Marvel Anime

Marvel Anime (Japanese: マーベルアニメ, Hepburn: Māberuanime) is a 2010 Japanese superhero anime television series by Madhouse and is based on the Marvel Comics universe. It is an anthology collection consisting of four twelve-episode animated series and two direct-to-video films. The entire series notably depicts Iron Man, Wolverine, Blade, and the members of the X-Men going to Japan.

The project reimagined select top Marvel characters and adapts them for a Japanese audience via four 12-part series; Iron Man, Wolverine, X-Men, and Blade, which aired in Japan on Animax between October 2010 and September 2011, and then in the United States on G4 between July 2011 and April 2012. Each of the series largely features Japan as the setting for the storyline.

Wolverine appears in all four of the anime, being a guest star in Iron Man and Blade, with each appearance taking place either before or after his anime.

The entire series was produced in collaboration between Marvel Entertainment, anime studio Madhouse, and Sony Pictures Entertainment Japan. The announcement was confirmed at the 2009 San Diego Comic-Con. According to former Madhouse President and CEO Jungo Maruta, Marvel gave the anime studio free rein to re-imagine the Marvel superheroes for Japanese audiences. The series was guided by writer Warren Ellis. "It will create an entire parallel universe for Marvel," said Simon Philips, president of Marvel International about Marvel Anime.

Iron Man (アイアンマン, Aian Man) (DVD title: Iron Man: Animated Series; spelled IRONMAN on-screen) is the first show of the series with 12 episodes. The series was directed by Yuzo Sato, with Warren Ellis writing the story and Jamie Simone serving as voice director, casting director, and reversion producer for the English version. A special preview ran on Animax on September 25, 2010, before the series began airing on October 1, 2010, and ended on December 17, 2010. While Iron Man premiered in the US on G4 on July 29, 2011, a "sneak peek" of the first episode aired on July 23, 2011, following G4's Comic-Con 2011 Live coverage. The entire series was released on DVD in the United States on April 24, 2012. It was also released on Blu-ray in Japan on June 22, 2011. A follow-up direct-to-video film called Iron Man: Rise of Technovore was released on April 16, 2013.

Tony Stark goes to Japan to produce a new arc reactor power station and showcase the Iron Man Dio, a new prototype armor, that will replace him when he retires. But the Iron Man Dio goes berserk and it is up to Tony as Iron Man to stop it along with an organization, known as the "Zodiac". Iron Man even gains an ally in JSDF operative Captain Nagato Sakurai piloting the Ramon Zero armor that his military group made for him. Iron Man soon discovers that his old friend Ho Yinsen, who Tony believed to be dead, is alive and is operating the Iron Man Dio armor for the Zodiac's goals.

Wolverine (ウルヴァリン, Uruvarin) (DVD title: Wolverine: Animated Series) is the second show of the series with 12 episodes. It aired on Animax between January 7, 2011 and March 25, 2011. While Wolverine premiered in the US on G4 on July 29, 2011, a "sneak peek" of the first episode aired on July 23, 2011, following the Iron Man "sneak peek" and G4's Comic-Con 2011 Live coverage. Jamie Simone served as voice director, casting director, and reversion producer for the English version. The entire series was released on DVD in the United States on July 31, 2012. It was also released on Blu-ray in Japan on June 22, 2011.

Logan learns that his true love, beloved sweetheart and girlfriend Mariko Yashida, who disappeared one year ago, has been taken to Tokyo by her father Shingen Yashida, the head of the Japanese crime syndicate Kuzuryu and a supplier of A.I.M., in order to be wed to Hideki Kurohagi, a bloodthirsty yakuza boss. Wolverine goes on a quest to rescue Mariko and defeat Shingen and Hideki, encountering several opponents along the way.