Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Freedom
Key visual
Directed byMitsuo Fukuda
Screenplay by
Based onMobile Suit Gundam SEED
by Mitsuo Fukuda & Chiaki Morosawa
Gundam
by Yoshiyuki Tomino & Hajime Yatate
Starring
Music byToshihiko Sahashi
Production
company
Distributed byShochiku
Release date
  • January 26, 2024 (2024-01-26)
CountryJapan
LanguageJapanese

Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Freedom (Japanese: 機動戦士ガンダムSEED（シード） FREEDOM（フリーダム）, Hepburn: Kidō Senshi Gandamu Shīdo Furīdamu) is an upcoming Japanese mecha animated film produced by Bandai Namco Filmworks and directed by Mitsuo Fukuda. The film is a sequel to both Mobile Suit Gundam SEED and Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Destiny, taking place one year after the events of SEED Destiny. The film features the talents of Sōichirō Hoshi, Rie Tanaka, Akira Ishida, Nanako Mori, Kenichi Suzumura among others.

The film was in development since 2006, but production was postponed due to main writer Chiaki Morosawa's health condition. A few years after Morosawa's death in 2016, the film's production started and it is scheduled for release on January 26, 2024.

Premise

Set in Cosmic Era 75, the film will involve the characters of Kira Yamato and Lacus Clyne with the first trailer highlighting the themes of "freedom versus destiny".[1]

Plot

In 75 C.E. the battle was still on. Independence movements, invasion by Blue Cosmos... In order to calm down the situation, a world peace monitoring organization, Compass, is established with Lacus as the first president. Kira and his friends intervene in battles in various places as members. At that time, the Emerging Countries Foundation proposed a joint operation with Compass against Blue Cosmos headquarters.[2]

Cast

Characters Japanese[3][4]
Kira Yamato Sōichirō Hoshi
Lacus Clyne Rie Tanaka
Athrun Zala Akira Ishida
Cagalli Yula Athha Nanako Mori
Shinn Asuka Kenichi Suzumura
Lunamaria Hawke Maaya Sakamoto
Meyrin Hawke Fumiko Orikasa
Murrue Ramius Kotono Mitsuishi
Mu Lu Flaga Takehito Koyasu
Yzak Joule Tomokazu Seki
Dearka Elsman Akira Sasanuma
Agnes Giebenrath Houko Kuwashima
Toyah Mashima Ayane Sakura
Alexei Konoe Hōchū Ōtsuka
Albert Heinlein Jun Fukuyama
Hilda Haken Michiko Neya
Herbert von Reinhard Taiten Kusunoki
Mars Simeon Junichi Suwabe
Lin Shenqiang Kentarō Tone
Daniel Harper Yoshitsugu Matsuoka
Griffin Arbalest Win Morisaki
Orphee Lam Tao Hiro Shimono
Aura Maha Khyber Yukari Tamura
Ingrid Tradoll Sumire Uesaka
Redelard Tradoll Misato Fukuen
Shura Serpentine Yuichi Nakamura

Production

Sunrise announced the film at the Sony Music Anime Fes' 06. It would have been the first original Gundam film since 1991.[5] After the Sony Music Anime Fes' 06, Sunrise announced the film on their website.[6] Houko Kuwashima, voice actress of character Stella Loussier, has stated on her "SEED Club blog" that the character will somehow also have a role in the film. Lacus, Yzak Joule, and Dearka Elsman will return as members of the PLANT Supreme Council and Kira, Shinn, and Lunamaria Hawke will be part of the ZAFT military.[7] However, In 2008, writer Chiaki Morosawa explained that the plot was done, but she has been ill since the end of 2004-2005's Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Destiny series. As a result, she asked for the fans' patience.[8] In 2016, it was announced Morosawa passed away due to aortic dissection.[9] Takanori Nishikawa mentioned at the Gundam 40th Fes. “Live-Beyond” concert in 2019 that he was told by a staff member that the film was still in pre-production.[10]

