Japanese streaming platform ABEMA has named the three Project PRISMation finalists who will receive full funding to make original anime pilot films. The open call ran from May to August 2026. Reporter Egan Loo reported on Anime News Network that the choice grants Japanese artist Waboku, director orange, and American artist Dominique Garrow complete backing to make standalone shorts slated for release from 2027 onward [1]. ABEMA will also provide Japanese voice casting, English dubbing, sound work, and global distribution to help each indie film reach fans worldwide [7].
How Project PRISMation Winners Were Selected
ABEMA launched the first open call for Project PRISMation in Tokyo in May 2026 to discover fresh directorial talent across Japan and overseas indie communities [7]. Hundreds of solo artists and small digital teams submitted pitch packages before the August deadline [1]. Three finalists emerged from that screening [5].
Reporter Anukul Saini wrote on My Otaku World that ABEMA awards actual making contracts instead of basic options. The Project PRISMation finalists receive full budget backing while gaining direct access to global streaming viewers. Many solo artists spend years posting clips to video platforms without finding studio partners to help turn short concepts into finished films [3]. By backing Waboku, orange, and Garrow, ABEMA aims to prove that internet-born stories can match major anime studio quality [7]. It isn’t a hands-off licensing deal [3]. ABEMA collaborates with each creator from early story planning through final delivery, preserving their artistic voice while pairing them with veteran Japanese sound staff and bilingual voice actors [5].
CyberAgent founded Project PRISMation in December 2025 as an incubator for solo animators [6]. CyberAgent operates ABEMA under a creator-first philosophy that treats personal artistic vision as the root for successful anime story properties [7]. The name PRISMation blends the words prism and animation to symbolize a bright meeting place for different creative voices. Comic Natalie reported that ABEMA will post dates for its next open call on official web portals [1].
The Three Pitch Concepts
The first selected project is OXY-HEAVEN, created and directed by Japanese animator Waboku [7]. Set in a steampunk world aboard a colossal ship-nation called Eden that is recovering from war, the story follows a former physician who opens the cafe OXY HEAVEN to mend wounded travelers with coffee and gentle meddling [1]. Japanese animator Waboku, who previously directed popular music videos for Eve and ZUTOMAYO, began developing the colossal ship-nation Eden in 2015 before pitching it as a cafe drama. The judges praised the stylish Eden setting and rich character relationships [5].
The second winning pitch is Amneka, created by the young director orange in Japan. Set in a remote school where six students and one teacher live together in isolation, the fantasy comedy focuses on a quiet girl named Amneka whose peaceful routine begins to unravel when an unknown secret surfaces [1]. The judging panel described the Amneka concept as sharp and unlike anything else, praising the contrast between its cute visuals and subtle psychological tension while noting that orange provided full episode outlines [5].
The third title is Kandy-Killers for Hire, pitched by American artist Dominique Garrow. She creates online under the moniker koilccc [5]. The psycho-pop dark comedy takes place in a brightly lit future metropolis where paid assassinations are fully legal, following a hitwoman named Kandie who recruits her closest allies Poppy and Gumi to protect her small venture against a corporate syndicate called ASASU. Dominique Garrow, who is the youngest creator selected in this open call, developed her visual style by producing illustrations and character assets within the online VTuber community [1].
Project PRISMation Finalists Receive Full Studio Assistance
ABEMA will assemble a full studio pipeline to turn each winning pitch into a broadcast-ready pilot film [5]. Under this agreement, ABEMA will guide the Project PRISMation finalists through script revisions, Japanese voice casting, English dubbing, musical scoring, sound effects, and multilingual translation for global viewers [1]. This backing gives solo animators access to professional studio resources without requiring them to surrender creative control [5].
The selected creators shared their thoughts after ABEMA confirmed the funding decisions [7]. Waboku said OXY-HEAVEN represents his first independently planned anime project in over a decade, adding: “OXY-HEAVEN is a project I’ve been building piece by piece for years.”. “Some familiar faces might even appear. It’s still a long way off, but please look forward to it.”. Director orange expressed similar excitement about making a longer work, saying: “I’m still very much learning as a creator, but I’ll give everything I have.”. “I want to deliver another world — cute yet fleeting — for everyone to enjoy.” [5]. orange aims to capture small sensory details that surface in daily life and linger in memory [1].
