From the pages of Web Comic Gamma came a manga about children fighting against all odds and exploring the unknown. Made in Abyss is a manga title written and illustrated by Akihito Tsukushi. The serialization began in 2012, and the manga has complied 8 volumes as of this writing.
In 2017, this title became a global sensation when an anime from Kinema Citrus aired on Japanese television. The manga has since been licensed for english distribution by Seven Seas Entertainment, in addition to Sentai Filmworks acquiring home video rights for the anime.
Fans have wondering when they can expect a season 2 ever since the anime concluded. Information has been slow to trickle out, but there are some things we know for certain as Kinema Citrus drops hints of future plans.
What is Made In Abyss About?
Made In Abyss is equally a tragic story, and yet one of inspiration as these child face unknown dangers right in the face. The story gripped the hearts of anime fans across the spectrum as a pair of children went into the unknown depths of the abyss in the center of their village.
They were raised learning about how the abyss becomes increasingly impassable as you go deeper. The people who have gone below the 4th level are few and far between, and even fewer have lived to tell about it. Previous explorers are rarely ever heard from ever again.
The thing left for items that occasionally float up to the surface. The story begins when Riko meets an artificial humanoid creation named Reg. They quickly become friends as they find common cause in wanting to go down into the Abyss. Riko wants to find her mother. A famous explorer who has not been heard from in years. While Reg wants to know his origin, and why was he near the surface in the first place. Thanks to the support of their friends, they decide to descend into the unknown darkness of the abyss against all odds.
As the pair go deeper and deeper, they encounter new characters and obstacles to overcome. It quickly becomes apparent that they were not just under prepared, but lack the mental fortitude for what lies ahead. Luckily for them, some people have taken residence in the abyss. They help to give our main pair the skills needed to progress.
It is this balance of child like wonder of the unknown, and yet that nagging fear that swept the hearts of many. Viewers want to see Riko and Reg succeed in making it to the bottom of the abyss.
Movies
After the success of the TV Anime, Kinema Citrus had to decide how to best capitalize on the popularity. A second season could not be created on such short notice, so they went to work on producing two recap movies to keep fans engaged. Both of these movies are designed to recount the story of the television series. The first part was titled “Journey’s Dawn”, followed by part two “Wandering Twilight” a few weeks later. These films are nearly identical to the TV series with just minor adjustments, a few newly animated scenes, and new music for specific scenes. They are meant to enjoyed by established fans, and new viewers alike.
In addition, Kinema Cirtrus has confirmed there will be third movie that will be released in January 2020. The movie is titled “Made in Abyss: Dawn of the Deep Soul” and it will be a direct sequel to the TV series as Riko and Reg dive into the next level of the Abyss. They encounter new challenges and the ongoing story from the TV series will reach its climax. The United States distributor Sentai Filmworks has already confirmed they have licensed the movie, with a theatrical run scheduled for early next year. They recognize that near simultaneous is needed to fill void plaguing fans right now.
Cast
Made in Abyss is very lucky to have avoided any recasting among the voice cast, and ever member of the original core team is staying on-bored for the project as well. The current cast is listed down below:
- Director – Masayuki Kojima
- Series Composition – Hideyuki Kurata
- Music – Kevin Penkin
- Character Design – Kazuchika Kise
- Art Director – Osamu Masuyama
- Mariya Ise – Reg
- Miyu Tomita – Riko
- Aki Toyosaki – Marulk
- Eri Kitamura – Mitty
- Maaya Sakamoto – Lyza
- Manami Hanawa – Kiyui
- Manami Numakura – Shiggy
- Mutsumi Tamura – Nat
- Sayaka Ohara – Ozen
- Shiori Izawa – Nanachi
- Taishi Murata – Jiruo
- Tetsu Inada – Haborg
- Toshiyuki Morikawa – Bondrewd
Made in Abyss is an extremely beloved series by those who have seen the show. The anime has received critical acclaim and it even had a upset win over My Hero Academia for anime of the year during the 2017 Crunchyroll Anime Awards. Kinema Citrus recognizes the popularity of the title and is working on to produce new content. The movies are quick fix to get more content there while a 2nd season likely enters production.
The manga is also ongoing and complied several volumes of new material for fans to read. While the date for a 2nd season is currently unknown, it will likely be sometime in the not too distant future. The studio, staff, and voice cast are all looking forward to what happens next. Riko and Reg still have a long adventure ahead.
