Netflix to stream Blame! anime movie globally

Having already worked with CG animation studio Polygon Pictures to bring two seasons of Knights of Sidonia to the world (with thoughts of a third and final season still percolating it seems), San Diego Comic Con saw confirmation that Netflix will again be teaming up with the same studio to bring another Tsutomu Nihei manga to life, with news that Blame! will be adapted into an animated movie.

Interesting, both Blame and Knights of Sidonia will also be offered in HDR for those of you with compatible 4K televisions - an intriguing first for the anime industry!

There's no news on when we might see this new so-called Netflix Original arrive, but we'll be sure to let you know once we hear more. For now though, here's the official press release on the topic:

Netflix Brings Original Anime Film, Blame!, to a Global Audience

The adaptation of popular manga by Tsutomu Nihei will be available to fans in the UK and around the world 

BEVERLY HILLS, CALIF., July 25, 2016 - Netflix, the world’s leading Internet television network today announced, together with Polygon Pictures, a groundbreaking deal for the anime original filmBlame!, to premiere exclusively on Netflix globally.

Blame! is set in the distant future where what’s left of the human race resides within the Megastructure, a vast and dangerous labyrinth that has grown wild and out of control. Thrown into this world is the mysterious Killy, a strange individual who is on a quest to bring civilization back from the brink of oblivion.

First appearing as a manga from 1997 to 2003, the much-awaited animated film adaptation of Blame! will be available as a Netflix original twenty years since its initial run.

The film sees yet another creative collaboration following the success of sci-fi anime series Knights of Sidonia, between the award-winning creator of the original manga, Tsutomu Nihei and director Hiroyuki Seshita, who also brought us the thrilling, fast-paced suspense of AJIN: Demi-Human, which is also available on Netflix globally. Blame!, Knights of Sidonia, and AJIN: Demi-Human manga are all available in print from Vertical Comics and digitally via Kodansha Comics.

“We’re incredibly delighted to work with Polygon Pictures in bringing the latest Netflix original anime, Blame!, to fans worldwide,” said David Lee, Vice President, International Originals at Netflix. “We look forward to bringing the best of original anime to our members and continuing to work with the top creators in the industry.”

“We are super excited to be able to deliver the long awaited anime adaptation of Blame! as a  Netflix original anime,” said Shuzo John Shiota, President and CEO of Polygon Pictures. “I’ve seen some initial footage and it is truly groundbreaking, especially in HDR format. I can't wait for fans around the world to experience this!”

Blame! is set to be the latest addition to the exciting slate of Netflix originals exclusively available to a global audience. In addition, Netflix is planning to release both Blame! and Knights of Sidonia in the cutting-edge, high dynamic range (HDR) format. This marks another milestone for the anime industry as the service continues to deliver innovative programming to entertainment fans worldwide.

About Netflix

Netflix is the world’s leading Internet television network with over 83 million members in over 190 countries enjoying more than 125 million hours of TV shows and movies per day, including original series, documentaries and feature films. Members can watch as much as they want, anytime, anywhere, on nearly any Internet-connected screen. Members can play, pause and resume watching, all without commercials or commitments.

About Polygon Pictures

Founded in July 1983, PPI is one of the largest digital animation studios in Japan and produces cutting-edge entertainment content in keeping with our mission to "do what no other has done, in unparalleled quality, for all the world to see and enjoy."Including our Malaysian subsidiary studio Silver Ant PPI Sdn. Bhd. and visual software development company J Cube Inc., we have brought together over 400 creators from around the world. Together as the Polygon Family, we devote our days to producing digital content for all types of media. Our notable works include Transformers Prime, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (both Daytime Emmy award winners), Tron: Uprising (Annie award winner), Knights of Sidonia (Director: Kobun Shizuno), Ronia, the Robber's Daughter (Director: Goro Miyazaki), Ajin: Demi-Human (Supervising Director: Hiroyuki Seshita, Director: Hiroaki Ando) and more.By fusing our unrivalled technical and production planning know-how with the internationally recognized quality of Japanese animation, PPI aims to become a leading company in the content business. For more information, visit our website at http://www.ppi.co.jp.