Date A Live IV Anime Debuts in October With New Studio, Staff

The second day of the "Kadokawa Light Novel Expo 2020" event on Sunday revealed that the Date A Live IV television anime series will premiere in October. The event also revealed the show's returning cast and new staff and studio.

The returning cast includes:

• Nobunaga Shimazaki as Shido Itsuka
• Marina Inoue as Tohka Yatogami
• Misuzu Togashi as Origami Tobiichi
• Ayana Taketatsu as Kotori Itsuka
• Iori Nomizu as Yoshino
• Asami Sanada as Kurumi Tokisaki
• Maaya Uchida as Kaguya Yamai
• Sarah Emi Bridcutt as Yuzuru Yamai
• Minori Chihara as Miku Izayoi
• Ayumi Mano as Natsumi

Jun Nakagawa (Date A Bullet, High School Fleet) is directing the anime at Geek Toys (Date A Bullet, Plunderer). Fumihiko Shimo (Talentless Nana, Myriad Colors Phantom World) is overseeing the series scripts, Naoto Nakamura (High School Fleet, The Price of Smiles) is designing the characters, and Go Sakabe is returning from the previous three anime to compose the music.

Kadokawa had announced a new anime in the franchise in September 2019, and revealed the fourth season in March 2020.

Tachibana launched the light novel series in March 2011 with illustrations by Tsunako. Kadokawa's Fantasia Bunko imprint published the 22nd and final volume (pictured at right) of the novels in March 2020. The series has 6 million copies in print worldwide. Yen Press Is releasing the novels in English.

The first season of the Date A Live television anime adaptation aired 12 episodes and premiered in 2013. The second season aired 10 episodes and premiered in 2014. Funimation streamed the first and second seasons as they aired in Japan. The company also released the first season on Blu-ray Disc and DVD in June 2014 with an English dub, and released the second season on Blu-ray Disc and DVD in March 2016. The Gekijōban Date A Live: Mayuri Judgment anime film opened in Japan in August 2015.

The third season premiered in January 2019 and aired for 12 episodes. Crunchyroll streamed the series as it aired, and Funimation offered a simuldub.

The light novels have inspired several manga and video games. Compile Heart released the Date A Live Ren Dystopia game on September 24 for the PlayStation 4 after a delay.

Yuichiro Higashide's Date A Live Fragment: Date A Bullet spinoff novels inspired a two-part theatrical anime adaptation. Date A Bullet: Dead or Bullet, the first film, opened in Japan on August 14. Date A Bullet: Nightmare or Queen, the second film, debuted on November 13.

Sources: Date A Live IV anime's website, Kadokawa Light Novel Expo 2020 livestream