The original television anime Vertex Force is set to premiere on October 3, 2026, with a full main cast and production team announced.
Vertex Force is an original mecha anime directed by Kazuhiro Takamura, who also writes the scripts and designs the characters. The project was first announced in May 2026 with an October premiere window, and a teaser video accompanied the initial reveal. Production is housed at SMDE, with Gorō Kuji as assistant director. Kanetake Ebikawa handles engine design, and JNTHED handles ENIA design.
The July 2026 announcement set a specific premiere date of October 3 at 11:30 p.m. on Tokyo MX, BS11, Gunma TV, and Tochigi TV, with streaming on U-NEXT and other services in Japan. The main cast was also revealed: Makoto Koichi voices protagonist Akira Todo, a 13-year-old middle school student in Okinawa who feels inferior for lacking the Engine power his older sister Haruka inherited. Kaede Hondo plays Haruka Todo, a cheerful 16-year-old high school girl who hides her power. Ami Koshimizu voices Eleanor Northbrook, an 18-year-old from the United States; Megumi Han plays Lala Zudenstein, a 16-year-old from Switzerland; and Rie Takahashi voices Yoko Nishina, a 16-year-old from Hokkaido.
The story follows Akira and his family as strange events begin occurring worldwide, with unidentified enemies approaching. The project marks Takamura's return to original anime direction for the first time since Vividred Operation in 2013, with a production team drawn heavily from the Strike Witches and Gundam mechanical design pipelines.
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Jul 26
The original television anime Vertex Force, directed by Strike Witches and Vividred Operation creator Kazuhiro Takamura, will premiere on October 3 at 11:30 p.m. on Tokyo MX, BS11, Gunma TV, and Tochigi TV, with streaming on U-NEXT and other services in Japan. The announcement came on July 24 via the anime's official website, which also released a main promotional video, key visual, and the full main cast. Makoto Koichi voices protagonist Akira Todo, a 13-year-old middle school student living in Okinawa who feels inferior for lacking the "Engine" power his older sister Haruka inherited from their father. Kaede Hondo plays Haruka Todo, a cheerful 16-year-old high school girl who hides her power. Ami Koshimizu voices Eleanor Northbrook, an 18-year-old from the United States; Megumi Han plays Lala Zudenstein, a 16-year-old from Switzerland; and Rie Takahashi voices Yoko Nishina, a 16-year-old from Hokkaido. The story follows Akira and his family as strange events begin occurring worldwide, with unidentified enemies approaching. Takamura is directing at SMDE, with Gorō Kuji as assistant director. Kanetake Ebikawa handles engine design, and JNTHED handles ENIA design.
May 16
The original mecha anime Vertex Force will premiere in October 2026. Kazuhiro Takamura is directing the project, writing the scripts, and designing the characters. The production is housed at studio SMDE. A teaser video was released alongside the announcement. The project is an original work, not an adaptation of an existing manga or light novel. The announcement confirms the main creative lead and the production studio, establishing the core team behind the series. The teaser video offers the first look at the show's visual style and mecha designs. The October premiere window gives the production a clear timeline for its debut. The announcement did not include voice cast details or a specific episode count.