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Knights of Sidonia Gets 2021 Film With All-New Story

Polygon Pictures announced on Friday that it is producing a new anime film based on Tsutomu Nihei's Knights of Sidonia (Sidonia no Kishi) manga. The new film, titled Sidonia no Kishi: Ai Tsumugu Hoshi (Knights of Sidonia: The Star Where Love is Spun), will open in 2021. The teaser promotional video below features the insert song "Utsusemi" by CAPSULE.

The new film will take a different path from the manga, and will feature a brand new story supervised by Nihei. The film will have a returning cast.

Knights of Sidonia anime co-director Hiroyuki Seshita is returning as the chief director for the film, while Tadahiro Yoshihira, the previous editor for the anime, is now directing this new film in Polygon Pictures. Sadayuki Murai and Tetsuya Yamada return to pen the script. Mitsunori Kataama is returning as art director, while Reiji Nagazono is the animation director. Naoya Tanaka is returning for production design. Masayuki Uemoto is a returning CG supervisor alongside Takuma Ishibashi. Shūji Katayama is composing the music.

Other returning staff members include Mitsuo Yoshino as background art director, Hironori Nochi as color designer, and Yoshikazu Iwanami as sound director. CAPSULE is performing the theme song and insert songs for the film. King Record is producing the music. Clockworx is distributing the film.

Nihei and Seshita previously discussed the possibility of a third season for the anime in 2016. Nihei said, "I'm also waiting for Sidonia 3! But I'm not the one who is making it or getting funding for it. So it's up to this guy" and pointed at Seshita.

Seshita then said, "I don't have time to do it right now, but I'll definitely get to it. So if you watch and support Knights of Sidonia and do the same for Blame!, that will increase our chances of that coming true." Seshita was referring to the then-upcoming new anime film adaptation of Nihei's Blame! manga, which has since debuted in 2017, under Seshita's direction.

The first 12-episode season of Knights of Sidonia premiered in Japan in April 2014. The second 12-episode season, titled Knights of Sidonia: Battle for Planet Nine, premiered in April 2015. Netflix streamed both seasons of the anime adaptation after they aired in Japan. Sentai Filmworks released the first season on Blu-ray Disc and DVD in June 2015, and released the second season on Blu-ray Disc and DVD in November 2016.

A theatrical film compiling all 12 episodes of the first season with new sequences and redone sound effects opened in Japan in March 2015, and Sentai Filmworks' release of the second season included the film.

Vertical Comics released all 15 volumes of the original Knights of Sidonia manga in North America.

Sources: Knights of Sidonia: Ai Tsumugu Hoshi's website, Comic Natalie