Kaguya-sama: Love is War is officially returning with a brand-new television anime special. Aniplex announced on Sunday that production has begun on the upcoming special titled Kaguya-sama wa Kokurasetai: Otona e no Kaidan (Steps to Become an Adult in English), reigniting fan excitement after three successful TV seasons and a 2022 anime film. A new key visual was also released to commemorate the announcement.
This new special will continue the romantic battle of wits between student council power duo Kaguya Shinomiya and Miyuki Shirogane, whose intense pride has turned their budding love into psychological warfare. It will follow the events of the manga's late arcs, hinting at a more emotionally mature stage of their relationship, consistent with the title’s reference to adulthood.
Viz Media, the official English publisher of the manga, describes the story as:
"All's fair when love is war! Two geniuses. Two brains. Two hearts. One battle. Who will confess their love first…?!
Kaguya Shinomiya and Miyuki Shirogane are two geniuses who stand atop their prestigious academy's student council, making them the elite among elite. But it's lonely at the top and each has fallen for the other. There's just one huge problem standing in the way of lovey-dovey bliss—they're both too prideful to be the first to confess their romantic feelings and thus become the “loser” in the competition of love! And so begins their daily schemes to force the other to confess first!"
Written and illustrated by Aka Akasaka, the manga debuted in Miracle Jump in May 2015 before moving to Weekly Young Jump in 2016. The series officially concluded in November 2022, with its final arc beginning in late 2021. The manga has remained one of the most celebrated romantic comedies in recent years, selling millions of copies worldwide and spawning a massive fanbase.
The anime adaptation has been equally successful. The first season aired in January 2019, followed by Season 2 in April 2020 and Season 3 in April 2022. An OVA released in May 2021 offered additional comedic content, while the anime film Kaguya-sama: Love is War – The First Kiss That Never Ends premiered in December 2022 in Japan. The film adapted the manga’s post-confession arc and offered fans a deeper, more emotional portrayal of Kaguya and Miyuki’s changing relationship.
Each anime season has been streamed on platforms such as Crunchyroll, Funimation, and Hulu, with Funimation also handling English dubs. The anime has received consistent praise for its witty dialogue, memorable characters, and genre-defining take on the romantic comedy formula.
No official airdate has been revealed for Steps to Become an Adult, but fans can expect a continuation that bridges the emotional maturity of the later manga arcs with the show’s trademark humor and mind games.
With this announcement, Kaguya-sama solidifies its place as one of anime’s most enduring and beloved modern romances. Fans eager to see how the love war evolves into something more heartfelt won't have to wait much longer.