TL;DR Anime Geek predicts that the Goblin Slayer Season 3 release date will be in late 2024 due to the historical release pattern and the time typically required for anime production. Read more below for a much deeper dive!
The Goblin Slayer Season 3 anime TV series will have the party setting out for the Elven motherland. But the shadows of goblins are looming, plus back home there are whispers of an ill omen within the royal capital.
The adventurous saga of the Goblin Slayer light novel series continues to build even as the anticipation builds up among fans with the fated return of the anime. But with the animation work changing hands between studios, speculation is abuzz regarding when will Goblin Slayer Season 3 come out.
“He does not let anyone roll the dice,” but will the anime production committee roll for initiative a third time?
This article provides everything that is known about Goblin Slayer Season 3 (Goblin Slayer III) and all related news. As such, this article will be updated over time with news, rumors, and analysis. Meanwhile, let’s delve down into what is known for certain.
Is a late 2024 Goblin Slayer 3 release date possible?
As of the last update, publisher SB Creative, Studio Liden Films, or any company related to the production of the anime has not officially confirmed the Goblin Slayer Season 3 release date. Nor has the production of a Goblin Slayer 3 sequel been announced.
Once the news is officially confirmed this article will be updated with the relevant information.
It’s possible that the announcement will be made around or after December 22, 2023, when the Goblin Slayer Season 2 finale episode airs.
In the meantime, it’s possible to speculate about when, or if, the Goblin Slayer Season 3 release date will occur in the future.
The main issue is whether the series retains its popularity after such a long wait between seasons. Released on February 20, 2019, the Goblin Slayer 1 Blu-Ray box sets sold 3,361 copies and the DVD box sets sold 804 copies (or 4,165 copies combined).
(GOBLIN SLAYER II is listed with a total of 12 episodes across three Blu-ray & DVD volumes.)
To put those financial figures in perspective, Attack On Titan Season 3, which came out in roughly the same time frame, sold 4,435 copies. The 2018 My Hero Academia Season 3 actually did worse, selling only 2,612 Blu-Ray copies.
Both of those anime were renewed for multiple seasons. However, Over time the anime industry has shifted away from disc sales being the overriding factor in determining whether to produce anime sequel. Instead, revenue from international streaming and merchandise sales (figurines, etc.) have become the largest factor and international demand is having a huge influence on production decisions.
Therefore, it’s quite significant that Goblin Slayer was quite popular worldwide on Crunchyroll when it initially aired. So if the 2nd season repeats that success, or even comes close to it, then Goblin Slayer Season 3 is almost guaranteed.
The subtitle for the Goblin Slayer movie reads, “He does not let anyone roll the dice,” but thankfully, the producers seemed willing from the outset to roll the dice for the sequels since the first season ended with the message that the “Goblin Slayer will return.” Thus, if history repeats itself anime fans should know more by the end of Fall 2023.
In the past, Anime Geek successfully predicted that the anime production committee was planning on releasing the 2nd season in late 2023. The only surprise was that the production was shifted to Studio LIDENFILMS albeit with the main staff returning.
The studio is best known in recent years for making the Tokyo Revengers anime. The studio was even entrusted with adapting multiple seasons of the story and anime fans are eagerly awaiting Tokyo Revengers Season 4.
Animation studios are typically booked out at least 2 to 4 years in advance depending on the company. Could it be possible that LIDENFILMS has already been scheduled out in advance for making Goblin Slayer 3?
In the best-case scenario, the anime production committee could have planned out the Goblin Season 3 release date for the second half of 2024, either Summer 2024 (July 2024) or Fall 2024 (October 2024). This release schedule would be similar to 2nd and 3rd seasons of Tokyo Revengers, which both came out in the same year separated by a gap of 6 months (or two cours).
Keep in mind that the turnaround time on Tokyo Revengers was highly unusual. But that’s because the anime is based on a finished story and the TV show caused manga sales to skyrocket and beat records for a Kodansha manga series. Arguably, the Goblin Slayer anime was also highly unusual in that it was the most popular streaming anime for the entire United States so it’s possible the producers smell the potential for dollar signs and are planning ahead for success.
