Yoshitaka Amano's ZAN Anime Project Reveals Staff of Mecha Anime Veterans
The project reunites key staff from Armored Trooper Votoms under Amano's direction, marking a rare convergence of classic mecha anime talent on a dark fantasy property that has shifted from a theatrical film to a limited series over 16 years of development.
Key Facts
- The ZAN pilot film will premiere at Anime Expo 2026 in Los Angeles on July 3.
- The staff includes mecha anime veterans from Armored Trooper Votoms: Shigeyasu Yamauchi and Toru Yoshida as directors, Ryosuke Takahashi as series composer, and Kunio Okawara as mechanical designer.
- Yoshitaka Amano launched a new US-based company, Yoshitaka Amano Inc., headquartered in Los Angeles, for animation production, art management, and licensing.
- The story follows a young samurai named ZAN from Sengoku-era Japan who is guided by a girl named Uzume into a different world ruled by RIKKA and the life symbol Trope.
- The project was originally announced as a film in 2010 and rebooted as a limited anime series in 2022, with a blockchain game and NFT art also planned.
Reporting from 3 sources: Anime News Network, KAI-YOU, Denfaminicogamer.
Yoshitaka Amano's long-gestating anime project ZAN, based on his 2010 art collection DEVA ZAN, has revealed its staff and will premiere a pilot film at Anime Expo 2026 in Los Angeles on July 3. The project, now listed as a limited anime series, was originally announced as a film in 2010 and rebooted as a series in 2022. The staff includes several mecha anime veterans who previously worked together on Armored Trooper Votoms. Shigeyasu Yamauchi and Toru Yoshida are directing. Ryosuke Takahashi is handling series composition. Moriyasu Taniguchi is chief animation director. Kunio Okawara is mechanical designer. Minoru Nishida is art director. The story follows a young samurai named ZAN from Sengoku-era Japan who is guided by a mysterious girl, Uzume, into a different world governed by the life symbol Trope and its ruler RIKKA. Alongside the announcement, Amano launched a new US-based company, Yoshitaka Amano Inc., headquartered in Los Angeles, which will focus on animation production, art management, and licensing. An immersive exhibition called AMANO is also planned for global expansion starting in 2027.
The pilot film will have its world premiere at the Yoshitaka Amano panel at Anime Expo 2026 on July 3. The panel will also introduce the production team and the new company. Takahashi, Yoshida, and Taniguchi will attend the event.
Scriptwriter Yuya Takashima, who wrote the novelization of Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury and the novel for Space Battleship Yamato: Dawn, is writing the scripts. The story follows the young samurai ZAN, who is guided by the voice of a mysterious girl named Uzume into a different world. He fights alongside the mechanical lifeform Panther and Uzume, and he begins to question the "justice" he fights for as he battles the ruler RIKKA and the life symbol Trope.
The project was originally announced in 2010 as a film, with Amano making his directorial debut. He established his own production studio, Studio Deva Loka, to create it. The film was slated for a 2012 worldwide debut but was never released. Dark Horse Comics released the DEVA ZAN artbook in hardcover in January 2013. Jaymen Tokyo and Good Win were previously listed as producers on the theatrical project. Mariko Suzuki, film producer Hiroaki Ikegami, Kazuhiko Yusa, and Shin Koyamada were listed as producers.
The larger ZAN project also includes a play-to-earn blockchain game and NFT art. Singaporean blockchain firm Trophee will contribute to those projects.
Synthesized by Yomimono from the 3 cited sources below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.