The anime world was rocked recently when it was announced that Inuyasha would be coming back with a brand new anime series set after the events of the original one. Yashahime: Princess Half-Demon will be following the kids of the characters from the first anime, and follows in a long line of new sequels with that same central premise. But as more surprising anime are revealing second seasons, sequels, remakes and more years after the first season aired…why don’t even more classic anime series get that same treatment? There are plenty than fans would love to see again!
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But which anime series would be the best for a sequel? Which ones would fans actually check out again? Which ones have plenty of new material left to adapt? There are quite a few that could have made this list, but read on for a list of ComicBook.com’s choices for anime that desperately need a sequel!
Which anime sequel would you want to see? Let us know your thoughts in the comments or talk to me directly about all things anime and other cool stuff @Valdezology on Twitter!
Yu Yu Hakusho
There are several major anime franchises from the 90s and early 2000s that have each made a comeback in one way or another. Dragon Ball Super premiered a few years ago to great success, Sailor Moon will be returning with a set of gorgeous new feature films, so there are several other major action anime of around the same time that would be a huge hit. Yu Yu Hakusho recently celebrated its 25th Anniversary with a set of new OVA episodes, and it just sparked all kinds of imagination as to what a new, high-def version of the anime would look like.
With as open ended of a sequel as it had, there are all sorts of places where a sequel can pick it up! Either it can follow an older Yusuke Urameshi, follow his kid fighting new demonic threats, and so on. Series creator Yoshihiro Togashi reportedly ended the series because he was running out of steam for it, but we’ve seen series continue with just a bit of input from the creator! It’s possible!ย
Trigun
If you ask fans about their favorite or most influential anime, chances are you’ll hear Trigun come up quite a lot. The original 26 episode run brings the story to a complete conclusion, something even series creator Yasuhiro Nightow has gone on record with, but even so it’s such a rich setting. The world of the series is so unique compared to many of the other anime around that time, and while the years since have seen a return to that sci-fi Western style, there’s still room for the original to make a huge comeback.ย
Ouran High School Host Club
Ouran High School Host Club is undoubtedly one of the most popular anime series on this list, but unlike Trigun, its single 26 episode run did not bring the series to a satisfying conclusion. Although it ended its run in 2006, series creator Bisco Hattori continued the original manga for several years after. An anime allowing the series to come to an end with a makeover much like the recent Fruits Basket reboot would be one of the best announcements!
Speaking with ComicBook.com previously, Hattori stated how an an anime return to end the story would be welcome, “I myself really love the anime too…If possible, it would be great to see [Ouran] through to the end as it is in the manga, but at the same time, I really love and respect the crew and the director that worked on the anime. Say maybe there was [a new anime], make it not so serious this time? But I really treasure what has been created, so [this is] really strictly and if possible.”
The Devil is a Part Timer
There have been many Isekai anime franchises released over the years, and many protagonists have been transported from the real world to a fantasy one. But there have only been a rare where where the opposite is true. It’s why the short 13 episode run of The Devil is a Part Timer! is one of the major anime that needs to make a comeback. First of all, Satoshi Wagahara and 029’s original light novel series is releasing its final volume this Summer, so there is plenty of material to mine with a sequel season.
Second of all, a slice-of-life anime that bucks the Isekai trend would be an immense hit in our current anime climate. Series like Konosuba have become huge for bucking the previous trend, but Part Timer was ahead of the curve. Now is the perfect time for it to come back and get the love it deserves!ย
Btooom!
Like The Devil is a Part Timer and Ouran High School Host Club, Btooom! had a single anime run that was far surpassed by its original source material. Funny enough, series creator Junya Inoue notably included two alternate endings for the series. There was a “bad ending” that resulted in the death of several of the main characters, and a “good ending” that was more of a traditional good ending. An anime would be a great way to showcase this unique take on the series finale, and even more so if fans didn’t know which one we’d get! Let’s see it happen!ย
Outlaw Star
Although Outlaw Star is one of the most popular anime to ever air as part of the Toonami programming block, it did have a mixed reception for quite a while. The harshest part of it all is that there actually were plans for a sequel in place with a special OVA episode taking place after the events of the original 26 episode series. This sequel was to follow Gene Starwind on board of another ship three years later, but the sequel never got beyond the earliest of planning stages. But what better time than now when an anime like Outlaw Star would finally get its proper due!ย
Highschool of the Dead
Highschool of the Dead exploded onto the scene as one of the most violent, and over the top anime in a long time. It was as close to Grade B exploitation films anime would ever get, and unfortunately this is a series that will only ever have its initial 13 episode run. The series was far close to done at the end of the anime, and where it was in the manga series, but due to the tragic passing of series author Daisuke Sato, Highschool of the Dead was cancelled as a sign of respect. So although this is definitely one series begging for more, it unfortunately will never happen.ย
