Netflix Have Announced The Development Of A Tomb Raider Anime

It has been announced that an anime series based on the Tomb Raider reboot timeline will be in development [15] [20] [39]. I never thought an article I wrote about what we ought to expect from such a concept back in Spring 2019 would lead to a successful prediction [39] [42] [43]! As amazed and honourably surprised I am to have predicted the near future so ironically, I am still quite concerned about how much the final outcome can honour the legacy of the reboot that began in 2013, along with how they will still some strong hope that it will not be suddenly cancelled like the forthcoming Crash Bandicoot cartoon after us fellow bandicoots only saw two versions of its pilot [16] [44]. But who knows? A Crash Bandicoot anime that features Crash in his Japanese design and his sister Coco with brown eyes might make up for that cartoon’s cancellation someday since he managed to be popular to both North American and Japanese players [1] [3]. But as for Lara Croft, will the suggestions I made for it almost two years ago be taken into consideration? Let us reflect on them once again with some Jaffa Cakes to snack on [42] [43], shall we?

Hey! Laura from 2019! You have been partly proven wrong! We will have to delay the archery session for another time though. [41]

Although I am very happy that one of my own imagined concepts, I described back in Spring 2019 is about to come true [42] [43], I swear that I do not have precognition! Nevertheless, let us look back on what I have suggested to make such an idea successful. [35]

Apparently, the first-ever official anime starring the beautiful and intelligent fugitive will be set sometime after the events of Shadow of the Tomb Raider [20]. I believe that this is a good move as a complete retelling of the trilogy’s events with several differences would be rather unnecessary. Besides, there is already an enjoyable live-action movie based on the first game that stars Alicia Vikander as Lara with some notable differences [30]. Surely there will not even be anything that slightly contradicts the events of the comic book series from Dark Horse comics that are expansions of the reboot trilogy’s timeline if the considerations for preventing plot holes are top-notch [34]. Well, unless there might be at least one major contradiction that would least to the anime series being ultimately considered non-canon, which would be quite similar to how certain aspects of Toy Story Treats, also known as “Toy Story Shorts” caused them to be referred to as non-canon [18]. Could the events of the anime series that take place after the events of the second reboot trilogy within the Tomb Raider franchise lead to the younger Lara we know and love today evolving even further into the classic Lara we adored back then [13]?

Surely the Legend era technically counts as the first reboot trilogy due to a reimagining of Lara’s youth being featured in Tomb Raider Legend [32], even though Tomb Raider Anniversary is a remake of the first-ever game from the classic timeline [9]. But considering how that timeline seems to coexist with the Survivor timeline, I am pretty sure that there will be some comparisons between the anime associated with the second reboot that was established in the 2010s and the first three or fifth and sixth episodes of the animated series that was released in 2007. [33]

Since the upcoming chapter of Lara’s life within the Survivor timeline will be an anime, it can be suspected that it will firstly be available on Netflix in Japan. After all, the artistry and genres of anime come from Japan. I am aware that not all establishments of video game franchises from the West have ended up being as successful in Japan since the Japanese version of the first Spyro the Dragon game featured a fixed position for the camera that caused the gameplay outside of the flying sections to be less enjoyable, despite how it was only there to prevent Japanese players from feeling motion sick [7] [14]. Nevertheless, there were specific changes in the Japanese releases of the older Tomb Raider games that resulted in a reasonably easier difficulty, making the franchise quite successful in Japan too [8]. Furthermore, the premise and outcome of all episodes of the forthcoming Tomb Raider anime ought to be outstanding for both Japanese and Western viewers after both the Japanese dub and the English dub are established, along with a few other language dubs, such as a French dub for its airing in parts of Canada.

