Netflix has brought a lot of odd anime to mainstream audiences, and Neo Yokio has to be one of the strangest. The series was relatively devoid of any stars popular with anime fans, but absolutely loaded with celebrity voice actors like Jude Law, Susan Sarandon, Jason Schwartzman and Jaden Smith. Boasting a unique story, Neo Yokio gained a cult following after its release, but Season 2 news has been surprisingly absent. So is Neo Yokio Season 2 actually happening? Creator Ezra Koenig said the following on his Beats 1 radio show Time Crisis:
All I'll say is Neo's not dead.
Ezra Koenig also added that further news about Neo Yokio would be coming soon, so it does sound as though a Season 2 announcement is imminent. And there are a few reasons why it may be taking so long to get a new season underway. Koenig is the front-man for the rock band Vampire Weekend, which has been hard at work on completing their fourth studio album. Additionally, Jaden Smith has been on the move promoting his rap album Syre, which doesn't allow for much free time. So if Koenig has a big announcement to make about the series, his words to Pitchfork imply the two have managed to get their ducks in a row to work on the anime series' future.
If something new is happening with Neo Yokio, star Jaden Smith hasn't been teasing anything. The rapper and actor, who is known for his bizarre rants and other random shenanigans, hasn't tweeted out anything that would indicate Season 2 is officially a go. (Unless he's being extremely esoteric with the clues.) But while Smith has been silent, one of the show's other voice actors may know a little something about what's coming. Here's what Desus & Mero's Desus Nice tweeted following Ezra Koenig's cryptic statement:
Desus Nice's response is a reference to the titular city Neo Yokio, which is divided by the old money of the east side of town and the neo-rich of the west side. In the Season 1 conclusion, Jaden Smith's Kaz Kaan escaped the city and realized that Neo Yokio was not the amazing home he once thought it to be. Where Season 2 would go is as good as anyone's guess. But if we had to speculate, there are probably going to be more demons to fight, more pop culture references, and lots more Toblerone product placement.
Neo Yokio Season 1 is currently available to stream on Netflix. Head to our 2018 Netflix schedule to see what other new and returning shows are hitting the streaming service soon. For information on upcoming shows in 2018, head on over to our midseason premiere guide.
