Star Ocean EX is the name of the anime that based itself off the Star Ocean 2 manga. Produced by Studio DEEN and directed by Hiroshi Watanabe, the series was brought over to the US and translated in 2004 by Geneon Entertainment. However, much as the SO2 manga stopped after only seven volumes, SOEX only follows about half of the original SO2 game storyline. Unlike the manga, however, the anime story was finished by means of vocal drama CDs in Japan (Ashton's seiyuu being Tomokazu Seki in both the anime and vocal drama).

Ashton's role in the anime is slightly different from that of the game or manga, though the basics remain the same. He is still met and "recruited" in the same way, but shows romantic interest in Precis and Precis alone throughout the series. He is the comic relief of the series, often waxing into a high falsetto and spazzing out while trying to impress Precis or do something else serious. Gyoro and Ururun, also, take more of a role in the anime, occasionally "possessing" Ashton (indicated by the color of his eyes- red when Gyoro is in control, blue when Ururun is in control, green normally) to finish off a hard fight. Unfortunately for Ashton, however cool he looks while possessed is lost, since he never has any memory of it after it happens. Since Opera and Ernest play a much less important role in the anime, Ashton is and remains a staple character throughout.