New Year New luck! If we leave the old year 2020 behind us in about two months, action-packed, sweet, dramatic, and just cool anime sequels are waiting for us fans in the new year 2021!
Some of us would understandably like to finally leave the cursed year 2020 behind us because not only in the great reality out there were enough difficulties, also in our small world of anime productions went wrong, were delayed, or were canceled completely.
Anime Sequels in January 2021
In two months we will finally conclude this year and January 2021 awaits us, which, as a belated Santa Claus, will not only present us with cool new anime series but also with plenty of sequels! “Ho ho ho,” we say, and have rummaged deep in the studios’ toy box for you in order to be able to present you the top 10 most eagerly awaited anime sequels – in no particular order!
The Promised Neverland 2
“The Promised Neverland” takes you into the world of Emma, Norman and Ray. The three children lead peaceful lives at the Grace Field orphanage. There they can do whatever they want – with the only rule never to leave the home. But one day an unfortunate coincidence leads Emma and Norman to break this commandment and stumble upon the terrible truth of their homeland …
The anime adapts the manga of the same name by author Kaiu Shirai and draftsman Posuka Demizu, which appeared in “Weekly Shonen Jump” from 2016 and is completed with volume 20.
The second season continues the series from about the fifth volume and begins after the great escape of Emma and her siblings from the orphanage. While Isabella is severely punished for not stopping the children, Emma and the others run through the woods to leave the orphanage behind as far as possible. But instead of the long-awaited peace of freedom, a completely strange world now opens up before the children, the horror of which they could not have imagined even in their wildest dreams …
Director Mamoru Kanbe (“Elfen Lied”, “Sound of the Sky”) is responsible for staging the anime, while the studio Clover Works (“Fate / Grand Order – Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia”, “Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai”) takes over the animation.
Dr. Stone: Stone Wars
A mysterious wave of petrification is sweeping across the planet, putting all people in the modern world into a deep sleep. 3000 years later, Senku wakes up from his rigidity and meets his old buddy Taiju. Together they decide to awaken humanity from petrification. A project that does not meet with approval from everyone, not all survivors share their idea of a perfect world.
In the second season, Senku and his people infiltrate the Tsukasa empire and cause chaos with their latest scientific achievement! But the group in the kingdom of science is not resting on their laurels, as they are meanwhile trying to build a steam engine and a car, which will start the industrial revolution in Stone World!
Senku’s and Taiju’s adventure was staged by Shinya Iino (episode director for “Made in Abyss“, “Black Bullet”) and was created by TMS Entertainment (“Fruits Basket 2019”, “D.Gray-man”). The script came from Yuichiro Kido, Yuuko Iwasa (“Yowamushi Pedal Movie”) took care of the character design and the music was provided by Tatsuya Kato (Free!“, “Mirai Nikki”), Hiroaki Tsutsumi (“Jujutsu Kaisen“), “Orange”) and Yukihiro Kanesaka.
That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime 2 (part 1)
With “That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime” the name says it all: When the 37-year-old Satoru has suddenly killed himself while trying to protect his friends from an escaping criminal, he was to be in a dark one shortly afterward Cave to be revived as a blue blob! There he gradually gets to know the advantages of life as slime, until the future finally has something bigger in store for him …
After he kept his promise to Shizu in season 1, it is time to return to Tempest – and it is high time that the kingdom of Farms is after the monster nation! The slime ruler may face hard times, because Milim Nava, Rimuru’s good friend, is not forging such friendly plans either.
The adaptation of the eponymous light novel by author Fuse and illustrator Mitz Vah is being directed by Yuji Ikuhara (CG producer, special effects, and occasional ending director of season 1) at Studio 8Bit (“Grisaia” series, “Infinite Stratos”). Nobody less than the singer TRUE, who is already known from the first ending and the opening of “Violet Evergarden”, will contribute the opening song “Storyteller”.
Season 2 adapts this underlying light novel from the 5th volume and is also produced at 8Bit.
