Thunder 3 will return for Season 2 in 2027
The announcement and a first trailer arrived right after the September 30 finale of the UNEND-animated sci-fi series, alongside a new illustration from creator Yuki Ikeda, the pen name of Gantz author Hiroya Oku.
Pyontaro, Hiroshi and Tsubame are not done yet. Minutes after the twelfth and final episode of Thunder 3 aired late on September 30, the anime's official X account confirmed a second season for 2027 and released a trailer built from new-season footage. Fuji TV's anime YouTube channel carried the video as well.
No premiere date, broadcaster or returning staff and cast have been confirmed for Season 2 yet.
The celebration came with fresh artwork from Yuki Ikeda, the manga's credited creator. That name drew attention earlier in September, when Gantz author Hiroya Oku revealed on X that Ikeda is his pen name.
About the series
The story centers on three unremarkable middle schoolers who get pulled into something far bigger than themselves after Pyontaro's younger sister, Futaba, disappears. Kodansha USA, which publishes the manga in English, frames the setup around the friends, nicknamed the "Small Three", watching a strange disc lent to them by their teacher.
Ikeda's manga began in Kodansha's Monthly Shonen Magazine on May 6, 2022 and concluded on June 5, 2026, finishing at ten volumes. That means the anime's second season will be working from a story that has already ended in print.
The first season
Season 1 premiered in July 2026 in Fuji TV's +Ultra block and ran for 12 episodes. Outside Japan it streams on Netflix, which lists it in North America, the UK and Ireland, Australia and New Zealand plus 125 more territories.
UNEND produced the animation. Hiroyuki Seshita, chief director of Ajin: Demi-Human and director of Blame!, held the same chief director role here, while Keisuke Ide (Levius) directed. Hiroshi Seko, whose series-composition credits include Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2 and Dan Da Dan, wrote the scripts. Sayumi Suzushiro leads the voice cast as Pyontaro Tezuka; Natsumi Kawaida voices Tsubame Azuma, Eri Akiyama plays Hiroshi Ochanomizu, and Honoka Mitsubachi is Futaba.
