How NOT to Summon a Demon Lord Season 3 will have Diablo, Rem, and Shera traveling to the Dark Elf country of Blackwood, but when will Isekai Maou to Shoukan Shoujo no Dorei Majutsu Season 3 come out?
The official title for Season 2 was How NOT to Summon a Demon Lord: Omega (Ω). So, it’s very likely that Isekai Maou Season 3 will have a similar subtitle.
The main staff and studio for the third season hasn’t been confirmed yet.
The first season was produced by Studio Ajia-Do while the second season, Omega, was animated by Japanese animation studio Tezuka Productions. The studio is best known for producing the first season of The Quintessential Quintuplets anime (see our article on The Quintessential Quintuplets Season 2 and The Quintessential Quintuplets 2022 movie) in addition to Dagashi Kashi and collaborating with Studio MAPPA on the 2019 Dororo anime.
For making the second season, Tezuka Productions also collaborated with Studio Okuruto Noboru, which released the Hidden Dungeon Only I Can Enter anime TV series in 2021.
The second season of the How NOT to Summon a Demon Lord anime TV series was helmed by director Satoshi Kuwabara (The Quintessential Quintuplets). Series composition writer Kazuyuki Fudeyasu (Black Clover, By The Grace Of The Gods, Dropkick on My Devil!, JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, Sailor Moon Eternal movie, That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime) and character designer Shizue Kaneko (Pokemon the Movie: The Power of Us) were involved in making both seasons.
The How NOT to Summon a Demon Lord Season 3 OP (opening) and ED (ending) theme song music hasn’t been announced yet.
The How NOT to Summon a Demon Lord Season 2 OP was “Everybody Everybody”, while the ED was “You You You”. Yuu Serizawa collaborated with two artists, DJ KOO and MOTSU, for both songs.
The second season released in Spring 2021 and was streaming on Crunchyroll, VRV, and FUNimation Now. It was confirmed to have only 10 episodes whereas the first season was 12 episodes long.
The finale, How NOT to Summon a Demon Lord Season 2 Episode 10, released on June 11, 2021.
- Updated June 29, 2021: Added Omega Blu-Ray Volume 1 sales numbers.
- Updated June 24, 2021: Added Season 2 FUNimation dub release date and details.
- Updated June 19, 2021: Crunchyroll streaming How NOT to Summon a Demon Lord Omega uncensored.
- Updated April 30, 2021: S2 removes character resembling hololive Virtual YouTuber Usada Pekora.
This article provides everything that is known about How NOT to Summon a Demon Lord Season 2 (Isekai Maou to Shoukan Shoujo no Dorei Majutsu Season 2) 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.
How NOT to Summon a Demon Lord Season 3 release date predictions
As of the last update, Kodansha, Avex Pictures, Crunchyroll, or any company related to the production of the anime has not officially confirmed the Isekai Maou to Shoukan Shoujo no Dorei Majutsu Season 3 release date. Nor has the production of an Isekai Maou Season 3 sequel been announced.
Once the news is officially confirmed, this article will be updated with the relevant information.
In the meantime, it’s possible to speculate about when, or if, the How NOT to Summon a Demon Lord Season 3 release date will occur in the future.
The second season’s after-credits scene did not announce the third season. Instead, the anime teased a future quest and finished off with a risque end card art showing Shera and Rem laid out on a casino gambling table while dressed as bunny girls.
(Demon Lord does not dream of bunny girl wives?)
The official Twitter account shared tweets from the animators, editors, artists, and actors, but none of them mentioned the possibility of a third season.
To be honest, Omega being released was something of a surprise. The Blu-ray and DVD sales in Japan were just average on the Oricon charts, with Volume 1 selling 1,636 copies in its first week. Thus, the second season proves how the anime industry has transitioned to streaming revenue being the biggest financial factor for success.
Still, it’s kind of disheartening to see the Omega BD sales number from late June 2021. How NOT to Summon a Demon Lord Omega Blu-Ray Volume 1 only sold 1,083 copies in its first week.
To put those numbers in perspective, in the same week The Slime Diaries Season 1 Volume 1 sold 1,383 copies. Mushoku Tensei Volume 2 also sold 4,053 copies.
