesn't take a break, and this is especially true for the realm of anime. Many noteworthy developments surfaced during the break, and if you missed any, here is a compilation of the juiciest bits.
Perhaps the biggest piece of news, the much-discussed controversial season that was season 3 of One-Punch Man wasn't enough to halt the series' continuation. The show will return with a follow-up batch of episodes in 2027—a date so remote they could have dubbed it season 4. Adding to the surprise, animation studio J.C. Staff will still be in charge. At least this time, director Shinpei Nagai is attached to direct from the start, which might be a hopeful indicator. But, the key visual for the new episodes is a mirror of the one used for season 3, just with protagonists Saitama and Garou facing different directions. This makes me think that, nowadays, they are probably trolling the fans.
Kyoto Animation has forged a standing for being an top-tier animation studio, distinguishing itself not just for the high caliber of its productions but for the fair treatment of its employees—a uncommon practice in the industry. Surprisingly, until now, it had never worked on an anime based on a manga serialized in Shonen Jump, arguably the best-known magazine in the business. Ruri Dragon will break that tradition, and what a superb choice it is. The manga by Masaoki Shindo gained a huge following when it launched in 2022 after just a handful of installments, but then went into a two-year hiatus due to the mangaka's health issues. When it returned with a lighter schedule, the series demonstrated it still retained the fans' appreciation and positive sentiment, and now everyone is ecstatic about the impending KyoAni adaptation.
Kingdom is the highly popular, long-running Shueisha manga that is other than 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 a while, and season 6 was yet another stellar entry. As it happens that was just the first half, because a "sequel" has been confirmed as in production, and it will almost certainly debut in 2026.
A further studio renowned for the excellent quality of its projects, Science Saru has given us hit shows of the ilk of Space Dandy, Devilman Crybaby, and, lastly, Dandadan. This time, the studio will be taking on the adaptation of Tomato Soup's manga A Witch's Life in Mongol, inspired by the actual historical person of Fatima, an powerful 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 highly unique and captivating visual style, which is somewhat reminiscent of Ranking of Kings. Set to premiere in July 2026, this one will without a doubt be on my watchlist.
Shortly after the release of episode 24, it was confirmed that Tougen Anki will be securing a second season. Based on the Japanese legend of Momotaro, Tougen Anki brings to life the manga by Yura Urushibara. The upcoming season of the anime will cover the Nikko Kegon Falls Arc, but a concrete air date has not been disclosed yet.
