Levius is an upcoming Netflix Original martial arts and boxing anime series based on the manga of the same name by Haruhisa Nakata. The series is being produced by Polygon Pictures, who were responsible for the anime series Ajin, Knights of Sidonia, and the animated Godzilla trilogy. Directing the anime Original is Keisuke Ide, who also worked on Ajin. Some of the Originals that Netflix license, first have to air in Japan before it’s released globally. Levius is exempt from that list and subscribers from around the world will receive the series at the same time. Each episode of the series has a run time of 25 minutes and has a total of three volumes with eighteen chapters. It is set to be released on the 28th of November, 2019!
Levius brings quite a lot of emotional depth to the table. Our young hero lost his father in the war and his mother was put in a coma. He is taken in by his uncle who is pretty much the only family he has left. Levius doesn’t fight because he desires fame or glory; he fights because it is the only way for a cyborg-like him to survive in the world. Also, it helps that he is really good at it.
From the trailer, we know that the show will feature breathtakingly beautiful retro-futuristic technology. Levius’ lost arm is replaced with a steam-powered prosthetic and he goes up against other cyborg fighters, all powered by what the show calls ‘hypersteam’. The result is a look that is aesthetically pleasing and insanely cool. Levius promises to be a compelling story about the trauma caused by war. The young hero of the show is haunted by the loss of his family and the suffering he went through during the war. Being thrust into the world of competitive fighting probably doesn’t help his mental health either.
Despite this though, Levius possesses an innate talent for the martial arts and quickly rises up through the ranks to become one of the most formidable fighters in the arena. His past may have taken everything away from him but he is determined to never stop fighting. With compelling characters and an aesthetic that brings a ‘Real Steel’ vibe to the world of steampunk, ‘Levius’ is one show you definitely need to watch out for.
The official synopsis has been given by Netflix, “In an age where devices are powered by steam, a technology that fuses bodies to machinery makes cyber-boxing fights immensely popular. A young man named Levius is drawn into these fights through what can only be destiny, but his talents will be what determines his future.” Netflix also published a trailer on October 22 along with a similar short description, “With the casualties of war still haunting him, young Levius uses his prosthetic arm to take his fight into the brutal world of Mecha Boxing.” Check out the trailer above.