Anime projects take years to develop and studios are scheduled out in advance. It’s notable that the anime production committee switches studios in order for the second season to come out almost three years later.
Now that the anime TV series is proven to be popular, it’s possible that the production schedule is already planned out in advance. If that’s the case, the turnaround time will be shorter, so the Isekai Maou Season 3 release date could be scheduled for 2022 at the earliest.
FUNimation’s How NOT to Summon a Demon Lord Season 3 English dub
FUNimation’s How NOT to Summon a Demon Lord Season 2 English dub release date was on June 24, 2021.
The main Japanese voice cast is also returning for Diablo (Masaaki Mizunaka), Shera L Greenwood (Yu Serizawa), and Rem Galleu (Azumi Waki). Joining the new cast for the second season was Miku Ito as Lumachina Weselia, Aoi Koga as Rose, Fumiko Uchimura as Horn, Chinatsu Akasaki as Fanis Laminitus, and Shinnosuke Tachibana as Banakness, general of the Demon King Army.
Here is the How NOT to Summon a Demon Lord dub cast:
- Takuma Sakamoto/Diablo: Eric Vale
- Shera L. Greenwood: Sarah Wiedenheft
- Rem Galleu: Jad Saxton
- Lumachina: Amber Lee Connors
- Alicia Crystella: Sara Ragsdale
- Sylvie: Leah Clark
- Edelgard: Kristi Rothrock
- Celestine Baudelaire: Marissa lenti
- Klem: Madeleine Morris
- Mei: Kimberly Grace
- Emile Bichelberger: Clifford Chapin
- Keera L. Greenwood: Stephen Fu
- Chester Ray Galford: Brian Mathis
- Medios: Morgan Garrett
- Saddler: Anthony Bowling
FUNimation’s How NOT to Summon a Demon Lord Season 3 dub hasn’t been announced yet.
How to watch How NOT to Summon a Demon Lord Omega uncensored
While Shera’s jiggles are back, so are the holy rays of light! The anime TV series never reaches the level of the Redo of Healer anime (see our article on Redo of Healer Season 2), but many of the scenes are still censored.
Anime fans wanting to know how to watch How NOT to Summon a Demon Lord uncensored will need to turn to the Blu-Ray/DVD release to see the full uncut version since there is no AT-X version.
The How NOT to Summon a Demon Lord Season 1 Blu-ray/DVD box set released on February 24, 2021. The second season, Omega, will be released in three Blu-ray/DVD volumes.
Volume 1 will come out June 25, 2021, Volume 2 on July 30, 2021, and Volume 3 on August 27, 2021.
The differences in the first season between the censored and uncensored versions were often rather subtle since none of the episodes had actual full nudity. Regardless, suggestive scenes were blocked out completely.
As for the second season, it’s relied more on conveniently positioned environmental props rather than invasive black bars and stickers that distract from the experience. Besides removing light glares and black bars, it’s uncertain whether Lumachina’s tentacles will be shifted.
What is known is that anime fans will be able to watch How NOT to Summon a Demon Lord Season 2 uncensored online with streaming sites. Starting on June 18, 2021, Crunchyroll began streaming the “Double Summon Version” (or W Summon Version) with extended scenes and re-edits.
The uncensored version will be split into a Petit Demon King version and a Serious Demon King version, with the latter being a director’s cut of the second season. Presumably, Crunchyroll will not be streaming the fully uncensored version.
For more details, please see our news story about the How NOT to Summon a Demon Lord Omega uncensored editions.
How NOT to Summon a Demon Lord manga/light novel compared to the anime
The story for the anime is based on the Isekai Maou to Shoukan Shoujo no Dorei Majutsu light novel series by author Yukiya Murasaki and illustrator Takahiro Tsurusaki.
Published by Kodansha in late 2014, the light novel series was up to Volume 13 as of June 2, 2020. Kodansha has confirmed that the How NOT to Summon a Demon Lord Volume 14 release date is scheduled for June 2, 2021.
Before 2019, the author averaged two to three books per year. Lately, the author has slowed down and released only one new book per year.
