Taking the massive Crypto.com Arena stage for their largest panel to date, WIT Studio treated fans at Anime Expo 2026 to a thrilling look at their past, present, and highly anticipated future. The “Production I.G x WIT STUDIO Industry Panel 2026” served as both a celebration of a legendary catalog and a massive reveal event. WIT Studio President George Wada, Co-Founder and Executive Producer Tetsuya Nakatake, and legendary Director Tetsurō Araki (Attack on Titan, Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress) took the stage to thank fans and lay out an ambitious roadmap stretching into 2027.
Founded in June 2012 in Kichijoji, Japan, WIT Studio has spent nearly fifteen years cementing itself as a powerhouse of modern animation. From globally recognized megahits like Attack on Titan and SPY×FAMILY to stellar original properties like Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress and GREAT PRETENDER, the studio has continuously pushed the boundaries of the medium.
With 2026 already seeing the broadcasts of Agents of the Four Seasons, Ascendance of a Bookworm: The Archduke’s Adopted Daughter, and Candy Caries, the studio is showing no signs of slowing down. Here are the major announcements from their blockbuster AX 2026 panel.
Brand-New Original Animation LONA Announced
The undisputed centerpiece of the panel was the reveal of LONA, WIT Studio’s next major original television animation. The sci-fi series is set in a virtual world where survivors of a mass-casualty disaster now live. The plot follows a group of researchers who must literally dive into the minds of the deceased to stop “LDoS”—corpse-like digital avatars that destroy anyone they touch.
The creative pedigree behind the project is staggering:
- Writer: Acclaimed screenwriter Akiko Nogi (Unnatural, MIU404) making her original anime debut.
- Director: Takashi Katagiri (SPY x FAMILY CODE: WHITE).
“LONA is a title with many fantastical elements achievable only through animation, realized with the craft WIT Studio has honed over fifteen years,” noted Producer Nakatake.
LONA is scheduled to premiere in spring 2027. Fans can check out the hauntingly beautiful Teaser Trailer PV on YouTube.
THE ONE PIECE Sets Sail on Netflix in February 2027
In a moment that electrified the arena, WIT Studio unveiled the English-dubbed PV for THE ONE PIECE, confirming a February 2027 global streaming release on Netflix.
This ambitious remake reanimates Eiichiro Oda’s legendary manga, which surpassed a staggering 600 million copies in worldwide circulation as of March 2026, starting fresh from Episode 1 of the iconic “East Blue” arc. While the initial main footage was teased at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival earlier this year, the Anime Expo panel gave fans a first look at the redesigned Roronoa Zoro, Nami, Usopp, and Sanji. It was also officially confirmed that the legendary Mayumi Tanaka will return to voice the protagonist, Monkey D. Luffy.
WIT Studio has assembled an absolute dream team of veteran production talent to bring the East Blue to life:
- Director: Masashi Koizuka (Attack on Titan)
- Assistant Director: Hideaki Abe (Jujutsu Kaisen)
- Series Composition and Screenplay: Taku Kishimoto (Haikyu!!, Blue Lock)
- Character Design & Chief Animation Direction: Kyoji Asano (PsychoPass) and Takatoshi Honda (The First Slam Dunk)
- Music: Yuki Hayashi (My Hero Academia)
- Sound Direction: Masafumi Mima (Attack on Titan)
Ready to join the Straw Hat Crew? Watch the newly released English PV on YouTube.
A Sweet Stop-Motion Interlude: Candy Caries
Moving from epic high-seas adventures to sweetly slapstick comedy, the panel spotlighted Candy Caries. Created by the minds behind Sanrio favorites My Melody and Kuromi, this unique stop-motion series follows the daily, chaotic lives of a young girl and the personified cavity living right inside her mouth.
The series is currently broadcasting throughout 2026, and fans can chew on the latest bite-sized episodes via the Official Candy Caries YouTube Channel.
Launching the “Tokyo Anime Next” International Awards
To close out the historic panel, President George Wada announced the launch of Tokyo Anime Next, a brand-new international animation awards program.
Running from October 20 to November 2 in Ikebukuro, Japan, the event is heavily backed by WIT Studio and was built by a coalition of premier anime studios. The program’s core mission is to recognize and honor excellence in Japanese animated storytelling on a truly global scale. More news regarding categories, voting, and scheduling will be released soon. In the meantime, international fans can stay updated via the Official Tokyo Anime Next Website.
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