The Isekai genre has exploded in popularity over the years, with some of the most successful titles in recent memory incorporating various Isekai elements into their narratives and premises. As with most popular genres, there are tons of bland Isekai titles that simply repurpose its many tropes and character archetypes in order to cash in on the genre’s popularity.
However, the most longstanding and impactful Isekai titles all manage to take basic elements of the genre and do something unique with them. Popular titles like Sword Art Online, Re:Zero, KonoSuba, That Time I Got Reincarnated As A Slime, and more all have benefitted from putting their own twist on the formula, with multiple seasons and sustained success to show for it. But one of the genre’s most popular and unique titles stands with only one season to its name.
What is No Game No Life?
Yū Kamiya’s No Game No Life series takes a standard Isekai premise and mixes in elements of fantasy, and sci-fi to great success. The series follows shut-in siblings Sora and Shiro, who after being transported to another world use their various skills to partake and succeed in various high-stakes games. The light novel series is published in Media Factory’s MF Bunko J imprint, having started serialization in 2012 with its 11th collected volume released in November following a three-year hiatus.
The success of the light novel inspired a manga adaptation and spin-off, though neither are as prominent as the source material. The light novel enjoyed a good amount of success early on in its run thanks to it being prominently featured in the highly popular Kono Light Novel ga Sugoi! guide book. Shortly after it was first featured, volumes of No Game No Life were among the 30 bestselling novels in Japan. This would eventually lead to a highly popular anime adaptation.
Studio Madhouse produced a 12-episode anime adaptation of the first three volumes which aired during the Spring 2014 Season. The series was directed by Monster and The Pet Girl of Sakurasou director Atsuko Ishizuka, with veteran voice actors Yoshitsugu Matsuoka and Ai Kayano voicing Sora and Shiro respectively.
By all accounts, the anime was generally well-received. Fans and critics praised the series premise, with the game-aspect standing as a refreshing twist on the typical Isekai formula. A film adaptation of the sixth volume, No Game No Life: Zero, was released in 2017, but there’s been nothing to suggest that a second season was ever considered.
Will There Be a Season 2?
For years, anime fans have waited diligently for news on a second season of the anime series, or at the very least a new anime project. It’s normal for most anime adaptations to peter out with one season, as the majority of these productions serve as more of an extensive ad campaign for the source material than a genuine project. Though the series seems to have a vocal fan base online, that alone isn’t enough to guarantee more projects in the future.
There are a myriad of outside factors that can affect whether or not an anime gets a second season. What ultimately dictates a project’s continuation is the financials. The No Game No Life home media seems to have put up decent sales numbers, and the film earned an estimated ¥700 million at the box office. Though these numbers seem promising enough, it’s impossible for fans to know just what milestones and projections would need to be met in order for a second season to get green-lit.
The light novel series is still ongoing, and Kamiya being forced to take a break from the series due to health reasons could be part of why a new anime project has yet to see the light of day. The first series did only cover the first three volumes, so a scarcity of content likely isn’t the sole reason why No Game No Life season 2 hasn’t been announced yet – though it could very well be a contributing factor.
While the situation looks bleak, fans of the series shouldn’t give up on it just yet. Though a long period of inactivity does usually signify that a project is dead in the water, some titles have come out with more content following long droughts. The upcoming second season of The Devil Is a Part-Timer! is one that many anime fans never expected to get, but were happy to finally see get green-lit. Popular series like Date a Live, Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon?, and A Certain Magical Index are most notable for having large gaps in-between seasons, with Index’s second and third seasons being eight years apart. It’s difficult to say when, if ever fans will get any new No Game No Life news. All anime fans can do is wait and hope for the best.