This is a way more common occurrence than one might think.
Anime doesn’t always adapt Japanese (or Chinese, or Korean) source material. And we’re not talking about anime originals here — there’s a surprising amount of anime that are based on Western source material. Or, at least, are inspired by them in some way.
Cyberpunk 2077 single-handedly revived interest towards the genre. In fact, it was so successful that the game studio behind it even collaborated with Studio Trigger to make a Netflix original series Cyberpunk: Edgerunners.
The series is significantly different from many other anime, especially in the aesthetic — but that’s what makes it even more entertaining.
Moriarty the Patriot
While there are many anime directly inspired by the Sherlock Holmes stories, one of the biggest hits recently was Moriarty the Patriot (Yuukoku no Moriarty). This two-season anime is based on a manga which is inspired by the Sherlock stories, although the nature of the story is significantly different.
It’s more of a socio-political intrigue than a detective series, but it has its own large fanbase — you can watch it on Crunchyroll.
Howl’s Moving Castle
Howl's Moving Castle is among the strangest movies directed by Hayao Miyazaki of Studio Ghibli. It’s based on an iconic book by Diana Wynne Jones, although the script was heavily changed.
It mixes traditional Ghibli imagery with Western themes, and has quite a few fans. To watch it (along with other Ghibli movies), you can go on MAX.
The 1960s manga Lupin III is written by Monkey Punch. The main character is based on the gentleman thief Arsène Lupin from comics by Maurice Leblanc — and is, supposedly, his grandson. This resulted in some lawsuits over the years, although they ultimately didn’t amount to much.
The Lupin III franchise is among the biggest ones in Japan at this point, with dozens of spin-offs, movies and specials. It has also been adapted into TV anime six times, and all six main series can be watched on Crunchyroll.
RWBY: Ice Queendom
While RWBY isn’t considered anime by most — it’s a French animated series clearly inspired by the aesthetic — it does have an anime spin-off. RWBY: Ice Queendom (RWBY: Hyousetsu Teikoku) is a very weird project — the first three episodes recap the first two seasons of the French series, when the rest are original.
While the reception of the anime was mixed — because of its confusing story and production issues — it’s still a unique project that shows that Japan is clearly aware of anime-inspired series from the West. To watch the series, you can head to Crunchyroll — although watching the original RWBY first will definitely help.
Radiant
Another anime based on a French source material, Radiant, adapts a comic series (occasionally called a “manfra”) by the same name.
It’s essentially a French anime-inspired franchise which was turned into an actual anime by Japanese anime producers, something that definitely made the fans happy. Both currently released seasons are on Crunchyroll.
Star Wars: Visions
A Disney+ original series of shorts, Star Wars: Visions is a unique project. It doesn’t adapt or continue the movie series: instead, it is a collection of works set in the same universe.
Sometimes, it’s so far apart in the timeline (or in space) that it is barely related. Still, it’s worth watching for the art alone — especially because it is so short.
Blade Runner
While the recently released Metallic Rouge has been compared to Blade Runner, it was ultimately disappointing. It’s even more disappointing when you realize there’s an actual Blade Runner anime. Two of them, in fact.
You can watch the short movie Blade Runner: Black Out 2022 and its sequel series Blade Runner: Black Lotus on Crunchyroll or Prime Video.
Supernatural: The Anime Series
Yes, there’s an anime based on the major cultural hit TV series “Supernatural.” It is largely unknown, though: mostly because it was released straight to DVD at first. There also isn’t much overlap between the Supernatural fandom and anime fans.
Still, it’s curious that such a thing even exists, and you can watch all of it on Prime Video.
Gankutsuou
Gankutsuou: The Count of Monte Cristo is a very loose adaptation of the 1844 novel by Alexandre Dumas. With the novel being a classic, the anime has a very high bar to clear — but it’s actually extremely well-received even among the more critical circles.
While it includes a lot of weird supernatural and sci-fi elements, it doesn’t actually feel out of place, somehow. In a way, Gankutsuou is its own work, and the unique art style makes it even more unusual. The series is currently available on Crunchyroll.
