The long-running and beloved light novel series Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? (Dungeon ni Deai o Motomeru no wa Machigatteiru Darō ka, or DanMachi) has officially surpassed 20 million copies in circulation, making it the first GA Bunko title to reach this milestone. The announcement was shared on the series’ official X account on Thursday. Here is a look at the tweet down below:
The milestone comes just ahead of a major turning point in the franchise, as it was also revealed that Volume 21 of the main novel series, due in October 2025, will begin the final arc of Bell Cranel’s adventure.
Multiple Releases Coming This October
Alongside Volume 21, fans can look forward to:
- Volume 16 of the spinoff series Sword Oratoria: Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? On the Side
- A new Familia Chronicle episode titled Asfi, centering on the eccentric alchemist
- A free bonus short story, "Is It Wrong to Seek the True Identity of the String?", now available on the anime’s official Japanese website, featuring none other than Hestia’s iconic blue ribbon
A Legendary Journey Through Orario
First published in January 2013 by Fujino Ōmori (author) and Suzuhito Yasuda (illustrator), DanMachi follows Bell Cranel, a rookie adventurer and the sole member of the Hestia Familia. Set in Orario, a sprawling city built above a deadly dungeon, Bell strives to become a hero under the guidance of the quirky yet caring goddess Hestia. As Bell grows stronger, he becomes entangled in dangerous monster hunts, divine politics, and secrets that span both mortal and divine realms.
The series later expanded with:
- Sword Oratoria light novel spinoff (2014–ongoing)
- Familia Chronicle character-focused episodes
- Manga adaptations of all major entries
In North America, Yen Press publishes both the light novels and manga series in English.
Anime Success and Global Reach
The DanMachi anime adaptation has spanned five seasons, a feature film, multiple OVAs, and a spinoff anime based on Sword Oratoria.
Anime seasons timeline:
- Season 1: April 2015 (13 episodes)
- Season 2: July 2019 (12 episodes)
- Season 3: October 2020 (12 episodes, delayed from July)
- Season 4: Split into two arcs – Labyrinth (July 2022) and Disaster (January 2023), 11 episodes each
- Season 5: October 2023 to March 2024 (15 episodes)
The anime is available for streaming on HIDIVE in multiple regions, while earlier seasons were formerly available on Crunchyroll.
A Fitting Legacy
With the final arc now in sight and a rich catalog of novels, anime, and manga behind it, DanMachi stands as one of the most successful light novel franchises of the last decade. As fans prepare to follow Bell and Hestia into the closing chapters of their saga, the series continues to solidify its place in modern fantasy anime history.
What are your thoughts on the announcement? Have you read the light novels or watched the anime? Let us know what your thoughts on the news down below!
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