Edens Zero Season 2 Is MIA All Because of Streaming Rights
The spring anime season is here, and of course, that means tons of new shows are dropping by the day. From Hell's Paradise: Jigokuraku to Skip & Loafer, the season is packed with hits so far. That includes returning titles like Edens Zero as Hiro Mashima's series has season two on dock. In fact, the anime already marked its big comeback, but the show is missing in action for most fans all because of a streaming snafu.
If you aren't caught up with the situation, let's break down the Edens Zero drama for you. If you did not know, Netflix licensed the first season of Edens Zero, and you can still watch the season there. This was not the case for season two, however. The team at France's Mediatoon Distribution bought the global distribution rights for Edens Zero season 2, and if the company is not familiar to you, then you are not alone.
Mediation Distribution is a success anime licenser in France and had handled shows like Hunter x Hunter, Fairy Tail, and more overseas. However, its scope is very limited outside of France. That is why audiences outside of Japan and France have not been able to check in on Edens Zero season 2. The anime has not announced a new global streaming schedule, so don't expect to find Edens Zero's new season on Hulu, Netflix, Amazon, or the like.
As you can imagine, this update has left fans upset as Edens Zero season 1 was a hit with fans despite its own licensing issues. Netflix brought the global rights for season 1, but the release of Edens Zero outside of Japan was slow going. It took a long time for the anime's premiere to drop, but once Edens Zero got going on Netflix, it amassed its own fanbase. Now, the number of fans backing Edens Zero is dwindling in the face of its new geo-locked season. And given how good this shonen is, it is a shame to see Edens Zero fading into obscurity.
Of course, you can find other ways to support Edens Zero outside of the anime. The manga is ongoing under Mashima, and Kodansha USA is handling its release in English. Soon, the publisher will kickstart its own digital manga service, and it will house series like Edens Zero. So if you want to know more about the sci-fi shonen, you can read its official synopsis below:
"At Granbell Kingdom, an abandoned amusement park, Shiki has lived his entire life among machines. But one day, Rebecca and her cat companion Happy appear at the park's front gates. Little do these newcomers know that this is the first human contact Granbell has had in a hundred years! As Shiki stumbles his way into making new friends, his former neighbors stir at an opportunity for a robo-rebellion...And when his old homeland becomes too dangerous, Shiki must join Rebecca and Happy on their spaceship and escape into the boundless cosmos."
What do you think about this latest update on Edens Zero? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below or hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB.