While it might not be well-known in the western anime community, Kinnikuman is one of the biggest of Shonen Jump‘s classic properties, and the release window, story, and staff for its upcoming revival have finally been revealed. Earlier this year, it was announced that the Kinnikuman franchise would be receiving a new anime for the first time since Ultimate Muscle ended in 2006. At the time, there was no other information outside a promotional image of the titular Kinnikuman, but for both old fans and people looking for a chance to get into the classic series, it was still exciting news.
There’s a lot to be excited about regarding the new Kinnikuman anime. The new show will be titled Kinnikuman: Perfect Origin Arc, and will be released in 2024 by Production I.G and directed Akira Sato, with Makoto Fukami in charge of series composition, Hirotaka Marufuji in charge of character designs, and Yasuhara Takanashi in charge of the music. This sets up an adaptation of the biggest arc of the manga, and while it might not be as welcoming to new viewers, for longtime fans, this news is incredibly exciting.
Kinnikuman’s New Anime, Explained
As implied by the title, Kinnikuman: Perfect Origin Arc will adapt the same arc from the manga. Following the original ending of the manga, the world is assaulted by the villainous Perfect Chojin who, led by the Perfect Origins, wishes to exterminate all other Chojin in the world, seeing them as flawed and undeserving of life. The Perfect Origin arc was the first story arc in Kinnikuman when the manga was revived in 2011, and it naturally helped bring the series back into the mainstream for modern audiences, so it makes sense that it would form the basis of a new anime.
Why Kinnikuman’s New Anime Might Alienate a Western Audience
While Kinnikuman‘s new anime is sure to be exciting, at the same time, it does run the risk of alienating Western audiences. The Perfect Chojin arc does very little to catch fans up on the story, and assumes that anyone reading it is familiar with the original series, so the anime will likely be going to be the same way. With the Kinnikuman manga never being officially licensed overseas, that means many Western viewers will be lost on the lore and character dynamics from the very start, so it’s likely going to be a hard sell to many viewers outside of Japan.
Kinnikuman: Perfect Origin Arc might be less appealing to some people than a complete reboot of the original series, but it can still be well worth watching. In addition to how great the story of the Perfect Origin arc in the manga was, it’s highly possible that the anime will try to rework things to help new fans, Western or otherwise, have an easier time understanding what’s going on without having to read the original manga. Further details need to be released before making a definitive statement, but regardless, there’s still plenty of reasons to be excited about Kinnikuman: Perfect Origin Arc next year.
