Rara Kurofuto: What To Expect In A Tomb Raider Anime

Have you ever wondered about any other adaptions of Lara Croft’s legacy, besides a live-action movie and a few comics [12] [19]? Well, I happen to suddenly imagine an official anime adaption of Tomb Raider since I loved the movie based off the 2010s reboot of the franchise and I admire the art style of anime [12]. Two months ago, I posted a poll on Twitter, asking my dear followers if they would like to witness an official anime based on Tomb Raider [23]. Most of them agreed with the idea and I am sure that they would still be up for such a concept. It would be rather assuming if the genre of music for its theme song ought to be Japanese death metal [6] [7]. But then again…maybe not. As someone who cosplayed as Lara Croft before she became stronger in the 2018 movie [22], I am especially up for an anime based on the Survivor generation of the franchise since it has been going on for a few years within the 2010s. So furthermore, I will proceed to discuss what any fan of the Tomb Raider would expect from an official anime adaption of the game or the comics by Dark Horse Comics [18] [19].

A poll I posted two months ago, asking my followers if they would like an official Tomb Raider anime. [23]

The start of the new era. [18]

An outstanding art style would be a big essential with appealing visuals and fluid animation. There were three episodes of Revisioned: Tomb Raider Animated Series from 2007 that consisted of an anime-like art-style during the Legend era [11] [15]. Some of you might tell me that there was technically already a Tomb Raider anime due to the existence of the small trilogy, but it would be fascinating to also see an anime that is based on the Survivor timeline as its comics also featured some fantastic art styles [19]. As much as I am against completely objectifying strong and independent female characters like Lara, I would be highly interested to see the reboot reincarnation her in a glamourous anime art style, as long as it is convincing enough for an anime that would be aimed at older audiences. Ms. Croft has also received recognition for her beauty from the Japanese crowd, which could explain why Tomb Raider: Angel of Darkness was named “Tomb Raider: The Beautiful Fugitive” [3] [21]. The visuals will also have to look fairly realistic and often gloomy when it comes to the islands and tombs.

The older and stronger Lara Croft in all three parts of Keys To The Kingdom, the episodes that features a highly passable anime art style. [11]

The younger Lara Croft we know today on the cover of twelfth issue of the Tomb Raider comics by Dark Horse Comics. Dang, its art style is gorgeous! [19]

As fairly unlikely an official anime based on Tomb Raider would seem to happen, there is indeed a horror genre for anime and the Tomb Raider reboot era does feature some unsettling moments [1] [8] [9] [10] [20]. Do not get me started with plenty of Lara’s deaths in the first reboot game from 2013 as they are revolting enough to almost match Happy Tree Friends standards [1] [10]. Despite the horrifying and life-threatening risks Lara had to face, I do not think there could be much fresh blood present in an anime based on the Survivor timeline due to how the blood in one scene of the Japanese version of Shadow Of The Tomb Raider was changed into some black substance [2] [3]. We all know an anime would firstly air in Japan, right? On the other pistol, since there is plenty of horror anime, I suppose at least a few moments of red blood would be legitimate for any suspenseful scenes. With scary moments loosely based on what the younger Lara had to go through in order to survive [3], an official anime is sure to stay faithful to what made the redone origin a gem within the mature side of this decade’s gaming.

Many of Lara’s deaths in the 2013 game are absolutely vile and horrifying. At least none of them would happen in a Tomb Raider anime, right? [1] [10]

And yes, there will need to be moments of action and adventure in an anime based on the Survivor timeline. [14]

And of course, every adaption of Tomb Raider has to feature Croft’s intelligence and athletic abilities [14]. An English dub of the anime must definitely feature a calming and feminine British voice for her [3] [11] [14]. To several people within the Japanese audience, the eventually hardened Lara could be the female Sousuke Sagara from the Full Metal Panic franchise [4] [5], except without a blue-haired sweetheart and a grey-haired love interest [5]. Aside from how the classic Croft was known for her fierceness in the classic era, the anime version of our current Croft ought to be protective of her friends and innocent people, especially Samantha Nishimura [14] [16]. In addition to her soft side, there could be scenes when she treats injuries as she is skilled in first aid in the 2013 reboot [14] [18]. So come on, refrain from viewing incredible women like Lara as objects and also admire them for their bravery and intelligence, not just for their good looks.

