Home TV News Stranger Things Tokyo: The Franchise’s Anime Spinoff Reportedly in the Works at Netflix

The critically acclaimed, multi-award-winning series is reportedly expanding the Stranger Things franchise with an anime adaptation.

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Stranger Things’ burgeoning popularity and success have only continued to rise as the series enters its final season. Created by the Duffer Brothers (Matt and Ross), the show has already gone on to inspire video games, comic books, and novel adaptations that delve deeper into the Stranger Things mythology and tie into storylines from the current seasons. Although the instant cult classic was always meant to have four to five seasons according to the show’s creators, season five is not the end of the Stranger Things universe.

The brothers have teased the possibility of a spinoff series for years now. Most recently, the co-creators dropped hints in their season 4 Twitter announcement, letting fans know they could still expect more thrilling stories from the Stranger Things universe which would follow “new mysteries, new adventures, [and] new unexpected heroes” after the series’ conclusion.
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Now, the wait is finally over as What’s on Netflix officially reported Friday that an anime adaptation from the franchise is currently in development with Netflix. The spinoff’s official title is Stranger Things Tokyo, and will also take place in the 1980s like its predecessor. Additional details about the upcoming series are still under wraps. However, according to the official logline, the series follows an encounter with the Upside Down that evolves into a grand adventure for video game-loving twin brothers living on the outskirts of 1980s Tokyo.

Matt Duffer briefly spoke on the spin-off when he and his brother Ross were guests on the Happy Sad Confused podcast. The forthcoming series will be “1,000% different” – debunking rumors that the spin-off will follow or feature any of the current characters from the Stranger Things Universe. However, audiences can expect the story to “share connective” tissue with the original series through the Duffer Brothers’ unique storytelling approach that draws inspiration from classic 1980s media and culture. The anime is reported to be around six hours long and has been officially established as the first Stranger Things spinoff.

Related: Stranger Things Season 5: Is Eleven’s End The Key to Survival?

The Duffer Brothers Are Ready To Pass The Baton As Head Creators of the Stranger Things Franchise

Photo: Gage Skidmore

The Duffer Brothers’ Stranger Things premiered in 2016 and has since amassed a cult-like following. The paranormal science fiction mystery has created an obsession with the world the duo created, fueling the desire to see the universe’s continued expansion by long-time viewers. The idea for Stranger Things, originally titled Montauk, came about in 2015. And by the time the final season premieres, it would make almost 10 years since the Duffer Brothers have been engulfed in this franchise. When asked whether the pair would be interested in spearheading a Game of Thrones-level expansion for future spin-offs, the brothers mentioned carrying on the franchise without them at the helm.

“The idea, ultimately, is to pass the baton to someone else who’s really talented and passionate,” Matt mentioned in the Happy Sad Confused interview. “Even the idea of Ross and I doing a pilot and then leaving it, just feels silly to me. You would need to be there from the beginning to the end. I think we need to find a partner to help us with that. Otherwise, this show will have been about 10 years of our lives by the time we’re done – a decade of our lives. I loved every second of it and I wouldn’t take any of it back, but I don’t want to do another decade in the Stranger Things Universe.”

Die-hard fans shouldn’t fret about the Duffer Brothers impending absence as head creators of the Stranger Things Universe as they expressed wanting to remain “very involved” in the franchise. The duo is excited to find the right person to pick up the mantle, which will give them more time to dedicate to other stories they want to tell. Currently, the Duffer Brothers are working on projects outside of Stranger Things including a live-action series adaptation of the anime Death Note and a series adaptation of The Talisman.