Ao Ashi Season 2 is taking Ashito Aoi into a more demanding stage of his football journey, with the young player learning how to turn his tactical awareness into a defining strength as a defender. According to anime planning producer Junichi Katsutani, Ashito’s next challenge is to become a full-back capable of contributing to both attack and defense by making better use of his signature Eagle Eye ability.
In an interview with IGN India, Katsutani discussed the creative process behind the football anime, his personal connection to Yugo Kobayashi’s manga, and the work required to translate its detailed matches into animation. Having played football from childhood through university, Katsutani was also the person who proposed adapting Ao Ashi into an anime.
Season 2 premiered on October 4, 2026, on Crunchyroll, continuing Ashito’s development after his transition from forward to defender in the first season.
KATSUTANI EXPLAINS WHY HE WANTED TO ADAPT AO ASHI
Katsutani said the manga’s appeal extends beyond its detailed portrayal of football. What impressed him most was its human drama, including family relationships, the pressure of pursuing a professional career, and the setbacks that shape young athletes.
His own experience playing football helped him approach the adaptation with a clear understanding of the sport. Rather than treating the project as simply another sports anime, he focused on preserving the manga’s realism while making its story accessible to viewers who might not know much about football.
Katsutani also explained that proposing a series he genuinely loved was a natural decision for him. Moving the project forward required a creative plan capable of handling football’s complex movement, alongside a strategy for reaching a broad audience.
HOW AO ASHI CREATES REALISTIC FOOTBALL MATCHES
One of the biggest challenges in adapting Ao Ashi is showing how all 22 players move during a match. Manga panels can communicate tactical ideas through carefully selected moments, but animation must connect those moments into continuous action.
Katsutani explained that the production team first creates simulation videos to map formations and player movements. These serve as references for motion-capture sessions, after which the animators combine captured movement with hand-drawn character animation, backgrounds, and compositing.
The process involves numerous specialists and can require extensive work across multiple production stages. The team also uses Katsutani’s football knowledge when reviewing storyboards and motion-capture sequences.
He highlighted another detail that viewers might overlook: the calls players make during matches. The production records these shouts separately and incorporates them into the soundtrack to reflect the instructions players would give in different situations. This attention to audio helps make the football sequences feel more authentic.
ASHITO’S EAGLE EYE WILL SHAPE HIS SEASON 2 DEVELOPMENT
Katsutani described Ashito’s development as one of the defining elements of the second season. After changing positions in Season 1, Ashito must now learn the demands of defending while adapting to a much higher level of competition.
His goal is to use Eagle Eye to become a distinctive full-back who can support attacks while maintaining defensive responsibilities. This progression builds on the series’ emphasis on understanding the entire pitch rather than focusing solely on scoring goals.
Katsutani also named Tachibana as his favorite character among those emphasized in the first season. He appreciates how Tachibana struggles after joining the youth team despite his earlier success, making his eventual growth relatable to viewers who have encountered obstacles while pursuing their own ambitions.
For Katsutani, that human dimension is what makes Ao Ashi appealing even to people unfamiliar with football. The series connects tactical development with the experiences of young people chasing difficult goals, supported by teammates, coaches, and family.