A shout-out to all independent and determined women in gaming! [18]

And a shout-out to the fighters and survivors with good hearts. [16]

To be honest, I think it would be far more necessary to base the anime on the comic series by Dark Horse Comics that take place in between the games since there is already something based on the 2013 game, which is a live-action movie [12] [13]. After all, the comics were meant to avoid seeming as if they are in their own separate timeline from the Survivor generation, including the first comic that was meant to take place before the events of the 2013 game [19]. There can be some differences between the comics and an anime adaption, just like how there would be several differences between a novel and its film adaption. An example of a difference between the 2013 game and the 2018 film is that unlike in the 2013 game, Lara did not wear a green pedant in the 2018 film [12] [13] [18]. I am not sure if the comics were released in Japan or not, but with plenty of rough translating, the progress of basing the story on the plot of the comics would be useful for those Japanese Tomb Raider fans who cannot fully understand English and are rather curious about the comics.  

Some shooting standards in one of the issues of the comics. [14]

Overall, I would definitely be up for an official Tomb Raider anime based on the reboot from 2013 or the comics that follow it [18] [19], especially for those who love both Tomb Raider and mature anime. As a fan of the beautiful fugitive, I know that it would definitely need:

•     An outstanding anime art style
•     Moments of suspense and adventure
•     Lara’s character as a survivor portrayed accurately

Hopefully, the title of the anime would not be “Tomb Raiders” because there is only one tomb raider in the franchise and that is Lara Croft [21]. I am not saying that a Tomb Raider anime or manga should definitely happen, but it could at least be very interesting. If the current era of Tomb Raider neglects to establish one, there is always an opportunity for a Tomb Raider anime or manga in a possible next reboot in the future. You are more than welcome to express your opinion on the concept in the comments. Perhaps you would like a Jaffa Cake as the current incarnation of Lara has a sweet tooth for them [14]. Or better yet, we could have a little archery session. Yonde kurete arigatou gozaimasu.

There is only room for ONE Tomb Raider on this island! [19]

References

1.    calloftreyarch. (2014). Tomb Raider Definitive Edition Death Montage. Available: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WeG9MuzUppM. Last accessed 14th May 2019.
2.    Censored Gaming. (2018). How Shadow Of The Tomb Raider Is Changed In Japan. Available: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IVai0fqfxjg. Last accessed 14th May 2019.
3.    Censored Gaming. (2018). How Tomb Raider Is Changed In Different Countries. Available: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oVHzp7EuUFI. Last accessed 14th May 2019.
4.    Full Metal Panic Wikia. (2018). Full Metal Panic! Invisible Victory. Available: https://fullmetalpanic.fandom.com/wiki/Full_Metal_Panic!_Invisible_Victory. Last accessed 14th May 2019.
5.    Full Metal Panic Wikia. (2018). Sousuke Sagara. Available: https://fullmetalpanic.fandom.com/wiki/Sousuke_Sagara. Last accessed 14th May 2019.
6.    GuncakexGaming. (2018). Aggretsuko - Songs - Edit. Available: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0uOE0LQyurE. Last accessed 14th May 2019.
7.    Liahcim, M. (2018). Aggressive Retsuko || Total Aggressive Mode || [ Japanese Heavy Metal ]. Available: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6jgTalLp1Lk&t=120s. Last accessed 14th May 2019.
8.    MyAnimeList. (2019). Horror Anime. Available: https://myanimelist.net/anime/genre/14/Horror. Last accessed 14th May 2019.
9.    Ranker Anime. (2019). The Top Horror Anime of All Time . Available: https://www.ranker.com/list/top-10-horror-anime/ranker-anime. Last accessed 14th May 2019.
10. Tats TopVideos. (2018). Top 30 Scariest Game Overs In Games SERIES 1. Available: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yAUXpW6fezk.Last accessed 14th May 2019.
11. ThaBamboozler. (2013). Revisioned - Tomb Raider Animated Series (Complete). Available: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RvD5L75eJd0. Last accessed 14th May 2019.
12. Tomb Raider, dir. by Roar Uthaug (Warner Bros. Pictures, 2018).
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14. Tomb Raider Wiki. (2013). Lara Croft (Survivor Timeline). Available: https://tombraider.fandom.com/wiki/Lara_Croft_(Survivor_Timeline). Last accessed 14th May 2019.
15. Tomb Raider Wiki. (2017). Revisioned: Tomb Raider Animated Series. Available: https://tombraider.fandom.com/wiki/Revisioned:_Tomb_Raider_Animated_Series. Last accessed 14th May 2019.
16. Tomb Raider Wiki. (2013). Samantha Nishimura. Available: https://tombraider.fandom.com/wiki/Samantha_Nishimura. Last accessed 14th May 2019.
17. Tomb Raider Wiki. (2013). Survivor Timeline. Available: https://tombraider.fandom.com/wiki/Survivor_Timeline. Last accessed 14th May 2019.
18. Tomb Raider Wiki. (2013). Tomb Raider (2013 Game). Available: https://tombraider.fandom.com/wiki/Tomb_Raider_(2013_Game). Last accessed 14th May 2019.
19. Tomb Raider Wiki. (2014). Tomb Raider (Dark Horse Comics). Available: https://tombraider.fandom.com/wiki/Tomb_Raider_(Dark_Horse_Comics). Last accessed 14th May 2019.
20. Top 10 Gaming. (2018). Top 10 Tomb Raider Scary Moments.Available: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GtuGcDT2NdM. Last accessed 14th May 2019.
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23. Williams, L. (2019). LauraOnDuty. Available: https://twitter.com/LauraOnDuty/status/1106148244957089792. Last accessed 14th May 2019.

