With a series of banger animations in recent years like Seis Manos, Blood of Zeus, and Castlevania on Netflix, Powerhouse Animation has shown that they can deliver great stories populated by unforgettable characters and deliver kick-ass action sequences. With these particular talents, it feels like a natural fit for Powerhouse Animation to bring the world of The Old Guard to animated life. And in case you desire more in-depth arguments, here are my top five reasons why.
5) The Fight Scenes They Could Craft for The Old Gaurd
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Whether it’s whips and sword, magic and sorcery, or good old-fashioned kung-fu, Powerhouse Animation has shown an aptitude for crafting gorgeous fight sequences that are tailor-designed to any given fighter’s particular style. Given the longevity and wealth of experience accrued by some of The Old Guard‘s cast, I can just imagine how uniquely Powerhouse Animation would craft each character’s signature style. From the modern military training of Nile to the crusader era building blocks of Joe and Nicky, and Andy cutting swathes of enemies down with her trademark battle-ax, every character would dance their own steps in the many brutal fight sequences the show would deliver.
4) I’d Love to See Powerhouse Handle a More Grounded Story
Despite the quasi-immortal state of its cast, this series would be easily the most grounded story the animation studio has yet to tell. With no magic, gods, or possessions in sight, Powerhouse Animation would have to keep the energy, excitement, and drama of The Old Guard going without all the fantasy trappings we have become accustomed to. Seeing the animation house trade in magic spells for M-16s would be an interesting change-up. Plus, given how well they delivered on the politics of vampires and Greek gods, I would love to see them tackle the modern-day politics of our world.
3) Powerhouse Knows How to Utilize the M Rating for Narrative Properly
The Old Guard‘s slogan is “This is a fairy tale of blood and bullets.” Whether your experience with the property is with the original comic series or the Netflix live-action adaptation, you understand that this slogan is well earned. While the implied levels of violence inherent in this slogan are undoubtedly present, something that elevates the series above many other action series is how well it explores the effects of the nearly endless waves of violence have on its core cast. Their outlooks about the world and their feelings about their own “gift” are thoroughly explored and fully realized.
Powerhouse Animation would be perfect to deliver The Old Guard‘s deeper themes that stem from its M rating violence to life. With how well the production house has delved into themes like trauma, struggle for agency, and even how they have utilized sex for more than just steamy moments, Powerhouse Animation seems like the perfect fit to explore all the deeper themes that make The Old Guard great.
2) Getting to Explore Tales Through Time
Instead of continuing the present-day adventures of Andy and Company, this year The Old Guard series delivered a six-issue anthology of stories titled Tales Through Time. Since Netflix has already announced a live-action follow-up to the first movie, a series that explores the past may be a better fit for an animation adaptation.
Seeing Powerhouse Animation jump through the ages with The Old Guard would hold a ton of potential for the gifted storytellers to explore. It could even be used as a chance for the studio to explore new art styles for different periods. The opportunities are truly endless as the potential scale of such a project could be. The project could be an entire season of adventures or a single anthology movie in the vein of The Animatrix or Halo Legends.
1) Powerhouse Delivers on Powerful Female Characters
One of the greatest aspects of the studio’s previous works is the number and variety of their amazing female characters. From heroic characters that prove “soft is strong” to villainesses that rule through strength, passion, or cruel manipulation, the studio has shown that it loves to create fully realized female characters and sees no need to hem them into any particular mold or role. This fantastic skill at capturing the power and personality of female characters would make Powerhouse Animation the perfect company to bring The Old Guard‘s leading character Andromache of Scythia. Andy for short.
Through the two main volumes and one anthology series thus far released, The Old Guard paints Andy as a complicated and nuanced character that never fits into any given character mold. Given that her life predates recorded history, it makes sense that Andy would come across as something truly unique. With Powerhouse Animation’s willingness to craft characters that break the molds that many media clings to, I think they would be a fantastic choice to bring this character to life without trying to force her into a particular, preexisting mold.
And there you have it. Those are my five reasons why I would love to see Powerhouse Animation adapt The Old Guard.
