Get Jiro!: On the red carpet with Alessandro Tanaka at the SXSW London 2026

Get Jiro! is a new animated series coming to Adult Swim, headlining the fourth day of SXSW London’s screen festival. Based on the DC graphic novel by Anthony Bourdain and Joel Rose, this eclectic new show follows the notorious chef Jiro in a dystopian society in Los Angeles. In this world, everything is done digitally, and fine dining has become an exquisitely dangerous commodity, with one’s life the price to pay for seats at the best tables in the city. It’s created by the veteran writing partners Brian Gatewood and Alessandro Tanaka, known for their work on films and TV series such as Sharper, Hawkeye and Superstore. Get Jiro! is the duo’s first venture into animation, with Brian Tee leading the voice cast as the titular character of Jiro.

The Upcoming caught up with Tanaka to discuss all things Get Jiro! ahead of the first two episodes’ screening at SXSW London. He spoke about the show’s premise and the exciting things the audience can expect to see, expanding on the graphic novel’s initial appeal that drew him and Gatewood into the project. Tanaka also gave insight into some of their behind-the-scenes creative process, from working with Bourdain’s co-writer Rose, why they chose Tee for the role of Jiro, to the difficulties of working with animation as the medium for this story. Finally, Tanaka expressed excitement in being able to screen the series at SXSW London, especially because London is one of his favourite cities.