WARNING: The following contains spoilers for the first season of Tiger & Bunny, as well as its sequel film, Tiger & Bunny: The Rising.
After an 11-year gap, the second season of the hit superhero anime Tiger & Bunny is finally around the corner. The cult series from animation studio Sunrise debuted in 2011 and ended with a fair few loose ends left to tie up, leaving fans hanging over a decade for the continuation, titled Tiger & Bunny 2.
Set in the near-futuristic city of Stern Bild, Tiger & Bunny depicts a world in which certain humans -- referred to as NEXTs -- have naturally developed superpowers and use them to perform superheroics. However, Tiger & Bunny takes a satirical edge by depicting its heroes as corporate-sponsored celebrities, with their deeds recorded live on TV.
Heroes are encouraged to compete against each other for popularity points during missions, much to the chagrin of protagonist Kotetsu T. Kaburagi. Known by his alias Wild Tiger, Kotetsu is a veteran hero who believes in old-fashioned heroics and doing the right thing, which causes conflict with both the network and his new partner, cynical young hotshot Barnaby Brooks Jr. -- who Kotetsu nicknames ''Lil' Bunny''.
The brunt of Tiger & Bunny's first season sees Kotetsu and Barnaby learning to get over their initial animosity, eventually forming a close bond and deeply trusting one another. However, both protagonists are forced to contend with individual conflicts of their own -- which will no doubt continue into Tiger & Bunny 2.
Kotetsu's NEXT ability, ''Hundred Power'', grants him enhanced strength, speed, and agility for five minutes at a time, with the user forced to wait an hour between uses. However, over the course of Season 1, the amount of time Kotetsu is able to use the power gradually depletes; by the finale, he can only sustain it for a minute at a time.
As his friend and former manager Ben warns, it's likely that Kotetsu will eventually lose his powers altogether. The revelation is enough for him to retire from superheroics for a year, a decision compounded by Kotetsu's desire to spend more time with his daughter, Kaede, who for most of her life has no idea her father is a superhero.
However, a change comes during the season's final act when Kotetsu's identity is made public, and Kaede is now proud of her father's exploits and understanding of his absences. The rift between them was a major source of conflict during Season 1 but with those emotional wounds now healed, both characters are set for new arcs in the second season -- with Kotetsu's most likely contending with his depleting powers.
Meanwhile, Barnaby (Bunny) sets out on a mission to find the culprit behind his parents' murder. With his only piece of information being that the killer is a member of the mysterious criminal syndicate Ouroboros, Barnaby eventually discovers the killer is Albert Maverick, the CEO of Hero TV's parent company, Apollon Media. The revelation shakes him to his core, as Maverick was the man who manipulated Barnaby into becoming a hero in the first place, leading the latter to retire for a year alongside Kotetsu.
While Maverick is brought to justice, Barnaby notes how unsatisfied he feels about the fact. Ouroboros remains at large, and their enterprise may be bigger than either Kotetsu or Barnaby reckoned; Season 1's post-credits stinger revealed that the Stern Dollar, Stern Gild's bespoke currency, secretly bears the Ouroboros symbol. No doubt this organization will continue to pose a threat in Tiger & Bunny 2, and bringing them to justice will be a major part of Barnaby's arc.
Ouroboros aren't the only villains still at large by the end of Season 1, with the murderous vigilante Lunatic still active as well. Kotetsu and Barnaby trade blows with the fiery villain multiple times, never learning his true identity: Stern City Judge Yuri Petrov. Lunatic will almost definitely rear his head again during Season 2, though whether Kotetsu and Barnaby will finally learn his identity remains to be seen.
While both heroes come out of retirement in the Season 1 finale's epilogue, their decision to step out of the hero game cost them their spots in Hero TV's coveted First League, being kicked down into the less popular Second League. This exile doesn't last long, however, as the sequel film Tiger & Bunny: The Rising depicts.
The Rising sees new Apollon Media CEO Mark Schneider promote Barnaby back into the First League sans Kotetsu, instead pairing him up with a new hero, Golden Ryan. Like his predecessor, however, Schneider is revealed to be a villain but is thwarted by the titular heroes.
After this, Golden Ryan willingly gives up his slot in the First League -- and as Barnaby's partner -- back to Kotetsu. The Rising restores the show's status quo to be ready for Season 2, with the titular heroes officially back together again and in the First League where they belong. Whether Golden Ryan will show up again in the new season is unknown, but the film leaves the possibility of his return open.
Tiger & Bunny's second season has a lot on its plate to deal with, but if it's anything like Season 1, then it's sure to be an amazing ride for any and all fans of superhero anime. Tiger & Bunny 2 is set to debut on Netflix on Friday, April 8th, 2022.
