Two Years Later, One of This Decade’s Best New Anime Still Doesn’t Have a Season 2… But Why?

Anime fans are no strangers to waiting a long time for new seasons of their favorite shows. But when a series is successful, fans are at least given an official update or announcement for a subsequent season. This usually happens during a season’s run, or shortly after the finale has aired, so the studio can see just how popular it actually was. But fans of Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead have been twiddling their thumbs for two years now, wondering when Akira and the gang will return for more optimistic post-apocalyptic adventures.

Zom 100, based on the seinen manga of the same name by Haro Aso, was animated by BUG FILMS and premiered exactly two years ago today (July 9th, 2023). The 12-episode season was immensely popular, even with its mid-season hiatus caused by production issues. However, despite the strong fan base the anime has developed and the great reviews it garnered, fans are none the wiser about Season 2’s status. But why?

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Zom 100 Season 2, When?

Season 2 of Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead is one of the great mysteries of the modern world, along with how Stonehenge was built, the identity of the Zodiac Killer, and who framed Roger Rabbit. No representatives from Kodansha or BUG FILMS have revealed that Zom 100 has been cancelled, so fans can only assume that the show will get a second season at some point in the future. But when will that actually happen, and what’s taking so long?

Some argue that the hesitance from BUG FILMS to announce Season 2 of Zom 100 stems from the production issues that plagued Season 1. The final three episodes were heavily delayed following the show’s premiere in Summer 2023, and weren’t released until December of that year. While the true cause of the production issues wasn’t revealed, you would assume that BUG FILMS could iron out the kinks before producing Season 2. With that in mind, there’s likely one major reason that Zom 100 has been delayed…

Zom 100’s Delay Is Thanks to a Giant New Anime

As Vinland Saga fans know all too well, with MAPPA prioritizing the other major anime under its umbrella, BUG FILMS appears to be prioritizing other shows over Season 2 of Zom 100, and there’s one standout perpetrator.

Witch Hat Atelier is BUG FILMS’ next major release. Based on the critically acclaimed manga by Kamome Shirahama, the anime is slated for release later this year. Witch Hat Atelier has often been labelled as part of the new Big Three of fantasy anime/manga, along with Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End and Delicious in Dungeon.

Hopefully, once Witch Hat Atelier is released later this year, Zom 100 fans might finally get the news they’ve been waiting for. Although this is also just optimistic speculation.

Zom 100 is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.