If you’re a longtime fan of classic shonen manga and anime, you’ve probably heard of the brilliant mangaka Atsushi Ohkubo, the creator behind two iconic series, Soul Eater and Fire Force.
Interestingly, both stories take place within the same universe. Soul Eater began its journey in 2003, and two years after its conclusion, Ohkubo launched the prequel Fire Force in 2015 to reveal the origins of this shared world.
Both series earned widespread praise for their unique worldbuilding, thrilling action scenes, and above all, some of the most satisfying endings in shonen history.
However, while the Fire Force anime recently wrapped up its spectacular run this year, the fate of its sibling series Soul Eater has been far more uncertain.
The Shocking Link Between Two Masterpieces
For those who haven’t pieced together the story, the world of Soul Eater was actually born from Shinra Kusakabe’s wish at the end of Fire Force. After the Second Great Cataclysm, when humanity was nearly wiped out and the planet became a second sun, Shinra rebuilt the world from the ashes.
Soul Eater is set many years later in this new world, taking place in Death City. Here stands the famous Death Weapon Meister Academy (DWMA), led by Lord Death, which trains Death Scythes to fight evil.
Instead of forging weapons in the usual way, these divine arms are actually humans with mixed bloodlines who can transform into Demon Weapons.
To reach the ultimate level, these weapons must consume the souls of 99 evil beings and one witch. The story follows Soul Eater Evans, an ambitious Demon Scythe, and his skilled partner Maka Albarn. Together with their friends, they undertake missions to collect souls and protect the city from countless threats.
17 Years of Waiting and the Controversial Original Anime Ending
Soul Eater boasts a massive fanbase and undeniable appeal. The original manga ended in 2013 with 25 volumes, later reprinted multiple times. In 2008, Studio Bones produced a 51-episode anime adaptation.
Unfortunately, as the anime caught up to the manga’s pace, Bones had to create an entirely different ending from the original story. This direction sparked heavy criticism from fans for straying from the series’ core spirit. Seventeen years have passed since the anime finale aired, and Soul Eater has yet to receive any official announcement about a comeback.
Now, with Fire Force’s anime concluding successfully and wrapping up the prequel storyline this year, fans are reigniting their hopes. The final scene of Fire Force directly teased the world of Soul Eater, but the big question remains: will Bones continue with a sequel or go all out with a full remake?