Have you wondered if Season 2 of Yuri On Ice is going to be released?
Let’s dig deep into what happened in the show, the studio behind it, and the possibility of getting another season!
What happened so far in Yuri on Ice
Yuri On Ice follows Yuuri Katsuki, an insecure figure skater who, after several losses, including a humiliating one in the Grand Prix Final, starts losing his faith in figure skating and his passion for the sport. During a visit to his childhood friend in his hometown, Yuuri perfectly executes a difficult skating routine performed by his idol: the veteran skater Victor Nikiforov. The latter wastes no time flying to Japan to offer his coaching services to the young athlete.
Learning of Victor’s career change, the young prodigy Yuri Plisetsky goes to Japan to ask him to honor a promise he made. Victor decides to pit the two young men against each other to choose which one he will coach. Yuuri wins, forcing Yuri P. to return to Russia, but not before the teenager swears to win the Figure Skating Grand Prix competition while pointing at Yuuri as his rival.
Yuuri and Yuri P. qualify for the Grand Prix Finale in Barcelona, where Yuuri shares with Victor his decision to give up on skating to allow his coach to return to his career. After both got extremely close over the course of the series, a tearful and emotional Victor strongly rejects the idea. The series ends on a high note with Yuri P. winning gold, Yuuri winning silver, and leaving for St Petersburg to stay with Victor and train alongside Yuri P.
What is going on with MAPPA?
Yuri On Ice premiered on October 6 and ended on December 22, 2016, after twelve episodes.
The anime is produced by Studio MAPPA, directed by Sayo Yamamoto, and written by Mitsurou Kubo. Tadashi Hiramatsu is in charge of character design, and Taro Umebayashi and Taku Matsushiba composed the score. The figure skating choreographer and coach Kenji Miyamoto created all the routines seen in the anime.
Studio MAPPA (Jujutsu Kaisen, Attack On Titan, Inuyashiki) is known for its work quality and attention to detail, and Yuri On Ice is no exception. The production was not easy considering all the visual intricacies of figure skating: how to express the speed, elegance, rhythm, diversity in styles, and fluidity of said sport through animation and frames? The final product is a real eye-catcher, with precise attention even given to sounds: an interview with the sound effects editor reveals that they decided to create different sounds based on the venue, the size of the crowd, their reaction, and the routines themselves. Meaning that the sounds heard in Yuri On Ice are specific to each situation and unique to the anime.
When looking at the animation, it is objectively breathtaking, even with the hiccups observed in the later episodes. Each skater has their own way of moving, which is amplified by a different key animator working on one character. Looking at the statistics provided by Sakuga Blog, it is easy to understand the amount of work needed and the difficulties MAPPA had to deal with: with 48.50 key animators and episodes and 8.75 animation directors and episodes (depicting a struggle during production), Yuri On Ice is a nightmare for animators. However, even under tight deadlines and increasing pressure, the studio still delivered a masterpiece of Season 1.
Currently, MAPPA is working on several big projects such as Attack On Titan, Jujutsu Kaisen 0, or the heavily anticipated Chainsaw Man, amongst others.
What do we know about Yuri on Ice Season 2 so far?
Unfortunately, nothing new has been shared with the public about a second season for Yuri On Ice. Yet, the future is not that bleak for the fandom.
On July 1, 2018, “Yuri!!! On Ice The Movie: Ice Adolescence” was announced. A teaser trailer was released on January 19, 2019, in Japan, and worldwide on November 26, 2020. The movie was first scheduled for release in 2019 but has been delayed to an unknown date.
An announcement posted by the Production Committee on the official website assures the fans that production is still ongoing and the delay is due to the staff aiming “to enrich the film further.”
What are fans saying about Yuri on Ice Season 2?
Surely, fans have recently engaged in extensive conversations on Yuri On Ice Season 2 due to the lack of information. However, this does not mean that they gave up on the anime: regular posts and videos featuring fanarts, memes, or theories appear on Twitter, Reddit, or even YouTube.
The general sentiment is that Season 2 can be released after the upcoming movie as Yuri’s and Victor’s relationship and their journey will deliver more promising content.
Will there be Yuri on Ice Season 2?
The fans and newcomers have content to enjoy while waiting for Season 2. A short manga titled “Welcome to the Madness” and illustrated by Mitsurou Kubo was included with the final Blu-Ray on May 26, 2017. An OVA with the same title was included.
As said before, the Yuri On Ice fandom is still involved in the series. A quick look at the Google Trends statistics shows that they regularly research and check new information about a second early, with North America being the most invested.
From December 2016 to December 2017, combined sales of the Blu-Ray discs and DVDs in Japan propelled the anime at the top of the Oricon chart with 436,505 units. In 2018, Funimation released the full series on a combo pack boxset (Blu-Ray + DVD) with extra content.
Considering how successful the anime was, goodies quickly found their way on the market. Fans can find everything they desire: badges, keychains, stationery, Nendoroids, PVC figures, hoodies, phone cases, mugs, and so on, from several online stores and the official website. It isn’t easy to pinpoint exactly how much is made through these ventures because many are not considered official.
The only controversy the series had to face was light criticism that Victor and Yuri did not have to fight homophobia and, therefore, that the anime lacked realism. However, it does not impact one of the strongest points of the anime: how relatable the characters are through their insecurities, fears, and humanity. Thus, it is a nonissue and should not impede the production of a second season in the future.
When will Yuri on Ice Season 2 be released?
Yuri On Ice Season 2 is not in the works currently. It is safe to assume that the Production Committee will not greenlight the project since the movie they have invested in has not been released yet.
What can we expect in Season 2 of Yuri on Ice?
Fans are eager to see where Yuri K. and Victor will take their adorable relationship in Season 2, after buying those couple rings in Barcelona, kissing and dropping hints in every episode that they share a deeper connection. It would also be interesting to see if the movie will be a way to introduce one of the main plots of the season: Victor’s past, something that clearly impacted him throughout his life. Most importantly: to what new heights are both Yuri headed to now? What new dreams have been ignited in the athletes?
In the meantime, you can rewatch or discover Yuri On Ice on Funimation, Crunchyroll, and Amazon Prime.
