On July 7th, Vinland Saga received its first official trailer announcing that the stunning Viking story of Thorfinn is currently in production and it's expected the anime will be a success. But while some anime are lucky enough to run for years, others sit waiting for their chance at just a second season.
With some anime, it seems impossible that they'll ever get there, but for others, it simply takes a while. It took six years for Blue Exorcist to release a season two, and fans are still waiting for the next season of Hunter X Hunter 8 years later. But there are some anime that don't even have a second season in the pipeline, no matter how much the story deserves it.
Ranking of Kings
Ranking of Kings took many fans by surprise as this anime came out of nowhere. Prince Boji who had much stolen from him without his knowing struggles through this fun fantasy adventure tale trying to find his purpose and to be a worthy king.
This anime seemed borderline childish at times but showed it could take dark turns with how gory certain deaths were. While Ranking of Kings ended in a way that could be the conclusion if it needed to be, the manga is still ongoing and Wit studio did such a phenomenal job animating the series that it seems unlikely they'll let it pass.
Trigun
Anyone familiar with Trigun may not initially think a sequel could work. After all, the original anime gave a very solid conclusion to the story and wrapped up several characters' story arcs. In some ways, it wouldn't work.
However, Trigun adapted an unfinished manga. With that said, there is still plenty of material to adapt to a second season. A second possibility, which would be even better and more likely, is for a newer version of the anime that readapts what the original anime already had and continues to finish the manga. This treatment has been given to series before like the astonishing anime that every anime fan should watch, Fullmetal Alchemist, and would allow anime-only watchers to get the full experience of this story.
Blood Lad
Blood Lad has always been a bit of a hidden gem both among anime and manga. And it's hard not to love the main character, Staz Charlie Blood a vampire who loves anime and video games. He even pulls off a Kamehameha in a fight!
While Blood Lad received a single season, it also received an OVA and an ONA, but still no second season. Blood Lad is an interesting enough story and the first season was well adapted. So why Brain's Base or a different studio doesn't pick the anime back up and give it a second season is an enigma, but it certainly deserves one.
Dragon Ball Super
While Dragon Ball Super has yet to have a second season the manga is still going strong and two movies have been released within the last few years--Dragon Ball Super: Broly and Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero.
Why Toei Animation hasn't decided to pull the trigger yet and begin adapting the second season of Dragon Ball Super from the manga is odd. There is plenty of material to adapt the Moro arc, but perhaps they are waiting for the current arc to finish first. For now Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero will hopefully be enough to satisfy Dragon Ball fans, but a new season needs to come soon.
Yona of the Dawn
While Yona of the Dawn isn't often talked about, it was a well-received anime adaptation and the shojo manga is also one of the most well-loved in the demographic.
Yona of the Dawn is a beautiful story with a good adaptation and animation. While the series did receive an OVA in 2016, the series has hardly been done justice. With it being six years now without any sort of anime sequel announcement many fans of the series may feel disheartened, but some series do take much longer to get a second season than others.
Btoom!
Btoom! is one of those anime that seems to come out of nowhere. The plot and idea are interesting with a very Hunger Games type of feel to it. Some scenes were a bit over the top, but it was ultimately an engaging story with high stakes.
The anime finished in 2012 and the manga run ended in 2018. Ratings for the series are generally fairly average, but with the right kind of budget and animation, the anime could really come back strong for a second season.
Horimiya
Romance anime has become more popular in recent years and one of the anime that has helped with that was last year's Horimiya and the romance that gave one of the best slice-life couples.
Some manga fans of this story are evidently unhappy with the way Horimiya was adapted and claim that a second season just wouldn't be possible. While others are more positive saying a second season could easily work and continue to adapt the manga. With the manga finishing in 2021 and the first anime season having debuted the same year it's certainly possible this anime could get a continuation relatively soon too.
Black Clover
Black Clover possesses a diverse and likable cast that has grown on anime fans throughout the years. Black Clover has grown increasingly more popular, especially as it neared the end of its first season and began improving its overall animation dramatically.
Black Clover manga fans will know that the manga will be ending soon. Currently, on hiatus, it will soon be beginning the final part of the story. With Black Clover recently receiving an untitled film, it will still be some time until a second season comes. Most likely, they will start a season 2 sometime in 2024. By then, the Black Clover manga should also be near its end.
Rascal Does Not Dream Of Bunny Girl Senpai
Much like Horimiya, Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai (a mouthful title) has been a huge part of making romance anime more popular.
Without a doubt, it is one of the most popular romance anime to release in the last few years and even received a well-loved film in 2021. With the popularity of the franchise, it seems unlikely they will wait too long before beginning production on the next anime adaptation. In fact, fans should hear something either this year or next.
Hunter x Hunter
Hunter x Hunter has always been one of the most popular shonen manga and if Togashi did not take so many breaks (Note: his breaks are due to health reasons) the manga would be finished by now. However, it is important that everyone gets the rest they need and Togashi deserves every break he takes.
Hunter x Hunter is a widely well-loved anime ranking as many peoples' favorites. This year, fans recently learned that Togashi is briefly coming back from his hiatus and will be publishing ten chapters this year. This is exciting news that will lead to a new volume being published in the series. While the manga has been going at a bit of a slow pace, there is actually more than enough material for them to fit in a second season and perhaps even a third.