Katsuhiro Otomo, creator of Akira, has officially announced the creation of Oval Gear Animation. This news has reignited discussions about the project to reanimate the work, originally revealed in 2019 and which, until now, had remained without concrete updates.
According to the statement, the new studio is focused on preserving the visual style and artistic identity built by Otomo throughout his career. Furthermore, new productions are already underway, although the titles have not yet been officially announced to the public.
The move drew attention because the announcement used images related to the feature film ORBITAL ERA, a sci-fi movie announced in 2019 alongside the new anime . At the time, Otomo confirmed that the new adaptation would follow the six original volumes of the manga published in Young Magazine, something the 1988 film failed to fully adapt.
On Japanese social media, fans began speculating that both ORBITAL ERA and the new version of Akira have finally entered active production. OVAL GEAR has also opened positions for animators and production staff, reinforcing that the studio intends to expand its activities in the coming months.
Akira's legacy continues strong in the world
Published between 1982 and 1990 by Kodansha, the manga became a worldwide reference within Japanese science fiction. However, the film adaptation released in 1988 influenced generations of Western directors, artists, and productions, in addition to winning the Eisner Award in 2002 in the United States.
While details of the new project remain under wraps, the studio's announcement has rekindled the hopes of fans who have been waiting for news for almost seven years. Finally, to keep up with more anime and future anime seasons, stay tuned to AnimeNews.
Source: Official Website