(VIDEO) Anime series from Yanmar highlights the role of robotics in sustainability

Founded in Osaka, Japan, in 1912, The Yanmar Group is a manufacturer of diesel engine technology and industrial equipment. Its product range includes small and large engines, agricultural machinery, construction equipment, energy systems, and industrial components.

The company has recently developed 未ル(Miru): Paths To My Future, an original anime series that explores the relationship between sustainability, humans, nature, and machines. The five-episode anthology features a robot named Miru, who supports human characters through various challenges without the use of weapons. Set to air on Japanese TV in April 2025, the series addresses themes of harmony and disconnection between people and the natural world.

Robotic innovation meets sustainable equipment design

In the context of a global movement towards a sustainable future, the anime series encourages viewers to consider the importance of circular economy principles and practical, functional design in addressing environmental challenges.

Yanmar's in-house design division — which also contributes to the design of the company's agricultural and construction equipment — created the original concept for Miru by imagining how equipment is used in the field and how it interacts with operators.

The robot's design combines organic, human-centric elements with mechanical functionality to reflect the idea that machines should support people. This approach mirrors Yanmar's broader design philosophy, which emphasizes utility, meaning, and sustainability in industrial machinery and robotics.

What to expect from Miru: Paths To My Future

The project reflects Yanmar's guiding principle of Hanasaka, which emphasizes human potential and encourages the pursuit of new challenges. Through collaboration with five creative studios, the series brings together diverse perspectives on the connection between technology, people, and the environment.

By allowing different studios to each produce a single episode and explore their creativity, the production will showcase diverse storytelling, animation styles, and expression of the future of machinery.

Norio Kashima, director of the first episode in the anthology, Stardust Memory with the production company LinQ said of their episode: "This story illustrates the butterfly effect, demonstrating how even minor factors — such as the presence of space debris — can trigger a devastating chain reaction, leading to the loss of Yoshimura's daughter, a young space pilot."

Naofumi Mishina, director of episode Re: MIRU, with the production company REIRS said, "During our daily production meetings, the staff exchanged ideas about concepts that would visually captivate our audience. Meanwhile, I find myself creating a story about a bleak future. There's an odd satisfaction in this juxtaposition, and I'm looking forward to the final result."