Summary
Death Strandingcreator Hideo Kojima confirms that the hit game will receive an anime adaptation.Death Strandingoriginally 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 14, 2025.
Thanks to the legendary popularity of theMetal Gearseries, Hideo Kojima has a reputation as one of the most filmically adept game developers working today. FromMetal Gear SolidtoDeath 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 Strandingitself has a cast stacked with celebrities, and stars Sam Porter Bridges, a character played byThe Walking Deadactor Norman Reedus.
Based on a Japanese-languageinterview with Kojima conducted by Vogue Japan, it looks likeDeath Strandingmight 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 onthe previously announcedDeath Strandinglive action film projectwith award-winning film studio A24, Kojima added that Kojima Productions is working on aDeath Strandinganime.
Death Stranding Anime Adaptation Confirmed by Kojima
Unfortunately for anime fans hungry for news, Kojima’s comment about aDeath Strandinganime 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 byA Quiet Place: Day Onedirector Michael Sarnoski. In fact, given that “anime” in Japanese can refer to any kind of animation, it’s entirely possible that aDeath Strandinganimated series or film won’t follow the stylistic cues many anime fans expect to see. In comparison, theCyberpunk Edgerunnersanimeinvolved famed Japanese anime creator Studio Trigger and bore an unmistakable anime aesthetic quite different fromCyberpunk 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 theHBOThe Last of Usseries stuck fairly closely to the gameswhile theSuper Mario Bros.movie used a storyline unique to the film. For his part, he mentioned that he wants the live-actionDeath Strandingfilm 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 aDeath Strandinganime similarly unique to its medium.
