The video game has always had a very close relationship with anime. That both industries have strong roots in Japan has a lot to do with it, although it is true that it has not always been a particularly fruitful relationship for video games. The number of not particularly interesting anime based on video games is notable. Although it is also inevitable: it has always been seen as an interesting source, but with little substance to dig into.
But the same was true for Western cinema and television series, something that has changed over time. This includes anime. In recent years, it has become much more common to find good anime adaptations of popular video games, or even those that are not so popular. And the latest example is one of the most important video games from From Software, of which we will soon be able to see the first images: Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice.
The path to anime is one full of obstacles
Despite being one of the studio’s most successful games, From Software has not continued the success of the game. It has not released a sequel, has barely made any spinoffs, and has taken more than five years to continue its story. However, it is going to do so.
Crunchyroll will present the first images of the anime adaptation of the video game, Sekiro: No Defeat, on March 16 at South By Southwest, better known as SXSW. And although they have not wanted to reveal everything yet, we do know some very important aspects. For example, it will tell a completely new story compared to the original video game. Or that it will be entirely hand-drawn, not using any 3D or digital technology for it.
In charge of the anime is a relatively new studio, as its foundation dates back to February 2021, called Qzil.la. With only one anime under its umbrella, the currently airing Champignon no Majo, a pleasant and melancholic fantasy romance about a witch with poisonous skin who will gradually open up to the residents of the nearby city to the forest in which she lives. Available on Crunchyroll and although not taking the world by storm, it is proving that they are capable of making a visually appealing and interesting anime, and at the very least, carrying out a project.
Because let’s be frank. Many times the specific study is less important than the specific people involved, especially since anime is dominated by freelance animators rather than in-house workers. That’s why it’s important to pay attention to the other data we know: the proper names of the production.
The director will be Kenichi Kutsuna in his debut in the position, although he has held certain responsible positions in previous animes such as Chi’s Sweet Adventure and Magical Destroyers. The script is by Shuta Hasunuma, director and screenwriter, whose most notable works in this role include the script for the movie Fate/stay night: Unlimited Blade Works and the series The Great Passage.
Shuya Hasunuma is in charge of the music, whose debut in anime will be in March with Hana Rokushō ga Akeru Hi ni, but who is a small celebrity in Japan for his exquisite blend of electronic music with found sounds and field recordings, giving his compositions a fresh and very unique style.
What does that mean? It means that it is possible that it has an interesting and well-structured script, that it is very likely to have one of the most interesting soundtracks of the year —if not one of the best, if Hasunuma is able to translate his music to the needs of the images—, and that the weakest point yet to be seen is in the direction: Kutsuna does not have a great track record and does not have a particularly solid team behind, which raises suspicion that it could be one of those cases where the anime stands out more for the solidity of the exogenous elements than for the image itself.
It is not the only video game anime (upcoming or existing)
Although Sekiro: No Defeat is undoubtedly the release that will make the most headlines in the coming weeks, that doesn’t mean it’s the only video game that will soon make the leap to anime. Because Death Stranding is also about to do so.
Announced for 2026, Death Stranding Mosquito is backed by ABC Animation, one of the most solid studios currently in the anime world. Moreover, the names involved are not exactly people to overlook. Hiroshi Miyamoto has directed several Precure movies, one of the most prestigious and beloved magical girl series in Japan, from which some of the best anime directors of the last decade have emerged. And its screenwriter is Aaron Guzikowski, creator of Raised by Wolves and screenwriter of Prisoners, one of the most reliable screenwriters in Hollywood.
The difference is that it is not a series, it is a movie. And with no release date and no date for when we will know more about it, Death Stranding Mosquito will remain the great unknown of the year. Even if it should be on the radar of any movie enthusiast, whether they are an anime fan or not, due to the involvement of all those involved.
Moreover, video games have increasingly given us better animes. Last year, the adaptations of Gnosia and Nukitashi were a hit among moviegoers and otakus respectively. Before that, the very popular Fate franchise, with animes that always captivate the audience, has continued to have different iterations over the years, all born from a video game: Fate/Stay Night. Even Western licenses, like Cyberpunk, have recently made a splash with animes like the excellent Cyberpunk: Edgerunners.
That’s why we need to keep an eye on video game adaptations to anime. Because, as with live-action, the time when they were just a formality to maximize profits has passed. There are reasons to have faith in Sekiro: No Defeat and Death Stranding Mosquito, even if they still have to show us more concrete details about them. Because anime is stronger than ever, at least when it comes to adapting video games.
