Shiladitya Ray
Log Horizon is a Japanese anime show which is based on a novel and a manga series of the same name. Written by Mamare Touno and illustrated by Kazuhiro Hara, the original novel was first published on April 13, 2010, and it was followed by several manga volumes. Three years after the publication of the original novel, Log Horizon was adapted into an anime show, Season 1 of which first premiered on October 5, 2013. On October 4, 2014, Log Horizon returned with Season 2, and since then fans of the manga as well as the anime show have been eagerly awaiting news on a third season. Here’s everything we know about the prospects of Season 3 thus far.
Log Horizon Season 3 Release Date: When will it premiere?
Log Horizon season 2 premiered on October 4, 2014, and although a considerable amount of time has passed since then, we still think that Log Horizon has a chance of returning with Season 3. Firstly, there’s no dearth of source material and the manga has been doing well since its release in Japan. Secondly, the are multiple story arcs in the manga, so there’s plenty of scope for exploring new worlds and characters in the world of Elder Tale.
The good news for the fans of the anime is that its third season has now been confirmed by NHK. Season 3 of the anime is titled ‘Log Horizon: Entaku Hōkai’ (Log Horizon: Fall of the Round Table) and is scheduled to release in October 2020.
Log Horizon English Dubbing:
All the episodes of Log Horizon English dub are available on Crunchyroll. There is a long list of talented voice-actors who have lent their voices to the characters in the series and the audience is sure to enjoy it. However, if watching the anime show in Japanese with English subtitles is your thing, you can also find subbed episodes on Hulu.
Log Horizon Plot:
As far as the plot of Log Horizon is concerned, the anime show is a close adaptation of the novel and the manga and revolves around the adventures and misadventures of a young man called Shiroe in a virtual world. A socially awkward college student, Shiroe is shy and prefers to spend much of his free time in the fascinating virtual world of a hugely popular massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) called Elder Tale.
In the show, Elder Tale is shown to have a rich history, and is an extremely popular game which has millions of users. Unsurprisingly, the game sees frequent updates being pushed and expansion packs being launched. After the success of the 11th expansion pack, the developers decide to launch a 12th expansion pack, and this announcement attracts thousands of gamers, who log in during the launch of the expansion. However, something goes horribly wrong, and in the blink of an eye, over 30,000 gamers in Japan, including Shiroe and his friends, are transported into the virtual world of Elder Tale and get trapped there, unable to log out.
Predictably, panic spreads among the trapped gamers, but Shiroe, being a veteran of the game manages to control his emotions and keep his head straight. Soon, he begins exploring the limitations of his new reality, and learns to live in the virtual world, which has its own set of people, politics, and other challenges. In his adventures, Shiroe is also joined by his unfortunate friend Naotsugu, who finds himself trapped in the game after deciding to log in after years of absence. Apart from Naotsugu, a fierce assassin called Akatsuki also joins Shiroe’s party after declaring him to be her master. Together, the trio then set out to make this new world their home. This, of course, is not easy, and the trio has to contend with multiple challenges in the world of Elder Tale, interact with the NPC “natives” of the land, and bring peace and stability to the virtual city of Akihabara (also called Akiba).
As months pass in real time, Shiroe, Naotsugu, and Akatsuki get used to their new lives and also succeed in gaining the trust of the natives and bringing peace to the city of Akiba. Under the leadership of Shiroe’s Round Table Alliance, the people of Akiba start to flourish as stability and law and order replace the chaos which used to reign over their city. Despite this success, however, Shiroe and the Round Alliance find themselves facing a new crisis after they start running low on funds required to govern Akiba. To compound their problems, they come to know that spies from the Minami district have infiltrated Akiba and that formidable forces are on the rise in other districts.
Yet, Shiroe is not daunted by these threats, and decides that the time has come to venture outside Akiba and explore other possibilities in the world of Elder Tale. Together with Naotsugu and the Sage of Mirror Lake, Regan, Shiroe sets foot outside Akiba, hoping to find solutions to the city’s problems, and eventually, a way back home.
Throughout the show, we see Shiroe grow from a socially awkward and shy college student into a brave champion of the people who has taken it upon himself to find a way home for the 30,000 gamers who have been trapped in the world of Elder Tale. The character building in the show is truly impressive, as is the wonderful and mysterious world of Elder Tale, and sci-fi fans are bound to have a great time if they choose to watch this show.
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Log Horizon Characters:
Below, we have listed some of the most important characters in the anime show.
Shiroe: The main protagonist of the show, Shiroe in the real world is a 23-year-old engineering graduate whose real name is Kei Shirogane. In the world of Elder Tale, Shiroe is a Half-Alv Enchanter-Scribe and has a powerful skill called Contract Art Ceremony which allows him to create contracts that can even change the very laws of the game world. In the show, Shiroe is shown to be a veteran of Elder Tale, having played the game since he was in middle-school. His introverted nature, thoughtfulness, and near-encyclopaedic knowledge of Elder Tale make him a fearsome adversary who always thinks ahead of his competition. Despite his introversion, however, Shiroe is not someone who shies away from challenges, and throughout the show, we see him go out of his way to help those who are truly in need of assistance.
Naotsugu: Shiroe’s friend from real-life, Naotsugu is another main character in the show who unfortunately finds himself trapped in the world of Elder Tale. In the game, Naotsugu’s character is of the Human Guardian-Border Patrol class, and he is a reliable tank who can take immense punishment for his team. Naotsugu is an important part of Shiroe’s party, and fits into the role of the cheerful big brother of the team. However, he is also a pervert and prone to making inappropriate comments about women’s underwear, and this habit of his often lands him in trouble with the no-nonsense Akatsuki, who usually knees him in the face following each off-hand comment.
Akatsuki: Another main character in the show, Akatsuki’s real name is Shizuka Hanekura and she is also a college student. When she finds herself trapped in the world of Elder Tale, Akatsuki swears fealty to Shiroe and joins his party. In the game, Akatsuki is a Human Assassin-Tracker who is often underestimated for her small stature. Yet, she is capable of feats of immense difficulty and serves as a ninja for Shiroe’s party. As far as her personality is concerned, Akatsuki is fiercely loyal, hard-working, serious, and melancholic, and she can also be rash at times. That being said, she is invaluable to Shiroe and his companions.
Nyanta: Having been a beta-tester for Elder Tale before it first came out, Nyanta, like Shiroe, is a veteran of the game, and is much older in real life than his companions. In the game, Nyanta is a Werecat Swashbuckler-Chef who wields two rapiers and is an extremely skillful swordsman. Composed, reliable, loyal, and gentlemanly, Nyanta is yet another asset to Shiroe’s team, and the teamwork between himself, Shiroe, and Naotsugu is truly a sight to behold. Apart from his prowess in combat, Nyanta also holds special value for the team as he can cook real food in the world of Elder Tale, where everything else tastes like unseasoned Japanese rice wafers.
Minori: Although not a main character in the show, Minori is quite important to Shiroe’s team. A Human Kannagi-Apprentice, Minori and her twin brother are newcomers to the game, and were being coached by Shiroe before disaster struck resulting in them all getting trapped in the world of Elder Tale. Although separated from Shiroe following the disaster, Minori and her brother eventually find their way back to Shiroe and join his guild.
Tohya: The twin brother of Minori, Tohya is a 14-year-old middle school student who gets trapped in the game. A Human Samurai-Accountant, Tohya quickly learns the ropes of the game after he gets trapped and plays small but important parts in Shiroe’s grand schemes.
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