Yoshitaka Amano’s ZAN Anime Gets Trailer at Anime Expo 2026

Japanese artist Yoshitaka Amano, best known internationally for the Final Fantasy franchise, is stepping into anime production with ZAN. Amano’s upcoming limited anime series adapts his DEVA ZAN dark fantasy art project, a universe spanning over 300 original works.

ZAN anime announcement marks one of the most ambitious screen adaptations tied directly to Amano’s original intellectual property. He joined Tatsunoko Production in 1967, contributing to Gatchaman, Time Bokan, and Casshan, before shifting to the Final Fantasy production in 1987.

He has since received several national and international recognitions, including the Seiun, Eisner, and Inkpot awards. Amano also collaborated with Neil Gaiman on Sandman: The Dream Hunters, further establishing his impact in global creative industries.

Amano’s Los Angeles-based production company, Yoshitaka Amano Inc., announced the ZAN anime adaptation on June 16, while confirming that the series’ first trailer will debut at Anime Expo on July 3. The limited series does not have a release date as of now.

Yoshitaka Amano’s ZAN Anime Series: What We Know so Far

ZAN anime announcement lands after a prolonged developmental phase. Amano first unveiled the Deva Zan anime project in 2010, intending to make his directorial debut with a film. Back then, he had also mentioned that he had been working on the project since 2000, marking a roughly 26-year working window.

ZAN is set in the late Edo period (1603-1868), following a samurai protagonist, Zan, who travels across time. In the narrative, he is one of the Twelve Heavenly Generals or the Jūni Shinshō (Juni Jinsho) of East Asian Buddhist myth, and must combine with others to fight off the dark forces. As per GoodReads, Deva Zan’s plot spans ancient Japan to modern-day New York.

ZAN will assemble a notable roster of veteran anime creators, with Amano supervising the series. Animation direction will be handled by Inuyasha and Gundam Wing director Masashi Ikeda and Tôru Yoshida, whose credits include Armored Trooper VOTOMS and Gundam Seed.

Ryōsuke Takahashi, director of Armored Trooper VOTOMS, will compose the upcoming ZAN anime series. Veteran animator Moriyasu Taniguchi, whose previous works include Samurai Champloo, Vinland Saga, and Berserk: The Golden Age Arc III (2013), is joining the production as principal animator.

While the production will primarily be handled by Yoshitaka Amano Inc. and Japanese creators, a Black-owned studio, N LITE, is reportedly joining the project.  One of Japan’s leading IP production companies, Twin Planet Co., Ltd., is confirmed as an animation production partner, as well.

A cast list, character list, and detailed plotline have not been announced, as of writing. However, the production scale with well-known anime industry veterans signals an ambitious anime project. For now, the July 3 trailer at Anime Expo in Los Angeles will be the first concrete measure of whether this production can meet the expectations of a 26-year build.

Amano’s Deva Zan anime project arrives at Anime Expo amidst a crowded slate of new anime reveals and premieres scheduled at the event. Anime Expo 2026 runs July 2-5 at the Los Angeles Convention Center in California.