In the anime industry, it's common for new series to be introduced each season, while others come to an end. Some anime, once concluded, generate high expectations among fans, who yearn for a sequel. However, not all successful series get a second season, leaving fans waiting for years. This is the case of “No Game No Life”, “Majo no Tabitabi (Wandering Witch: Elaina's Journey)” and “Accel World”, three series that, despite their popularity, have not yet received a sequel.

“No Game No Life,” based on the light novel of the same name by Yuu Kamiya, aired in 2014 and quickly gained a passionate fan base. The story follows siblings Sora (played by Yoshitsugu Matsuoka) and Shiro (played by Ai Kayano), who are transported to the world of Disboard, where all conflicts are resolved through games. Despite the success of the series and a prequel film released in 2017, a second season has not yet been confirmed. Yuu Kamiya, the original author, expressed his perplexity on social media at fans' persistent demand for a sequel, pointing out that the "excellent quality" of the first season could be a barrier to the production of a second.

Another notable case is “Majo no Tabitabi”, based on the light novel by Jougi Shiraishi. The story follows the traveling witch Elaina (played by Kaede Hondo) as she travels through different cities and encounters a variety of situations, some heartbreaking and some shocking. Although the series was well-received and the original story continued to 23 volumes as of October 2024, there has been no news about a second season. Shiraishi has expressed his desire to continue the series in anime format, asking fans to support the franchise to make a sequel possible.

Finally, “Accel World,” based on the light novel by Reki Kawahara, is also in a similar situation. The series, which aired in 2012, follows Haruyuki (played by Yuki Kaji), a high school student who escapes his harsh reality through an augmented reality game. While the source material has continued to be published, with 27 volumes as of August 2024, only a small portion of the story has been adapted, leaving fans hoping for a second season that seems increasingly unlikely.

While some anime like “Kimi ni Todoke: From Me to You” have managed to release sequels many years after their original broadcast, not all projects are so lucky. Interest in new titles, changing trends, and the difficulty of reuniting the original team are just some of the obstacles facing sequels. However, fans haven't given up hope that one day their favorite series will return to the screen.

• «After all, anime is made to promote light novels or manga, and if a work has too many volumes, it's difficult to attract new fans. Even if someone is interested in reading the original material, it's difficult to get started if it requires dozens of volumes. While anime is popular, Blu-rays no longer sell well, so it's difficult for an anime to be profitable on its own, which complicates the production of sequels.».
• «Although 'Hataraku Maou-sama!' got a second season after a long time, the quality has clearly dropped compared to the first season. I remember reading an interview with the producers after the first season aired, where they said something like, 'We know it's going to be a hit, so we're not going to do it,' but I can't help but question that answer. I've found that some works that miss their chance can become something completely different.».
• «Furthermore, there are so many new works that have not yet been adapted into anime and are waiting for their turn.».
• «I've always thought that publishers tend to adapt light novels into anime to explosively increase sales, so I think they prefer 'new works' rather than a second season.».
• «Personally, I liked 'HOTD' (Highschool of the Dead). But unfortunately the author passed away.».
• «In the case of 'No Game No Life,' the author was unable to continue writing due to health issues, which hampered the progress of the anime project. For 'Accel World,' he was asked to correct many aspects of the content, such as depictions of bullying and psychological violence, which could have detracted from the story. Furthermore, the retirement or temporary departure of the original voice actors may have also hindered the continuation of the adaptation.».
• «As for 'Majo no Tabitabi', I think the level of the producers who worked on the adaptation was so high that they might not be able to assemble a team that matches (or surpasses) that quality.».
• «When will the sequel to 'Oniichan wa Oshimai!' be released?».
• «Because many anime are produced in 12-episode seasons, many works remain unfinished. Series based on "light narratives" are relatively easy to bring to the public, but they often remain unfinished or are released very irregularly, making it likely they will never be completed.».
• «I think 'Accel World' was overshadowed by the success of 'SAO' and probably avoided direct competition».
• «Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki-kun' is another work that many fans were waiting for a second season (although a bit resigned, hehe)».
• «Even though a work is popular, producing a second season doesn't guarantee the same success, and production teams often schedule well in advance. There are so many works awaiting continuation, and so many others that have yet to be discovered.».
• «Sometimes a show suddenly becomes popular, but if they don't have contracts for future seasons, they can't secure a production team, voice actors, or anything like that. And over time, two or three years later, audiences and trends change. Plus, second seasons are often a tough sell to new viewers unless they have a big name. Sometimes unexpected second seasons happen, but...».

Source: Otakomu