The wait will soon be over. Netflix has finally given a glimpse of its new anime content from the One Piece creator himself, Eiichiro Oda. The streamer has dropped the official trailer for Monsters, officially titled Monsters: 103 Mercies Dragon Damnation. But aside from introducing the lead character, Ryuma, giving major One Piece feels, the preview also reveals its much-awaited release date: January 21, 2024.
The Monsters trailer begins with Ryuma looking cheerful as he feels so stuffed after living without food for five days before being kicked out from what looks like a diner. It then shows Flare welcoming the swordsman, Shirano. “It’s been seven years. I didn’t recognize you,” he says.
The preview describes Shirano as a “shining example” of a swordsman, and his ability comes second to the king’s. With these good words about him, Ryuma wants to challenge Shirano into a fight. But D.R., one of the series’ antagonists, suddenly appears, vowing not to hand over the dragon’s horn.
Shirano then asks Ryuma if he will let him fight the dragon, while Flare adds that the swordsman is willing to put his life on the line for the town. As the battle against the beast begins, Ryuma can be seen giving everything he has to defeat it. The trailer ends with Ryuma saying he will repay for his meal even if it costs him his life.
Who are the cast and staff of Monsters?
After voicing the role of Ryuma in the 2021 voice drama adaptation of Monsters, Yoshimasa Hosoya returns to reprise his role. For other cast members, you can check the list below:
Kana Hanazawa as Flare
Hiroki Tochi as Cyrano
Mitsuaki Madono as D.R.
Katsuhito Nomura as Master
For the main staff, Sunghoo Park (Jujutsu Kaisen and Jujutsu Kaisen 0) directs the anime and works on the composition. Takashi Kojima serves as the character designer, Fuminao Akai as the art director, Ryoji Nagasawa as the color designer, Shumei Lee as the photography director, and Keisuke Yanagi as the editor. In addition, Hiroaki Tsutsumi handles the music, Kenki Kobayashi is the music producer, and Akiko Fujita is the sound director.
What is Monsters about?
Monsters will reveal the threat that disrupts peace in a once-peaceful town, and the dragon is the terror that causes this chaos. It will feature the story of the samurai Ryuma, who finds himself caught in the middle of a catastrophe due to the dragon’s horn and its appearance in town.
You can read the synopsis below:
In a world where the only ‘threat’ that could disrupt the peace is up in the sky. The “terror” that can cause catastrophic havoc to this world, Dragon. A legendary one-shot manga adaption by the young 19-year-old Eiichiro Oda before the serialization of ONE PIECE . This is the story of the Samurai Ryuma.
The anime is based on Eiichiro Oda’s one-shot manga of the same name, published in Shonen Jump Autumn Special in 1994. It was then reprinted as part of Wanted!, which features the mangaka’s collection of five manga one-shots before One Piece was made. It also has its voice comic adaptation released as part of The One Piece 100 We Are ONE celebration in 2021. The Netflix anime adaptation was produced by E&H production and was announced at the One Piece Day 2023 in July 2023.
Netflix has been producing content from Oda as of late. Aside from the live-action adaptation of One Piece and the ongoing anime series, along with other One Piece animated movies, an anime remake by Wit Studio is now in the works. That said, the streamer now has all the features for every One Piece fan.
