Man, I LOVE these animated series on Netflix based off of video games! I just got finished watching Castlevania: Nocturne, which I mostly loved, and now, I’m getting ready for Onimusha, which is based off of the mostly dormant Capcom series of the same name, and is set to arrive on Netflix on November 2nd.
But, as much as I’m looking forward to that title, I just can’t help but crave a Strider animated TV show now! I mean, we’ve already gotten a Resident Evil animated series on Netflix with Infinite Darkness (which I liked, but didn’t love), and now, we’re getting another Capcom series with Onimusha.
So, when the heck are we going to get a series based off of everybody’s favorite ninja, Strider Hiryu? I want one, like, immediately, and here’s why!
Not Street Fighter, Not Resident Evil, Not Monster Hunter, But Strider Is My Favorite Capcom Series
I remember the first time I ever rented Strider from my local video store. It must have been around ‘91 or ‘92, and I had just gotten a new Sega Genesis for Christmas. Sure, I was enamored with Sonic the Hedgehog (Not for resale), and a whole bunch of other Sega classics like Streets of Rage, and ToeJam & Earl, but it wasn’t until I rented Strider that I was truly blown away by the system’s amazing (wait for it) BLAST PROCESSING!
Based on a Capcom arcade game from 1989, the Genesis port was like having the arcade game in my living room. One minute, Strider would be leaping into a room full of delegates who somehow transform into a dragon, and the next, a shadowy figure is saying that I’ll never leave Eurasia alive.
This game truly stuck with me as a child, and I had to wait a super long time for Strider 2, which came out in 1999. But, guess what! It was just as amazing as the first game in the series, containing all the running, jumping, and slashing that the first game was known for. Years later in 2014, we would get a new title developed by Double Helix simply titled Strider, and it was glorious.
The game contained the same classic gameplay, but was given Metroidvania elements, which is my favorite subgenre of gaming! It was a match made in Heaven. So, while I do love classic Capcom series like Street Fighter, Resident Evil, Mega Man, and yes, Onimusha, Strider is my absolute favorite, and I desperately want an animated series!
Strider Has A Rich Lore, But We Haven’t Gotten Much Story-Wise Outside Of The Games
A lot of people don’t tend to know this – even fans of the games themselves – but Strider is based off of a manga that was meant to coincide with the arcade release. Debuting in 1988, the manga centers on Hiryu, who is actually a member of the Strider Organization. Think of them like the double 0s from James Bond, but ninjas.
The series starts off in the year 2048, so there’s a whole bunch of super advanced weaponry (Strider Hiryu himself has a robotic eagle, as well as a saber-toothed tiger). The second-in-command at the Strider Organization is a vice-director named Matic, and he’s taking over. But, he has malicious intent, and he basically becomes the main antagonist of the manga, as well as the NES game, but to be completely honest with you, that game kind of sucks.
However, I do think that a lot of this could be filtered into a TV series, as well as the nation of Kazakh, and the Federation. There’s just a LOT that could be covered from the games.
And, while the story isn’t as sprawling as say, the Namco series Tekken, which also got its own series on Netflix called Bloodline, I do think there’s definitely enough to Strider’s lore that it could make for a really awesome animated series. Please make it happen, Capcom!
A Lot Of People Only Know Strider Hiryu From The Marvel Vs. Series, So An Animated Show Could Be A Great Introduction To The Character
I was actually pretty shocked when I learned that a number of people never even heard of the Strider series until the first Marvel vs. Capcom game back in 1998. In fact, I distinctly remember when Strider 2014 came out, and a number of people who I had met at New York Comic-Con that year had surmised that it was the first Strider title, because they just assumed that Strider was just a made-up character for the Marvel vs. Capcom series, sort of like Amingo or Ruby Heart.
Speaking of hearts, this hurt mine when I learned this, since I just assumed that everybody knew who Strider Hiryu was when they picked him in the Marvel vs. Capcom series. I had no idea at the time that MvC was actually their introduction to the character.
Flash to the present, and the last Marvel vs. Capcom game we got was the disastrous Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite back in 2017, which a lot of people haven’t even played. So, really, the last time people might have actually been thinking about Strider Hiryu was back in 2011 for Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Ultimate! That’s a long time ago!
However, a new animated series might bring people’s attention back to the character, which brings me to my next point.
We Haven’t Gotten A Solo Strider Game In Almost Ten Years, And A New Animated Series Could Garner Interest In A New One
Now, this is just hoping, but if there were to be a Strider animated series, and it was actually popular, then maybe we could get a new game out of it somehow. Now, there really is no evidence supporting this theory, as we don’t seem to be getting a flood of new Castlevania titles, even though the Castlevania cartoon was awesome on Netflix.
But, Castlevania is a Konami series, and gamers know that Konami doesn’t have the best track record recently when it comes to utilizing their treasured IPs.
Capcom, however, has been on fire lately, what with Monster Hunter World, and the recent Street Fighter 6, and I definitely think that Capcom would find a way to use an animated series as a springboard to bridge the gap between past video game releases. And, while there’s no way of knowing if Onimusha might get a new game if this new animated TV series does well, I definitely wouldn’t rule it out.
Who knows? Capcom also has a Devil May Cry series coming to Netflix, and that series is in need of a new game as well. Could these Netflix animated shows be feelers to gauge audience interest in upcoming titles? It’s at the very least a possibility, and if that’s the case, then wouldn’t Strider be another great title to give the animated treatment? I definitely think it could work out, and I’ll explain why next.
The Action Could Be Amazing
When I wrote my article on video games that Netflix should make into TV shows, it really blows my mind that I didn’t include Strider on that list, because quite frankly, a Strider series would likely be amazing.
The action in the games has always been super fluid and responsive, and I could only imagine how mind blowing it would all look in an animated series. I think a lot of people would see Strider Hiryu running atop rooftops, slashing robots with ease, and would fall in love with the character.
Unlike a lot of ninjas, who fight in the past, Strider has always been futuristic, and I think seeing action like this would be so incredible and fitting for a Netflix series.
But, what do you think? Would you be down for a Strider animated series? For more news on all things animated, be sure to swing by here often!
