Armored Trooper VOTOMS: Die Graue Hexe, the upcoming anime film directed by Mamoru Oshii, has revealed its theme song, a new main visual and two new trailers ahead of its Japanese theatrical release on November 20, 2026.
The theme song, titled “Na mo Naki Shijin no You ni” (名も無き詩人のように), will be performed by Japanese singer Mika Nakashima, with Toshihiko Takamizawa of THE ALFEE providing the lyrics, composition and arrangement.
The announcements arrived on October 23, 2026, as Sunrise prepares to release the new Armored Trooper VOTOMS project as part of its 50th-anniversary celebrations.
The official website for Armored Trooper VOTOMS: Die Graue Hexe has released a new main visual, a pre-release trailer and a separate theme song trailer featuring a preview of Nakashima’s song:
The film’s promotional tagline reads:
“A soldier who always survives, and a woman who pursues that mystery.”
It adds:
“No one knows what happened on the battlefield.”
The new trailers offer another look at the film ahead of its November 20 theatrical release, while the theme song preview introduces Nakashima’s contribution to the project.
The film marks a new story in the long-running Armored Trooper VOTOMS franchise and brings together Oshii, Sunrise and Production I.G for a new theatrical production.
Mika Nakashima will perform the film’s theme song, “Na mo Naki Shijin no You ni”, with THE ALFEE’s Toshihiko Takamizawa handling the lyrics, composition and arrangement.
The song will begin digital distribution on November 20, 2026, the same day the film opens in Japanese theaters. A CD single will follow on November 25, 2026, through Sony Music Labels.
The CD will include the main song and its instrumental version.
Nakashima expressed her happiness at being selected to perform the theme song and praised Takamizawa’s work.
“When I first received the demo, the moment I heard the intro, Takamizawa-san’s unique world and the scenery of the anime unfolded, and I was drawn into the story all at once,” Nakashima said.
She also revealed that she is a fan of Mamoru Oshii’s works, adding that she felt honored to receive the opportunity to contribute to his film.
What Is Armored Trooper VOTOMS: Die Graue Hexe About?
Armored Trooper VOTOMS: Die Graue Hexe takes place toward the end of the Hundred Years War, a conflict between the Gilgamesh and Balarant factions in the Astragius Galaxy.
The story follows Ash Vamps, a soldier who earns the frightening nickname “The Witch” because she survives even the most dangerous military operations. Despite being assigned to a penal unit made up of assembled soldiers, Ash repeatedly returns alive from missions that appear impossible to survive.
A female officer, Maki Stauffenberg, arrives at a frontline base on the second planet of the Asgard system, Valkyria II. She has secretly received orders to investigate Ash and uncover the mystery behind her extraordinary survival.
Maki eventually decides to participate in a dangerous forced-descent operation into enemy territory as an Armored Trooper pilot.
As the mission unfolds and the battlefield descends into increasingly desperate circumstances, Maki moves closer to discovering the truth about Ash.
The film explores the lives of soldiers fighting in a war where human lives are treated as expendable, combining military science fiction with Oshii’s approach to storytelling.
Mamoru Oshii Directs the New VOTOMS Movie
Mamoru Oshii, best known internationally for directing GHOST IN THE SHELL, is directing Armored Trooper VOTOMS: Die Graue Hexe.
The project is a completely new story in the Armored Trooper VOTOMS universe and forms part of Sunrise’s 50th-anniversary project.
The original Armored Trooper VOTOMS television anime premiered in 1983 and ran for 52 episodes. Created by Ryosuke Takahashi and Hajime Yatate, the series became known for its gritty military science-fiction setting and its depiction of mechanized warfare.
The new film explores the final period of the Hundred Years War, introducing new characters and focusing on soldiers caught in a brutal conflict.
Armored Trooper VOTOMS Movie Staff and Cast
The film brings together several prominent anime industry veterans.
Main Staff
- Director: Mamoru Oshii
- Original Work: Hajime Yatate and Ryosuke Takahashi
- Screenplay: Mamoru Oshii and Kei Yamamura
- Original Character Design: Kazuchika Kise
- Character Design: Tetsuya Nishio, Takashi Kojima and Shingo Ogiso
- Original Mechanical Design: Kunio Okawara
- Mechanical Design: Shinobu Tsuneki, Yoshihiro Sono, Jun Ishiguchi and Wataru Inada
- Music: Kenji Kawai
- Sound Director: Kazuhiro Wakabayashi
- Production Planning and Animation: Sunrise
- Production Cooperation: Production I.G
- Distribution: Bandai Namco Filmworks
Main Cast
- Ash Vamps: Miyuki Sawashiro
- Maki Stauffenberg: Mabuki Ando
- Additional Cast: Shinichiro Miki, Yuki Kaji, Yuichi Nakamura, Satoshi Tsuruoka, Tomokazu Sugita, Kenta Miyake, Chafurin, Hōchū Ōtsuka, Daisuke Ono, Takayuki Sugo, Takahiro Sakurai and Sumire Uesaka
When Will Armored Trooper VOTOMS: Die Graue Hexe Release?
Armored Trooper VOTOMS: Die Graue Hexe will open in Japanese theaters on November 20, 2026.
The theme song will arrive on digital platforms on the same day, followed by a CD single release on November 25.
The newly released main visual and trailers provide another preview of the film before its theatrical debut. Further information about the project will be announced through the official Armored Trooper VOTOMS and Bandai Namco Filmworks channels.
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About Armored Trooper VOTOMS
Armored Trooper VOTOMS is a Japanese real-robot science-fiction franchise created by Ryosuke Takahashi and Hajime Yatate and produced by Sunrise. The original television series premiered in 1983 and follows soldiers fighting in a prolonged interstellar war using Armored Troopers, humanoid combat machines.
The franchise has expanded through sequels, original video animations, model kits and other media over more than four decades.
Armored Trooper VOTOMS: Die Graue Hexe is a new theatrical story directed by Mamoru Oshii, with animation production by Sunrise and production cooperation from Production I.G. The film is scheduled to open in Japan on November 20, 2026.
Source: Official Website
