Grand Blue Dreaming Season 2 Ending: Which Manga Chapter to Read Next

If there’s one comedy anime that never fails to make me laugh no matter how many times I revisit it, it’s Grand Blue Dreaming. After waiting years for the second season, seeing Iori and the Peek-a-Boo crew return felt like meeting old friends again. The series somehow balances ridiculous drinking contests, over-the-top facial expressions, genuine friendships, and surprisingly beautiful diving scenes better than almost any other comedy anime.

Now that Grand Blue Dreaming Season 2 has wrapped up, one question keeps appearing everywhere—from Reddit discussions to YouTube comments:

Where should you start reading the manga after Season 2?

I had the exact same question, and after comparing the anime with the manga, here’s the answer I’d recommend.

Where Does Grand Blue Season 2 End in the Manga?

The anime finishes its main story around Chapter 45 of the manga.

If your goal is simply to continue the story without repeating anything you’ve already watched, then Chapter 46 is the perfect place to begin.

Here’s the quick overview:

Chapter 46 works as a transition into the next major storyline while smoothly wrapping up the events from the deserted island adventure.

So if you’re impatient to discover what happens next, that’s the chapter I’d recommend opening first.

Why I Didn’t Stay at Chapter 46

Although Chapter 46 is technically the correct continuation, I personally didn’t stay there very long.

Instead, I went back and started reading earlier chapters.

Why?

Because Grand Blue’s manga feels different enough that it’s worth revisiting, even after watching the anime.

The anime adaptation is fantastic—it captures the energy, timing, and insanity surprisingly well—but some moments simply land harder in manga form.

Sometimes it’s a single reaction panel.

Sometimes it’s an extra page of dialogue.

Sometimes it’s an entire joke that never made it into the adaptation.

As a fan, I honestly didn’t regret reading those chapters again.

Some Content Didn’t Make It Into Season 2

One thing many anime-only viewers don’t realize is that Season 2 isn’t a page-for-page adaptation.

Several moments were shortened, rearranged, or skipped completely to fit the television format.

One of the biggest omissions was Chapter 31, a fan-favorite chapter involving the university’s science laboratory.

Among manga readers, it’s often mentioned as one of the funniest standalone chapters in the series.

Unfortunately, it never appeared in the anime.

There are also smaller changes throughout the season.

• Some conversations move faster.
• Certain side jokes disappear.
• A few visual gags are shortened to maintain pacing.

None of these changes ruin the adaptation, but together they create enough differences that reading the manga still feels fresh.

Why the Manga Comedy Hits Even Harder

One thing I noticed almost immediately was how much freedom the manga has.

Anime episodes have limited runtime.

Manga chapters don’t.

That allows Kenji Inoue to let conversations spiral into complete nonsense before delivering the punchline.

The result is comedy that feels even more chaotic than the anime.

Some of my favorite moments weren’t even the major story arcs—they were random conversations where absolutely nothing important happened except characters embarrassing themselves.

That’s classic Grand Blue.

The Artwork Is Incredible

Kimitake Yoshioka deserves far more recognition for his artwork.

The contrast is honestly amazing.

One page might show an absolutely gorgeous underwater diving scene filled with detail.

The very next page suddenly transforms everyone’s faces into nightmare fuel.

That dramatic contrast is something the anime recreates well, but the manga somehow pushes even further.

Those infamous facial expressions have become legendary for a reason.

They’re still some of the funniest reaction drawings I’ve seen in any manga.

If You’re a New Reader, Here’s My Recommendation

Depending on how much time you want to invest, there are three good starting points.

Option 1 — Fastest Route

Start at Chapter 46.

Perfect if you only care about continuing the story.

Option 2 — The Fan Favorite

Start from Chapter 22.

• Skipped jokes.
• Extra dialogue.
• Removed comedy scenes.
• Different pacing.
• Omitted chapters.

For most people, this is probably the best balance.

Option 3 — The Complete Experience

Read everything from Chapter 1.

Yes, you’ve already watched Season 1.

Yes, you’ll recognize most scenes.

But Grand Blue is one of those rare series where revisiting earlier material genuinely feels worthwhile.

The artwork alone makes it worth the time.

What’s Next for the Story?

Without spoiling anything, the story starts changing direction after the island storyline.

The familiar university life remains at the center, but the series gradually expands its setting and introduces new situations that feel bigger than before.

Relationships continue developing.

New comedic disasters appear almost immediately.

And, of course, there are still plenty of diving trips mixed between the ridiculous drinking competitions.

One thing I appreciate about Grand Blue is that it never completely abandons its original identity.

Even when the story grows, it always remembers that its greatest strength is making readers laugh.

Should Anime Fans Read the Manga?

I’d absolutely say yes.

Even if you’ve already seen every episode, the manga doesn’t feel like you’re simply reading a script of the anime.

Instead, it feels like the full, uncut version.

• Longer conversations
• Additional jokes
• Extra character interactions
• More expressive artwork
• Better pacing for comedy

That’s exactly what convinced me to keep reading instead of waiting for another anime season.

Final Thoughts

If someone asked me for one recommendation, I’d keep it simple.

Start with Chapter 46 if you’re eager to continue immediately.

But if you truly enjoyed everything Season 2 had to offer, I’d honestly recommend going back to Chapter 22 first.

The anime did an excellent job adapting the source material, yet the manga still offers enough additional comedy, visual gags, and character moments to feel rewarding rather than repetitive.

Grand Blue has always been more than a diving comedy. It’s one of those rare series that can switch from breathtaking ocean scenery to complete madness within a single page, and somehow make both equally memorable.

Whether you’re reading to see what happens after the island adventure or simply want more time with the Peek-a-Boo crew, the manga is absolutely worth the dive. For me, it only reminded me why Grand Blue Dreaming remains one of the funniest seinen manga ever created.