Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Movie Arrives 18 Years After The Anime Ended
It’s not every day you come to Giant Freakin Robot to read about a giant freakin’ robot, but today is not most days. The Gundam franchise leveled up the giant robot genre in Japan with anime, toys, and more. Now a new Gundam movie is on the way with Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Freedom, a follow-up to a story that has lain dormant since 2005.
Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Freedom is a full-length movie sequel to the two previous SEED series, bringing together characters from each for a final battle.
Mobile Suit Gundam SEED is a 50-episode anime series that ran from 2002 to 2003. Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Destiny is a 50-episode sequel series that aired from 2004 to 2005. Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Freedom is a movie that will feature characters from both series in an epic continuation.
The plot of the film cannot be discerned from its trailers, which are rapid-fire vignettes of massive action and intense drama. What has been disclosed is that the movie will center on original Mobile Suit Gundam SEED characters Kira Yamoto and Lacus Clyne, and, like its predecessor series, will take place in the franchise’s Cosmic Era, long after the events of the original Gundam series.
The new Gundam movie, slated for a January 2024 release, has been in the works since 2006. Chiaki Morosawa, who wrote the Mobile Suit Gundam SEED series, was writing the film for her husband, series director Mitsuo Fukuda. Unfortunately, health complications for the writer delayed the project for a decade.
Morosawa passed away in 2016. A few years later, Fukuda returned to work to begin production on the Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Freedom movie. The film has walked a long road to release, but it is finally on the way.
Past Gundam movies have varied in quality, so hopefully Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Freedom is closer to Endless Waltz than Mobile Suit Gundam F91.
The Gundam franchise began way back in 1979 with the animated series Mobile Suit Gundam. The show is credited with beginning the “real robot” genre, which brought a far more realistic approach to giant robots and mechs than previous series.
Since then, innumerable Gundam anime shows, manga, novels, movies, and more have been released to expand the lore of Gundam. The brand has done billions of dollars worth of business thanks to a massive toy line comprising 90% of Japan’s character plastic-model market.
Bandai Namco is the sole owner of the Gundam franchise, which continues to expand. Netflix is reportedly in the works on a live-action Gundam movie, with Kong: Skull Island director Jordan Vogt-Roberts attached to direct. We previously reported that Timothée Chalamet was in talks to star in the film, which is rumored to begin filming next year after several years in development.
In April we exclusively reported our sources had revealed a live-action Gundam movie starring Timothee Chalamet is coming to Netflix.
The influence of the Gundam franchise cannot be overstated. This anime staple has been impacting science fiction for nearly half a century. Its influence can be seen in shows like Voltron, movies like Pacific Rim, and a host of other video games, comics, and more.
Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Freedom looks to (probably) close a chapter in Gundam history. The movie will return fans of the SEED series to the Cosmic Era for further exploration of the tension between the Naturals and the Coordinators, challenging audiences about the nature of humanity, destiny, and freedom.
