Death Stranding animated series gets first teaser and story details

Kojima Productions has shared the first substantial details for Death Stranding Isolations, the upcoming animated series based on the Death Stranding universe. Alongside a new teaser trailer, the studio has also confirmed the show's setting, key characters and production team ahead of its planned 2027 release.

During its 10th anniversary celebration event in Tokyo, Kojima Productions revealed that Death Stranding Isolations will tell an entirely original story rather than adapting the plot of the games. Set in North America shortly after Sam Bridges reconnects the continent through the Chiral Network, the series follows a young girl who has spent much of her life isolated from society following the Death Stranding catastrophe. Her solitary existence is eventually disrupted by a series of encounters that pull her into a rapidly changing world.

The project is being produced in a traditional hand-drawn 2D animation style by E&H Production, the studio behind Ninja Kamui and Bullet/Bullet. Kojima Productions also confirmed that author Tow Ubukata has joined the project as series composition and screenplay writer, while Takayuki Sano is serving as director. Hideo Kojima himself is attached as executive producer.

While Death Stranding Isolations takes place after the events of the original game, the newly released synopsis suggests the series will expand on aspects of the world that players have only briefly encountered before. Kojima Productions has teased a cast of entirely new characters, including a mysterious old man who connects people through unconventional means, a soldier trapped in a cycle of conflict and destruction, and a young boy consumed by anger.

Death Stranding Isolations is currently scheduled to debut in 2027 exclusively through Disney's streaming platforms. The series joins a growing list of game adaptations currently in development, although its focus on an original story rather than a direct retelling may help it stand apart from many recent adaptations.

KitGuru Says: Would you rather see the Death Stranding universe expanded through original stories, or would you have preferred a direct adaptation of Sam Bridges' journey from the games?