New cast members, new plot details, and new promo stills released!

On the tail of last year’s first-of-its-kind VTuber drama Watanuki-san chi, we’re excited to hear that Sora and the gang will be getting a second season, with an expanded cast that includes Mononobe Arisu and a variety of other new friends joining them on screen this coming April!

For those of us who’ve been keeping an eye on the increasingly busy lives of the cast members (as well as Arisu’s steady stream of delicious-looking on-location meals) this may be an “aha” moment, and we’ve got a host of details translated and compiled for you below!

From the press announcement:

TV Tokyo will be airing the virtual YouTuber drama Watanuki-san chi to starting in April of this year (date not yet announced). This is the second season of Watanuki-san chi no which broadcast last year. Making news as an experimental show using virtual YouTubers as the cast, the world of the work expanded even after it wrapped up airing with things like a voice drama written as a spin-off and nine live events given around the country (Watanuki-san chi no ON STAGE!). Nijisanji’s Mononobe Alice, who appeared twice as a guest in the stage show, will be joining last season’s cast of Tokino Sora, Saragakuchoi Futaba, and Hibiki Ao as a new regular cast member. Participants from the voice drama Tenjin Kotone, Natsuiro Matsuri (Hololive), Oozora Subaru (Hololive) and Asano Ruri (Asano Sisters Project) will be appearing at different points as guest stars. Greeting the Watanuki family will be a new stage setting, a “karaoke bar.” Further powered up by the participation of allstars from around the virtual world, viewers will be given an everyday life of the Watanuki household rich in variety. https://www.tv-tokyo.co.jp/information/2020/02/10/218974.html

Besides adding new variety to the settings and characters, the significance of the karaoke bar is explained in other promotional material as a place which acted as a second home for the sisters after their mother passed. Outdoor settings are also mentioned in the announcement video.

you can get a look at the karaoke bar here

The cast

Character bios have changed a little from the last season with the events of the show and related works, and we’ve been given attractive new promo art to complement them. We also get reflections from the cast on the upcoming season! You can read the full profiles of the characters in our article on the first season.

Ichika (the eldest sister, played by Tokino Sora) has changed little, with her profile noting that she’s now getting a little work as a seiyuu.

Tokino Sora: We’ve got new friends with the second season! We’re planning on showing you a newly reborn Watanuki-san chi no that’s been powered up since the first.

Everyone’s excited to make something people love even more. We hope you’ll enjoy it!

Middle sister Futaba (Saragakuchoi Futaba) has experienced the biggest changes, having moved out of the family home on getting married at the end of the first season. Conveniently, however, she’s still living in the same neighborhood, and now works as the proprietor of the karaoke bar Masako managed by childhood friend Oomori Kanako (Tenjin Kotone). She’s also described as being busy with a variety of eccentric part-time jobs, including being a girl hired to attract customers at a bar and acting on stage.

Saragakuchoi Futaba: Everyone in the neighborhood association [the nickname for their fans], thanks for waiting! The second season you’ve been hoping for is here! Surrounded by lively friends, we’re all improving together.

We’re working hard to make sure you all enjoy it!

Youngest sister Mitsuki is now described as aiming for a career in IT while being unable to forsake her interest in comedy.

Hibiki Ao: I’m having lots of fun with our new member Ikuko and Ichi-nee! I also hope you’ll enjoy Watanuki-san chi to with more members from the karaoke bar. ♡

Shiratori Ikuko is a mysterious high school student (age 17, three years younger than Mitsuki) who appears out of nowhere. Though she appears to be a refined young lady, she’s actually pretty spacey.

Coming to live in the Watanuki household through an unexpected turn of events, her arrival adds to the excitement of the sisters’ daily lives.

She comes from complicated family circumstances that you wouldn’t imagine from how she usually acts. She loves Scandinavian metal and always wears metal t-shirts around the house. She sometimes irks Mitsuki with her avant-garde tastes.

The author, who loves both metal and Mononobe Arisu, is very excited for this.

Mononobe Arisu: There are lots of difficult things about acting in my first drama, but I’m doing my best as part of the Watanuki family

⸜（｡˃ ᵕ ˂ ）⸝ The on-site meals are delicious! ♡

For more information about Alice, you can check out our profile of her!

As mentioned above, we’ll also be seeing a number of cast members from the show’s spin-off works on screen.

Oomori Kanako (23) / Tenjin Kotone: Childhood friend of the sisters and manager of the karaoke bar Masako which she took over from her mother. She’s described a caring older sister figure who they often consult on things and is also easily frightened.

Wakaki Haru (20) / Natsuiro Matsuri: The poster girl for a liquor store that stocks the karaoke bar, they’ve gotten to know her due to her frequent visits there. She loves the warm atmosphere of the old neighborhood, and though she has the brash spirit of a true daughter of Edo she can also be kind of an idiot.

Yamamura Shinobu (17) / Oozora Subaru: A high school student who heads the one-person act “Ochanomizu Girls Group” where she acts as screenwriter, producer and lead actor. Her personality normally leaves the impression of someone reserved and somewhat gloomy, but transforms when she gets on stage.

Asama Rumi (29) / Asano Ruri: Maternal cousin of the three sisters. She has a regular position at a company that’s all women, so she spends all her time at mixers. She has a slight tendency to lecture, and often mixes with the sisters and regulars at the karaoke bar. She has… not great drinking habits.

Where can I watch it?

Officially, this will only be airing on TV Tokyo and other broadcast stations in Japan.

As the first season remains unlicensed and unsubtitled (officially or unofficially) it’s unlikely we’ll be seeing this in English anytime soon, but if that changes we’ll let you know!

For further news, you can check out the show’s official blog (in Japanese) or stay tuned here!