{"id":4194,"date":"2026-06-25T20:23:34","date_gmt":"2026-06-25T12:23:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gametrader.sg\/blog\/kasagi-labo-singapore-ninja-scroll-casshan-ars-gratia-annecy-2026\/"},"modified":"2026-06-25T20:23:34","modified_gmt":"2026-06-25T12:23:34","slug":"kasagi-labo-singapore-ninja-scroll-casshan-ars-gratia-annecy-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gametrader.sg\/blog\/kasagi-labo-singapore-ninja-scroll-casshan-ars-gratia-annecy-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"Singapore\u2019s Kasagi Labo Announces Ninja Scroll Film, Casshan 2045 and Ars Gratia at Annecy"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>A Singapore-based studio just made three major anime announcements at one of the world&#8217;s most prestigious animation festivals \u2014 and two of them involve classic Japanese franchises that fans have waited decades to see revived.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.kasagilabo.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Kasagi Labo<\/a>, the anime venture studio headquartered on Keong Saik Road in Singapore, unveiled three separate projects during its panel at the <strong>Annecy International Animation Film Festival<\/strong> on 24 June 2026: a new <em>Ninja Scroll<\/em> film, a reimagining of the 1973 classic <em>Casshan<\/em> titled <em>Casshan 2045<\/em>, and an original sci-fi feature called <em>Ars Gratia<\/em>.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"gt-video\">\n<div style=\"position:relative;padding-bottom:56.25%;height:0;overflow:hidden;\"><iframe src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/CeYwh-Xz1KU\" title=\"Ninja Scroll | 4k Restoration Trailer | Coming to Theaters Oct 2026\" loading=\"lazy\" style=\"position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;border:0;\" allow=\"accelerometer;clipboard-write;encrypted-media;gyroscope;picture-in-picture;web-share\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div><figcaption>Ninja Scroll | 4k Restoration Trailer | Coming to Theaters Oct 2026 \u2014 via HIDIVE on YouTube<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2>Ninja Scroll: A Singapore Studio, a Legendary Franchise<\/h2>\n<p>The new <em>Ninja Scroll<\/em> project is being produced as a <strong>film<\/strong>, and Kasagi Labo has brought on <strong>Masao Maruyama<\/strong> \u2014 co-founder of Madhouse and MAPPA, and producer of the original 1993 <em>Ninja Scroll<\/em> film \u2014 as a special creative advisor, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.animenewsnetwork.com\/news\/2026-06-24\/singapore-studio-kasagi-labo-announces-new-ninja-scroll-project\/.238886\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">as reported by Anime News Network<\/a>. Having Maruyama on board is a significant mark of legitimacy: he helped shape one of anime&#8217;s most iconic action films in the first place.<\/p>\n<p>Plot, cast, and release window are not yet announced. The announcement arrives in the same season that the <em>Ninja Scroll<\/em> 4K restoration \u2014 supervised by original director Yoshiaki Kawajiri \u2014 is getting a limited US and Canada theatrical run in October 2026, following its world premiere at the Berlinale film festival in February. A 4K Blu-ray Steelbook is also planned for early 2027. No Singapore theatrical dates have been confirmed for the restoration; local fans will likely need to import the physical release.<\/p>\n<figure><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.gametrader.sg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/ninja-scroll-4k-restoration-poster.png?w=474&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Ninja Scroll 4K restoration theatrical poster\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><figcaption>Image courtesy of HIDIVE \/ Sentai Filmworks<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2>Casshan 2045: Yoshitaka Amano Reimagines a 1973 Classic<\/h2>\n<p><em>Casshan 2045<\/em> takes on Tatsunoko Production&#8217;s foundational TV anime <em>Shinz\u014d Ningen Casshan<\/em> (1973), the story of a scientist&#8217;s son who transforms himself into a robot warrior to combat humanity-threatening machines \u2014 sacrificing his own humanity in the process. The project is still at the tentative-title stage, but Kasagi Labo has already confirmed that <strong>Yoshitaka Amano<\/strong>, the legendary artist whose work defines the visual identity of the <em>Final Fantasy<\/em> series, is providing original character design concepts, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.animenewsnetwork.com\/news\/2026-06-24\/singapore-studio-kasagi-labo-announces-new-casshan-2045-project\/.238891\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">per Anime News Network<\/a>.