To commemorate the release of the 27th and final volume of the manga Mobile Suit Gundam Thunderbolt by Yasuo Ohtagaki, a screening of the anime Mobile Suit Gundam Thunderbolt: December Sky was held at Shinjuku Piccadilly (Shinjuku Ward, Tokyo) on December 19th. The appearance of the Thunderbolt Gundam in the final episode of the series also became a hot topic, and the same machine graced the cover of the 27th and final volume of the manga. Original author Ohtagaki spoke about the design of the Thunderbolt Gundam.
Regarding the Thunderbolt Gundam, Otagaki explained, "I decided to release it about a year ago, and started designing it. Up until then, we had briefly shown the Z, but having the main character ride the Z at the end wasn't very creative. If we wanted to go further, the only option was ZZ. However, rather than leaving it as it was, I designed it as a culmination, while retaining the same atmosphere. I thought it would be nice if the title was brought to fruition by having it appear at the end."
The Thunderbolt Gundam's transformation was also a hot topic. "The design took about a month. We built and tested the transformation gimmick out of Lego. The Lego is included in the complete setting materials," he said. Details about the design are revealed in the "Thunderbolt Gundam Complete Setting Materials Book 'HOW TO BUILD THUNDERBOLT GUNDAM'," which is included in the limited edition of the final 27th volume.
"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.
