‘Yuri On Ice’ Season 2 Release Date Clues, ‘YOI’ DVD, Blu-Ray Exports Restricted

Yuri on Ice fans are on tenterhooks as MAPPA keeps mum about the possibility of a second season for the breakaway anime hit. Yuri on Ice tells the story of a pair of men’s figure skaters and their heavily implied romance. The show’s first season was a massive success, garnering a solid international fan base that is now clamoring for Yuri on Ice Season 2.

The 12-episode anime debuted last year and was helmed by Sayo Yamamoto, the anime director known for her work on Michiko & Hatchin and Lupin the Third: The Woman Called Fujiko Mine. Yuri on Ice focused on the relationship of fictional figure skaters Yuri Katsuki and Victor Nikiforov. The show was an instant hit and was praised by many of today’s most prominent figure skating champs.

Yuri On Ice Season 2 release date still a mystery

Because Yuri on Ice Season 2 has yet to be officially confirmed, fans are currently divided on whether a sophomore season for the anime is actually coming. Yuri on Ice was not adapted from a manga or a novel, so there’s no existing storyline to follow and fans have no assurance that the story will continue on. As many have pointed out, the final episode of Season 1 wrapped up the protagonists’ story nicely and the series doesn’t really need any more episodes.

But because the freshman season of Yuri on Ice was so critically and commercially successful, it makes sense for its producers to continue the series and reap the financial rewards. The series already has a huge following, which should make it very profitable.

The Yuri on Ice fan base has grown so rapidly that the anime won Crunchyroll’s inaugural Anime of the Year award, topping other favorites such as Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress and My Hero Academia. Yuri on Ice also received the awards for the six other categories it was nominated in, which included Best Couple and Most Heartwarming Scene. Crunchyroll’s Anime Awards was based on online votes.

In addition, Yuri on Ice writer Mitsuro Kubo may have confirmed that the show’s developers will be working on Season 2 this year. In a 2016 interview that was translated and posted to Tumblr, Kubo talked about her plans for the current year.

“For the rest of this year I’ll be pouring all my energy into Yuri on Ice… I have a lot of plans in the works with the director for next year… including the wish to create a sequel. So I’m doing my best and working hard for that reason!”

Based on Kubo’s comments, it sounds like the second chapter is actually happening. But because the process of developing an anime series takes a while, the Yuri on Ice Season 2 release date may be delayed to 2018 or even later.

Yuri On Ice DVD, Blu-Ray exports stopped

Meanwhile, there’s bad news for fans waiting to get their hands on DVD or Blu-ray copies of Yuri on Ice Season 1. According to RocketNews24, anime publisher Avex Pictures has announced that it is no longer selling its products to would-be customers outside Japan.

CD Japan, an online retailer, says that Avex Pictures began restricting exports of its DVD, CD, and Blu-Ray titles on February 15.

Sources suggest that the publisher may have begun refusing to sell to prospective international customers because it is trying out a different means of making money, i.e. license fees. This is a potentially risky move for the company. Instead of waiting for their favorite shows to become available locally, international fans of titles such as Yuri on Ice may opt to get their anime fix via other means.

The home video release of Yuri on Ice is currently underway in Japan. The first two of six planned DVD/Blu-ray discs are already available.

The official Yuri on Ice Season 2 release date has yet to be announced.

[Featured Image by Mitsuro Kubo/Yuri!!! On Ice/Funimation]