Final Fantasy's Legendary Illustrator is Working on a New Anime

Legendary Japanese Artist and Character Designer, Yoshitaka Amano, is well-known for a long list of accomplishments, including blessing the world with his work on the Final Fantasy series, and now he's at the helm of the upcoming dark-fantasy anime series, ZAN.

ZAN was revealed in 2010 as an art project called "Deva Zan", with over 300 original pieces of artwork created by Amano, and an official art book was published in 2013 by Dark Horse Comics.

Production on New Dark-Fantasy Anime ZAN has Officially Begun

The announcement of Amano's new anime series also marks the launch of Yoshitaka Amano Inc, which is headquartered in Los Angeles, California, and will be in charge of ZAN's production, with a team of talented animators, directors, and writers that will be working on the project.

Luckily, we're not too far away from having a closer look at Zan, as the anime's trailer will make its debut at Anime Expo in Los Angeles on July 3rd.

When Zan was first announced in 2010, it was set to be a 3D anime movie developed by Amano's film production company, Studio Devaloka, but after numerous years of silence regarding the project, it was revealed in 2022 that the film would instead be made into a series.

The official announcement for ZAN arrived just last week, stating the series will blend original and newly created artwork from Amano with hand-drawn animations to bring to life a dark fantasy world: "The series unites veteran anime creators under Amano's artistic vision to deliver a premium animated work for worldwide audiences."

There are some veteran names working on the ZAN animated series, including:

• Masashi Ikeda (Inuyasha, Gundam Wing) — Director of Animation
• Toru Toshida (Armored Trooper VOTOMS, Gundam Seed) — Director of Animation
• Moriyasu Taniguchi (Samurai Champloo, Vinland Saga) — Principal Animator
• Ryosuke Takahashi (Armored Trooper VOTOMS and The Fable) — Series Composition
• Yuya Takashima (Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury, and The Fable) — Writer
• Kunio Ogawara (Time Bokan and Mobile Suit Gundam) — Art Director
• Minoru Nishida (Kill Bill, Doraemon: Nobita's Dinosaur 2006) — Art Director

According to the press release, Yoshitaka Amano Inc. will be collaborating with international partners on the production of ZAN, as the goal of the company is to turn Amano's iconic art into a globally respected brand of immersive experiences, collectibles, and animation.

The company's official website describes the upcoming anime series as, "A thrilling sci-fi action fantasy that crosses time and space, woven with stylish heroes and an exhilarating storyline. Japan’s finest anime creators unite to produce a high-quality animated work crafted for the global market. Featuring relentless battles against powerful rivals and dynamic sword-fighting action led by the protagonist."

Amano's new Los Angeles headquarters will be focused on film and animation production, licensing, galleries, artist management, and art events.

Yoshitaka Amano also has a large-scale, multisensory art and entertainment exhibition called "AMANO", which has had successful exhibitions in Italy and Brazil. They've just announced the exhibition is being expanded and will soon be available in the United States, China, Southeast Asia, Europe, and Japan, beginning in 2027.

This art exhibit is meant to be an immersive experience that engages the audience. "Visitors are invited not only to view Amano's art, but to move through and interact with it across physical and digital environments."

Limited-Edition AMANO Merch

If your anticipation is building to experience Amano's artistic genius in real life by visiting the AMANO exhibits when they finally arrive at a location near you, you'll also have the opportunity to score some exclusive merch.

MEDICOM TOY Corporation will be helping plan and produce limited-edition merchandise for the AMANO experience, with Milestone INC. supporting merchandise operations.

The world premiere for ZAN's teaser trailer, and a preview of the expanded AMANO Art & Entertainment Exhibition experience, will be revealed at the Anime Expo 2026.