A Rick and Morty anime series is coming. According to a report by The Hollywood Reporter, Adult Swim has ordered ten episodes of a spin-off titled Rick and Morty: The Anime. Takashi Sano (Tower of God) will direct the series. Sano has also directed two anime shorts within the Rick and Morty universe: “Rick and Morty vs. Genocider” and “Summer Meets God (Rick Meets Evil).” The shorts have amassed more than 10 million combined views online.
The anime spin-off will be a standalone story in and of itself, sharing themes and tones from Rick and Morty. “The multiverse-straddling exploits of Rick and the gang pose challenges to the family bond, but they always rise to the occasion,” says Sano. “It’s such a life affirming sight, and Jerry is no exception.”
Sano described the opportunity as an “honour” to “tell a new story about this amazing family. I hope you enjoy their adventures!”
Elsewhere, Sano has directed twelve episodes of Sengoku Basara: End of Judgement and serves as a cutscene director on Fire Emblem: Three Houses. According to IMDB, Sano has more than twenty credits as an animator and storyboard artist. Telecom Animation Film will be onboard to produce Rick and Morty: The Anime.
Currently, a release date for the series has yet to be confirmed, but Adult Swim has further green-lit another anime series: Ninja Kamui from director Sunghoo Park, best known for his work on God of High School and Jujutsu Kaisen 0. Ninja Kamui follows a former ninja known as Joe Higan, a Nukenin. Having escaped his clan and a violent past, Higan soon confronts the life he left behind as the organisation carries out retribution against him for abandoning their code.
Last year, Adult Swim revealed a live-action Rick and Morty teaser featuring Christopher Lloyd (Back to the Future) and Jaeden Martell (It). All five seasons of Rick and Morty are currently available to stream on Netflix.