Kemono Jihen season 2

Kemono Jihen Season 2: Release Date, Will It Happen Soon?

Kemono Jihen was one of the most anticipated anime series of 2021. Initially announced at Jump Festa ’20 on December 31, 2019, the anime premiered on January 10, 2021. Based on the manga written by Shō Aimoto, serialized since 2016, the anime adaptation lived up to the expectations of the manga’s dedicated followers and received positive reviews. The dark fantasy series, created by Ajia-do Animation Works (also known for Ascendance of a Bookworm), is licensed by Funimation for streaming. The first season aired on Tokyo MX, YTV, and BS11 networks, spanning 12 episodes from January 10 to March 28, 2021. Given the success of the first season, fans are now wondering: Will there be a second season of Kemono Jihen? In this article, we’ll dive into the key factors that could determine whether the anime will return for another season.

What is the Plotline of Kemono Jihen?

In a secluded mountain village, animal corpses mysteriously begin to rot overnight. Inugami, a detective from Tokyo specializing in supernatural cases, is called in to investigate. During the investigation, he encounters a strange boy named Kabane, who works in the fields every day instead of attending school. Excluded by his peers and nicknamed “Dorota-bou” for his muddy appearance, Kabane aids Inugami in unraveling the truth behind the deaths. As the mystery unfolds, Inugami discovers that Kabane’s true nature is far more extraordinary than his unsettling nickname suggests.

Kemono Jihen
The Picture © Funimation

Will There Be a Second Season of Kemono Jihen?

As of December 21, 2024, at the time of writing, neither Ajia-do Animation Works nor any associated companies have confirmed the renewal of Kemono Jihen for a second season. However, looking at the studio’s other works, such as Ascendance of a Bookworm and How Not to Summon a Demon Lord, which both received season renewals, so can we still hope for a second season of Kemono Jihen? Since there is no official announcement yet, we have speculated on the possibility of a second season based on several key factors, including manga source material availability, disc sales, and the anime’s current popularity.

Manga Status

The manga series for Kemono Jihen, written and illustrated by Shō Aimoto, began serialization in Shueisha’s Jump Square on December 2, 2016. The manga has currently released 22 volumes, and it continues to be published. The first season of the anime adapted the first 6 volumes of the manga, leaving enough source material for a potential second season. The continuation of the anime would also present a valuable advertising opportunity. New seasons of popular anime often generate renewed interest in the original manga, leading to increased sales and visibility. For Kemono Jihen, a second season could help boost manga sales even further, attracting new readers and providing additional promotion for the series.

manga sales

27%
Manga Adaptation Rate

Disc Sales and Popularity

The anime’s disc sales began on March 25, 2021. Disc sales are particularly important for anime, as the series has no mobile game to generate additional revenue and few exclusive distributors to rely on. Ideally, the series would need to sell at least 4,000 copies to meet industry standards for a new season.

Unfortunately, Kemono Jihen only sold 244 units in disc sales, which has been considered a disappointment. Despite this, the anime has shown undeniable popularity, especially through social media and online streaming services. This gives hope for a second season, even if the disc sales are below expectations.

That said, Kemono Jihen still enjoys undeniable popularity. As for the anime’s current standing, it is ranked 625th on MyAnimeList, a solid position for a recently released series. Additionally, the official X page has garnered over 67.9k followers. However, it’s worth noting that the account has not posted any updates recently, which is not a good sign for the anime’s continued promotion and potential for a second season. This lack of activity could signal diminishing interest from the creators or a shift in focus to other projects.

Additionally, analyzing the global search volume for Kemono Jihen, we see that the anime generated significant interest when it first aired. However, its current search volume is now closer to average levels, indicating a decrease in interest over time. This suggests that while the anime has a dedicated fan base, it still needs to achieve higher sustained popularity for a second season to be confirmed.

Studio Status

Ajia-do Animation Works, the studio behind Kemono Jihen, has a solid track record with other successful series like Ascendance of a Bookworm, which was renewed for a third season, and How Not to Summon a Demon Lord, which received a second season approval.

When comparing Kemono Jihen to Ascendance of a Bookworm, Kemono Jihen is not as popular in terms of mainstream appeal. However, considering the studio’s history of renewing successful titles, there’s still hope that Kemono Jihen could receive the green light for a second season.

Kemono Jihen season 2
2nd Season Chance of Kemono Jihen
Popularity on Mynanimelist
77
Popularity on Social Media
74
Popularity on Google Searches
56
Success in Disc Sales
48
Reader Rating1 Votes
90
Positives
Above Average Reviews (7.37 on MA, 7.3 on IMDb)
Sufficient Manga Source Material
Good Manga Sales (4+ million copies in print)
Ongoing Manga
Negatives
Only One Season
Below-Average Popularity
No Success in Disc Sales
No Big Distributor or Additional Income
30
Renewal Possibility

When is the second season release date of Kemono Jihen?

The anime’s first season aired in 2021, and as of now, there has been no official confirmation for a second season. Given the time gap, fans may have to wait a few more years for the next installment. However, the source material is sufficient, and a new season could be prepared with an average production period of one year. For a second season to be confirmed, the anime must first be renewed by the studio, which leaves the release date uncertain. If there would be a renewal soon we can see a new season earliest somewhere in 2026. But as of now, a new season remains highly speculative, and the possibility is no more than our analysis above. Stay tuned for updates.