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Transformers and Macross' original designer Shoji Kawamori is working on his own anime movie, and it's coming soon

We don't know a thing about this film and we're still excited.

Transformers screenshot — Image credit: Hasbro

News by Trent Cannon, Senior Contributing writer

Published on Fri Jul 05 2024

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There are very few people who could announce that they are working on a new anime film and offer up exactly no other details – not even a trailer – and we’d all still pay attention. However, when you’re responsible for some of the most iconic and influential mech designs in history, people are going to take notice. So, even without knowing the title, we’re already looking forward to Shoji Kawamori’s upcoming anime movie due out in 2025.

If the name Shoji Kawamori isn’t immediately familiar, don’t worry. You’ve almost certainly seen his work in both Japanese and Western animation. Kawamori is best known for being a key creative planner for The Super Dimension Fortress Macross (known as Robotech in the US) anime series where he designed most of the franchise’s iconic transforming mecha. He also created the Diaclone toyline, which would eventually be turned into all your favorite Transformers characters. The impact he has had on animation history is astronomical.

At his Anime Expo 2024 Q&A panel, Kawamori confirmed that he is working on an upcoming anime film that will open in 2025 – telling the US-based audience even before the movie had been announced in Japan. That is where the details for the movie stopped, but when you’ve single-handedly altered pop culture in both Japan and the US, people are going to take notice when you get involved in a new project.

Shoji Kawamori is directing the as-yet-untitled anime film for a 2025 release in Japan, though he expressed his hope to the crowd gathered at his Anime Expo panel that it would eventually find its way to American cinemas soon.

Here's our guide to every anime coming to Crunchyroll, Netflix and other streaming platforms during the Summer 2024 anime season.