By Making Sam very, very happy today is news that a 13-part anime series taking place in the Blade Runner franchise has been announced. Specific details are sparse, though the series is said to be set in the year 2032, and take inspiration from Denis Villeneuve’s incredible follow-up film from last year, Blade Runner 2049.
The episodes will allegedly run in the ballpark of 30 minutes each, and are set to be produced by Sola Digital Arts. All episodes are to be directed by Shinji Aramaki (director of the Appleseed films, and designer on Fullmetal Alchemist, Halo: Legends, and the 2049 short prequel Blade Runner: Blackout 2022) and Kenji Kamiyama (known primarily for directing Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, as well as working on Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade and Medabots). Shinichiro Watanabe of Cowboy Bebop fame, as well as the director of the aforementioned Blackout 2022, will serve as a creative producer.
#BladeRunnerBlackLotus will feature thirteen 30-minute episodes produced by animation studio Sola Digital Arts (Ultraman). Shinji Aramaki (Appleseed) and Kenji Kamiyama (Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex) will direct all episodes of the first season.
— [adult swim] (@adultswim) November 29, 2018
Adult Swim is set to air an English-language version as a part of their Toonami animation block, distributing globally, while CrunchyRoll will handle international streaming. Both are a part of WarnerMedia.
Ridley Scott’s original film has been an unshakable favorite of mine across the various edits since I first saw it as a wee middle schooler, and 2049 blew away any expectations I had, dispelling fears of such a long-gestating sequel to a beloved film. Rick Deckard’s story has always been remarkable for being a small part of a massively-detailed world, one we caught glimpses of in the hints of lore and insane production design. If nothing else, Black Lotus should satisfy some of that hunger for more tales from the the future.
Black Lotus currently has no air date. For a potential peek at what could be in store, check out Blackout 2022. More to come!