The Spring 2026 Anime Preview Guide

Wistoria: Wand and Sword Season 2

In a world where magic reigns, Will Serfort can't cast a spell. Though hardworking, Will's classmates think less of him for it. However, he has a secret strength: his sword. Can Will defy expectations with muscle over magic and blade over wand?

Wistoria: Wand and Sword Season 2 is based on the manga series by writer Fujino Ōmori and artist Toshi Aoi. The anime series is streaming on Crunchyroll on Sundays.

Wistoria: Wand and Sword is one of those anime that I almost never have cause to think back on or revisit in between seasons, but I sure am glad to see it when it gets back. It's sort of like reuniting with an old pal at a high-school reunion. Sure, you weren't close enough to keep in close touch over the years, but once you're back together in the same room, you have a blast picking up right where you left off. That's why I don't mind too much that this second season premiere is chock full of expository dialogue and character bios popping up all over the screen. It's not the most elegant way to get viewers back into the swing of things, but it gets the job done so we can eventually move on to the good stuff.

For anyone who didn't experience the first season, the “good stuff” in the context of Wistoria is the way it mixes standard but well-executed fantasy storytelling with crackerjack production values. The setting of Ringard Academy remains cool as hell, the colors are vibrant, and the characters are all expertly designed and expressively animated. All of these factors make it easy for Wistoria to sell scenes of frenzied academics and fiery rivalries that we've seen in thousands of anime before. Even quieter scenes, like the intimate moment that Colette almost shares with Will in the library, are compelling (though we can all thank goodness that Rosti arrived to shut down Colette before she put herself on a list. We really need to educate these anime kids about how even cute attempts to steal a kiss while your crush is sleeping count as criminal offenses).

So, even though most of this premiere is dedicated to reintroducing characters and reminding us all of the stakes that come with these term exams, it's still a compelling episode of television, which is not a hurdle that every new season of a returning show can clear. Another aspect of the show that I appreciate getting more of again is its not-so-subtle commentary on how society uses systems like the educational hierarchy to reinforce the status quo and keep underdogs like Will from realizing their true potential. Maybe it's just because I am a teacher who has put a lot of work into developing tests and curricula that are as equitable and applicable to valuable life skills as possible, but the drama that springs out of this one biased test resonated with me. Will has been busting his non-magical ass to live up to the skills of his peers and prove himself worthy, and yet here he is, being undone by a cheap shot thrown by a teacher with an axe to grind. I'm sure there are plenty of folks out there who can relate.

That said, this is very much a table-setting episode, mostly concerned with laying the groundwork for the rest of the season. Given how successful that first season was, though, I'm sure plenty of viewers - myself included - are more than willing to exercise a little patience and give Wistoria the time it needs to set up another thrilling adventure for Will and his classmates.

So much, and yet so little, has changed for Will Serfort since the last time we saw him. On one hand, he's gained the respect—if not admiration—of several of his student peers, including many of the most elite among them. On the other hand, Edward—whose design continues to scream “legally distinct (adult) Waver from Fate/Zero-slash-Lord El-Melloi II's Case Files”—still seems to have it out for Will, specifically. And as a teacher, he has the power to place obstacles that even the talented and accomplished Will cannot overcome. Such as, of course, a question that he can't really answer because of his inability to use magic.

The series very obviously wants us to hate Edward, with that special hate reserved for those few, but terrible teachers who seem to go out of their way to pick on particular students. Although in Edward's case, to say he's just “picking on” Will, when what he's actually doing is downright sabotage that targets him very specifically, feels like a massive understatement. Edward himself doesn't seem to see what he's doing that way, even though it's pretty clear to everyone around him. So, some kind of Edward backstory, or at least some story exposition that makes more sense of his actions, seems imminent. Either way, I'd be willing to bet we're going to see significantly more of him this season. While the previous season established that he's antagonizing Will, starting the season with such an exceptionally brazen declaration of “I hate this very specific student's unconventional way of doing things, and I will make active attempts to prevent him from succeeding” would be a weird choice if he didn't become more relevant—whether that means he's going to ultimately end up a villain, or end up with Will's other converted former-haters (personally, my bet is the latter).

Also, I'm happy to report that the animation and visuals—which were always by far Wistoria's strongest point—have continued into this season. Actually, if anything, they've somehow only gotten better. The fluid movement, artful storyboarding, luscious and super-detailed backgrounds—if the series can maintain this consistently (and it did that with the first season, so I'm confident it can do so again), thenWistoria will, once again, easily be one of the best-looking shows of its season, if nothing else.

Between all that and the ending of the episode giving us the promise of a story with more movement in it, this episode—while nothing too exceptional—still has enough going on for me to say I feel optimistic about the direction the series is going in. This, despite the first season not really lingering with me after it finished airing. Hopefully, this won't turn out to be all style and no substance.