Godzilla’s first anime is coming to Netflix

An anime based on the influential Godzilla franchise is coming to Netflix later this year, the streaming service announced. A worldwide release is expected sometime after the film’s Japanese theatrical debut, which is set for March 26.

Anime fans will recognize the names behind the project, which hails from original producer Toho and Polygon Pictures (no relation to our website, in case you’re wondering). The latter studio’s past works include Knights of Sidonia, a sci-fi show which similarly premiered on Netflix in Western regions.

Directing the feature are Kobun Shizuno and Hiroyuki Seshita, whose combined credits include Knights of Sidonia, the long-running Detective Conan and Blame!; Psycho-Pass and Madoka Magika’s Gen Urobuchi is writing the script. These and other high-profile anime, from Attack on Titan to Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure, are featured on the creative staff’s filmographies.

What’s most interesting about Godzilla, whose star most recently terrorized Western audiences in the 2014 live-action film of the same name, is that it’s the first time the character has starred in a so-called “high quality” animated feature film. Despite the infamous monster’s 63 years in cinema, never once has it starred in its own anime.

That may surprise anime fans who grew up watching kaiju films, where Godzilla and other giant fighting monsters duked it out. But Godzilla made a name for itself on the live-action stage, a feat of practical effects that still entertains tons of diehard viewers.

Polygon Pictures/Toho

From the teaser art above, it appears as though Polygon Pictures will do the character justice. It’s a big get for Netflix either way, and the company professed to wanting to expand its original anime content in a press release. Other recent acquisitions include the series based on the Little Witch Academia short film and a new entry in the Cyborg 009 franchise.