9 anime that immediately received a second season after season 1
Anime that immediately received a second season after the first one is varied because of its genre, animation quality, and the source material the studios have to adapt. There are cases of series that also get a second season because they have great legacies and people want to see the best portions of the story adapted with modern animation, such as the cases of Urusei Yatsura and Rurouni Kenshi in recent years.
However, all of these series have something in common, and that is the fact that they leave people wanting more, hence why a second season is confirmed from the get-go. And while these productions appear in no particular order, they all represent a major success story in the medium during the last decade or so.
Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers for all the series mentioned here. Any opinion belongs to the author and not Sportskeeda.
9 anime that immediately received a second season after the first one and why
1. Solo Leveling
Solo Leveling might be one of the best examples in recent memory of anime that immediately received a second season after the first one because of the outstanding reception each episode had. This anime came out in January of 2024 and quickly became popular, with some people arguing that it was going to usher in a new era of manhwa adaptations.
Many years ago, several gates were opened and paved the way for powerful creatures to enter the human world and cause chaos. Alongside, some individuals were born with special abilities and became Hunters— a profession that focuses on fighting these monsters across those gates.
Sung Jin-woo, the protagonist, is among the weakest but gets access to the System, which is an ability that allows him to get stronger, making him unique over the rest of his peers.
The story stands out because of its world-building, the mix of RPG and classic battle shonen influences, and the fact that A-1 Pictures committed greatly to the animation side of things. Its second season was confirmed the moment the first one ended, and is poised to come out in early 2025.
2. Jujutsu Kaisen
There are few series in the medium that have had the popularity of Jujutsu Kaisen from the get-go, so it was no surprise that the anime got a second season confirmed almost immediately. The first season also had Studio MAPPA firing on all cylinders, with this franchise perhaps being the one that propelled that studio's popularity as well.
Yuji Itadori seems to be a normal high school teenager, but has superhuman strength and gets involved in supernatural conflicts involving demonic spirits known as Curses, by a sorcerer named Megumi Fushiguro. The protagonist gets involved in the world of sorcery since he ate a magical finger that belonged to the most powerful sorcerer of all time, Ryomen Sukuna, and now Yuji is his vessel.
While Jujutsu Kaisen, especially in its first season, followed a formulaic battle shonen formula, the stellar animation and charismatic characters such as Satoru Gojo got people's attention. And the franchise hasn't looked back ever since, with the second season being even more popular.
3. My Hero Academia
My Hero Academia is one of the most popular anime of the last decade or so, but not a lot of people remember that it was one of the first series to really promote the seasonal format. While other series were doing it at the time, this Studio Bones production was one of the most popular at that, hence why it has become a more common model to use, since it allows for higher animation quality than the weekly format.
This anime also certainly benefitted from the success of author Kohei Horikoshi's manga, telling the story of a world where people are born with superpowers and the protagonist, Izuku "Deku" Midoriya, is among the minority who doesn't have one. However, his idol, the hero All Might, discovers his value as a person and gives him access to his own power, One For All, paving the way for Izuku to fulfill his dream of becoming a hero.
The manga was already a major success, so it was not surprising to see the anime getting a second season right away.
4. Rurouni Kenshin
Rurouni Kenshin was one of the biggest anime and manga franchises of the 90s, so the 2023 remake by Liden Films had the task of living up to people's high expectations. They also had to present this classic series to the younger generations, which has proven to be a success since the anime ended and quickly confirmed its second season, promoting the legendary Kyoto arc.
The story takes place in the Meiji era of Japan, and follows a ronin named Kenshin Himura, who has vowed to never take a life again after his stint many years ago as the assassin for the government, Hitokiri Battōsai. However, as he finally manages to settle down in Tokyo with a young lady named Kaoru Kamiya, ghosts of his past come to haunt him and force him back into action, testing his morality.
5. The Apothecary Diaries
The Apothecary Diaries might be one of the most surprising cases of an anime that immediately received a second season because of its context. While the manga had good reviews, and was beloved by its fans, it didn't have the expectations of being that successful.
However, it has managed to gain a great following with its 2023 release, ending in March 2024, with a second season poised to come out in January 2025.
