Press Release:
Glasgow, UK, 26th February 2024 – Revisit an era that introduced a generation of fans to the renowned mecha franchise with a brand-new story that takes the bombastic and dramatic world of Mobile Suit Gundam SEED to new heights. A sensational film that has already smashed records to take more than 3.4 billion Yen (approximately $20.6 million USD) at the Japanese box office, cementing itself as the highest opening ever for a theatrical Gundam release, Mobile Suit GUNDAM SEED FREEDOM lands exclusively in selected cinemas across the UK and Ireland from 23rd March 2024!
Continuing the story of the Mobile Suit Gundam SEED and Gundam SEED DESTINY TV series, Gundam SEED FREEDOM returns us to the Cosmic Era, as the conflict between diverging groups of humanity – the genetically modified Coordinators and organically born Naturals – continues to rage in an entirely new work set two years on from the events of the previous series.
The film reunites many of the original crew and cast of Mobile Suit Gundam SEED, with director Mitsuo Fukuda at its helm, while Soichiro Hoshi and Rie Tanaka reprise their roles as Kira Yamato and Lacus Clyne respectively, and music is once again provided by Toshihiko Sahashi.
Since airing on Japanese television in 2002 as the first Gundam TV series of the 21st century, Mobile Suit GUNDAM SEED has taken the world by storm. The original Japanese TV broadcast achieved high viewer ratings and garnered a large female audience, with cumulative sales of the series on home video surpassing four million units. This popularity has led to the release of a wide range of products, including goods, music, events, and even a life-sized Freedom Gundam statue in Shanghai. The series also found a UK audience when it aired on broadcast television via the AnimeCentral channel in 2007, marking its place as a pivotal inflection point in Gundam’s domestic popularity.
Synopsis:
In C.E.75, the fighting still continues. There are independence movements, and aggression by Blue Cosmos… In order to calm the situation, a global peace monitoring agency called COMPASS is established, with Lacus as its first president. As members of COMPASS, Kira and his comrades intervene into various regional battles. Then a newly established nation called Foundation proposes a joint operation against a Blue Cosmos stronghold.
Mobile Suit Gundam SEED FREEDOM will be released in selected cinemas across the United Kingdom and Ireland for one weekend only across March 23rd-24th, in Japanese with English subtitles. Sign up for updates and further information at gundamfreedomfilm.co.uk.
One of the more popular Gundam properties out there that also saw a number of runs on Cartoon Network was Mobile Suit Gundam Seed. The forty-eight-episode series has been getting a number of home video releases in Japan in the last few years and we’ve seen domestic movements as well and it looks like it’s paying off.
We learned in July 2023 that the film has saw a January 26th, 2024 release – as part of its twentieth anniversary. The film will be called Gundam SEED FREEDOM and that the theme song “Freedom” is performed by Takanori Nishikawa. We now know that there’s also another song in the mix with “Reborn” from Nami Tamaki who was involved in the previous TV series.
The film has Mitsuo Fukuda returning to direct it from the script that they co-wrote with Chiaki Morosawa and Liu Goto. It has some extra significance that Fukuda worked on it with his late wife, Morosawa, giving it all more meaning. Hisashi Hirai is on board for the character designs with Bandai Namco Filmworks handling the animation production.
The previously revealed cast includes Akira Ishida as Athrun Zala, Kenichi Suzumura as Shinn Asuka, Nanako Mori as Cagalli Yula Athha, Rie Tanaka as Lacus Clyne, Sōichiro Hoshi as Kira Yamato, Akira Sasanuma as Dearka Elsman, Ayane Sakura as Toyah Mashima, Fumiko Orikasa as Meyrin Hawke, Houchu Ohtsuka as Alexei Konoe, Houko Kuwashima as Agnes Giebenrath, Jun Fukuyama as Albert Heinlein, Junichi Suwabe as Maas Symeon, Kotono Mitsuishi as Murrue Ramius, Maaya Sakamoto as Lunamaria Hawke, Michiko Neya as Hilda Haken, Taiten Kusunoki as Herbert von Reinhard, Takehito Koyasu as Mu La Flaga, Tomokazu Seki as Yzak Joule, Kentarō Tone as Liu Shenqiang, Yoshitsugu Matsuoka as Daniel Harper, TBA as Griffin Arbalest, Hiro Shimono as Orphee Lam Tao, Yukari Tamura as Aura Maha Khyber, Sumire Uesaka as Ingrid Tradoll, Misato Fukuen as Redelard Tradoll, and Yūichi Nakamura as Shura Serpentine.
The series was originally produced and released for North America through Bandai Entertainment. Sunrise is currently bringing these shows out through Right Stuf.
Originally airing in 2002, the TV series was directed by Mitsuo Fukuda and based on the series composition by Chiaki Morosawa. Hisashi Hirai handled the character designs and Sunrise produced the animation.
The Japanese cast includes Akira Ishida as Athrun Zala, Rie Tanaka as Lacus Clyne, Souichiro Hoshi as Kira Yamato, Akira Sasanuma as Dearka Elsman, Houko Kuwashima as Flay Allster, Kinryuu Arimoto as Patrick Zala, Kotono Mitsuishi as Haro, Mami Matsui as Nicol Amalfi, Megumi Toyoguchi as Miriallia Haw, Naomi Shindoh as Cagalli Yula Athha.
The English cast includes Chantal Strand as Lacus Clyne, Matt Hill as Kira Yamato, Samuel Vincent as Athrun Zala, Andrew Francis as Muruta Azrael, Andrew Toth as Clotho Buer, Anna Cummer as Miriallia Haw, Bill Switzer as Sai Argyle, Brad Swaile as Dearka Elsman, Brendan Van Wijk as Romero Pal, Brian Dobson as Martin DaCosta, Gabe Khouth as Nicol Amalfi, Keith Miller as Kuzzey Buskirk, Lisa Ann Beley as Murrue Ramius, Mark Oliver as Rau Le Creuset, Matt Smith as Jackie Tonomura, Michael Adamthwaite as Yzak Joule, Philip Pacaud as Arnold Neumann, Richard Cox as Tolle Koening, Sarah Johns as Natarle Badgiruel, Simon Hayama as Dalida Lolaha Chandra II and Tabitha St. Germain as Birdy, Flay Allster and Haro.
Plot Concept: C.E. (Cosmic Era). An era in which there are human beings called Coordinators, born with superior physical and mental abilities thanks to genetic modification, and humans called Naturals who are born naturally. With their respective existence at stake, the ideological clash between Coordinators and Naturals escalated into war using armed force.
Along the way, the Destiny Plan was proposed, which would forcibly assign a role to each individual and create a world free of competition. But amid the fighting, this Destiny Plan was rejected in order to protect humanity’s aspirations and future freedom.
