Okay, So What's VOTOMS?

Last month, a surprise trailer dropped for an unexpected project: a new anime in the Armored Trooper VOTOMS franchise, from owner studio Sunrise, with collaboration from Production I.G, and helmed by storied director Mamoru Oshii. The pedigree of those involved was worth noticing, with the contingent of loyal fans celebrating (and consterning) over this reveal. Another contingent of online anime fandom, however, might have been asking…

Depending on what corners of the otaku internet you came up on and when, you might be aware of VOTOMS as an institution. It's big upped by purveyors of mecha and classic anime. There's a lot of it that has actually managed to net full release in English. The poster-bot mecha of the Scopedog is iconic, one of those 10/10 robot designs you know you've seen around, even if you don't know the context. So what is that context, and why is it driving a new VOTOMS project in 2026 and provoking these reactions from fans?

Things had changed for giant robot anime by the 1980s. Mobile Suit Gundam, itself from Sunrise, had shifted the conversation around mecha, how the genre could be depicted, and what proved popular immediately moving forward. Now, genre markers are debatable, and I'd say it's up to you how much delineation you want to put in the "super robot" versus "real robot" distinction. But if you do believe in real robots, then VOTOMS is the realest real robots.

VOTOMS series creator and director Ryōsuke Takahashi had previously pushed the post-Gundam grounded, gritty approach to mecha with 1981's Fang of the Sun Dougram. The story goes that Takahashi wanted his next project to be a fantasy-styled mecha story, only for Gundam creator Yoshiyuki Tomino himself to get there first with 1983's Aura Battler Dunbine. Pushed in a different direction, Takahashi imagined the foundation of a battlefield-hardened soldier and how he would survive in a post-war society. Mecha anime like Gundam were still full of celebrated heroes, but in those stories, what happened to the foot soldiers? The cannon fodder? Those on the bottom?

VOTOMS (appropriately pronounced "bottoms") was built on that foundation. The society is that of the Astragius Galaxy, which is just emerging from a one-hundred-year war between intergalactic powers, Gilgamesh and Balarant. The lead soldier is Chirico Cuvie, who finds himself for hire and on the wrong side of a job gone awry in this unforgiving post-war world. Chirico begins his journey imprisoned, tortured, and then forced to work in a labor camp, and things only barely improve for him there. There's no "Fly! Gundam" here; Chirico trudges along in the VOTOMS opening to lyrics like "I've grown weary of fighting"—too appropriate for a soldier who might have hoped his war was over.

The unglamorousness of it all is embodied in the main mecha of VOTOMS. That title refers to Vertical One-man Tank for Offense & Maneuvers, and the primary Armored Trooper ("AT" for short) of those used throughout the series is the ATM-09-ST Scopedog. Conceived by prolific designer Kunio Ōkawara, who had also been behind the mecha design for Gundam and Dougram, among many, many others, the Scopedog is a striking design that you probably recognize from fanart and convention dealer hall appearances even if you had never heard of VOTOMS. The machine's rotating lens turret on its head is iconic, its roller-dashing method of movement looks and sounds deliciously distinctive—it's like a Zaku from Gundam sanded and shrunk down to its most utilitarian basic details. And that also applies to its durability.

Make no mistake, the Scopedog is the poster mecha for VOTOMS and the one Chirico uses most regularly, but it is not a trusty unit. The anim strives to portray the gritty realities of mechanized warfare, so any Scopedog that Chirico gets into is lucky to last to the end of the episode. Their thin armor gets shredded by attacks, their combustible innards explode easily, and they generally mirror the surprisingly short field life that armored vehicles and tanks enjoyed in past real-life wars. The "cool" robots, like Chirico and the other pilots used in them, are considered disposable.

If that all feels a bit dreary, know that it is, but VOTOMS isn't predicated on pure misery. Chirico meets new allies in the city of Uoodo, including Gotho, Vanilla, and Coconna, who show humanity at its most scrappy and resourceful, if not always at its best. The story is about Chirico finding out about himself as much as he does the world that put him through this hell, and it ends up going to some huge, revelatory places by the end of it.

As Chirico makes do with the best he can find in humanity, he manages his best with the scrappy mecha throughout combat. The trick with the Scopedogs and other ATs is that their effectual, workhorse nature is also key to their appeal for anyone who appreciates utilitarian military equipment, and the ways skilled operators can make them look cool! The machines have extending arms for little powered-up punches, and "turnpicks" that bolt into the ground to allow fast swiveling on their rolling feet—probably the second-coolest thing the Scopedog does after its iconic scope-spinning. The show's use of "Battling"—ATs being used for recreational gladiatorial combat—not only paints a picture of soldiers finding outlets for their skills after a conflict leaves them behind, but it also provides reason to regularly see these mecha mess each other up real good!

The recognizable world-weariness of VOTOMS might be even more relatable to today's audience. And it's tempered by the catharsis and visceral recognition of people and machines with real-world roughness and fragility, fighting back—and sometimes even winning—however they can. That might speak to the series' ongoing popularity and to continuations like this recent announcement. Said Jinzō Toriumi, one of the main writers on the anime:

“VOTOMS is not a flashy anime for kids. It has many levels that adults can enjoy as well. I think VOTOMS fans are true anime fans.” (From a Votoms book published in 1987 by Animate. Translation by Earnest Migaki.)

