Yanmar Holdings Co., Ltd. has appointed Masuo Ueda as the executive producer for its original animation, Miru, set to premiere on air in Japan in early 2025. Ueda is an accomplished anime producer known for works such as Mobile Suit Gundam III: Encounters in Space and City Hunter.
The official title of the anime is 未ル (Miru): Paths To My Future, and it will be broadcast as a five-episode series. Details about a global release will be announced once confirmed.
The Osaka-based industrial equipment company announced its entry into the anime industry at the 2023 Anime Expo. Miru is an eco-themed sci-fi story of epic adventure, set in a world where robots and people coexist amidst a looming environmental threat. The anime features a robot, designed by Yanmar’s team, as the main character. This robot is weaponless and stands alongside humans, offering support as they face challenges. Anchored by the theme of “confrontation and harmony between humans and nature,” the five-episode series will explore various human stories unfolding in this unique world.
The Yanmar Group is dedicated to creating “A Sustainable Future,” guided by the principle of its Hanasaka (flowers blooming) initiative, which values belief in people’s potential to shape the future and encourages taking on new challenges for sustainability. In the anime, the protagonist grapples with change, growing through interactions with robots and other characters, and altering the future. Each character’s challenge depicted in Miru is meant to resonate with Hanasaka values, and a step towards realizing A Sustainable Future.
For this project, Yanmar has partnered with five different anime studios. The creative team’s assembly also embodies the spirit of Hanasaka, supporting and encouraging creativity and inspiration through anime. Each studio will be able to express their unique vision for the project, creating an aesthetically diverse world within Miru over its five episodes. Further details are to be announced.
“When I heard that Yanmar was making an anime, I was shocked. It was like being hit on the head with a hammer,” said Ueda. “And a robot anime at that!? And it doesn’t even have weapons? A non-combat, weaponless robot? I started my anime career with Mobile Suit Gundam and never imagined that at this age, I’d be working on another robot anime. However, as I learned more, I became fascinated by the project’s challenging nature and the team’s enthusiasm. Now, I am deeply engrossed in it. This might be my last major project in my anime career, and I am incredibly happy to be part of this exciting endeavor.”
Born in Tokyo in 1955, Ueda joined Nippon Sunrise (now Bandai Namco Filmworks) in 1979. His first production role was the theatrical release of Mobile Suit Gundam III: Encounters in Space. Over the years, he has produced numerous hits and classics such as Galactic Drifter Vifam, City Hunter and ∀ Gundam. After completing the Mobile Suit Gundam 20th Anniversary Project, he left Sunrise in 2000 to work as a freelance producer, contributing to the production of Inuyasha. He played a key role in the establishment of Aniplex and later served as president of A-1 Pictures, president, and chairman of Aniplex. He is currently the CEO of Skyfall Co., Ltd.
Miru is created and produced by Yanmar Holdings, with production support by Skyfall Co. and planning cooperation from btrax Japan LLC. The series is planned to roll out between March and May of 2025 in Japan.
Synopsis: In the distant future, humans create a robot named MIRU capable of traveling through time, visiting various eras, places, and even parallel worlds. Unlike some robots, MIRU isn’t equipped with weapons. Instead, it helps people overcome immense obstacles peacefully, encouraging new beginnings without violence.
MIRU continuously evolves by interacting with people, learning and growing to assist those struggling to survive. It listens to their problems and offers support. By helping others, MIRU sets off a “Butterfly Effect,” of dramatic change guiding society toward a brighter future.
Why was MIRU created? What is its purpose? Can it save the Earth and humanity from a dystopian future? This anime aims to inspire everyone to believe “the future is in our hands,” and seeks to make a positive impact on the world.
