Golden Axe Swings From Arcade Cabinets to Paramount+ This September

Arcade floors once filled with the clatter of joysticks as players guided a barbarian, a sorceress, and a dwarf across fantasy landscapes filled with beasts and bandits. SEGA’s 1989 side-scrolling fighter Golden Axe delivered pure power fantasy in short, intense bursts. Now those same characters are returning in a full animated series that puts their personalities under closer scrutiny while keeping the monster-smashing spirit intact.

All ten episodes will premiere on Paramount+ on a Wednesday in September, specifically on the 16th. CBS Eye Animation Productions, Sony Pictures Television, and Original Film collaborated on the new show, which is animated by Titmouse. Mike McMahan and Joe Chandler collaborated to create the series and created the first episode; Chandler also serves as showrunner, and a handful of SEGA executives are on board to ensure the license is handled properly.

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We pick up with the classic trio of Ax Battler, Tyris Flare, and Gilius Thunderhead, who are pushed back together since, as you might expect, Death Adder has a horrible habit of remaining alive. Things get problematic as soon as Hampton Squib joins the party; the guy has spent his entire life thinking of adventure, but when the going gets tough, he realizes he is poorly unprepared. Now they must work together and use their various skills to save Yuria.

Matthew Rhys adds a lot of snark to Gilius Thunderhead, a foulmouthed combat dwarf with questionable personal habits. Danny Pudi plays Hampton Squib, and the poor guy’s passion greatly exceeds his actual ability. Lisa Gilroy transforms Tyris Flare into a snappy-mouthed fighting sorceress who is equally likely to give you lip as she is to blast you with magic. Liam McIntyre portrays Ax Battler as a hunky barbarian with a code and a heart of gold. Carl Tart plays Chronos “Evil” Lait, a human panther with a theatrical streak that borders on absurd.

With Star Trek: Lower Decks and Solar Opposites under his blet, McMahan has already demonstrated his ability to balance large laughs with real passion for the content. Golden Ax never had to be fancy or detailed to be spectacular. Players simply wanted to crush things with a large ax or start fires with their magic. The animated series retains the same simple delights while adding a touch of character conflict to give it some actual depth, and Death Adder is just the type of challenge that keeps you going back for more.

So, if you used to pump quarters into the arcade game back in the day, you can rediscover the old crew with fresh voices and fleshed-out personalities, while everyone else can enjoy a comprehensive fantasy adventure that doesn’t take itself too seriously. All 10 episodes are released at once, allowing you to form your own opinion on how well everything works out.