How Not To Summon A Demon Lord Season 2 Release Date, Cast And Plot - What We Know So Far

Hit anime series "How Not to Summon a Demon Lord" has finally returned for a second season. After the smash success of 2018's first season — plus years of speculation from its fans and breadcrumbing from its creators — the fantasy adventure tale's second installment is finally a reality.

Based on a graphic novel series by Yukiya Murasaki with illustrations from Takahiro Tsurusaki, it's always been clear that the tale's anime counterpart had the potential to expand. Like its source material, Season 1 transports us to the virtual game world of Cross Reverie, ruled by the supremely skilled Demon King Diablo. Hidden behind this figure — and his keyboard — is Takuma Sakamoto, a gamer geek whose real-world social life pales in comparison to his avatar's omnipotence in the digital realm. When a summoning spell swaps his basement-dwelling existence for Diablo's ultimate power, he is whisked away into the game world for real, and the space between fantasy and reality collapses.

Newly dubbed "How Not to Summon a Demon Lord Ω" (that strange-looking squiggle is "Omega," for those of us whose Greek alphabet is a little rusty), the second season was officially confirmed back in April 2020. Since then, we've been teased with trailers last December and — more recently — earlier this month, when the series' theme song by Yu Serizawa with DJ KOO and MOTSU stoked fans' excitement for the impending release. But what can we expect from "Omega?"

Great news — it's already out right now! You can find the first three episodes of "How Not to Summon a Demon Lord Ω" on anime streaming site Crunchyroll. The anime's creators clearly got the memo about the show's global appeal, with each episode of the English dub dropping at the same time as its Japanese counterpart. For original-language-loving viewers, there is, of course, a subbed version, too.

Titled "Head Priest," "Head Paladin," and "Corrupt Ritual," the first three episodes are set to continue the bewitching plots and layers of mind-melting corruption that first hooked "How Not to Summon a Demon Lord" fanatics.

According to Epicstream, we can expect a new episode of the action-packed chronicle every Thursday. Mark your calendars, anime fans! TBS — that's Tokyo Broadcasting System — tells us there are 10 episodes in store altogether for Season 2. Though that's two episodes shorter than the first installment's 12, it looks like there's still plenty of bang for your buck, if those first three episodes are anything to go by...

The cast of the series' central trio are all returning to reprise their much-loved roles, with Diablo and his summoning sidekicks Rem Galeu and Shera L. Greenwood voiced, respectively, by Masaaki Mizunaka, Azumi Waki, and Yu Serizawa.

But it looks like we'll be meeting some new key characters, too. In the first few episodes of "How Not to Summon a Demon Lord Ω" alone, we're introduced to a whole host of fresh faces, including Miku Ito's High Priestess Lumachina and intrepid adventurer Horn, played by Fumiko Uchimura. According to Comic Book, the quest to come in "Omega" is set to bring more new introductions, too, including Fanis Laminitus (played by Chinatsu Akasaki) and Aoi Koga's new character Rose.

Things are changing up on the creative team, too. Season 1 director Yūta Murano is replaced by new face Satoshi Kuwabara, known for his work in the "Yu-Gi-Oh!" franchise, as well as the 2019 series "The Quintessential Quintuplets." But what could this new raft of cast and creatives mean for the show's plotline?

From what we can see so far in the new season's first three episodes, the white-knuckle escapades and magical mysteries that first obsessed "How Not to Summon a Demon Lord" fans are set to continue. Early reviews have promised plenty of fan service, but intriguing new characters and storylines are on the agenda, too (via Anime News Network).

Episode 1 sees us meet Lumachina, a high priestess who joins the quester's all-star gang. Keeping those introductions coming, Episode 2 has the company stumble upon Horn, who takes their journey to unexpected places. Things really start to heat up here, with deeper levels of corruption in the virtual world hinted. As the plot thickens, new details emerge and make for a seriously meaty storyline to get your teeth into.

For the benefit of those doubtlessly desperate to see it after all this hype, let's not give too much away — but we can promise there are new towers and dungeons to discover, new captures to escape, and new curses to be cast in the sophomore season of this anime adventure...