Forgot password
Enter the email address you used when you joined and we'll send you instructions to reset your password.
If you used Apple or Google to create your account, this process will create a password for your existing account.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Reset password instructions sent. If you have an account with us, you will receive an email within a few minutes.
Something went wrong. Try again or contact support if the problem persists.
Image via Blizzard Entertainment

New Kiriko animation leaves us longing for an Overwatch anime

Kiriko's new clip dives into her childhood memories.

Overwatch 2 has been out for over a month now, and three new heroes have brought brand-new elements to the game. Today, Blizzard released a new short animation featuring Kiriko, the game’s newest addition.

Recommended Videos

In addition to new gameplay, each new hero has their own story, and they all connect with fan-favorite characters already in the Overwatch universe. Kiriko’s lore connects her to damage characters Genji and Hanzo, and they can be seen in her new short clip.

Related: Who is Kiriko? The lore and story behind Overwatch 2’s blade-wielding support hero

The most striking part about this new clip is that it is done in an anime art style, which seems to just fit with Kiriko’s character. She is bubbly, fun, and Japanese, so some aspects of her design are inspired by both traditional and pop culture.

https://twitter.com/playoverwatch/status/1593668054919045122?s=46&t=ywWTIpPzB2KHL89FSRv3zw

In the animation, titled “Protector,” we first see Kiriko enter in her streetwear outfit with her friends in Kanezaka. Her group of friends is working to protect the city after it was taken over by the Hashimoto clan.

Kiriko then takes off her hood and looks into the sky, where we get a beautiful view of her eyes drawn in the anime art style. They are swirling with colors, and turn into a gateway to viewing some of her childhood memories.

We get to then see both young Hanzo and young Genji, the former scowling with his arms crossed and the latter smiling and waving to Kiriko. Genji looks like a smiling young boy while Hanzo resembles an edgy anime second lead. 

Kiriko’s mother trains the boys in the background, as Kiriko sits by herself in the courtyard, the kitsune spirit sleeping beside her. Then Genji comes over and shows her a blade, a knife that looks just like the kunai Kiriko throws in-game. Suddenly, she finds her weapon of choice.

Upon internalizing this memory, the scene returns to the present, and Kiriko leads her group into the perfectly dramatic fight sequence against the Hashimoto clan. She swirls up into the air, throwing three kunai at once.

Though this animation doesn’t add a lot of new elements to Kiriko’s lore, it showcases the hero in a new art style and gives even more background to the story players already know. Kiriko has been a fan-favorite hero since her launch with Overwatch 2 in October.

But this short clip leaves fans wanting more. Could we get an Overwatch anime in the future, Blizzard? Please?


Dot Esports is supported by our audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn a small affiliate commission. Learn more about our Affiliate Policy
Author
Image of Nadine Manske
Nadine Manske
Nadine is a graduate of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University. She covers VALORANT and Overwatch with a focus on the Asia-Pacific region and marginalized genders in esports. Before joining Dot Esports as a freelance writer, she interned at Gen.G Esports and the Star Tribune in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Her favorite Pokémon is Quagsire.