It was reported by Kodansha’s Bessatsu Shounen Magazine that the second season of Hiromu Arakawa’s Arslan Senki will premier on July 3. The season, titled Arslan Senki: Fuujin Ranbu (The Heroic Legend of Arslan: Dust Storm Dance), will air on MBS and TBS in Japan. What is unsettling to hear is that the second season will only contain eight episodes. This is a far cry from the first season, that aired in 2015, which contained twenty-five episodes.
Eir Aoi is signed on to perform the show’s opening. She has previously recorded openings and endings for shows such as Sword Art Online and Fate/Zero. Kalafina of Puella Magi Madoka Magica fame will perform the season’s ending theme.
At this time, there is no official word on what the anime will be covering, story-wise; however, at the end of the first season, we were left with Arslan looking to take back his kingdom with an army he had amassed. All voice actors will be returning to reprise their roles. Hiromu Arakawa is the mangaka responsible for such hits as Fullmetal Alchemist and Gin no Saji (Silver Spoon), both of which were award-winning mangas that received multiple television animes.
The story of the anime is described by MyAnimeList.net as follows:
The year is 320. Under the rule of the belligerent king Andragoras III, the prosperous kingdom of Pars is at war with the neighboring empire, Lusitania. Though different from his father in many aspects, the kind young prince Arslan sets out to prove his valor on the battlefield for the very first time. However, when the king is betrayed by one of his most trusted officials, the Parsian army is decimated and the capital city of Ecbatana is sieged. With the army in shambles and the Lusitanians out for his head, Arslan is forced to go on the run. With a respected general by his side, the loyal Daryun, Arslan soon sets off on a journey in search of allies that will help him take back his home.
However, the enemies that the prince faces are far from limited to just those occupying his kingdom. Armies of other kingdoms stand ready to conquer Ecbatana. Moreover, the mastermind behind Lusitania’s victory, an enigmatic man hiding behind a silver mask, poses a dangerous threat to Arslan and his company as he possesses a secret that could jeopardize Arslan’s right to succession.
With the odds stacked against him, Arslan must find the strength and courage to overcome these obstacles and allies who will help him fight in the journey that will help prepare him for the day he becomes king.
A review of the first season can be found here.
