‘Tokyo Ghoul’ Season 3 Release Date And Rumors Debunked: What’s True Amid False Reports
Various rumors about Tokyo Ghoul Season 3 have been emerging on the internet for some time now, with numerous reports claiming that the highly-anticipated anime would see an official release soon. As interesting as some of the reports might be, however, the vast majority of news concerning Tokyo Ghoul Season 3 and its plot and release date are questionable. With concrete information about the anime’s next season still scarce to this day, here’s a brief guide on what’s probable and what’s highly improbable with Tokyo Ghoul Season 3.
Tokyo Ghoul Season 3 – Common Reports And Rumors
Reports and rumors about Tokyo Ghoul Season 3 are abounding on the internet, and while some seem plausible, such as Season 3’s probable link to the Tokyo Ghoul:re manga, others are downright outlandish. For example, some rumors state that Season 3 would focus on female lead Touka Kirishima and her review period as she attempts to enter college instead of focusing on the main character, Ken Kaneki. Others state that the anime would see a late 2016 or early 2017 release date. While there is always the possibility that these rumors could be true, the chances of these actually happening are practically a million to one.
One of the reasons behind this is the anime’s polarizing reviews, particularly the second season. Tokyo Ghoul Root A, which pursued a vastly different storyline from the source material, was generally unappreciated by avid fans of the manga, and it translated to poor reception and weak DVD/Blu-ray sales. Considering that an anime’s future in the industry is determined largely by how lucrative the title is, Tokyo Ghoul Season 2 practically drove a nail straight into the franchise. Thus, taking a gamble and further diverting the storyline from the manga, as what persistent reports suggest, seems like a very unwise decision. As for the release date, new seasons are announced a few months before they air. Considering the absence of any announcements from Studio Pierrot or FUNimation, the chances of Season 3 being released soon are very slim.
Tokyo Ghoul Season 3 – What Might Really Happen
While Tokyo Ghoul Root A practically ensured that the franchise would be off the airwaves for some time, this does not mean that Season 3 will never happen. On the contrary, anime franchises get second chances all the time, especially if it commands a very loyal fanbase. The Hunter x Hunter reboot and Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood are perfect examples of this. Thus, there’s a pretty good chance that Tokyo Ghoul, considering its millions of dedicated and passionate fans worldwide, would see yet another anime adaptation.
Whether it would be a reboot or a sequel, such as the 2016 adaptation of Berserk, is up for speculation, as the Tokyo Ghoul universe has significantly expanded since Root A ended. If any, it appears like FUNimation’s own CEO and President Gen Fukunaga has expressed his interest in another season for Tokyo Ghoul’s anime adaptation, with the executive expressing his excitement about the future of the franchise.
With Season 3 unlikely to pursue yet another path like its ill-fated predecessor, there’s a good chance that the next Tokyo Ghoul anime would be more faithful to the manga. With this said, the plot of the new anime would most likely be based on the events of the ongoing Tokyo Ghoul:re manga, which, canonically, follows after the final scene of Root A. Tokyo Ghoul:re has already covered a lot of material, and it has expanded on the manga’s universe significantly. With this in mind, the producers of the anime’s next season have more than enough content to explore and adapt.
Tokyo Ghoul Season 3 – What We Know So Far
While Tokyo Ghoul Season 3 commands a lot of interest among casual anime fans and avid supporters of the franchise alike, there is actually very little that is known about the upcoming anime adaptation. What is confirmed, on the other hand, is a live-action adaptation of the franchise, as referenced by a couple of pages from the Tokyo Ghoul:re Volume 7 manga. The live-action movie is speculated to cover the first arcs of the manga. This means that, at least for now, the resources of the firms behind Tokyo Ghoul are most likely being utilized to create the live-action adaptation.
As for the production company that would handle Tokyo Ghoul Season 3, there is little sign that anything would change. Thus, there’s a good chance that Season 3 would be produced by Studio Pierrot, the same firm that managed the first and second seasons. Unfortunately for avid fans of the franchise, Studio Pierrot is notorious for its tendency to implement long filler arcs and inconsistent production values. The production firm is capable of pleasantly surprising everyone, however, with Studio Pierrot masterfully adapting the final battle between Naruto and Sasuke in Naruto Shippuden. With this in mind, there is hope for Tokyo Ghoul Season 3 yet. Fans of the franchise, however, would be wise to take rumors and reports about Season 3 with a huge grain of salt.
[Featured Image by tofoli.douglas|Flickr|Cropped and Resized|CC BY-SA 1.0]
