Machinery manufacturer Yanmar Holdings announced on Thursday that its original anime project Miru will now have the title Miru: Paths To My Future. The anime will air as a five-episode omnibus series in early 2025 (in Japanese the announcement specifies spring). Yanmar Holdings will provide details about a global release once confirmed.
Yanmar Holdings describes the anime:
In the distant future, humans create a robot named MIRU capable of traveling through time, visiting various eras, places, and even parallel worlds. Unlike some robots, MIRU isn't equipped with weapons. Instead, it helps people overcome immense obstacles peacefully, encouraging new beginnings without violence.
MIRU continuously evolves by interacting with people, learning and growing to assist those struggling to survive. It listens to their problems and offers support. By helping others, MIRU sets off a “Butterfly Effect,” of dramatic change guiding society toward a brighter future.
Why was MIRU created? What is its purpose? Can it save the Earth and humanity from a dystopian future?
Yanmar Holdings created and is producing the anime. Masuo Ueda (Sekirei, Space Brothers, Crest of the Stars) is the executive producer, with production support by Skyfall Co., Ltd. btrax Japan LLC is cooperating in the planning of the anime.
The anime's staff stated in July 2023 that they deliberately steered the main mecha design away from existing hero robot design tropes. When asked if the story will have a villain, the staff said that not only may the story not have a villain, it may not have a traditional hero or conflict.
The project features robots by designers from the company, and story scripts by Shigeru Morita (Lagrange - The Flower of Rin-ne, A Dark Rabbit Has Seven Lives, The Island of Giant Insects) from Studio Nue. Yanmar credits Yanmar Holdings Inc. Brand Department Design Office for the design of the robot shown in July 2023, with Yū Iguchi as concept artist.
Source: Press release