'Chihayafuru' Announces Season 3 Plans

Never say never when it comes to anime! A franchise may look like it is dead, but the otaku overlords are down to revive series at the drop of a hat. So, yes — Chihayafuru is still alive and well. The anime is getting a third season after all.

No, for real. The show's team just made the announcement.

Over in Japan, the cast of Chihayafuru shared the big news with fans. The stars posted a photo of them all holding a banner confirming the season order, and the release will make its debut in 2019. So far, there is no word on whether Madhouse will oversee production on the new season or if another studio will takeover the task.

It has been quite some time since anime fans have gotten an update on Chihayafuru. The series was created in 2007 by Yuki Suetsugu. The josei title was published in Be Love before it got an anime adaptation starting in 2011. Season one lasted until March 2012, and a second was released in 2013. Since then, fans have been waiting for news about a third season, and it seems they just got their cue.

Of course, Chihayafuru has lived on in other mediums since its anime fell off. Its manga is on-going, and a few live-action adaptations were released in Japan. Its first live-action film was released in March 2016 before a sequel dropped that April. Hulu Japan is also creating a live-action miniseries that will tie in with Chihayafuru's films.

For those of you unfamiliar with Chihayafuru, the gorgeous series has it all. The title is considered a sports anime thanks to its focus on Karuta, a traditional Japanese card game. The series follows a girl named Chihaya Ayase who befriends a shy boy named Arata who excels at Karuta. The duo become friends and play Karuta along with another boy named Taichi, but the trio fall apart once middle school gets underway. Chihaya decides she will become Japan's top female Karuta player so she can reunite with Arata, but her plans go awry once the trio run into each other once more in high school.

How long have you been waiting for this anime to return? Let me know in the comments or hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB to talk all things comics, k-pop, and anime!