'Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress' Sequel Reveals New Trailer

While we've known for some time that there would finally be a sequel of some kind to the 2016 anime series Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress, the actual plot of the upcoming anime film, Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress: The Battle of Unato, remains mostly a mystery. A newly released trailer offers more insight into the nature of the film while showing off several returning characters and sweet flips and moves.

While the 12-episode series, which originally ran on Amazon Prime Video in the United States, mostly wrapped up its loose ends by its conclusion, the actual fate of the cast and the world at large was left as a question mark. The world was still overrun by undead creatures, and while protagonists Ikoma and Mumei remained alive, fans have been clamoring ever since to see what happens next.

The film will reportedly screen in Japanese theaters for two weeks, starting May 10th, and it features an entirely original story following the events of the 2016 series. Tetsuro Araki will be returning to direct the new film, and Araki describes the film as a "middle chapter" following Mumei.

For those unfamiliar with the franchise, Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress is an original anime series produced by Wit Studio, directed by Tetsuro Araki, written by Ichiro Okouchi, with music composed by Hiroyuki Sawano and character designs by Haruhiko Minimoto. The series takes place during the industrial revolution when a virus infects humans and turns them into "Kabane," undead creatures that cannot be defeated unless struck in their giant glowing heart, which is usually protected by a layer of metal and lead.

The series follows a young engineer named Ikoma who tries to use his anti-Kabane tech to help defeat Kabane who have hijacked a train, but unfortunately fails and is infected himself. The subsequent infection turns him into a human and Kabane hybrid, and he, the mysterious Mumei (another human and Kabane hybrid), and some survivors board a train known as the "Iron Fortress" in the desperate search to find a new safe place to live.