First Glimpse of Sekiro Anime Reveals Dark and Gritty Take on FromSoftware’s Game

FromSoftware’s samurai-action Soulslike, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, is set to make its mark in the anime world with a new series titled Sekiro: No Defeat, scheduled for release this year. A fresh trailer for this Crunchyroll exclusive provides a deeper, more emotional glimpse into the series, which is being crafted by Arch, Qzil.la, and Studio Betta.

The second trailer for Sekiro: No Defeat, unveiled at SXSW, captures the essence of the original game with its stunning hand-drawn art style and the central theme of death and rebirth. Fans can expect a nostalgic showcase of iconic boss battles reimagined in anime form, featuring characters like The Owl, Gyoubu Oniwa, Genichiro Ashina, the Corrupted Monk, and even the Folding Screen Monkeys. It appears that Sekiro: No Defeat will not shy away from the blood and violence that defined FromSoftware’s most straightforward narrative.

The official synopsis for Sekiro: No Defeat reveals the setting: Japan, divided into numerous independent nations locked in endless conflict. At the heart of this turmoil is Ashina, a land steeped in sacred history. Two decades after Sword Saint Isshin Ashina seized control in a brutal coup, a new menace arises from within: The Interior Ministry. To safeguard his homeland, Isshin’s grandson Genichiro resorts to forbidden powers. The fate of the land rests on a kidnapped boy — the Divine Heir — and his silent guardian: a devoted shinobi known as Sekiro.

This tale unfolds the journey of a lord and his retainer as they strive to restore harmony to a nation on the brink of collapse.

Kenichi Kutsuna, the director of Sekiro: No Defeat, expressed his vision for the anime, stating, “By embracing the hand-drawn essence of 2D animation, we can achieve a transcendent beauty in action that goes beyond cool to something deeply poignant.”

Sekiro: No Defeat is expected to stream on Crunchyroll sometime in 2026, with the platform teasing that it’s “coming soon.”