Link Click Season 3 (Shiguang Dailiren III) is the third season of the fantasy donghua about two men who run Time Photo Studio, where they step into clients' photographs to relive moments from the past. Studio LAN produced the new season, whose Part 1 premiered on August 14, 2026 on Bilibili and streams on Crunchyroll in many regions. This review covers the nine episodes aired by October 3, 2026, out of twelve in Part 1, and it says plainly what is still open.
Link Click Season 3 quick facts
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Original title | 时光代理人 第三季 (Shiguang Dailiren III) |
| Studio | Studio LAN, in production with bilibili and BeDream |
| Director | Li Haoling (founder of Haoliners Animation League), director and writer since season 1 |
| Broadcast | Part 1: August 14, 2026 to October 23, 2026 (scheduled), 12 episodes; Part 2: expected 2027 |
| Where to watch | Bilibili (original); Crunchyroll in many regions (official announcement) |
| Viewer scores | Bilibili 8.2/10 (8,432 ratings); MyAnimeList about 8.51/10 (about 27,500 users); figures from October 3, 2026 |
| OtaHub score | 8.5/10, Great |
What Link Click Season 3 is about: Xia Fei's disappearance and the Bahati fire
According to the official Bilibili synopsis, the story opens after the Li Tianchen incident wraps up. The studio seems to have settled back into a quiet routine until news of Xia Fei's disappearance pulls everyone toward a new crossroads. Vein returns, Qiao Ling's powers awaken, and Cheng Xiaoshi and Lu Guang edge closer to the secret behind the Bahati fire. Xiaoshi's parents appear to be tangled up in it too. On top of that come Liu Xiao, who belongs to a mysterious organisation, and Jae, a police officer in Yingdu.
That is a different opening from the first two seasons, which revolved around individual photo jobs and self-contained cases of a few episodes each. Season 3 gathers the old threads into one larger case, and that is both its pull and its risk. Viewers who remember the relationships will find plenty of details stitched together. Anyone jumping in midway will struggle to keep up.
Writing: more layered, slower, still emotionally sharp
What Link Click has always done well is turn small details into emotional hits: a photograph, a line of dialogue, a choice to go back. Part 1 of season 3 keeps that approach but spreads it over more storylines. The episode titles show the direction, from "The Forgotten Past" and "The Caged Beast" in the first two, through "Jae" and "Welcome Banquet", to "Coming Clean" in episode 9.
The price is pacing. AnimeOshi viewers rated episodes 1 to 6 mostly "Great", then dropped to "Mid" (around 65%) for episodes 7 and 8, and a few comments worry the story is drifting from earlier seasons. OtaHub's read is simple: as the cast widens, the middle episodes have to spend time on introductions and setting up pieces, so the built-up emotion lands less often than in the opening and closing beats of the old cases.
Visuals, music and voice cast
This is the season's firmest ground. Cool tones, soft-edged light and the "step into the photo" sequences remain the series' signature, and Inplick's character designs and Quen's colour design keep all three seasons visually consistent. The episode covers on Bilibili are just stills, but they show how the team builds characters through light and framing rather than flashy effects.
The Mandarin cast is led by Su Shangqing (Cheng Xiaoshi), Yang Tianxiang (Lu Guang) and Li Shimeng (Qiao Ling), according to the cast list on Bilibili. Music supervision is by Tianmen and Kent YUGE, and the season's opening song is titled "时" (Time). OtaHub does not have enough to compare the technical detail of season 3 against the previous one, so it sticks to what is plain to see: the imagery is steady and the score keeps serving the emotional beats.
Bridon Arc and what to watch before season 3
Before season 3 came Link Click: Bridon Arc, a 6-episode run from December 2024 to January 2025 set in Yingdu. Aggregator write-ups call it essential background, since many characters and plot points in season 3 connect straight back to it. For new viewers the safe order is season 1, season 2, Bridon Arc, then season 3.
An unfinished season: what OtaHub can't score yet
As of October 3, 2026, Part 1 has aired episode 9 of 12 and Part 2 will not arrive before 2027. The biggest mysteries (where Xia Fei is, what the Bahati fire really was) are still open. A puzzle-driven season can rise or fall in its last episodes, so 8.5 reflects what has aired, not a promise about the ending.
OtaHub's own take: the most interesting thing about season 3 is that the series dares to slow down and stitch its seasons together instead of repeating a case-of-the-week formula. That is also what might make you hesitate, because the season is no longer friendly to anyone dropping in for a single episode.
Strengths and weaknesses
Strengths
- Link Click's visuals, colour and emotional touch hold up.
- Pulls relationships and mysteries from season 1, season 2 and Bridon Arc into one larger case.
- A wider cast with Jae, Liu Xiao and Vein, plus Qiao Ling's new powers.
- High viewer scores on both Bilibili (8.2) and MyAnimeList (about 8.51).
Weaknesses
- Requires seasons 1 and 2, and ideally Bridon Arc, to follow properly.
- Slower mid-season pacing, with AnimeOshi viewers scoring episodes 7 and 8 below the early ones.
- Only 9 of Part 1's 12 episodes have aired, and Part 2 has no date.
- A large cast makes it easy to lose track of the different storylines.
What critics and viewers say
OtaHub has not found a roundup from professional critics for this season, and there is no Metacritic or Rotten Tomatoes score, so this section leans on viewer ratings. On October 3, 2026, Bilibili showed 8.2/10 from 8,432 ratings and MyAnimeList about 8.51/10 from roughly 27,500 users. The community response is largely positive, praising the detailed writing and the visuals, though some viewers wonder about the story heading in a different direction from earlier seasons, with more characters and more powers.
OtaHub score
The overall score is the weighted average of the four criteria, with up to ±0.2 editorial adjustment. See our review standards.
Who should watch Link Click Season 3?
Watch it if you have followed Link Click since season 1, like emotional time-travel stories and can live with slower pacing in exchange for a payoff later. If you prefer to binge, you can wait until Part 1 ends on October 23, 2026.
Think twice if you are new to Link Click. Start with season 1 rather than jumping into season 3, because most of this season's weight comes from what happened before.
FAQ
When did Link Click Season 3 come out and how many episodes does it have?
Part 1 premiered on August 14, 2026 on Bilibili at 11:00 China time and has 12 episodes, with the last one due on October 23, 2026. The full season is 24 episodes; Part 2 is expected in 2027 without a set date.
Where can I watch Link Click Season 3?
The original streams on Bilibili, and an internationally subtitled version streams on Crunchyroll in many regions. Check each platform's official page for availability in your country.
Do I need to watch the first two seasons and Bridon Arc first?
You should. Season 3 picks up right after the Li Tianchen incident and leans on characters and details from the earlier seasons. Link Click: Bridon Arc (6 episodes, December 2024 to January 2025) also supplies direct background.
How is Link Click Season 3 rated?
As of October 3, 2026, Bilibili shows 8.2/10 from 8,432 ratings and MyAnimeList about 8.51/10 from roughly 27,500 users. Viewer reaction is largely positive, with some split opinions about the new direction.
Which studio makes Link Click Season 3?
Studio LAN, tied to director Li Haoling's Haoliners Animation League, in production with bilibili and BeDream. Some databases list CMC Media as the producer.
Sources: the official Bilibili page for Link Click Season 3 (synopsis, episodes, cast, viewer score taken October 3, 2026), Crunchyroll News, AniTrendz, MyAnimeList (figures from October 3, 2026), Wikipedia and AnimeOshi (viewer ratings). The score is OtaHub's editorial judgement under our review standards.