Sekiro: No Defeat anime was announced at Gamescom 2025 and is set to come exclusively to Crunchyroll in 2026. However, following the trailer, some fans were concerned that the animation featured the use of generative AI.
Qzil.la, the production company, has released an official statement clarifying that the upcoming anime adaptation of Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is entirely hand-drawn.
“We would like to inform you about the production methods behind Sekiro: No Defeat, which was announced to be made into an anime on August 20, 2025,” the statement reads when translated using Google Translate. “In order to maximize the unique charm of the original game, this work is being produced entirely as a hand-drawn 2D animation, with no generative AI being used whatsoever. All of our staff will work together as one, pouring our heart and soul into each and every shot,” Qzil.la clarified in the statement.
The Generative AI Controversy With Sekiro: No Defeat
Sekiro: No Defeat’s reveal trailer featured an intense battle between Wolf and Genichiro, similar to the source game. However, in one of the frames, it appears that Wolf has six fingers, which has caused many fans to believe that the animation was made using generative AI.
Following the concern of many fans, the production company behind Sekiro: No Defeat released an official statement, which made it clear that no AI is being used for the upcoming anime. Furthermore, the statement also emphasized that the anime adaptation will retain the charm of the source game’s story and action.
We’ve had to wait a long time for Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice to receive an anime adaptation in the form of Sekiro: No Defeat. The game was released in 2019 and went on to win the Game of the Year award. Despite the game’s clear success, no sequels were announced by FromSoftware.
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