Isekai Cheat Magician Season 2 has the potential to be something greater over the long haul for the anime series. The hard part the anime faces is dragging itself out of mediocrity, but the Isekai Chiito Majutsushi anime series does, in fact, have several factors going for it.
The first fact is financial. Japanese manga and light novel publisher Kadokawa is going all-in for isekai anime. When Kadokawa released its first-quarter financial results in 2019 they noted how streaming revenue from Wise Man’s Grandchild and The Rising Of The Shield Hero were largely responsible for great income increases (regardless, only one of the two was renewed).
On that basis, Kadokawa announced its intention to produce at least one new isekai anime adaptation per season. The Rising Of The Shield Hero Season 2 and 3 were announced not too long after and Isekai Quartet Season 2 is going to feature new students from Kadokawa’s isekai adventures.
Despite all these positive factors, can Isekai Cheat Magician Season 2 overcome the tepid reviews that the first anime season generated?
This article provides everything that is known about Isekai Cheat Magician 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.
Isekai Cheat Magician reviews unfair to the anime?
Unfortunately, the anime has the distinction of being one of the lowest-rated isekai anime on MyAnimeList. Reviewers say they hate it because they claim it simply doesn’t stand out in any fashion and relies on isekai tropes similar to Isekai Smartphone (it should be noted that the In Another World With My Smartphone Season 2 release date is in 2023).
Lacking the charm or uniqueness of other isekai anime, even the title “Isekai Cheat Magician” is mind-numbingly generic. Plus, every time Taichi talks about cheating it makes me think, “The one with the sharper fangs wins. That is what Killing Bites is.”
Still, it’s not like the anime completely lacks any distinct characteristics. Having an isekai story focus on the journey of a duo where a female counterpart is transported to another world along with the protagonist is one of the biggest differences from the usual isekai formula. With romance likely bubbling beneath the surface, the initial plot is more attractive than the usual stereotypical harem isekai, which are so overdone that they’re considered annoying tropes by anime fans.
Speaking of harem tropes, just when the anime looks like it’s about to become yet another harem isekai, it managed to surprise by killing off Anastasia, an assassin turned harem wannabe. Since when has any isekai anime proved that the stakes are high by actually killing off a major character? The death of the character was also instrumental in Taichi’s development as a hero.
On the other hand, both Taichi and Rin are immediately recognized as extremely overpowered mages with the potential for nation-shattering powers. You would think that being OP would remove any source of dramatic tension, but the characters still need to learn how to use their untapped potential. Watching Taichi and Rin fumble along rather than being immediately all-powerful from the get-go is part of the anime’s charm.
The story also makes things interesting by bestowing the two main characters with magic that doesn’t simply rely on having stupidly high stats. Similar to the Shin Wolford character in Wise Man’s Grandchild, Rin is able to combine magic with scientific knowledge in order to create magical attacks never seen before in this fantasy world.
Taichi doesn’t understand how to wield his powers as a Summoner, so he’s reduced to simple physical enhancements. While Taichi does have to hold back, and almost dies as a result, the issue is that midway through the first season the anime states that Taichi was struggling with fears related to embracing his full power.
This character development should have been fully fleshed out by showing these fears earlier on rather than suddenly announcing these unstated fears right before he becomes a full Summoner. Still, at least the anime continued that theme by showing how conflicted the characters were over killing humans and not just monsters.
Overall, the anime is watchable since it does have enough quirks to make episodes interesting. It could be argued that Isekai Cheat Magician would probably not be criticized as heavily if it hadn’t been released so late in the recent wave of isekai anime. After all, it’s difficult to stand out when surrounded by similar competitors.
Isekai Cheat Magician Season 2 release date predictions
As of the last update, Kadokawa, Encourage Films, and no company related to the production of the anime has officially confirmed the Isekai Cheat Magician Season 2 release date. Nor has the production of a 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 Isekai Cheat Magician Season 2 premiere date will occur in the future.
The Isekai Cheat Magician anime might be able to ride the current wave of popularity enjoyed by the isekai genre. After all, anime isekai is so popular that even Isekai Smartphone Season 2 was produced.
Plus, the Isekai Cheat Magician anime is regularly featured among the top most popular anime on the Crunchyroll streaming service. Since streaming revenue is the biggest determining factor in whether an anime sequel is renewed the anime may have a chance.
On the flip side, Wise Man’s Grandchild had better reviews and similar Crunchyroll popularity but so far a sequel for Wise Man’s Grandchild hasn’t been announced even though that anime ended by teasing the next part of the story.
By early 2023, Isekai Cheat Magician Season 2 still hasn’t been announced, so it seems more likely that the anime series was canceled, but anime fans could always be in for a surprise. After all, anime projects are often planned out years in advance by the producers so it’s possible the project is simply working its way down the pipeline.
Thus, Anime Geek is predicting that if the 2nd season isn’t released by 2024 or 2025 then it’s never coming out.
Isekai Cheat Magician Season 2 spoilers (plot summary/synopsis)
Three months have passed since the civil war ended at the royal capital of Wennifix. Taichi and his friends have been spending their days like adventurers, defeating bandits and subjugating monsters.
