Gab Hernandez 
After years of rumors and reports, the anime adaptation of Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice has been revealed as Sekiro: No Defeat.
While the general focus on FromSoftware TV and movie adaptations has primarily centered around Elden Ring and its upcoming movie, news has swirled on a Sekiro anime since early 2024. The lack of any official reveal, the consistently gloomy news surrounding Activision, and FromSoftware nearly becoming a Sony subsidiary made it uncertain whether this would ever come to fruition. But during Gamescom Opening Night Live 2025, the series was officially revealed.
A one-minute teaser trailer gave fans a look at its animation style as well as some of the opening moments of the game. Here’s everything we know about the Sekiro: No Defeat anime.
Sekiro: No Defeat anime studio and director
The Sekiro anime is being directed by Kenichi Kutsuna and animated by Qzil.la.
Qzil.la has worked on several anime openings and music videos, most notably the opening to Hell’s Paradise. The stylish yet emotional sequences could perfectly fit with the tone and style of Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. In addition to Qzil.la’s involvement, the anime will be directed by Kenichi Kutsuna.
Kutsuna is best known as a key animator for action anime such as Puella Magi Madoka Magica, Naruto Shippuden, Bleach, and One Punch Man. His kinetic style is a great pick for Sekiro’s action-packed fights and fans are excited by his involvement.
The opening teaser gives fans a look at some of the key moments of the game’s opening segment. This includes Wolf springing Kuro from jail, losing a duel to Genichiro Ashina, and receiving the Shinobi Prosthetic. It also shows some memorable bosses like Gyobu Masutaka Oniwa and the Folding Screen Monkeys.
The series won’t lack for action or violence, with the trailer showing off some brutal kills by Wolf.
What is the release date for the Sekiro anime adaptation?
The Sekiro anime is slated for release in 2026. The teaser trailer didn’t include any news on a release date, but Crunchyroll issued a statement shortly thereafter confirming a 2026 release date.
No further news was given on the releases date, and it’s unclear whether it may come out early next year or closer to the holiday season. Reports and leaks regarding a Sekiro anime adaptation first appeared in 2023 with leakers accurately reporting that the series would be created by Qzil.la and directed by Kenichi Kutsuna. Given the amount of time that has passed, it’s very possible that the series is in advanced state of production.
However, the Crunchyroll statement also said that the series is still currently “in production” so Kutsuna and Qzil.la are seemingly still working on it.
How many episodes will the Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice anime have?
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice will reportedly have eight episodes on release.
This number came from leakers who scooped the news on the Sekiro anime adaptation, including accurately reporting its director and studio. It has not been confirmed by official sources.
The episodes are said to be longer than 20 minutes, but it’s worth noting that an eight-episode season is short for a Japanese anime release. A standard seasonal anime is typically 12 to 13 episodes.
The series may have eight episodes due to the studio’s inexperience with a complete anime season. However, fewer episodes don’t necessarily mean lower quality. Cyberpunk: Edgerunners only has 10 episodes, and it was one of the most critically acclaimed anime of 2023.
How can you watch the Sekiro anime adaptation?
Sekiro: No defeat will be exclusively streaming on Cruchyroll in most markets.
Crunchyroll stated that it will “exclusively stream on the platform worldwide, excluding Japan, China, Korea, Russia and Belarus when it premieres next year.” This means that fans looking forward to the series will need to sign up with the service, or wait for some time for it to potentially arrive on other services.
Will Sekiro: No Defeat have the same voice actors as the game?
The Sekiro anime adaptation will see many of the key Japanese voice actors from the game reprising their roles.
The trailer features just three voice characters in Wolf, Kuro, and Genichiro. All three of these characters are voiced by their Japanese voice actors from the game; Daisuke Namikawa, Miyuki Sato, and Kenjiro Tsuda. Bringing back these actors is a positive sign for fans of the original game, though there’s no word on whether the English cast for the game will return.
The English voices for Wolf, Kuro, and Genichiro were Noshir Dalal, Amber Hood, and Ray Chase. None of them have confirmed whether they are working on the series yet.
