Dark Machine the Animation is gearing up for its October premiere with a new promotional video offering a fresh look at the ambitious multimedia project. The third trailer introduces more of the anime’s futuristic universe while also previewing its ending theme, "Galaxy Mode", performed by Sandaime J SOUL BROTHERS. The song will later be included on the group’s new album, scheduled for release on October 21. Alongside the trailer, the production team confirmed that Dark Machine will also expand into manga, with an adaptation illustrated by Kei Kondō launching on September 24 through Jitsugyo no Nihon Sha’s Comic Ruelle and Comic Jardin platforms. The manga will therefore arrive several weeks before the television series begins its Japanese broadcast.

The anime will premiere on Fuji TV on October 13 at 25:45 JST, effectively October 14 at 1:45 a.m., before reaching Kansai TV on October 15 and BS Fuji on October 20. Crunchyroll has also confirmed that it will stream the series internationally as it airs. Set in the not-too-distant future, the story takes place in a world where Dark Machine has become an extremely popular gaming metaverse. The television adaptation features an extensive cast led by Kenshō Ono as Kairi, Miyuki Sawashiro as Rudora, Kōki Uchiyama as Shinn, Riho Sugiyama as Bran and Saya Aizawa as Isana. Other confirmed performers include Yūichi Nakamura, Kazuyuki Okitsu, Ryōta Suzuki, Genta Nakamura, Sōhei Horikane, Ryūnosuke Watanuki, Jun Kousaka, Minori Suzuki, Rikuya Yasuda, Nao Tōyama, Nonoka Ōbuchi and Rei Nakashima.

Production +h is handling the animation, with Kazumi Terada directing the series. The wider Dark Machine project brings together several notable creators, including Code Geass director Gorō Taniguchi as creative producer and renowned Macross artist Hidetaka Tenjin as chief mechanical designer. Keiichi Yano is credited as the project’s creator. Series composition is being handled by Team Carbuncle, consisting of Takaaki Suzuki, Tatsuhiko Urahata and Atsuo Ishino, alongside Satohito Sata. BUCK-TICK performs the opening theme "Sonzai Riyū Kai", while SUGIZO is responsible for the music. The production staff also includes main character designer Kō Yoshinari, sub-character designer Akira Mitani, costume designer Mebachi, chief animation directors Yumi Kuroiwa and Hideki Itō, storyboard artist Masatsugu Arakawa, CG director Akira Inami, CG action director Ryou Kimura, photography director Naoko Tanaka, editor Yuki Honda and sound director Takeshi Takadera.

Dark Machine originally emerged as an "asynchronous big team arena shooter" project announced in 2023, before entering Early Access in 2024. Its universe is set in 2079, after scientist Dr. Robert Palmer discovers the Palmer crystal, an apparently revolutionary source of virtually unlimited energy. However, access to this resource remains unequal, leading to underground conflicts around the world. Industrial robots originally developed to support energy production are transformed into heavily armed combat mechs, while researchers begin experimenting with mysterious dark energy found in small quantities inside Palmer crystals. Hyper AI technology is used in an attempt to harness this force, although its true nature and controllability remain uncertain. The game itself is built around 7-versus-7 third-person mech battles, with Yuya Saito serving as game director and Koji Hakuta as producer. Developed with Unreal Engine 5, the project has attracted more than US$8.7 million from over 6,000 investors, including Tencent, Immutable and Sui. It also incorporates the blockchain-based MACHINA currency, NFT ownership, an NFT marketplace and decentralized tournaments, although players are not required to purchase NFTs to install or begin playing the game.

Dark Machine Unveils New Trailer and Manga Adaptation