A 15-year dry spell is about to end, as Armored Trooper VOTOMS will finally be getting a renewed lease of life. A new anime for the classic mech series has been announced as part of the animation studio Sunrise’s 50th anniversary, set to release sometime in 2026.
Titled Armored Trooper VOTOMS: Die Graue Hexe (translated as “The Grey Witch”), the project is helmed by genre stalwart Mamoru Oshii, best known for his work on Ghost in the Shell and Patlabor, with Production I.G. handling the animation. Additional details, including voice cast and story specifics, were not shared, but a teaser offers a first look at the action to come.
A new visual was also unveiled alongside the news, featuring human characters or mechanical elements from different works, including Mobile Suit Gundam, Cowboy Bebop, Love Live!, and, of course, Armored Trooper VOTOMS (which, by the way, stands for ‘Vertical One-man Tank for Offense & Maneuvers’):
The original show, described as “a real robot” mecha series, was directed by Ryosuke Takahashi and animated by Sunrise, with mechanical designs from Kunio Okawara (Mobile Fighter G Gundam and Mobile Suit Gundam Seed co-mechanical designer). It ran for 52 episodes across 1983 and 1984, spawning numerous spin-offs and sequels over the years, with the latest being 2011’s Alone Again.
Per its synopsis, the series “revolves around Chirico Cuvie, a battle-worn soldier who accidentally becomes involved in a mission to steal military secrets from allied forces. However, during the mission, he discovers that the real reason behind the assignment is a beautiful woman locked inside a container.
“Barely escaping alive and running from his own army, he’ll have to fight to unravel the truth behind the betrayal, the mysterious woman, and the conspirators who will do anything to silence him,” it added.
Armored Trooper VOTOMS: Die Graue Hexe releases in 2026.
Si Jia is a casual geek at heart – or as casual as someone with Sephiroth’s theme on her Spotify playlist can get. A fan of movies, games, and Japanese culture, Si Jia’s greatest weakness is the Steam Summer Sale. Or any Steam sale, really.