Starting in 2015, mangaka Naoto Fukuda began serializing the Isekai Maou to Shoukan Shoujo no Dorei Majutsu manga series. As of March 9, 2021, the manga was up to Volume 13, which includes up through Chapter 64.
The English translation of the How NOT to Summon a Demon Lord novel series is being published by J-Novel Club while Seven Seas Entertainment is handling the English manga translation.
The English books caught up with Volume 13 as of December 1, 2020. The English manga only started being sold in June 2018, and Volume 11 came out on May 18, 2021 (it was delayed by about a month).
One notable fact about the English translation is that the English title changed the meaning entirely rather than being a translation. Directly translated from Japanese, the title is literally The Otherworldly Demon King and the Summoner Girls’ Slave Magic.
Perhaps wisely, the editors chose to strip out any reference to slavery in the title. However, the story can’t help but avoid controversy since the magical slave collars are an integral part of the plot.
On its surface, the story of the How NOT to Summon a Demon Lord novel series is simply another wish-fulfillment fantasy where a socially inept hikikomori gamer named Takuma Sakamoto is transported into a game-like world and finds himself completely OP (Overpowered) as the Demon Lord Diablo.
Having an OP protagonist is not necessarily a bad thing since it can be used for comedic effect. For example, the Suppose a Kid from the Last Dungeon Boonies Moved to a Starter Town? anime TV series had a lovable OP protagonist where most of the humor was derived from the fact that he was so humble and dense that he doesn’t realize he’s OP (in fact, he wrongly thinks the opposite).
There have been many variants on the OP protagonist theme in recent years, with most of the protagonists being bland Potato-kun stumbling around an alternate world gathering up girls into a harem.
While, yes, the Isekai Maou to Shoukan Shoujo no Dorei Majutsu novel series definitely has harem and fan service elements, it helps that that the fanservice is generally good-natured and focused on comedy rather than existing for the sake of a certain anime-watching demographic. Rather than being cringe-inducing, the fanservice is (mostly) used as a prop for comedy.
Diablo’s characterization is best compared to Momonga/Ainz Ooal Gown of the Overlord anime TV series (everybody wants Overlord Season 4). While Momonga fakes being an undead ruler named Ainz Ooal Gown in order to keep his cruel floor guardians in check, Takuma Sakamoto is simply a socially awkward human faking being a demon lord named Diablo.
Takuma’s personal insecurities and his neurotic tendencies shape how he plays this demon lord role. How he reacts to extremely awkward situations creates comedic routines that are the core of the story so Diablo being broken OP is not a running gag.
Also, Diablo is technically not the most powerful character in the light novel series. If it weren’t for those distracting biscuits, the fully awakened “Demon Lord of the Soul” Krebskulm is stronger, never mind the other menacing characters like the Demon Overlord that require Diablo to use items and equipment to compensate.
The second season made this fact more abundantly plain. Whereas the first season was more like a starter town, Season 2 has Diablo running into monsters and characters that are closer to his level 150, with the sand whale being one example.
Like many anime adaptations of light novels, the books provide way more detail, and there are some changes. The first season skipped action sequences, dialogue on the value of human life, and some world-building elements.
For example, in the lead-up to the ritual scene, the first season skipped the explanation of the politics between Baal, Ourou, and the three demon factions. Instead of politics, the anime focused on the comedy provided by Rem’s embarrassment at her predicament and jumped straight into the hole. (Rem shot?)
Another scene skipped by the first season described in detail the relationship between the church and the national government. But this information didn’t become pertinent until the second season.
One issue with the second season is that as characters Shera and Rem are relegated to wallpaper, never mind how Klem was immediately sidelined in the first half. While it makes sense that a new season needs to focus on developing the new characters’ background and motivations it still felt odd that the elf girl and the loli neko are essentially reduced to Diablo’s cheerleaders.
The ending of How NOT to Summon a Demon Lord Episode 12 corresponded to light novel Volume 4: Chapter 1 and manga Volume 9: Chapter 40.
All in all, it’s predicted that the second season’s finale, How NOT to Summon a Demon Season 2 Episode 10, will find a stopping point that corresponds to the ending of light novel Volume 6.