Ray-San: What To Expect From A Rayman Anime

(Originally posted on laurasambitiouswriting.wordpress.com on the 22nd of March 2019)

Minasan, Kon’nichiwa! I became quite a huge Rayman fan when I played Rayman Raving Rabbids for the Nintendo Wii during my early high school years [31], so I suppose now is a good time to theorise how the limbless hero could have his own new interpretation someday. It turns out that the Rayman franchise does not seem highly prevalent in Japan, despite Ubisoft’s efforts back in the 1990s and so on [2] [7]. Since the many forms of anime and manga came from Japan, perhaps an anime based on Rayman’s legacy would be just the thing that will help him achieve his best Japanese recognition. It may not be an official idea from the masterminds behind the big-nosed hero, but it would be fascinating to discuss what would make an official anime of him appealing. Quite ironically enough, there was a discussion on the idea of Rayman having his own manga series between some fans back in late 2012 [8]. Without further ado, let us begin.

“An anime for this guy? Really?” muttered possibly some of my dear readers. [13]

Firstly, a whole new exclusive design of Rayman and several supporting characters from his current era ought to consist of a splendid traditional anime style. When Rayman 2: The Great Escape was released in the Japanese market, the colour of Rayman’s shirt was changed to blue because the developers speculated that purple was referred as “the colour of the dead” in Japanese culture [10] [13] [14] [19] [23] [24]. The same method was applied to the updated port of the game, Rayman Revolution and a manga-style comic strip titled “Enter the New Hero”. Even though purple is actually often seen a sign of royalty in Japanese culture, I would not mind seeing the limbless wonder in a blue shirt again [1] [6] [10] [13] [14] [19] [23] [24]. I can briefly imagine Rayman in his modern design in a blue shirt again, along with mesmerising blue or hazel anime-like eyes [13]. As for the current supporting characters, I think Betilla the Fairy in her modern design and the other nymphs would look stunning in an anime art style, thus benefiting the appeal for many anime-lovers due to their…ahem…provocative appearances [12] [29] [30]. It would take talent, consideration, and diligence to produce a fantastic art style and some excellent animation within an anime based on Rayman.

