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Gundam Seed Freedom Zero Prequel's Teaser Streamed

The official X (formerly Twitter) account for the Mobile Suit Gundam Seed anime began streaming the teaser for Mobile Suit Gundam Seed FREEDOM ZERO, the prequel to the Mobile Suit Gundam Seed FREEDOM anime film, on Friday.

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　　　 『#SEEDFREEDOM』前日譚
『機動戦士ガンダムSEED FREEDOM ZERO』
　　　　 　 🌱特報映像 🌱
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特別版上映第2弾 映画本編ラストで解禁した
‟特報映像“がWEB初解禁。

続報をお楽しみにお待ちください。 pic.twitter.com/7Uq9Xb01x7

— 機動戦士ガンダムSEEDシリーズ (@SEED_HDRP) November 15, 2024

This teaser had announced the prequel when it debuted during the second round of special edition screenings for Gundam Seed FREEDOM in Japanese theaters on November 1.

Director Mitsuo Fukuda, producer Hisakazu Naka, and Sōichirō Hoshi, voice of Kira Yamato, appeared at a stage greeting during the first screening announcing the prequel. They revealed that screenwriter Chiaki Morosawa and Shigeru Morita wrote the prequel's scenario while planning for Gundam Seed Freedom itself. In addition, Fukuda stated that the script for Gundam Seed FREEDOM ZERO was completed 20 years ago.

Gundam Seed FREEDOM ZERO's storyboards were nearly half finished, and the oldest storyboards actually predate those of Gundam Seed Freedom itself. The dialogue recording has also already been completed. Fukuda added that 20 years ago, Gundam Seed FREEDOM ZERO was originally planned as an original video anime (OVA), but the staff has not yet decided how it will be presented now.

Special editions of the Mobile Suit Gundam Seed FREEDOM film are playing in theaters in two 14-day limited engagements. One special edition of the film, with footage added to the end, played from September 20 to October 3. Another special edition, with different footage added (specifically, the teaser above), was slated to run from November 1-14, but has since been extended at many theaters.

Director Fukuda explained that due to time, the staff members could not complete every section to their satisfaction in the version that opened in theaters on January 26. With the special editions, they updated those cuts and refined parts that felt off after screenings. Fukuda added, "I think we can call this the complete edition of Seed FREEDOM."

Mobile Suit Gundam Seed FREEDOM opened in Japan on January 26. The film debuted at #1 in the Japanese box office. It sold 634,182 tickets for 1,065,983,130 yen (about US$7.20 million) in its first three days, marking the Gundam franchise's highest three-day opening in box office earnings. The film is the highest-earning Gundam film in Japan ever.

Bandai Namco Filmworks and Fathom Events screened the film in the United States and Canada on May 7-8, screening with subtitles on May 7, and with an English dub on May 8.

Netflix is streaming the film.

Fukuda directed the film at Bandai Namco Filmworks. Fukuda also co-wrote the script along with his late wife Chiaki Morosawa and Liu Goto. Hisashi Hirai (Mobile Suit Gundam Seed) designed the characters.

Sources: Gundam Seed Freedom anime's X/Twitter account, Gundam.info

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Disclosure: Bandai Namco Filmworks Inc. (Sunrise) is a non-controlling, minority shareholder in Anime News Network Inc.