In case you’re forgetting, we are getting a new Gundam movie this year. No, it’s not the next chapter in the Gundam Hathaway trilogy and no, it’s not the still-untitled live-action movie. I am talking about Mobile Suit Gundam: Cucuruz Doan’s Island, probably one of the most questionable choices for a theatrical movie adaptation but this is the closest we currently have to a modern treatment of the original Mobile Suit Gundam series.
Today they made a bunch of updates, including key visuals, mobile suits, and the obligatory Gunpla to go with its June 3 premiere.
First is a new trailer that provides more on the visual style and tone the movie will have. As this is a movie primarily spearheaded by Yoshikazu Yasuhiko, you can take it as coming from the Gundam THE ORIGIN version of things, regardless of how you consider its U.C. canon status. You also see several familiar characters, including the titular Cucuruz Doan, along with Amuro Ray, Sayla Mass, and Bright Noa among others. We also got some new mobile suits, including what I assume is a ‘The Origin’ version of the GM.
They also released two new key visuals (or posters) for the film. One features the RX-78-02 Gundam engaged in battle with Doan’s Zaku while the other features our good old White Base crew. Notice how Bright Noa wears a navy-blue uniform here instead of the brown he did in the original series. Speaking of mobile suits in combat, the site was also updated with the two prominent mobile suits you’ll see in the film.
These two aforementioned mobile suits are the RX-78-02 Gundam and MS-06F Doan’s Zaku II. Outside of the Gundam Rising short they released a few years back; this would technically be the first animation appearance of this version of the Gundam, specifically the Middle Type configuration which should closely resemble its appearance in the original series. What’s more interesting is Cucuruz Doan’s Zaku II which is your vanilla Zaku II with some missing armor and patched up armor pieces using parts from defeated mobile suits. And if we have mobile suits…
…we have Gunpla as seen with this solicitation. I believe this ‘new’ HG RX-78-02 Gundam would just be a repackage of the HG GUNDAM THE ORIGIN version as that one came with parts to build the Middle Type configuration. On the other hand, Cucuruz Doan’s Zaku II won’t be a direct repackage as it would likely include new parts for the battle damaged and patched up armor pieces. Notice that both kits are under the HGUC line and not HG GUNDAM THE ORIGIN. No release information has been revealed either though both are Premium Bandai kits as expected.
Regardless of the origin (see what I did there) of this story, I would still want to watch it. After all, the original episode had really bad animation and it sort of makes me curious how they’ll expand this story to fit a theatrical film. Heck, they might be using this film as a testing ground for a possible Gundam remake in Gundam THE ORIGIN style.
