BlazBlue fighting game franchise getting Japanese anime series

Arc System Works' fighting game franchise BlazBlue is getting an anime series, set to launch in Japan this fall, reports Anime News Network.

The anime was unveiled at the Arc System Works Festival yesterday in Yokohama, where the company unveiled the anime's story, cast and staff members. BlazBlue Alter Memory will be based on 2008 title BlazBlue: Calamity Trigger, which launched initially for arcades and was ported to PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PlayStation Portable and Windows PCs in 2009 and 2010.

BlazBlue Alter Memory takes place in December 2199 during New Year celebrations. The powerful rebel Ragna the Bloodedge, who has an incredibly high bounty on his head and is also known as the "Grim Reaper," appears to wreck havoc and destroy the world. A ragtag gang of fighters — BlazBlue's popular cast of fighting characters — assembles to take him down and collect the price of his bounty.

BlazBlue series producer Toshimichi Mori is supervising production on the anime, which is being developed with companies teamKG and Hoods Entertainment. Fullmetal Alchemist and Mobile Suit Gundam 00 director Seiji Mizushima will collaborate on direction.