With Garouden: The Way of the Lone Wolf set to premiere on Netflix next month, the streaming service debuted a trailer for the upcoming anime series.
Garouden: The Way of the Lone Wolf is based on the serial novel “Garouden" by Baku Yumemakura. The series focuses on the book's main protagonist Juzo Fujimaki, a rival of Bunschichi Tanba, who is forced to compete in a deadly underground fighting tournament.
The newly released trailer "hints at the determination, sorrow and redemption in this intense story of combat," according to Netflix. Additionally, the trailer features the theme songs “FIGHT & PRIDE” and “CRY BOY” by AA=.
On the run from his troubled past, Juzo is forced into competing in a deadly underground fighting tournament. Skilled in the respected martial art Takemiya-ryu, Juzo must navigate a path filled with formidable foes and his personal demons — all while dealing with a bounty of three million yen on his head and a detective on his trail.
One of the big points of emphasis in this series is its "heart-stopping action". According to Netflix, the fight scenes have been captured from the actual movements of martial artists from all backgrounds, such as boxing, karate, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, wrestling and sumo, so every punch and kick is realistic. This includes Takeru, Koki, Roberto Satoshi de Souza and Murilo Takeshi de Souza from Bonsai Jiujitsu, Rei Tsuruya and Takeru Uchida from THE BLACKBELT JAPAN, along with Shimon Kagiyama and Fubito Aizawa from quip.
Garouden: The Way of the Lone Wolf stars Ryota Takeuchi as the voice of Juzo Fujimaki. The rest of the voice cast includes Tetsu Inada, Shunsuke Takeuchi, Rintaro Nishi, Tessho Genda, Aya Endo, Ryota Suzuki, Hidenobu Kiuchi, Junya Enoki, Yoshimasa Hosoya, Junichi Suwabe, Kenjiro Tsuda, Shiro Saito, Maki Izawa, Yume Miyamoto and Yuhko Kaida.
The series is directed by Atsushi Ikariya (ID: INVADED, Sabikui Bisco) and animated by NAZ (Good Night World, Thermae Romae Novae).
Garouden: The Way of the Lone Wolf is set to premiere on May 23, exclusively on Netflix.
Unfortunately, there's no English translation of the Japanese novel series. There was a manga series adaptation by Jirō Taniguchi that was published from 1989 to 1990, as well as a second adaptation by Keisuke Itagaki that was published more recently from 1996 to 2010. But neither are available in English.