Banana Fish is a manga series that was first published in May 1985, and it aired until April 1994. After two decades, MAPPA, a Japanese anime studio, adapted the manga to the anime, which is released on July 6, 2018. It consists of 24 episodes after its first season is over. And after two years of publishing the anime’s last episode, fans are still curious about season 2. Will, there be a second season of the anime, and when will it release? After the highly acclaimed 1st season finale on December 19, 2018, many positive reviews were done for the series. According to IMDb data, the anime published on Amazon Prime and gained a fan base worldwide has an above-average score of 7.9. If you want, let’s remember this series that has passed two years and take a look at the story before moving on to the release date.
Table of Contents
What was Banana Fish about?
Banana Fish is a crime thriller, and the events in the show take place in America. Ash Lynx is the main character of the series, which has a remarkably charming appearance and outstanding fighting power. Ash is the leader of a street gang of children in New York City at the age of 17.
When Ash was a child, Ash’s older brother, Griffin Callenreese, who was serving the US Army during the Vietnam War in 1973, turned mad one night and opened fire on his squad. The boy collapsed by speaking the words “Banana Fish”. He became mentally handicapped and started to live with his brother Ash, under his care in New York City.
Ash’s life took a turn when a dying man shot by his subordinate gave him a flask of a substance and an address in California and told him “Banana Fish” while dying. Ash starts to investigate “Banana Fish” with its source’s curiosity, which starts a chain of events in the story.
What we can see in season 2 of Banana Fish?
If a possible second season happens, it doesn’t seem possible without our main character Ash. So, is Ash really dead? Some fans cannot accept this death. There was no blood on the ground after being stabbed, and after all the hardships, such a death is very unfair even for the writers. Maybe we can see Ash and Eiji reunited in a second season. Unfortunately, still, these predictions are near impossible.
Will there be a Banana Fish season 2?
The last update on 6.12.2020: At the time of writing, the studio MAPPA or the producers has not renewed the series for a second season. As we mentioned before, the series is a manga adaptation, and the manga is finished and not ongoing today. The script of the series takes the manga from the 1980s to the 2000s, adding details such as smartphones and the Iraq war. Although this is the case, the anime is generally manga-based. This brings to mind the question of whether there are enough scripts for Season 2. Unfortunately, the answer to this question is negative. The manga has 19 volumes released so far, and you can find an anime & manga matching chart below.
| Anime Episode | Title | Manga Equivalent |
| 1 | A Perfect Day for Bananafish | Vol.1 Ch.1 to half of Ch.3 (137 pages) |
| 2 | In Another Country | Last half of Vol.1 Ch.3 to ~1/3 of Vol.2 (108 pages) |
| 3 | Across the River and Into the Trees | The next half of Vol.2 (88 pages) |
| 4 | This Side of Paradise | The rest of Vol.2 to ~1/4 of Vol.3 Ch.2 (105 pages) |
| 5 | From Death to Morning | The rest of Vol.3 Ch.2 to half of Vol.3 Ch.3 (80 pages) |
| 6 | My Lost City | Last half of Vol.3 Ch.3 to Vol.4 Ch.1 (91 pages) |
| 7 | The Rich Boy | The rest of Vol.4 (125 pages) |
| 8 | Banal Story | Vol.5 Ch.1 to ~75% of Vol.5 Ch.2 (110 pages) |
| 9 | Save Me the Waltz | Last ~25% of Vol.5 Ch.2 to (almost all of) Vol.6 Ch.1 **( |
| 10 | Babylon Revisited | Vol.6 Ch.2 to half of Vol.6 Ch.5 |
| 11 | The Beautiful and Damned | Last half of Vol.6 Ch.5 to half of Vol.7 Ch.3 |
| 12 | To Have and Have Not | Last half of Vol.7 Ch.3 to Vol.8 Ch.2 |
| 13 | The Snows of Kilimanjaro | Vol.8 Ch.2 to ~75% of Vol.9 Ch.1 |
| 14 | Tender is the Night | The rest of Vol.9 |
| 15 | The Garden of Eden | Half of Vol.10 |
| 16 | Lo, The Poor Peacock | Last half of Vol.10 to half of Vol.11 |
| 17 | The Killers | Half of Vol.11 to ~25% of Vol.12 |
| 18 | Islands in the Stream | ~75% of Vol.12 to ~75% of Vol.13 Ch.1 |
| 19 | Ice Palace | Last ~25% of Vol.13 Ch.1 to half of Vol.14 Ch.1 |
| 20 | The Unvanquished | Last half of Vol.14 Ch.1 to half of Vol.15 |
| 21 | The Undefeated | Last half of Vol.15 to all of Vol.16 |
| 22 | As I Lay Dying | Vol.17 Ch.1 to ~1/3 of Ch.2 |
| 23 | For Whom the Bell Tolls | The rest of Vol.17 Ch.2 to ~3/4 of Vol.18 Ch.1 |
| 24 | The Catcher in the Rye | The rest of Vol. 18 to all of Vol.19? |
Besides, it was hinted at the end of Season 1, implying that there will not be a Season 2 of the anime. There are five side stories that might be turned into a new series related to anime. However, the side stories may not be enough for a second season. It is more expected that those side stories may be released as special episodes instead of a whole new season. Nothing is certain, and we should wait and see if MAPPA will release new episodes or a new season. It is expected to be sometime in 2021 if MAPPA decides to renew the anime.
