Rick and Morty first introduced an anime take on the Adult Swim animated series back in 2020 with a series of shorts. These shorts introduced different looks at the wider multiverse seen in Rick and Morty, but were never properly explored. There were a couple of shorts that stood out a great deal from the others, however, as two of them were written and directed by Takashi Sano, who previously directed the first season of the Tower of God anime. It turns out these shorts were such a hit with fans that Adult Swim then commissioned a full spin-off series in Sano’s anime style.
Rick and Morty: The Anime is the result of these collaborations between Adult Swim, Takashi Sano, Telecom Animation Film, and Sola Entertainment. It’s a full spinoff that’s not connected to what was seen in the prior anime shorts, but the experimental spirit of those shorts is very much intact. What initially drew fans to Rick and Morty when it first began was just how differently it seemed to poise itself from other adult animated series of its kind, and the anime decides to use this same kind of personality to stand out in a whole new anime way.
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Rick and Morty: The Anime brings back the characters seen in the original animated series, but in a different way than fans might have expected to see. There are indicators that these are the C-137 universe versions of each of the characters (and therefore are technically the same as the ones seen in the main series), but the story progresses in a new way, thanks to Sano’s perspective. From the episodes seen, the main conceit of Rick and Morty: The Anime is taking these familiar ideas and characters and putting them through a new anime lens.
For example, the premiere episode deals with time travel but also is not just about time travel. Much like seen in the original Rick and Morty series, Morty is seen living through a bunch of different lives at the same time while playing a VR game that Rick has invented, but unlike the original series, it’s not approached with a focus on the gags of what these alternate Mortys could be up to (such as the throwaway Blade versions of Rick and Morty); it instead tries to hone in on the emotion of each of these Morty’s lives.
Some versions of his life had new characters not seen before, and each of them flows into one another in a disconnected and non-linear fashion as it all seems to fold in on itself. Viewers are then left to experience each one as they happen or as they connect, but it’s not punctuated by a joke or bit of dialogue to take you out of the moment. This is the case with the rest of the anime’s presentation as well. Rather than try to hammer in-jokes or visual gags, Rick and Morty: The Anime instead uses its concepts to explore different ideas from its science-fiction concepts. It’s focused more on telling its story through what these ideas tackle rather than trying to find the humor in them.
It’s admittedly going to take some time to adjust to this new version of Rick and Morty for many. The anime doesn’t have a lot of the rougher edges comedy-wise that the original series has, but it’s not like it’s devoid of humor entirely. There are small, dialogue-driven jokes like the ones seen in the main series, but none that seem to wreck the narrative just for the sake of a joke. It’s got a story to tell, and Rick and Morty: The Anime is focused on telling it and won’t be distracted by any detours. This adjustment will also be needed for its look.
Rick and Morty: The Anime is a great-looking series. It’s not like the original is one of the best-looking animated sitcoms out there, but its wacky designs are presented well within this new scope. It’s almost as if these designs were originally meant for an anime presentation. The anime feels refreshing in how it showcases characters seen in the original, and new characters exclusive to this series fit right into everything else we’ve seen from the main franchise thus far. It’s ultimately going to come down to what kind of Rick and Morty experience viewers themselves are looking for.
Rick and Morty: The Anime is undoubtedly a genuine presentation of Rick and Morty. It’s exploring what we know about these characters, and introducing new ideas to further play around with their personalities in a more fluid world and art style not available in the original. But if you’re watching Rick and Morty to see Rick nonchalantly toss jokes around and go for the wildest results possible, this series might not scratch that itch. It’s a different experience, for sure, but one worth visiting for those who want to widen the breadth of what Rick and Morty can really be.
Rating: 3.5
Rick and Morty: The Anime premieres on Adult Swim on August 15th at midnight.
