Having sold over 12.7 million copies worldwide, Tomohito Oda’s Komi Can’t Communicate screen adaptation was foreseeable. The Japanese manga series debuted on Weekly Shōnen Sunday in May 2016 and found its way to the screen in September 2021. This was when it was adapted into an eight-episode television drama that aired on NHK G in Japan. In October of the same year, OLM’s anime adaptation of the manga premiered on TV Tokyo before making its way to Netflix, where it was available for streaming per episode every week. With the favorable reception of season 1, Netflix announced in December 2021 that the anime series would be getting a second season.
Komi Can’t Communicate season 2 premiered in April 2022 and was released worldwide on Netflix, also on a weekly basis. Since its last episode on July 13, 2022, fans have eagerly awaited the return of Shoko Komi and Hitohito Tadano for another season. The production team retook the anime’s first and second seasons in December 2022 but has remained mum regarding the fate of Komi Can’t Communicate season 3. This has raised concerns that the series might have been canceled — here are the facts.
Is Komi Can’t Communicate Season 3 Canceled?
OLM and Netflix seemingly can’t communicate the status of Komi Can’t Communicate season 3. The Japanese production company and the American streaming giant have not provided any updates regarding the anime’s third season. It’s no news Netflix has canceled shows with great potential in the past, many just after the second season. However, the streaming platform has always been faithful in communicating the status of a project, especially those it’s no longer interested in pursuing.
Based on that, it’s logical to conclude that the series hasn’t been canceled. While OLM has been silent about Komi Can’t Communicate season 3, Ayumu Watanabe, the chief director of the anime, reportedly said he wants to continue telling the story. So, while there’s no official announcement, fans can still hope for a third season as there are no cancelation reports. Moreover, the manga’s popularity hasn’t declined, and there are many exciting developments for the anticipated season to adapt.
Season 2 Teased There Will Be Another Season
Without any official announcement from OLM and Netflix, the fate of Komi Can’t Communicate season 3 remains uncertain. While this has engendered the notion that the series wouldn’t be getting another season, it’s more valid to assume that the status of season 3 has been left undetermined. True, there were roughly only four months between season 1 and 2 releases, but several factors might justify the third season delay, at least initially. It could be said that showrunners were avoiding catching up with the manga. Or, they wanted to get the retakes out of the way before forging ahead. Whatever the case, an update on season 3’s future is long overdue.
Nevertheless, there’s no doubt the creators wanted Shoko Komi’s story to continue on the screen. Season 2 teased several characters that fans expected to feature more in the third season. Should the production continue, the creators have abundant source material to adapt. While season 2’s finale is based on the beginning of the manga’s 10th volume, chapter 129, the manga is now on its 32nd volume. There’s no known justification to further delay greenlighting Komi Can’t Communicate season 3. And without an official cancelation announcement, it’s only right to conclude that the key players are yet to decide which way to go.
What’s Komi Can’t Communicate All About?
The series revolves around a high school girl struggling with extreme social anxiety that keeps her from communicating with people. While Komi Shoko is popular among her peers and admired for her beauty and finesse, an average schoolboy (Tadano Hitohito) discovers that her perceived grace is also tied to her social awkwardness and communication difficulties. Tadano becomes Komi’s first friend and commits to helping her find 99 more buddies to actualize her dream of making 100 friends.
The anime series explores various themes built around the struggles of the socially awkward: people who feel out of place in social settings. It highlights how acceptance and genuine friendship can help such individuals overcome their challenges, enabling them to express themselves without the fear of being mocked or their struggles belittled. The series has received numerous awards, including the 2022 Crunchyroll Anime Awards for Best Comedy. It also won the Comedy Anime of The Year at the Anime Trending Awards that same year.