By Out of the blue, Japanese publisher Square Enix has shared a 90-second clip of its upcoming anime adaptation of the popular JRPG The World Ends With You. Showing the opening sequence from the game, we now have a pretty solid idea of what the show’s animation quality will be. To sum it up in one word: stunning.
The still images and short clip that was shown off a few months ago has given way to what looks like an exceptionally well-done anime. Most of the time when it comes to anime adaptations, companies tend to go light on the budget and produce an overall cheap looking show. While there’s some misinformation going around about the quality-to-price ratio (cheap doesn’t necessarily equal bad), video games tend to have rushed tie-ins when it comes to anime.
With direct involvement from not only the game’s publisher but its director, The World Ends With You looks spot-on. If you had told me this was a cutscene for some unannounced remake of the title, I’d believe it. It really does capture the look and feel of the fan-favorite game while transitioning it to a different medium.
While Square Enix has shared a description of the show’s general plot, what remains to be seen is how far this adaptation will go. The original story takes something of an episodic approach and even includes some kind of Groundhog Day-style restarts. Maybe additional seasons could bring those into the fold.
