Halo goes anime with Legends anthology

Microsoft working with Ghost in the Shell, Dragon Ball studios on collection of short films; 343 Industries revealed to be Halo publishing brand; teaser trailer inside.

Between this year's Halo Wars and Halo: ODST, Microsoft is working to establish a universe for its blockbuster sci-fi series extending significantly beyond the Master Chief character. Today the company revealed another step toward that, with the announcement of Halo Legends, an anime anthology focusing on different times, locations, and characters in the universe.

Master Chief has a great poker face, and a visor to match.

Like previous anime anthologies, The Animatrix and Batman: Gotham Knights, Halo Legends taps a variety of notable Japanese creators and animation studios to produce short films for a compiled home-video release. Directors Shinji Aramaki (Appleseed) and Mamoru Oshii (Ghost in the Shell) will be working on the project, as will familiar studios like Production I.G. (Blood: The Last Vampire), Studio4˚C (Tekkonkinkreet), Toei Animation (Dragon Ball), Casio Entertainment (visual effects work on Big Man Japan), and Bones (Cowboy Bebop: The Movie).

Unlike those other projects, Halo Legends will also help Microsoft usher in Halo Waypoint, "a new destination for Halo fans on Xbox Live."

Launching this fall, Waypoint will host previews of Halo Legends, podcasts, news, and trailers for various projects in the Halo universe. It will also introduce its own leaderboards and achievement-style system for Halo fans to mark their in-game and out-of-game feats.

Both Halo Legends and Halo Waypoint fall under the purview of 343 Industries, which is--as rumored--the name of Microsoft Game Studios' new label covering the franchise. In addition to games, 343 will oversee the creation of Halo books, clothing, collectibles, and other content stemming from the series. The group has drawn some notable names to its ranks, including former Kojima Productions producer Ryan Payton and Bungie alum Frank O'Connor.

455 Comments

  • SoupDude8

    Posted Nov 26, 2009 3:16 am PT

    Yeah I have watched the two episodes so far and a bit of a let down. The Babysitter was pretty awesome and the animation in that was good but the Duel was terrible. The fight scenes were pretty epic but the animation was annoying. I know it is a form of anime but it looked like moving paintings. AND SAMURAI ELITES WTF!?!?!?!?!? Hopefully the next one will be better.......

  • janagha_xiii

    Posted Nov 21, 2009 1:15 pm PT

    hell, hope each and every anime movie to be of the same quality.

  • janagha_xiii

    Posted Nov 21, 2009 1:14 pm PT

    the animatrix was awesome. It was easily among the very best in the matrix franchise. hope this anime to be of the same level.

  • jeffv541

    Posted Oct 22, 2009 3:09 pm PT

    Halo animated = buttcheese
    Halo = buttcheese
    YOU = BUTTCHEESE

  • mataryan

    Posted Oct 15, 2009 10:44 am PT

    it looks good. They should have used the animation from the halo games. Its a big leap from that to what I think is anime.

  • kalli_bumbo

    Posted Oct 9, 2009 8:59 am PT

    what the *uck is this? -.-

  • KJX

    Posted Oct 9, 2009 12:03 am PT

    I'm really not seeing a problem, here. Halo already drew inspiration from books and games like Starhip Troopers, Aliens, Predators, Starcraft, Ringworld. I'm not saying inspiration is bad, they certainly developed something unique, if not bare-bones original. Why would it matter if an art style from Japan or Korea were used to illustrate the medium, and drew inspiration from themes in those locations?

    Besides, with Frank O'Conner creating, even outright writing the content for the films, we still won't know if it's bad until it gets released. Judging by the trailer alone, it doesn't seem like they're only going to put a miniscule amount of attention or effort into it- seems more like something they want to make right.

  • djuhring

    Posted Oct 8, 2009 7:22 pm PT

    Lol the top of Master Chief's helmet sticks out so far in the anime, looks kinda silly, he already has a visor so he doesn't need sun protection haha

  • matapiero

    Posted Oct 8, 2009 4:54 pm PT

    master chief looks more gundam than usual

  • IAmDazzle

    Posted Sep 19, 2009 10:12 am PT

    @IRoxxorUrSoxxor

    "How do we make uninformed statements?"

