The long-dormant battlefields of the Astragius Galaxy are stirring once again. Official channels for Armored Trooper Votoms: Die Graue Hexe (Sōkō Kihei Votoms Haiiro no Hexe) have released a full theatrical trailer alongside character visuals, unveiling a star-studded voice cast and an elite production lineup. The upcoming two-film project marks a monumental collaboration between animation titan Sunrise and Production I.G, bringing visionary director Mamoru Oshii back to the mechanical grit of hard military science fiction.
Leading the cast is Miyuki Sawashiro as Ash Vamps, a feared Armored Trooper pilot known across the frontline as the "Grey Witch." Opposite her, Mabuki Andou voices Maki Stauffenberg, an intelligence officer secretly tasked with investigating Ash's shadowed history. The supporting ensemble features an impressive roster of veteran talent, including Shinichirō Miki, Yūki Kaji, Yūichi Nakamura, Tomokazu Sugita, Daisuke Ono, Takahiro Sakurai, Hōchū Ōtsuka, and Sumire Uesaka.
A Legendary Creative Nexus
Beyond Oshii's directorial helm, the project reunites the auteur with his longtime musical collaborator Kenji Kawai, whose haunting compositions previously defined Ghost in the Shell and Patlabor 2: The Movie. Original franchise creator Ryōsuke Takahashi serves as supervisor, ensuring the film remains rooted in the bleak military realism that made the 1983 original a cornerstone of the real-robot mecha subgenre.
The technical staff boasts exceptional creative pedigree across design and direction:
- Original Character Concepts: Kazuchika Kise (Made in Abyss)
- Character Design: Shingo Ogiso, Takashi Kojima, Tetsuya Nishio
- Original Mechanical Design: Kunio Ōkawara
- Mechanical Design: Shinobu Tsuneki, Yoshiro Sōno, Jū Ishiguchi, Wataru Inada
- Costume Design Assistance: Katsuya Terada
- Sound Director: Kazuhiro Wakabayashi
Legacy of the Iron Coffin
Debuting in 1983, Ryōsuke Takahashi's original Armored Trooper Votoms stripped away the romanticized heroism of traditional mecha, portraying its titular Vertical One-man Tank units not as magical guardians, but as mass-produced, hazardous military hardware earning them the nickname "iron coffins." Following protagonist Chirico Cuvie through the meat grinder of the Hundred Years War, the franchise established a masterclass in gritty galactic political intrigue.
Die Graue Hexe serves as the first new anime entry in the franchise since 2011's OVA Armored Trooper Votoms: Alone Again. With Oshii at the helm and a stellar production team behind it, the two-film theatrical event promises to reclaim the raw, unvarnished edge of classic military sci-fi.
