A legendary mecha universe is making its grand return under the creative vision of the director behind the 1995 anime masterpiece “Ghost in the Shell.”
Sunrise has officially dropped the comprehensive trailer for “Armored Trooper Votoms: Die Graue Hexe,” spearheaded by renowned director Mamoru Oshii. Alongside the preview footage, the studio unveiled a striking new visual poster and announced the primary voice cast.
Источник изображения: Sunrise / Production I.G.
Set during the closing days of the brutal Century War between the Gilgamesh and Balarant factions, the plot follows military officer Maki Stauffenberg on a classified assignment to a frontline installation. Her objective is to investigate the mysterious background of penal soldier Ash Wamps. Revered and feared by her peers as “The Witch,” Maki earned her moniker because she remains the sole survivor of seemingly impossible combat deployments. To unravel the truth behind Ash, she integrates directly into his squad for a perilous infiltration deep into hostile territory.
Maki will be brought to life by voice actress Mabuki Ando, while Miyuki Sawashiro takes on the role of Ash Wamps. The stellar supporting voice cast features Shinichiro Miki, Yuki Kaji, and Yuichi Nakamura.
Animation production is being managed by Sunrise with backing from Production I.G. For this ambitious project, Mamoru Oshii has reunited with several of his trusted, long-standing industry colleagues. Kazuchika Kise—who served as animation director for “Ghost in the Shell” and “Innocence”—crafted the initial character concepts, which were subsequently refined by Tetsuya Nishio (“The Sky Crawlers,” “Naruto”), alongside Takashi Kojima and Shingo Ogiso. The atmospheric score is composed by Kenji Kawai, a frequent Oshii collaborator dating back to “The Red Spectacles” and the original “Patlabor” theatrical film.
“Armored Trooper Votoms: Die Graue Hexe” is structured as a two-part theatrical feature. The first installment is scheduled to hit Japanese theaters on November 20, 2026, though a premiere date for the second chapter has yet to be revealed. This project marks the iconic franchise’s first brand-new entry in 15 years.