‘Ghosts of Tsushima’ anime series in the works for Sony’s Crunchyroll

In a project that brought together several Sony companies, Crunchyroll announced a new anime series based on Sucker Punch Productions’ hit video game ‘Ghost of Tsushima’ and the cooperative multiplayer experience ‘Legends’.

The series will premiere exclusively on Crunchyroll in 2027. The announcement was made as part of Sony’s CES 2025 press conference in Las Vegas.

The anime ‘Ghost of Tsushima’ is produced in collaboration with Aniplex, the Sony studio behind anime series such as ‘Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba’, ‘Solo Leveling’ and ‘Sword Art Online’. The adaptation is helmed by director Takanobu Mizuno, with Gen Urobuchi (“Nitro Plus”) providing story composition and animation by Kamikaze Douga. The team will bring the traditional samurai aesthetic of “Ghost of Tsushima: Legends” to life “with cinematic storytelling and striking visuals,” according to Crunchyroll. Sony Music will serve as the strategic music and soundtrack partner for the series. Additional details, including the creative team and cast, have yet to be announced.

Developed by Sucker Punch Productions, owned by Sony Interactive Entertainment, the game ‘Ghost of Tsushima’ is an open-world action-adventure title set in feudal Japan. Since its debut in 2020, the game has sold more than 13 million copies worldwide across console and PC. The cooperative multiplayer experience ‘Legends’ is inspired by Japanese folktales and mythology. Last fall, Sucker Punch announced a sequel to “Ghost of Tsushima,” titled “Ghost of Yōtei,” which is expected to debut in 2025 and follows a new protagonist, Atsu, with an all-new storyline.

Rahul Purini, president of Crunchyroll, said in a statement: “This project is a testament to the creative synergy within the Sony family, uniting the expertise of PlayStation Studios and PlayStation Productions; the creative team of Sucker Punch Productions and Aniplex; Sony Music’s iconic global artist roster; and Crunchyroll’s global marketing and distribution footprint with fans. The ‘Ghost of Tsushima’ anime offers fans an exciting new way to experience the game in an anime style that will be bold and groundbreaking.”

Asad Qizilbash, Head of PlayStation Productions, commented: “Having already proven the immense quality and versatility of our gaming properties in multiple successful film and television projects, we couldn’t be more excited to announce our first-ever anime adaptation. “The rich, immersive world of Ghost of Tsushima and the fantastic Legends mode based on Japanese mythology are the perfect canvas for this project, and Aniplex is the perfect partner to translate Sucker Punch Productions’ hit video game into a stunning new anime series.”

PlayStation Productions was founded in 2019 to adapt PlayStation franchises for TV and film in partnership with Sony Pictures Entertainment. To date, PlayStation Productions has participated in the development of several projects, including feature films based on ‘Uncharted’ and ‘Gran Turismo’ and TV series based on ‘Twisted Metal’ and ‘The Last of Us’.

Also Monday, Crunchyroll announced a new digital manga app as part of a new premium subscription option. The new app, Crunchyroll Manga, will launch later this year as a standalone app on iOS and Android, debuting in the US and Canada. The app is designed to complement Crunchyroll memberships and is offered as a premium add-on, with web browser integration also planned for the future.

Crunchyroll Manga allows fans to read new and classic titles from multiple top publishers all in one place, the company said. Manga on Crunchyroll Manga is debuting in English with the aim of increasing language options as the app expands in the same way as Crunchyroll’s streaming service.

“Crunchyroll Manga will be a premiere online manga app featuring catalogs from renowned publishers, giving fans unparalleled access to the visionary works that inspire the anime we love,” said Purini. “As we strengthen partnerships in this exciting new venture, we aim to add even more value to the Crunchyroll membership, complementing our extensive anime library, Crunchyroll Game Vault and extensive selection of products in the Crunchyroll Store.”

Last summer, Sony announced that Crunchyroll had surpassed 15 million monthly subscribers. Crunchyroll is a joint venture between America’s Sony Pictures Entertainment and Japan’s Aniplex, a subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment (Japan), both subsidiaries of the Tokyo-based Sony Group.