Thirteen years. That’s how long fans of the Anarchy sisters waited. Honestly, for a decade, most of us just assumed the "to be continued" at the end of the first season was the cruelest joke in anime history. But New Panty and Stocking with Garterbelt—which most people are just calling Panty and Stocking 2—is very real. Studio Trigger finally reclaimed the rights from Gainax, and the chaos is officially back in production.
If you remember the original 2010 run, it was basically a fever dream. Imagine The Powerpuff Girls but filtered through a lens of South Park humor, high-octane Japanese animation, and a weirdly specific obsession with Western pop culture. It was loud. It was offensive. It was gorgeous. And then, it just stopped.
The story behind the delay isn't just about lazy writers or lack of interest. It’s a complicated mess of corporate red tape, the collapse of a legendary studio, and a group of animators who refused to let their weirdest creation die.
The Trigger Takeover and the Fight for the Rights
You can't talk about Panty and Stocking 2 without talking about the "Great Gainax Migration." Back in the day, Gainax was the king. They made Evangelion. They made Gurren Lagann. But internal friction led to a massive exodus of talent. Hiroyuki Imaishi and several other key creators left to form Studio Trigger in 2011.
The problem? They didn't own the IP.
For over a decade, the rights to Panty and Stocking stayed locked in the vault at Gainax. Even though the original creators were at Trigger, they couldn't legally touch the characters. It wasn't until the Anime Expo 2022 announcement that the world found out Trigger had finally managed to negotiate the rights back.
It was a huge deal.
Trigger literally played a PV that just said "NEW PANTY AND STOCKING" and the room went nuclear. But they weren't just making a quick sequel. This was a statement of intent. They wanted to finish what they started before the studio split happened.
What is New Panty and Stocking actually about?
The "Season 2" title is a bit of a misnomer because the project is officially titled New Panty and Stocking with Garterbelt.
Based on the "PV" (Promotional Video) shown at more recent conventions, the style hasn't changed. Thank god. It still looks like that frantic, thick-lined, "Panty and Stocking-esque" aesthetic that makes it stand out from every other anime on the market. We’re seeing more of Daten City, and yeah, the sisters are still fighting Ghosts using their lingerie turned into weapons.
But there’s a catch.
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The ending of the first season—spoilers for a 14-year-old show—had a massive twist. Stocking reveals she’s actually a demon, slices Panty into 666 pieces, and decides to stay on Earth because the food is better. It was a cliffhanger that felt like a middle finger to the audience.
In Panty and Stocking 2, we have to deal with the fallout of that.
Early teasers suggest a world where Panty is being put back together, or perhaps a different version of the sisters is roaming around. Trigger is notorious for breaking the fourth wall. I wouldn't be surprised if the first episode is just them making fun of the audience for waiting so long.
Why the Western Influence Matters
One thing people often miss about this show is how much it owes to American cartoons. Most anime looks, well, like anime. This doesn't.
- It pulls from Drawn Together.
- It pulls from Invader Zim.
- The music, produced by Taku Takahashi, is heavy on French House and J-Pop fusion.
This "East meets West" clash is exactly why it has such a massive cult following in the US compared to some other Trigger properties. It feels familiar but completely alien at the same time.
Studio Trigger’s Evolution Since 2010
A lot has changed since the first season. Trigger isn't the scrappy underdog anymore. They’ve done Kill la Kill, Promare, and the massive hit Cyberpunk: Edgerunners.
When they made the first season under Gainax, they were experimenting. Now, they have a massive budget and a global distribution deal with platforms like Netflix and Crunchyroll. This means Panty and Stocking 2 is going to look significantly more polished.
Wait.
"Polished" might be the wrong word. "More intentionally chaotic" is probably better.
Imaishi’s directing style has become even more frenetic over the years. If you’ve seen Dead Leaves or Promare, you know he likes colors that hurt your eyes and pacing that makes you feel like you've had four espressos. Applying that modern Trigger energy to the Anarchy sisters is a recipe for something genuinely wild.
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The Garterbelt Factor
What about Garterbelt? The BDSM-attired priest who gives the girls their missions?
He’s back.
But the voice acting landscape has changed. In the Japanese version, the legendary Koji Ishii brought a very specific gravity to the role. In the English dub—which is arguably one of the best dubs in history—Christopher Sabat turned Garterbelt into an iconic character. For many fans, the dub is the "definitive" version because the show’s humor relies so heavily on English-style profanity and slang.
Trigger knows this. They’ve been very vocal about their Western fanbase. Expect the new season to lean even harder into the "un-PC" humor that made it a midnight-movie staple.
Misconceptions About the Project
There’s a lot of fake news floating around.
First, no, it’s not a reboot. It’s a continuation/new series.
Second, some people thought it was going to be a movie. While Trigger loves movies (Promare), they’ve signaled this as a series.
Third, the "Studio Gainax is dead" thing. While Gainax did recently file for bankruptcy (June 2024), the rights for Panty and Stocking were moved to Trigger before the final collapse. This was a lucky break. If Trigger hadn't bought the rights back when they did, the IP could have been tied up in bankruptcy court for another decade. We dodged a bullet there.
Why Should You Care in 2026?
You might think the humor of 2010 wouldn't work today.
Everything is so sensitive now, right?
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That’s exactly why Panty and Stocking 2 is necessary. It represents a brand of "anything goes" creativity that has largely been sanded down in modern media. It’s vulgar, it’s stupid, and it’s visually inventive.
It’s also a masterclass in character design. Panty and Stocking are iconic silhouettes. You can recognize them from a mile away. In an era of "same-face" anime characters, their sharp, angular designs are a breath of fresh air.
What to Watch While You Wait
If you’re trying to get into the headspace for the new season, you can't just jump in cold.
- Space Patrol Luluco: This is basically a "Trigger-verse" crossover. There is a specific episode that features Daten City. It’s essential viewing for any theory-crafter.
- Kill la Kill: If you want to see the "evolution" of the animation style used in Panty and Stocking.
- The "Cherry Boy Riot" PV: Go find the 2023/2024 teaser clips. They give a very clear indication of the updated art direction.
The production has been kept relatively quiet, which is standard for Trigger. They like to drop news in big bursts at conventions like Anime Expo or WonFes.
Actionable Steps for Fans
If you're hyped for the return, don't just sit there.
First, re-watch the English dub. It’s one of the few instances where the localization actually improves the comedic timing of the original script. It’s available on various streaming platforms, though licensing moves around a lot.
Second, follow the official Studio Trigger Twitter (X) and Instagram. They post "rough sketches" and production updates that never make it to the big news sites.
Third, check out the soundtrack. Taku Takahashi’s work on the first season is genuinely some of the best electronic music of the 2010s. Getting familiar with the "sound" of the show will help you appreciate what they do with the new score.
Panty and Stocking 2 isn't just another sequel. It’s the reclamation of a lost legacy. For the people who made it, it’s about proving that their wildest, most controversial idea still has a place in the world. For the fans, it’s finally getting an answer to a cliffhanger that has been bothering us since the Obama administration.
The wait is almost over. Get your tissues and sugar-glazed donuts ready. It’s going to be a mess, and that’s exactly what we want.