March Comes In Like a Lion (aka 3-gatsu no Lion) is a beloved romantic and slice-of-life anime series. It was adapted from the manga of the same name written and illustrated by Chica Umino, known for ‘Honey and Clover’, which met with the audience for the first time in 2016. So far, the two-season was originally aired on NHK G and the anime is also licensed by Aniplex of America. What makes it popular all over the world is that it has been broadcast on Netflix, and also on Crunchyroll, and Funimation. Animated by studio Shaft, the anime was directed by Akiyuki Shinbo and Kenjirou Okada. We also know the studio from another beloved series Magia Record. After the second season, which aired between October 14, 2017, and March 31, 2018, fans now wonder, will there be a third season of the anime? We have compiled all known about the second season so far.
What is the plotline of the anime?
Anime has a very depressing story. Rei has been a very good shogi player since middle school. A 17-year-old, lonely professional player, Rei is very emotional, even a little depressed. Because after his real family dies, he has problems with his adoptive family (more precisely with his step-siblings), and his emotionally immature personality prevents him from overcoming these problems.
Strangely enough, Rei finds himself a close friend of the three sisters while living his own quiet life. Unlike Rei, Akari, Hinata, and Momo, who are full of joy, live with their grandfathers and maintain their joy of life despite the difficult living conditions. Rei endures the stress of professional shogi while trying to unravel family relationships. But will these three sisters, whom he just met, have enough power to change his outlook on all events and people in Rei’s life? This is exactly what the series wants to tell.
Will there be a third season of the anime?
As of May 22, 2022, at the time of writing, March Comes in Like a Lion still has not yet been renewed for a third season. Waiting a long time between seasons of animes is a situation that we are used to in this industry. There is no official statement yet, but it is always possible to see a new season when enough source material and popularity are available. These kinds of major factors determine the new season decisions of the committee. Under these factors, we have speculated about a renewal. Let’s begin with the manga status in terms of a new season.
Manga status of the anime
As we mentioned at the beginning of the article, the anime of March Comes in Like a Lion was adapted from the manga written by Chica Umino. The manga series published by Hakusensha has been featured in Young Animal magazine since 2007. It has 16 volumes so far, and the last volume was released on September 29, 2021.
The first season of March Comes in Like a Lion anime covers the first 5 volumes of the original. In the second season, up to the 9th volume (up to the 89th chapter) was adapted into it. The manga has 179 chapters so far, and almost half of them have been adapted. In other words, the manga series contains enough source material to create new seasons.
If you’re too impatient to wait for a new season of the anime, you can read the rest of the story starting in Chapter 90 of the manga series. However, there is currently no publisher publishing in English but good news for readers who want to follow the manga series worldwide: The English version of the manga will be started to publishing by American publisher Denpa in the summer of 2022.
Disc sales in terms of the third season
Disc sales are important in anime new season decisions. A new season requires a certain budget and is expected to sell at least 4,000 copies to create a new season of the anime. When it falls below this number, it does not seem profitable enough mostly. The anime had sold 6,228 units in the first season, and that number was above targets. It sold 2,273 units for the second season. While disc sales are important, they are not as valuable as they used to be. Because video watching habits have changed shape and we still cannot say that a second season is impossible.
In Japan, NHK joins the production committee, and invests in anime production, holds the prospect of a new season strong. Besides, the fact that the anime shares broadcasting rights with a worldwide platform such as Netflix is another detail that increases the possibilities for a third season. (The anime’s current popularity score is 89,2% based on Myanimelist popularity ranking. Over 100 thousand people, on the other hand, follow anime’s Twitter Page, and this follower count is usually enough for the second season.). However, despite its perfect reviews and popularity in Japan, the anime is still underrated worldwide. When we look at Google searches, it is less searched than many average anime and remains below the average. However, we think that the success and good reviews in Japan can bring them a chance for a new season.
When is the release date of the third season?
As of May 22, 2022, there is no confirmation yet for the March Comes in Like a Lion’s third season, and it is impossible to know a clear release date. As a result of our evaluation, we think that the third season of the anime will be released despite the time that has passed. 50% probability the anime will have a new season. The only negative point is that being underrated outside of Japan. However, it makes up for this gap with major distributors publishing the anime. If we see a renewal in the near future, a new season of the anime could meet the audience mid of 2023.
March Comes in Like a Lion Season 3 Plotline
This section contains some highlights from the manga and carries spoiler risk about 3rd season of March Comes in Like a Lion… Dark characters will appear in the third season of the anime. In the third season, it is expected to Rei plays against dark characters such as Namerikawa and Radio. Fujimoto Radio is a strong character with lion hair and a beard and is a self-confident character with a generous personality. It is expected that Seijiro, the father who abandoned the three sisters, will appear in the third season. Seijiro proposes to live with the three sisters. However, Rei finds out that Seijiro’s soul is different. The third highlight of the third season is the love affair over Akari. Akari is liked by many men because of her beauty and personality. Still, it is expected that Professor Hayashida and Shimada’s acts, who were particularly fascinated by Akari, will be the highlights in the third term.