The Bandai Namco Group announced the "Mobile Suit Gundam Seed Project ignited" initiative during the opening ceremony for the life-size Freedom Gundam statue in Shanghai in May 2021. Headlining the initiative is the previously announced film project that serves as a sequel to the television series Destiny.[11] The official website for the film project opened on July 2, 2023, and revealed the film's title and teaser.[12]

Fukuda said the development team of the movie is composed both several returning staff members as well as new ones, aiming to create new technology together. Despite pressure of the success of the two SEED series, the director looks forward to create a product that is able to match its predecessors.[13] Fukuda apologized to the fans for the long development hell the film took as it originally meant to come shortly after Destiny. He reflected such series left unfinished drama to the protagonists of Kira Yamato, Athrun Zala and Shinn Asuka and thus wanted to explore such possibilities with Freedom. With the long development, Fukuda also looked forward to use more 3D and facial expressions.[14]

The main theme is "Freedom" by Nishikawa and Tetsuya Komuro. The ending theme is set to be "Sarigiwa no Romantics" (去り際のロマンティクス, lit. "Romantics Upon Parting") by See-Saw.[15] Komuro was pleased to be with working with Nishikawa for the first time especially since he had not done music for a Gundam series since Mobile Suit Gundam: Char's Counterattack.[16] The single release of this song will be released on January 24, 2024. In addition to using an original illustration drawn by the anime on the jacket, the first production will come in a premium package. Fukuda expressed pleasure when working with See-Saw again as in Seed and Seed Destiny claiming the new song is a emotionally moving melody line, world-building arrangement, and words that connect the characters' feelings.[17]

Cast

In contrast to Destiny where most of the plot focused around Athrun Zala, Fukuda decided that the protagonist of the film would be Kira, leading to the new subtitle Freedom which serves as one of the main themes of the trilogy and contrasted Gilbert Durandal's Destiny Plan used in the climax of the previous series. Fukuda finds it challenging to pinpoint what exactly those origins are, but over the course of a year, he has been mulling over how to create a piece that resonates with what they achieved with SEED and Destiny. In that sense, it was a return to their roots in terms of evoking those elements. Finding the concept of staying true to the routes of SEED gave the director major pressure. The CG team is striving to emulate Satoshi Shigeta's artwork. He has also major inspirations about the handling of Shinn and whether or not the audience be appealed by him. He felt that the voice actors Kenichi Suzumura, Akira Ishida among others expanded their ranges, improving the characters.[18] Rie Tanaka is also reprising the role of Lacus Clyne and expressed a desire to make movie enjoyable to watch.[19]

Regarding the character he played at the time, Hoshi said he had just played the grown-up Kira in the movie version, so it felt strange. Kira's growth from repeating Destiny to his visionary appearance in end was appealing, he said, looking back on Kira's growth. Hoshi said, there may be people who have been waiting for a long time, and there are people who have recently learned about SEED and have already arrived at the movie version, but they were also able to finally complete the dubbing. Hoshi was excited that the movie version is finally nearing completion. Hoshi said, he had done a lot of lines from SEED and DESTINY so far, but was really happy to see Kira's new lines set two years later. The actor looks forward to seeing what kind of great lines will come out.[20]

On the other hand, Suzumura said his character was cheerful. The director and him talked to him before recording this Freedom, saying that although Shin is actually a bright person, the scenes depicted in the story suppress that and he cannot release it. Suzumura was talking about Destiny being a story about the state of things. When looking back on the fact that Shinn's cheerfulness turned into that when he became involved in the war, the actor think he was brave, or rather he was trying his best. Furthermore, when recording with Takehito Koyasu, who plays Mu La Flaga, he said, "Even though I'm a senior, I was really happy when a certain Mr. Koyasu complimented me".[20] Among newcomers, Win Morisaki was glad of being selected to voice a character due to how much he likes Gundam.[21]

