WIT Studio's LONA Anime Set for Spring 2027 Debut

WIT Studio announced that its new original anime project, LONA (Laboratory of Optics and Neural Analysis), is premiering in Spring 2027. The June 28 announcement came with two teaser videos, three visuals, and a cast and staff reveal for the upcoming anime.

The LONA anime project was first teased in June 2026 during the Chayamachi Oshi Festival, but few details were revealed at the time, except for the name. Original screenwriter Akiko Nogi has shared her enthusiasm for the upcoming anime, stating, “We are taking on the brain and the world, with a large synchrotron radiation facility I had long admired as the setting.”

LONA TV Anime Centers on Akiko Nogi’s Original Concept

According to WIT Studio, LONA is based on an original concept by screenwriter Akiko Nogi, who is also overseeing the anime’s script. According to the studio, LONA's premise is set in a near-future society where “humans who should be dead” launch attacks on the living, prompting the government to commission a specialized agency. 

As per the description, the anime will follow countless memories of dead people, focusing on the neural activities and aftermath of death. WIT Studio President George Wada has confirmed the narrative draws on research conducted at the SPring-8 synchrotron radiation facility in Harima, Hyogo Prefecture.

However, Wada didn’t detail how far the research has influenced the narrative or what the research was about. He described LONA as a story “about people trying to solve enormous mysteries by analyzing incredibly tiny things.”

WIT Studio’s LONA Anime Production

WIT Studio’s LONA brings together a veteran team, headlined by SPY×FAMILY Code: White director Katagiri, who directs the anime. Katagiri has also worked in previous WIT Studio productions such as Attack on Titan (AoT) and the Bubble anime film.

Katagiri has noted the rarity of the opportunity, emphasizing that he “still remember(s) the excitement” of reading Nogi’s script for the first time. He further described LONA as “truly something special,” while urging fans to look forward to it.

Posuka Demizu, the manga artist behind The Promised Neverland, handles original character designs, with Yūdai Iino adapting them in animation. Hiroko Sébu, whose work credits include I Want to Eat Your Pancreas, handles the music, with Shōji Hata as sound director.

During the LONA reveal, three characters were introduced. The voice cast features Minako Kotobuki as Ao, Anna Nagase as Sango, and Fūka Izumi as Mugen.

The upcoming LONA anime arrives as WIT Studio is set to celebrate its 15th anniversary in 2027. The studio, established on June 1, 2012, has become one of the most recognized anime studios in the industry, producing several globally recognized titles, including Vinland Saga, AoT (Seasons 1-3), Great Pretender, and Hozuki’s Coolheadedness.

Unlike other prominent studios, WIT has a history of hit original anime productions. However, LONA’s performance will indicate whether WIT’s original development pipeline can sustain the same commercial traction as its licensed blockbusters. The studio is currently working on Netflix's The One Piece, which is also releasing in 2027.