Frequently Asked Questions
Oblivion Battery, known in Japan as Bōkyaku Battery, is a popular sports manga series written and illustrated by Eko Mikawa. The story follows an elite junior high baseball "battery"—a pitcher and catcher duo—composed of the iron-armed pitcher Haruka Kiyomine and the brilliant, calculating catcher Kei Kaname, who was famously nicknamed "The General". Together, they were a terrifying force that crushed the spirits of rival players across Japan. The narrative takes a unique turn when the duo enrolls at Kotesashi High School, a public school with no notable baseball reputation, because Kei has developed amnesia. He has lost all his memories of baseball, as well as his former cold, analytical personality, becoming a goofy and energetic amateur. The manga explores their journey as they join a newly formed baseball club alongside former rivals they once defeated, aiming to rediscover the joy of the sport despite Kei's memory loss.
At the Jump Festa '26 event held on December 20, 2025, it was officially announced that Oblivion Battery Season 2 is scheduled to premiere in 2027. During the "Jump Super Stage" presentation, the main voice cast appeared in person to reveal a new teaser visual and a promotional video that features newly recorded voice lines from the protagonists. This announcement clarified the release window for the sequel, which had been in production since its initial confirmation in November 2024. Alongside the 2027 premiere date, Shueisha unveiled the "Oblivion Event Project," a massive celebration starting in April 2026 to commemorate the anime's second anniversary. This project will include a special streaming program and a "Retrospective Screening Relay" of Season 1 in theaters throughout the summer of 2026 to bridge the gap until the new season.
The first season of the Oblivion Battery television anime premiered on April 10, 2024, and concluded its initial run on July 3, 2024. The season consisted of 12 episodes, which covered roughly the first 30 chapters of the manga, focusing on the formation of the Kotesashi High School baseball club and their first major practice games. For international audiences, the series was primarily streamed on Crunchyroll, which licensed the anime for various regions including North America and Europe. Additionally, Medialink handled the distribution in East and Southeast Asia, offering the series on their Ani-One Asia YouTube channel.
The Oblivion Battery anime features a high-profile voice cast led by two of Japan's most prominent voice actors. Toshiki Masuda (known for My Hero Academia) voices the stoic and talented pitcher Haruka Kiyomine, while Mamoru Miyano (known for Death Note) provides the voice for the dual-natured catcher Kei Kaname, capturing both his "General" persona and his amnesiac, goofy self. The supporting cast of the "Kotesashi Five" includes: Yohei Azakami as Aoi Todo, the powerful shortstop. Nobunaga Shimazaki as Shunpei Chihaya, the speed-specialist second baseman. Yuki Kaji as Taro Yamada, the relatable first baseman and narrator of the series. Other notable cast members include Yoshimasa Hosoya and Takeo Otsuka in recurring roles.
The series is produced by the renowned animation studio MAPPA, famous for its work on Jujutsu Kaisen and Chainsaw Man. Masato Nakazono serves as the director, bringing a focus on dynamic sports choreography and expressive character acting. Key staff members include: Michiko Yokote: Lead scriptwriter, known for her extensive experience in character-driven comedy and drama. Hitomi Hasegawa: Character designer, responsible for adapting Eko Mikawa's art for animation. Tomoki Kikuya and Hiroko Yamasaki: The composing duo behind the series' energetic and emotional soundtrack.
The first season of Oblivion Battery featured highly popular theme songs that captured the dual nature of the show's sports intensity and comedy. The opening theme song is titled "Lilac," performed by the chart-topping rock band Mrs. GREEN APPLE. The song became a massive hit, reflecting the youthful energy and competitive spirit of high school baseball. The ending theme song is "Wasurena Uta" (Forget-Me-Not Song), performed by Macaroni Enpitsu. This track leans into the more emotional and nostalgic themes of the series, particularly Kei Kaname's struggle with his lost memories and his evolving bond with Haruka.
The Oblivion Battery manga began its serialization on Shueisha's digital platform, Shōnen Jump+, on April 26, 2018. Since its debut, it has grown into one of the platform's flagship sports titles. As of October 2025, the series has been collected into 22 tankōbon volumes, with the 23rd volume scheduled for release on January 5, 2026. The manga has experienced a few periodic hiatuses over the years, most notably in mid-2025. However, it officially returned to regular serialization on September 4, 2025, and is currently ongoing. It remains a top-rated series on the Shōnen Jump+ app, frequently appearing in their top trending lists.
Prior to the 2024 television series, Oblivion Battery received an Original Net Animation (ONA) adaptation produced by MAPPA in October 2020. This 20-minute special was directed by Parako Shinohara and was released specifically for the Jump Special Anime Festa 2020 online event to introduce fans to the characters. While it featured a different director, it established MAPPA as the series' long-term animation partner. As of December 2025, there has not been a professional stage play adaptation of the series. However, during Jump Festa '26, rumors and minor teasers in the "Oblivion Event Project" suggested that the franchise might expand into other media formats during the lead-up to Season 2 in 2027.
English-speaking readers can find the Oblivion Battery manga digitally through Shueisha's official global service, MANGA Plus. The platform offers the latest chapters simultaneously with their Japanese release, allowing fans to follow the story for free with certain reading limits. While a full physical print release in North America has been highly requested by fans following the success of the anime, VIZ Media has primarily focused on the digital availability of the series. Readers can also access the chapters through the Shonen Jump digital vault on the VIZ Media website and app.
What sets Oblivion Battery apart from traditional sports manga like Major or Ace of the Diamond is its heavy focus on gag comedy blended with high-stakes psychological drama. The core premise—a "genius" player losing his memory and becoming a "clueless" amateur—allows the story to break standard sports tropes. It shifts the stakes from just "winning the game" to "relearning to love the sport" while managing the absurd social dynamics of the team. The appeal lies in the character chemistry, particularly the contrast between Haruka's obsessive perfectionism and Kei's newfound "idiot" persona. It also tackles darker themes, such as the crushing pressure of being a prodigy and how losing to geniuses can cause rival players to quit the sport entirely (the "yips"). This balance of "laugh-out-loud" humor and "heart-wrenching" character growth has made it a standout in the modern sports genre.