In a year certain to be crowded with great-looking anime—including Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle and the Chainsaw Man: Reze movie, to name just a few—the new action-packed trailer for Virgin Punk still manages to make an impression. One look at the footage of young bounty hunters waging war with special weapons in stunning settings suggests that something extraordinary is on the way when Virgin Punk debuts in Japan this June. And yet, unlike the other anime mentioned earlier, Virgin Punk isn’t based on a manga or an existing IP—it’s an original work by one of anime’s master creators: Yasuomi Umetsu.

Previously the director of cult anime classics like Kite, Mezzo Forte, and Wizard Barristers, Yasuomi Umetsu has now teamed up with studio SHAFT to bring Virgin Punk to life. Known as a top anime studio with acclaimed titles like Puella Magi Madoka Magica and Monogatari, SHAFT has clearly brought its A-game to Virgin Punk, excelling not only in the dynamic action scenes but also in the lifelike character animation seen throughout the trailer. But, the secret sauce to Virgin Punk’s visual spectacle is Yasuomi Umetsu himself.

Breaking the Mold: Umetsu’s Unique Anime Style

From Animator to Cult Director

While he isn’t as well-known as world-famous anime directors like Hayao Miyazaki or Makoto Shinkai, Yasuomi Umetsu’s name on a project immediately makes it a must-watch for fans of action-oriented anime. He has been working as a director, writer, and animator for over four decades, with many of his works leaving a deep impression on the medium. Never one to chase trends, Umetsu’s art style leans toward a bold use of color and real-world detail. At a time when cartoonish anime like Dragon Ball were popular, Umetsu’s early work, such as Megazone 23 Part 2 (1986), with its authentic punk rock look and attitude, totally broke the mold.

Umetsu worked as an animator and character designer on numerous high-profile projects, including Akira and Grave of the Fireflies, before his artistic breakthrough came in 1998 with Kite. A controversial tale of a schoolgirl assassin filled with intense action and shootouts, Kite—which Umetsu also scripted—became a global hit and was later adapted into a live-action movie starring Samuel L. Jackson in 2014.

Seemingly encouraged by Kite’s success, Umetsu leaned further into the “girls with guns” genre with the 2000 mercenary action anime Mezzo Forte and the 2007 sequel Kite Liberator. He then shifted to futuristic science fiction with the 2013 anime series Galilei Donna, which follows three sisters falsely accused of terrorism. In 2014, he introduced Wizard Barristers, blending Harry Potter-style magic with his signature action-oriented sensibilities. While neither Galilei Donna nor Wizard Barristers reached the same level of success as Kite, both remain unique and ripe for rediscovery.

The Long-Awaited Return of Yasuomi Umetsu

A Return to His Roots

The new Virgin Punk anime marks the first time Yasuomi Umetsu has sat in the director’s chair in over a decade. The narrative centers on the protagonist, Ubu, who becomes a bounty hunter. The story follows Ubu as she navigates a world of chaos and ambition, surrounded by intense personalities. It’s not yet known if Virgin Punk will be a full-fledged TV series or how it will be distributed outside of Japan. But for now, episode one of Virgin Punk, titled Clockwork Girl, is debuting in movie theaters in Tokyo and Osaka.

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In a recent interview, director Yasuomi Umetsu explained that Virgin Punk serves as a return to his roots, aiming to satisfy long-time fans of his earlier works like Kite and Mezzo Forte. He also hopes to captivate a new generation unfamiliar with these classics. As the premiere of Clockwork Girl approaches in June, anticipation builds to see how Umetsu’s distinctive style has evolved with the help of studio SHAFT.