Katsuhiro Otomo has launched a new anime studio by the name of 'OVAL GEAR animation studio'. Alongside putting out a call for animators and staff, the press release confirmed that the studio already has a new title in production.

While the creator of Akira is widely regarded as one of the most influential manga artists and filmmakers of all time, his output has been severely limited in the 21st century. Not only was his last feature film the live action adaptation of Mushishi in 2007, his last anime was Combustible for the anthology series Short Peace in 2013. The prospect of more Otomo is certainly an exciting one, but whether or not this new studio will actually lead to anything remains to be seen.

At the very least, the astronaut-like figure walking next to the studio's logo does bear a striking resemblance to the character in the initial key visual for ORBITAL ERA. This new film was announced almost seven years ago at this point, but perhaps Otomo views OVAL GEAR as a way to finally get the project off the ground. In addition, there is also the new Akira anime that was announced at the same time.

Moreover, the press release describes the new studio as way for Otomo to "pass on" his abilities as a filmmaker and creator to the new generation. For more information, keep an eye on OVAL GEAR's official X account.