    Do what you did.

    The only issue I have is where this will fit in with the games and books and such. I mean, MC was riding basically a space motorcycle with a rail gun on it, WTF is that? I think that anime Halo will be cool, but I am scared they are making it more like anime rather than Halo.

  • kaka1337

    Posted Sep 11, 2009 5:36 pm PT

    Nameme99

    Posted Sep 6, 2009 8:02 pm GMT

    Soo... is Microsoft going to be renamed to "Halosoft"?

    LOL

  • Nameme99

    Posted Sep 6, 2009 12:02 pm PT

    Soo... is Microsoft going to be renamed to "Halosoft"?

  • XxParasite

    Posted Sep 5, 2009 10:24 pm PT

    Hm... It doesn't seem to be as bad as I thought that it would be. Anime Master Chief's still not right, but somehow I have no problem with anime Elites.

  • OniYouji

    Posted Sep 5, 2009 9:12 pm PT

    Eh...an anime compilation for Halo? Seems like the complete opposite of each. The typical fans of Halo are probably not that into anime, or even religiously hate it, and the typical fan of anime are probably not that into Halo. It kinda makes sense with Gotham Knight or Animatrix, but Halo...ehhh...I dunno...

  • IRoxxorUrSoxxor

    Posted Sep 5, 2009 8:27 pm PT

    Q: How do we take an excellent franchise and make it ****ty?

    A: Anime.

  • FreeBird55

    Posted Sep 5, 2009 5:02 pm PT

    halo legends=crap they should have made and odst story like in this video http://xbox360.ign.com/dor/objects/852871/bungie-project-2/videos/haloodst_liveaction_trl_090409.html

  • xemnas_kh64

    Posted Sep 3, 2009 6:35 pm PT

    interesting...

  • bioshock_rules

    Posted Aug 7, 2009 9:21 pm PT

    Oh yeah!

  • masterpg14

    Posted Aug 6, 2009 1:15 pm PT

    i think i just j*zzed in my pants. :0

  • Killer2401

    Posted Aug 3, 2009 10:48 am PT

    Hmmm...lots of different animation styles here with each studio doing their own thing. I can see this working out quite nicely.

  • 24k_Solid_Gold

    Posted Aug 2, 2009 8:32 am PT

    ...okay then...

  • NiteShadeX

    Posted Aug 2, 2009 1:18 am PT

    "It's a Trap!"

    I'm going to assume we can buy all the episodes with our precious Microsoft points then?

  • nmjk92 posted Jul 31, 2009 7:48 am PT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    nmjk92

    Posted Jul 31, 2009 7:48 am PT (hide)

    I really wish they wouldn't do this to Halo...I've got nothing against Animes, but they can't do that to Halo...It's just not possible!!

  • gameguy0697

    Posted Jul 31, 2009 6:50 am PT

    wow that not like halo...at all

  • mikeg0788

    Posted Jul 30, 2009 6:39 am PT

    ha, what a joke.

  • the_monkey_god

    Posted Jul 29, 2009 8:28 pm PT

    They are just makeing it so hard to like halo these days.

  • _Megamuffin_

    Posted Jul 29, 2009 7:20 pm PT

    NO NO NO!!!!! why can't they just leave it as a game?? I mean the movie idea was a little meh to me unless they did it computer animation but THIS!! This is not my cup of tea and I really am embarrassed about this! I don't hate animes, hek I've watched a few, but the style in which they make them is not halo. Now Master chief is gonna cry because there is some mystical flower and he stepped on it!!! ( I know I know that won't REALLY happen but...) I thought that anything halo would be gold, but now they are just ruining the whole thing for me. Halo is my all time favorite trilogy and the books were wonderful. But why must they be so money hungry after making millions! I was really hoping when i first saw this it was a joke, now that I know it isn't... well I feel ill.. have to go cry and vomit...

  • spartan117a1

    Posted Jul 29, 2009 4:21 pm PT

    Halo= FTW Anime= FAILZORDS

    It looks gay period halo wasn't made for anime ffs

  • zenfar

    Posted Jul 28, 2009 11:43 am PT

    Why not CG?

