Grand Blue Dreaming is almost ready to return with another season of diving, friendship and completely uncontrolled comedy. The anime’s third season has released its main trailer, confirming that the new episodes will begin airing in Japan on July 6, 2026.
The trailer offers the most complete preview of Season 3 so far, showing Iori Kitahara and the members of the Peek a Boo diving club leaving Japan for a new adventure in Palau. The footage also previews the season’s opening and ending theme songs while promising the same combination of tropical scenery, underwater exploration, alcohol-fueled chaos and exaggerated comedy that made the series popular.
Grand Blue Dreaming Season 3 Premieres on July 6
Grand Blue Dreaming Season 3 will begin broadcasting in Japan on July 6, 2026, at 24:00 JST. Under the conventional calendar system, that time is effectively midnight on July 7.
The season will air through Japanese networks including Tokyo MX, BS11, MBS and AT-X. The confirmed premiere date places the comedy series among the major titles arriving during the Summer 2026 anime season.
- Japanese premiere: July 6, 2026, at 24:00 JST
- Broadcast networks: Tokyo MX, BS11, MBS and AT-X
- Setting: Palau
- Animation production: Zero-G and Saber Works
- Director: Shinji Takamatsu
Unlike the long wait between the first and second seasons, the third season arrives relatively quickly. The original anime premiered in 2018, while Season 2 was broadcast in 2025. Season 3 was announced shortly after the conclusion of the second season and is now scheduled to begin less than a year later.
The Main Trailer Takes the Diving Club to Palau
The new trailer reveals that the next stage of the story will take Iori and his friends outside Japan. The group travels to Palau, an island nation widely known for its tropical scenery and diving locations.
The overseas setting gives Season 3 an opportunity to place more emphasis on the diving side of the series. While Grand Blue Dreaming is famous for its extreme comedy, ridiculous drinking games and frequent nudity, scuba diving remains an important part of the story and the connection between its central characters.
Palau provides the perfect backdrop for that combination. The trailer features beautiful water, beaches and marine environments, but it also makes clear that Iori, Kohei and the rest of the group will not suddenly become responsible travelers. Their trip quickly appears to descend into the familiar madness that follows the Peek a Boo club wherever it goes.
Opening and Ending Theme Songs Previewed
The main trailer previews both theme songs for the third season. The opening theme is “Natsuko”, performed by FUNKY MONKEY BΛBY’S. The song was created for the anime and features a tropical sound suited to the new season’s summer atmosphere.
The ending theme is “Hadaka no Mermaid”, performed by MAMESHiBA NO TAiGUN and produced by Kuro-chan. Its title can be translated as “Naked Mermaid,” making it an especially appropriate choice for a series that combines ocean adventures with a cast that rarely manages to keep its clothes on.
- Opening theme: “Natsuko” by FUNKY MONKEY BΛBY’S
- Ending theme: “Hadaka no Mermaid” by MAMESHiBA NO TAiGUN
- Ending theme producer: Kuro-chan
Both songs reinforce the identity of Season 3. “Natsuko” captures the nostalgic and energetic feeling of a memorable summer, while “Hadaka no Mermaid” embraces the absurd sense of humor that has always defined Grand Blue Dreaming.
What Is Grand Blue Dreaming About?
Grand Blue Dreaming follows Iori Kitahara, a young man who moves to the seaside town of Izu to begin college. He expects to experience a fresh start filled with independence, new friendships and the peaceful beauty of life near the ocean.
His plans immediately collapse when he becomes involved with Peek a Boo, the university’s diving club. Instead of being introduced to a calm group of serious scuba enthusiasts, Iori finds himself surrounded by muscular upperclassmen who spend much of their free time drinking, stripping and creating increasingly dangerous competitions.
Despite the chaos, Iori gradually develops a genuine interest in diving. He also forms close relationships with the club members and the Kotegawa family, whose diving shop, Grand Blue, becomes one of the central locations in his new life.
The series balances absurd comedy with sincere moments about friendship, college life and discovering the underwater world. The characters may spend most of their time making terrible decisions, but their shared experiences create a surprisingly warm story beneath all the madness.
New Characters Join the Palau Adventure
Season 3 introduces several characters connected to the Palau portion of the story. Sayaka Ohara voices Sayaka Kotegawa, while Asami Seto plays the manager of the Palau diving shop Dolphin. Aya Suzaki joins the cast as Maki.
The new season will also feature M.A.O as Karina, another character involved in the overseas storyline. These additions expand the cast as Iori’s group meets new people during its trip.
- M.A.O as Karina
- Sayaka Ohara as Sayaka Kotegawa
- Asami Seto as the manager of the Dolphin diving shop
- Aya Suzaki as Maki
Sayaka Kotegawa is particularly important because she expands the story of the Kotegawa family. Her appearance gives Season 3 an opportunity to explore more of the family history surrounding Chisa, Nanaka and the Grand Blue diving shop.
Returning Main Voice Cast
The central voice cast from the previous seasons returns for the new episodes. Yuma Uchida once again voices Iori Kitahara, while Ryohei Kimura returns as Kohei Imamura and Chika Anzai reprises her role as Chisa Kotegawa.
