To commemorate the release of the 27th and final volume of Yasuo Ohtagaki's manga Mobile Suit Gundam Thunderbolt, a screening of the anime Mobile Suit Gundam Thunderbolt DECEMBER SKY was held at Shinjuku Piccadilly (Shinjuku, Tokyo) on December 19th, with Ohtagaki and anime producer Naohiro Ogata of Bandai Namco Filmworks appearing. Many fans are hoping for a sequel to the anime, and Ogata has previously said, "I'll think about it once the serialization finishes," but he avoided making any clear statements about a sequel.
The first season of the anime aired from 2015 to 2016, and the second in 2017. The beautiful visuals also became a hot topic, with Ogata saying, "Looking back, I think it was the pinnacle of mecha animation at Studio 1. The staff were at the peak of their game after working on Unicorn (Mobile Suit Gundam UC) and G-Reco (Reconguista in G). We couldn't do the same thing in 2D. If we were asked to do it now, we'd do it in 3D."
Regarding "Mobile Suit Gundam Thunderbolt," Ogata said, "Sunrise has gone this far? I once again felt that they have broadened the expression of Gundam." However, when the topic turned to sequels to the anime, he said, "The fact that it is a film directed by Matsuo Hiroshi is a big factor. If they do a sequel, I would like to see it with Matsuo. I would like Matsuo to hear it tomorrow (at Otagaki's fan meeting to be held on December 20th). I would like to persuade Matsuo and do something."
Otagaki also expressed his hope that "I really hope that a sequel will be made," but Ogata avoided making a clear statement until the very end, saying, "I would like to continue thinking about it in the future."
"Mobile Suit Gundam Thunderbolt" is a manga by Otagaki, who is known for works such as "MOONLIGHT MILE." It depicts the battle between the Earth Federation Forces and the Principality of Zeon in the Thunderbolt Sector during the One Year War, as well as the battles between the Zeon remnants, the Federation, and the South Seas Alliance after the One Year War. It has been adapted into an anime and a plastic model kit, gaining popularity. The series began serialization in "Big Comic Superior" (Shogakukan) in 2012, and the final episode aired in September of this year, bringing the curtain down on a 13-year run. The series has sold a total of over 6 million copies.
The film screened on this day, "Mobile Suit Gundam Thunderbolt DECEMBER SKY," is a director's cut version that adds new scenes to all four episodes of the first season of the anime, and was screened in theaters and streamed online in 2016.
