Angels of Death originally began as a psychological horror game released in 2015. The game, which later expanded to platforms like iOS and Android, also has a popular anime adaptation and manga. The anime, created by J.C. Staff—a renowned studio known for beloved anime since the 1980s—has been well received. The studio is also famous for multi-season series like One Punch Man and DanMachi, which has sparked hope for a new season of Angels of Death as well. The anime, licensed by Funimation and Crunchyroll, aired on local broadcasters AT-X, Tokyo MX, KBS Kyoto, T.V. Aichi, Sun T.V., BS11, and TVQ from July 6 to October 26, 2018. It gained even more popularity through its broadcast on Hulu TV, and the +4 episode OVA delighted fans. However, after more than six years, viewers are still hoping for a second season. Could it happen?
What is the plotline of the anime?
When 13-year-old Rachel awakens, she finds herself trapped on the ground floor of an abandoned building. She walks around the building in a dazed and lost state, with no memories or idea where she is. In her search, she encounters a man wrapped in bandages. The man introduces himself as Zack and uses a sickle-like weapon called Azrael. There is a strange bond between them, strengthened by cryptic and unsettling words. The two are captive in this strange building, not knowing why fate has put them there, but they work together to find a way out.
Will there be a second season of Angels of Death?
As of November 29, 2024, J.C. Staff or any related company has yet to renew the series for a second season. The anime series, which is an adaptation of the game and the manga, takes its story from them, although there are differences. Considering the general popularity of the anime, a new season does not seem impossible. There are still many open questions regarding Rachel’s fate, and the story has left plenty of ground for a second season.
The anime’s Blu-ray disc sales were made in the summer of 2018. Although disc sales were more prevalent in that period than now, the sales figures were far from the targets. Generally, an anime is expected to sell at least 4000 units, but Angels of Death remained below 1000 units in a total of 4 volume averages.
The anime Angels of Death ranked 309th in Myanimelist’s popularity ranking. This score can be considered sufficient to renew an anime for a second season. It was also ranked 72nd in anime at the Tokyo Anime Award Festival 2019. When we look at the Google search data to see the current popularity of the anime, we see a good search volume. Of course, the fact that the video game of the series is as popular as the anime also has an effect. If an anime series has a game, we can say that things are going well financially. We think the creators can handle a new season financially. The anime’s popularity on social media has been also quite strong. The official X page has over 100k followers, and ongoing advertisements continue to engage a dedicated fanbase, which supports the possibility of a second season.
The anime adaptation primarily covers the events from Volumes 1 to 4 of the manga series. This corresponds to the story arc in which Rachel and Zack navigate the building, meeting the various “floor masters” with distinct personalities and motivations. The manga has a total of 12 volumes, meaning there are still 8 volumes of source material available for a continuation, making a second season quite feasible. With this ample material left, there’s plenty of room to continue Rachel and Zack’s journey and explore the mysteries surrounding the building, its characters, and their connections.
However, while a second season seems a possibility in terms of these factors, there is also the possibility of a prequel (based on Angels of Death Episode.0). If a renewal happens soon, the production period will likely be around one year, and hopefully, we could see a new season somewhere around late in 2025 or somewhere in 2026 earliest.
Relationship between Game, Manga, and Anime
Although the Angels of Death anime series is an adaptation, it differs from the Manga and the Game in many points. The manga series includes more of the killers’ background stories, and the anime and the game fall short in this regard. We also recommend the manga series with detailed drawings to anime viewers. In the game and the manga, Zack is over 20, but in the anime, he is 15/16, while Rachel is always 13. This age difference was not welcomed, and the age balance in the anime was viewed positively by many readers.
The manga series was completed on September 15, 2020, and most of the source material, from Volumes 1-4, was adapted into the anime. The anime adaptation primarily covers the events from these first four volumes, which correspond to the story arc where Rachel and Zack meet the various “floor masters” in the building. This arc sets up many character interactions and twists, and while the anime concludes the initial storyline, many doors were left open for further exploration.
Given that the manga has more content and the popularity of the series, the possibility of a second season remains viable. Alternatively, a prequel based on Angels of Death: Episode.0 is also a likely option. With sufficient source material and an interested fanbase, a continuation of the series could still be on the horizon.