VOTOMS can be like bitter coffee: It's an acquired taste, but once you get an appreciation for it, it invigorates you like nothing else. If that sounds like it speaks to you, it's worth throwing VOTOMS on to see what the long-simmering hubbub is about. Just watch out for that opening sequence when you do. Unmistakable classic as it is, it's got some gnarly flashing lights toward the end that'll absolutely hurt if you're sensitive to that sort of thing.

Armored Trooper Votoms' original anime story unfolded over 52 episodes, neatly separated into four arcs, that aired over a year starting in April of 1983. And if that was the end of it, I probably wouldn't be here explaining the arduous allure of the series. VOTOMS has had numerous OVA released regularly since its inception. The lion's share of these supplement Chirico's story in some ways, like Origin of Ambition in 1988 and Pailsen Files in 2007 acting as prequels, 1985's The Last Red Shoulder filling out plot between arcs of the original anime, or Brilliantly Shining Heresy in 1994 and Alone Again in 2011 (the latest VOTOMS release before this new announcement) sequelizing the anime's plot. Still others fill out the broad, scrappy world of the series, including 1988's Armor Hunter Merowlink, which follows the titular survivor as he hunts the Armored Trooper mecha for revenge without piloting a robot himself, using his huge anti-A.T. rifle and pure gumption.

All this comes alongside a multitude of novels like 1985's Blue Knight Berserga Story, manga tie-ins, and way more video games than you might expect. Those games had their own mix of original stories that tied into the broader universe, as well as some that covered material from the original anime series. It culminated in 2007's Armored Trooper Votoms for the PlayStation 2, which did that thing I love from that era of recreating the whole anime opening in 2000s-grade CGI.

And of course, there's the all-important models and merchandise. The ATs of VOTOMS were practically tailor-made to appeal to the grounded military otaku modeling crowd, and they've steadily come out from a variety of makers and sublines. This includes a release in Bandai's ubiquitous "HG" model kit lineup, which was introduced just a few years ago, in time for the 40th anniversary of the series' original airing! Beyond the robot toys, VOTOMS has established itself as, described by Mike Toole, "a lifestyle brand for aging anime otaku." They're one of those series where companies like COSPA are regularly releasing branded clothing, keychains, carabiners, bags, mugs, etc. It speaks to the inherent cool factor of VOTOMS and its gritty approach, even as it also calls into question the literacy required to appreciate a story about a dying society and an exploited underclass by snapping up disposable merchandise. But so goes all important and culturally relevant robot anime. VOTOMS, like its characters, is just making do with the hand it was dealt.

So, where can you check out all of this? As with so many classic, formative anime like VOTOMS, that's the more depressing part. Armored Trooper Votoms and all its spin-offs (sans Mellowlink) were last seen on Blu-ray in the "Complete Collection" from Section23's Maiden Japan imprint back in 2020. Unfortunately, that set is now out of print and commands hefty prices on the aftermarket. It's compounded by the fact that said Complete Collection is virtually the only worthwhile choice. Maiden Japan had previously released the TV series and various OVAs in separate Blu-ray releases, but those volumes became infamous for poor upscaling, ghosting, and other video-quality issues. The Complete Collection fixed these problems, but that only further contributed to the mad money it goes for these days. And again, you still aren't getting Armor Hunter Melllowlink in that set, regardless. Even before this latest announcement about a continuation, the "Complete Collection" was not very complete.

It's possible that, with the renewed hype around this new anime announcement, the collection will be rescued by a publisher like Discotek for a refreshed run. That might also salvage things on the streaming front, so curious fans can more easily check out what VOTOMS is all about. The series had been previously streaming on HIDIVE, but like the Blu-ray release or a Scopedog on the battlefield, it was taken out just as suddenly.

Hope for a new way of viewing the old VOTOMS is one of the most immediate needs in the wake of the new anime announcement. That project has little about it to go on as of this writing. The title Die Garue Hexe indicates that some sort of "witch" may be involved. Is VOTOMS following on from Gundam: The Witch From Mercury's formula for success? Probably not, but it's interesting to speculate nonetheless. Also, inviting speculation is the involvement of director Mamoru Oshii. It's extra notable in a year with new projects in the Ghost in the Shell and Patlabor series coming—two franchises that Oshii's career is strongly associated with, but now he's uninvolved with them, setting out to make his mark on VOTOMS instead.

Until the new anime's release, erstwhile VOTOMS fans and anyone whose curiosity is piqued can carry on the scrappy spirit of the series however they can. There's much more detail to be discovered about the series beyond the overview I've provided here. VOTOMS superfan Tim Eldred (who devoted himself to spreading the gospel of the series and directly contributed to it later) has an extensive webpage detailing every corner of the franchise with minutiae to match. Some of the finer details on the making of the series, along with that quote from Toriumi, were sourced from Eldred's site, so please do check out his work. I'll always recommend starting with the original TV anime, myself, but if there's a side story or video game that sounds like it speaks to you, it might be worth tracking down. A good friend of mine got into the series specifically because he liked the sound of the premise of Armor Hunter Mellowlink, after all. VOTOMS is always waiting to be discovered, as a story that has been continually added to for decades, with a style and vibe that speak to anyone who likes their robots just a little more real.