Science Saru made a big splash with Dandadan, one of 2024's top anime—but long before that, they had another major hit, and its creator is hungry for more. In 2020, Science Saru released an adaptation of Eizouken ni wa Te o Dasu na!, better known as Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken! in the West. Centered on three friends who combine their unique talents and proclivities to pursue a shared dream of creating anime, Sumito Owara's Eizouken can be considered a love letter to anime as an art form.
Fittingly, Science Saru's anime adaptation answered the call with an expertly crafted adaptation of the work. The anime did spectacularly well, and Eizouken now sits comfortably with an 8.14 on MyAnimeList as of the time of writing. Praised on every front from its art direction to its soundtrack, Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken! was Science Saru's definitive mission statement as a studio. With Science Saru now under Toho Animation, Eizouken is the perfect series to funnel resources into expanding—and its mangaka wants to see it happen.
Eizouken Creator Sumito Owara Wants A Second Season
The Enterprising Mangaka Minced No Words In Demanding More From Science Saru
One of the most widely seen responses to the conclusion of Eizouken's first season was a broad hope for a second season. It turns out that the creator feels the same. In a post on Sumito Owara's X account, Eizouken's mangaka plainly stated that he wanted a second season. Tweeting first in Japanese, Owara replied to himself with an English translation:
Translation→"I want a second season of Eizouken"
- Sumito Owara (@dennou319) on X
Eizouken's first season won countless awards and widespread recognition, even being called one of 2020's best television series by The New York Times. The manga has earned as much acknowledgment within its own milieu, though. Eizouken left off in a pretty decent place, but there was still a lot left for the anime to cover.
Eizouken Is A Gem Anime Fans Leave Unnoticed
Science Saru Brute-Forced Their Reputation With A Brilliant Adaptation Of A Stunning Work
For the most part, when anime fans think of Science Saru, they inevitably think of Dandadan. Not without reason, either. Dandadan has emerged as one of the biggest hits of 2024, absolutely dominating streaming services. It's been such a high-roller series that Crunchyroll's decision to ignore Dandadan became a notoriously damning miscalculation. Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken!, though, has been relegated to the status of a neglected classic of Japanese animation.
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When it came out, the series earned appropriate recognition—but perhaps it's a cruel irony that, with time, anime fans have largely moved on from Owara's incredible work. The anime beautifully renders his invigorating and imaginative tale of three ambitious young women: Midori, an off-kilter girl born to dream up and sketch environments and settings; Tsubame, a child of wealth who wants to be an animator and who is gifted at drawing character movements; and Sayaka, the grounded financial savvy of the trio.
As the three realize their mutual interest, they start a club at their school they call Eizouken, a second anime club that masquerades as a film club. As the three and their club face challenges on the path to realizing their dreams, Science Saru skillfully realizes one of the most enjoyable anime of the decade so far. Dandadan might have captured viewers' imaginations in 2024, but a second season of Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken! could shake up the industry just as much now that Science Saru is more established.
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Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken is a Japanese animated series directed by Masaaki Yuasa. The show follows three high school girls—Asakusa, Mizusaki, and Kanamori—who join forces to create an anime club. Utilizing their imaginative skills and complementing talents, the trio navigates various challenges to produce their own animation. The series explores themes of creativity, teamwork, and passion for the art of animation.
Release Date January 5, 2020
English (US) ·