In a project bringing together multiple Sony businesses, Crunchyroll announced a new anime series adapted from Sucker Punch Productions’ popular “Ghost of Tsushima” video game and its “Legends” cooperative multiplayer experience.
The series is slated to premiere exclusively on Crunchyroll in 2027. The announcement was made as part of Sony’s 2025 CES press conference in Las Vegas.
The “Ghost of Tsushima” anime will be produced in collaboration with Aniplex, the Sony-owned studio behind anime series such as “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba,” “Solo Leveling” and “Sword Art Online.” The adaptation will be helmed by director Takanobu Mizuno, with Gen Urobuchi (“Nitro Plus”) for story composition and animation by Kamikaze Douga. The team will bring the traditional samurai aesthetics of “Ghost of Tsushima: Legends” to life “with cinematic storytelling and striking visuals,” according to Crunchyroll. Sony Music will serve as the strategic music and soundtrack partner for the series. Additional details, including the creative team and cast, are yet to be announced.
The “Ghost of Tsushima” game, developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment-owned Sucker Punch Productions, is an open-world action-adventure title set in feudal Japan. Since its debut in 2020, the game has sold more than 13 million copies globally across console and PC. Its “Legends” cooperative multiplayer experience is inspired by Japanese folktales and mythology. Last fall, Sucker Punch announced a sequel to “Ghost of Tsushima,” titled “Ghost of Yōtei,” which is slated to debut in 2025 and follows a new protagonist, Atsu, with a whole new storyline.
Rahul Purini, president of Crunchyroll, said in a statement, “This project is a testament to the creative synergy within the Sony family, uniting the expertise of PlayStation Studios and PlayStation Productions; the creative team of Sucker Punch Productions and Aniplex; Sony Music’s iconic global artist roster; and Crunchyroll’s fan-first global marketing and distribution footprint. The ‘Ghost of Tsushima’ anime will offer fans an exciting new way to experience the game in an anime style that will be bold and groundbreaking.”
Asad Qizilbash, head of PlayStation Productions, commented: “Having already proven the immense quality and versatility of our gaming properties across multiple successful film and television projects, we couldn’t be more excited to announce our first ever anime adaptation. ‘Ghost of Tsushima’s rich, immersive world and its fantastical Legends mode based on Japanese mythology provide the perfect canvas for this project, and Aniplex is the perfect partner to translate Sucker Punch Productions’ hit video game into a stunning new anime series.”
PlayStation Productions was formed in 2019 to adapt PlayStation franchises for TV and film in collaboration with Sony Pictures Entertainment. To date, PlayStation Productions has been part of the development of multiple projects, including feature-length films based on “Uncharted” and “Gran Turismo” and TV series based on “Twisted Metal” and “The Last of Us.”
Also Monday, Crunchyroll announced a new app for digital manga as part of a new premium subscription option. The new app, Crunchyroll Manga, will launch later this year as a standalone app on iOS and Android, debuting in the U.S. and Canada. Designed to complement Crunchyroll memberships, the app will be offered as a premium add-on, with web browser integration also planned for the future.
With Crunchyroll Manga, fans will be able to read new and classic titles from multiple top publishers all in one place, the company said. Manga on Crunchyroll Manga will debut in English with the goal of increasing language options as the app expands similarly to Crunchyroll’s streaming service.
“Crunchyroll Manga will be a premiere online manga app that carries catalogs from renowned publishers, offering fans unparalleled access to the visionary works that inspire the anime we love,” Purini said. “As we strengthen partnerships in this exciting new venture, we aim to add even more value to the Crunchyroll membership, complementing our vast anime library, Crunchyroll Game Vault, and extensive selection of products in the Crunchyroll Store.”
Last summer, Sony announced that Crunchyroll topped 15 million monthly subscribers. Crunchyroll is a joint venture between U.S.-based Sony Pictures Entertainment and Japan’s Aniplex, a subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment (Japan), both subsidiaries of Tokyo-based Sony Group.