After all, the three books together form a complete story arc. Volume 4 introduces High Priest Lumachina and her predicament regarding the corruption in the Church of Celestials. It also introduced the crisis faced by Zircon Tower.
When Lumachina is cursed, Diablo travels in Volume 5 to a dungeon he created in the Cross Reverie game to recover an item… and add Magimatic Maid Rose to the party. With all these upgrades Diablo is easily able to defend Zircon Tower against the Fallen heralds of the Demon King.
Volume 6 finishes the story arc by having Diablo follow Lumachina to the Royal Capital to reform the corrupted Church. Volume 7 then launches into a new story arc focused on Shera (see the spoilers below for more details).
Some fans might complain that 10 episodes is not enough for covering three books. Fortunately, the pacing of the adaption shouldn’t be a problem.
The first season adapted 708 pages in English in total, whereas the Lumachina story arc is 590 pages. Considering that the three books are shorter, it makes sense to maintain the same pacing by reducing the episode count by the same percentage.
As predicted, the first three episodes of Season 2 adapted Volume 4. Episodes 4 through 6 adapted Volume 5. But there were some scenes that were condensed or skipped, especially the lewder scenes (probably reserved for the uncensored director’s cut in the Seriously Demon King edition).
Season 2 Episode 7 was a bit of a surprise since it started adapting Volume 6 but then also dipped into Volume 8: Chapter 2. Season 2 Episodes 8 through 10 continued adapting Volume 6, but Season 2 Episode 9 had Vishos summoning Europa, a creature that originally didn’t show up until light novel Volume 10.
The good news is that such a stopping point leaves plenty of room for How NOT to Summon a Demon Lord Season 3. The third season will probably be a single cour again since Volume 9 offers a great stopping point for the finale.
English-speaking light novel readers can jump straight to Volume 7 if they wish to read ahead of the anime.
The bad news is reserved for manga readers. When the second season finished airing in June 2021, Volume 13: Chapter 62 had only just begun adapting light novel Volume 6 and the latest manga chapter released still hadn’t finished the story. Therefore, it should be several months before the manga catches up to the second season.
Isekai Maou to Shoukan Shoujo no Dorei Majutsu Season 3 anime TV spoilers (plot summary/synopsis)
The last time audiences watched the anime, Diablo had promised Rem that he’d accept a quest so he could find a marriage ring after Shera openly bragged about her ring. It’s not like there was any fighting since Shera likes it when all three are together.
But Diablo will have other concerns in Season 2 besides quests for wedding rings…
In the era of legends, God smashed the Demon King and sealed him up until a time when a Hero appears that could defeat the Demon King. As such God left behind a method of undoing the seal.
Diablo learns of a ritual passed down by the Dark Elves that may be able to remove the remnants of the Demon Lord’s soul still slumbering within Rem’s body. Diablo decides to travel to Blackwood, the country of the Dark Elves, but these elves are hostile to other races due to a great injustice committed against them in the past.
Around one hundred years ago, the Kingdom of Lyferia sent its Holy Army to attack Blackwood. The light elf king of Greenwood reluctantly allowed the Holy Arm to attack Blackwood and many dark elves were killed.
The beautiful forest was burned to the ground and all that remains is full of poisonous plants. The country has been reduced down to a hidden village that holds only female elves and babies since the men have to leave the village to find work.
Needless to say, the fact that the Greenwood elves allowed the Blackwood elves to be decimated created a schism. So, Diablo is expecting hostility based on their old grudge.
Meanwhile, Shera must marry a male Elf to become the Kingdom of Greenwood’s new queen!? How will Diablo overcome this predicament… and will the elves survive?
Speaking of survival, Diablo realizes that he might lose the upcoming battle with the Demon Overlord. Diablo needs to level up quickly and he turns to a swordsmaster to master the art of the blade.
Diablo doesn’t have much time to develop his skills as a warrior since the Demon Lord’s army begins to march on the city of Faltra with an overwhelming force.
Unfortunately, anime fans will need to wait until the How NOT to Summon a Demon Lord Season 3 release date to watch what happens next. Stay tuned!