In the anime industry, it is common for new series to be introduced with subsequent seasons.
However, not every successful series gets a second season, leaving fans waiting for years without results. That's the case with “No Game No Life”, “Majo no Tabitabi (Wandering Witch: The Journey of Elaina)” and “Accel World”, three anime series that, despite their popularity, have yet to receive a new season.
“No Game No Life” is based on the light novel of the same name by Yuu Kamiya, which aired in 2014 and quickly attracted a devoted fan base. The story follows two brothers, Sora and Hiro, who are transported to a fantasy world where all conflicts are resolved through games.
Despite the success of the series and the release of a prequel film in 2017, a second season has yet to be confirmed. Original author Yuu Kamiya has expressed his bewilderment on social media at the persistent fan demand for a sequel, pointing out that the “excellent quality” of the first season could be a barrier to producing a second season.
Another notable case is “Majo no Tabitabi”, based on the light novel by Jougi Shiraishi. The story follows the traveling witch Elaina, as she travels through different cities and faces various situations. Although the anime was well received and the original story was continued with 23 episodes in October 2024, there is still no news of a second season. Author Shiraishi has expressed his desire to continue the anime, calling on fans to support the series so that a sequel can be made.
Finally, “Accel World,” based on the light novels by Reki Kawahara, has fallen into a similar trap. The series, which aired in 2012, follows Haruyuki, a high school student who escapes his harsh reality through an augmented reality game. While the original material is still being published, with 27 volumes as of August 2024, only a small portion of the story has been adapted, leaving fans waiting for a second season that seems increasingly unlikely.
While some anime like “Kimi ni Todoke: From Me to You” have managed to release sequels years after their first season aired, not every project has been so lucky.
Interest in new titles, changing trends, and the difficulty of reuniting the original cast are just some of the obstacles sequels face. However, fans are not losing hope that their favorite films will one day return to the screen.
One reason given was: “In the end, anime is made to promote light novels or manga, and if a work has too many episodes, it's hard to attract new fans. Even if someone wants to read the original material, it's hard to get started if you have to buy dozens of episodes. Even though anime is very popular, this is no longer an era where Blu-rays sell well, so anime can hardly make a profit on its own, which complicates the production of sequels.”
“I've always thought that publishers tend to adapt light novels into anime to increase sales explosively, so I think they prefer 'new works' over second seasons.”, another person added.
A fan explained: “In the case of 'No Game No Life', the author was unable to continue writing due to health issues, making it difficult for the anime project to progress. For 'Accel World', the author was asked to edit many parts of the content, such as depictions of bullying and psychological violence, which could hinder the story. Furthermore, the retirement or temporary withdrawal of the original voice actors could also make it difficult to continue the adaptation.”
