Eleceed Anime Adaptation Confirmed for 2026 Release by Academy Award-Nominated Studio
The billion-view webtoon gets star treatment from DandeLion Animation Studio and veteran anime creators
The massively popular Korean webtoon "Eleceed" is officially getting an anime adaptation, set to premiere in 2026. The announcement came Tuesday with the release of a teaser trailer and key visual, confirming DandeLion Animation Studio as the production company.
Director Hiroshi Nishikiori (Honey Lemon Soda, IDOLiSH7 Movie) will helm the project, with My Hero Academia's Yousuke Kuroda handling series composition and Gridman Universe's Minami Sakura designing characters. This represents one of the strongest creative lineups for a webtoon adaptation to date.
DandeLion Animation Studio brings serious credentials to the project. The studio earned an Academy Award nomination for their short film "Magic Candies" and achieved massive success with "The First Slam Dunk," which became Japan's 12th highest-grossing film of all time.
Created by Jeho Son (Noblesse) and illustrated by ZHENA, Eleceed has surpassed 1.42 billion global views since launching in 2018. The action-fantasy series follows Jiwoo, a kindhearted teenager with lightning-fast reflexes, who rescues an injured cat that turns out to be Kayden-the world's strongest "Awakened" being trapped in feline form.
The webtoon is currently available in 10 languages and consistently ranks as a top performer in North America, Asia, and Europe.
Creator Jeho Son expressed his excitement: "It feels like a dream to finally share the news that Eleceed is getting an anime adaptation! This is all thanks to our incredible readers who have loved and supported the series."
The adaptation comes amid a surge of Korean webtoon anime projects. Following Solo Leveling's breakout success, studios are increasingly looking to manhwa for source material, though results have been mixed-making Eleceed's high-profile production team particularly significant.
DandeLion Animation Studio president Kazuhiro Nishikawa will appear at Anime Expo 2025 in Los Angeles on July 6 to share production insights. The studio's track record suggests fans can expect high-quality CGI animation that stays faithful to the source material's dynamic action sequences.
With its proven global fanbase, experienced production team, and backing from an Oscar-nominated studio, Eleceed appears positioned to become the next major Korean webtoon success story when it debuts in 2026.