- Yuma Uchida as Iori Kitahara
- Ryohei Kimura as Kohei Imamura
- Chika Anzai as Chisa Kotegawa
- Maaya Uchida as Nanaka Kotegawa
- Hiroki Yasumoto as Shinji Tokita
- Katsuyuki Konishi as Ryujiro Kotobuki
- Toa Yukinari as Azusa Hamaoka
- Kana Asumi as Aina Yoshiwara
- Aya Yamane as Sakurako Busujima
- Takuya Eguchi as Gen Nojima
- Junya Enoki as Shinichiro Yamamoto
- Natsuki Hanae as Yu Mitarai
- Robert Waterman as Kenta Fujiwara
- Jun Fukuyama as Chairman Kudo
- Sumire Morohoshi as Shiori Kitahara
- Yoshino Aoyama as Naomi Otoya
- Shinji Kawada as Toshio Kotegawa
- Nana Mizuki as Kaya Mizuki
The returning cast is essential to the anime’s comedy. Much of the humor depends on extreme reactions, rapid arguments and the chemistry between characters who understand exactly how to provoke one another.
Shinji Takamatsu Returns to Lead Season 3
Shinji Takamatsu returns as director, scriptwriter and sound director for the third season. His continued involvement should help preserve the anime’s distinctive timing and exaggerated comedic presentation.
Animation production is handled by Zero-G in cooperation with Saber Works. Zero-G previously worked on the anime, while Saber Works joins the production for Season 3.
- Director: Shinji Takamatsu
- Script: Shinji Takamatsu
- Sound director: Shinji Takamatsu
- Animation production: Zero-G and Saber Works
Takamatsu’s multiple responsibilities give the season a unified creative direction. That is particularly valuable for Grand Blue Dreaming, where sound effects, vocal performances, visual exaggeration and sudden changes in tone are all central to the comedy.
Based on the Manga by Kenji Inoue and Kimitake Yoshioka
Grand Blue Dreaming is based on the manga written by Kenji Inoue and illustrated by Kimitake Yoshioka. The series began serialization in Kodansha’s good! Afternoon magazine in 2014.
The manga has built a large international following through its blend of college comedy, diving culture and expressive artwork. Yoshioka’s detailed reaction faces have become one of the franchise’s most recognizable features, while Inoue’s writing constantly pushes ordinary situations toward ridiculous conclusions.
By April 2026, the manga had released 26 collected volumes in Japan. Its worldwide circulation has also surpassed 11 million copies, demonstrating the long-term popularity of the series beyond its anime adaptations.
A Different Kind of College Anime
Many anime comedies are set in high school, but Grand Blue Dreaming focuses on university students beginning adult life. That gives the series room to explore college clubs, independent living, romantic confusion and the questionable decisions people make when they are suddenly given more freedom.
The humor is intentionally excessive. Characters regularly misinterpret harmless situations, challenge one another to absurd games and consume drinks that clearly contain far more alcohol than they claim. However, the anime is not simply a collection of loud jokes.
Its quieter moments show why the characters remain together despite constantly humiliating one another. The diving club becomes a chaotic but supportive community, and Iori gradually finds a place where he can build confidence and experience things he never expected when he first arrived in Izu.
Why Palau Is an Important Setting
Moving the story to Palau gives Season 3 a larger sense of adventure. The trip marks the first major overseas setting for the anime and places the characters in one of the world’s most recognizable diving destinations.
For Iori, the journey also represents how far he has progressed. At the beginning of the series, he had little understanding of scuba diving and was uncomfortable in deep water. Traveling internationally with the club shows that diving has become a meaningful part of his life, even if his friends continue to turn every trip into a disaster.
The tropical location should also allow the production team to deliver some of the series’ most visually impressive underwater sequences. The contrast between peaceful marine environments and the cast’s chaotic behavior remains one of the defining qualities of Grand Blue Dreaming.
What to Expect From Season 3
The third season is expected to continue the character relationships established during the previous episodes while introducing the Palau storyline and its new cast members. Viewers can expect more development involving Iori, Chisa, Kohei, Aina and Sakurako, alongside the usual competition, misunderstandings and romantic complications.
The trailer suggests that the season will preserve the balance between diving and comedy. There are glimpses of genuine underwater activity and beautiful tropical scenery, but these moments are quickly surrounded by screaming, drinking and the kind of physical comedy that fans know well.
Season 3 therefore appears prepared to expand the scale of the adventure without changing the personality of the series. The location may be different, but the Peek a Boo club remains just as unpredictable as ever.
Final Thoughts
Grand Blue Dreaming Season 3 will premiere on July 6, 2026, sending Iori and his friends to Palau for the anime’s first major overseas adventure. The main trailer previews beautiful diving locations, returning characters, new additions and another round of completely irresponsible club activities.
With Shinji Takamatsu returning to lead the production, Zero-G working alongside Saber Works and theme songs by FUNKY MONKEY BΛBY’S and MAMESHiBA NO TAiGUN, the new season has all the elements needed to continue the series’ unique mixture of ocean exploration and extreme college comedy.
For fans who have followed Iori since his disastrous first day at the Grand Blue diving shop, Season 3 promises another unforgettable summer filled with friendship, tropical waters and far more nudity than any international diving trip should reasonably contain.
