In the anime industry, it is common for new series to
be introduced each season, while others come to an end. Some anime , after
concluding, generate great expectations among fans, who long for a
continuation. However, not all successful series manage to get a second season,
leaving fans waiting for years. Such is the case of “No
Game No Life”, “Majo no Tabitabi ( Wandering Witch: The Journey of
Elaina )” and “Accel World”, three series that, despite their
popularity, have not yet received a continuation.
“No Game No Life,” based on the light novel of the
same name by Yuu Kamiya, aired in 2014 and quickly gained a passionate fanbase. The story
follows siblings Sora (played by Yoshitsugu Matsuoka) and Shiro (played by Ai
Kayano), who are transported to the world of Disboard, where all conflicts are
resolved through games. Despite the success of the series and a prequel film
released in 2017, a second season remains unconfirmed. Yuu Kamiya, the
original author, has expressed his bewilderment on social media at the
persistent fan demand for a sequel, noting that the “excellent quality” of the
first season could be a barrier to producing a second.
Another notable case is “Majo no Tabitabi,” based on
the light novel by Jougi Shiraishi. The story
follows the traveling witch Elaina (played by Kaede Hondo), as she travels
through different cities and faces various situations, some touching and others
shocking. Although the series was well-received and the original story has
continued with up to 23 volumes as of October 2024, there has been no news
about a second season. Shiraishi has expressed her desire to continue
the series in anime format, urging fans to support the franchise to make a
sequel possible.
Finally, “Accel World,” based on the light novel by
Reki Kawahara, also finds itself in a similar situation. The series,
which aired in 2012, follows Haruyuki (played by Yuki Kaji), a high school
student who escapes his harsh reality through an augmented reality game. Even
though the source material has continued to be published, with 27 volumes as of
August 2024, only a small portion of the story has been adapted, leaving fans
hoping for a second season that seems increasingly unlikely.
While some anime like “Kimi ni Todoke: From Me to You”
have managed to launch sequels many years after the original broadcast, not all
projects are so lucky. Interest in new titles, changing trends,
and difficulty reuniting the original staff are just some of the obstacles that
sequels face. However, fans are not losing hope that one day their favorite
series will return to the screen.
- « Ultimately,
anime is made to promote light novels or manga, and if a work has too many
volumes, it's hard to attract new fans. Even if someone is interested in
reading the original material, it's hard to get started if they have to
get dozens of volumes. Even if anime is popular, it's not an era where
Blu-rays sell well anymore, so it's hard for an anime to be profitable on
its own, which makes it difficult to produce sequels . »
- « Although
'Hataraku Maou-sama!' got a second season after a long time, the quality
clearly dropped compared to the first season. I remember reading an
interview with the producers after the first season aired where they said
something like 'we know it's going to be a hit, so we won't do it', but I
can't help but question that answer. I found that some works that miss
their chance can turn out to be something completely different .
»
- « Also,
there are so many new works that have not yet been adapted into anime, and
they are waiting for their turn .»
- « I've
always thought that publishers tend to adapt light novels into anime to
explosively increase sales, so I think they prefer 'new works' rather than
a second season .»
- « Personally,
I liked 'HOTD' (Highschool of the Dead). But unfortunately, the author
passed away »
- « In
the case of 'No Game No Life', the author was unable to continue writing
due to health issues, which made it difficult to move the anime project
forward. For 'Accel World', he was required to correct many parts of the
content, such as depictions of bullying and psychological violence, which
could have hindered the story. Additionally, the retirement or temporary
withdrawal of the original voice actors may have also made it difficult to
continue the adaptation .»
- " As
for 'Majo no Tabitabi,' I think the level of the producers who worked on
the adaptation was so high that they may not be able to assemble a team
that matches (or surpasses) that quality ."
- " When
will the sequel to 'Oniichan wa Oshimai!' come out? "
- « Because
they produce so many anime in 12-episode seasons, there are a lot of works
that are left unfinished. With series based on 'light narratives', it is
relatively easy to bring them to the public, but they are often left
unfinished or released very irregularly, so it is likely that they will
never be finished . »
- " I
think 'Accel World' was overshadowed by the success of 'SAO', and they
probably avoided direct competition ."
- « Gekkan
Shoujo Nozaki-kun' is another work that many fans have been waiting for a
second season (although half resigned, hehe) ».
- « Even
if it is a popular work, producing a second season does not guarantee the
same success, and production teams are often booked well in advance. There
are so many works waiting for a sequel and so many others that have not
yet been discovered .»
- « Sometimes
a show becomes popular all of a sudden, but if they don't have contracts
for future seasons, they can't secure the production team, voice actors or
anything. And in the time that passes, two or three years later, the
audience and trends change. Also, second seasons are often hard to sell to
new viewers unless they have a big name. Sometimes
unexpected second seasons happen, but… »
Source: Otakomu
