Gannibal Season 2 Initial Review

It took quite a while, but fans will finally soon be able to watch Gannibal Season 2, and it serves as a proper conclusion to the series. To be exact, the first set of episodes will be released on March 19.

Ahead of its Disney+ premiere, we got to watch the first four episodes. While that’s not enough to give a final verdict given that the season has eight in total, we can share our initial thoughts on the anticipated follow-up.

The first Gannibal season premiered on Disney+ back in December 2022. While it may not have gotten as much buzz internationally as the big Marvel or Star Wars titles, it was a hit in Japan thanks to its gripping story and eerie atmosphere.

So, does Season 2 deliver once again in delivering slow-burn frights and tension? Based on what we’ve seen, it should be worth the wait for those who enjoyed the first season.

Note: This initial review does not feature spoilers for Season 2, though it does refer to events in Season 1.

Story Should Satisfy Fans of the First Season

Gannibal is a live-action adaptation of the folk horror manga of the same name by Masaaki Ninomiya. Its story follows a police officer named Daigo Agawa who is assigned to a remote village. There, he moves along with his wife and kid as he investigates a mysterious death. Soon, he faces hostility from the villagers, and then he gets embroiled in a sinister series of events.

The end of Season 1 was quite grim, with Daigo essentially being traumatized by that point. While some fans thought this was the end of the live-action adaptation, a second season was announced in September 2023.

This new season picks up where season 1 left off. Again, as we only got to see the first four episodes, we can’t say for certain if this feels like a proper conclusion to the series. What we can say is that its story should be engaging for viewers who enjoyed the first season.

Admittedly, while the first season was tense and had many praiseworthy elements, we can see that the twists and turns won’t work for some viewers. You’ll need to suspend your disbelief at some points, especially when it comes to the police’s actions.

On this note, if you didn’t enjoy the first season, the second season might not really change your mind. That said, if you’re into the series’ premise and world, you’ll have a great time, especially as there are lots of tense moments here. Again, this isn’t a jump-scare-filled horror experience, as it’s more of a slow burn.

What helps the story work though is a combination of the performances and the show’s good visuals.

Good Visuals and Performances

As the show’s second season took a while, the bright side is that the visuals and overall production didn’t seem to have been affected. That’s because the show’s visuals are still good, with the tense horror elements packing a punch instead of falling flat.

We can’t say for certain since we have no info on this, but this seems to be a pretty high-budget show. Or at least, the show’s staff did excellent work in making it look great, especially as the visuals definitely heighten the horror element.

What also helps sell the horror is the performances of the cast. This season sees Yuya Yagira return as Daigo, and he once again does an excellent job as the lead. Along with other returning cast members, the second season’s new additions are also great in their roles.

It’s tough to single out an actor as we though they all did a great job, though take note that we might not be the best judges of acting ability given that we don’t understand Japanese and only relied on the English subtitles. As we don’t know Japanese, we can’t accurately tell if someone is delivering their lines naturally or a bit stiffly. If you’re like us though, you should have no issues with any of the performances here.

Gannibal Season 2 Initial Verdict

Overall, the first four episodes of Gannibal Season 2 are a must-watch for those who enjoyed the first season. Based on what we’ve seen so far, it should be worth the wait as it delivers more of the slow-burn horror thrills of the original, all while adding interesting story developments.

Of course, if you didn’t enjoy the first season much, this new season probably won’t change your mind. But if you’re one of those who loved Season 1, you’ll be able to enjoy more thrills, as well as good visuals and great performances.

Hopefully the rest of the show’s episodes are good. After all, it can be hard for TV shows to stick the landing during the final season.

Gannibal Season 2 will premiere on Disney+ on March 19, 2025.