The worst-case scenario is that the anime production committee has Goblin Slayer cancelled for future anime sequels if the 2nd season doesn’t perform as expected. That event seems unlikely, although it’s possible the producers will wait until on scheduling Goblin Slayer Season 3 until after the streaming numbers from the 2nd season come in. If that’s the plan, anime fans will be waiting on Goblin Slayer 3 for several years again.
Goblin Slayer Season 3 English dub release date
The previous seasons of Goblin Slayer were available on streaming platforms like Crunchyroll and Funimation. The English dub cast for previous seasons includes:
- Brad Hawkins as Goblin Slayer
- Hayden Daviau as Priestess
- Mallorie Rodak as High Elf Archer
- Brittany Lauda as Cow Girl
- Sara Ragsdale as Guild Girl
- Barry Yandell as Dwarf Shaman
- Josh Bangle as Lizard Priest
- Amanda Gish as Witch
- Kyle Igneczi as Spearman
Crunchyroll’s Fall 2023 anime lineup included dubs in multiple languages like Spanish, Portuguese, French, and German dubs. The 2nd season was not dubbed immediately.
The Goblin Slayer Season 3 English dub release date has not been announced yet.
Goblin Slayer manga/light novels compared to the anime
The Goblin Slayer series originates from the light novels written by Kumo Kagyu. As of now, there are 16 volumes published 2016, with the series continuing to expand the narrative world of Goblin Slayer, showcasing different adventures and scenarios Goblin Slayer and his party find themselves in as they continue their quest to exterminate goblins.
The main series has spawned multiple side stories in book format. The first, Goblin Slayer: Year One, told the story of how the titular character started as an adventurer. The Year One spin-off is also being adapted into manga and there was an English translation of both the novels and books.
It’s worth reading since the story was skipped by the anime and the English translation is already published. Set five years before the main story, the prequel details Goblin Slayer’s first solo raid of a goblin nest, a confrontation with a goblin shaman, face-melting blobs, and other feats that he accomplished while still a novice adventurer. Needless to say, he learned the hard way just how devious goblins can be in killing humans.
A manga-only spinoff called Goblin Slayer: Brand New Day focused on the adventures of side characters in the Frontier. Yen Press also published online the English translation of Brand New Day. It finished all 10 chapters in 2020.
The manga adaptation by Kōsuke Kurose is based on the light novel series, with thirteen volumes published as of August 25, 2022. In October 2023, the manga was still adapting Volume 7 of the light novels.
The official English translation of the manga by Yen Press was already up to Volume 13 as of November 21, 2023. Be aware that the manga adaptation contains explicit scenes whereas the anime was more circumspect. At the same time, the manga also has added humor lacking from the anime so there is a bit of a balancing act to the dark content.
Besides the main series, there are also side stories like the Goblin Slayer Side Story II: Dai Katana.
More Berserk than standard isekai, the Goblin Slayer anime eschews isekai tropes in favor of ultraviolence. The tonal differences in the new anime series represent the revival of dark fantasy as a genre.
Anime fans should be forewarned that the light novels are even darker than the anime or even the manga. While the camera (and the manga panels) tends to shy away from the worst of the atrocities committed by the goblins, the books describe everything in excruciatingly gory detail.
Anime-only fans do know that the goblins are described as being evil. But the books make it more clear just how unredeemable they truly are since they obsess over carrying out horrific acts on humans.
A good anime adaptation is often known by finding a good stopping point in the story in which the narrative drives toward closure without whipping the audience around too quickly.
In the first season, the anime adapted two books and 29 manga chapters, ending with the conclusion of the first light novel while also incorporating stories from the Brand New Day gaiden book.
The light novel series provides more backstory and worldbuilding in comparison to the anime/manga. There are also small changes like changing Goblin Slayer’s hair color from black to grey. The books also provide additional details that the anime is forced to skip or skim over due to lack of time (for example, the deaths of the all-female adventurer party).