Rayman wearing a blue shirt in the Japanese version of Rayman Revolution. [23]

Rayman with beautiful hazel eyes in the promotional image for his place in Soul Hunters. [13]

It would perhaps be best to base an anime’s premise on the current era of Rayman that started with Rayman Origins back in 2011, considering how it progressed with three mobile spin offs and a direct sequel [26] [27] [28] [29]. However, if an official anime ought to establish a whole new life for Rayman instead, I do not think I would be too surprised. The blonde limbless cutie’s life has been rewritten a few times, including the time when he was good friends with a witch named Clara in the 1998 educational game that was only available in France and Canada due to how the only language available was French [15]. I do miss some aspects of the older Rayman games, including Ly the Fairy’s sweet personality and meditative nature [11] [17]. I also would love to see a fusion of her design from the Japanese version of Rayman 2 and her appearance in the Game Boy Advance version of Rayman Raving Rabbids [11] [17]. Whether the setting ought to be based on the Rayman Origins era or not, it ought to at least seem engaging with remarkable environments and a cast of colourful characters in a splendid anime style.

I think I found a very big sign of a possible Rayman anime in the near future. [30]

However, Ly the Fairy looked beautiful in the Game Boy Advance version of Rayman Raving Rabbids and I would love to see her in an anime art style for an official Rayman anime. [11] [17]

I would not be too astonished if he has five fingers instead of four in his own anime, just like how he had five fingers in some images from the Japanese version of the Game Boy Colour port of the original Rayman [4]. The same method also applied to Crash Bandicoot’s Japanese counterpart [3] [25]. It would be due to how a four-fingered hand gesture that would remind workers in the Japanese meat packing industry of frequent accidents is considered to be insensitive towards them [3]. What is more disturbing is that a four-fingered gesture could remind some Japanese folks of a horrible finger shortening method for disobedient Yakuza members [3] [21] [22]. The thought of having to have part of your pinky finger sliced off in a gang is simply revolting, thus I completely understand why an anime Rayman would have five fingers rather than four [4]. I understand that a four-fingered hand would be easier to draw and animate, but at least there would be a very legitimate reason for adding an extra finger to each hand.

An edit in a cutscene for the Japanese version of the Game Boy Colour version of the original Rayman. He has five fingers instead of four. [4]

I would completely understand why several Western characters would be given an extra finger in Japan, including Crash Bandicoot. The premise of gang members having to have their pinky fingers cut off is terrifying and disgusting. [21] [22] [25]

I also miss the best portrayal of Rayman’s character development, which was in Rayman 2: The Great Escape [13]. He was kind towards his allies, including his best buddy Globox and was more mature, compared to how juvenile he was in Rayman Origins [13] [29] [30]. In the Wii version of Rayman Raving Rabbids TV Party, he was rather out of character and acted nothing like the noble adventurer he was in the Rayman trilogy [18]. Any of the scenes in each episode of an anime based on Rayman would need to show:

• The way he throws his fists at foes
• His helicopter hair
• His nobility and heroism

What would make a Rayman anime spectacular would be expressing his nobility towards his allies, along with his powers. I honestly would like to hear a suitable Japanese voice for him that almost sounds like KAITO, the lovable blue-haired Vocaloid from the Project Diva series whose voice was constructed with the talent of Naoto Fuuga, a Japanese singer [5] [32]. For an English dub, I would like to hear a voice that sounds like David Gasman from his mouth [13]. An anime Rayman should at least have a likeable personality for the sake of a refreshing interpretation of him.

An admirable and trustworthy Rayman would need to be brave, cheerful, helpful, heroic and kind-hearted. [10]

In conclusion, an official Rayman anime might as well boost the appeal of Rayman’s legacy in Japan. If it becomes quite successful, it will make up for the poor sales of Rayman Legends back in late 2013 [2] [7]. If it spawns about thirteen episodes, an English dub of it could make up for the cancellation and failure of the Rayman television series from 1999 that sadly only lasted up to four episodes instead of thirteen [13]. In my mind, a whole new Rayman for the early 2020s could feature:

• A blue shirt [1] [6] [10] [13] [14]
• Stunning blue or hazel anime-like eyes [13]
• Five fingers instead of four [4]
• A pleasant and approachable personality [13]
• An upbeat voice with a Japanese accent [5]

I am not saying an official Rayman anime will definitely happen. I simply wanted to discuss something quite different with my followers and fellow gamers. Feel free to express your thoughts on this concept in the comments. Yonde kurete arigatou gozaimasu.

Sayonara for now. [10]

References

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