This year celebrates the 30th anniversary of the JRPG franchise Suikoden, and in honor of this milestone, the video games are making their way to the small screen. An anime series inspired by the property has been announced, adapting one of the most cherished entries in the saga.
The aptly named Suikoden: The Anime was revealed during a livestream hosted by Konami on March 4, 2025, which highlighted updates from the franchise. The television series will be based on 1998’s Suikoden 2, widely considered the pinnacle of the games thus far and a significant release for Konami and Japanese role-playing titles in general.
As of now, details are minimal. Konami Animation is in charge of production, with Yûzô Satô taking the helm as director. He is an established anime director known for his work on Pokémon: The First Movie, Ninja Scroll, The Last: Naruto the Movie, and many others, making him an excellent choice for adapting this beloved universe.
A brief teaser was presented, showcasing a nighttime setting accompanied by captivating music to set the mood.
Suikoden Live Broadcast | Anime Announcement – YouTube
The narrative of Suikoden 2 centers around an unnamed hero and his closest companion, who become entangled in their homeland’s invasion by the Kingdom of Highland. Both possess a mysterious rune that makes them valuable assets in the battle. From what has been stated so far, it seems likely that this will serve as the primary storyline for the series as well.
There is a wealth of lore that this adaptation could explore, not to mention the multitude of characters; a signature feature of Suikoden is its inclusion of 108 heroes to recruit. That’s more than enough to make any shonen anime or manga blush.
Fans are expressing their excitement over the announcement, to say the least. “Thank you, Konami; I will support Suikoden wholeheartedly. I’m incredibly grateful,” reads one response on X/Twitter. “THIS is something we can rally behind! I’ve always thought the narratives in this series are underrated, so there’s so much potential here to surprise audiences,” says another.
In addition to the upcoming anime, remastered versions of Suikoden 1 and 2 are on the way, and the announcement of Suikoden Superstar Jump, an upcoming mobile game, has been made. There are plenty of opportunities for newcomers to hop on board.
While we await more, check out our lists of the top anime and the best anime films to help pass the time.