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.
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.
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?
