Crunchyroll’s Best Original Anime of 2025 Unveils Disappointing Sequel Update

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Crunchyroll is the leading streaming service for anime, offering a huge collection of hundreds of different shows. Every season, they add many new series and continuing favorites. Often, these popular shows already have a dedicated following because they’re based on well-known manga or light novels, particularly in the action-packed ‘Shonen’ genre, which appeals to viewers worldwide. While the world of anime is incredibly diverse with something for everyone, original anime series—those not based on existing material—can sometimes struggle to gain attention because they lack the pre-existing buzz of their adapted counterparts.

Original animated shows often stand out with their creative stories, unique visuals, and compelling characters. However, many don’t get a second season, even if critics loved them, because they don’t attract a large enough audience. It’s been a year since Cygames Pictures released Apocalypse Hotel, a sci-fi anime set after a global catastrophe, and a recent interview with Anime News Network revealed some disheartening news about whether the show will return.

Apocalypse Hotel Producer Confirms There Won’t Be a Season 2 Anytime Soon

As someone who’s really passionate about anime, I’ve been following Takenaka’s comments on creating truly original series, and it’s a bit disheartening to hear how difficult it is. He basically explained that the current anime industry has a pretty set way of doing things, and finding investors who are willing to take a chance on something completely new is a real challenge. It’s tough when you want to see more fresh ideas, but the financial risks are high!

He admits that after finishing each original anime project, he seriously considers stopping. After Apocalypse Hotel concluded, he was certain it would be his last, but his animation team expressed a desire to continue with a sequel. Seeing the enthusiasm of new employees at Cygames Pictures, who are excited about the company’s commitment to original content, has also encouraged him to keep going.

Takenaka chuckled. “I feel driven to keep improving as long as people expect me to,” he said.

He mentioned a potential follow-up, explaining that while a sequel isn’t likely in the near future, he’s still considering ideas for a new story set in that world, taking current events into account.

The producer explained how challenging it is to fund original anime, as there’s no guarantee of success. Even though Apocalypse Hotel was a standout anime of the 2020s, it didn’t receive the attention it deserved, making Takenaka hesitant to continue the story in a second season. While a sequel isn’t impossible, it likely won’t be released for several years, as it’s not currently being developed.

What Is Apocalypse Hotel About?

The year is 2157. Long ago, people were forced to leave Earth because the air became poisonous, and much of civilization was lost. However, the Gingarou Hotel, a once-famous luxury hotel in Tokyo, Japan, still stands. Though it hasn’t had a guest in decades, the hotel’s robot staff continue to work hard, keeping everything perfectly maintained.

Yachiyo, a robot in charge, diligently performs her tasks with the hope that humans will one day return to the planet. Despite featuring robots as its main characters, the story evokes a subtle sadness as viewers discover more about the devastated world and the characters’ loneliness and commitment to their work. A manga version of the story was released alongside the anime in April.

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2026-04-29 05:11