Rent A Girlfriend Season 2 has been a topic of debate under many discussion pages. Most of these threads were dominated by a single question- will the series be renewed? Well, all questions were answered in February 2021 when the makers of the series came out with the news of the return. But the fans remained skeptical with the release. Even after the renewal update, there are many concerns that the fans face. So, what is the curious case of Rent A Girlfriend Season 2? Here is everything you need to know about the series.
Rent A Girlfriend is based on Reiji Miyajima’s manga of the same name. The first chapter of the manga came out in July 2017. Since then, Kodansha has serialized more than twenty-four volumes in the franchise. In December 2020, TMS Entertainment joined hands with the makers to launch the anime wing of the franchise. The 12-episode series ran from July 2020 to September 2020. Now, fans of the series are looking forward to the next anime season. So, keep reading further to get all the latest updates about this new anime series.
Rent A Girlfriend Season 2: Renewal Status!
To put it in simple words, Rent A Girlfriend Season 2 has been renewed by the production company. The first season came to a halt in September 2020. With a poor reception and much criticism, the word spread that the sequel might get canceled. The first season has been rated 7.3 out of 10 on IMDb. Moreover, the MyAnimeList rating of the sequel is 7.32 out of ten. Even though the ratings look decent, the same did not reflect the fans’ reactions.
They believed that the protagonist of the story of unlikeable. Moreover, the concept also slopped from episode to episode. Nevertheless, TMS Entertainment managed to bypass all the criticism and decided to drop the news of the renewal. Thus, in a live-stream stage event in February 2021, the sequel was announced.
Why Was It Delayed?
In most cases, any anime series is renewed right after the current season comes to an end. The production companies working in the anime industry operate under tight schedules and orders. These studios are booked months in advance. As for any producer, most renewal decisions are based on the reception of the current season. Thus, the cost of this wait is paid in months’ time.
Thus, sequels and returns take months to get an announcement. This is a similar case that followed up for Rent A Girlfriend Season 2. If the second season does not pick up the hype, fans can expect a similar delay in the next renewal.
Also Read: Best Rom-Com Anime That Will Make Fall In Love Again!
Rent A Girlfriend Season 2: Production Details!
As of the last update, there has been no news of the production process. TMS Entertainment is animating the sequel much like the pilot. So, judging by the timing of the announcements, it can be concluded that the second season is in the final stage of production. The pilot season made it to the floors within seven months of the announcement.
Thus, it can be assumed that it does not take longer than six-seven months to animate a 12-episode season. So, Rent A Girlfriend Season 2 might have finished animation work by now. Only the final bits of editing might remain in the sequel.
Rent A Girlfriend Season 2: Is There A Trailer Of The Sequel?
Since February 2021, the series has stayed away from the public eye. Thus, there has been no update since the first renewal announcement. The makers also refrained from releasing the first glimpse of the second season. This was mostly because there were no new visuals to release at the time of the announcement. However, this is a high time when the makers might decide to release a new trailer from the second season.
As the production details suggest, Rent A Girlfriend Season 2 might have completed a large chunk of animation and production work. Thus, fans can expect to see a new trailer or the first look shortly. In case of a new update, this section will be updated accordingly. Until then, rewatch the trailer of the first season here.
Is There Enough Source Material?
Rent A Girlfriend draws its story directly from the manga by Reiji Miyajima. The original text has a total of 24 volumes in total. As of the last update, the ongoing manga has published 215 chapters in total. So, the first season used four chapters on average for each episode. This way, the season ended using the first 50 chapters of the manga. This only covered the first six volumes of the manga.
This implies that the source material has more than enough content left for at least four seasons to come. Besides the original story, Reiji Miyajima is also working on a spin-off story called the Rent-A-(Really Shy!)-Girlfriend. So, the source material is not the issue for the renewal. Other factors are impacting the release in this case.
Previous Season Recap!
The broad story of the first season of Rent A Girlfriend followed the lines of the life of a twenty-year-old protagonist, Kazuya Kinoshita. After getting dumped by his girlfriend after one month, he decided to quit the idea of dating altogether. Thus, he joined an app that rented a girlfriend for a fixed amount of time. Enters Chizuru, Kazuya’s new girlfriend. The two did not get along and ended up breaking the clause. However, Kazuya gets surprised when he finds that his bed-ridden grandmother actually liked his new partner.
As a result, he rented Chizuru once again. As everything began to settle around him, he also started to like this new girl. But trouble came in soon when Kazuya found out that Chizuru lived in his neighborhood and went to the same school as him. Towards the end of all conflicts, it is foreshadowed that the two have actually begun to like each other. Kazuya confessed that he actually liked her and wanted Chizuru to be his girlfriend.