The Quintessential Quintuplets 2
The story of the series revolves around the poor eater Fuutarou, who one day meets the rich Itsuki Nakano in the school cafeteria. His first impression of a “snooty bitch” is still his undoing because a job offer that initially seems great turns out to be a position as a tutor for the Nakanos! Despite all the adversities, Fuutarou doesn’t let himself get rid of and not only gets to know the peculiarities of the redhead, but also her four crazy twin sisters!
Season 2 begins with a new problem: Fuutarou has a cold! But he cannot afford a break as a tutor because the five siblings are about to be thrown out of school . But the troubles don’t stop after a heated argument drives a wedge between the sisters and Fuutarou’s past seems to be slowly catching up with him …
In contrast to the first season, “The Quintessential Quintuplets ∬” is not being produced by Studio Tezuka Productions (“Dagashi Kashi 2”) but is being created by a new team under the direction of director Kaori (“Endro ~”, “How to keep a mummy”) in the Bibury Animation Studio (“Grisaia: Phantom Trigger”, “Azur Lane”). The second season of the sweet romance comedy was actually supposed to start in October 2020, but COVID-19 caused production delays, so the start had to be postponed to January 2021.
The series adapts the manga of the same name by artist Negi Haruba, which recently ended with volume 14 in Japan. The anime so far covers four volumes of the original. Speculations suggest that the series will end with an original finale in its second season as well. However, this rumor has not yet been confirmed.
Re: Zero – Starting Life in Another World 2 (Part 2)
In the second season, after a successful fight against the white whale, there are only two things left for the great hero Subaru to do: tell Emilia von Rem’s love confession and promote his white-haired flame to the royal throne! But on the way back there is a bloodcurdling incident when two other disciples of the witch-cult attack the column and mess both Rem and Krusch. Subaru is now on the verge of desperation again – why does nobody remember the blue-haired maid after the attack?
In the second part, which starts in January 2021, Subaru meets not just one, but six of the witches on the way to Echidna’s castle. Completely perplexed, the boy tries to get his situation under control, but suddenly the last guest answers: Satella, the witch of envy ! Trapped in the midst of these dangerous women who could easily destroy the world, Subaru tries desperately to somehow get out of his situation, but when all hope seems to have been lost, an unexpected rescue comes …
“Re: Zero” adapts the light novel of the same name by the author Tappei Nagatsuki, which to date has 21 volumes in Japan. The second season starts with the tenth volume of the story and is again being produced under the direction of Masaharu Watanabe (“Granbelm”) at Studio White Fox (“Arifureta“, “Steins; Gate”).
BEASTARS 2
Beastars takes you into a world in which anthropomorphic animals live in human-like communities. At the “Cherryton Academy,” there is a deep distrust between carnivores and herbivores, which also makes life difficult for the peaceful wolf Legosi. When a member of the theater club is eaten, his classmates suspect Legosi, who is now facing the probably hardest period of his youth …
After he was able to successfully free Haru from the clutches of the predator gang in season 1, Legosi would have been happy about a return to normal school life, but something is wrong. He can clearly hear a rattle that is getting closer – or is it just imagining it? No, his wolf ears are not playing tricks on him because someone is sneakily lying in wait for him. He is clearly being watched , but by whom?
The anime adapts the manga of the same name by Paru Itagaki, which so far has 21 volumes in Japan. The series is being directed by Shinichi Matsumi (episode director for “Garo the Animation”, “Rage of Bahamut: Genesis”) in Studio Orange (“Dimension W”, “Land of the Lustrous”).
Cells at Work! 2
Humanized cell organs and bacteria ensure a colorful hustle and bustle in the body. It is important to maintain the metabolic functions, destroy nasty pathogens and always ensure a smooth blood flow. Without a real common thread, we accompany the somewhat clumsy red blood cell AE3803, the competent white blood cell U-1146, the eosinophil and the sweet, small blood platelets, the thrombocytes, in their daily work.