But the biggest difference was the ordering of events. In the light novels/manga, the Sword Maiden/Water Town story arc took place after the farm invasion by the Goblin Lord, which was originally the ending of the first light novel.
Studio White Fox probably switched the story arcs up because the farm invasion made for a more epic conclusion to the first season. This stopping point also provided more resolution to the story by showcasing Goblin Slayer’s character development.
The Goblin Slayer movie adapted manga Volume 9: Chapter 41 through Volume 11: Chapter 54, which in turn adapted light novel Volume 5. It just so happens that Goblin’s Crown is also the title for light novel Volume 5: Chapter 6.
The 2nd season opened with the events of light novel Volume 6. Thankfully, it included a recap for those who couldn’t remember what happened way back in 2019 when the first season aired.
While it may have seemed odd for the extended Goblin Slayer OVA episode to have skipped two whole books and jump straight to Volume 5, it made sense since the story of Volume 5 is largely self-contained. Volume 3 needs the first two volumes for context whereas Volume 4 is largely composed of side stories
In fact, the main Goblin Slayer manga didn’t include these stories and they were instead incorporated into the Brand New Day manga. Considering how these stories were adapted, it wasn’t too surprising that the 2nd season opened up with the events of light novel Volume 6 concerning the wizard boy. Thus it’s possible that the 2nd season will rearrange events again so character development events like the Harvest Festival arc from light novel Volume 3 won’t be skipped.
All in all, assuming that the adaptation pacing remains similar to the first season, it’s predicted that the 2nd season’s finale in Goblin Slayer Season 2 Episode 12 will correspond to the events of light novel Volume 3.
It’s the best stopping point since it would conclude with the climactic confrontation with Dark Elf. Similar to how the first season ended on a happy note with Goblin Slayer removing his helmet and revealing his face, anime fans will be treated to Goblin Slayer and Cow Girl enjoying a rare moment of peace. Here’s to the Goblin Slayer x Cow Girl stans!
That means Goblin Slayer Season 3 will pick up the story again in light novel Volume 7. The good news is that there is plenty of source material available for making a third season, never mind a 4th, 5th, and beyond!
Better yet, English-only book readers who wish to read ahead of the anime can jump straight to Volume 7, whereas manga readers can pick up the story in Chapter 76.
Goblin Slayer Season 3 cast
The Japanese cast from the first season is expected to return, with the following voice actors:
- Yuichiro Umehara as Goblin Slayer
- Yui Ogura as Priestess
- Nao Tōyama as High Elf Archer
- Yuka Iguchi as Cow Girl
- Maaya Uchida as Guild Girl
- Yūichi Nakamura as Dwarf Shaman
- Tomokazu Sugita as Lizard Priest
Goblin Slayer Season 3 studio and staff
The first season, as well as the Goblin Slayer: Goblin’s Crown movie was originally adapted by Studio White Fox but then Studio LIDENFILMS picked up the gauntlet. (On a side note, Studio White Fox has lost several other big names including the Arifureta Season 3 anime, which also confirmed to be in production in 2022.)
At this time, it’s very likely that most of the staff will return for making Goblin Slayer Season S3. After all, Season 1 director Takaharu Ozaki returned as the Chief Director for making the 2nd season. He was joined by new Director Misato Takada.
Also returning was Series Composition and Script Writer Hideyuki Kurata, Character Designer Hiromi Kato, and Music Composer Kenichiro Suehiro.
Goblin Slayer Season 3 OP and ED music
The Goblin Slayer Season 3 OP (opening) and ED (ending) theme song music hasn’t been announced yet.
The music for the first two seasons of Goblin Slayer had been one of the captivating elements of the show. The Opening (OP) for Season 1 was “Rightfully” by Mili, and the Ending (ED) was “Gin no Kisei” by Soraru. The Opening (OP) for Season 2 was “Entertainment” by Mili, and the Ending (ED) was “Kasumi no Mukou e (霞の向こうへ)” by Yuki Nakashima.
Unfortunately, anime fans will have to wait until the Goblin Slayer Season 3 release date to watch what happens next. Stay tuned!