Welcome to this month’s Monthly Anime News, where we bring you the latest updates from the anime world. From the exciting production news of One Piece Live Action Season 3 to Dragon Ball overtaking One Piece in earnings, there’s a lot happening! Grand Blue is finally getting a second season after six years, and Frieren has won the Best TV Anime award at the Tokyo Anime Awards 2025.
Meanwhile, That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime is set to end with its next novel volume. Plus, Oshi no Ko Season 3 has been confirmed for 2026. Stay tuned for more anime updates in this edition of Monthly Anime News!
01. One Piece Live Action Season 3 Production Has Begun
The official release date for One Piece Live Action Season 2 has not been announced yet, but reports suggest that production for one of the best arcs in the series, the Alabasta Arc, has already started.
According to Screen Rant, Vincent Regan, who attended Vienna Comic-Con in late November 2024, shared some insights about the show’s future.
He mentioned that One Piece Season 2 will be released before Christmas 2025. He also expressed excitement about Season 3, especially for fans eagerly waiting for the Alabasta arc. This arc features intense action, great character development, and the introduction of important characters like Ace, Robin, and Vivi.
02. Netflix Reveals the Most Downloaded Series in Its History
Netflix has revealed its most downloaded series ever, and the list contains a surprising anime title.Here are the top five:
01. Squid game Season 1
02. Monster: the jeffrey dahmer story
03. squid game season 2
04. one piece
05. queen charlotte: a bridgerton story
03. Fortnite Will Add an Anime Villain
Fortnite has a history of anime crossovers (Naruto, Dragon Ball, etc.), and now, they are bringing in villains from Jujutsu Kaisen—Sukuna, Mahito, and Toji.
Soon, players will see these characters in the game. This move aims to attract anime fans and bring new players to Fortnite, as the game’s popularity has been declining recently.
04. Dragon Ball Overtakes One Piece in Earnings This Quarter
According to Toei Animation’s Q3 earnings report, Dragon Ball has earned more than One Piece this quarter.
Recently, One Piece anime has been on break, while Dragon Ball released a new season and Dragon Ball Daima, the last work of Akira Toriyama.
Historically, One Piece has rarely taken breaks, while Dragon Ball has had multiple pauses. This may be one of the main reasons why Dragon Ball surpassed One Piece in earnings this time.
05. Grand Blue Anime Gets a New Season This Year
After six years, Grand Blue is finally getting a second season in 2025.
Grand Blue is a comedy and slice-of-life anime that first aired in 2018. It is considered one of the best comedy anime, but it is not suitable for kids due to its mature humor.
If you enjoy adult comedy, this anime is a must-watch, but if you are sensitive to such content, it may not be for you.
06. Frieren Wins Best TV Anime & Look Back Wins Best Animated Film
At the Tokyo Anime Awards Festival 2025, Frieren won the Best Television Anime award. This fantasy adventure anime was a fan favorite in 2024 due to its emotional storyline, stunning animation, and amazing fight scenes.
It competed against top anime like Solo Leveling, Re:Zero, Dragon Ball Daima, Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War – The Conflict, and Dan Da Dan.
Meanwhile, the anime film Look Back won the Best Animated Film award for 2024.
07. Dr. Stone Artist Will Start a New Wild West Manga, The Marshal King
The artist of Dr. Stone is launching a new Wild West manga called The Marshal King on February 7, 2025.
Dr. Stone was a highly successful manga and anime that taught science in an entertaining way while featuring strong character development. Fans are eager to see what this new series will bring.
08. Oshi no Ko Season 3 Will Air in 2026
It has been confirmed that Oshi no Ko Season 3 will air in 2026.
The anime first premiered in 2023 and became an instant hit. In 2024, it was announced that a live-action adaptation was in development. The second season, released last year, was also very successful.
Oshi no Ko tells the story of twins, Ruby and Aqua, as they uncover the truth behind their idol mother’s murder. The manga ended in 2024, but the anime is still ongoing.
09. That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime Author Plans to End the Novel Series
On January 30, Fuse, the author of That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime, announced that the series will end with the next volume.
The light novel, written by Fuse and illustrated by Mitz Vah, was first published online from 2013 to 2016. It was later picked up by Micro Magazine and has released 22 volumes so far.
The series has also received three anime seasons, with a fourth one currently in production. A movie is scheduled for release in February 2025.
Fuse originally planned to end the series with Volume 22 but decided to extend it due to additional story ideas. However, Volume 23 is expected to be the final one. If necessary, a special volume may be released to properly conclude the story.
10.Blue Lock Mangaka’s Assistant Starts a New Football Manga
The assistant of Blue Lock’s mangaka has launched a new football manga titled Embers. The manga was released on February 3, 2025, at 12 AM JST.
The first chapter, featuring a lead color page, is now available on Shueisha’s Manga Plus and Viz Media’s Shonen Jump.
Embers is written by Kei Kurumazaki and illustrated by Soutaro Nishii. Fans of Blue Lock are excited to see how this new series will compare.