References

  1. ↑ "Gundam SEED Freedin Movie to air in 2024". Siliconera. 2 July 2023. Archived from the original on 3 July 2023. Retrieved July 3, 2023.
  2. ↑ "Gundam SEED Freedom Movie Poster and Synopsis Released". GUNDAM KITS COLLECTION. 18 November 2023. Archived from the original on 26 November 2023. Retrieved November 21, 2023.
  3. ↑ Mateo, Alex (August 7, 2023). "Gundam SEED FREEDOM Anime Film Reveals 2nd Promo Video, Cast". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on August 8, 2023. Retrieved August 7, 2023.
  4. ↑ Loo, Egan (September 26, 2023). "Gundam SEED FREEDOM Anime Film Unveils More Cast". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on September 26, 2023. Retrieved September 26, 2023.
  5. ↑ "Gundam Seed Destined for Movie". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on 2023-07-03. Retrieved July 3, 2023.
  6. ↑ "Theatrical edition Mobile Suit Gundam SEED (tentative name) production announced" (in Japanese). Sunrise. May 7, 2006. Archived from the original on May 5, 2009. Retrieved August 11, 2009.
  7. ↑ ""DATA GUNDAM" file". Monthly Gundam Ace (in Japanese). May 2007.
  8. ↑ "Daily Links of the Day: Disney, Urushihara, Gundam Seed". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on 2023-06-29. Retrieved July 3, 2023.
  9. ↑ "Gundam Seed Head Scriptwriter Chiaki Morosawa Passes Away". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on 2023-07-05. Retrieved July 3, 2023.
  10. ↑ "The long-delayed Gundam Seed Destiny movie is making progress • GEEKSPIN". 9 September 2019. Archived from the original on 5 July 2023. Retrieved 3 July 2023.
  11. ↑ "Gundam SEED's Film Sequel, New Game, New Manga Confirmed". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on 2023-07-03. Retrieved July 3, 2023.
  12. ↑ "Gundam SEED FREEDOM Anime Film's English-Subtitled Teaser Unveils Staff, January 26, 2024 Debut". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on July 2, 2023. Retrieved July 3, 2023.
  13. ↑ "「機動戦士ガンダムSEED FREEDOM」来年1月に公開、第1弾PVが禁". Natalie. Archived from the original on July 5, 2023. Retrieved July 3, 2023.
  14. ↑ "劇場版「機動戦士ガンダムSEED FREEDOM」来年1月公開決定 「SEED」「DESTINY」特別編集版の連続上映も決定". Anime Eiga. Archived from the original on July 5, 2023. Retrieved July 3, 2023.
  15. ↑ "Pop Duo See-Saw Return to Gundam SEED for Freedom Film's Ending Song". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on 2023-12-09. Retrieved December 9, 2023.
  16. ↑ "西川貴教 with t.komuro「FREEDOM」が『機動戦士ガンダムSEED FREEDOM』主題歌に決定！第4弾PV公開！". Gundam Info. Archived from the original on December 10, 2023. Retrieved December 10, 2023.
  17. ↑ "See-Saw約20年ぶりの新曲「去り際のロマンティクス」が『機動戦士ガンダムSEED FREEDOM』エンディングテーマに決定！". Gundam Info. Archived from the original on December 10, 2023. Retrieved December 10, 2023.
  18. ↑ "Director Mitsuo Fukuda Interview". Gundam Ace. September 2023. Archived from the original on November 2, 2023. Retrieved October 15, 2023.
  19. ↑ "「ガンダムSEED FREEDOM」主題歌は西川貴教＆小室哲哉のコラボ楽曲に決定！ 保志総一朗、石田彰ら出演イベントにて発表". Anime Anime. Archived from the original on December 10, 2023. Retrieved December 10, 2023.
  20. 1 2 "『SEED FREEDOM』アフレコ裏話も！実物大νガンダム ライトアップ点灯式＆スペシャルトークショー オフィシャルレポート". Gundam Info. Archived from the original on December 10, 2023. Retrieved December 10, 2023.
  21. ↑ "『機動戦士ガンダムSEED FREEDOM』グリフィン・アルバレスト役が森崎ウィンに決定！コメント＆場面写真も到着！". Gundam Info. Archived from the original on December 10, 2023. Retrieved December 10, 2023.
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