Summary
- Death Stranding is getting an anime adaptation, with the news confirmed by Hideo Kojima himself.
- The anime project is in development, though details remain unclear.
- Kojima is currently working on a live-action Death Stranding film with the award-winning film studio A24.
Death Stranding creator Hideo Kojima confirms that the hit game will receive an anime adaptation. Death Stranding originally launched on the PlayStation 4 in November 2019, but later launched on PC and current-generation consoles. Its sequel, Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, will launch on June 26, 2025.
Thanks to the legendary popularity of the Metal Gear series, Hideo Kojima has a reputation as one of the most filmically adept game developers working today. From Metal Gear Solid to Death Stranding, his games wear their sources on their sleeve, and draw regularly from a pop culture pool filled with Hollywood blockbusters and other cinematic inspirations. Kojima's also taken advantage of his prominent profile in the game industry to draw in major Hollywood talents to star in his creations. Death Stranding itself has a cast stacked with celebrities, and stars Sam Porter Bridges, a character played by The Walking Dead actor Norman Reedus.
Death Stranding 2’s Pacing Could Lower Its Barrier to Entry
Death Stranding 2’s faster pace and early access to gear could make it much easier for new players to stay engaged through the game's opening hours.
Based on a Japanese-language interview with Kojima conducted by Vogue Japan, it looks like Death Stranding might get a chance to tap some more industry talent as well, as an anime adaptation of the game seems to be in the works. In a quote that focused on the previously announced Death Stranding live action film project with award-winning film studio A24, Kojima added that Kojima Productions is working on a Death Stranding anime.
Death Stranding Anime Adaptation Confirmed by Kojima
Unfortunately for anime fans hungry for news, Kojima's comment about a Death Stranding anime didn't contain much detail beyond confirming its existence. He didn't say who would be making it, or what stage of production the project is in, putting everything from its casting to its potential release window up in the air. By contrast, he's spoken at length about the live-action adaptation, which will be helmed by A Quiet Place: Day One director Michael Sarnoski. In fact, given that "anime" in Japanese can refer to any kind of animation, it's entirely possible that a Death Stranding animated series or film won't follow the stylistic cues many anime fans expect to see. In comparison, the Cyberpunk Edgerunners anime involved famed Japanese anime creator Studio Trigger and bore an unmistakable anime aesthetic quite different from Cyberpunk 2077's realistic presentation.
Kojima does appear to be aware of the different challenges posed by adapting content across media forms. In the interview, Kojima compared the way the HBO The Last of Us series stuck fairly closely to the games while the Super Mario Bros. Movie used a storyline unique to the film. For his part, he mentioned that he wants the live-action Death Stranding film to be one only possible as a movie, and the sort of work capable of competing for recognition at prominent film festivals like Cannes. With that in mind, he may seek out ways to make a Death Stranding anime similarly unique to its medium.
Death Stranding
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 83 /100 Critics Rec: 79%
- Released
- November 8, 2019
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood, Intense Violence, Partial Nudity, Strong Language
- Developer(s)
- Kojima Productions
- Engine
- Decima
- Cross-Platform Play
- Yes! Players will share the same server as Steam and Epic users
- Cross Save
- yes
WHERE TO PLAY
- Genre(s)
- Action
