Bandai Namco Filmworks has announced a new anime project for the Armored Trooper Votoms franchise, which will unfold as a two-film series. The first film, titled Armored Trooper Votoms: Die Graue Hexe (The Grey Witch), is slated for release on November 20. The announcement was accompanied by the debut of a teaser trailer and visual.
Helming this new entry is director Mamoru Oshii, known for his work on Ghost in the Shell and Patlabor 2: The Movie. Oshii expressed his long-held admiration for the original Armored Trooper Votoms and his dream of contributing to the series. Original creator and director Ryōsuke Takahashi will serve as supervisor, with both Takahashi and Oshii praising each other's directorial styles. Mechanical design duties fall to Shinobu Tsuneki and Sōkō Kihei Votoms: AT Stories manga artist Yoshiro Sono. The iconic Kenji Kawai, a frequent collaborator with Oshii, is composing the score.
Pre-sale tickets for the film series, presented as a two-MoviTicket Card set, will be available starting May 16. Bandai Spirits is also set to release tie-in merchandise, including a High Grade Scopedog model kit in desert colors and a pre-assembled Hi-Meal R figure under the Tamashii Nations brand, both of which will feature prototypes at the Shizuoka Hobby Show. The Armored Trooper Votoms franchise, a cornerstone of the 'real robot' mecha genre, is celebrated for its gritty depiction of warfare and the vulnerable yet powerful VOTOMS mecha.
The original 1983 series is set during a protracted conflict between the Gilgamesh Confederation and the Balarant Union, focusing on pilot Chirico Cuvie caught in a conspiracy. The franchise has spawned numerous spin-offs, with the most recent being Armored Trooper Votoms: Alone Again in 2011. Section23 Films' Maiden Japan imprint previously released the anime on Blu-ray in 2019 and 2020.
Source: Press release(https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2026-05-11/new-votoms-anime-unveils-main-staff-2-film-rollout-with-1st-opening-on-november-20/.237256)
