Blade & Soul

Blade & Soul was released in 2014 as an anime adaptation of the popular South Korean MMORPG developed by NCSoft. Produced by the studio GONZO, the series was designed to translate the game's wuxia-inspired fantasy aesthetic into a standalone narrative. It follows the protagonist, Alka, a master assassin seeking vengeance for the death of her mentor, blending the game's signature martial arts themes with a darker, character-driven plot.

The adaptation was met with a polarized reception from both the gaming community and anime audiences. While the production benefited from the established visual identity of the game—notably the character designs by Hyung-tae Kim, which were adapted for the screen—critics often pointed to the divergence between the series' narrative arc and the source material's deep lore. Despite these critiques, the show remains a notable example of the trend during the mid-2010s of expanding prominent online game franchises into episodic television formats.