Microids announces adaptation of ’70s manga Space Adventure Cobra

The original Space Cowboy

Microids, a publisher with more than a slight obsession with old-school licenses, has announced that it has signed a deal with legendary anime studio TMS Entertainment to produce a video game based upon the classic manga and anime franchise Space Adventure Cobra.

Drawn and penned by Buichi Terasawa and released in 1978, Cobra detailed the dangerous, action-packed adventures of a rogueish, interstellar badass, who has made so many enemies over the years that he alters his appearance and wipes his memory in order to start a new life. However, those old familiar feelings come creeping back, Total Recall-style, and soon Cobra is back in the stars, battling badguys and wooing women, accompanied by his sexy android companion, Lady Armadroid.

Influenced by westerns, samurai films, and the James Bond franchise, Cobra would receive a television anime adaptation in 1982, as well as a theatrical film the same year, both titled Space Adventure Cobra. The franchise would be revisited in 2006 with a short, six-episode OVA. There were also several video games, produced for the Japanese market, on PC Engine and Sega CD. The latter was released in the west under the hilariously bland title of The Space Adventure.

“We are extremely excited to work on this adaptation of Space Adventure Cobra, a legendary anime which has inspired a whole generation of fans,” said Microids CEO Stephane Longeard of the deal. “We are committed to respecting the universe and characters created by Buichi Terasawa, while providing an immersive gameplay experience, faithful to the spirit of the anime series. The Cobra game promises to be a great adventure for fans and gamers looking for a rich and compelling universe.”

Space Adventure Cobra is currently in pre-production for PC and consoles