Mostanimeare based on manga or light novels, while some series areadaptations of video gamesinstead. For the most part, they tend to adapt Japanese media to begin withand offer a very similar visual style while adapting the story.
However, this isn’t a hard rule that anime series follow. Whether it was to explore a new medium or give these IPs more exposure in Japan, a few Western media franchises have seen anime adaptations. They tend to be quite compelling simply by virtue of their unique status, so they’ll likely spark your curiosity as you’ll want to see if these anime adaptations did their original franchise justice.
8Supernatural: The Animation
Supernatural was an ideal candidate for an anime adaptation, as for its first two seasons the series followed a monster-of-the-week format that made it easy to get into. All the anime adaptation had to do was translate the original story into an animated format.
The series had a lot going for it: it wasproduced by Madhouse, had Japanese rock star Gackt in a supporting role, and the original cast from the TV show lent their voices to the English dub. After a respectable 22-episode run, the series ended on a cliffhanger.
7Star Wars: Visions
Star Wars needs no introduction. The franchise is cross-media and cross-cultural: everyone knows about Star Wars, even if they haven’t watched it. It is a commercial behemoth, and in 2021, Warner Bros commissioned a series of short films from seven of Japan’smost prestigious anime studios.
The only commonality shared between these nine short films is that they are set in the Star Wars universe. Other than that, each entry presents a different perspective and a different directorial style. After the first season was a success, the second one offered a similar opportunity to non-anime studios worldwide.
6Powerpuff Girls Z
Powerpuff Girls may have ended its Cartoon Network run in 2005, but in Japan, the series lived on in a different format. Produced by Toei Animation and running for 52 episodes straight, Powerpuff Girls Z gave the girl-power show amagical girlsheen.
This anime adaptation has the same character designs, though altered to be more anime-like. It does feature some surprising changes, including a son named Ken for Professor Utonium and a more substantial origin story for Mojo Jojo, giving him more reason than ever to be the girls' archnemesis.
5Stitch
Stitch was a slam-dunk of an anime concept because it has a cute, visually striking main character. In this spin-off toDisney’s animated filmsand TV show, the titular fluffball lands in Japan and begins pursuing an old wish-granting stone.
Though it sometimes feels like a simple rehash of the Lilo and Stitch TV series, Stitch is a fun anime if you want more of the cute blue alien. Its message about collecting good deeds is commendable, too, so it’s suitable for younger viewers.
4The Animatrix
The Wachowskis have always been open about their anime influences, going so far as to credit Ghost in the Shell with inspiring the Matrix film series. The directorial duo readily gave their blessing to The Animatrix, an anthology film that brought together some of Japan’s best animation studios at the time.
Made up of separately produced ten-minute segments, the Animatrix is a respectable hour-and-a-half supplementary piece to the original films. It’s also one of Square Pictures' final projects, as the studio’s parent company was on the brink of bankruptcy.
3Halo: Legends
After Bungie’s exit from the Halo franchise, the series needed a new direction, so with 343 Industries handling the video game side of things, Warner Bros. attempted to expand the property into a legitimate multimedia franchise comprising books, films and TV shows. Though this move drew mixed reactions from fans, Halo: Legends stood out as one of the better-received entries.
Much like other anime projects commissioned by Warner Bros., Halo: Legends consists of separate short films animated by different studios. The Duel, by Production IG, is the clear standout: with a simpler plot, it allows Halo fans to sit back and enjoy the animation talent on display.
2Batman: Gotham Knight
Batman: Gotham Knight is an interesting entry in the Caped Crusader’s canon. Though it didn’t see much promotion in the West, this anthology series is actually part of Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy, with each short film representing another bridge in the gap between Batman Begins and The Dark Knight.
In terms of storytelling, Batman: Gotham Knight is respectable. The superhero has always translated well to the animated medium. Kevin Conroy, known for voicing Batman in video games and animated movies, lends his voice to the English dub.
1Cyberpunk: Edgerunners
Though the video game was developed in Poland,Cyberpunk 2077is actually based on a tabletop series by Californian publisher R. Talsorian Games. Much as the video game sparked interest in its source material, theanime seriesrekindled interest in the video game.
CD Projekt commissioned Trigger, a studio that commands respect worldwide, to produce an anime series set in the Cyberpunk universe. The resulting adaptation didn’t just win over new fans, but it also convinced audiences to give the game a second chance. Now all patched up and with a stellar anime adaptation to back it up, Cyberpunk was living it up, with many declaring the adaptation to be Trigger’s best series.