  • Dark_Lord777

    Posted Jul 27, 2009 2:30 pm PT

    looks halfway decent. i might end up renting it on netflix. CGI would have been cool too

  • Broly103091

    Posted Jul 27, 2009 1:35 pm PT

    being done by the master minds at production I.G., bones, and the people that did Tekkon Kinkreet, I gotta see how this turns out.

  • Kravyn81

    Posted Jul 27, 2009 12:00 pm PT

    Milk! Milk! Milk!

  • payne6705

    Posted Jul 27, 2009 10:12 am PT

    hmm this isn't milking the franchise a bit is it? that trailer was actually a pain to watch idk why but almost every scene made me want to jab sharp objects in my eyes halo wasn't made to be an anime

  • necronaux

    Posted Jul 27, 2009 10:11 am PT

    If they do it, I hope it's in the (Final Fantasy, RE Degeneration) CGI style. Or even a Deadspace comic-book style (as opposed to the 'traditional' anime style). Just my preference.

  • necronaux

    Posted Jul 27, 2009 10:01 am PT

    Great news. Halo anime, hopefully done by the game-companies. Screw all the director/studio delays & lawsuits.

  • Agougwe1

    Posted Jul 27, 2009 9:01 am PT

    @kweeni
    Sooner or later they'll make a Halo.
    Anywhozzle looks pretty good, not a big fan of anime, but if it tells a good story I guess I could watch it seeing as how I'm a big Halo fan.

  • Adzey

    Posted Jul 27, 2009 6:05 am PT

    @EchoEcho

    I sorta meant the colourfulness of Anime and modernwarfare3 below me has just proven my point

  • modernwarfare3

    Posted Jul 27, 2009 2:10 am PT

    Can't they make it CGI!!anime colors sucks!

  • Dash275

    Posted Jul 26, 2009 9:08 am PT

    *Goes back to playing Marathon*

  • penpusher

    Posted Jul 26, 2009 8:05 am PT

    hmmmmm,,,,interesting shall have to keep an eye on this

  • aura_enchanted

    Posted Jul 26, 2009 1:24 am PT

    hey looks its the new iron ma.. i mean master chief.. welcome to the animated party umm... it??

  • USKB

    Posted Jul 25, 2009 9:24 pm PT

    God, We're Gonna Have A Halo Version of ABC's "The View" Pretty Soon, I Imagine.

  • leon_trunks

    Posted Jul 25, 2009 5:07 pm PT

    Holy **** Toei is going to work on this?!?!

    this is surprising. DBZ ftw!

  • EchoEcho

    Posted Jul 25, 2009 12:45 pm PT

    @Adzey

    If all the Halo fans you know are scared of color, then they must not play very much Halo. Halo has always had a rather bright color palette, except in a handful of missions.

  • wahyudil

    Posted Jul 25, 2009 6:27 am PT

    wow, microsoft's effot in exploited Halo is so praisable

  • Adzey posted Jul 25, 2009 6:05 am PT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    Adzey

    Posted Jul 25, 2009 6:05 am PT (hide)

    Do you think any Halo fans will enjoy this? All the Halo fans I know are scared of colour so unless its a grey scale anime, no one will watch it

  • dkjjabs

    Posted Jul 25, 2009 5:26 am PT

    THIS should look like halo wars that would be cool

  • vietboi89

    Posted Jul 25, 2009 1:23 am PT

    seriously i dont care about the story or watever as long as the halo anime as a whole doesnt suck. the animatrix wasnt bad as an anime effort and the story behind the matrix was stupid crazy, but we all know that story comes close to last when there are a bunch of kung fu kicks flying in the air and gun fire whizzing bak and forth. And the MGS thing when u think about it story was way ridiculous but PRESENTED really well. Theres a difference between a plot and how it is played out. I could think of the stupidest thing but if I have excellent presentation then it makes it a good story.

  • Sychronised

    Posted Jul 25, 2009 12:54 am PT

    @ jumper-man: Lol, the first MGS I ever played was MGS4. I had no background knowledge of what to expect or what it was about and yet I still picked up the story fine.

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