This 12 months marks the fifth anniversary of Ghost of Tsushima, the 2020 PlayStation motion role-playing recreation that was each a love letter to traditional samurai movies and probably the most participating online game experiences of the twenty first century. Along with Chad Stahelski’s long-in-the-works film primarily based on the sport being probably the most anticipated upcoming online game variations, we’re additionally getting Ghost of Tsushima: Legends, a brand new Crunchyroll anime sequence.
As a longtime fan of the sport (significantly, go play it), I’m past stoked to see how Ghost of Tsushima and its Legends multiplayer growth might be changed into an anime sequence within the subsequent couple of years. And, I’m in all probability not the one one questioning how sure facets of the sport might be dealt with on this small-screen adaptation. That mentioned, listed below are 5 issues I can’t wait to see…
It Sounds Like The Anime Collection Will Focus On The ‘Legends’ Add-On, However I Hope Jin Sakai’s Story Is not Left Out
In January 2025, Crunchyroll introduced throughout Sony’s CES press convention that the 2 have been teaming up for Ghost of Tsushima: Legends with a launch window slated for someday in 2027. With the upcoming anime sequence taking its title from the multiplayer growth launched a number of months after the primary recreation in 2020, I can’t assist however really feel like this might be extra of an adaptation of the bonus mode the place gamers teamed as much as tackle every kind of supernatural enemies impressed by Japanese mythology. Although that does sound promising, I hope this doesn’t imply we received’t see Jin Sakai’s story, which looks like one thing from certainly one of Akira Kurosawa’s classics, play out as effectively.
Jin, the titular character in Ghost of Tsushima, had probably the most participating, emotional, and transformative arcs of any online game character of the previous decade, which is saying rather a lot contemplating there’s been no scarcity of wonderful narrative-heavy video games. I hope we see that awe-inspiring opening battle sequence with the invading Mongols, his journey because the “Ghost,” and his heartbreaking story with Lord Shimura, his uncle who didn’t agree along with his new techniques of combating off the invading forces.
I Hope The Collection Has A Mixture Of Samurai And Horror Parts Launched In The Sport
If the Ghost of Tsushima: Legends sequence finally ends up taking parts from each the primary recreation and multiplayer growth, I can’t wait to see how these are depicted within the anime format. There’s an extended historical past of horror-influenced anime motion pictures and reveals, and I’ve cause to imagine the brand new adaptation received’t be any totally different.
On one hand, you will have the extra grounded strategy of the primary recreation with its story a few younger samurai going to nice (and extremely violent and unorthodox) lengths to guard Tsushima Island from the invading forces. On the opposite, within the Legends addition, you will have quests by totally different warriors teaming as much as combat demonic-like enemies which can be taken from Japanese mythology.
Much less grounded and extra fantastical, the multiplayer recreation had plenty of nice horror parts that I believe can work rather well in an anime sequence. With director Takanobu Mizuno, who beforehand labored on Star Wars: Visions, main the cost, I believe that stability received’t be too troublesome to drag off.
I Additionally Cannot Wait To See How The Supernatural Worlds And Enemies Of ‘Legends’ Are Depicted
Anybody who has performed the Ghost of Tsushima: Legends recreation is aware of that the multiplayer growth has some eye-catching, albeit terrifying, supernatural worlds and enemies, which stand in stark distinction to the extra life like aesthetic of the primary recreation. I actually can’t wait to see how these realms and the enemies present in every of them work in anime format, as a result of it may very well be actually, actually superior.
Clearly, that is one thing that may be difficult to do within the Ghost of Tsushima film that’s been in growth for a number of years now, but it surely’s completely attainable in anime, particularly with a top-notch group of animators getting every part prepared. Although I’ve questions on how these worlds and enemies might be depicted, I’m excited to see in the event that they’re taken immediately from the sport or given a brand new look unique for the present.
I am Keen To See How Gyozen The Storyteller Matches Into The Present
Gyozen the Storyteller is only one of many non-playable characters, or NPCs, from Legends that made the sport a lot enjoyable. For these not accustomed to the important thing determine, he was a storyteller who would journey all through the island of Tsushima and share tales of historic warriors who way back protected the land. Interacting with him would begin one of many quests within the multiplayer mode, during which he would function the narrator.
I wouldn’t be stunned if Gyozen seems once more because the sequence narrator and units up every story (an actual episode depend hasn’t been introduced but), which is one thing we’ve seen in reveals like What If…? on Disney+. The present, which resulted in late 2024, featured Jeffrey Wright’s The Watcher establishing every story, although he would typically develop into concerned. I’m undecided if that’ll be the identical for Gyozen, however it might be enjoyable to know extra in regards to the storyteller’s personal story.
Ghost Of Tsushima Does not Maintain Again With The Violence, And I am Excited To See How That is Depicted In The Collection
Tsushima is a violent recreation. No, not over-the-top ranges of violence you see within the likes of Mortal Kombat or Gears of Conflict, however just about what you’d anticipate from a recreation that mixes samurai battles, stealth kills, and a few gnarly duels earlier than the credit roll. I can’t wait to see how that factor is depicted within the sequence.
Relying on which route the sequence takes, we might see Jin Sakai utilizing arrows, swords, knives, and different distinctive methods to defeat Mongols, straw hats, and different enemies from the sport, or we might see the traditional heroes taking over possessed troopers and supernatural entities. Both approach, I’m pumped.
(Bonus): However I Hope This Does not Imply Chad Stahelski’s Ghost Of Tsushima Film Is On Ice
Again when John Wick: Chapter 4 was launched in March 2023, I wrote about how the film had me excited for Chad Stahelski’s Ghost of Tsushima film greater than every other venture from the stuntman-turned-director, and that also stands. Nonetheless, with no new info popping out in regards to the film in fairly a while, I’m beginning to get fearful in regards to the venture. I actually hope that the Legends anime sequence doesn’t imply we received’t see Stahelski’s live-action film.
There’s sufficient room on this planet for each of those tasks to come back out with out hurting each other. If something, they may propel one another by providing totally different variations of the nice recreation. We will see.
Whereas we look ahead to extra info on Ghost of Tsushima: Legends, in addition to the Ghost of Yotei recreation slated for launch this 12 months, there are many nice 2025 motion pictures and much more 2025 TV reveals to carry us over.