There’s nothing more exciting for a dedicated manga fan than hearing that a series they like is receiving an anime adaptation. Thankfully, fans of Shonen Jump’s Undead Unluck are finally experiencing that feeling of elation, as it has been announced that the anime adaptation of the series will be releasing sometime in 2023.
The story follows Fuuko Izumo, a young girl that causes bad luck to befall anyone who touches her. After being saved from her own attempt at suicide by an immortal man she refers to as Andy, the two set off an adventure to help Andy finally end his life and help Fuuko find a way to enjoy existing, regardless of her powers.
A Unique, Subversive Spin on Shonen Action
While the themes present in Undead Unluck can be dark at times, especially in the way the story handles its characters, Undead Unluck is actually quite the well-balanced story. As serious as things can be, there is usually an element of fun sprinkled throughout, with the dynamic between Andy and Fuuko, codenamed Undead and Unluck respectively, being one of the stand-out examples of this. While they begin as a reluctant duo, with Fuuko disliking Andy quite a bit, Fuuko eventually warms up to Andy, and even begins admiring him.
The two eventually encounter a group of similarly powered individuals known as the Union, whose goal is to manage, or even destroy those in the world whose existence doesn’t follow natural laws. It is through the pair’s interactions with this group that the main plot begins to unfold.
Another element that will be sure to draw prospective viewers in will be the action sequences. While many characters in anime have healing abilities, few are as potent as Andy’s regenerative power, so much so that he has created an entire fighting style around it. The way he combines this with Fuuko’s “Unluck” power, which is strong enough to summon giant meteors, makes Undead Unluck nothing short of an entertaining spectacle.
Complex, Morbid Characters
Andy’s past is also a key component to the overarching narrative. While he seems to have lost many of his memories, the series hints that his true identity could potentially be more dangerous than anyone else on the planet. Without delving into spoilers, Andy’s powers seem to be directly related to his past, making his situation all the more intriguing.
While the content of the series is crucial, it is important to note that when it comes to anime adaptations, the studio handling it is arguably just as, if not more important. This may seem hard to believe, but there are many instances in which a great manga has received a bad anime adaptation, making the series seem significantly worse experience for new fans. Thankfully, Undead Unluck is in some of the best hands in the anime industry, David Production.
For those unfamiliar, David Production is responsible for the anime adaptations of Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure and Fire Force, two of the most popular shonen franchises right now. What makes this studio so impressive is that they stylistically adapt to whatever show they are working on in such a way that they each feel very distinct from the other by giving them their own style. The animation is handled so differently between their series that it’s hard to believe they come from the same studio. Seeing how they incorporate Andy’s powers into their animation and how they style it will hopefully be one of the most visually stunning moments throughout their adaptation of Undead Unluck.
Expectations For Undead Unluck
As great as their handling of Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure is, Fire Force is arguably the series that will give fans the best idea as to what they should expect from Undead Unluck. Fire Force features vibrant colors, incredible, fast-paced action and fluid animation, all of which are likely to be present in Undead Unluck, given the content of the source material. Andy and the other Negators all have unique ways of fighting, much like the characters in Fire Force. This requires the team to be able to figure out the best way to handle the animation for each character, which thankfully David Production has proven already that they can handle.
Currently, Undead Unluck has over 100 chapters published, which has been collected into single volumes. This means that there will be more than enough material for the anime to adapt. Considering that David Production has already announced that the third season of Fire Force is currently in production and the previous seasons each had 24 episodes, it is likely that the first half of next year will be dedicated to that, with the second half being reserved for Undead Unluck.
To provide a clearer idea, the Jujutsu Kaisen anime only managed to adapt 64 chapters throughout its first season, which also concluded with 24 episodes. While there is no guarantee, if the anime is successful enough, then there’s a decent chance that the wait for a potential second season won’t be that long. Hopefully, the anime adaptation manages to be luckier than anyone who accidentally touches its heroine.