The world may be reconnecting, but not everyone wants to be found. Death Stranding Isolations, the upcoming anime based on Hideo Kojima’s video game franchise, has unveiled its first teaser trailer and visual at Kojima Productions’ 10th anniversary event in Tokyo. The series is set to stream on Disney+ and related services in 2027.
Set after the events of the original Death Stranding game, the anime moves into North America rebuilding itself after Sam reconnects the continent through the Chiral Network, a supernatural communication system created by Bridges to replace the collapsed internet. But new connections bring unforeseen consequences, and the story follows people charting paths different from Sam and his Bridges comrades.
At its centre is a young girl whose mother’s death in a catastrophic explosion leaves her isolated. Having grown accustomed to solitude, she turns away from human connection. Yet fate has other plans, as unexpected encounters pull her into a world she barely recognises. The story also introduces a wise old man who connects people through an unconventional method and a female soldier trapped in a cycle of war and destruction.
Takayuki Sano, known for his work as an animation director on Attack on Titan, directs the series. Tow Ubukata of Psycho-Pass handles series composition and the screenplay, while Ilya Kuvshinov (Ghost in the Shell: Sac 2045) creates the original character designs. E&H production, the studio behind Ninja Kamui and Bullet/Bullet, produces the animation.
The production team also includes executive producer Kojima, character designer Sayaka Koiso, colour script and art director Yann Le Gall, colour designer Ami Kutsuna, 3D department manager Tomohiko Kan, compositing director Jumi Lee, editor Keisuke Yanagi and sound director Shuhei Abe.
The anime is the third Death Stranding adaptation currently in development. An animated film is being produced at ABC Animation Studio under director Hiroshi Miyamoto, while an American independent entertainment and media company A24 is developing a live-action Hollywood film directed by Michael Sarnoski.
With hand-drawn animation bringing fresh life to Kojima’s fractured world, Death Stranding Isolations looks set to explore a familiar question from a new angle: what happens when the connections meant to bring humanity together leave some people wanting to disconnect?
