Fans of shonen anime and manga are about to have a new series to add to their list. Edens Zero is a boisterous sci-fi, fantasy adventure from Hiro Mashima, of Fairy Tail and Rave Master fame. With characters whose designs hearken back to some of Mashima's previous works, Edens Zero might seem awfully familiar to some. However, Edens Zero distinguishes itself through its balanced blend of shonen-typical elements in an outer space setting and a more adult tone.
There has yet to be an official announcement confirming a second season, but audiences don't have to wait to see what this galactic odyssey has in store. Here are some ways that anime and manga fans can get started with Edens Zero.
The Plot of Edens Zero
Edens Zero takes place in a fictional universe where space travel and exploration are the norms. Humans live among aliens and robots across all kinds of planets. The series starts off in the Sakura Cosmos and follows Shiki Granbell, a human living on the deserted theme park planet of Granbell. After the arrival of space traveler Rebecca Bluegarden--with her robotic cat, Happy, in tow--Shiki decides it's time to leave his planet and go out and explore the cosmos.
The three of them embark on their quest to explore the universe in the hopes of finding Mother, the mythical creator of the universe. With characters able to harness the mystical power of Ether, and others engaging with the masses via devices called B-Cubes, Edens Zero is a unique mash-up of the fantastical and the technological.
Where to Read the Edens Zero Manga
Edens Zero began in Kodansha's Weekly Shonen Magazine back in June 2018. The manga is still ongoing and was licensed and distributed by Kodansha for its North American release. The first 86 pages of Volume 1 are free to read on the series page of the Kodansha website. The manga is currently available for purchase through Right Stuf Anime starting at $8.79, or at Amazon and Barnes and Noble starting at $10.99. Fans can buy up to Volume 14, with Volumes 15 through 17 currently available for preorder through Right Stuf Anime, Amazon, and Barnes and Noble. Additional purchasing options can be found on the Kodansha website.
Fans who prefer a digital reading experience needn't fret, since Edens Zero is free to subscribers of Kindle Unlimited and ComiXology. Those without a subscription can still purchase digital versions of the manga starting at $7.99 a volume on both platforms. Edens Zero can also be read on Crunchyroll with any of their premium membership plans. Additional options for digital purchase are available on the Kodansha website.
Where to Watch the Edens Zero Anime
The anime originally aired in Japan in April of 2021 and became available to North American audiences in August of that year. Netflix is the go-to for streaming all 25 episodes of Season 1, dubbed and subbed. No announcement has been made yet as to when the anime will be available for fans to purchase and in what formats.
Edens Zero is a spiritual sequel of sorts to Fairy Tail but stands on its own with a blend of genres that'll give fans of the mangaka's work a worthwhile, rollicking space adventure. Viewers who aren't familiar with the other series in the creator's repertoire can still enjoy Edens Zero as an exciting trek across the cosmos and a lively entry point for Hiro Mashima's body of work. Edens Zero is a space odyssey audiences won't want to miss.