Hiroyuki Takei’s manga Shaman King will get an anime reboot set to air on April 2021, according to the manga’s official website and social media. The brand new anime series will adapt the 35 volumes of the manga’s new complete edition, settling its debt with its over souls fans by providing a more canonical ending after 20 years of the original anime concluded.
The new anime adaptation will cover everything, from the start to the end of the manga. The case of Shaman King follows a similar reboot path like Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood or Fruits Basket in providing an anime adaptation more faithful to its manga franchise.
In the meantime, the original 64-episodes from the 2001-2002 anime will be re-broadcasted through the Full Anime TV and Bonbon TV services.
This just not means the resurgence of an anime that has been for many, one of its childhood’s favorite anime and manga action series while growing up, but also implies the hype of Shaman King fan art, fanfics, and hope for a VS game like Spirit of Shamans back in 2002.
About Shaman King
One of the most popular manga and anime series back in the 2000s, Shaman King was first published in Weekly Shonen Jump from June 1998, with an abrupt ending in August 2004. A ‘’true ending’’ was later published in 2009 on its Kanzenban edition.
”A battle is about to begin in Tokyo: the Shaman Fight, a tournament held every five hundred years where shaman—those who can command spirits—confront each other in combat. The victor of this contest becomes the Shaman King and the only one who is able to contact and control the Great Spirit, allowing them to reshape the world as they please through its immense power.
During a late night walk, Manta Oyamada runs into his classmate, the carefree You Asakura, who invites him to come stargazing with some friends, who, to Manta’s horror, turn out to be ghosts from a local cemetery! However, the knowledge that Manta possesses—a rare sixth sense that allows Manta to see these spirits—endears the boy to You. So when You finds out that his new comrade has been beaten up by a local gang, he decides to avenge him with the help of Amidamaru, a samurai ghost whose tomb was broken by the gang leader.
Soon Manta uncovers more about the world of spirits, including the Shaman Fight, in which his new friend You aims to claim victory.”
Shaman King: The Anime (2001-2002)
Shaman King was made into an animated series that ran from July 2001 to September 2002 and was produced by TV Tokyo, Nihon Ad Systems y XEBEC. It consisted of 64 episodes with 3 specials.
The animated series was developing at the same time as the manga, and for this reason, the plot was separated from the original story and they had to take different directions with very different endings.
A previous reboot was contemplated however, the mangaka was not completely convinced because it was not possible to bring together the original seiyuus that worked on the 2001 series.
The anime was liked by fans because of the quality and unpredictability and animation at that time regarding the fights, as well as the charisma of the protagonist Yoh Asakura and the personality of the secondary characters that accompany him on his journey. Another aspect that attracted the audience was that the shamanic concept, which developed deep dialogues along the story.
Last but not least, as in many popular animes, the openings Oversoul and Northern Lights and endings like Omokage, be it on its original Japanese version or in other foreign covers like the Latin American one.