Blade Runner: Black Lotus Anime Unveils a Stirring Trailer for Nov Debut

Other than being a cult classic, Blade Runner is a story that displays the harsh realities of society in general.

With a gloomy and diasporic setting along with characters you can’t resist stanning, the franchise is back with an anime series for its fans.

The upcoming anime, Blade Runner: Black Lotus, is a sequel to the 2017 short anime film Black Out 2022.

Both of these installments are made from the replicants’ perspective showing how they’re treated in society, unlike the original 1982 film.

On the Blade Runner timeline, Black Lotus lies between Black Out 2022 and Blade Runner 2049. Black Out showed the downfall of Tyrell and the beginning of the Wallace Corp., the main antagonist of Blade Runner 2049.

Crunchyroll and Adult Swim announced today at New York’s Comic-Con that their original anime series Blade Runner: Black Lotus will premiere on November 13, 2021, with two back-to-back episodes.

Adult Swim will air an English dubbed version on their Toonami block in the US, and Crunchyroll will be streaming the anime in Japanese with an English subtitled version globally.

The company also revealed an English-subtitled trailer at the event, featuring the female replicant protagonist Elle and many other characters.

It begins with monologues from Niander Wallace Sr. and Elle expressing their inner thoughts and confusions.

The trailer picks up the pace and gets interesting as more characters are shown, along with some incredible action sequences. It ends with Elle resolving to kill everyone responsible for her situation and trauma.

Crunchyroll also took down the curtains on a key visual featuring Elle in a defensive stance with a weapon. She looks determined to find the truth behind her origins and lost memories no matter what it takes.

A vague yet teasing synopsis for the 13-episode was revealed by Crunchyroll previously that tells us we may encounter some familiar personalities from the Blade Runner universe. 

Honestly, just this sentence was enough to make my mind go crazy with all the possibilities. Will Rick Deckard make an appearance? Will we get a young K from the 2017 film? Or are the writers planning something entirely unexpected for us?

Only one way to find out, and that is to wait for the series to premiere.

Let’s not chalk out the possibility of Rachael and Deckard’s child, Ana Stelline, being a significant part of this series. Something tells me this might be the easter egg that’s in store for us.

I am honestly so thrilled for Black Lotus, but at the same time, it’s a shame that the show is only 13-episodes. Then again, something is better than nothing.

About Blade Runner: Black Lotus

Blade Runner: Black Lotus is an upcoming anime television series based on the Blade Runner franchise that is set to premiere in late 2021.

It is a co-production between Crunchyroll and Adult Swim, in addition to being created in partnership with Alcon Television Group.

Black Lotus will take place in 2032, in the aftermath of the Black Out, and will be centered on a female replicant protagonist. It will also include “familiar” characters from the Blade Runner universe.

Source: Crunchyroll Press Release

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