BLADE RUNNER 2049 is Getting an Anime Short From The Director of COWBOY BEBOP, Watch a Sneak Peek
It's been revealed that Blade Runner 2049 is getting an animated prequel short film called Blade Runner Black Out 2022. The short is being created by Shinichiro Watanabe who is best known for his work on Cowboy Bebop and Samurai Champloo.
Sony Pictures Japan even shared a sneak peek that you can watch below that shows you the work that is being done for the film. It includes some cool concept art, character designs, and some early footage. It looks pretty rad!
The story is set a few years after the first movie and according to Kotaku, the film is set during a power outage. The sneak peek is in Japanese, but Watanabe talks about the influence that Blade Runner has had on him saying:
“The work that has influenced me the most in my anime profession would be, of course, Blade Runner.”
He also says that when making the short he is "paying maximum respect to the original Blade Runner and trying not to create an imitation."
The anime short will be released on the Sony Pictures Japan YouTube channel on September 26. We'll make sure to get it posted on the site for you all to watch. In the meantime check out the video below and tell us what you think!