Adult Swim Announces ‘Blade Runner’ Anime Series

Alcon Television Group, a division of Alcon Entertainment, has partnered with Adult Swim and Crunchyroll to produce and distribute a new anime series inspired by the movie “Blade Runner 2049.” The new show, “Blade Runner – Black Lotus,” 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 premiere season, which will follow their current directorial work on the upcoming “Ghost in the Shell” series reboot. Shinichiro Watanabe (“Cowboy Bebop”) is a creative producer. 

While the series plot is being kept under wraps, producers have confirmed the story will take place in 2032 and will include some familiar characters from the “Blade Runner” universe.
 
Adult Swim will have the worldwide rights (excluding Asia) to distribute the English dubbed versions of the series and will air the English dubbed episodes of “Blade Runner – Black Lotus” on the network’s anime programming block Toonami. Similarly, Crunchyroll will handle worldwide streaming for its community of more than 45 million registered users and 2 million subscribers.