Fans of another popular graphic novel in the Philippines rallied for its anime adaptation following the success of Netflix’s “Trese.”
Edgar Calabia Samar, award-winning novelist, shared that he received messages from fans who are anticipating the possible animated series adaptation of “Janus Silang.”
In a tweet on June 13, Samar thanked his fans. He also cited a screenshot of a tweet of another celebrated writer Jerry Gracio who is similarly looking forward to the anime adaptation of “Janus Silang.”
“Di ako nakakapagbukas ng Twitter kaya di ko nakikita ang tweets, pero maraming salamat sa mga nagtu-tweet at nag-aabang sa Janus Silang!” Samar said.
“May nagpadala lang nito sa akin at yes, kapatid na @JerryGracio, simulan na nating samahan si Janus na labanan ang tiyanak!” he added.
Di ako nakakapagbukas ng Twitter kaya di ko nakikita ang tweets, pero maraming salamat sa mga nagtu-tweet at nag-aabang sa Janus Silang! ✨❤️✊🏼 May nagpadala lang nito sa akin at yes, kapatid na @JerryGracio, simulan na nating samahan si Janus na labanan ang Tiyanak! ✨🙏🏼 pic.twitter.com/VlIMDUhOuM
— Edgar Calabia Samar (@ecsamar) June 13, 2021
In Gracio’s tweet on June 12, he wrote: “After Trese, Janus. Let’s do this na, jusko!”
Netflix’s first Filipino occult anime Trese is based on comic book series created by Budjette Tan and Kajo Baldisimo of the same name. The comic series was initially released late 2005.
It follows the adventures of shaman detective Alexandra Trese and her twin henchmen Crispin and Basilio as they tackle the crimes of supernatural origins in Manila.
The series, both animated and comic books, features beliefs and creatures from Philippine folklore.
Similarly, Samar’s work “Janus Silang” also showcases the rich folklore and culture of the Philippines in a modern, urban setting.
The story follows a young video gamer named Janus who competed in an online tournament called TALA Online. His adventure starts after all the players died except for him.
It was published in 2014 and currently has four parts in the series.
Fans later joined in the chorus of support to have Samar’s books reach an international audience and have them adopted into animation as well.
“Y’all Philippines is ready for this! Let’s go for Janus Silang!” one Twitter user wrote.
“If ya’ll liked Trese, consider Janus Silang series by Edgar Calabia Samar. Janus Silang is a teen in Balanga, Bataan who is one of the top players of Tala Online, a video game set in a world populated by Filipino mythological creatures,” another user wrote.
“Okay, @cartoonnetwork or @Nickelodeon, when’s it coming? Chas,” one user said.
In 2017, a theater group in Ateneo de Manila University adapted the first book “Si Janus SIlang at ang Tiyanak ng Tabon” into a stage play.
The following year, in 2018, ABS-CBN managed to acquire television rights to Samar’s best-selling young adult series.
As of writing, there are no updates on the network’s plans to adapt the books into its own TV series.
