Armored Trooper Votoms Returns: Sōkō Kihei Votoms Haiiro no Hexe Set as Two Films, First Opens Nov 20

We blinked, and suddenly the battlefield boots up again. Sōkō Kihei Votoms Haiiro no Hexe is officially marching in as two theatrical films, with the first opening on November 20. A teaser trailer and a teaser visual are already out there, doing that classic mecha thing: looking cool while quietly promising emotional damage.

And yes, we can almost hear someone in the back whispering, “Wait… Votoms?” The answer is simple: it’s back. And it’s coming with serious names attached.

Two films, one war story, zero chill

This new entry comes from Sunrise and Production I.G, with the project structured as two movies. We’re not getting a slow warm-up. We’re getting a straight walk into the smoke.

There’s a clear vibe here: war action, grounded, and treated seriously. The kind of story where a machine isn’t a magic superhero suit, it’s a tool—and tools break. Sometimes loudly.

The staff lineup reads like a mecha hall of fame

We’ve got a combination that feels almost unreal on the same page, like ordering coffee in Madrid and being served by a whole film festival jury.

Key names we’re watching

• Ryōsuke Takahashi joins as supervisor. He’s the creator/director behind the original 1983 Armored Trooper Votoms concept, so this isn’t just nostalgia—this is oversight from the source.
• Mamoru Oshii directs. He’s said he’s been a big fan of the first Votoms anime and that working on something like this has been a dream project.
• Kenji Kawai composes the music. If we’ve ever felt our spine straighten during Ghost in the Shell or Patlabor 2: The Movie, we know what that name can do.
• Mechanical design is handled by Shinobu Tsuneki (The Legend of the Galactic Heroes: Die Neue These, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, Kaiju No. 8) and Yoshiro Sono (artist for the Sōkō Kihei Votoms: AT Stories manga).

Oshii has also acknowledged that some people might look at the project with suspicion—then immediately underlined that he’s approaching it as a serious war action story. Takahashi, meanwhile, has pointed out that every director brings a distinct “touch,” and he’s openly looking forward to seeing the Oshii touch in a Votoms story. We love when the people involved sound both confident and slightly dangerous.

Tickets, models, and that smell of fresh plastic

We’re not only getting films. We’re getting the ritual side-quests too: tickets and model kits.

• A two MoviTicket Card set goes on sale May 16, tied to the 64th Shizuoka Hobby Show and an online retail option.
• Bandai Spirits plans an High Grade Scopedog model kit in a Die Graue Hexe desert color release this fall.
• Also coming: a pre-assembled Hi-Meal R figure under the Tamashii Nations brand.
• Prototypes for both are expected to be on display at the Shizuoka Hobby Show.

We can already picture it: someone swearing they’re “just browsing,” then walking out with a desert-colored Scopedog under one arm. A classic.

Why Votoms still hits: real robots, real costs

The original 1983 Armored Trooper Votoms anime is one of the iconic pillars of the “real robot” mecha tradition that followed the path opened by Mobile Suit Gundam. The hook isn’t shiny invincibility. The hook is limitation.

In this world, robots aren’t mythic heroes. They’re mass-produced military machines. They have constraints. They have maintenance problems. They have pilots who don’t get safety features, because war doesn’t do customer service.

The setting in plain terms

• The story takes place during the tail end of a century-long conflict between the Gilgamesh Confederation and the Balarant Union.
• The battlefield is dominated by VOTOMS—short for Vertical One-man Tank for Offense & Maneuvers.
• They’re powerful. They’re also extremely vulnerable, infamous for high pilot casualty numbers due to thin armor and a lack of safety measures.

If we want an example that lands fast: imagine giving someone a sports car with a rocket launcher… and seatbelts that feel like an afterthought. That’s the mood.

Chirico Cuvie: the pilot who gets swallowed by the machine

At the center of the original story is Chirico Cuvie, an elite Gilgamesh VOTOMS pilot who gets pulled into a massive conspiracy. He’s branded a traitor. He’s forced to move through conflict zones like a ghost. And he crosses paths with a mysterious woman—the kind of detail that always means the plot is about to tighten like a bolt.

That blend of paranoia, military grit, and personal survival is part of why Votoms has lasted. It’s not about winning. It’s about enduring.

A long trail of spinoffs behind it

Votoms hasn’t been sitting quietly in a museum. Over the years, the franchise has expanded with multiple spinoff anime entries, including:

• Armored Trooper Votoms: The Last Red Shoulder
• Armored Trooper Votoms: Big Battle
• Armor Hunter Mellowlink
• Armored Trooper Votoms: Red Shoulder Document - Roots of Treachery
• Armored Trooper Votoms: Pailsen Files
• Armored Trooper Votoms: The Heretic Saint
• Armored Trooper Votoms: Alone Again (which debuted in 2011)

The original series has also seen Blu-ray releases in 2019 and 2020, keeping it accessible for anyone ready to dive back into the grit.

What we should watch next

Now we wait for more details on the second film, the story specifics, and how this new chapter will balance legacy with a fresh angle. With Oshii directing and Kawai scoring, we’re expecting atmosphere. With Takahashi supervising, we’re expecting discipline. And with Votoms as the base, we’re expecting consequences.

Call to action: if we’re planning to follow this release, let’s do it properly—bookmark the date (Nov 20), keep an eye on the teaser updates, and if we’re model-kit people, maybe clear a shelf now (we can pretend it’s “organization”).

How do we feel about Votoms returning as two films—and what do we want most: more battlefield realism, deeper conspiracy, or pure Scopedog action?