Ask John: Could the Zeiram Franchise Get Revived?

Question:
I was just watching Iria: Zeiram the Animation the other day and I find it very unique with the settings of the background and gadget interface. Is there any possibility of Iria being remake or a sequel coming? If not, is the creator of Iria planning on releasing any other anime?

Answer:
I think that the Iria franchise is finished, if for no other reason than because it’s been dormant for so long. The Zeiram franchise launched in 1991 with creator/director Keita Amemiya’s live action sci-fi action film Zeiram. In 1994 Amemiya directed the sequel live action film Zeiram 2. 1994 was also the year the semi-prequel anime series Iria: Zeiram the Animation was released. The Iria anime spun off into the 1995 Super Famicom shooting game Hyper Iria. The live action movies served as a loose basis for Banpresto’s 1996 Playstation action game Zeiram Zone. The Hyper Iria game featured a 2D sprite recreation of Iria from the anime. The Zeiram Zone shooting game starred a CG Polygon Iria based on Keita Amemiya’s original movie concept design art. Author Matsumoto Hajime’s Zeiram: The Novel was published in January 1995. And Amemiya and artist Takashi Shimizu published one volume of Zeiram manga in June 1995.

Since the mid 90s, Amemiya has kept busy, working on other uniquely stylized projects including directing the 1997 Moon Over Tao sci-fi/action/fantasy movie, the 2000 big budget live-action Tekkouki Mikazuki robot series, creating the concept for the 2004 “Tweeny Witches” anime television series, directing the popular 2005 late night live-action hero show Garo, and serving as creator and illustrator for the 2006 G-9 OVA. In effect, the Zeiram franchise seems to have been out of the public eye for the past 13 years, at least, and original creator Keita Amemiya has moved on to numerous other projects.

I’d certainly be as pleased as anyone to see a Zeiram revival. I watched the original live action film back in 1991 when it was first released. I eagerly anticipated the sequel and the anime. I played the Zeiram Zone game. I even bought the Zeiram rip-off Space Hunter Miki, a boring, low budget 1996 live action movie starring J-pop vocalist and anime voice actress Chisa Yokoyama. I’ve been wrong before, and I’m sure I’ll make incorrect predictions in the future, but I feel quite confident in predicting that the Zeiram franchise is finished. Zeiram is particularly memorable, in part, because of its unique visual design. However, if you can be satisfied with anime about alien female bounty hunters, try Figure 17 or Tetsuwan Birdy. Or for just a great anime about cute girls and bizarre monsters, track down a copy of Alien Nine.