Tougen Anki: Nikko Kegon Falls Arc

桃源暗鬼日光・華厳の滝編 (Tougen Anki: Nikko Kegon no Taki-hen)

7.3(1,692)

MAL Score

Ranked #3211

Popularity #4707

Action
Fantasy
Mythology

Episodes: 12
Duration: 23 min per ep
Aired: Oct 2, 2026 to ?
Status: Currently Airing

Synopsis

Continuing the narrative of Tougen Anki, the Nikko Kegon Falls Arc delves deeper into a world where mythology and action intertwine. As new challenges arise, the characters find themselves navigating the complexities of their destinies amidst breathtaking landscapes and fierce confrontations. The arc brings to life the rich tapestry of legends, inviting viewers to explore the depths of ancient tales reimagined in a vibrant setting.

With thrilling combat sequences and a compelling storyline, this installment expands on the established lore, revealing hidden truths and forging unexpected alliances. Each character's journey is marked by growth and resilience, as they confront formidable foes and unravel the mysteries that bind them to their past. The interplay of myth and action promises to captivate audiences, drawing them into an epic saga of courage and discovery.

Otaku Consensus

A competent, continuity-minded adaptation, Nikko Kegon Falls Arc earns goodwill through a training-focused premiere that gives Jin’s emergence as a leader room to register, particularly in its stronger opening and closing beats. Ato Nonaka’s direction is solid rather than transformative, while the slow middle section reinforces the most common criticism: Tougen Anki still operates too comfortably within basic battle-shounen conventions. Existing viewers receive meaningful progression, but the arc has yet to establish a truly distinctive identity.

Why You Should Watch

If you want a compact battle-shounen continuation rather than an exposition-heavy reset, Nikko Kegon Falls Arc is built for you. Its 12-episode format returns immediately to the established Oni–Momotaro conflict, then uses a substantial training section to measure how the ensemble has changed, most notably Jin’s movement toward leadership. The combination of demon mythology, guns, urban-fantasy styling, and occasional CGI scratches some of the same itch as Jujutsu Kaisen or Demon Slayer, but with the Momotaro legend pushed to the foreground. Studio Hibari delivers an adaptation that manga readers have described as better than expected, while Kouta Yamamoto’s music gives the confrontations added scale. Come for squad dynamics and Japanese mythology, not radical genre reinvention; this season rewards viewers already invested in Shiki and Naito far more than newcomers.

Key Characters

S
Shiki Ichinose(VA: Kazuki Ura)
Shiki’s rough-edged, revenge-driven temperament makes him an intentionally volatile shounen lead whose inability to fully master his Oni power keeps his victories from feeling automatic.
N
Naito Mudano(VA: Hiroshi Kamiya)
Naito serves as the composed adult counterweight to Shiki’s impulsiveness, with Hiroshi Kamiya’s casting reinforcing the character’s authority within the central duo.

What Makes It Stand Out

1
The 12-episode arc is structured as a direct continuation rather than a soft reboot, expecting viewers to understand the existing relationships and Oni–Momotaro conflict without another lengthy introduction.
2
Anime News Network highlighted the premiere’s extended training sequence for mirroring earlier training material while demonstrating actual changes in the cast, especially Jin’s development into a leader.
3
Studio Hibari continues the production under director Ato Nonaka, with Hiroyuki Hashimoto serving as assistant director; the result has been received as a competent adaptation even by viewers who consider the material conventional.
4
Composer Kouta Yamamoto and sound director Satoki Iida oversee the audio identity, pairing a large-scale action score with the gunfire and supernatural combat associated with the series.
5
The arc adopts Nikko’s Kegon Falls as its named geographical anchor, giving this installment a recognizable real-world location rather than an anonymous fantasy subtitle.

Fun Facts & Trivia

Fun fact 1: Yukie Sugawara holds both series-composition and script credits, giving one writer direct oversight of the arc’s season-level structure and individual screenplay work.
Fun fact 2: The visual pipeline divides responsibility among art director Scott MacDonald, color designer Saki Tada, and director of photography Naoki Serizawa, while Ryouko Amisaki handles character design.
Fun fact 3: The Japanese title is Tougen Anki: Nikko Kegon no Taki-hen, explicitly identifying the installment as the Nikko Kegon Falls chapter.
Fun fact 4: The series airs in Japan on Fridays at 23:30 JST. At the research snapshot, it held a 7.18 MyAnimeList score from 653 votes and a closely aligned 70/100 AniList score with 190 favorites.
Fun fact 5: The official trailer frames the Oni Brigade’s objective in unusually direct terms—eradicating the Momotaro—while also foregrounding a promise that everyone will return alive, emphasizing squad responsibility alongside combat.