BREAKING NEWS!
THE RETURN OF THE MUSTACHIOED ∀ GUNDAM TO THE SILVER SCREEN!

From the end of the millennium, 1999 to 2000, ∀ Gundam soothed the souls of countless fans. Now, it’s making a comeback as two compilation films! We sat down with the mastermind behind it all, Director Yoshiyuki Tomino, to get the scoop on how it’s all coming together and what he hopes to achieve.

A SPECTACLE TO CAPTIVATE EVEN THOSE INDIFFERENT TO ANIME AND ROBOTS

―――Director Tomino, the long-awaited theatrical release of ∀ Gundam has been announced. We’d love to hear your thoughts.

Tomino: Just today, August 6th, we finalized the first poster. I realized that if we focused too heavily on the ∀ theme, we might alienate potential viewers. So, we decided to clearly showcase it as an anime, but with a twist – “Sure, it’s a robot show, but look closely… notice something? No weapons.” The uniqueness of the work will speak for itself once people see it. My hope is that even those who’ve never been fans or have zero interest in mecha will think, “Huh, what’s this all about?” We’ve taken the same approach with the films themselves. I’m confident that even anime novices will find them thoroughly engaging.

―――When can we expect the release?

Tomino: February 9th next year. But, we’re not doing a double feature. Instead, we’re rolling out a “simultaneous roadshow” where Earth Light and Moonlight Butterfly will alternate daily.

―――That’s quite an unconventional approach.

Tomino: We pulled something similar with the first Gundam. Typically, they’d bring in live-action directors to edit TV anime into movie digests. But I put my foot down and said, “This is mine.” It was a first for Gundam, and we didn’t stop at one – we made three films. This alternating screening is only possible with the cooperation of theater owners. They’ll need to prepare an extra reel or re-edit daily for screenings. I believe this could be a litmus test for more flexible programming at the cinema level. ∀ Gundam is incredibly fortunate to be part of this innovative movement. I don’t think audiences will balk at the format, either. Personally, I find movies over four hours excruciating. So instead of saying, “Please sit through four and a half hours,” we’re asking, “Could you spare about two hours and twenty minutes twice in a week?” It’s much more palatable. I’m truly grateful to everyone who’s backed this project simply because it’s Gundam. Content-wise, I believe these four and a half hours of film capture the essence of the year-long TV series. This is a golden opportunity to showcase what we’re striving for in the anime world. There’s another pillar besides Miyazaki’s work, and it might just be this. I desperately want this theatrical version to reach beyond the Gundam fanbase. That’s why I’m, quite frankly, a bit miffed that my first interview about this is with Gundam Ace (laughs).

―――Oh, come on now (laughs). Tell us, what inspired you to bring ∀ to the big screen?

Tomino: Simple – from the get-go, I wanted to compile it into a film. Throughout the TV production, I was on pins and needles, wondering if we could pull off a movie-worthy series. But by the time we were storyboarding the TV finale, I knew we had it in the bag. In that sense, it’s all according to plan. ∀ Gundam aired ridiculously early in the evening, so stellar ratings were out of the question. We needed to create something worthy of the big screen, something that could reach hundreds of thousands more viewers. The staff caught on to this vision as we wrapped up the second cours, and it shows in the final product. I believe it’s my duty to lead by example. In these stifling times, we need something liberating. We need to challenge the industry’s tendency to pigeonhole robot shows and “Japanimation” into increasingly narrow niches. By tackling themes that might be tough to write about, we can all grow together. That’s what I’m aiming for.

AS WE PIECED IT TOGETHER, WE REALIZED IT’S A STORY OF PEOPLE CONFRONTING THEIR ERA

―――When condensing nearly a year’s worth of material, what did you choose to focus on?

Tomino: The compilation process itself wasn’t the challenge. We’re harnessing the full potential of cinema here. But as we whittled down roughly 20 hours of footage to less than a quarter, something hit me: You’ve got no business making a feature film unless you can distill the essence of a 50-episode series’ worth of story and atmosphere. Many original movie stories tend to pad things out. But film’s true power lies in concealing vast amounts of material while sculpting the core narrative. It’s about achieving the depth of the source material through precision. This project really drove that home for me.

