Content warning: This article addresses potentially triggering topics such as sexual abuse. Readers should be cautious.
Goblin Slayer will return to air on October 6.
According to Anime News Network, Goblin Slayer’s official website recently announced the series’ upcoming release date along with new key images of the main characters. The first official trailer of the season was released on September 2, revealing the main staff and cast of Goblin Slayer’s next animated chapter. Before the series premieres, the first episode will premiere on ABEMA, an ad-supported streaming service available only to viewers in Japan.
Liden Films will take over the series from Studio White Fox, which also produced the series’ first animated film, Goblin Slayer: Goblin’s Crown, in 2020. While Takaharu Ozaki took the director’s chair for Part 1, Misato Takada (Saiyuki Reload-ZEROIN) -) is directing Season 2. Ozaki is assisting Takada as Director. Hideyuki Kurata, who is known for his work on Made in Abyss and The World Only God Knows (TV), is once again in charge of Series Composition. Most of the main cast will reprise their roles from Season 1, including Yuichiro Umehara as Goblin Slayer, Yui Ogura as Priestess, and Nao Toyama as High Elf Archer. Yuka Iguchi, Tomokazu Sugita, and Yuichi Nakamura also take on the roles of Cow Girl, Lizard Priest, and Dwarf Shaman, respectively.
The Goblin Slayer franchise began as a dark fantasy light novel series. Written by Kumo Kagyu and illustrated by Noboru Kannatsuki, the book chronicles the adventures of the famous Goblin Slayer, a mysterious warrior who destroys them on behalf of the Adventurer Guild. One day, he rescued a guild member named Priestess, the sole survivor of a goblin attack that wiped out her entire group. Together with Priestess, Goblin Slayer continues his quest to rid the world of evil beasts while teaming up with some new allies along the way.
While Goblin Slayer went on to become a modestly successful film, many also criticized its graphic images of sexual violence, including scenes of women being violated by demons. Public concern about this content has led to some retailers pulling books from shelves in certain areas; For example, Books Kinokuniya stopped selling books at its Sydney location over fears it “promoted” child pornography in some sexual scenes involving minors. In 2022, Republican U.S. Representative Matt Shaheen cited Goblin Slayer among several “obscene” works that the lawmaker claimed should be banned from Texas schools.
Goblin Slayer Part II premieres October 6. Part 1 is available to stream on Crunchyroll.
Source: Goblin Slayer website, via Anime News Network
