| Leviathan | |
 Promotional poster featuring protagonistsDeryn Sharp (foreground) and Aleksandar von Hohenberg (back) | |
| リヴァイアサン (Rivaiasan) | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Steampunk |
| Created by | Scott Westerfeld |
| Original net animation | |
| Directed by | Christophe Ferreira |
| Produced by |
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| Written by |
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| Music by |
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| Licensed by | Netflix |
| Released | July 10, 2025 |
| Runtime | 22–29 minutes |
| Episodes | 12 |
Leviathan (Japanese:リヴァイアサン,Hepburn:Rivaiasan) is a Japaneseoriginal net animated (ONA) series directed by Christophe Ferreira and produced by Qubic Pictures andOrange. Based onthe novel of the same name byScott Westerfeld, it premiered globally onNetflix on July 10, 2025.
The English-language novelLeviathan was published in 2009 by American author Scott Westerfeld, followed byBehemoth in 2010 andGoliath in 2011. The series adapts each book in the trilogy as a four-episode arc.
The series follows analternate history of theFirst World War with science fiction andsteampunk elements. The protagonists are Deryn Sharp, who crossdresses as Dylan Sharp to join the British Air Navy aboard the genetically engineered HMALeviathan, and Prince Aleksandar, who flees the Austro-Hungarian Empire in a mechanized walker after theassassination of his father, ArchdukeFranz Ferdinand.[1]
Anoriginal net animation adaptation ofLeviathan byScott Westerfeld was announced in June 2024. It is directed by Christophe Ferreira and produced by Qubic Pictures andOrange, with Nobuko Toda and Kazuma Jinnouchi composing the music.[3] A teaser trailer was released in September 2024.[4] The opening theme song is "Paths Combine" byJoe Hisaishi, and its closing theme "The Sky Ahead" is performed by Hisaishi featuringDiana Garnet.[2]
| No. | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Into the Storm" Transliteration: "Arashi no naka e" (Japanese:嵐の中へ) | Christophe Ferreira | Yuichiro Kido | July 10, 2025 (2025-07-10) |
| 2 | "Prelude to War" Transliteration: "Senran no Pureryūdo" (Japanese:戦乱のプレリュード) | Kotaro Tamura | Yuichiro Kido | July 10, 2025 (2025-07-10) |
| 3 | "Clankers and Darwinists" Transliteration: "Kurankā to Dāwinisuto" (Japanese:クランカーとダーウィニスト) | Yoshifumi Sueda | Yuichiro Kido | July 10, 2025 (2025-07-10) |
| 4 | "The Weight of the Past" Transliteration: "Kako no Omomi" (Japanese:過去の重み) | Chie Yamashiro | Yuichiro Kido | July 10, 2025 (2025-07-10) |
| 5 | "Far to the East" Transliteration: "Haruka Higashi e" (Japanese:遥か東へ) | Kotaro Tamura | Yuichiro Kido | July 10, 2025 (2025-07-10) |
| 6 | "Shadows of Istanbul" Transliteration: "Isutanbūru no Kage" (Japanese:イスタンブールの影) | Yoshifumi Sueda | Yuichiro Kido | July 10, 2025 (2025-07-10) |
| 7 | "Stormy Seas" Transliteration: "Aranami" (Japanese:荒波) | Kyohei Ishiguro | Yuichiro Kido | July 10, 2025 (2025-07-10) |
| 8 | "Behemoth" Transliteration: "Behimosu" (Japanese:ベヒモス) | Takashi Noto | Yuichiro Kido | July 10, 2025 (2025-07-10) |
| 9 | "Tunguska" Transliteration: "Tsungūsuka" (Japanese:ツングースカ) | Yoshifumi Sueda | Yukata Yasunaga | July 10, 2025 (2025-07-10) |
| 10 | "Truth and Lies" Transliteration: "Shinjitsu to Uso" (Japanese:真実と嘘) | Chie Yamashiro | Yukata Yasunaga | July 10, 2025 (2025-07-10) |
| 11 | "Goliath" Transliteration: "Goriate" (Japanese:ゴリアテ) | Chie Yamashiro | Yuichiro Kido | July 10, 2025 (2025-07-10) |
| 12 | "Under the Same Sky" Transliteration: "Onaji Sora no Shita de" (Japanese:同じ空の下で) | Christophe Ferreira | Yuichiro Kido | July 10, 2025 (2025-07-10) |
![[icon]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=https%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aWiki_letter_w_cropped.svg) | This sectionneeds expansion with: Japanese reception. You can help byadding to it.(August 2025) |
The series released on July 10, 2025, worldwide onNetflix.[3][5]
The series received average to positive reviews in the English-speaking world. Praise was widely directed at the worldbuilding, action, themes, and art direction,[6] howeverPolygon andReady Steady Cut criticized theyoung adult tone and underuse of the premise.[1][7]Gizmodo, calling the anime "imperfect" and criticizing animation that "may occasionally falter", still praised it for rising "above its visual shortcomings".[8]
IGN's Kristen Carey lauded the series as a potential "modern classic", comparing the animation and setting to that ofStudio Ghibli. Carey noted the explicitly queer characterization of Sharp towards the latter portion of the series, where they choose to maintain their more masculine identity even after their assigned gender is revealed.[9]
Mir Fantastiki claimed that the adaptation lacks "the craziness that made the book so appealing", however concluded that it was "heartfelt and engaging" and "a largely faithful adaptation".[10]
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