Ao Ashi Season 2: October 4 Premiere, New Studio, and Where to Watch
Ao Ashi Season 2 premieres on Sunday, October 4, 2026, returning after a four-year wait with a new animation studio and a full 24-episode run. Crunchyroll will stream the sequel worldwide as it airs in Japan, and the story picks up exactly where Season 1 left off. Below is everything confirmed so far: the release date, where to watch, the studio change, and the arc it adapts.
When does Ao Ashi Season 2 premiere, and where can you watch it?
Season 2 debuts on October 4, 2026 on NHK E-Tele in Japan, airing weekly on Sundays at 5:00 p.m. JST. Crunchyroll holds the simulcast rights outside Japan and will stream every episode globally with subtitles, with dubs to follow. The season is confirmed for 24 episodes across two cours, matching the length of the 2022 first season.
Ao Ashi is a coming-of-age soccer manga by Yugo Kobayashi, serialized in Shogakukan's Big Comic Spirits, about a raw but gifted striker recruited into a Tokyo youth academy. Here are the confirmed details at a glance:
| Detail | Confirmed |
|---|---|
| Premiere | October 4, 2026 (Sundays, 5:00 p.m. JST) |
| Episodes | 24, across two cours |
| Studio | TMS Entertainment (Season 1: Production I.G) |
| Where to watch | Crunchyroll worldwide; NHK E-Tele in Japan |
| Story | The A-Team Arc, from manga chapter 118 |
A new studio: TMS Entertainment replaces Production I.G
The biggest change behind the scenes is the studio. Production I.G animated the acclaimed first season; Season 2 moves to TMS Entertainment, the studio currently handling the Sakamoto Days anime. Kazuki Yokoyama takes over as director from Season 1's Akira Sato.
Much of the core creative team stays in place. Returning staff include series scriptwriter Masahiro Yokotani, composer Masaru Yokoyama, and character designer Manabu Nakatake, joined by additional character designers for the new production. A new key visual and the season's theme-song artists were revealed on June 26, 2026.
What Season 2 covers: the A-Team Arc
Season 2 continues directly from the Season 1 finale, adapting the fan-favorite A-Team Arc beginning at manga chapter 118. At the end of Season 1, protagonist Ashito Aoi earned a promotion out of Tokyo City Esperion's Team B. The new season follows him stepping up to the club's top youth squad, the A-Team, and the sharper competition that comes with it.
Who returns in the cast?
Most of the Season 1 Japanese voice cast returns, led by Koki Osuzu as Ashito Aoi and Chikahiro Kobayashi as coach Tatsuya Fukuda. Crunchyroll has not yet dated an English dub, but its simulcast means Japanese-audio episodes arrive the same day as the Japanese broadcast.
Why fall 2026 is stacked for sports and shonen fans
Ao Ashi lands in a crowded October. It shares the season with Blue Lock Season 3, the other big soccer anime this cour, and the Netflix sports-romance Blue Box Season 2, while new studio TMS also keeps busy with Sakamoto Days. For the full slate of premieres and the figures worth chasing, see our fall 2026 collector's guide.
Start your fall anime shelf at Akibato
Ao Ashi is light on collectible figures, but if the new season has you restocking the display case, Akibato ships Japanese anime figures, Ichiban Kuji prizes, and gashapon worldwide. Browse the full catalog to find in-stock pieces from this season's biggest shows.
Shop all Akibato figures and collectibles →
Sources
- Anime News Network — Aoashi Season 2's Teaser Reveals Returning Cast, New Staff, October 4 TV Debut
- Anime News Network — Aoashi Season 2 Anime Reveals New Visual, Theme Song Artists
- Final Weapon — Aoashi Season 2 Premieres on October 4
- The Fandom Post — Aoashi 2nd Anime Season Sets October 2026 Debut With New Promo & More
- Screen Rant — Crunchyroll Confirms Aoashi Season 2 Is Only 4 Months Away