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On Wednesday, May 18, Warner Bros. Discovery, the parent company of Toonami, Adult Swim, and Cartoon Network, had their annual upfront, the first since WarnerMedia merged with Discovery Inc. back on April 8, 2022. For those unfamiliar with the television business, an upfront is so-named as it is an event held to entice advertisers to buy television commercial space for an upcoming series or season “up front”, months before it begins airing.
First revealed by The Hollywood Reporter, as part of Adult Swim’s contributions to the upfront, the programming block revealed two new anime series to add to their growing list of original productions. One of which will be Ninja Kamui, a new original series by Sunghoo Park. The other is a new Rick and Morty anime series directed by Takashi Sano.
SPIRAL CURSE DEMARCO on Twitter: “Second, THE Sunghoo Park, the incredibly talented director of Jujutsu Kaisen and God of High School, is creating an original series for Toonami- NINJA KAMUI. You’ve never seen anything like it!! pic.twitter.com/6MUSkF1bsl / Twitter”
Second, THE Sunghoo Park, the incredibly talented director of Jujutsu Kaisen and God of High School, is creating an original series for Toonami- NINJA KAMUI. You’ve never seen anything like it!! pic.twitter.com/6MUSkF1bsl
Ninja Kamui will be a futuristic ninja action/adventure anime series directed by Sunghoo Park, best known for directing the Jujutsu Kaisen franchise and The God of High School. This new original anime series will include character designs by Takeshi Okazaki and produced by E&H Production and Sola Entertainment.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, “Ninja Kamui will follow Joe Higan who is a Nukenin – a former ninja who escaped his clan and is hiding from his violent past in rural America with his family. One night, he is ambushed by a team of assassins from his former organization who exact a bloody retribution on Joe and his family for betraying their ancient code. Rising from his seeming “death,” Joe will re-emerge as his former self – Ninja Kamui – to avenge his family and friends. Kamui is a 21st-century ninja, a shadowy anachronism who pits his ancient skills against high-tech weaponry with brutal finesse. He must face off against trained assassins, combat cyborgs, and rival ninjas to bring down the very clan that made him.”
Rick and Morty on Twitter: “A new anime is headed your way. Rick and Morty: The Anime – coming soon pic.twitter.com/qko9pHoLeh / Twitter”
A new anime is headed your way. Rick and Morty: The Anime – coming soon pic.twitter.com/qko9pHoLeh
Over the past two years, Adult Swim has created a number of Rick and Morty anime shorts, airing on Toonami and Adult Swim proper during commercial breaks and available to view on Adult Swim’s YouTube page. Following the success of these anime shorts, Adult Swim has decided to greenlight a full-fledged anime series, titled Rick and Morty: The Anime.
The Rick and Morty anime will be a “10-episode adventure” completely separate from the continuity of the regular hit series by Justin Roiland and Dan Harmon. However, given that Rick and Morty is a “multiverse series”, the anime will incorporate themes and events from the main series and the overall universe.
Rick and Morty: The Anime will be directed by Takashi Sano, who previously directed the Rick and Morty shorts “Rick and Morty vs. Genocider” and “Summer Meets God (Rick Meets Evil).” Sano is also known for directing the Tower of God anime. Telecom Animation Film will animate the series.
As with the Rick and Morty anime shorts, the anime series will be presented in Japanese with English subtitles, a rarity in U.S. network and cable television. It is unknown if an English dub will be produced in the future.
SPIRAL CURSE DEMARCO on Twitter: “Subbed / Twitter”
Subbed
Additional details, including a release date for both titles, are yet to be announced. While it is confirmed that Ninja Kamui will premiere its episodes on Toonami, it is unknown if Rick and Morty: The Anime will premiere on Saturday nights on Toonami as well (as with other anime series produced by Adult Swim), or on Sunday nights, where Rick and Morty regularly premieres its new episodes. Both series will be available to stream on HBO Max.
What are your thoughts on the news? Are you looking forward to checking out Ninja Kamui? Are you excited about a Rick and Morty anime series? Let us know by commenting below or directly on our social media.
