Summary
- Rick and Morty: The Anime is a standalone series not directly connected to the main show, but it will use similar themes and humor.
- The original anime shorts featuring Japanese voice acting with English captions were well-received, so the new series will continue with this format.
- Fans of Rick and Morty had mixed reactions to the recasting of the main characters in Season 7, with some praising the new actors while others struggled to adapt to the change.
Earlier this year, Rick and Morty fans were given a first glimpse of a new anime series based on the popular pair. Now a new clip has been released of new footage of Rick and Morty: The Anime. A collaboration between Adult Swim and Telecom Animation Film, the anime series will debut on Adult Swim and Max in 2024. Check out the sneak peek at season 1 below.
Rick and Morty: The Anime was ordered to series at Adult Swim and Max last year. It was noted at the time that the anime adaptation will serve as a standalone series, as it won’t be directly connected to the ongoing plotlines of its parent series, though it will use similar themes and humor. The series order also came after the release of several anime shorts (Rick and Morty vs. Genocider, Summer Meets God (Rick Meets Evil) which were a hit with fans of the show. Director Takashi Sano (Tower of God) returns for the series after directing the shorts.
Sano noted in a statement at the time:
“The multiverse-straddling exploits of Rick and the gang pose challenges to the family bond, but they always rise to the occasion. It’s such a life-affirming sight, and Jerry is no exception. I am honored to have been given an opportunity to tell a new story about this amazing family. I hope you enjoy their adventures!”
Rick and Morty Is Still Moving Forward Despite Behind-the-Scenes Turmoil
Over on Adult Swim, Rick and Morty recently released its seventh season, but with some big changes thanks to turbulence caused by the firing of co-creator Justin Roiland. Following reports of Roiland being charged with domestic violence, the actor was dropped completely from the series, both for his behind-the-scenes duties and voicing the titular characters. The voices of Rick and Morty were recast, with Ian Cardoni taking over the role of Rick Sanchez and Harry Belden voicing Morty Smith.
Fortunately for the team behind Rick and Morty: The Anime, that wasn’t something they needed to worry about. The original anime shorts featured Japanese voice acting with English captions without the need for Roiland’s voiceover work, and the new series will go down this same route.
The arrival of season 7 saw fans feeling conflicted about the recasting of the main characters of the series, with some praising the new actors for being able to recreate the voices of Roiland, while others couldn’t quite get on board with such a huge change. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter shortly after the debut of the new season, Cardoni explained that the main thing he concentrated on while playing Rick was “doing justice to the writing.” He said:
“I’m sure you mean vocally, but more than the voice itself, it’s doing justice to the writing we’re given. Everything in the script is so deliberate and intentional. We’re not always privy to where the story is going to go, but there is a story that we’re responsible for telling, and each time I record that’s the chief responsibility in my mind. But vocally, during an early session, I got the note that I needed to be more of an asshole to the other characters. Having to open up that side of myself to access those parts of me that live in Rick and vice versa was my big challenge.”
The entire season 7 of Rick and Morty arrived on Max on January 22, 2024, and will be the only new episodes of the main series until the delayed season 8 debuts in 2025.
This story originally appeared on Movieweb
