The Godfather of Anime Is Back: Katsuhiro Otomo Launches Oval Gear Studio
Published May 15, 2026 · Anime Recommendations
The creator of Akira — arguably the most influential anime film ever made — has returned. Katsuhiro Otomo has launched his own animation studio in Tokyo, is hiring a new generation of artists, and already has a feature film in production.
This is not a drill. After more than a decade of near-silence, Katsuhiro Otomo — the man who gave us Akira, Steamboy, and some of the most visually stunning animation ever committed to film — has launched his own animation studio. Oval Gear opened its doors this week in Tokyo’s Musashino district with a clear mission: pass on Otomo’s craft to the next generation, and produce new animated works for the world. If this is your first time here, welcome to the Anime Roulette blog — and if you care about the future of animation, this is the most important news you’ll read this year.
What Is Oval Gear?
Oval Gear Animation Studio is a feature animation production company founded by Katsuhiro Otomo in May 2026. According to the studio’s official website:
“OVAL GEAR is a feature animation studio based in Tokyo, founded by Katsuhiro Otomo in 2026. The studio was founded for two purposes: to pass on to the new generation the filmmaking methods and authorial sensibility Katsuhiro Otomo has cultivated over decades, and to produce new animated works for global release.”
In plain English: Otomo is building a studio that will teach young animators how he makes films and use that studio to create new projects under his direct creative control. He’s not just lending his name to a production committee. He’s building the factory.
The studio is already in production on its first feature film. No title has been announced. No release date given. But the evidence is overwhelming.
The Smoking Gun: Orbital Era
Back in 2019, at Anime Expo in Los Angeles, Otomo announced two major projects: a new Akira anime series and a brand new original film called Orbital Era, a near-future sci-fi action-adventure set in a space colony, to be produced in collaboration with Sunrise (now Bandai Namco Filmworks). Then — nothing. Seven years of radio silence. The pandemic came and went. Fans assumed both projects were dead.
But here’s the thing: the lone graphic on the Oval Gear homepage features the main character from Orbital Era — a skateboard-toting cosmonaut — standing alongside a new version of Akira. Neither Otomo nor the studio has formally confirmed the connection, but the imagery is unmistakable. The skateboarding astronaut from the 2019 teaser is right there on the studio’s front page.
Orbital Era would be Otomo’s third feature film after Akira (1988) and Steamboy (2004). That’s a 22-year gap between feature films. If this is indeed the mystery project in production, it represents one of the most anticipated animation comebacks in history.
Why This Matters More Than You Think
Katsuhiro Otomo isn’t just a great director. He’s one of the reasons anime exists as a global medium at all. When Akira hit Western cinemas in 1988, it shattered every preconception about what animation could be. Grown-up themes. Uncompromising violence. Hand-drawn animation so detailed it still holds up against modern digital work. The film didn’t just influence anime — it influenced live-action cinema, video games, comics, and visual effects worldwide.
The list of artists who cite Akira as an inspiration is basically a who’s-who of modern entertainment. Christopher Nolan, The Wachowskis, Rian Johnson, Guillermo del Toro — all have publicly acknowledged Otomo’s influence. The motorcycle slide from Akira is one of the most homaged shots in visual media. You see it referenced in everything from Stranger Things to Star Wars to countless video games.
Beyond Akira, Otomo directed Steamboy (2004) — a retro-futurist masterpiece — and contributed segments to anthology projects including Memories (1995) and Short Peace (2013). His manga work, particularly Domu and Akira, helped elevate Japanese comics to international legitimacy during the 1980s and 90s.
“Akira helped redefine global perceptions of Japanese animation after its 1988 release, and it remains one of the most-cited inspirations by artists working in adult animation nearly four decades later.” — Cartoon Brew
The Studio Is Hiring Right Now
Oval Gear isn’t just a vanity project. It’s a working studio, and it’s actively recruiting. According to the job postings on the studio’s website, they’re looking for:
- → Inbetween animators
- → Assistant inbetween checkers
- → Production staff
- → Freelancers at any level
The requirements are refreshingly open-minded. Industry experience is preferred but not required. Basic drawing skills are essential. 2D animation software experience is a plus. And you need to speak Japanese at a conversational level. The studio’s message to applicants is simple: “As long as you’re serious about animation, we want to hear from you.”
This is a big deal for the animation industry. Otomo isn’t just making a film — he’s building a pipeline to train the next generation of Japanese animators using his own methods. In an industry struggling with overwork and understaffing, a new studio from a legend who actually cares about craft could be a genuine force for good.
What About the New Akira Anime?
The 2019 announcement of a new Akira anime series sent shockwaves through the industry. The original 1988 film adapted only a fraction of Otomo’s manga — the series was still two years from completion when the movie released. A full anime adaptation of the complete story has been the holy grail for fans for decades.
Nothing has been formally confirmed, but the speculation is obvious. With Otomo now running his own studio, Akira finally has a home where the creator himself controls the creative direction. Whether it’s a complete manga adaptation, an extension of the film’s events, or something entirely new set in the same universe, the possibility of new Akira from the original creator is now more real than it’s ever been.
What to Watch While You Wait
Otomo’s projects take years to complete — possibly many years. If you need something to fill the void while we wait for whatever Oval Gear produces, our Spring 2026 first impressions have five shows dominating the conversation right now. If you want something with that same dark, dystopian, politically charged DNA that Otomo does better than anyone, our weekly Top 10 rankings are updated based on what thousands of fans are actually spinning. And if you’re stuck on what to pick next, our guide on how to pick your next anime cuts through the endless scroll.
Or just spin the wheel. We tested the best random anime generators — including ours — to see which ones actually deliver and which ones waste your time.
Can’t decide what to watch next? Spin the Anime Roulette and let fate pick your next obsession.
Katsuhiro Otomo didn’t just change anime. He changed how the world sees animation. And now, at 71 years old, he’s building something new from the ground up — not just for himself, but for the artists who’ll carry the torch after him. Whatever comes out of Oval Gear, one thing is certain: when Otomo speaks, the animation world listens. And right now, he’s speaking louder than he has in decades.
The king is back. Long live the king.
Are you excited about Otomo’s comeback? Drop your thoughts in the comments — what’s your favourite Otomo work, and what do you want to see from Oval Gear?
