Chained Soldier episode 1: Release date and time, where to watch, and more

After being delayed from its initial release window in 2023, Chained Soldier episode 1 is set to premiere in January 2024. Although the first couple of episodes were shown to a small number of people at Anime NYC, the anime adaptation of Takahiro's popular manga has become one of the most anticipated anime releases of Winter 2024.

Ever since its debut in 2019, the Chained Soldier series has gained a huge fanbase due to its interesting premise and epic fights. Initially, the anime adaptation of the series was supposed to release in 2023, but ended up getting delayed to 2024, causing disappointment among fans.

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Yuuki Wakura's Anti-Demon adventures begin in Chained Soldier episode 1

Release date and time, where to watch

Chained Soldier episode 1 has been announced to start airing on January 4, 2024. After several months of speculation, the long-awaited anime adaptation of Takahiro's hit series will be among the first anime releases of the Winter 2024 season.

Fans who attended Anime NYC on November 17, 2023, got a glimpse at what's to come in the upcoming series as they were treated to a brief screening of the anime's first two episodes. That said, the first episode will be released for the global audience on the streaming platform HIDIVE, which acquired the rights to Chained Soldier on October 11, 2023.

Chained Soldier episode 1 (image via Seven Arcs)

On the other hand, the series would be released for Japanese fans on various streaming platforms, such as ABEMA and Bandai Channel. Additionally, Japanese fans who wish to watch an uncensored version of Chained Soldier episode 1 can do so on the following television networks and at their respective time slots:

• AT-X: Every Thursday from 11 pm JST, starting January 4, 2024
• TOKYO MX: Every Thursday from 12 am JST, starting January 4, 2024
• BS Asahi: Every Sunday from 1:30 am JST, starting January 7, 2024
• MBS: Every Tuesday from 3:30 am JST, starting January 9, 2024

It is to be noted that the broadcast date and time are subject to change. For international fans, however, the release times have not been disclosed by HIDIVE as of now. That said, information regarding the timing of the release should be shared by the streaming service in the coming week.

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What to expect from Chained Soldier episode 1?

Chained Soldier anime (image via Seven Arcs)

With less than two weeks remaining for its release, fans have already started to set their expectations for Chained Soldier episode 1. Judging from a couple of teasers and a main trailer being released at Jump Festa 2024, it seems like the anime adaptation of the series is faithful to the manga.

As such, fans can expect the events in the anime to play out in the exact same way as they did in Takahiro's hit manga series. The events of the story take place in Japan in an alternate universe, where monsters known as Shuuki roam the world.

Furthermore, a magical peach tree has the ability to grant special powers to women in order to fight the Shuuki. Elsewhere, Yuuki Wakura, a high school graduate, accidentally enters a monster portal, where he comes face-to-face with a monster. Fortunately for him, a woman named Kyouka Uzen saves him from certain death. It was revealed that she was one of the few women who gained the ability to become a monster hunter by consuming the magical peaches.

She is the commander of the 7th squad of the Demon Defense Force and has the ability to enslave Shuuki to aid her in her many battles. When she and Yuuki are cornered by the monsters, her only option to save their lives is to enslave Yuuki, so they join forces to fight against the monsters in order to save their world.