I don’t remember crying that much in any anime. Next on my list is Dororo, again Mappa and Amazon collaboration. I’m not very hopeful. We’ll see.
I wish season 2 would release asap because I want a happy ending. I guess not only me; many people wish Ash and Eiji to end up happily. It freaking hurts when Eiji said sayonara to everyone but not ash because he still wishes to meet him. I hope season 2 would release this year. 😊 No matter what, I believe Eiji and Ash to be together forever. ❤
I am pretty sure Ash died after reading Eiji’s message because he was literally stabbed on his way to the airport.
Yeah, and the girl tells to ash that he’s not supposed to sleep, and I guess at that time he’s dead. I hope not! My heart hurt so bad!
Ash, for me, is more than an anime character; he just tried very hard. He didn’t deserve such an ending everything was good. I was really happy, but when he was injured by a knife, my heart really broke. I cried a lot, and I was awake till morning to finish the anime, and what was it really I was depressed for a whole day, in a way, I was disappointed because he didn’t die by a shot so he can rescue by a wound, but it seems like he let himself die, I cried a lot till now I’m destroyed.
Please make season 2. I’m begging you. After all, Ash and Eiji deserve a happy ending. Even I am crying writing this comment now. The girl in the library should call an ambulance and save him. For God’s sake, make season 2 with Ash and Eiji both together. Please.
I was so hoped for a happy ending. I hope it gets a new season confirmation. If only Ash could see the Japanese lands and travel with Eiji. One day he could not see the daylight, young boy :(. One of the most impressive talks for me:
Jessica: I could not recover for six months. How do you…
Ash: If I had that much time, I would be dead by now.
Jessica freezes just like us when we watch the scene.
Anime that is easily watched can be finished quickly but is only slightly above the average in quality. The producer studio Mappa is a kind of madhouse spinout company founded by Masao Maruyama, one of the Madhouse’s former partners. Mappa has done very well in the past; After kids on the slope took over with a complete masterpiece, terror in resonance as well as that (though the director of both is ustad Shinichiro Watanabe), Ushio and Tora and Hajime no Ippo. But unfortunately, they cannot perform the subject knitting successfully in jobs where streaming services like banana fish or Kakegurui get their hands on (more precisely, their noses).
Banana fish is 10/10 for me, even though it made me cry and travel unhappy for days while reading and watching. Banana Fish goes beyond just a love story as it processes so many different emotions.
Is there any other anime that is such deep, expressive, and guaranteed to cry? It’s also a very frustrating ending. I can’t stop crying. I hope we will see season 2 of Banana Fish.
I’m sharing my depression guaranteed anime list:
1. Your Lie in April
2. Devilman Crybaby
3. Banana Fish
It’s not anime shounen-ai, the thing between the main characters is simple friendship. Perhaps we can call the relationship between them headcanon. An anime that you will cry a lot. I think there will be a second season. If you haven’t read the manga, I highly recommend it.
This comment contains spoilers
I watched this with my youngest, I’m 58 by the way. They cried, a lot. Ash Lynx is dead!!! I have repeatedly consoled them, he isn’t, just lost a lot of blood, hypovolaemic, not dead. The library lady needs to ring 911. Looking forward to season 2.
I knew how it would end, but it hurt. We never had a good day; we always cried; we were sad, angry, and lived with them. Seiyuu series deserve the greatest praise. Also, congratulations to MAPPA for the drawings. It probably won’t be a second season, but I’m looking forward with hope.
