Demon Lord, Retry! (also known as Maou-sama, Retry!) is a Japanese anime series that blends the popular genres of Fantasy and Isekai (otherworld). This captivating story is based on a light novel series written by Kurone Kanzaki. The anime adaptation first premiered on Japanese local channels on July 4, 2019, and soon gained global recognition through online streaming platforms.
The first season of Demon Lord, Retry! was produced by Ekachi Epilka, a relatively new and lesser-known anime studio. Despite being a fresh face in the anime industry, the studio made a notable debut with Crossing Time. However, Demon Lord, Retry! has since become their most popular and widely discussed project. For the second season, the production shifted to Gekkō, another emerging studio in the anime industry, marking a fresh start for the series while continuing to build on its established fanbase.
Fans were thrilled when the long-anticipated second season of Demon Lord, Retry! aired from October 5, 2024, to December 21, 2024, delivering more of the exciting adventures and humorous moments that made the series a hit. With the conclusion of the second season, the burning question on everyone’s mind is: will there be a third season? In this article, we’ll take a closer look at the facts about a third season.
Demon Lord, Retry! Plotline
Akira Oono has spent 15 years as the brains behind the MMORPG Infinity Game. But when it’s finally time to shut the game down, something totally unexpected happens. A flash of light and a strange voice later, he wakes up in another world. To make things even weirder, he looks exactly like Hakuto Kunai, the yakuza boss-style Demon Lord from his own game. This world feels like the game in some ways, but it’s clearly not the same place.
Luckily, Akira still has some pretty overpowered abilities, thanks to his Administrator privileges. He proves just how strong he is by taking down a demon in no time. Along the way, he meets Aku, a sweet but disabled girl who becomes his guide and travel companion. Together, they set out on a journey to figure out what brought Akira to this world and why.
As the story unfolds, Akira crosses paths with all kinds of colorful characters—from the Holy Maidens to adventurers and even some shady cultists. While he tries to figure out his role as the so-called “Demon Lord,” the series mixes in plenty of laughs, heartfelt moments, and quirky world-building. One of the most unexpected twists comes later in the series when Akira decides to build a hospital-slash-luxury hot spring. Yep, you read that right—a whole arc dedicated to running a hot spring business. It’s definitely not your usual isekai storyline, but it’s part of what makes the show stand out.
At its core, Demon Lord, Retry! is all about blending action, humor, and some genuinely sweet moments. Whether you’re into overpowered main characters or just looking for a lighthearted adventure, this series has a little something for everyone.
Will there be a second season of ‘Demon Lord, Retry!’?
The second season of the anime concluded on December 21, 2024. As of January 5, 2025, no official announcements have been made regarding the renewal of the series for a third season of Demon Lord, Retry!. Neither the studio nor any related company has hinted at any plans for the continuation of the series at this time. It’s not uncommon for anime to take years to receive a renewal for a new season, and one recent example of this is the gap of five years between the first and second seasons of Demon Lord, Retry!.
Since the season finale is still fresh, it may not be realistic to expect a third season in the near future. However, the big question still lingers: Could a new season of the series be possible down the line? While it’s hard to predict with certainty, we can look at some key factors that could influence the decision of the decision committee. The status of the light novel, the series’ popularity, and the role of exclusive distributors are just a few of the important elements that could play a part in determining whether a third season is in the cards. Let’s break these down and consider what they might mean for the series’ future.
Light Novel status of Demon Lord, Retry!
Demon Lord, Retry! is adapted from a light novel series written by Kurone Kanzaki, as mentioned earlier in the article. The series began its publication in July 2017 by Futabasha and is still ongoing. The fact that the light novel is still being published is great news for fans, as it continues to provide the source material for the anime. Additionally, anime adaptations serve as a way to promote the light novel series.
Currently, there are 10 volumes of the light novel, with the most recent volume released on September 30, 2024. In the U.S., J-Novel Club publishes the light novel series in English, making it accessible to a broader audience.
The anime has covered the first two volumes of the light novel in the first, which leaves plenty of material to adapt. In the second season, the series has mainly focused on the manga series titled “Demon Lord, Retry! R” remaining plenty of material for a third season.
The Popularity of Demon Lord, Retry!
While there is enough source material for a potential third season, the recent popularity of Demon Lord, Retry! presents some challenges. The anime currently ranks 963rd on MyAnimeList’s popularity list. While this score is decent, it’s not considered a major success. Looking at global popularity indicators like Google search volume, we can see that the series has a relatively low search volume. In general, anime with popularity levels similar to Demon Lord, Retry! often struggle to get a new season approved. However, the anime world is full of exceptions.
Anime are for-profit productions, and in many cases, the decision for a new season is driven by the popularity and disc sales in Japan. Typically, an anime is expected to sell around 4,000 discs. Unfortunately, Demon Lord, Retry! only sold 302 units in its first season, making a second season possibly difficult to decide to shoot. Additionally, the series only has around 26,000 followers on the official X page (@maousama_anime), indicating that the anime is also underrated in Japan. Moreover, the cumulative circulation of the original light novel isn’t impressive in terms of sales either.
On the studio side, we have a relatively new studio behind the project. Given their enthusiasm for such projects, it’s possible they might be open to a new season, but, in terms of popularity, things aren’t looking too promising for Demon Lord, Retry! at the moment.
The Reviews for the Second Season
The reviews for the anime have never suggested that it was a top-tier production, but it generally stayed at an average level. However, the reviews for the second season have been usually negative. For example, according to user ratings on MyAnimeList, the first season received a score of 6.55/10, while the second season only earned a 5.86/10 from over 11,000 users. A major reason for this drop could be the significant differences in character designs, voice acting, and storytelling compared to the first season, leading to adaptation issues for viewers.
When is the Release Date of ‘Demon Lord, Retry!’?
As of January 5, 2025, Demon Lord, Retry! has not been renewed for a third season. Given the reduced global interest in the series, a third season seems unlikely at the moment. However, the series still has plenty of source material from the light novel, and since it was previously renewed, there’s always a chance for a third season in the future.
The second season of the anime was officially announced in August 2023 and aired in October 2024, with a production period of just over a year. If the series does get renewed soon, a potential release could be as far out as 2026. However, this is purely speculative, and the chances remain slim, as we’ve discussed earlier.
Until the series is renewed, we recommend checking out a similar anime, Overlord (2015), which shares thematic similarities with Demon Lord, Retry!.