Overview
- Oval Gear, which launched Monday, said a new title is already in production and opened hiring to both veteran and junior creators.
- The studio describes its purpose as teaching Otomo’s approach to image-making and authorship to the next generation for global audiences.
- Website imagery shows a character from Orbital Era, leading to speculation about the project, though neither Otomo nor the studio has confirmed the title or partners.
- Orbital Era was announced in 2019 with Sunrise attached, and there have been few updates since, so any shift to Oval Gear remains unverified.
- Otomo, best known for Akira, has released few major works in recent years, and the new studio signals a return that could also create mentorship paths for emerging animators.