Noragami season 3: Why Studio Bones fails to announce the anime despite major demand

Despite being one of the most popular anime series since its release in winter 2014, Noragami season 3 is yet to be confirmed after the conclusion of the series' second season. Although there has been a lot of interest in the anime, Studio Bones hasn't revealed anything regarding the following season.

Adachitoka is the author and illustrator of the Noragami manga series, which first appeared in Kodansha's Monthly Shonen Magazine in December 2010. There were 12 episodes in the first season and 13 in the second. As for Noragami season 3, there are various reasons why Bones has failed to deliver it.

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Since Studio Bones is currently occupied with the release of several other anime series, the announcement of Noragami season 3 may take some time

Studio Bones has recently been quite busy, focusing on the release of other popular anime franchises such as My Hero Academia and Bungou Stray Dogs. Therefore, for those who have been awaiting the confirmation of Noragami season 3, the news might take some time.

Moreover, the original manga extends much beyond what has been seen in the anime so far, giving Bones a lot of material. The manga spans 27 volumes, with volume 28 serving as the last one, with the first season of the anime adapting volumes 1 through 4 while the second season covered volumes 5 to 9.

However, the main reason for not announcing Noragami season 3 is the significant drop in sales. In Japan, the Noragami Blu-ray disc sold 1,800 for the second season, compared to its first season that sold about 4,400 copies. Furthermore, manga sales have been declining. Whereas the first volumes sold approximately 200,000 copies, volume 23 and 24 sold 55,000 and 45,000 copies, respectively.

A Still from Noragami anime (Image via Bones Studio)

Fans are also losing interest in the series because the source material was unexpectedly delayed because one of the two authors had a health problem. Besides, there was an unexpected two-year manga hiatus from 2017 to 2019. There was even a three-volume annual release schedule for the manga, but now that number has been cut in half to a maximum of two new volumes each year.

Hence, even though both seasons of Noragami were critically acclaimed and generated thousands of loyal fans, the possibility of Noragami season 3 is shrouded in mystery.

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A recap of Noragami season 2

A Still from Noragami Season 2 (Image via Bones Studio)

In the second season, Hiyori was seen still wandering around with a loose soul. As for Yato, he continued to assist Hiyori when he returned to his previous life with low-paying work. Bishamon, the goddess of battle, was also introduced, where viewers saw how she came to harbor so much hatred for Yato.

As a result, he and Bishamon were seen frequently engaging in several conflicts with bad outcomes. Unfortunately, as the series progressed, many innocent people's lives were at risk as a result of their battles, and making amends with the past was the only way to solve all of the underlying mysteries. Ultimately, Bishamon and Yato went through several changes to mend their relationship, with the former getting over her anger towards the latter and making peace with her past.

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In conclusion

The first two seasons of Noragami were only the beginning of the series' most compelling plot points and character arcs, and things may have heated up with Noragami season 3. Despite the low possibility of Noragami season 3, many long-awaited series have been revived in the anime industry, such as Bleach, Mushishi: The Next Passage, and many more. Hence, there may still be hope.

Those who are impatient for Noragami season 3 and want to learn more about what happens next can begin reading the manga from chapter 38 or volume 10. Nonetheless, there is a potential that the studio will consider Noragami season 3 when the manga concludes.

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Stay tuned for more anime and manga updates as 2023 progresses.