Festivals - Annecy 2025 : Cobra : Mangouste Anim Revives a Galactic Legend

By Mulder, 13 june 2025

At the heart of the Annecy International Animation Film Festival 2025, amidst the bustling panels and international celebrations of animation, a single announcement cut through the noise like the iconic blast of the Psychogun: Mangouste Anim, the French studio known for its bold creative choices, revealed that it had acquired the worldwide adaptation rights to the legendary Japanese manga Cobra, created by the visionary Buichi Terasawa. For longtime fans, especially those who grew up in 1980s France watching Cobra on “Récré A2,” this news was more than a nostalgia trip—it was a long-awaited return of a cultural titan, reborn for a new generation with all the swagger, style, and sci-fi bravado that made it unforgettable.

Space Adventure Cobra, is no ordinary manga. Debuting in Weekly Shōnen Jump in 1978, it quickly became one of the publication’s best-selling series, moving over 50 million copies worldwide. But its true cultural alchemy happened in France, where the space opera met the imaginations of a young audience who had never seen a hero quite like Cobra: part Jean-Paul Belmondo, part James Bond, part outlaw samurai. With his concealed weapon—the iconic Psychogun built into his left arm—and his chrome-armored companion Lady Armaroid, Cobra wasn’t just a rebel; he was a romantic, a playboy, and a symbol of cosmic cool. Buichi Terasawa, deeply inspired by Osamu Tezuka, David Bowie, and Barbarella, crafted a universe that fused Spaghetti Westerns with space-age sensuality. It's no surprise that French filmmakers like Luc Besson and Alexandre Aja cited it as a foundational influence. At Annecy, Mangouste Anim didn’t just announce a show—they reignited a legacy.

While attempts have been made over the decades to resurrect Cobra—from the gorgeously animated Cobra the Animation in the late 2000s to Alexandre Aja’s ultimately thwarted Hollywood live-action attempt in the 2010s—none have yet fully captured the franchise’s grandeur and pulp energy on a global scale. Annecy 2025, therefore, marks a turning point. Not only is this new animated series aimed squarely at a global audience, it is backed by a studio that understands Cobra’s cross-cultural DNA. Mangouste Anim has reportedly planned a series that honors Buichi Terasawa’s visual and narrative ethos while updating its aesthetic with modern animation techniques. Anecdotally, insiders at the festival described concept art that blends the retro-futurism of Space Cobra with the kinetic elegance of French-Japanese hybrid animation, hinting at a style that could rival Arcane in boldness and Cowboy Bebop in attitude.

The announcement at Annecy was a full-circle moment for a franchise that has always danced at the edges of East and West. Cobra’s flamboyant tone, irreverent humor, and unapologetic sensuality struck a chord in 1980s Europe, a time when the French public was discovering anime beyond the sanitized edits of Saturday morning cartoons. Its space-faring tales echoed Star Wars, but its moral ambiguity and aesthetic flamboyance felt more akin to a psychedelic Zardoz meets Outlaw Star. And for many French viewers, hearing the soaring theme “Cobraaaa!” on TV became as much a part of their childhood as Goldorak or Captain Harlock. Now, with Mangouste’s modern adaptation, that signature energy has a chance to evolve—not as a reboot, but as a bold second chapter.

It’s also worth noting that this revival is arriving at a time when nostalgia is driving the pop culture economy, but rarely with this much artistic credibility. While other properties are being mechanically recycled, Cobra carries with it a mythic quality. After all, Buichi Terasawa didn’t just create a manga—he architected a multimedia cosmos. There were games (including 2025’s Space Adventure Cobra: The Awakening by Microids), OVAs, anime, novels, and collectibles ranging from Cobra’s laser gun replicas to limited-edition whiskey. Even now, years after his passing in 2023, Terasawa’s legacy continues to pulse through new works like Over the Rainbow, the final manga saga he launched before his death, leaving behind a trail of stories just waiting to be adapted.

Whether Mangouste Anim’s new series follows the original arc with the Royal Sisters and the nefarious Crystal Bowie, or chooses to explore lesser-known storylines like Magic Doll or Rugball, the possibilities are enticing. At Annecy, there was already speculation among attendees—some hoping for a serialized epic in the style of The Mandalorian, others dreaming of an anthology structure akin to Love, Death & Robots. The only confirmed detail is that Mangouste intends this to be a high-end production targeting both nostalgic adults and curious new viewers, which bodes well for an ambitious, style-forward adaptation.

In the grand scheme of anime history, Cobra has always been a bit of a paradox—wildly influential yet too often overlooked in the West. With this revival, and with Annecy 2025 as its launchpad, that could finally change. This is not just another anime revival. This is the return of a legend who once erased his memory to escape fame—only to discover that some heroes, some guns, and some galactic love stories are too iconic to ever be forgotten. As fans left the Annecy panel, one phrase kept echoing in hushed tones and wide grins: Cobra is back. And this time, the galaxy is watching.

(Source : press release)