14 Years Ago, Supernatural Anime Spinoff Was Released – It Was Made by the Studio That Gave Us Death Note
If you miss the universe created by Eric Kripke, but have watched the original series dozens of times, then this spin-off is just what you need. Especially since it was helmed by Kripke himself.
Supernatural is an example of a show that lived many times longer than it should have. Any fan will say without hesitation that the real finale of Supernatural took place in the last episode of the fifth season.
It had everything that viewers loved so much: from the Chevrolet Impala and touching brotherly love to the confrontation between good and evil of universal proportions and the song Carry On My Wayward Son by Kansas.
Eric Kripke and Madhouse Teamed Up for the Supernatural Anime Series
Supernatural began to decline after the change in management in 2009-2010. Nevertheless, the project still had a very strong and active fan base, ready to absorb content about the universe. Studio bosses apparently decided that the Japanese would also succumb to this charm.
The showrunner of the anime spin-off titled Supernatural: The Animation was the creator of the original show, Eric Kripke, who retired after the fifth season. Together with the studio Madhouse they developed 22 episodes.
Half of them were reworkings of some episodes from the first and second seasons of the original show and the rest were completely new stories.
Supernatural: The Animation Conveys the Spirit of the Original
What can we say about the result? The brilliant creator of the original series worked with one of the most famous Japanese animation studios known for its high-quality works like Death Note and Trigun.
The partners did not just copy the plot of the original source, but expanded the lore and added a pinch of another culture.
And they also invited the actors of the series: Jared Padalecki voiced his character throughout the entire series, and Jensen Ackles voiced the last two episodes.
The shock of seeing your favorite brothers in 2D format passes very quickly. The atmosphere, the concept, the perfectly conveyed relationship between the brothers is as addictive as the original Supernatural.
It is clear how the Japanese enjoyed telling a story about the Winchester brothers, which is actually typical for anime – just think of Fullmetal Alchemist or Food Wars!: Shokugeki no Soma.
Supernatural: The Animation Is Not Perfect, but a Worthy Spinoff for Any Fan of the Show
At the same time, the series has something to criticize. In some moments – in the original show they were tense, but almost intimate – the Japanese turned up the pathos and drama to the max, ruining the atmosphere.
They also exaggerated the characters, making Sam completely stoic and Dean much more emotional. Well, after all this is anime.
But for newcomers this is not a problem, and hardcore fans will still be overcome with a feeling of nostalgia that will make them run and re-watch all 15 seasons all over again.