<\/p>\n<figure><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.gametrader.sg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/casshan-1973-tatsunoko-artwork.webp?w=474&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Original Shinzo Ningen Casshan 1973 TV anime artwork\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><figcaption>Image courtesy of Tatsunoko Production<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Amano&#8217;s involvement alone makes this a headline. His ethereal, detail-dense style is immediately recognisable worldwide \u2014 bringing him in to reimagine Casshan signals that Kasagi Labo is after genuine artistic reinvention rather than a nostalgia cash-in. No further details on cast, studio partners, or release window have been disclosed.<\/p>\n<h2>Ars Gratia: An Original Sci-Fi Feature<\/h2>\n<p>The third announcement is an entirely original work. <em>Ars Gratia<\/em> (tentative title) is a sci-fi feature developed alongside <strong>Good Smile Company<\/strong> and <strong>LIDEN FILMS<\/strong>, with <strong>Ilya Kuvshinov<\/strong> \u2014 the prolific Russian-Japanese artist known for his character design work on <em>Ghost in the Shell: SAC_2045<\/em> \u2014 serving as both director and character designer, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.animenewsnetwork.com\/news\/2026-06-24\/singapore-studio-kasagi-labo-reveals-ars-gratia-project\/.238892\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">per Anime News Network<\/a>. Kuvshinov&#8217;s instantly recognisable digital painting aesthetic gives this one a very distinct look before a single frame of animation has been shown.<\/p>\n<h2>A Singapore Studio at the Centre of Anime Revival<\/h2>\n<figure><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.gametrader.sg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/kasagi-labo-gate2-key-visual-scaled.jpg?w=474&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"GATE 2 anime key visual by Kasagi Labo\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><figcaption>Image courtesy of Alphapolice \/ GATE 2 Production Committee<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Kasagi Labo \u2014 led by CEO Kendrick Wong with offices in Singapore, Malaysia, and Japan \u2014 has been building steadily toward moments like this. The studio secured a <strong>USD $33 million anime production fund<\/strong> targeting legacy IP revivals and original works. It is already in production on <em>GATE 2<\/em> (sequel to the beloved <em>Gate: Jieitai Kanochi nite, Kaku Tatakaeri<\/em>) and an original sh\u014dnen sci-fi adventure. As Wong <a href=\"https:\/\/animecorner.me\/gate-2-kasagi-labo-kendrick-wong-interview\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">told Anime Corner<\/a>, the studio &#8220;aims to bridge Japan&#8217;s legendary creators to global audiences hungry for authentic anime storytelling.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>For Singapore anime fans, this carries a double significance. A studio based in our own city is producing anime that will reach global audiences \u2014 which remains a rare enough fact to be remarkable. And the franchises being revived, <em>Ninja Scroll<\/em> and <em>Casshan<\/em>, are exactly the kind of classic anime that older Singapore fans encountered growing up, giving these reveals a personal resonance that a completely new IP would not have.<\/p>\n<p>No release windows have been announced for any of the three projects. We will update as details emerge. For more anime news and announcements, head to our <a href=\"\/blog\/category\/manga-anime\/\">manga and anime coverage<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><!--GT-SCOUT source=\"Web (English)\" theme=\"Anime\" flags=\"none\"--><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Singapore\u2019s Kasagi Labo unveiled three anime projects at Annecy 2026: a Ninja Scroll film, Casshan 2045 with Yoshitaka Amano designs, and sci-fi Ars Gratia.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":20,"featured_media":4187,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false,"jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":[]},"categories":[25,30],"tags":[68,264,266,462,461],"class_list":["post-4194","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-manga-anime","category-news","tag-anime","tag-anime-2026","tag-japan-anime","tag-kasagi-labo","tag-ninja-scroll"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.gametrader.sg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/ninja-scroll-kasagi-labo-2026.webp?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p13AlF-15E","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":4065,"url":"https:\/\/www.gametrader.sg\/blog\/the-one-piece-wit-studio-remake-2027-netflix\/","url_meta":{"origin":4194,"position":0},"title":"THE ONE PIECE Gets First Episode Artwork \u2014 WIT Studio&#8217;s Remake Arrives on Netflix in February 2027","date":"June 24, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"WIT Studio's One Piece anime remake revealed its first episode artwork at Annecy 2026. 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