Mobile Suit Gundam Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Freedom will be released on January 26, 2024. The ``SEED'' series, also known as the ``First Gundam of the 21st Century,'' also did well as a Gunpla model, sparking a ``Second Gunpla Boom'' among elementary school students. Even after the broadcast ended, new Gundam models, figures, and other new products have been released and are gaining popularity. One of the major attractions of SEED was its mobile suit (MS) design, which also influenced the subsequent MS designs of the Gundam series. Explaining the MS design of "SEED".
◇ Highly entertaining "seed pose"
Kunio Okawara worked on the mechanical design of the SEED series with Kimitoshi Yamane. Okawara worked on mechanical design for animation for the first time in "Science Ninja Team Gatchaman", which started broadcasting in 1972, and is a master who has worked on many mecha such as "Mobile Suit Gundam" and "Armored Trooper Votoms".
The Strike Gundam that appears in "SEED" was cleaned up by Okawara based on ideas from multiple designers. Okawara revealed that "SEED" was changed to "a design that fans would want". With "Mobile Suit Gundam", I was conscious of expectations for the near future and a sense of realism that felt like a "future war", but with "SEED" I got the impression that it was more entertaining.
It also features a frame-conscious design. The Strike Gundam adopts the X100 series frame and exhibits movement performance similar to that of the human body. "SEED" is familiar with the pose called "seed pose" among fans, but it seems that there is also a place where it is realized due to the wide range of motion.
It also features a striker pack system that allows you to change equipment according to high-mobility combat, anti-ship attacks, close combat, and artillery battles. By replacing it, it can respond to various battle situations, but it has high play value as a toy such as gunpla, and it also has entertainment.
◇Various Z.A.F.T. MS
Z.A.F.T.'s MS also feels like Okawara. Jin, the main mass-produced MS, has a mono-eye like the Zaku II of "Mobile Suit Gundam", and feels somewhat nostalgic. It also features a crest-like head sensor and backpack wing-shaped thrusters, and while inheriting the tradition of the "Gundam" series, the evolved design looked fresh at the time of broadcasting.
In addition, Z.A.F.T.'s MS is diverse, such as non-humanoid, animal-type Baku, underwater Goon, Zono, and Zawut that transforms into a tank.
◇ What will happen to "SEED FREEDOM"?
In addition to Okawara and Yamane, Kazutaka Miyatake and Junichi Akutsu are credited for the mechanical design of the latest work "SEED FREEDOM". I can't wait to see what kind of MS will appear.