Mobile Suit Gundam Seed Freedom, the movie sequel to the 2002-2003’s Mobile Suit Gundam Seed and 2004-2005’s Mobile Suit Gundam Seed Destiny, is getting a prequel titled Mobile Suit Gundam Seed Freedom Zero.
A teaser preview will be shown at the end of Mobile Suit Gundam Seed Freedom‘s “special version” during its second theatrical screening period, which runs from November 1 JST to November 14 JST. The two screening periods come with different, new epilogues.
During a stage greeting event, director Mitsuo Fukada revealed that Mobile Suit Gundam Seed Freedom Zero would have been shelved if not for the hit status of Mobile Suit Gundam Seed Freedom, and that the scenario was written 20 years ago. Additionally, almost half of the storyboards had been drawn at the time, with the oldest material predating the boards for Mobile Suit Gundam Seed Freedom.
The project was originally intended to be an OVA, but it hasn’t been decided what format Mobile Suit Gundam Seed Freedom Zero will take.
Mobile Suit Gundam Seed Freedom originally premiered in Japan on January 26 JST, with 4DX, MX4D, and Dolby Cinema screenings starting on February 9 JST. It is the most successful Gundam movie in Japan.
The Japan Society describes the movie’s plot as:
In C.E.75, the fighting still continues. There is aggression by radical Anti-Coordinator group Blue Cosmos. In order to calm the situation, a global peace monitoring agency called COMPASS is established with Lacus Clyne as its leader. As members of COMPASS, Kira Yamato and his comrades intervene in regional battles across the world. Now, a newly established nation called Foundation proposes a joint operation against a Blue Cosmos stronghold…
Update: Added more details about Mobile Suit Gundam Seed Freedom Zero.
Staff (Mobile Suit Gundam Seed Freedom)
• Director: Mitsuo Fukuda (returning)
• Scriptwriter: the late Chiaki Morosawa (Seed and Seed Destiny series composer)
• Scriptwriter: Ryu Goto (Seed Destiny novelization author)
• Scriptwriter: Mitsuo Fukuda
• Character designer: Hisashi Hirai (returning)
• Mechanical animation director: Satoshi Shigeta (credited as chief mechanical animation director for the series)
• Art director: the late Shigemi Ikeda (returning)
• Art director: Yukiko Maruyama (art board artist on the series)
• Compositing director: Takeshi Katsurayama (returning)
• Mechanical designer: Kunio Ookawara (returning)
• Mechanical designer: Kimitoshi Yamane (returning)
• Mechanical designer: Kazutaka Miyatake (design assistance on the series)
• Mechanical designer: Junichi Akutsu (design assistance on Seed)
• Mechanical designer: Hiroyuki Taiga (design assistance on Seed)
• Mechanical designer: Manabu Shintani (Mashin Eiyuuden Wataru: Shichi Kon no Ryuujinmaru)
• Mechanical designer: Shiba Zen
• Mechanical designer: Takuya Io
• Color designer: Akemi Nagao (Hinomaru-Zumou)
• Music composer: Toshihiko Sahashi (returning)
• CG director: Shigenori Toyooka (Ayaka)
• CG director: Matsuhiro Sato
• CG director: Kensuke Kushida
• CG director: Tomohiro Fujie (Mobile Suit Gundam Hathaway co-CG director)
• Animation production: Bandai Namco Filmworks
Cast (Mobile Suit Gundam Seed Freedom)
• Soichiro Hoshi as Kira Yamato
• Rie Tanaka as Lacus Clyne
• Akira Ishida as Athrun Zala
• Kenichi Suzumura as Shin Asuka
• Maaya Sakamoto as Lunamaria Hawke
• Nanako Mori as Cagalli Yula Athha
• Yukari Tamura as Aura Maha Khyber
• Hiro Shimono as Orphee Lam Tao
• Yuuichi Nakamura as Shura Serpentine
• Sumire Uesaka as Ingrid Tradoll
• Misato Fukuen as Redelard Tradoll
• Yoshitsugu Matsuoka as Daniel Harper
• Kentarou Tone as Liu Shenqiang
Sources: @SEED_HDRP, Mobile Suit Gundam Seed Freedom website