– Contains spoiler
I could write a comment one month after I finished it; the end touched me too much. First of all, I knew how it would end, and Ash would die, but I wasn’t aware that the episode I watched was the final episode. I thought there was a second season or something. Ash will die in the final, but that wasn’t the finale for me.
Yes, your right; It wasn’t the final. Ash deserved to be happy at the end of the story. Eiji is a brotherly figure to Ash. Eiji always comforts Ash, and he made him calm and relaxed if Eiji is around. It’s so heart breaking. I finished it yesterday. I hope we still have season 2. Let Ash happy at the end for what happened to his life. I look forward to it. The creator, the author, director. Thank you?
I like to think that Ash just passed out from bleeding so much, was taken to a hospital, recovered, and be able to go to Japan to see Eiji. I need them to be together again and for good.
I sincerely hope it will be season 2, I cried when I watch the last episode. I want Eiji and Ash to be happy together. ❤💔🥺
I’m devastated. I watched this anime when it was on the air, and I watched it again with my sister recently, and she is sure that no matter the years that pass, there will be a 2nd season and that Ash is not dead. I keep crying 👍
I hope they plan on creating season 2, my worst fear is ash and Eiji not meeting up again, it does be hurting doe. like I cried for Pete’s sake lol.
I just had a fever from crying. It doesn’t matter if it has fewer episodes, but I really want to see Ash and Eiji’s happy ending. So kindly, I beg you. It doesn’t matter if it has ONLY 1 EPISODE, but I want a SEASON 2. 🙏
It was already stated that it doesn’t have a chance of having a season 2, but I wish they could make a movie for the reaming parts on volume 19 or something like that, or maybe they could change the ending of it if the author will agree and maybe we can have a happy ending.
I just wish for it to have a season 2. Please renew so Ash can be together with Eiji. I understand that he had to die. I know he chose to die. But seeing Eiji like that? No! Sorry, but no. We need an ending where they will live together in this world. It’s all I’m asking for before my life comes to an end.
I want a happy ending. I don’t accept Ash’s death. I want Ash and Eiji to be together so that they go anywhere they will be together. I hope it will be a happy ending.
Good anime, but a bit generic, predictable and boring for the last 10 episodes. 7/10
Ash can’t die. He wanted to live freely, forgetting his past, and he can’t go because of the small knife. He is very strong. Do you know it’s really hard for me to forget them? Every day they come to my mind, so I always go to the bathroom to cry. 😢 I think it’s a mental breakdown, but please, I want season 2 and a happy ending. Not only me, but others are also soft-hearted, but we’re controlling ourselves, and it’s not completed. We don’t know what happened after that. 🤧 So please, we want season 2. 🙏
Banana Fish is truly the best animated on earth, no, in the universe. Personally, I strongly recommend it!✨ I watched the last episode yesterday, and it was too sad. Why my Ash! 😭 I hope with all my heart that there will be a season 2! 🥺 I really want to see Ash and Eiji again. In the meantime, I’ll just watch season 1 on repeat.🤣😭✨
Ever watched Shingeki no Kyojin/Attack on Titan? This made me cry more. It takes your heart and stomps on it until you wonder how you’ve even got any tears left. Laugh, cry, smile, ship Ash and Eiji really hard, simp for all the teenage characters, done them all. I don’t think there’ll be a season 2, but I can’t stand for this to end like the manga. Seeing Eiji, a broken shell of himself breaks my soul. They both deserved so much better. And now, as every day, I shall repeat to myself: Ash Lynx is not dead, he is taking a nap in the library, fuck you. Damn, this show messed me up in the head.
The moments when Ash and Eiji fantasized about going back to Japan together and Ash leaving his life of crime behind him reminded me of Of Mice And Men when George and Lenny talked about having their farm and raising the rabbits together. It made me very suspicious that the ending would not be a satisfying one, and my suspicions were confirmed after watching episode 24. My heart twists in knots for my boys because I don’t hope it at all, but my gut tells me that Ash is really dead, but he died knowing that there was someone who truly loved him unconditionally, something he wanted his entire life. And, in a bittersweet way, I think poetic justice was served almost perfectly. Still, I just wanted my boys to eat some takoyaki together in Tokyo. 😢
There were drops of blood when ash was stabbed, it was a wonderful one.
Is the library lady blind? Their blood was on the papers. How could she not see that? I don’t think he is dead, and I hope so. It can not end like that. At least Ash could die in Eiji’s hands or something like that.