At Comic-Con 2022, Keanu Reeves touched on more than just John Wick 4; he also discussed an anime adaptation of his BRZRKR comic. In conversations with the press, the actor recalled how Japanese animation first entered his life during The Matrix era, a moment that influenced his storytelling outlook for years to come.
Reeves explained that the Wachowskis, then steering The Matrix project, encouraged him to explore a wide range of cyberpunk works. He recalled being shown a list of influential anime that broadened his view beyond live-action cinema. His initial exposure was a mix of curiosity and surprise, noting that his understanding of modern anime was limited but gradually expanding. He mentioned friends who now talk about anime with ease because they have kids, finding the cultural shift intriguing and energizing even as he continued to catch up with the medium’s breadth.
BRZRKR follows an immortal warrior who serves the United States while seeking a way to end his own life. The upcoming anime adaptation is being produced by Production I.G, a studio long associated with landmark works in the genre, including Ghost in the Shell. This collaboration marks a cross-medium effort to bring a layered, action-driven narrative to animation, expanding the universe established in the comic and offering audiences a new way to experience the character and his world.
The wider conversation around BRZRKR and its animated adaptation highlights a growing trend where filmmakers known for cinema explore long-form storytelling across formats. Reeves has repeatedly shown an interest in blending cinematic action with the distinctive rhythm of anime, a fusion that can deliver fresh visual storytelling to fans across North America. As audiences in the United States and Canada increasingly expect multi-platform storytelling, projects like BRZRKR illustrate how a modern comic can evolve into an animated experience that complements live-action material and broadens the franchise, inviting new viewers to discover a central figure whose life spans myth and modern warfare.