Dominique Garrow called the selection a dream opportunity in statements shared by PR TIMES and ABEMA [7]. “I feel so lucky to have been given an opportunity I thought I could only dream of,” Garrow said. “I hope everyone enjoys the sweet, twisted, blood-soaked world of Kandy-Killers for Hire at least half as much as I do!”. Production begins immediately in the United States and Japan. ANI-BOX reported that all three pilot films will premiere sequentially starting in 2027 on ABEMA’s streaming service and official video channels [5].
Earlier January Pilots and Telly Awards
Project PRISMation debuted its first batch of pilot films in January 2026 to test original indie concepts. Thai animator Zemyata directed Poppin-Play Kitchen, which premiered on January 16 and followed three doll-like hosts named P-chan, C-chan, and U-chan as they struggled through impossible culinary tasks under the control of giant Stage Hands [6]. The video racked up 2.5 million views online, and it won 11 awards at the 47th Annual Telly Awards, including 3 Gold trophies [2]. Following that run, ABEMA approved work on a sequel short titled Episode 2, which is scheduled to premiere in January 2027 [7].
Two other Asian animation teams completed that January launch. On January 23, ABEMA released Gluttomy, a psychological school mystery by Vietnamese animation duo rapitus, consisting of artists Ra Pis and Tus. The narrative follows a scholarship student named Appel whose quiet life unravels after he meets mysterious pink-haired twins named Glista and Glyde [6]. One week later, on January 30, Japanese collective Uguisu Kobo premiered The Horrors’ Horror Home, directed by Rushio Moriyama from a screenplay by Yūya Matsuzaki [1]. The horror comedy chronicles the domestic life of vampire father Dracule, wraith mother Sayako, their daughter Alice, and an eerie pet cat named Dark Matter [6].
Wave 2 Lineup and Tokyo Events
Before the 2027 finalists release their films, ABEMA will premiere its second wave of indie anime pilots in December 2026, featuring original projects from directors Miou Hiruma, Yū Satō, and Fantasy Restaurant Kani. Miou Hiruma of studio Mh-artworks created The Chatty Jewel and the Phantom Thieves, while Yū Satō helmed SALON de MONDE [7]. Fantasy Restaurant Kani produced the third upcoming title, LAMPMOSS COFFEE [1]. ABEMA released teaser videos for all three works to introduce each director’s visual style ahead of broadcast [7].
ABEMA organized the PRISMation Film Fes. 2026 screening on May 17 with tickets sold through Animate Ticket, followed by the PRISMation ATELIER panel on September 19 during the ABEMA Anime Festival. Fans gathered in Tokyo to watch original shorts on a big screen. Directors Zemyata, rapitus, and Rushio Moriyama appeared on stage to discuss their independent production workflows and preview future creative projects [2].
By providing production funding, bilingual voice recording, and global marketing, ABEMA is turning web animation into a viable path for solo creators. The three Project PRISMation finalists will spend the coming months refining their storyboards and pipelines before their shorts debut in 2027 [5]. Viewers can follow updates through ABEMA’s official website [7].
- ONLINE NEWS Loo, E. (2026, November 7). Abema Selects Project PRISMation’s 1st Open Call Finalists to Make 3 Pilot Anime. Anime News Network. [Article Link]
- WEBSITE Project PRISMation. (2026, November 6). Three Projects Selected from Our First Open Call! Project PRISMation. [Article Link]
- ONLINE NEWS Saini, A. (2026, November 7). ABEMA Names 3 Winners of Its PRISMation Open Call for Indie Anime Pilots. My Otaku World. [Article Link]
- ONLINE NEWS NQ Brief. (2026, November 7). ABEMA Names 3 Finalists in Project PRISMation Open Call. NQ Brief. [Article Link]
- ONLINE NEWS ANIBOX News Bot. (2026, November 7). ABEMA Selects Three Original Anime Projects for Project PRISMation, Pilots Slated for 2027. ANI-BOX. [Article Link]
- ONLINE NEWS Kiwami, S. (2025, December 28). ABEMA Reveals New Project PRISMation Original Anime Initiative. Final Weapon. [Article Link]
- PRESS RELEASE PR TIMES. (2026, November 6). 「ABEMA」、次世代アニメクリエイターとともにオリジナルアニメ作品の創出を目指す「Project PRISMation」国内外の応募作の中から、第1回公募 採択3作品が決定. Anime! Anime!. [Article Link]
