Duolingo, the world’s leading mobile learning platform, today announced its first-ever original anime series, 最後の決戦 (The Final Test). Premiering on Duolingo’s YouTube channel on October 13, the five-episode miniseries coincides with the debut of Duolingo’s updated Japanese courses, which are now available to learners in all languages.
The Final Test builds on the growing connection between anime fandom and language learning, Duolingo explained in the announcement. The series introduces a new backstory for Duo the owl and his friends: before they became streak guardians, they were ordinary people. Recruited by Duo to help learners stay motivated, the team must navigate different challenges to keep their streak — and each other — alive.
“Anime is a global cultural phenomenon, and for so many people, it’s the spark that gets them excited to learn Japanese,” said Manu Orssaud, CMO at Duolingo. “With The Final Test, we’re channeling that passion and expanding our character universe in a way that’s unexpected, streak-obsessed and unmistakably Duolingo.”
Brought to life by dozens of illustrators and a large creative team, The Final Test was produced in partnership with Emmy-winning animation studio Titmouse. All voice acting is in Japanese, with subtitles available in English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, German, Hindi, Japanese, Korean and Thai. Each episode is 60 seconds long, meeting demand for short-form platform anime content.
Duolingo is also bringing the anime experience to life beyond the screen with fan-focused activations:
- Limited-edition anime plushies and enamel pins available for purchase online and at Duolingo’s New York Comic Con booth.
- Duolingo app integrations include custom lesson-complete animations and widget illustrations themed around The Final Test
Watch the series trailer!
