In December 2019, the Stars Align anime ended with 12 episodes. Since then, fans have eagerly been waiting for a second season. Here’s everything we know about Stars Align Season 2.
Stars Align (Hoshiai no Sara) is a Japanese original sports, drama TV series written by Kuzuki Akane and produced by Eight Bit. The series had 12 episodes that premiered from October 10 to December 26, 2019.
In 2020, a Special Fan Movie was released on May 20, 2022, and it took place two years after the end of the TV series. A short time after the series, Kazuki announced Stars Align season 2, on which he has released a status.
Here’s the latest from official sources.
Will there be Stars Align Season 2? Canceled or Renewed
Stars Align Season 2 is not canceled or renewed – the show is currently at a standstill.
After a lot of questions received by Akane regarding the current state of the sequel, the writer took to Twitter to explain things. He said that after the broadcast of Season 1 ended, he tweeted that there are no plans to produce more episodes after season 1.
However, according to Akane, he may have fallen victim to false translation, as he explained to his English fans.
Akane said that after season 1, he has still not been able to find a production company that would take over the project and produces Stars Align Season 2. As a result, it’s currently at a standstill.
He has not been able to get animators to produce Stars Align, but the writer is preparing to make episodes 13 to 24 someday.
To the overseas supporters of “Stars Align”.
I have received many Twitter direct mail questions from overseas fans of “Stars Align” regarding the episodes after episode 13. ↓
— 赤根和樹 Akane Kazuki (@Akane2514af) April 19, 2021
Akane further stated that Stars Align Special Fan Movie was uploaded on YouTube in 2020 which tool the scenes from episode 13 that was already completed at that time.
He said that the story will continue in the form of the show and not the movie, and then viewers will be able to understand the whole story and the characters more.
Till then you can get Stars Align Complete Series Original Version and watch your favorite scenes. There is plenty of cool merchandise available as well, such as Stars Align Laptop Sleeve, figurines, and stationery.
Don’t lose hope, as there is plenty of other anime like Btooom, Diabolik Lovers, and Blue Spring Ride that are also awaiting renewal.
Stars Align Season 2 Release Date
Season 1 of Stars Align came out in 2019, and the show got very popular with a high rating. Despite its popularity, there is no official release date for Stars Align Season 2.
The show is currently at a standstill as the director has been not successful at securing a production house for season 2. Fans are still waiting for the renewal, considering how the first season ended.
THE WORLD IS SO MEAN AND CRUEL (there is no season 2) https://t.co/CoMSNgkQZz
— stardoop valley 🥕 (@stardoopy) June 23, 2022
The director of Stars Align had planned more than 12 episodes for the show, but the production company changed its mind mid-way shortening the story, and going for 12 episodes only with an incomplete story.
After season 1 ended, fans mistook Akane’s words and thought he has no plans to continue the story. As a result, we got a short fan film on YouTube.
Luckily, Akane took to Twitter to explain his future plans that do include episodes 13-24 of Stars Align. Considering the timeline, it feels like it would be a long wait till we get a new season.
the amount of reactions on this is depressing because LOOK. AT. THEM.
THEY DESERVE SO MUCH LOVE AND ATTENTION AND HAPPINESS…AKA A SECOND SEASON TO GIVE THEM THOSE THINGS https://t.co/3TVTAxBjDI
— -ˋˏ ghostie ˎˊ- manifesting hns season 2 (@goinghostie) June 23, 2022
Stars Align Reviews and Ratings
Stars Align (Hoshiai no Sora) has an audience score of 7.59 on MyAnimeList with a popularity ranking of #1118. The anime has been mostly praised by critics.
It’s explained as more of a drama than sports anime about characters who manage their daily lives with a fair bit of realism. The story is also unique and fresh. One critic has said that the show is a true definition of ‘don’t judge a book by its cover.’
This show needs to come back because that ending 💀
— J A Y ~ is cw ONE PIECE (@JAYASWD) June 21, 2022
On IMDB, Stars Align has a rating of 7.4/ 10. I found similar reviews on IMDB as well with fans loving the story. At first, you might be saying ‘oh man! another sports anime’ but after watching the show you realize that it’s a story of grit and passion, and unlike Haikyuu, the anime is more of a Slice of Life than sports.
The show was also nominated for Crunchyroll Anime Awards 2020.
Wondering where to watch Stars Align? Season 1 is available to watch on Funimation and Hulu. If season 2 is made, we can expect it to be available on these streaming platforms as well.
What is Stars Align About
Stars Align, also called Hoshiai no Sara (Star-Crossing Skies), is a sports anime with a touch of Slice of Life. Girls’ tennis club constantly outperforms boys club, as they face disbandment due to poor performance. To keep the club going, Toma Shinjou is recruiting new players but fails to scout even one.
Maki is a new transfer student who shows great flexibility and skills as he rescues a cat in the classroom, catching Toma’s attention. Toma asks Maki to join the club, but to his dismay, Maki is not interested at all.
Toma strikes a deal with Maki, that he will be paid for his participation, and other club expenses. As Maki joins the team, his outstanding performance brews jealousy in the club, but he pushes his fellow players to devote themselves to the game.
However, each one must balance school life with personal issues/ family problems and dealings, as they grow up. You can read our Stars Align ending explained blog for more details.
Where to Watch Stars Align Anime Online
Stars Align season 1 is available to watch on Funimation and Hulu. If season 2 is made, we can expect it to be available on these streaming platforms as well.
Unfortunately, these services are not available everywhere because of location restrictions. For example, Hulu is only available to watch in the US and Japan. Similarly, Funimation is available only in a few Western countries.
Therefore, if you are having trouble watching the anime online, you can use a VPN to watch it.
A VPN, short for Virtual Private Network will reroute your traffic through a server location of your choice, change your IP address, and help you bypass geo-restrictions on streaming services.
To watch Stars Align on Hulu, you can connect to a server located in the US, and make it seem like you are watching Hulu within the United States. This way, you will easily be able to unblock Hulu and stream your favorite anime online without hassle.
Hulu offers a 30-day free trial, so you can technically watch the show for free with a VPN.
Stars Align Characters
| Characters | Voice Cast |
| Maki Katsuragi | Natsuki Hanae |
| Toma Shinjo | Tasuku Hatanaka |
| Itsuki Ameno | Yoshitsugu Matsuoka |
| Rintaro Futsu | Gen Sato |
| Tsubasa Soga | Toshiyuki Toyonaga |
| Nao Tsukinose | Yusuke Kobayashi |
| Taiyo Ishigami | Kohei Amasaki |
| Yū Asuka | Yoshitaka Yamaya |
| Kei Takada | Satsumi Matsuda |
| Kinuyo Kasuga | Maaya Sakamoto |
| Aya Katsuragi | Kaori Nazuka |
| Kenji Kyobate | Kazuya Nakai |
| Taakeru Tanaka | Shoya Chiba |
Check this list of Stars Align characters for more details.
Conclusion
Stars Align is a popular anime worth watching, with a great story. Even though there is no confirmed release date for Stars Align Season 2, Akane Kazuki, the director of the show has shown positive intent for another season, as he is planning to continue the story.
Therefore, for now, let’s be hopeful and wait for the show, but as Akane has not been successful at securing an animator, it seems like we will have to wait for a long time. As the first season is very successful, we might get a reboot if not a new season.
So, stay tuned for details.