In season 2, the turbulent activity of the blood cells continues, but the human body they inhabit does not seem to take health and hygiene too seriously, because new dangers await them soon: an attack by the dengue virus’ , an invasion of the stomach bacterium helicobacter pylori, and even acne make life difficult for the defense group this time!
“Cells at Work” is drawn by Mangaka Akane Shimizu and has been featured in Shounen Sirius magazine since 2014. To date, five volumes have been published in Japan. The second season of the anime series is created, just like season 1, under the direction of Kenichi Suzuki (“Drifters”, “JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure”) in the David Production studio (“Fire Force“, “JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure”).
Laid-Back Camp 2
“Laid-Back Camp” is about the outdoor enthusiast Rin who regularly drives camping on her scooter. One day she reads up the dreamy Nadeshiko who is simply scratched into the bench of a wash house. She is Rin’s new classmate and, excited about the whole new experience of camping, joins her school’s outdoor club. This is how an exciting time full of coziness, thermos tea, and the adventure begins.
The second season starts with the New Year celebrations, and the only question that troubles the friends is: where do they watch the first sunrise of the year? No matter whether on the beach or with a view of the beautiful Fuji, the main thing is that you camp again! Hopefully, the tour won’t be ruined by a sudden snowstorm.
Studio C-Station (“Dragonar Academy”, “Starmyu”) was responsible for the production of the series, while director Yoshiaki Kyougoku (episode director for “Tokyo Ghoul”, “Kuroko’s Basketball”) was the artistic director. The anime adapts the manga of the same name by the artist Afro, which so far has ten volumes in Japan. In the first season, the story was implemented up to the fourth volume.
The Seven Deadly Sins 4
The story of The Seven Deadly Sins takes place a long time ago in the British Kingdom: an overpowering group of warriors, known as the “Seven Deadly Sins“, has achieved downright legendary status as they are considered particularly cruel and insidious, but also long ago under the earth.
But gloomy clouds are gathering in the British sky because the holy paladins of the royal court are planning a coup so that Princess Elizabeth puts her last hope in the seven deceitful fighters that she is now trying to find again. She meets the leader of the troop, the Dragon Sin Meliodas, and sets off with him to reunite the old friends and save the kingdom.
After the legendary warrior could end up bidding the tyranny of Ten, meet Diane and King with Gloxinia and Drole in the fourth season, the “Dragon’s Judgment” was baptized, a very special deal: you would for a special training 3,000 years in the Vergangeheit be sent, just before the end of the Holy War! There they find out that a much more dangerous threat than the Ten Commandments awaits them.
In “Dragon’s Judgment” the speakers of the previous seasons return to the microphone. It is still not known whether the season will be produced again at the controversial DEEN studio or whether it will return to the animation company A-1 Pictures. The exact number of episodes or the specific start date is just as obscure.
Log Horizon: Destruction of the Round Table
“Log Horizon” is based on the 12-volume light novel of the same name by author Mamare Touno and revolves around the gamer Shiroe, who one day is trapped in his favorite MMO “Elder Tale” . Despite the precarious situation, the gaming veteran is not thinking of panicking, but instead teams up with the kind-hearted Naotsugu and the shrewd ninja girl Akatsuki to explore their new home and create a functioning civilization …
A year has passed since the capture of the players in Elder Tale and Akiba has become a thriving center of civilization. But stability begins to falter when a new, mysterious monster appears out of the blue and the upper classes from the east and west are on the verge of a major conflict , and to top it off, a small argument seems to drive a wedge between the adventurers. The round table, the symbol of their harmony, is facing a crisis …
Just like the first two seasons, “Destruction of the Round Table” will again be produced under the direction of director Shinji Ishihira (“Fairy Tail”, “Super Lovers”). The animations for the first season were taken over by Studio Sunrise (“Accel World”), Season 2, like season 3, was created by Studio DEEN (“Higurashi“). Toshizo Nemoto is still responsible for the scripts.
