Apex Legends Gaiden Event Skins: All Anime References Explained

The Gaiden Event is an anime-themed Apex Legends event and it kicked off on 19th July, bringing forth an array of new skins and other rewards for players to get their hands on.

With the event concluding on 26th July, there are over 40 new event-limited items to be unlocked and purchased. The Gaiden Event also introduced Bangalore’s prestige skin and this can be unlocked by collecting all 40 Gaiden items. Once the first tier of the skin is unlocked, players will gain challenges to unlock the second and third tiers, which will be active past 2nd August.

With many legends in Apex Legends receiving new skins through this anime-themed event, let us see what anime references were made by Respawn Entertainment.

What are anime references in the Gaiden Event?

Wattson: Naruto

Wattson’s Lightning Spirit skin is an ode to the iconic anime Naruto. Respawn Entertainment has turned Wattson’s jacket into an orange and black piece, referencing Naruto’s outfit. The skin also has logos on her outfit that resemble the Uchiha clan’s Sharingan eye.

Mirage: My Hero Academia

My Hero Academia, though a recent anime, has gained a lot of fans because of the legendary characters that it portrays. Mirage’s new legendary skin, Masked Man Mirage, is a reference to protagonist Izuku Midoriya from the anime. The skin combines the colors of Midoriya’s school uniform and also his superhero suit.

Octane: One Piece

This new Octane skin called Sea Legs Octane is very easy to guess as it pays homage to the hit anime One Piece. The skin is a take on Monkey D Luffy from the anime and this can be noticed from Octane's straw hat, the red vest, the scars on his chest, and the blue shorts.

Revenant: Neon Genesis Evangelion

Revenant’s legendary skin Revelations Revenant transforms into an Eva, one of the giant robots from Neon Genesis Evangelion, and is the focal point of the event. The skin was a part of the trailer that Apex Legends posted where legends like Wattson, Mirage, and Octane fought against him.

Seer and Bangalore: Sailor Moon

For the Gaiden Event, it seems like Respawn Entertainment has drawn inspiration from the hit anime Sailor Moon. Seer’s epic skin, Heart Stopper Seer, and Bangalore’s Soldier of Justice skin are references to this anime, although they are not exact replicas of the characters. While Seer’s skin is a take on Tuxedo Man from Sailor Moon, Bangalore’s epic skin is modeled after Usagi Tsukino’s alter ego as she dons a cute skirt and has the color themes of white, blue, and gold. Notably, Bangalore also has a purple hairdo and a crystal on her forehead.

Bloodhound: Tokyo Ghoul

The Lifeblood Bloodhound epic skin is an ode to Tokyo Ghoul, a dark anime that follows creatures called ghouls, who must consume human flesh to survive in the world. The protagonist is Ken Kaneki who is a half-ghoul and he has one normal eye with the other one being red. This Bloodhound skin refers to this and embodies the bloody nature of the anime.

The other skins referenced in the Apex Legends Gaiden event are Strength and Power Crypto which is a reference to Dragon Ball Z and Down Thunder Fuse references Fullmetal Alchemist.