'Yuri!!! On Ice' Season 2 Release Date, News: Hit Sports Anime Wins Big in Tokyo Anime Award Festival

By Emmanuelle Espiritu, Christian Post Contributor Monday, March 06, 2017

While awaiting the announcement of the official release of the popular sports anime "Yuri!! On Ice," fans have been treated to a piece of good news after the breakout hit anime series was announced as the winner of the most coveted award in the upcoming Tokyo Anime Award Festival.

According to Anime News Network, "Yuri!!! On Ice" will be awarded the Animation of the Year: Anime Fan Award during the anime festival, which will be held in Ikebukuro on March 10-13. The series won the poll hosted by the event's official website and included shows that aired between Oct. 18, 2015 and Oct. 15, 2016. The list initially had 550 candidates, which was eventually decreased to 100. Fans were given a chance to vote for their favorite once a day until the poll closed on Feb. 16.

"Yuri!!! On Ice" will also be receiving the Animation of the Year award for the Television Animation Division. These will be in addition to other accolades that the anime has already won since it aired its first season last year. The series has become so popular that it has even been hailed as the top anime in other countries such as Vietnam, Singapore, Taiwan, Poland, and the Philippines.

As further testament to its success, "Yuri!!! On Ice" has also been dominating the domestic Blu-ray and DVD sales in Japan. Crunchyroll reported that volume 3 of the series has sold more than 33,000 units on its first week of release. DVD sales have also reached the second spot on its chart list with 13,000 units sold.

These accolades and market success have ignited fans' hope that the anime will soon be returning for its second season. Although series creator Mitsurou Kubo has already previously expressed her intention to tell more of Yuri's success story, an official season 2 renewal has yet to be announced.