Everything we know about The World Ends With You: The Animation
The powers yet unknown in this anime adaptation!
In the nearly 15 years since hitting markets, Square Enix urban fantasy RPG The World Ends With You has been transformed into a cult classic. Now, the game is getting a full-on anime adaptation, but it might not be the spectacle you've dreamt of for the last decade. There are a few minor changes from the base game, and the show features a mix of old and new staff members.
The World Ends With You anime project was announced in early July 2020 during a digital FunimationCon 2020 event, and while we don't know that much just yet, the anime will share the same art style that has made the game so beloved.
Here's everything else we know about The World Ends With You: The Animation.
When is The World Ends With You: The Animation release date?
There's no set release date, but the show is expected to release in 2021.
Will The World Ends With You: The Animation be available in America?
Yes! There are plans for it to be made available to stream on Funimation upon release. This means it could receive a simuldub featuring the English cast. Either that or American fans will be able to watch with Japanese audio and English subtitles. English dubs could even come later than the initial launch, which is common with similar projects.
Neku and Shiki, having quite the trying time.
What is The World Ends With You: The Animation's story?
From what we know, The World Ends With You: The Animation will feature basically the same story as the original game. It will follow 15-year-old Neku Sakuraba who wakes up in the heart of Tokyo with a number on his hand. After getting a bizarre text message on his phone, Neku quickly realizes that this isn't the Tokyo he knows and that he's trapped in some alternate version. To reclaim his life, Neku needs to win the Reaper's Game by finishing a series of tasks around the city in a single week.
Series Director Kazuya Ichikawa has said the anime team made a few changes to the story so that it flows better in the show format. He also stated that the Tokyo depicted will reflect the modern-day metropolis rather than the 2007 version. For example, every flip phone has been upgraded to a smartphone free of charge!
The anime could also adapt the post-game content added in the Nintendo Switch release, teasing a sequel.
Is there a trailer for The World Ends With You: The Animation ?
Yes! You can watch it below.
In the trailer, we get a brief overview of the premise and can see that The World Ends With You's aesthetic was maintained for the anime series. We also get a look at enemies, who seem to have been made using 3D models. Lastly, the trailer showcases the staff, which features a mix of the original Square Enix creatives and anime industry workers.
What studio is working on The World Ends With You: The Animation?
It's a joint production between DOMERICA and Shin-Ei Animation.
Who is the staff working on The World Ends With You: The Animation?
Kazuya Ichikawa is directing the anime. He's known for his work on Flying Witch Petit and Bakugan: Battle Planet. Tetsuya Nomura, who designed the characters of the game, is returning to provide character designs and other art for the show with some additional help from Gen Kobayashi. Most importantly, the game's composer Takeharu Ishimoto is returning to score the anime. Hopefully, this means we can expect more classics like Twister when the anime launches.
The anime will also feature the original game's cast for the first time since their 2012 appearance in Kingdom Hearts: Dream Drop Distance.
Kouki Uchiyama will voice Neku. Other cast members include Anna Hachimine as Shiki, Subaru Kimura as Beat, Ayana Taketatsu as Rhyme, and Ryohei Kimura as Joshua. We can only hope that Funimation can get Jesse David Corti and his other The World Ends With You co-stars to return for an English dub, as they did for Dream Drop Distance.
The World Ends With You: The Animation launches in 2021.
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