The finale stage greeting for the new movie "Mobile Suit Gundam SEED FREEDOM," the first completely new work in the "Mobile Suit Gundam SEED" series in about 20 years, was held on the 18th in Tokyo. The film had been released on January 26.

The event featured appearances by Soichiro Hoshi (voice of Kira Yamato), Rie Tanaka (voice of Lacus Clyne), Akira Ishida (voice of Athrun Zala), Jun Fukuyama (voice of Albert Heinlein), Hiro Shimono (voice of Orphe Lam Tao), and director Mitsuo Fukuda.

"Mobile Suit Gundam SEED" still boasts a passionate fanbase, which has led to the movie's box office revenue exceeding 4.7 billion yen. When asked about the charm of "Gundam SEED," Ishida prefaced by saying, "Of course, one of the attractions of 'SEED' is the characters' highlight scenes." He then added, "Despite depicting a fictional war in a fictional era called the Cosmic Era, the themes feel real and relatable, which I think is the underlying reason why it has been accepted for 20 years." He continued, "However, it’s not good for reality to resemble a fictional world... but perhaps that’s part of human nature. Because it's a human burden, everyone unconsciously accepts it. In a paradoxical way, that might be what's happening."

Director Fukuda responded to Ishida's deep analysis with a laugh, saying, "You really are Athrun-like." Ishida, a bit embarrassed, replied, "Sorry, maybe I should have been less serious," to which Fukuda affirmed, "It's fine because you are Athrun."

The "Mobile Suit Gundam SEED" series originally aired from October 2002 with 50 episodes, marking the first Gundam TV series produced in the 21st century. The story depicts the conflict between genetically enhanced humans (Coordinators) and regular humans (Naturals), who are divided into the military organizations ZAFT and the Earth Alliance. It portrays the struggles and growth of the protagonist, Kira Yamato, a Coordinator.

The series gained a significant female fanbase in addition to its existing fans, achieving a peak viewership rating of 8.0%. It also sparked a second Gunpla (Gundam plastic model) boom, especially among elementary school students, establishing itself as a landmark "new generation Gundam series."

The sequel TV series, "Mobile Suit Gundam SEED DESTINY," aired from October 2004 and surpassed its predecessor with a peak viewership rating of 8.2%. The series' cumulative package sales have exceeded an astonishing 4 million units, and it has become a popular work that transcended the boundaries of TV anime series, impacting music and events throughout Japan.

The completely new movie "Mobile Suit Gundam SEED FREEDOM" continues the story from "Mobile Suit Gundam SEED DESTINY," presenting new narratives for Kira, Athrun, Shinn, and others in a world where battles continue.

Source : ORICON NEWS