This is a way more common occurrence than one might think.
Anime doesn’t always adapt Japanese (or Chinese, or Korean) source material. And we’re not talking about anime originals here — there’s a surprising amount of anime that are based on Western source material. Or, at least, are inspired by them in some way.
Cyberpunk 2077 single-handedly revived interest towards the genre. In fact, it was so successful that the game studio behind it even collaborated with Studio Trigger to make a Netflix original series Cyberpunk: Edgerunners.
The series is significantly different from many other anime, especially in the aesthetic — but that’s what makes it even more entertaining.
Moriarty the Patriot
While there are many anime directly inspired by the Sherlock Holmes stories, one of the biggest hits recently was Moriarty the Patriot (Yuukoku no Moriarty). This two-season anime is based on a manga which is inspired by the Sherlock stories, although the nature of the story is significantly different.
It’s more of a socio-political intrigue than a detective series, but it has its own large fanbase — you can watch it on Crunchyroll.
Howl’s Moving Castle
Howl's Moving Castle is among the strangest movies directed by Hayao Miyazaki of Studio Ghibli. It’s based on an iconic book by Diana Wynne Jones, although the script was heavily changed.
It mixes traditional Ghibli imagery with Western themes, and has quite a few fans. To watch it (along with other Ghibli movies), you can go on MAX.
The 1960s manga Lupin III is written by Monkey Punch. The main character is based on the gentleman thief Arsène Lupin from comics by Maurice Leblanc — and is, supposedly, his grandson. This resulted in some lawsuits over the years, although they ultimately didn’t amount to much.
The Lupin III franchise is among the biggest ones in Japan at this point, with dozens of spin-offs, movies and specials. It has also been adapted into TV anime six times, and all six main series can be watched on Crunchyroll.
RWBY: Ice Queendom
While RWBY isn’t considered anime by most — it’s a French animated series clearly inspired by the aesthetic — it does have an anime spin-off. RWBY: Ice Queendom (RWBY: Hyousetsu Teikoku) is a very weird project — the first three episodes recap the first two seasons of the French series, when the rest are original.
While the reception of the anime was mixed — because of its confusing story and production issues — it’s still a unique project that shows that Japan is clearly aware of anime-inspired series from the West. To watch the series, you can head to Crunchyroll — although watching the original RWBY first will definitely help.
Radiant
Another anime based on a French source material, Radiant, adapts a comic series (occasionally called a “manfra”) by the same name.
It’s essentially a French anime-inspired franchise which was turned into an actual anime by Japanese anime producers, something that definitely made the fans happy. Both currently released seasons are on Crunchyroll.
Star Wars: Visions
A Disney+ original series of shorts, Star Wars: Visions is a unique project. It doesn’t adapt or continue the movie series: instead, it is a collection of works set in the same universe.
Sometimes, it’s so far apart in the timeline (or in space) that it is barely related. Still, it’s worth watching for the art alone — especially because it is so short.
Blade Runner
While the recently released Metallic Rouge has been compared to Blade Runner, it was ultimately disappointing. It’s even more disappointing when you realize there’s an actual Blade Runner anime. Two of them, in fact.
You can watch the short movie Blade Runner: Black Out 2022 and its sequel series Blade Runner: Black Lotus on Crunchyroll or Prime Video.
Supernatural: The Anime Series
Yes, there’s an anime based on the major cultural hit TV series “Supernatural.” It is largely unknown, though: mostly because it was released straight to DVD at first. There also isn’t much overlap between the Supernatural fandom and anime fans.
Still, it’s curious that such a thing even exists, and you can watch all of it on Prime Video.
Gankutsuou
Gankutsuou: The Count of Monte Cristo is a very loose adaptation of the 1844 novel by Alexandre Dumas. With the novel being a classic, the anime has a very high bar to clear — but it’s actually extremely well-received even among the more critical circles.
While it includes a lot of weird supernatural and sci-fi elements, it doesn’t actually feel out of place, somehow. In a way, Gankutsuou is its own work, and the unique art style makes it even more unusual. The series is currently available on Crunchyroll.
