A stage greeting for the "limited-time special edition" of the movie version of the popular anime series "Mobile Suit Gundam SEED," "Mobile Suit Gundam SEED FREEDOM," which features updated footage from the film, was held on November 1st at Grand Cinema Sunshine Ikebukuro (Toshima-ku, Tokyo), with appearances by Soichiro Hoshi, who plays Kira Yamato, Director Mitsuo Fukuda, and Producer Hisakazu Naka of Bandai Namco Filmworks. Messages were also given by Kenichi Suzumura, who plays Shin Asuka, and Akira Ishida, who plays Athrun Zala.
Suzumura commented, "Congratulations on the release of Mobile Suit Gundam SEED FREEDOM once again. I would like to congratulate you on the great success of the film, which has grossed 5 billion yen and attracted over 3 million people. The passion of all the staff involved produced this success, and I am deeply grateful to have been able to be a part of it. After the film was released, I received enthusiastic messages from friends and acquaintances I hadn't been in touch with for a while, saying things like, "It was fun" and "It was great," and I was reminded of the impact of this work. They also said, "It was worth the wait! Please give my best to all the staff." I would like to thank the director and all the staff for connecting me with my friends again, as I had been transferred frequently and had difficulty getting in touch with them (laughs)." "I am very sorry that I was not able to attend this stage greeting. I cannot meet you all in person and share the charm of the work, but I am sure that right now there is a wonderful scene of smiling audience members. Although I will not be there, I will send my gratitude with all my heart! Mobile Suit Gundam SEED FREEDOM depicts deep human conflict and growth along with a story with a grand world view. I hope that the emotion and excitement that you all felt through this work was conveyed through the performances of the voice actors. I will continue to work hard as long as there are works that can deliver even more emotion so that I can continue to meet your expectations. I hope that this stage greeting will be a special memory for you. Thank you very much for today. I look forward to the day when I can meet you all in person next time. Please continue to support Mobile Suit Gundam SEED FREEDOM." Ishida commented, "Thank you to everyone who came to see the special edition of Mobile Suit Gundam SEED FREEDOM today. This special edition has over 500 updated cuts, but how many of you noticed them? For those who missed the original version and are seeing it for the first time, this is a more ideal experience. For those who have been to the theater multiple times to see the original version, this will give them a fresh perspective on the film, and I think they will find it a new way to enjoy it." "Even during the stage greeting when the original version was released, I was deeply aware of the fans' eagerness for SEED, but now that a special edition has been made and it has been released in theaters and many people have come to see it, I once again feel the expectations and passion that everyone has for SEED. I am very grateful for the good fortune of having been involved in such a production. And yet, when the topic of Athrun's birthday came up during the stage greeting for the original version, I honestly didn't get it, so I'd like to confess and apologize here. It was only when someone in the audience told me that it was October 29th that I realized it. I'm really sorry," he apologized. "So, the day before yesterday was Athrun's birthday. Belatedly, I would like to say, 'Congratulations Athrun! I'm glad I got to walk the path of a voice actor' as a part of you.' I'm sure that fans all over the country were thinking of him on October 29th, and I'm sure that feeling was conveyed to him. Today, I would like to take the role of Athrun, who has a special situation that means he cannot speak directly, and express my gratitude to him, although it may be presumptuous. Thank you all for conveying your congratulations. I am very happy about your thoughtfulness. In the future, I will continue to support Cagalli in whatever small way I can, so that I will not betray your support, and so that the world will move in the right direction, even if just a little. I hope that everyone will also think about a world without war where we can live in peace. By the way, how old is Athrun now?" he said, sending a message full of love.
During the stage greeting, it was announced that a new work, "Mobile Suit Gundam SEED FREEDOM ZERO," will be produced. It was said that recording has already been completed, and Hoshis said, "I feel the same as the fans. I am excitedly waiting for the finished product!" According to Director Fukuda, the new work will be a "sequel" to "Mobile Suit Gundam SEED DESTINY," and was originally planned as an OVA (original video animation), but the medium has not yet been decided.
The "Mobile Suit Gundam SEED" series aired from October 2002 to September 2003, and its sequel, "Mobile Suit Gundam SEED DESTINY," aired from October 2004 to October 2005. "SEED FREEDOM" is a sequel to "SEED DESTINY," and reunites Director Fukuda and the staff of the TV anime. The production of the movie version was announced in 2006, but there had been no further news about it for a long time. It was released about 18 years after the announcement.
"SEED FREEDOM" was released on January 26th and had a long run of about four months, surpassing the 2.3 billion yen box office revenue set by "Mobile Suit Gundam III: Encounters in Space" in 1982, and has been the talk of the town for breaking the all-time record for the highest box office revenue for a "Gundam" movie in the history of the series for the first time in 42 years.
The second special edition, which is the "complete version" with over 500 updated scenes from the main story, will be screened from November 1st to 14th. The special edition will add an epilogue cut that is different from the first and second editions. The second edition will show special footage from "SEED FREEDOM ZERO." The film has been a huge hit, with box office revenue including the special edition reaching 5 billion yen and an audience of over 3 million people.
