At long last, Aoashi is coming back with a second season, but unfortunately, its return might not be in the way people were hoping for. Even with everything that came out in 2022, Aoashi was a major hit not only for its realistic handling of soccer, but for its consistently great art and animation, and people have often bemoaned that it’s gone so long without receiving a second season.
Aoashi was a truly underrated gem, and after so many years, there’s finally more of the story for people to enjoy. The official Aoashi X account teased a big announcement on Tuesday, and sure enough, Aoashi is officially returning for a second season in 2026, although season 2 will be animated by TMS Entertainment instead of Production I.G. It’s not exactly how people would have wanted Aoashi to return, but getting any sort of new content is nonetheless great to see, especially with the Aoashi manga coming to a close.
Why Aoashi’s New Animation Studio Might Be A Problem For Season 2
The Controversy Behind Aoashi’s New Studio Explained
As great as it is for Aoashi to get a second season, the change in animation studios from Production I.G to TMS Entertainment could pose a problem. While TMS Entertainment has produced plenty of great anime, they’re also known for being highly inconsistent due to their often heavy workloads, with Sakamoto Days’ inconsistent production being one of the most recent examples of such. Because of that, Aoashi season 2 being animated by TMS Entertainment instead of Production I.G could lead to a severe drop in quality, all of which would be nothing but disappointing to see.
Those sorts of worries are undoubtedly premature, of course. Not only is there only a teaser visual to go off of, but nothing is currently known about TMS Entertainment’s 2026 slate, so it could easily be a year where they aren’t overwhelmed with projects to the point that many of their productions end up suffering in quality. All in all, Aoashi season 2, despite TMS Entertainment’s often spotty track record, could still easily be a great season to watch, and something like that would be well worth the wait.
Why Aoashi Season 2 Will Be Worth The Four-Year-Long Wait
Aoashi Fans Need To Get Excited For Season 2
Regardless of the studio change, there’s plenty to look forward to with Aoashi season 2. The simple fact that the anime is returning is one thing, but picking up from where season 1 ended, Ashito is finally an official member of Esperion’s A Team, meaning that he’ll be taking on even greater challenges as he continues his quest to become a professional soccer player. Aoashi season 2 will be great to watch because of how much it will push Ashito’s character physically and mentally, and that’s something any fan should look forward to.
Additionally, not only will season 2 introduce fantastic rivals for Ashito like Trepone and Kitano, but Akutsu also comes into his own through the tremendous amount of development he gets during season 2’s story; overall, Aoashi season 2 will be great because of how much its cast shines both on their own and through their relationships with Ashito. All of that has made the later arcs of the manga great to read, and if Aoashi can do a good job bringing it all to life with season 2, it’s sure to go down as a modern classic among sports anime.
Source: Aoashi‘s official X account.