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True to the Source Material: An Interview with Suikoden: The Anime's Producers

KONAMI announced the anime adaptation of its longtime franchise, Suikoden, during the "Suikoden Live" broadcast on YouTube earlier last year. The upcoming series will debut in October 2026 and will cover the story of Suikoden II. Longtime fans were shocked but welcomed the news of KONAMI animation's take on the beloved RPG video game series. For those new to the franchise, there's still time to play the Suikoden I & II HD Remaster and experience the epic journey with the iconic 108 characters before the animated release.

At Anime Expo, Ryō Hino (Producer at NBCUniversal Entertainment Japan), Kensuke Ito (KONAMI animation Producer), and Rui Naito (Suikoden IP Director) spoke with Anime News Network in detail about Suikoden: The Anime. Ito had to leave before the interview began; however, Hino provided answers to questions directed at the producer. Considering the high production values and promotional materials, KONAMI seems heavily invested in the series' success. During the interview, the guests explained the anime's development process and how it stands out from other fantasy franchises.

Could you provide us with a brief introduction?

Ryō Hino: I'm from NBCUniversal Entertainment Japan, and I oversee the project in its entirety.

Rui NAITO: I'm the overall producer of Suikoden at KONAMI Digital.

Suikoden's first release was in 1995. How will this upcoming anime attract new fans?

NAITO: I'm expecting to attract new fans through anime. The story is never changing, even if you play the game or if you've never played the game at all. It has a very solid story, and the anime is very solid as well. I was very serious about crafting and incorporating the plot during the anime's creative development.

How did you become the producer for the Suikoden anime? When did this anime project begin?

HINO: The plan for the anime started a few years ago. I grew up in that generation of Suikoden, and played the first and second games when I was 13-14 years old. What attracted me was the story, the 108 characters, and the game controls as well. I was deeply moved, and the game affected me overall. There were many opportunities with KONAMI Entertainment. I wanted to create this anime series for old fans and the newer generation, and have it reach people maybe 10 to 20 years from now. Everyone on the team agreed to create this story as one, which is why I wanted to be part of it.

Suikoden is known as a legendary RPG with a big list of 108 characters to recruit for the true ending. How will the anime choose which ones to focus on?

ITO: The main focus is, of course, the two lead characters, Riliu and Jowy. It's their story, and we built the plot around them. But there are so many characters, 108, and the enemies as well. We tried to put as many characters as possible.

Why was the decision to make the Suikoden anime based on Suikoden II's game story and not the first game?

HINO: There are five games in the mainline series, as well as other external ones. We selected the second game because it was popular, which means it lives in many people's memories. As an anime, it was easier to deliver a relatable message to all those fans. In addition, the theme remains constant, focusing on friendship, separation, and family love. The storyline was highly valued back then, and we wanted to create and focus on that part in this series as well.

When did planning for the Suikoden anime begin? Were there previous attempts to adapt the game into an anime by KONAMI?

NAITO: This is the first anime project. We were planning a revival of Suikoden in general. For example, the Suikoden I & II HD Remaster is part of the plan to revive it. Suikoden STAR LEAP is a mobile game that is easily accessible and playable anywhere without requiring a console or other physical gaming gear. The main reason why I wanted to create this anime is that I'm thinking about the overall revival of Suikoden.

Although creator Yoshitaka Murayama has passed away, were you able to include input from other original team members from the Suikoden series?

NAITO: Yes, since Murayama-san passed away, we couldn't talk about the anime specifically. However, when I brought out the idea of the revival around 2017, I was able to share my plan to revive Suikoden with Murayama-san. We have to be true to the story, and there are certain important parts that Murayama-san didn't want us to change. At the time, the director from Suikoden V was sitting next to Murayama-san, and they conversed with each other about how the story should stay authentic.

As a fan of Suikoden yourself, what makes this adaptation appealing compared to other fantasy action anime?

HINO: Because the theme is never changing. People from different generations can understand that kind of feeling. It's easy for everybody to adopt and understand that idea, which was our main focus. Riliu and Jowy's "justice" is another important element of the story. It depends on where you stand, but their "justice" is very different. Neither one of them is right or wrong, which is another element in this story. The more you learn about Suikoden and its world, the more it feels like an anime, and we want to express that theme in the anime series as well.

Director Yūzō Satō has worked on several anime adaptations that are very different from Suikoden. Why was he chosen to direct this anime?

HINO: As an anime director, you have to be able to manage a team of 200-300 staff for about 3-4 years. He has the ability to lead all the staff, and his ability to visualize anime scenes is very delicate. I was impressed by his style overall, and I thought Satō-san was perfect for this project on both counts.

As a producer, your job includes project planning, marketing, production supervision, etc. Since the game is published by Konami, how did you work with them to bring this adaptation to life? Was it a difficult process?

HINO: I can't really say that in front of somebody from KONAMI (laughs). Since the original story is coming from KONAMI and KONAMI animation is responsible for creating Suikoden: The Anime, communication during the production process was very important. It was much easier for me since the source is within reach. The feedback process from Naito-san, too, came quickly because he's in charge of the overall IP. It's rare for a game company and an anime studio to be under the same umbrella, creating an anime series, which made it much easier.

The main character, Riliu, has a slightly different name in the anime than in the game (Riou) and manga (Tao). Why was his name chosen to be Riliu?

NAITO: Those were never official names, and we never announced those as official. In the game, you can name your own character, but with an anime, we have to come up with a name. In the process of deciding the name, we went through all the characters so the chosen one doesn't sound too similar or the same as another. Also, we considered what would make a good character name, and we landed on Riliu.

Considering the long story of Suikoden, how far into the story will this anime adapt?

NAITO: We can't speak about the episode information, but I can tell you that Riliu and Jowy's story will be completed in this series. The characters surrounding them will be in the anime series. There might not be all 108 characters, but we put as many as possible. So please enjoy finding characters, even in the background.