As much as I am up for an incredible anime series that takes place shortly after a reboot trilogy starring Lara Croft, I would also be up for a Japanese release of the Spyro Reignited Trilogy that features the loveable purple dragon striding and flying slower and the option to play with the camera in a fixed position or gently following his path without causing any motion blur to prevent the player from feeling motion sick [4] [14], along with a pair of black and beady eyes to make him look a little cuter and a rehash of the Pocket Station minigame [7] [24]. [25]

No matter which language dub the anime will be heard in, there will still be strong hope that we will once again witness the incredible self-empowerment of Lara Croft. [35]

When it comes to providing an engaging plot, it is imperative that an anime series set after the events of Shadow of the Tomb Raider ought to consist of:

•        A rather bleak adventure that awaits a courageous archaeologist [26] [27] [31]
•        Violence against fiends [27]
•        Female empowerment [9] [31]

Providing those elements within outstanding writing is sure to make the anime series honourable to the plots and gameplay that made the Survivor trilogy a triple acclaim in the 2010s. Despite hentai being banned in Australia in late 2020 [2], a new Tomb Raider anime series on Netflix ought to further prove that not all anime is kid-friendly, despite how the Japanese version of the anime could feature not as much blood and gore as the Western creation as that censorship occurred for the Japanese releases of Shadow of the Tomb Raider and Resident Evil 7 [5] [6]. However, there have been many violent and gory anime series throughout the years, such as Genocyber, Another and Berserk [36]. But ultimately, what will be more important than the amount of blood and violence is how closer the young Lara who started out as a frightened survivor in the reboot will get to becoming an iconic archaeologist who wears sunglasses and only plays for sport throughout every episode [13].

An anime that is set after the events of Shadow of the Tomb Raider might as well to classified as a horror anime due to the unnerving aspects of dangerous journeys in the trilogy [20] [27], including many gruesome deaths that could happen to Lara in the first game – Happy Tree Friends style [26] [28] [42] [43]. [34]

As I stated before almost two years ago, we would expect a stunning art style with remarkable and piercing brown eyes for Croft’s elegant face to consist of in an anime series [42] [43]. Apart from that, there also ought to be gritty and detailed colour palettes within specific locations that are quite similar to the likes of the outdoor scenes in Hulk vs. Wolverine [23]. Additionally, excellent research would need to be done first if any of these locations shall be set in specific countries. For example, an ancient castle in Wales would be a refreshing setting for tomb raiding [12]. Reflecting on my claim that there might not be as much blood in an anime that takes place after Shadow of the Tomb Raider despite how there are plenty of violent anime series that consist of gory moments [36], there is a possibility of heavy amounts of blood being present in the anime anyway since intensely bloody moments seem to have been given a free pass in anime, but not in modern video games with life-like 3D graphics [5] [6]. For now, we shall wait for the official trailer for the Tomb Raider anime to be released before we can potentially critique it, including yours truly.

Surely the overall art style of the forthcoming anime series will be a rehash of Keys to the Kingdom. [33]

I honestly cannot believe that one of my own imagined concepts for a popular video game franchise is yet to become a reality [39] [42] [43]! What will be next? An anime series that will take place after the events of Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart [19] [40] [41]? Or perhaps a Japanese release of a new Spyro game that will make up for how a well-intentioned change to the Japanese release of the first one backfired [7] [14]? I would be more than thrilled to watch the Tomb Raider anime series on Netflix with my boyfriend once it is complete and ready to be viewed through streaming. I am up for Netflix’s services still running to this day, as long as they do not make the same big mistake again by rejecting a disgusting and irredeemable concept that is highly similar to the premise of Cuties since that film deserved the backlash it received for its paedophilic elements [10] [11] [17] [21]. On a lighter note, I still hope to see the second season of the masterful animated series based on Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss and an anime series starring one of my favourite video game characters that could lead to a new trilogy someday [37] [38].

Do us a big favour, Netflix. We will be very happy to see a Tomb Raider anime soon, but please. NEVER…EVER…allow a film with such a sickening and deplorable concept like Cuties to be viewed within your services again [11]! For future reference, please ensure that a yet to be released movie with a similar premise only features young female dancers who are eighteen years old or over! [22]

As for my fellow tomb raiders and I, we all wish Ms. Croft and her legacy as a strong and independent woman a very happy 25th anniversary [30], along with the best of luck in her new anime series that will be available on Netflix after plenty of hard work and dedication from its creative team. [24]

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