Akira’s Katsuhiro Ōtomo Launches New Feature‑Animation Studio “Oval Gear”
Key points:
- The studio’s first project is already in production.
- Oval Gear is actively hiring animators and production staff.
Katsuhiro Ōtomo (profile) announced on Monday that he has founded a new feature‑animation studio, **Oval Gear**, based in Tokyo. The studio’s debut title is currently in production, and they are seeking animators and production personnel to join the team.
According to the studio, its founding purpose is twofold:
“The studio was founded for two purposes: to pass on to the new generation the filmmaking methods and authorial sensibility Katsuhiro Ōtomo has cultivated over decades, and to produce new animated works for global release.”
Ōtomo’s career highlights include:
- Manga titles such as Domu, Kibun wa mō Sensō, and the internationally renowned Akira.
- Directing the Robot Carnival omnibus segment and the feature‑film adaptation of Akira.
- Other notable anime projects: Memories, Gundam: Mission to the Rise, Steamboy, Harmagedon, Roujin Z, Spriggan, Metropolis, Freedom Project, and Hipira: The Little Vampire.
In 2019, Ōtomo announced at Anime Expo that he was developing a third feature film, **Orbital Era**, with Sunrise—a sci‑fi story about youths growing up on a space colony over four seasons. He is credited for the original concept, design work, screenplay, and direction. No updates have been released since then, and it remains unclear whether Oval Gear’s first project will be linked to Orbital Era.
Sources: Oval Gear’s official website, Comic Natalie.
