The landscape of adult animation has taken a new breath in recent years, particularly thanks to bold and visually stunning anthology formats like Love, Death & Robots on Netflix or more recently Secret Level on Prime Video.
Imagine for a moment: an episode of Love, Death & Robots or Secret Level bearing the visual and narrative touch of Ankama Animations. This idea, though hypothetical, is mouthwatering. Ankama has proven over the years that it masters the art of combining vibrant aesthetics, epic stories, and a touch of inimitable humor. So, why not dream of a collaboration with these animated anthologies that push the boundaries of creativity?
Love, Death & Robots, with its standalone episodes exploring science fiction, horror, and fantasy, is an ideal showcase for the diversity of animation styles. Each episode is a blank canvas given to studios from around the world, from Blur Studio to more independent teams. Ankama, with its manga-inspired style but deeply rooted in its own identity, could bring a unique freshness. Think of the dreamlike landscapes of the World of Twelve, the vibrant colors, and the character designs that oscillate between elegance and eccentricity. An episode directed by Ankama could plunge us into a futuristic fable where steampunk deities clash in a universe at the crossroads of Wakfu and Blade Runner.
Now, this is exactly what Love, Death & Robots and Secret Level are looking for: a diversity of styles, genres, and tones, carried by animation talents from different horizons.
On its side, Secret Level, which adapts video game universes into animated short films, offers an equally exciting playground. Ankama has already proven with Dofus: Book 1 – Julith its ability to create immersive stories drawn from its own video game universe. Why not imagine an episode inspired by a fictional game or even an existing title, reinterpreted in the Ankama style? What form would it take? Would it be a story set in an unexplored corner of the Krosmoz, accessible without prior knowledge, offering a more mature or horrific facet of this universe? Especially since Ankama will try with a mini-series Morshiken (scheduled for release this year on YouTube) that does not break the codes of animation, but aims to “break the fourth wall” like Deadpool. Or perhaps a completely original story, created specifically for the anthology, allowing Ankama to experiment with a new genre while retaining its unique graphic style? An episode directed by Ankama could explore a forgotten legend, the tragic fate of a secondary character, an extremely stylized battle scene, or even a simple poetic or wild slice of life in an unusual setting, all with that fluidity of animation and artistic direction that is uniquely theirs. It would be an exceptional showcase for the French studio on a global scale, placing it alongside animation giants and emerging talents.
What makes Love, Death & Robots and Secret Level so captivating are their condensed, often provocative stories that blend action, emotion, and unexpected twists. Ankama excels in this area. Its series like Wakfu know how to balance epic narratives with moments of intimacy, while slipping deep themes under accessible appearances. We have already been treated to OVA for Wakfu like Ogrest, the legend or Noximilien the clockmaker with very dark stories that make you think, nevertheless, the DA of these OVA had been delegated to other studios (Japanese for example). The new Ankama series in the Dofus universe, Welsh & Shedar, will return in 2026, after the project was abandoned in 2012. This one will be directed by a Japanese studio, but scripted and produced by the French studio. The series will adopt a typically Japanese anime DA.
Ankama is not a giant like Pixar or DreamWorks, and that is precisely what makes it a perfect candidate for these anthologies. Love, Death & Robots and Secret Level value unique voices, those that dare to step off the beaten path. The Roubaix studio, with its independent DNA and its community of passionate fans, could bring a welcome European perspective to these series dominated by Anglo-Saxon or Asian studios.
The episodes, ranging from 5 to 17 minutes, go from classic 2D to photorealistic 3D. This suggests very variable costs per episode, probably between $500,000 and several million dollars per episode, depending on the complexity of the animation and the studio involved. For example, photorealistic episodes like Beyond the Aquila Rift require significant technical resources, while 2D episodes, like Zima Blue, might be less expensive.
Of course, this is just a dream, an idea thrown on paper. Production constraints, schedules, and real opportunities are all factors that make such a project complex to achieve. But the exercise of thinking about this potential collaboration is stimulating in itself. No statement announces such a collaboration, and Ankama is probably busy developing its own projects, like the fifth season of Wakfu or new series. However, the idea of an Ankama-signed episode in Love, Death & Robots or Secret Level is too seductive not to be shared. These series thrive on their ability to surprise, to marry bold artistic visions with stories that leave a mark. Ankama, with its rich universe and know-how, has everything to leave a memorable imprint.
So, to you, Tim Miller, David Fincher, and Netflix, or Amazon Prime Video: what if you gave Ankama a chance? A 15-minute episode could be enough to thrill millions of viewers and prove, once again, that French animation has its place among the greatest. Seeing Ankama appear in the credits of an episode would be a landmark event. Let’s hope that, perhaps one day, this simple idea can make its way and come to fruition on screen. The creative potential is immense.