Cancelled MAPPA Anime Sparks Revival Rumors Ahead of Major Milestone

May 23, 2026, 9:45pm

It’s been 10 years since MAPPA released its original anime, Yuri!!! on Ice, and the popularity only keeps increasing. It was the breakthrough anime of the studio, allowing it to gain worldwide recognition when the studio was still struggling to gain a foothold in the industry. The original series ended after teasing the story’s return, and in 2020, MAPPA confirmed a prequel film with an official teaser. Unfortunately, after making fans wait for several years, MAPPA officially cancelled it in April 2024, sparking widespread controversy. Given the popularity of the series and the fact that fans waited several years for its return, the cancellation announcement earned the studio significant criticism.

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However, even after more than two years since the official announcement, fans are still expecting a revival, especially since the anime will be commemorating it’s 10h anniversary this year. While fans often joke about the series’ return, the rumors this time aren’t unfounded. During the Crunchyroll Anime Awards this year, Dean Fujioka performed the fan-favorite opening theme, History Maker. Not only that, but the official X handle of the anime was verified on May 22nd before the performance. Several fans also noticed that the account unpinned the cancellation announcement only recently. While the post itself hasn’t been deleted, all these changes still became a topic of discussion, igniting hopes for the anime’s return once again.

What Do These Updates Mean For Yuri!! on Ice’s Future?

Unfortunately, even though the rumors have caught fans’ attention, nothing can be certain without an official confirmation. During the cancellation announcement, the studio didn’t make any promises of the anime returning in the future. Not only that, but since it’s an original story, fans don’t have an option to switch to a manga or novel to know what happens next. However, even if the anime doesn’t get a continuation, fans can expect a new update this year since the 10th anniversary is a major milestone, especially for a series this popular. While the anime reached a satisfying conclusion, there was still a lot of room for the story to expand, especially if a prequel centering around Victor was released.

Victor’s journey from a prodigy to becoming a five-time gold medalist at the age of 27 wasn’t fully explored within the limited episodes of the story. He won the hearts of millions of people all over the world and reached heights rarely achieved by figure skaters. Since the anime primarily focused on Yuri’s growth, Victor’s role was mostly to support him as his coach, idol, and lover. Since the series didn’t manage to explore such a nuanced character as it should have, MAPPA initially planned for a prequel focusing just on him.

Additionally, the anime’s finale teases Victor’s comeback as he was performing with Yuri. Based on the promise they made, Victor was supposed to be Yuri’s coach until he won five gold medals, but the story only ended with him winning a silver medal. Their journey was supposed to continue for longer before it came to an abrupt end. You can stream the anime on Crunchyroll.

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