Taichi and the others decide to visit the Gargen Empire as tourists. Along the way, they meet a couple who run an inn who have been harassed by a merchant so Taichi decides to stop and help.
While sightseeing in the Imperial City of Gargenia, Taichi meets four elves who request their help. The area has been suffering from frequent odd earthquakes so Taichi investigates the cause of these mysterious earthquakes.
Having solved that mystery, the four elves invite Taichi and his friends to travel to the village of the elves, which is located on an isolated island in the middle of the ocean. It turns out their elven friend Myura is the successor for the elven shrine maiden.
Myura was told she did not need to inherit the role of the shrine maiden, but traditionalists in the elven community believe that the succession must happen. Meanwhile, there are shadows lurking in the background, with more to the story being unsaid.
Isekai Cheat Magician Season 2 will follow the path already trodden by Wise Man’s Grandchild by having the OP protagonists suddenly want to enter school! At the request of the Emperor of the Gargen Empire, Taichi is investigating the Imperial Knight Training Academy. A student is being targeted and they must stop that attempt, find out the reason for why this student is threatened, and uncover the dark truth behind the darkness in the school.
Taichi and his friends attend the school as special exchange students from Elistain Magic Kingdom and they make quite the impression based on their overwhelming power. Although they have a conspiracy to untangle, living at the school allows Taichi and Rin to resume their student life they’ve been longing for after being gone so long from their home in Japan.
The school hosts a team battle competition and Taichi is involved in training fellow students. The school games seem to be going smoothly when a terrorist group invades the school. Can Taichi chase down the mastermind and keep the students safe at the same time?
Unfortunately, anime fans will have to wait until the Isekai Cheat Magician Season 2 release date to watch what happens next. Stay tuned!
Isekai Cheat Magician manga/light novels compared to the anime
The story for the anime is based on the Isekai Cheat Magician light novel series by author Takeru Uchida and illustrator Nardack. But the story first started as a web novel self-published on the Shosetsuka ni Narou (Let’s Become A Novelist) website in April 2012. The web novel is still releasing new chapters.
Japanese publisher Shufunotomosha’s light novel imprint Hero Bunko began adapting the story for light novel format beginning in June 2013. Having sold over two million copies, the light novels are up to Volume 15 as October 29, 20231.
The books spawned an Isekai Cheat Magician manga series by illustrator Karin Suzuragi. Published in Kadokawa’s Monthly Shonen Ace magazine since December 2016, the manga series is up to Volume 14 as of January 26, 2023.
There is also a spin-off manga series called Soreyuke! Isekai Cheat Magician (Go Forth! Isekai Cheat Magician) that began publishing in Shounen Ace Plus magazine in 2018. Written by the original author and illustrated by Taku Kawamura, the comedic 4-panel (4-koma) spin-off ended in 2019 with Volume 2.
Unfortunately, no North American publisher has licensed the English translation for either the light novels or the manga series. There are unofficial fan translation projects but all of them are far behind the Japanese releases.
Like many anime series, Isekai Cheat Magician adapted several books by condensing the story. The ending of Isekai Cheat Magician Episode 12, the final battle of the civil war, corresponded to light novel Volume 5.
Unfortunately, the anime is far ahead of the manga series. Manga Volumes 6 and 7 are adapting the monster invasion of Azpire and Taichi’s fight with the two-headed dragon (Chapter 28), which in turn was covered by anime Episodes 6 and 7. Since new chapters are released monthly it will likely take the manga several years to catch up to the anime.
The good news is that there are currently enough light novels to serve as source material for creating Isekai Cheat Magician Season 2. The bad news is that English-only readers who wish to read ahead of the anime will have to wait until an official English translation for the light novels is published.
Isekai Cheat Magician cast, studio, staff, and music
The anime production committee also put together a good cast for the Isekai Cheat Magician anime. The main protagonist Taichi Nishimura is voiced by voice actor Kohei Amasaki of Double Decker! Doug & Kirill fame. Anime fans were especially interested when the cast included Rie Takahashi, who plays Megumin in KonoSuba and Emilia and Re:ZERO – Starting Life In Another World (see our articles on KonoSuba Season 3 and Re:ZERO Season 2). Takahashi voices the role of Rin Azuma, the main heroine of the story.
The anime production even managed to snag MYTH&ROID for producing the Isekai Cheat Magician opening theme song “Panta Rhei”. The ending theme song “Chiisana Omoi” is even sung by Rie Takahashi, who is famous as a professional singer, not just for her unique way of saying, “Explosion!”
Now, you may have not heard of animation studio Encourage Films before, but they did provide animation support for Satelight on the Symphogear anime. They’ve also produced multiple original anime including We Love Rice and Etotoma. They’ve also done game adaptations (Merc Storia) and manga adaptations (Hitorijime My Hero), but the Isekai Cheat Magician anime is their first adaptation of a light novel.
Most main staff on anime projects are freelancers so Encourage Films managed to snag director Daisuke Chikushi, who is known for helming the well-reviewed Rascal Does Not Dream Of Bunny Girl Senpai. The series composition was written by Takayo Ikami, writer for the Magical Girl Site anime. Character designer Shuji Maruyama previously worked on Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D. Light novel illustrator Nardack is cited for the original character design.