Netflix’s catalog of exclusive anime films from a wide array of novel directors expands with legendary mecha animator Mitsuo Iso’s second original anime. Best known for his animation work on iconic fight scenes in End of Evangelion and Ghost in the Shell, Iso’s The Orbital Children looks to be a compelling science fiction series for fans of mecha and speculative fiction.
Iso worked on the key animation and in-betweens on the Gundam series beginning with Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam. He secretly worked on Char’s Counterattack under a pseudonym and eventually made a name for himself working on the iconic battle scene at the beginning of 1989’s Mobile Suit Gundam 0080: War in the Pocket. Iso went on to work on Neon Genesis Evangelion and Ghost In The Shell, notably designing the real-kei film’s firearms.
Iso’s directorial debut was the 2007 series Coil – A Circle of Children (aka Dennō Coil). His original script won the Seiun Award, the oldest award for science fiction writing in Japan.
Set in 2045, The Orbital Children follows seven children of the moon and Earth stranded on a space station in an era when AI has made space travel common. A new visual from character designer Kenichi Yoshida (Eureka Seven) shows what they look like.
The seven children are voiced by an ensemble cast of Japanese voice talent, featuring Natsumi Fujiwara (Shōnen Maid, 86) as Tōya Sagami, Azumi Waki (Girlfriend, Girlfriend, The Aquatope on White Sand) as Konoha Be Nanase, Kensho Ono (the go-to Japanese VA to dub Daniel Radcliffe) as Taiyō Tsukuba, Chinatsu Akasaki (Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions, Fruits Basket) as Miina Misasa, Yumiko Kobayashi (JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, Seven Deadly Sins) as Hiroshi Tanegashima, and Mariya Ise (Kakegurui, Made in Abyss) as Nasa Houston.
The series will consist of six episodes and release in Japanese theaters in two parts on Jan. 28 and Feb. 11. The Orbital Children premieres on Netflix worldwide on Jan. 28.
