Date A Live Series on the Path to the Finale: New Anime Project "Date A Live F Last Date" Announced!

The long-awaited news for Date A Live fans has finally arrived! Following the finale of the series' fifth season (Date A Live V) in 2024, a new anime project that will continue the story, Date A Live F Last Date at Fugaku, has been officially announced. This announcement, made on April 10th, holds special significance for fans as it marks the day in the series' universe when Shido's school started and he met the first Spirit.

In this new production, the director's chair is occupied by Junji Nishimura, an experienced name known for works such as Ranma ½, True Tears, and The Fire Hunter. The production of the series will be handled by the Fugaku studio this time. This marks the fifth time the Date A Live series has changed studios; however, fans are quite hopeful that the new team under Nishimura's direction will deliver a work worthy of the series' finale. There are no changes in the voice cast; the entire main cast, led by Nobunaga Shimazaki as Shido Itsuka and Marina Inoue as Tohka Yatogami, is returning to their roles.

So, what exactly will this new project cover? The fifth season covered events up to the 19th volume of the original light novel series written by Koushi Tachibana. The novel series concluded in 2020 with its 22nd volume. Therefore, the Date A Live F Last Date project is expected to bring the "Beast" arc, which fans have been waiting for a long time and which covers the final three volumes of the novel, to the screen. Although it has not been officially confirmed whether the "F" in the project's title stands for "Final," the progression of the story indicates that the series is approaching a magnificent conclusion.

The anime journey, which began in 2013, has not lost any of its popularity despite changing four different studios (AIC Plus+, Production IMS, J.C.Staff, and Geek Toys) over the years. Shido's adventure of going on dates with "Spirit" girls to save the world and making them fall in love with him reaches its most critical and emotional point with this new project. Although a definitive release date or format (whether it will be a TV series or a film) has not yet been announced, the presence of Tohka in the first shared visual proves that one of the most beloved characters will once again be at the center of the finale. We will continue to follow the developments!