VOTOMS Returns: Mamoru Oshii Directs New Anime for Sunrise's 50th Anniversary

We are thrilled to announce that the Armored Trooper VOTOMS universe is back. And it's returning in a big way, with a new project celebrating none other than Sunrise's 50th anniversary. The big news? Mamoru Oshii will be in charge of directing.

A Collaboration of Titans

This revival is not the work of a single studio. It is a strategic collaboration between two heavyweights of the industry: Sunrise and Production I.G. Together they are producing Sōkō Kihei Votoms Haiiro no Hexe, which we could translate as Armored Trooper Votoms: The Grey Witch.

What can we expect from this union? If Production I.G has given us visually stunning works and Sunrise is synonymous with epic mecha, the combination sounds like a guarantee of quality.

The Legacy of a Giant: What Makes VOTOMS Special?

To understand the importance of this return, we must look back. The original 1983 series, created by Ryōsuke Takahashi, was not just any robot anime. It was a fundamental pillar of the "real robot" subgenre.

Forget about invincible mechs. In VOTOMS, the war machines, called VOTOMS (Vertical One-man Tank for Offense & ManeuverS), are mass-produced weapons, vulnerable and lethal both to the enemy and, often, to their own pilots. The story immerses us in a bitter conflict between the Gilgamesh Confederation and the Balarant Union, following the betrayal and persecution of the protagonist, Chirico Cuvie.

It was the antithesis of the super-powered robot: it was dirty war, politics, and real consequences.

A Universe That Never Stopped Expanding

Although the original anime concluded, the world of VOTOMS continued to grow. The franchise spawned an impressive list of spin-offs and OVAs that explored different facets of its war-torn universe. Some of the most notable were:

• Armored Trooper Votoms: The Last Red Shoulder
• Armor Hunter Mellowlink (a spin-off centered on an armor hunter)
• Armored Trooper Votoms: Pailsen Files
• Armored Trooper Votoms: Alone Again (the most recent entry, from 2011)

This longevity demonstrates the unique narrative potential this universe always had. It wasn't just an action series; it was a perfect setting for stories of survival, conspiracy, and the human cost of war.

Why Is Now the Perfect Time?

The return of VOTOMS with Oshii at the helm is no coincidence. The mecha genre is experiencing a moment of revaluation and experimentation. Today's audience, which consumes series with complex plots and high-level animation, is more than ready to receive a work that combines the raw essence of "real robot" with the cinematic vision of a director like Mamoru Oshii.

Imagine the claustrophobic tension inside a VOTOMS cockpit, interstellar politics, and tactical battles, all with this creator's distinctive stamp. The possibilities are enormous.

We have high expectations for Haiiro no Hexe. It promises to be a worthy successor to an iconic legacy and, at the same time, a new gateway for those unfamiliar with this 80s gem.

What do you think? Are you ready to return to the battlefields of Gilgamesh and Balarant? What do you hope to see in this new chapter directed by Oshii? Tell us your theory in the comments!