Made in Abyss, originally written by Akihito Tsukushi, first aired on July 7th in 2017 and it took everyone (except for manga readers) by surprise. The beautiful yet haunting anime takes place in a fantastical city named Orth and introduced two children named Riko and Reg while chronicling their descent into a deep chasm ominously known as “the Abyss.” 

Like Puella Magi Madoka Magica, the pastel hues and cute character designs hide a far darker story than initially perceived and many viewers were presumably shocked by the depths of horror the Abyss held. The anime ended on a cliffhanger with our protagonists gearing up to delve deeper into the mysteries of the Abyss. There was scant news on Season 2 for two years, but in November, a sequel movie was announced for release in Japan on January 17th, 2020.  International fans will have to wait longer, but in the meantime, let’s go over some of the concepts/questions we’re excited for the sequel movie to address after almost three years of silence.

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Let's begin with Nanachi. The sequel movie will give us more of the kawaii factor the fans are craving. The end of the anime showed us Nanachi suiting up with their new friends to explore the depths of the Abyss. Nanachi has already established themselves as an intriguing character (a hollow who survived the sixth layer) and fan-favorite for their fluffy, if somewhat tsundere, exterior. It will be interesting to see Nanachi’s character development and who they will become after losing Mitty, someone who formed a core part of their identity. As the story progresses, we will most likely find out what else they know and begin to unravel the mysteries of the Abyss, one of the central conflicts of the anime. More simply, Nanachi completes the holy trinity of the typical adventure trio and they bring something different to the dynamic between Reg and Riko.

There are some universal truths to anime. Kyubey is literally a soulless rat, Endeavor is one of the worst anime fathers, and most pertinently, Bondrewd is just a terrible person. From his first introduction, Bondrewd is a walking contradiction. He is tall and intimidating in an all-black costume and glowing mask with a white whistle carved in the shape of skeletal hands. However, Bondrewd speaks in a voice as smooth as chocolate (props to voice actor Toshiyuki Morikawa) and is unfailingly polite to orphan children who had been cast aside. The episodes about Mitty and Nanachi hit us in the feels with the force of a freight train and after watching Mitty morph into a screaming pile of goo from the White Whistle’s experiments, many people were probably ready to throw Bondrewd into the seventh layer. Since Nanachi has joined the intrepid duo, we’re hoping the movie allows Nanachi to confront Bondrewd for his actions and to resolve this last ghost from their past. Moreover, how will Bondrewd react to Nanachi’s new friends? Reg has been an object of curiosity from the beginning and it’s chilling to think what kind of experiments Bondrewd may try to perform on the robot boy in his quest to study the Curse of the Abyss.

And then there is Lyza the Annihilator. Lyza is as intangible as the lore surrounding the Abyss and we can’t blame Riko for immediately answering her mother’s summons to join her at the bottom of the netherworld. After all, Lyza’s summons is the catalyst for the show and what sparked Reg and Riko’s beautiful yet harrowing journey. We know little about Lyza and she is tied with the mysteries of the Abyss. The anime doles out small pieces of Lyza’s background by giving Reg flashbacks about Riko’s mother and fans are left trying to piece together what Reg’s connection was to Lyza. We don't even see her face until Episode 8. There are still a lot of questions that have to be answered. What did Lyza see in the seventh layer and what was that robotic figure she drew? Why would she send for her daughter if she originally wanted Riko to choose her path forward? Did she even write that letter if Ozen said that wasn’t her handwriting? What will happen when or if the trio finally find her? The most burning question is if she is still alive in a place that has killed generations of skilled delvers. Even if the sequel movie doesn’t answer all of them, hopefully, a couple of them will be addressed to give us some theories to concoct.

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The trailer for the sequel Made in Abyss movie was released on YouTube in late November and showcased some fascinating clips. One of the most prominent reveals was a white-haired, cherub-faced child that called Bondrewd “Papa!” As mentioned before, Bondrewd is a complex character and this child provides a key piece to understanding him. We’re not sure why this child was spared while Bondrewd was perfectly fine sending other children to their gruesome fates in the sixth layer. The child’s story should certainly give some insight into Bondrewd but she may also reveal more about the Abyss or give us another backstory to either cry or ponder over. The trailer also showed the child interacting with Reg, Riko, and Nanachi in a friendly manner so she could possibly join their party, aid them against Bondrewd or even betray them. Whatever happens, it’s sure to involve heartbreak.

The main allure of Made in Abyss, is the Abyss itself. Almost all of the citizens of Orth revere the Abyss and children are raised on stories glorifying the riches, glory, and knowledge the dark depths hold. We humans are an inquisitive bunch who love to explore and when we’re told someplace is off-limits, we’re more determined to wring out every mystery and dust every nook for answers. This is the premise of the anime for we, the viewers, are just as drawn to the Abyss as Riko because we want to know what’s down there. Additionally, Osamu Masuyama, the background artist, breathes incredible detail and color into the environment of each layer so that we’re not disappointed by each new discovery. From steaming tree goblets of water to fields of white flowers and harsh cliff faces, the landscapes are a visual feast for the eyes and add a sense of wonder to the descent. What wonders/dangers await the delvers in the next layer? That is the perpetual question that drives both us and the children forward through each new revelation.

As of the last episode of Season 1, the adventurers are preparing to leave the fourth layer and to venture into the fifth layer, the Sea of Corpses. Given how beautiful, strange, and dangerous the previous layers have been, fans are clamoring to see what sights and horrors this next layer will bring. We hope that we will be given a taste of the sixth layer, a dark foreboding place that Nanachi returned from as a hollow. The map of the Abyss, which was shown in the first few episodes, pictures the sixth layer as a city and the seventh layer as something that looks suspiciously like a maw with eyelike protrusions. This is both a clever setup to foreshadow what the children will be dealing with while injecting a sense of foreboding into the cheery adventure. 

There are a lot of reasons to be excited for the upcoming sequel movie for Made in Abyss that have not been mentioned. The stellar animation, haunting music and incredible voice work from the first season are good enough reasons to want to see it. However, even if none of those are present in the movie (highly unlikely), the compelling story and enigmatic Abyss should hook even the most disinterested fans back into the world of Orth.

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