Netflix released the teaser for its anime adaptation of the famous Tomb Raider series. Tomb Raider initially has been a video game series which was later adapted into films and now, the latest edition comes in the form of anime. The anime will be launched on Netflix in the month of October.
The teaser of the anime has its own ups and downs. The teaser showcases the character of Lara Croft struggling in many ways and background voices of different characters inspiring her. The teaser also shows a possibility to dwell in the back story of Lara Croft. The teaser although misses some of the most important characters, still showcases a variety of characters from the franchise. Fans do miss the iconic dual pistols of Lara Croft (protagonist) which could have been a part of the teaser. The teaser focuses more on establishing Lara Croft and not Tomb Raider. Many essential elements like mythological references, exploration etc. are missing from the teaser which mark the Tomb Raider series. But the teaser showed a promising focus on the character arc of Lara Croft which we have been missing in the past movies.
Previously multiple movies were made on the same title but none of them could leave a significant impact on the minds of the audience. Films were often rushed, focused mainly on action and not on the exploration and adventure of Lara, they often neglected or rushed the backstory of Lara etc. This left audience unimpressed from the movies.
The anime though, will be a longer run and can overcome much of these shortcomings. Being an animated series, it will have the liberty in terms of character design, world building and action sequences. The anime being a long run can delve into the backstory of Lara properly and also showcase the exploration part with focus on the rich mythology that has been an integral part of Tomb Raider series. The movies relied on CGI for action which made them inorganic for many times. This problem too will be overcome with the anime.
The anime shows a lot of potential to revive the declining Tomb Raider franchise in the entertainment industry. It can also create a new fan base with the anime watching people. Though the trailer does not show enough potential to outshine the video game franchise, it still has the power to outshine the movies and be the best adapted work for the Tomb Raider series.