KonoSuba is one of many incredibly popular isekai anime franchises, combining reincarnation with a world full of MMORPG elements. It got its start as a light novel, which also received a spinoff in the form of KonoSuba: An Explosion on This Wonderful World!. This prequel series has been running for almost 10 years now, and it's finally receiving an anime adaptation that coincides with the 10th anniversary of KonoSuba as a whole.
This series has both notable similarities and key differences with the main story, allowing newcomers and old fans to jump into this wonderful world when it starts streaming later this year. Before it comes out, here's what anime fans should know about An Explosion on This Wonderful World.
How Is the KonoSuba Spinoff Different from the Main Series?
The light novels for KonoSuba: An Explosion on This Wonderful World! began publication in 2014, two years after KonoSuba: God's Blessing on This Wonderful World! was first unleashed as a novel series. Like the main light novels, Explosion is written and illustrated by Akatsuki Natsume and Mishima Kurone. It's also had a manga adaptation that began in 2016, with both published versions of the story having been brought over to the West since their original release.
The series is canon with the original KonoSuba but is set one year before its events. This means that it's not technically an isekai story, but rather simply one that's set in one world and lacking anything in the way of isekai power fantasy reincarnations. The focus is Megumin, a magician who will later join the party of KonoSuba protagonist Kazuma when he reincarnates into her world. Megumin is hard at work trying to perfect her iconic "explosion" technique. This sees her, her younger sister and the Crimson Magic Clan engage in all kinds of mischief, with a mysterious kitten leading the path to a dark god.
When Does the KonoSuba Spinoff Release?
In mid-2021, a new KonoSuba project was hinted at on the franchise's Twitter page. In May 2022, this was revealed to be not one but two new anime projects for the franchise: a third season of KonoSuba: God's Blessing on This Wonderful World! and an anime adaptation of the spinoff KonoSuba: An Explosion on This Wonderful World!. A few familiar faces -- or rather, voices -- will be heard in the series, although there will also be some changes behind the scenes.
Drive will be the studio producing both new seasons of these shows, replacing Studio DEEN, who handled both the first two seasons of KonoSuba: God's Blessing on This Wonderful World!. Takaomi Kanasaki will return as chief director from the first two seasons, with Yujiro Abe directing as well. Abe previously directed an episode of the popular Kaguya-sama: Love Is War!, adding some further clout and hype to the new series. Makoto Uezu ad Koichi Kikuta compose and design characters respectively, with this creative staff being shared between Explosion and the third season of the main KonoSuba.
Rie Takahashi will reprise her role as Megumin from the previous projects. KonoSuba: An Explosion on This Wonderful World! is currently set to release in 2023, and while there's been no confirmation as to where it will stream, the main's series being available on Crunchyroll likely means the same for the prequel spinoff anime.