Also Read: Anime Side Characters That Stole The Show | The Anime Daily
Rent A Girlfriend Season 2: What Will Happen Next?
The second season of Rent A Girlfriend will pick up the plot from where it ended. The story will kick-start from the 51st chapter of the manga, which is titled “My Dreams and My Girlfriend 2.” The biggest concern that fans have about the plot of the sequel regards the character arc of the protagonist. Because of his arrogant demeanor, most fans believed that the series might not make it to the second season. But now that it has, viewers are expecting a dynamic change in the protagonist’s personality.
So, the main focus of Rent A Girlfriend Season 2 is going to be the growing relationship between Kazuya and Chizuru. The final episodes of the pilot hinted that the two are actually beginning to fall for each other. However, both of them are in denial of their feelings. On the one hand, Chizuru thinks that Kazuya can not fall for a rental girlfriend. However, on the other side, Kazuya is trying to get vocal about his feelings.
Also Check Out: 13 Anime That Deserve A Reboot | The Anime Daily
He also confessed that he wanted Chizuru to continue being his girlfriend. The new season will also focus on the personal arcs of both the characters. Besides the annoying demeanor of the main lead, the story will also touch upon Chizuru’s acting career. The rental girlfriend job is simply a pastime for her. And she also hopes to polish her art by acting like a girlfriend. Also, Mami’s arc will also play a strong role in their love story.
Cast & Crew Updates!
Since the last update, there has not been any official announcement about the cast of Rent A Girlfriend Season 2. However, it is a rare case when the voice cast of any series is changed entirely. While there might be some changes here and there, the main cast of the series is expected to be the same for the second season. So, the main cast of RAG includes Sora Amamiya in the lead role of Chizuru Mizuhara. Along with her, Aoi Yūki plays the part of Mami Nanami.
Moreover, Nao Tōyama plays the role of Ruka Sarashina. Rie Takahashi voices Sumi Sakurasawa, Shun Horie gives the voice of Kazuya Kinoshita. Lastly, Yukari Nozawa plays the part of grandma Nagomi Kinoshita. In addition, the working crew of the anime includes Kazuomi Koga as the director of the series. Mitsutaka Hirota is the writer of the series. Moreover, Hyadain has been credited for the music composition. It is expected that most of the team will return in the sequel as well.
Rent A Girlfriend Season 2: What Is the Future Of The Franchise?
Judging by the amount of buzz that follows every update for this series, it can be said that Rent A Girlfriend is a considerably large banner. Despite the fact that most of this buzz is in the negative sense, it can still be considered a big name. In addition, the source material of the franchise is also wide. Adding to this is the fact that the manga is still ongoing. This means that the only factor hindering the future of the franchise post the second season is the reception.
If the second season also ends up getting as much criticism as it got for the pilot season, then there are high chances that the series might end with the sequel. However, if the makers consider the criticism with sincerity, then the future of the franchise might be dictated as secure. Besides the reception, other factors also come into play when renewals are under question.
In most cases, franchises are canceled mid-way under the restrictions of a set contract. This is done essentially to boost the sales of the source material. So, there are also chances that the second season of Rent A Girlfriend was renewed despite the criticism only to move forward with the story. As the hype is lifted, the franchise might end with a strong cliffhanger. However, such decisions generally remain under the rug and behind closed doors. Thus, there is no way of knowing about the long-term plans of the makers.
Related: 13 Anime That Ended Too Soon, Fans Still Waiting | The Anime Daily
Where To Watch The Sequel?
The question is expected to get a definite answer as the anime nears release. However, it can be said with surety that this TMS Entertainment will land on Crunchyroll. This is because the streaming service licensed the first season for a timely release. Additionally, Muse Communication and Sentai Filmworks also joined hands with the banner for a western release and a home video launch, respectively. Besides, MBS and TBS launched the anime on Japanese television services. Therefore, it is highly likely that these banners will continue their partnership with the anime.
On top of that, if the product is dependable, then other streamers might also pitch in for licensing rights. Netflix and Funimation are also big contenders who might try to get the series.
Rent A Girlfriend Season 2: Release Date
In early 2021, the makers bypassed all criticism and decided to renew the second season. While the official renewal update did not give away a solid release date, it did open the release window for the next year. So, Rent A Girlfriend Season 2 is scheduled for a 2022 release.
Judging by the production updates, it is safe to say that the sequel might launch its first episode by the early months in the Winter 2022 slate. We will be sure to update this section as soon as the makers confirm the premiere date. Thus, stay tuned with The Anime Daily to get more updates.