It’s been seven years since we last saw a fresh episode of the popular anime. The wait for Infinite Stratos Season 3 has been painfully long. Yet, the studio has not made any official announcement related to its release. How long will the series take to return? What’s causing the delay? Don’t worry! We have everything you need to know.
Infinite Stratos originated as a light novel series that worked wonders upon its release back in 2009. Due to its popularity, it was adapted into a manga series and later into an anime series as well. The anime adaptation debuted back in 2011 and was very well received by the audience. Hence, it then returned on television for its second season by October 2013.
Will It Ever Return?
Since it’s already been around seven years, fans have begun to question if the anime will ever return. Well, as of now, chances for a third installment seem pretty high. Back in 2013, the studio didn’t have enough source material to create Infinite Stratos Season 3. Hence, they couldn’t renew the anime for another run.
Luckily, there’s finally enough content for Eight Bit to produce the third season. The previous two installments of the series covered the first eight LN volumes in total. As of February 2020, twelve light novel volumes of Infinite Stratos have been officially published. Hence, the producers have the perfect amount of source material to build up another set of episodes.
On the other hand, Infinite Stratos is much more popular than we know. The debut season of the anime roped in a large number of people to read the source material. In fact, the light novel sales increased intensively. The second season did not manage to sell as many LN volumes, though it did bring in a huge chunk of profit for its producers. Hence, reviving the anime won’t be a bad idea for the revenue factor.
Besides, even after all these years, millions of fans are still interested in watching more of the exciting anime. As of 2020, a lot of IS followers have signed an official petition to bring back the show. Therefore, the release of a third season can actually bring in a potential profit for the studio.
Moreover, it’s not uncommon for animes to have long gaps between seasons. Unlike most US television shows, some animes series take four to seven years to return. Hence, it’s not problematic if Eight Bit takes a while to make a decision. But what’s causing the delay?
Why Is Infinite Stratos Season 3 Delayed?
Despite having enough source material, Eight Bit studio is still not ready to produce another season. One of the main reasons behind the same is that another LN volume is about to release. A while ago, author Izuru Yumizuru implied that he intends to wrap up the story of the light novel with Volume 13.
Hence, the thirteenth volume will bring us the end of the anime as well. As per possibilities, the producers may consume the remaining four volumes alongside upcoming Volume 13 to create Infinite Stratos Season 3. The last LN novel was published back in 2018. Thus, the thirteenth volume may arrive in the market anytime soon. As soon as it comes out, the production for the third season may begin as well.
Writer Izuru Yumizuru usually takes more than one year or sometimes two to release an LN volume. However, the split between him and the former publishing company may have caused some delay in the release of Volume 13. Now that Overlap is the new publisher, we hope that the final volume arrives soon.
Infinite Stratos Season 3: Release Date
Fans will have to wait for Volume 13 to get any information about the release of Infinite Stratos Season 3. As soon as the installment arrives, the studio will begin productions. Thereafter, it will take another year to prepare a full season. Well, as of now, the new LN volume may hit the stores sometime soon. However, the third season may not premiere anytime earlier than mid-2021.
Did you like the second season of the anime? What are your expectations from Infinite Stratos Season 3?