Jump Festa, the Shueisha-organized annual event in Japan, has been spotlighting major anime and manga announcements since 1999. This year’s two-day fan convention, which took place over the weekend of Dec. 20-21, also featured a chock-full of exciting announcements for the upcoming year. Franchises like One Piece and My Hero Academia got the lion’s share of big reveals and announcements, but everything from Jujutsu Kaisen to Kaiju No. 8 also has enough going on in terms of new reveals and developments.
Here are some major announcements that graced Jump Festa this weekend.
The My Hero Academia anime is getting a special episode
Saying goodbye to Class 1-A in the My Hero Academia finale has been a bittersweet feeling, but the anime is set to return with a bonus episode on May 2, 2026. This special story, titled “More,” will cover the “second ending” of Kohei Horikoshi’s manga, published in the final volume, that continues past the events of the series finale seen in the anime. This is a chance for fans to say a final goodbye to the characters they know and love, while also witnessing how their lives turned out in the long run (eight years after graduation, to be precise).
A promotional video for the final season — titled “The Story of How We All Became the Greatest Heroes” — was also released alongside a worldwide concert tour. These announcements are a part of My Hero Academia’s 10th anniversary celebration next year, for which a new teaser visual and logo were also revealed. Two more projects will be revealed later in the year.
Jujustu Kaisen reveals a tense new trailer for the upcoming third season
Jujutsu Kaisen wrapped up its second season with the terrors of the Shibuya incident, and is coming back in Jan. 2026 with a brand-new high-stakes season. A new trailer titled “The Culling Game Part 1” was shown at Jump Festa, with a new opening theme, “AIZO” by King Gnu. Those familiar with Gege Akutami’s manga will be acquainted with the deadly nature of the Culling Game, which allows fresh foes and allies to come to the forefront. One of the new characters introduced in the trailer, Kinji Hakari, will be voiced by Kazuya Nakai, best known for his role as Roronoa Zoro in One Piece.
One Piece gets a brand-new teaser and key visual for the Elbaph Arc
The One Piece anime will be switching to a seasonal production model in 2026, and details for the upcoming Elbaph Island arc were unveiled with a new teaser and key visual. The last episode of the current Egghead Arc will air on Dec. 28. Then, the new season will begin on April 5, 2026. One Piece creator Eiichiro Oda also shared an announcement during the event, possibly teasing Laugh Tale, the island at the end of the New World, which supposedly holds the titular treasure, One Piece. Fans could get their first glimpse of the treasure in 2026, which is bound to be a monumental moment for the overarching narrative.
JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure unveils trailer and release date for Steel Ball Run
JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Steel Ball Run is a stellar installment in an already spectacular franchise, and an exciting new trailer for the anime adaptation was shared by Netflix. The anime itself was confirmed earlier this year, but Jump Festa revealed that it will officially premiere on Netflix on March 19, 2026. If the trailer is to be taken at face value, it seems that the adaptation has done an impressive job of replicating Hirohiko Araki’s gorgeous art for Steel Ball Run. The trailer also notes that the premiere will be 47 minutes long, and that the first arc will be condensed into a special prologue before the rest of the story follows.
Kaiju No. 8 is heading towards its final season and will get a special episode
Kaiju No. 8 is returning for its final arc, for which a compilation trailer, a visual, and a special announcement were revealed. This upcoming installment has been titled “Final Chapter” and is currently in production. The trailer doesn’t feature anything new per se, as it highlights key scenes from the first two seasons and ends with the confirmation of the final arc. A special episode (described as “a new original short animation”) titled “Narumi’s Week at Work” has also been announced. A release date for the anime’s final arc has not been revealed yet.
Chainsaw Man: International Assassins Arc is coming
The explosive success of this year’s Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc highlights the nuances of Tatsuki Fujimoto’s brilliant work. Jump Festa confirmed the production of the new installment of the anime, Chainsaw Man: International Assassins Arc, which will serve as a direct sequel to the 2025 film. A teaser visual and promotional video have been released, building up anticipation for a new chapter for Denji, who seems symbolically paralyzed under Makima’s watchful eye. MAPPA Studios hasn’t confirmed a release date at the moment.
Dan Da Dan announces a 2027 Season 3 premiere with a new teaser visual
The third season of Dan Da Dan was announced some time back, promising a new occult battle (along with the messy growing pains of adolescence). A new teaser visual at Jump Festa revealed that Season 3 of Dan Da Dan is set to premiere in 2027.
This is exciting news, for sure, given that the first season was a breakout success, and its Season 2 follow-up builds on top of a solid foundation to highlight Momo and Okarun’s offbeat shenanigans. Season 2 ended with the reveal of Vamola, the alien girl inside the kaiju suit, and will likely adapt the Space Globalists arc. Expect massive battles against alien forces and the most terrifying yokai yet. The official release date has not been announced yet.
Bleach reveals July 2026 release date for Part 4 of Thousand-Year Blood War
The TV anime Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War Part 4 – The Calamity — based on the manga by Tite Kubo — will begin airing in July 2026. This particular story adapts the concluding arc of the manga series, preceded by Parts 2 and 3, titled The Separation and The Conflict, respectively. A teaser video and visual have been revealed, building much-warranted hype among longtime fans. Jump Festa also highlighted the launch of a new smartphone game, BLEACH Mirrors High, in summer 2026.
Black Clover will kickstart a new saga with a 2026 Season 2 premiere
Jump Festa announced a new teaser trailer and visual for Season 2 of Black Clover, which is set to premiere in 2026. This is much-awaited news, as the first season finished airing in March 2021 (with a total of 170 episodes), and the anime movie, Black Clover: Sword of the Wizard King, had a Japan release in March 2023. Studio Pierrot will continue to handle the animation production for the second season, and it looks pretty promising so far.
Sakamoto Days will return with Season 2 on Netflix
Our favorite former hitman, now a placid convenience store owner, will be back with Season 2 of Sakamoto Days, which will premiere soon on Netflix. A teaser trailer and visual have been unveiled, but an official release date has not been announced yet. Given that the anime’s first season came to an end in September this year, such a quick confirmation of a follow-up is great news for anyone eager to uncover the secrets of Taro Sakamoto.
The Haikyu!! movie and anime special are confirmed to premiere in 2027
While the Haikyu!! panel at Jump Festa was mostly focused on the franchise stage play, a 2027 release date has been confirmed for both the anime special, Haikyu!! The Place Where Monsters Go, and the anime movie, Haikyu!! The Movie: VS The Little Giant. The special will adapt the quarter-finals match between Fukurodani and Mujinazaka, before the movie picks up Karasuno’s journey with the other quarter-final, pitting Hinata’s team against Kamomedai. Details about these dual projects are to come, but key visuals (and a teaser trailer) have been released.
The Elusive Samurai season 2 is set for a July 2026 release
CloverWorks’s The Elusive Samurai was a fantastic genre entry in 2024, and fans have been eagerly awaiting news of a second season ever since. Jump Festa announced that The Elusive Samurai has been renewed for Season 2, and will be premiering worldwide in July 2026. A visual featuring Prince Tokiyuki and his friends has also been revealed at the event, along with a brief teaser trailer.
