The Rage of Bahamut universe, including the 12 episode, Mappa produced anime, Rage of Bahamut: Genesis, is getting another series adaptation. Titled ‘Rage of Bahamut: Manaria Friends‘ this series will adapt the “Manaria Maho Gakuin” event from the game (called “Mysteria Academy” in the English version) and features a new cast and seemingly different setting.
The synopsis reads, “Mysteria Academy is a prestigious magic school that teaches magic without discrimination to the three factions (men, gods, demons), who usually engage in battle with each other. The anime will follow the two young women as students at the academy.” (Source) Said young women are, Anne, the honor student princess and Grea, a princess born from a dragon and a human, which I don’t even want to think about how that happened.
Nobuhiro Takenake, employee of the anime division of Cygames, has stated that this series is not related to the second season of Rage of Bahamut: Genesis, which also has been green-lit.
A much more straightforward adaptation in comparison to Genesis (which really only used the setting and general outline), it will be interesting to see just how much of the Bahamut universe holds up with its own stories.
The PV paints the show as a very generic magic-school anime, full of tropes and cliches ready to spring upon us. It’s unclear what studio is animating this series, and the art style doesn’t fit with the Genesis art style or even Mappa as a whole. It’s speculated this will be the debut work of the Cygames anime division, suggesting this is a newly born studio. The only release date given is sometime 2016.
The PV is actually for the initial game event over a year ago, so it is possible that the actual anime will have its own style more akin to Genesis, and possibly animated by Mappa. But it’s all speculation at this point.
This is where the rubber hits the road, and we’ll see just how much the Genesis writers added to the Bahamut franchise, and whether it can hold up on its own.
