UPDATE July 8, 2022: BASTARD!! Part 2 release date on Netflix confirmed – BASTARD!! Heavy Metal, Dark Fantasy Episode 14 to 24 coming in September 2022
Recently Netflix showcased their teaser trailer for the upcoming dark fantasy anime series — Bastard!! Furthermore, Netflix confirmed that Bastard!! will be released worldwide in 2022 as a split-cour series with 24 episodes, which means there will be a Bastard Part 2 on Netflix in the future consisting of Bastard!! Episode 13 through 24.
What’s a “cour,” you might ask? For those unfamiliar with the lingo, a “cour” is a three-month block of TV broadcasting based on the physical seasons, usually composed of 10 to 13 episodes.
A “split-cour” is where a single anime season takes a multi-month break before resuming TV broadcasting.
Without a firm release date confirmed yet, rumors abound that we may see Bastard!! Part 1 in the first half of 2022 in Spring 2022 (April through June) or Summer 2022 (July through September). If that’s the case, then it’s possible the Bastard Part 2 release date will be in late 2022 or early 2023.
The producer behind Bastard!! is reportedly Warner Bros. Japan and the animation studio is Liden Films. The studio is known in recent times for anime such as Blade of the Immortal, Otherside Picnic, Cells At Work! CODE BLACK, and Tokyo Revengers (Tokyo Revengers Season 2: Christman Showdown Arc is already confirmed to be in the works).
The new teaser Bastard!! trailer raises expectations
Netflix’s Bastard!! anime is based on the popular ’80s heavy metal, dark fantasy manga written by Kazushi Hagiwara. The manga series officially launched in 1988 and was published in Shueisha’s Weekly Shōnen Jump. However, it went on hiatus in 2010 and left many die-hard fans disappointed.
Netflix’s recent announcement raised hopes that the series is alive and well — at least, as an anime. Yet, a Bastard!! OVA episode (Original Video Animation episode) dating back to 1992 already exists. But it’s a bit too obscure to make much of an impact nowadays.
The Bastard!! trailer contains several impactful scenes from the first five episodes. It introduces the lead character, Dark Schneider, who is a powerful wizard that’s over 400 years old but more closely resembles a muscular hair metal band member. The Bastard!! anime trailer shows Dark Schneider invoking powerful magical spells and proclaiming in a menacing tone, “I’ve finally been resurrected.”
Brief flashes show several key characters. These include Tia Noto Yoko, the red-headed high priestess responsible for awakening Dark Schneider from his long slumber after she kissed him. The young Lucien Renlen that’s like a little brother to Tia Noto Yoko. The noble and powerful Ninja Master Gara. And Abigail, a dark sorcerer and the leader of the Four Divine Kings that seek world domination.
And then, there’s Arshes Nei’s who is half-human, half-elf, and one of Dark Schneider’s many love interests. From these few scenes, the anime seems like it will live up to its heavy metal, dark fantasy roots.
Who are the voice actors cast in the new Bastard!! anime series?
The recent BASTARD!! -Heavy Metal, Dark Fantasy- Anime Announcement Special Event included a panel with the main voice actors.
Kisho Taniyama will be the voice behind Dark Schneider. He also voiced Jean Kirstein in Attack on Titan and Chuuya Nakahara in Bungou Stray Dogs: Dead Apple.
Tomori Kusunoki that voiced Sumika Kagami in Muv-Luv Alternative will voice Tia Noto Yoko. Hiroki Yasumoto that voiced King in One Punch Man will voice Ninja Master Gara. And Yoko Hikasa that voiced Rias Gremory in High School DxD New will voice Arshes Nei.
Additional voice actors that didn’t sit at this panel include Kanae Ito as Lucien Renlen, Tomokazu Sugita as Abigail, Kensho Ono as Kall-Su, and Nao Toyama as Sheila Tuel Meta-Llicana.
Who is directing the Netflix Bastard!! series?
Takaharu Ozaki, the director behind Goblin Slayer: Goblin’s Crown and Persona 5 the Animation: The Day Breakers will be directing Bastard!! He also seems to be a big fan of the series. During a small interview segment following the BASTARD!! -Heavy Metal, Dark Fantasy- Anime Announcement Special Event he stated the following:
“Bastard!! has been around for a while. It’s indeed regarded as a pioneering work. Many Japanese anime, novels, and manga were influenced by it.
It’s sort of where the fantasy genre started. When Bastard!! was serialized, there weren’t many fantasy titles out there. Something so elaborate. People were really drawn to this world of fantasy. I was a fan back then too. I was a kid reading the manga. And so Bastard!! is really a pioneer.”
Let’s just hope the wait for the Bastard!! Part 2 release date isn’t too long. Stay tuned!