The story takes place in a fictional country based on Imperial China during the Tang dynasty, and the protagonist is a young girl named Maomao, an apothecary who loves poisons, who was kidnapped to work in the imperial structure.
Her ability to detect poison quickly makes her rise through the ranks against her will and has to get involved in several conspiracies and assassination attempts.
Maomao is a compelling character, and her journey is coupled with several great additions to the supporting cast, such as Jinshi, one of the eunuchs who runs the administration of the castle. This series has gained a massive following and the second season was never in doubt.
6. Blue Lock
Since the days of Haikyuu!!, there has been no sports series in the industry with the success and appeal of Blue Lock. This anime took the world by storm, to the point of being cited by the Japanese national football team in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, and also has become the flagship sports franchise of the medium since the anime was released that year.
Yoichi Isagi is a teenager who recently lost a final for his school team because he chose to pass in a decisive moment, and his teammate failed. However, he gets an invitation for the Blue Lock project, which makes the best teenage strikers of Japan go through several ordeals to become the best in their age group, or they are at risk of never playing professional football again.
The premise of Blue Lock is quite extreme and there are many moments where the series goes over the top in its execution, but the message of prioritizing yourself to be successful and do your best to get what you want resonated with a lot of viewers. It's no surprise that this anime got a second season, which is currently underway and getting a lot of criticism regarding its animation.
7. Urusei Yatsura
Urusei Yatsura is an interesting case, because the 80s anime adaptation became a major hit in Japan but never had the chance to reach overseas audiences the same way. Therefore, the 2022 remake was a massive opportunity and quickly became one of the anime that immediately received a second season, introducing the younger generations to everyone's favorite alien waifu, Lum.
Ataru Moroboshi is a teenager obsessed with girls, who suffers from a lot of bad luck but is chosen to represent humanity against an alien race that wants to take over the world. He has to catch the horns of the leader's daughter, Lum, to save humanity, but as he does that, he takes off her bra to distract her, which, in their culture, means a proposal of marriage.
Author Rumiko Takahashi would become known for her comedy and romance in Ranma 1/2 and Inuyasha, but this is where her career truly took off. It is an episodic comedy that focuses on Ataru and Lum's dysfunctional relationship and their friends' misfortunes, although it hides some truly compelling moments and narratives.
8. Oshi No Ko
Oshi No Ko's first season was one of the biggest surprises in the industry in recent years, not only because it gathered great reviews and made the manga one of the best sellers in 2023, but also due to the international success of the opening song, Idol, performed by Yoasobi, even surpassing global stars such as Rihanna.
Therefore, it's not surprising that is one of those anime that immediately received a second season. It tells the story of Gorou Amamiya, a doctor who is killed and comes back to life as the baby of his favorite idol (and a lady he was taking care of in the hospital), Ai Hoshino. But this woman is also killed and he wants to discover who the murderer was to enact his revenge.
The series also deals heavily with the entertainment industry, the mechanics of acting, the corruption of the world the idols become a part of, and a lot more. It also deals with the descent into darkness of Aqua (Gorou's name as Ai's son) since he can't let go of his desire for revenge.
9. Spy X Family
There are few anime that have managed to go beyond the traditional areas of the medium in terms of audiences, but Spy X Family did just that in 2022. The combination of espionage stories with comedy and the family structure of Loid, Yor, and Anya was a winning combination that made it a massive success. The aforementioned pink-haired telepath has become one of the faces of the industry.
This series' success in 2022 was massive and quickly got a second season, which aired back in 2023, as well as having a movie. It tells the story of Twilight, a spy who has to go undercover in a country that is at war with his own, and has to form a fake family to gather information at a major school. He thus finds a lady named Yor Forger, who, unbeknownst to him, is a hired assassin, and Anya, an orphan girl who can read minds.
While this anime usually has a comedic approach, the combination of these characters is compelling and wholesome. It shows the importance of a family structure and how each person represents something the others didn't have, which is why it has become so popular for so many viewers.
Final thoughts
There are a lot of anime that immediately received a second season but these are some of the most prominent for a variety of reasons. All of them were well-received, but some of them relied on the success and popularity of the manga, or simply managed to surprise new viewers due to the quality of the story and the animation, thus leaving people wanting more.
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