The official website for the television anime adaptation of Hiromu Arakawa’s autobiographical manga Hyakushō Kizoku (also known as The Noble Farmer) began streaming a promotional video on Thursday, revealing the theme song and the October 3 premiere date for its highly anticipated third season.
The new season will feature the theme song “Kage ni Nari Hinata ni Nari” (Offer Help Both When Seen and Unseen) performed by pachae.
Diving Deeper into Farming Life with Hiromu Arakawa
Hyakushō Kizoku chronicles the unique seven years Hiromu Arakawa, the renowned creator of Fullmetal Alchemist and Silver Spoon, spent as a farmer in rural Hokkaido before her manga career blossomed. The anime offers a humorous and down-to-earth portrayal of agricultural life, including animal encounters and the realities of dairy farming.
The series is celebrated for its minimalistic animation style and relatable humor, distinguishing it from many other slice-of-life anime. The Japan Agriculture Group’s Central Union of Agricultural Cooperatives supervises the agricultural aspects of the show, ensuring accuracy in its depiction of farming.
Previous Seasons and Production Details
The first season of Hyakushō Kizoku premiered from July to September 2023, consisting of 12 four-minute episodes. A second season followed, airing from October to December 2024, also with 12 episodes. Both seasons were animated by Pie in the sky, with Yūtarō Sawada directing and scripting. Ayane Matsumoto served as character designer and animation director, with Precious tone composing the music.
The main voice cast includes Mutsumi Tamura as Hiromu Arakawa, Mariko Honda as Ishii-san, Shigeru Chiba as Oyaji-dono (Father), and Kujira as Okan (Mother). Remow has streamed the series on the It’s Anime YouTube channel with multiple subtitle languages.
What to Expect in Season 3
Fans can anticipate more rural misadventures and deeper insights into Arakawa’s personal journey in the third season. The new episodes are expected to explore new characters from her farming community and further illustrate how these formative experiences shaped her storytelling. There is also anticipation that the series will delve into her transition from a farmer to a celebrated manga artist. The third season was initially announced in December 2024.
The Hyakushō Kizoku manga, written and illustrated by Hiromu Arakawa, began serialization in Shinshokan’s Un Poco magazine in December 2006, later transferring to Wings magazine in June 2009. It continues to be published irregularly, with eight wideban volumes released as of December 2023. The manga was previously published digitally in English by JManga in 2012.
