In a split-cour announcement that turns the donghua world on its head, one of the most emotionally ruthless shows in animation just bet everything on a 24-episode marathon. Link Click, the time-travel mystery that made Cheng Xiaoshi and Lu Guang international icons, has officially moved its third-season premiere UP from October — and Part 1 now hits Bilibili on August 14, 2026.
That alone is huge news for the fanbase still dissecting the mind-bending Bridon Arc that closed Season 2. But creator Li Haoling is not just moving dates; he’s restructuring the entire fate of Time Photo Studio, and the consequences are going to be brutal.
When Does Link Click Season 3 Release?
Part 1 premieres August 14, 2026 on Bilibili. The series was originally scheduled for an October drop, but Bilibili pulled the date forward in what creator Li Haoling described as a direct response to fan demand. Part 2 is then provisionally scheduled for 2027.
The bigger story is scale. Season 3 runs a massive 24 episodes split across two parts (two cours of 12). That’s the longest Link Click has ever been by a huge margin — a statement from Bilibili that this donghua is now a genuine flagship competing with the biggest seasonal anime in Japan.
What Happens in Season 3’s Story?
After the Li Tianchen incident closed, Time Photo Studio returned to a shaky, superficial peace. Then the disappearance of Xia Fei forces everyone back to the crossroads of fate. With the villain Vein returning and Qiao Ling finally awakening the superpowers she inherited from Li Tianxi, Cheng Xiaoshi and Lu Guang begin to uncover the truth behind the Bahati fire case.
At the mystery’s center sits Cheng Xiaoshi’s own father, Cheng Weimin, and his mother Shao Yuanyuan — buried connections to the fire that may rewrite everything Cheng Xiaoshi believes about his family and his gift for diving into photos.
The Feral Detail Li Haoling Teased at Anime Expo 2026
At Anime Expo 2026, Li Haoling dropped a detail fans did not expect: this season’s real conflict will NOT be between Cheng Xiaoshi and Lu Guang. Instead, strong fansome from Qiao Ling and a far more extreme Li Tianchen. Since Qiao inherited Li Tianxi’s abilities and Li Tianchen has a “rather extreme personality,” the two are primed for explosive, personal clashes.
And the time-travel trauma fans love remains fully intact: Cheng Xiaoshi dives into photographs, reliving 12-hour windows of other people’s pasts while Lu Guang guides him by radio, enforcing the one hard rule that never bends — do not change the past. Season 3 is the ultimate pressure test of that rule.
Why the 24-Episode Split Is a Gamble
Link Click’s first two seasons were famously tight and self-contained. Jumping to a 24-episode split-cour structure is a huge production commitment for Chinese animation — but it carries a consequence: Part 1 will almost certainly end on a deliberate cliffhanger, and with Part 2 not expected until 2027, the wait between halves will hurt.
The upside is a richer, more patient story. The downside is fans of the tight pacing will feel the 2026-vs-2027 gap acutely.
If you are hungry for more 2026 anime fire, do not sleep on Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle on streaming or the chaos of Madoka Magica: Walpurgisnacht Rising — both are dominating the same season.
What Do You Think?
Are you ready to commit to the full 24-episode ride, or is the split-cour gap too much? Is the Qiao-gab for Ling-Tianchen clash the dynamic you’re here for? And who is really behind the Bahati fire case — Cheng Xiaoshi’s father or something far darker? Drop your theory in the comments below before Cheng Xiaoshi manades the wrong timeline.
