For years, Suikoden fans could only dream of seeing the world of Suikoden II brought to life outside of the original game.

Now, that dream has finally become a reality with Suikoden: The Anime.

Episode 1, titled “Hometown”, marks the beginning of this new adaptation of one of the most beloved stories in the Suikoden series. It takes us back to the Dunan region, following Riliu and Jowy as their lives are thrown into chaos and the events that will shape their destiny begin to unfold.

As someone who has spent a lot of time exploring, discussing and analysing the Suikoden series, I went into this first episode with a mixture of excitement and caution. Adapting Suikoden II is no small task. The original game has an enormous cast, a complex political story, memorable character moments and plenty of details that fans have carried with them for decades.

So, does the anime manage to capture what made Suikoden II so special?

That is what I wanted to find out.

In this review, I take a look at the first episode from the perspective of a long-time Suikoden fan. I’ll be looking at the story, characters, animation, music, changes from the original game and, most importantly, whether this adaptation feels like Suikoden.

There will be spoilers for the first episode, so if you have not watched it yet, consider this your warning.

For everyone else, let’s return to the Dunan region and see how Suikoden II’s journey begins all over again.