Duolingo Launches Anime Series “The Final Test” Starring Duo

Duolingo is taking its mascot Duo into a new medium. The company announced its first-ever anime series, (The Final Test), produced with Titmouse, the L.A.-based animation studio behind Big Mouth, Metalocalypse, Star Trek: Lower Decks, and The Legend of Vox Machina.

Duo Stars in Short-Form Anime

The five-episode miniseries casts Duo — the green owl familiar to millions of users — as the protagonist. Each episode lasts just 60 seconds, making it easy to watch on platforms like YouTube.

Moreover, the series expands Duo’s lore, revealing his origin story before he became a guardian of the streak. His friends were ordinary humans recruited to help learners stay motivated. Together, they must navigate challenges to protect their streaks and each other.

Why Anime?

Duolingo launched the anime to promote its updated Japanese courses, now available for all languages. Additionally, the company wanted to leverage anime’s global popularity to bring Duo and the brand to life.

In the anime, Duo speaks his own language, similar to in-app sounds like “wah-bing!” Subtitles are available in English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, German, Hindi, Japanese, Korean, and Thai.

Teaser and Themed Content

A teaser was held at New York Comic Con on October 9. Fans can also get limited-edition anime plushies and enamel pins. Furthermore, the Duolingo app will feature themed animations and widget illustrations inspired by the series. This adds a playful layer for users completing lessons.

Expanding the Duolingo Universe

Duolingo CMO Manu Orssaud said, “Anime is a global phenomenon. For many, it sparks excitement to learn Japanese. With ‘The Final Test,’ we are expanding our character universe in a streak-obsessed, unmistakably Duolingo way.” The series premieres October 13 on Duolingo’s YouTube channel.

Duolingo by the Numbers

Duolingo continues to grow. In Q2 2025, the apps averaged 128.3 million active monthly users, up 24% year-over-year. Paid subscribers reached 10.9 million, a 37% increase. Therefore, this anime represents an innovative way to engage users while promoting language learning. for more updates on the series, follow Duolingo on their official X account.

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