Not many anime fans may know this, but the worlds and characters animated byStudio Pierrotnot only includeNarutoandBlack Clover, but also aPower Stonevideo game adaptation from 1999. Coinciding with the release of the games for the Sega NAOMI arcade setup and ported to the Dreamcast, the series spawned one sequel while avoiding being doomed to obscurity, even being revived in 2025 as part ofCapcom Fighting Collection 2.Pierrot’s anime, like many shows from 1999 and the surrounding decade, inject enthusiasm and heart into its production for nostalgic fans to enjoy.
Power Stoneis an uncommonly obscure anime despite it being about a Capcom franchise,with it being largely unavailable to stream and DVDs for the series being tricky to find at online retailers. The series even had a limited release in North American markets, with Canada getting it broadcast in 2003, well past the lifespan ofPower Stone, Power Stone 2,or the Dreamcast. Still, it provides a hilarious and youth-oriented glimpse at one of arena fighting games' earliest staples, with each main character a pastiche on genres ahead of franchises that would soon dominate the medium.
Power Stone Anime Ages Well as a Fighting Game Adaptation
Pierrot’s Animation Makes Up for a Simple Story and Basic Visuals
Power Stonecenters on Edward Falcon, heir to the Falcon family, whose call to adventure comes after his father gifts him one of the eponymous Power Stones. While Falcon is largely uninterested, wishing instead to become a boxing legend to rival the likes of his idol, Valgas, he quickly learns the gem’s value, bestowing him strange powers to fight off thieves who would stand to steal it.This prompts Falcon to search for his father, who went abroad to investigate the mystery of the Power Stones, with Falcon’s being the first of seven scattered around the world.
Long ago, from the land where legends are born, it is said that one strange and special night, a night shrouded in mystery, seven sacred stones received a magical burst of energy. The stones grew so powerful that nothing could contain them. When these seven stones are reunited, a new age of miracles and wonders will occur.
-Power Stone opening narration
The concept ofPower Stoneis rather simple. Still, it paces out its introduction of memorable characters from the first game quite well, with viewers growing comfortable with Falcon as the blonde-haired, flirtatious boxer in a pilot getup. Soon, the fighting game qualities come about as Falcon meets others who seek the Power Stones, such as fortune-teller Rouge, samurai Ryoma, the ninja Ayame, martial artist Wang-Tang, the deranged Jack Winslow, bounty hunter Galuda, and pirate Kraken.Each character gets a corresponding transformation based on their “theme” with exciting results.
However, perhaps the most impressive aspect ofPower Stoneis its animation, which creatively uses each character’s transformed states to resolve various issues or cleverly dispatch their nemeses.The opening sequence is mesmerizing, even if the English dub opening song lyrics are about as aggressively “nineties” as possible. The fighting animation is strongly satisfying, especially in terms of Saturday morning cartoon entertainment. Viewers can reasonably watchPower Stoneand come out of it picking a favorite character they’d wish to play, which is likely the intended point of the anime.
90s Kids and Sega Fans Will Find Power Stone Anime Deeply Nostalgic
A Beloved Bygone Era of Video Game Adaptations
The 1990s were chock-full of anime adaptations of popular franchises, particularly video games such asMedabotsorMonster Rancher.Power Stonewas as much for the fans as any other franchise. The anime aired in limited capacities in subsequent years, such as on Canada’s YTV network or Globo in Brazil,potentially a last hurrah forPower Stonefans as the game faded into relative obscurity. But, withPower Stone’slimited presence as an arena fighter, especially dwarfed in popularity bySuper Smash Bros.and on a platform whose market share was nonexistent, the anime became a distant memory for viewers.
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Still, this doesn’t deter intrepid anime aficionados from seeking out properties likePower Stoneto enjoy the series from their youth, and with great reason.Immortal Grand Prix, Toonami’s first original anime, is only slightly more accessible thanks to its first season being available to stream on the Adult Swim website, yet for those seeking its original microseries or season 2, they’ll similarly need to seek out the DVDs or Blu-rays. In the case ofPower Stone, with twenty-six episodes available across six DVDs,the series is a collector’s item that surely deserves a remaster.
Since then, Pierrot has adopted a more seasonal and selective anime model.Power Stoneis a remnant ofPierrot’s once more prolific past, predating its biggest hits likeNarutoorBlack Clover.The series presents an original roster of characters that pay homage toa broad spectrum of pop culture, action, and adventure genres with aesthetics from across the globe. It’s no surprise thatPower Stone’sanime will appeal to fans of the battle shōnen genre, as it boasts pastiche like those that aren’t easily found in other anime without feeling painfully derivative.
Different Favorite Characters Could Influence Future Favorite Anime
Each of the main characters inPower Stonehad a gimmick corresponding with their playable character in the video game. Once they activated a Power Stone, they couldtransform into a persona themed after their genre inspiration. This meant characters like Falcon would become an anachronistic jetpack-wearing superhero, resembling something fromThe Rocketeeror a Tokusatsu action series. Ryoma’s transformed state looked like a silver-clad character ofRonin Warriors, Ayame was a hot pink-clad kunoichi with a massive shuriken on her back, and more.
Each character inPower Stonewould typically have their transformations revealed several episodes apart, pacing out their powers to the point where Galuda’s introduction and awakening wouldn’t come until the latter half of the series. Perhaps the most recognizable pastiche among thePower Stonecast is eitherWang-Tang’s Super Saiyan-esque transformation, complete with a clear Spirit Bomb reference, or Gunrock’s Marvel inspiration showing, turning into The Thing, essentially. Crucially, unlike other anime of the era, each attack was surprisingly well-animated and tailored to the given situations in which they’re used.
Aside from coming out ofan underappreciated arena fighterbefore the 2000 release of a sequel that’d perfect it,Power Stone’sgreatest misfortune is thatit came along before anime was truly mainstreamon a broader scale. The series is fun, and it’s interesting to see the video game characters interacting in diverse manners with certain dynamics being more interesting than others, such as Rouge’s chemistry with Ryoma, or Ayame’s initial thieving mendacity and budding affection for Falcon.Power Stoneis a special, if obscure, anime that has left many fans hoping to see more of the franchise.
