New Sekiro Anime Trailer Blends Ghibli Aesthetics with Intense Action

A fresh glimpse at the feature-length anime adaptation of FromSoftware’s Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice was unveiled at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival this week. If you think you’re in for a serene coming-of-age tale reminiscent of Studio Ghibli, just wait until the decapitations kick in. Sekiro: No Defeat aims to capture the intense martial arts action of the 2019 game with stunning animation.

The latest preview of Sekiro: No Defeat evokes a Ghibli-like atmosphere for a reason. Director Kenichi Kutsuna shared in an interview that the team drew significant inspiration from Mamoru Oshii’s work, particularly Patlabor 2, as well as Studio Ghibli’s Princess Mononoke.

This adaptation looks set to faithfully retell the narrative of Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, featuring some of the game’s most iconic boss battles. The trailer offers a sneak peek at Wolf’s confrontations with Genichiro Ashina, along with glimpses of our hero facing off against Gyoubu Oniwa and the formidable Senpou Temple monks, who bring a unique challenge to swordfighting.

Kenichi Kutsuna helms Sekiro: No Defeat for anime studio Qzil.la, with Shunsuke Fukui as assistant director, Takahiro Kishida handling character design, and Shuta Hasunuma composing the score.

The official synopsis for Sekiro: No Defeat describes a fractured Japan, divided into warring nations, with Ashina at its heart—a land steeped in sacred history. Two decades after Sword Saint Isshin Ashina’s brutal coup to reclaim the region, a new threat arises from within: The Interior Ministry. To safeguard his homeland, Isshin’s grandson Genichiro resorts to forbidden powers. The only hope rests with a kidnapped boy—the Divine Heir—and his silent guardian, a devoted shinobi known as Sekiro.

This tale follows a lord and his retainer on their quest to restore balance to a nation teetering on the brink.

Sekiro: No Defeat is set to hit theaters in Japan on September 4, where it will enjoy a three-week theatrical run. The anime will also stream on an outlet at a later, yet-to-be-announced date.

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is available on PlayStation 4, Windows PC, and Xbox One. The PC version is currently on sale for 50% off during the Steam Summer Sale.