The summer 2026 anime season brings a fresh romantic comedy with a fantasy twist. Hanaori-san Still Wants to Fight in the Next Life (also known as Hanaori-san wa Tensei Shite mo Kenka ga Shitai) premiered its first episode on July 12, 2026. The show comes from the manga by Hekiru Hikawa, which has been running in Kodansha’s Monthly Morning Two magazine since August 2021.
The series follows Ryusei Narukami, a lazy gamer who used to be the Demon King in another world. His quiet life gets turned upside down when Meteor Hanaori shows up. She is the Hero who defeated him in their past lives and has now been reborn as a high school girl. Instead of fighting for the fate of the world, these two former enemies now face a different kind of battle.
Episode 2 is coming soon. Here is everything you need to know about the release schedule, where to watch, and what happened in the first episode.
Hanaori-san Still Wants to Fight in the Next Life Episode 2 Release Date and Time
Hanaori-san Still Wants to Fight in the Next Life episode 2 will release on Sunday, July 19, 2026. The show airs weekly on Sundays at 2:00 AM JST (Japan Standard Time). For viewers in different time zones, the episode becomes available at these times:
- Japan: 2:00 AM JST (Sunday, July 19)
- United States (ET): 1:00 PM (Saturday, July 18)
- United States (PT): 10:00 AM (Saturday, July 18)
- United Kingdom: 6:00 PM (Saturday, July 18)
- Europe (CET): 7:00 PM (Saturday, July 18)
- India (IST): 10:30 PM (Saturday, July 18)
- Australia (AEST): 3:00 AM (Sunday, July 19)
The show broadcasts in Japan on ABC TV and TV Asahi’s nationwide network of 24 stations as part of the ANiMAZiNG!!! programming block. It also airs on BS Nittele and AT-X.
Where to Watch Hanaori-san Still Wants to Fight in the Next Life Episode 2
Crunchyroll is the official streaming home for the series worldwide. The platform offers simulcast episodes with professional English subtitles shortly after the Japanese broadcast.
Crunchyroll streams the anime in these regions:
- North America
- Central America
- South America
- Europe
- Africa
- Oceania
- The Middle East
- CIS countries
- India
Viewers in Japan can also watch early on d Anime Store and ABEMA following the television broadcast. The series is also available on Prime Video in some regions.
Aniplus Asia also airs a simulcast of the anime for Asian audiences.
What Happened in Hanaori-san Still Wants to Fight in the Next Life Episode 1
The first episode, titled “Un couple en devenir” (A Couple in the Making), sets up the story. It introduces Ryusei Narukami as a NEET (Not in Education, Employment, or Training) who spends his days playing video games in his room.
Meteor Hanaori, the Hero who defeated him in another life, shows up at his door. She is now a high school girl but remembers everything from their past lives. She has no intention of letting Ryusei live a peaceful life.
Meteor pushes Ryusei to get a job. He ends up becoming a teacher at an all-girls school. The school where he gets hired turns out to be the same school where Meteor studies. Their reunion as teacher and student creates an awkward but entertaining situation.
The episode shows that both characters carry memories from their past lives. They were enemies in another world, and those feelings do not simply disappear. Meteor is determined to make Ryusei remember who she is and what they went through. Ryusei, on the other hand, just wants to live a lazy life without any trouble.
The Story Behind Hanaori-san Still Wants to Fight in the Next Life
The anime is based on the manga by Hekiru Hikawa, who also created Pani Poni Dash. The manga has been collected into nine volumes as of March 2026. Seven Seas Entertainment will release an English version of the manga in omnibus format starting October 2026.
The story is a reverse isekai. Instead of a normal person going to another world, the Demon King and the Hero from another world are reborn in modern Japan. They have to deal with ordinary life while carrying the weight of their extraordinary past.
The series blends romantic comedy with action and fantasy elements. The former Demon King and the Hero who defeated him now find themselves in a completely different kind of fight.
Main Cast and Characters
The anime features a strong voice cast:
- Jun Fukuyama as Ryusei Narukami – the former Demon King, now a lazy gamer and teacher
- Akira Sekine as Meteor Hanaori – the former Hero, now a high school girl
- Seena Hoshiki as Mako Satsuki
- Hitomi Ueda as Marika Nagamori
- Sora Tokui as Mana Kuraishi
- Nene Hieda as Nemuto Takigawa
- Rie Takahashi as Ayahime Takanashi
- Hiromi Igarashi as Eriko Asahina
- Ayasa Ito as Moe Narukami
- Yoko Hikasa as Sakura Rokudo
- Maaya Uchida as Meru Tsumugina – a mysterious new character
Maaya Uchida joins the cast as Meru Tsumugina, a character who will play an important role in the story.
Production Staff
The anime is produced by LIDEN FILMS. The main staff includes:
- Director: Hideyo Yamamoto
- Series Composition: Yukie Sugawara
- Character Design: Yosuke Okuda
- Art Director: Yukika Ayada
- Color Design: Mineyo Onishi
- Director of Photography: Kimihiro Nakano
- Sound Director: Ryosuke Naya
- Music: Yukari Hashimoto and R・O・N
Theme Songs
The opening theme song is “High Maintenance Girl” performed by Masayoshi Oishi. The ending theme is “Very Good Encounter” performed by Maaya Uchida. Both songs were featured in the second promotional trailer for the anime.
Early Screening at Anime Expo
Episode 1 had an early screening at Anime Expo on July 3, 2026. Crunchyroll presented the screening alongside Skeleton Knight in Another World Season 2. Fans who attended the convention got to watch the first episode before its official television debut.
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What to Expect in Episode 2
Episode 2 will continue the story of Ryusei and Meteor as they navigate their new lives as teacher and student. The first episode ended with their explosive reunion at school. The next episode will likely show how Ryusei handles being a teacher while dealing with Meteor’s constant presence.
The series balances comedy with the emotional weight of two former enemies trying to move forward. Meteor wants to settle old scores, while Ryusei wants to escape his past. Their clashing personalities create the humor and drama that drive the show.
The anime has positioned itself as one of the summer season’s most interesting romantic comedies. The unique setup of former enemies becoming teacher and student gives the story a fresh angle compared to other reincarnation stories.
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