The ending of the KonoSuba novel series has officially been confirmed to be coming up in 2020. Light novel author Natsume Akatsuki wrote on his Twitter page that KonoSuba: God’s Blessing on this Wonderful World! Volume 17 will contain the ending, but he’s already teasing the final book will contain a KonoSuba: After Story continuation.
Fans of the series became excited at the end of March 2020 when the author’s official Twitter page announced that there will be a “big announcement” on April 1, no joke! Anime fans were hoping that an announcement of the KonoSuba Season 3 anime would be forthcoming, but so far we’ll have to be satisfied with the KonoSuba movie Legend of Crimson.
The big surprise was not only KonoSuba’s ending but also the announcement that Volume 17 will contain a special KonoSuba: After Story in the Afterward section. That’s a big deal since it’s a sequel of the KonoSuba web novel, which did not contain an after story.
The web novel version of the story was originally self-published by Natsume on the Japanese website, Let’s Become a Novelist (Shousetsuka ni Narou), between 2012 and 2013. A Japanese publisher eventually picked up the series for a light novel adaptation in October 2013.
Light novels will usually expand on the premise of the web novel and rewrite some sections of the story. But this is the first time that a KonoSuba sequel has been discussed… even if it will be relatively short.
Combatant will be Dispatched! anime forthcoming
Natsume also highlighted that a Sentōin, Hakenshimasu! (Combatant will be Dispatched!) anime is in production. Here’s the summary:
“It’s tough being on the front lines for an evil organization, and nobody knows this better than No. 6, a Combatant for the Kisaragi Secret Society. Dispatched to a distant alien world on a reconnaissance mission, he’s got a new android partner, but how are you supposed to plan an interstellar invasion–of a fantasy world?!”
The author has been working on the newer novel series since November 2017. As of January 1, the Sentōin, Hakenshimasu! novel series was up to Volume 5.
The story is also being adapted into a Combatant will be Dispatched! manga series by artist Masaaki Kiasa. The manga is up to Volume 3.
KonoSuba Volume 17 release date
Kadokawa has announced that the KonoSuba Volume 17 release date is scheduled for May 1, 2020.
The official English translation by Yen Press is up to Volume 11 as of December 2019. Volume 12 is scheduled for April 21, 2020.
Where KonoSuba: God’s Blessing on this Wonderful World! Season 3 will be in the overall story
Anime fans might be wondering where the KonoSuba Season 3 anime stands in comparison to KonoSuba’s ending. The second season finished up events from Volume 4, and the KonoSuba movie covered in full the events of Volume 5, so the third season will start with the story from KonoSuba Volume 6.
Considering that two books have been adapted per season, it’s possible that the anime series could go all the way up to KonoSuba Season 8 assuming no more movies are based on the main series.
Let’s just hope a KonoSuba Season 3 anime announcement is coming up next. Stay tuned!