‘Akira’ Creator Opens a New Animation Studio With a Website Teasing His Long-Awaited Next Film

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Summary

  • Katsuhiro Otomo, the acclaimed director and creator of the iconic film Akira, has started a new animation studio called Oval Gear Animation Studio.

  • Oval Gear is hiring artists and production crew for an exciting new movie, and they welcome applicants even if you don’t have a lot of professional experience.

  • Although the studio hasn’t officially said which movie is coming, all signs point to Orbital Era – the science fiction film about space that Otomo first revealed in 2019.

The anime community is excited for the return of Katsuhiro Otomo, the acclaimed creator of the classic film Akira. He’s not only directing a new movie, but also starting a brand new animation studio called Oval Gear Animation Studio. This studio aims to help develop the next wave of anime artists and finally bring his upcoming film, Orbital Era, to life.

Oval Gear Animation Studio, located in Tokyo, was founded with two main goals: to create animated content for a worldwide audience and to share the unique artistic style and filmmaking techniques developed by veteran animator Otomo throughout his career. The studio is currently hiring animators, in-betweeners, and production crew, and is unusually open to applicants with varying levels of experience. They are looking for candidates who have fundamental drawing abilities, can speak conversational Japanese, and are truly passionate about animation.

Okay, so this new studio is working on something huge, and it’s looking like a revival of Orbital Era! I’ve been following this for ages. They haven’t officially said the title, but their logo? It’s that cosmonaut on a skateboard – the exact same design they used to promote Orbital Era way back when. Remember when Otomo announced it with Sunrise at Anime Expo in 2019? It felt like it disappeared after that, totally silent for seven years. But now? It looks like it’s finally happening!

With the release of Oval Gear, it’s clear Katsuhiro Otomo is directly overseeing the creative direction of his projects, ensuring they meet his high standards. His new series, Orbital Era, is set in a space colony still under construction and will tell the story of a group of boys navigating life in a strange new world. This move, along with the founding of his own studio, has also renewed excitement among fans for the long-awaited anime adaptation of Akira, which was first announced in 2019.

It’s been nearly two decades since Katsuhiro Otomo, the creator of Akira, last directed a feature film – Steamboy in 2004. His return to directing is major news for anime fans. Otomo is now personally training the artists at his new studio to help bring his next project to life, ensuring his unique style and vision will continue to inspire anime for years to come.

The OVAL GEAR animation studio website was temporarily unavailable earlier today, but it is now back online. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.

— OVAL GEAR animation studio (@OVAL_GEAR) May 12, 2026

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2026-05-13 11:26