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Chihayafuru Anime's 3rd Season Delayed to October
posted on by Crystalyn Hodgkins
The official website for the third television anime season based on Yuki Suetsugu's Chihayafuru manga announced on Monday that the staff are delaying the anime to October. The staff did not explain the reason for the delay, but said that they will "work hard to deliver a superior work."
The anime was slated to premiere in April on NTV's "AnichU" programming block. The anime is also scheduled to air for two cours (two quarters of a year).
Morio Asaka is returning to direct the anime at Madhouse. The three main cast members will also return, including: Asami Seto as Chihaya Ayase, Mamoru Miyano as Taichi Mashima, and Yoshimasa Hosoya as Arata Wataya.
The first 25-episode television anime season ran from October 2011 to March 2012. The second season, Chihayafuru 2, premiered in January 2013 and also ran for 25 episodes. Crunchyroll streamed both seasons in several countries as they aired in Japan. Sentai Filmworks released both seasons with an English dub on home video. HIDIVE is also streaming the first season with Japanese subtitles and an English dub.
Suetsugu launched the manga in Kodansha's Be Love magazine in December 2007. Kodansha published the 40th volume on November 13, and will publish the 41st volume on March 13. Kodansha Comics is releasing the manga digitally in English.
Suetsugu's manga has also inspired three live-action films. The first film, Chihayafuru: Kami no Ku (Chihayafuru: Upper Phrase), opened in Japan in March 2016. The second film, Chihayafuru: Shimo no Ku (Chihayafuru: Lower Phrase), opened in Japan in April 2016. The third film, Chihayafuru: Musubi, opened in Japan in March 2018. A five-episode live-action tie-in series, titled Chihayafuru -Tsunagu-, premiered on Hulu Japan in February 2018.
Sources: Chihayafuru anime's website, Comic Natalie
