Japanese creative studio Studio Nue will hold a landmark retrospective exhibition titled 「スタジオぬえの50年」(Studio Nue no 50-nen) — “50 Years of Studio Nue” — from March 6 to 28, 2027 at the Kadokawa Musashino Museum (3rd floor), located within Tokorozawa Sakura Town in Saitama Prefecture. The exhibition will subsequently travel to a second venue in Shizuoka Prefecture.

About Studio Nue

Founded in the 1970s, Studio Nue has been a cornerstone of Japan’s SF and anime industries, contributing across visual art, original stories, screenwriting, research supervision, and mechanical design. The studio’s credits include Space Battleship Yamato, Super Dimension Fortress Macross, and the conceptual design for Eureka Seven. The studio also produced design illustrations for the powered suits featured in Robert A. Heinlein’s SF novel Starship Troopers.

What to Expect

The exhibition will display over 300 items, including previously unseen materials. Highlights include works by Kawamori Shoji, the designer of the iconic VF-1 Valkyrie from Macross, alongside pieces from other creators who have been part of Studio Nue over the decades.

Featured titles include:

• Brave Raideen
• Space Battleship Yamato
• Legend of the Galactic Heroes
• Mobile Suit Gundam 0083: Stardust Memory
• Eureka Seven

Founding members Kato Naoyuki and Miyatake Kazutaka are also creating new original works exclusively for this exhibition. Special collector’s tickets featuring a screwdown holder with newly drawn artwork by Kato will be available alongside standard admission tickets.

Ticket Prices

• Advance ticket: ¥2,000
• Advance ticket with special screwdown: ¥5,000
• Day-of ticket: ¥2,200
• Day-of ticket with special screwdown: ¥5,200

Audio Guide: Anno Hideaki and Kōkūda Mariko

The audio guide will be narrated by Anno Hideaki, director of Neon Genesis Evangelion, and voice actress Kōkūda Mariko, both of whom share close ties with Studio Nue’s members. Miyatake Kazutaka served as mechanical designer on Anno’s directorial debut Gunbuster (Top wo Nerae!), while Kōkūda voiced the character Yuri in Dirty Pair Flash, a project Studio Nue was involved with.

Special Event on March 14

A special live event will be held on March 14, 2027 at the Tokorozawa Civic Cultural Center Muse (Marquee Hall) in Saitama. Participants will include Kato Naoyuki, Takachiho Haruka (Studio Nue’s first president), Matsuzaki Ken’ichi (second president), and Miyatake Kazutaka. Special guest Yasuhiko Yoshikazu, who provided the hand-lettered title calligraphy for the exhibition, will also appear.

Venue Schedule

Saitama

• Venue: Kadokawa Musashino Museum, 3F (Tokorozawa Sakura Town)
• Dates: March 6–28, 2027 (closed Tuesdays)
• Hours: 10:00–18:00 (last entry 17:30)

Shizuoka

• Venue: Shizuoka City Shimizu Cultural Hall (Marinart)
• Dates: April 17 – May 23, 2027

Comments from the Founders

Takachiho Haruka (First President): “Time flies, and before I knew it, more than fifty years had passed. What I remember most is suggesting to Matsuzaki, Kato, and Miyatake — who were thinking about job-hunting or graduate school — ‘Why not start a company and make SF illustration our work?’ The company that grew from that idea, Crystal Art Studio, became Studio Nue and has continued to this day. It feels like a dream. To see all of our work gathered together in one exhibition is truly moving. With deep gratitude and a little pride, I hope everyone will take the time to see each piece.”

Matsuzaki Ken’ichi (Second President): “Creators, in a sense, sell pieces of their inner selves. But those works, large or small, seem to leave some kind of impression on people. I hope that whatever path each of you has chosen leads to something more enjoyable.”