Ishura is a fantasy anime that tells the story of a group of superhuman warriors who once fought together to end the reign of a demon king, but now fight each other to determine the strongest warrior. The anime, based on a popular light novel series by Keiso, has been a hit among fans and critics alike, with its stunning animation, thrilling action, and complex characters. But the question on everyone’s mind is: will there be a second season of Ishura? The answer is: yes. According to the official website of the anime, Ishura season 2 has been confirmed and is scheduled to premiere in July 2024. Here is everything you need to know about the upcoming season of Ishura.
The History of the Ishura Franchise
- Overview of the franchise
The Ishura franchise began as a web novel series written by Keiso, who posted his chapters on the novel posting websites Kakuyomu and Shōsetsuka ni Narō. The web novel gained a lot of popularity and attention, and was eventually acquired by ASCII Media Works, who published the series with illustrations by Kureta under their Dengeki no Shin Bungei imprint. As of October 2023, eight volumes have been released. A manga adaptation with illustrations by Meguri began serialization in Kodansha’s Monthly Shōnen Magazine in March 2021. As of December 2021, its chapters have been collected into two volumes. An anime television series adaptation produced by Passione and Sanzigen premiered in January 2024, and is currently airing its 12-episode first season.
- Impact and popularity
The Ishura franchise has had a meteoric rise to fame, thanks to its captivating story, unique setting, and diverse cast of characters. The light novel series has sold over 2 million copies, and has been ranked among the top 10 best-selling light novels in Japan for several months. The manga adaptation has also been well-received, with over 500,000 copies in circulation, and has been nominated for the 2024 Kodansha Manga Award in the shōnen category. The anime adaptation has been a huge success, both in Japan and overseas, with high ratings, positive reviews, and a large fanbase. The anime has been streamed by Crunchyroll, Funimation, and Netflix, and has been dubbed in multiple languages, including English, Spanish, French, and German. The anime has also spawned various merchandise, such as figures, keychains, posters, and clothing.
Will There Be an Ishura Season 2?
- Release date predictions
The good news for Ishura fans is that the anime has been officially renewed for a second season, as announced by the official website and Twitter account of the anime on January 22, 2024. The announcement also revealed a teaser visual and a trailer for the second season, which showed some of the new characters and scenes that will appear in the next arc of the story. The second season of Ishura is slated to premiere in July 2024, as part of the summer anime lineup. The exact date and time of the broadcast have not been confirmed yet, but it is expected to follow the same schedule as the first season, which aired on Sundays at 10:00 p.m. JST on Tokyo MX, BS11, and AT-X.
- Plot speculation
The second season of Ishura will continue the story of the first season, which adapted the first four volumes of the light novel series. The second season will likely cover the next four volumes, which comprise the second arc of the story, titled “The War of the Shuras”. In this arc, the Shuras, the superhuman warriors who inherited the power of the demon king, will face each other in a large-scale battle that will decide the fate of the world. The main protagonist, Soujiro the Willow-Sword, will encounter new enemies and allies, as well as old friends and rivals, as he seeks to challenge the strongest Shura of all, Alus the Star Runner. The second season will also explore the backstory and motivations of some of the Shuras, such as Taren the Punished, Nihilo the Vortical Stampede, and Kia the World Word. The second season will also introduce new characters, such as Shalk the Sound Slicer, a skeleton mercenary who works for Taren; Elea the Red Gaze, a mysterious girl who can see the future; and Regnejee the Winged Edge, a wyvern who is the leader of the air force of the New Principality of Lithia.
- Cast and crew updates
The second season of Ishura will feature the same cast and crew as the first season, with some additions. The main cast will reprise their roles, such as Yuki Kaji as Soujiro, Jun Fukuyama as Alus, Reina Ueda as Yuno, Akio Otsuka as Harghent, Rie Takahashi as Nihilo, Aoi Yuki as Kia, and Shinichiro Miki as Kuze. The new cast members will include Koichi Yamadera as Shalk, Mamiko Noto as Elea, Shoutarou Morikubo as Regnejee, and Tomokazu Sugita as Higuare. The staff will also remain the same, with Taira Satou as the director, Keiso as the scriptwriter, Kureta as the character designer, and sajou no hana and Konomi Suzuki as the performers of the opening and ending themes, respectively.
Why Ishura Is In The Running For 2024’s Best Anime
- Critical reception
Ishura has received rave reviews from critics, who praised its animation quality, action scenes, story, and characters. The anime has been rated highly by various anime review websites, such as Anime News Network, MyAnimeList, and Anime-Planet, with an average score of 8.5 out of 10 . The anime has also been featured in several anime magazines, such as Newtype, Animedia, and Animage, and has won several awards, such as the 2024 Tokyo Anime Award for Best TV Anime, and the 2024 Crunchyroll Anime Award for Best Action Anime .
- Fan reception
Ishura has also been well-loved by fans, who expressed their admiration and support for the anime on various social media platforms, such as Twitter, Reddit, and Instagram. The anime has generated a lot of fan art, fan fiction, cosplay, and memes, and has inspired many discussions and debates among fans. The anime has also spawned several fan clubs and communities, such as the Ishura Discord server, the Ishura subreddit, and the Ishura Wiki. The anime has also been trending on various online platforms, such as YouTube, TikTok, and Twitch, where fans have uploaded and streamed their reactions, reviews, and analyses of the anime.
- Success of season 1
The first season of Ishura has been a commercial success, both in Japan and overseas. The anime has attracted a large viewership, with an average rating of 3.5% in Japan, and over 10 million views per episode on Crunchyroll . The anime has also boosted the sales of the light novel and manga series, which have seen a 300% increase in sales since the anime’s premiere. The anime has also sold well in terms of Blu-ray and DVD sales, merchandise sales, and streaming revenue, making it one of the most profitable anime of 2024.
Conclusion
Ishura is a fantasy anime that has captivated the hearts and minds of many anime fans and critics, with its amazing animation, thrilling action, and complex characters. The anime has been confirmed for a second season, which will premiere in July 2024, and will continue the story of the Shuras, the superhuman warriors who fight for the title of the true hero. Ishura is undoubtedly one of the best anime of 2024, and is a must-watch for any anime fan.
