Me saying this doesn’t mean it’s automatically bad, it’s just this is the vibe I’m getting upon seeing the visuals.
As part of Gundam’s 45th anniversary in 2024, we are getting two Western-spearheaded productions that should bring a fresher take on the franchise. First is Mobile Suit Gundam: Requiem for Vengeance which looks promising, although the Gundam EX design has left fans discussing for days. The other is the less accessible Mobile Suit Gundam: Silver Phantom, an interactive 3D VR movie set in UC 0090s.
Following several key visual reveals, we are finally getting a full trailer as seen below.
Set in U.C. 0096, Silver Phantom tells the story of you, as the protagonist in this interactive film, who belongs to the mercenary organization Argent Keel, and is commissioned by the Federation to assassinate one of their high-ranking officials for allegedly collaborating with Zeon. Following this, Argent Keel is suddenly attacked by the Federation’s own Jegan units and amidst the situation, their secret silver Gundam heads out.
Speaking of the silver Gundam, we now have more information on mobile suits, and they do love silver.
First is the main ‘hero machine’, the DZ-001 Delta Zayin, and everyone though it would be a Delta Gundam variant. Technically it kinda is. Developed by Anaheim Electronics, it uses non-standard parts due to its secret nature. The head is from a prototype unit from another project while the main armor uses data from a ‘phantom unit’ that was left frozen in the design stage. I think it would be safe to speculate that this phantom unit would be the Delta Gundam. Lastly, it uses a custom shield specifically manufactured for this unit.
While it’s not called a Gundam by name, it’s a hodge-podge Gundam of sorts.
Here are two more mobile suits used by Argent Keel, and both are also in silver. On the left is JW-001 Jagd Weiss, a Jagd Doga that Argent Keel was able to steal while en route to Neo Zeon remnants. It has been stripped of all its Psycommu equipment and now sports reinforced shoulder armor with additional thrusters.
On the right is RZ-001 Re-GZ [Argent Keel Type], yet another machine stolen by Argent Keel from the pool of several units used for technical testing during the Second Neo Zeon war. This retcon explains why we saw that other Re-GZ unit in Unicorn when it was previously mentioned in Char’s Counterattack that only one was manufactured. This Re-GZ has been stripped of its transformation feature with the Back Weapon System and as such, the rear section has been reinforced.
The official site also reveals two more characters apart from the protagonist. Mabel Lena and her adopted daughter Babia Lena, and both are pilots for Argent Keel. Babia was the one who rescues the protaginist before they join the mercenary group and is given the Gundam.
I do hope Bandai Spirits decide to release Gunpla for Silver Phantom as there’s no way I would be getting a Meta Quest VR Headset just for this interactive movie. Each of these mobile suits are also variations of existing designs so I’m positive they’re able to quickly make retools of existing molds if they decide to release them as Gunpla. Until then, we’ll have to wait as Mobile Suit Gundam: Silver Phantom will be available this Fall for $15.99.
