The Comic Meteor website announced on Wednesday that production on the original video animation (OVA) of Yunosuke Yoshinaga's Broken Blade (Break Blade) manga has been cancelled. The decision was made in consultation with Yoshinaga. The announcement included an apology to fans who have been anticipating the project, and the website asked for the fans' continued support going forward.

The OVA would have centered on the past of the Golem Delphine and its mysterious creation, and the producers intended to make the OVA for both fans of the original story and new fans. The producers had been working on the project as recently as last December.

The manga already inspired a six-part 2010-2011 film series that Sentai Filmworks released in North America. Sentai Filmworks describes the film series:

In Cruzon, children are born with the ability to control quartz. This power allows them to levitate simple objects—or control enormous and complex mobile battle suits called Golems. But when an ancient Golem is discovered during the height of a brutal war, a young king and his beautiful queen turn to Rygart Arrow. Though an “un-sorcerer”, Rygart can miraculously pilot this ancient and powerful weapon. But in war, school friends can turn into bitter enemies and allies have suspicious motives.

The six-part film series was recompiled into a 12-episode television anime series that premiered in April 2014, and featured previously unanimated scenes.

Tetsuro Amino (Macross 7, Shiki) and Nobuyoshi Habara (Negima!, Fafner) helmed the 2010-2011 films, with Production I.G and Xebec handling the animation. Masashi Sogo ( Bleach , Fairy Tail, Gantz) wrote the screenplays.

Flex Comix published the manga in Japan originally, and G-Mode's Comic Meteor website has since continued the series. The manga's first 14 volumes have at least 3.2 million copies in print. (The 15th volume shipped this past March.) CMX Manga published three manga volumes in North America before DC Comics shut down the imprint in 2010.

[Via Yaraon!]