The beauty of animation is that it can make anything seem achievable, even reimagining a popular, long-running show like Supernatural. The series was hugely influential, shaping a generation of viewers and becoming a cornerstone of The CW network with 15 seasons and 327 episodes, plus a spin-off. However, Supernatural might not be the first American live-action show people think of when considering anime adaptations.
In 2011, alongside the seventh season of Supernatural, came Supernatural: The Animation, a fresh take on the show’s spooky stories. This animated series is a wonderful tribute to both the popular CW show and the strong connection between anime and horror. It demonstrates why American series could benefit from creating anime spin-offs to expand their brands.
Supernatural: The Animation Makes Sense As A Justified Franchise Expansion
The show became internationally popular, unexpectedly gaining a dedicated following in Japan. This led Warner Bros. Japan to propose an anime adaptation of Supernatural, which creator Eric Kripke found appealing. Often, when franchises are outsourced, the results are disappointing. However, Kripke’s direct involvement ensured that Supernatural: The Animation would be a quality spin-off worthy of the original series.
Kripke played a key role in developing Supernatural: The Animation. Naoya Takayama oversaw the writing, and Takahiro Yoshimatsu helped design the characters. To connect the anime more closely with the original Supernatural, Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles both voiced their animated selves in the English dub. However, due to his schedule, Ackles only voiced Dean in the last two episodes. The Japanese voice actors from the live-action Supernatural, Yuya Uchida and Hiroki Touchi, also returned to voice Sam and Dean in the anime.
The 22-episode anime series, Supernatural: The Animation, adapts the main story from the first two seasons of Supernatural. However, it also includes original stories that delve deeper into the Winchesters’ early years, develops existing characters, and introduces new demonic threats. The anime format allows for more graphic violence and intense scares, and it reimagines classic Supernatural monsters in a uniquely terrifying way.
The anime adapts the world of Supernatural across 22 episodes. Twelve of these episodes retell classic stories from the original series, while the other ten are brand new. This mix is a smart way to both introduce new viewers to the show’s core ideas and offer something fresh for longtime fans. Someone watching the anime could easily start with the third season of the live-action Supernatural. And for those already familiar with the show, these episodes aren’t just a rehash – it’s interesting to see familiar stories reimagined in a shorter format, with the benefit of years of hindsight.
Supernatural: The Animation Is an Exemplary Horror Anime
As a huge Supernatural fan, I was so excited about Supernatural: The Animation, and it really delivered! It feels genuinely connected to the world Eric Kripke built – it’s respectful of the original and doesn’t feel like a weird, out-of-place spin-off. But what’s really cool is that even if you’ve never seen Supernatural before, you can still jump in and totally enjoy the anime. It’s made in a way that’s welcoming to everyone!
There’s consistently a lot of programming in the horror genre, so an anime adaptation of Supernatural feels natural. It fits better than trying to adapt shows like Dawson’s Creek or Gilmore Girls. Supernatural: The Animation successfully captures the feel and storytelling style of the original show, and that actually works well with the episode-based structure common in many horror anime.
The animation for Supernatural was done by Madhouse, a highly respected studio known for its work on darker, more intense anime. Shows like Paranoia Agent, Hellsing Ultimate, Claymore, Parasyte: The Maxim, and Boogiepop Phantom all have a similar feel to Supernatural. Madhouse was a great choice to bring these horror stories to life in anime form, as a mismatch between the animation style and the story’s tone can often ruin an adaptation.
Many horror anime draw inspiration from Japanese folklore, urban legends, and stories about supernatural creatures called yokai. Supernatural: The Animation takes a unique approach by blending these Japanese elements with its own Western influences. Instead of forcing a reason to send the characters Sam and Dean to Japan, the anime naturally weaves in opportunities to teach American viewers about Japanese demons, and introduces Japanese audiences to American cryptids and the kind of investigative horror stories rarely seen in anime.
The animated series Supernatural: The Animation continues the tradition of its live-action counterpart by featuring classic monsters like vampires, werewolves, ghosts, and angels. But it also adds a unique twist by including creatures from Japanese folklore, such as Binbogami and Kappa. The show cleverly combines these different worlds, particularly when locations like Louisiana and Las Vegas become meeting points for both American and international entities. This blending feels seamless and organic, rather than forced or simply a way to check off a list of monsters.
Supernatural: The Animation Was Ahead of Pop Culture’s Biggest Trends
The popularity of Supernatural: The Animation proved that other American franchises with international fans could successfully be adapted in a similar way. It was a pioneering effort, and it’s a shame it took almost ten years for others to try it. It’s fitting that the series was originally developed through a Warner Bros. Japan initiative, because Warner Bros. Animation is now leading the current wave of anime adaptations based on American stories.
I’m a huge anime fan, and it’s always exciting to see how other properties get the anime treatment! We’ve seen a lot of anime adapted for Western audiences, but it’s way rarer to see the reverse happen. Lately though, things are changing! We’ve gotten anime versions of Rick and Morty, Suicide Squad Isekai, and soon, even Scooby-Doo with Go-Go Mystery Machine! It’s cool to see them learning from what Supernatural: The Animation did – finding that sweet spot between staying true to the original and bringing something new to the table.
We can expect to see more American TV shows adapted into anime in the future. Supernatural: The Animation, which debuted 15 years ago, was ahead of its time and still stands out. It makes you think about how well shows like Buffy the Vampire Slayer, The X-Files, or Fringe could work as anime. Viewers are open to fresh takes on familiar stories, and Supernatural: The Animation‘s single season deserves recognition for being a successful adaptation, a compelling horror anime, and a solid entry in the Supernatural universe.
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2026-02-27 00:42