Shenmue Anime Coming from Crunchyroll and Adult Swim
A new anime based on the Shenmue video game franchise is now in the works with Crunchyroll and [...]
A new anime based on the Shenmue video game franchise is now in the works with Crunchyroll and Adult Swim. The two companies have collaborated on a few major Crunchyroll Originals projects in the past, and this new adaptation of the fan favorite franchise is the next exciting step for their team up! Announced during Crunchyroll Expo (which went virtual this year due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic), this will be an original anime series based on the SEGA franchise featuring input from original series creator Yu Suzuki.
According to the announcement, this new Shenmue series will be 13 episodes long and will be streaming with Crunchyroll upon its overseas release. The new series will also be airing on Adult Swim's Toonami programming block upon its release. Unfortunately for fans, there has yet to be a release date announced just yet.
But will help matters on that front is the first teaser visual for the new series that features a trio of characters fans of the original Shenmue games are sure to recognize.
#BREAKING via #VCRX: @Crunchyroll x @adultswim announce Shenmue TV anime based on the classic SEGA game! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/CNv7I7yRoC
— Shenmue the Animation (@ShenmueAnime) September 5, 2020
Directed by Sakurai Chikara for Telecom Animation Film Studios and Sola Entertainment, the new Shenmue anime will feature original creator Yu Suzuki as an executive producer. Further details are going to be announced at a later date, but now fans can get ready for its upcoming release.
It is only one of the many collaborative efforts between Crunchyroll and Adult Swim coming in the future including the brand new anime project, Fena: Pirate Princess, a new anime series based on the Blade Runner franchise (which recently shared a little bit during the virtual Adult Swim Con earlier this year), and much more. No concrete release dates have been given for any of these projects, unfortunately.
Regardless of when this new Shenmue anime series releases, it's certainly going to be one of the most interesting considering the cult fan base built over the years! Are you excited for a new anime based on Shenmue? What are you hoping to see in the new series? What are you hoping it will cover from the original games? Let us know your thoughts in the comments or you can even reach out to me directly about all things animated and other cool stuff @Valdezology on Twitter!