―――Isn’t the heart of the drama centered on Dianna and Kihel?

Tomino: That was the initial plan, to frame it as “Dianna and Kihel’s story.” But that concept fell apart while working on the first film. Then I realized something that threw me for a loop – this is a tale of people grappling with their era. I’d hoped to wrap it up in a single three-hour film, but a story of this magnitude demands more. The first draft of the storyboards ballooned to about eight hours. From there, I had to really ponder the essence of cinema. I knew there had to be a way to string together key episodes, trimming others while preserving their spirit through cinematic techniques. It took nearly a year of wrestling with it to get it right. Through this process, I came to understand that this isn’t simply about the clash between two civilizations – the Moon and Earth. They’re two sides of the same cultural coin, the same civilization. It’s about people navigating their place within it, questioning whether to embrace or reject the times they live in. At that point, it becomes tempting to criticize the conflicting era, and it would be easy to do so. But I made the conscious decision to refrain from that as well in the final structure.

I’VE REALIZED THE IMPORTANCE OF PUTTING A FACE TO OUR HOPES AND ALLOWING OURSELVES TO BREATHE

―――Does this connect to Japan’s current situation?

Tomino: Look at Japan over the past few years – it’s been rough, hasn’t it? We’ve been drowning in political distrust. But recently, when Junichiro Koizumi emerged as a recognizable “face” for leadership, didn’t we all collectively exhale just a bit? This experience has hammered home how crucial it is to give people a glimmer of hope, something that lets them catch their breath. In light of this, I’ve come to believe we can’t simply reject or carelessly criticize the reality of what’s happening now. We need to digest it first, then figure out our next move. We need to cultivate that inner strength. While I don’t have concrete solutions, I structured ∀ Gundam around the idea of first accepting our present circumstances, then fostering a sense of anticipation for what comes next.

―――I see how this ties into the tagline, “Humanity calls forth the Gundam for healing.”

Tomino: We all desperately need to carve out more time in our daily lives to decompress and relax. That’s the key to survival – it’s as simple as that. Everyone instinctively knows this, which is why the concept of “healing” has become so pervasive. I initially wanted to avoid buzzwords, but using alternatives would’ve just muddied the waters. I firmly believe that art – our “soft power” – has the ability to heal. If we can help millions of people from the most receptive, vibrant generation to find some relief, that becomes an immense force for positive change, both nationally and globally.

WE’VE CRAFTED A GRAND NARRATIVE WHERE CAUSE AND EFFECT ARE ALL INTERTWINED IN RELATIONSHIPS

―――So you have this perspective in mind for the audience of ∀ Gundam?

Tomino: Looking at how people are living and working these days, I can’t help but feel we’re in an era where we simply need to catch our breath. The specter of layoffs looms, job security is vanishing. When salarymen are forced into freelance work, it creates a domino effect that pushes out established freelancers. The struggle to survive is becoming deadly serious. But if we let that bleakness consume us entirely, we’ll implode. I experienced this viscerally myself a few years back. The only way forward is to find ways to decompress.

―――And this is reflected in the new films?

Tomino: ∀ Gundam is an ensemble drama, but it’s not your typical fare. Here’s the crux of it: We all lean on each other, help each other, and – forgive the overused term – heal each other. We comfort one another to get by. But in truth, this happens precisely because we also hurt each other, misunderstand each other, envy and resent each other. The cause and effect, it’s all tangled up in our relationships. That’s the grand narrative that robot anime has finally tackled. That’s what ∀ Gundam is all about. And on that note, I’d love to say, “That’s a wrap!” (laughs)

―――Do you have a message for the die-hard Gundam fans reading Gundam Ace?

Tomino: Harutoshi Fukui’s novel adaptation of ∀ Gundam (Cocoon on the Moon, Fruit on the Earth, published by Gentosha Bunko) was recently published in paperback. In the afterword, sociologist Shinji Miyadai notes that “otaku university students are stumped” and that there’s “no fierce criticism of contemporary society.” He’s spot on. We’re in an era of genuine struggle. Our technical know-how and mindsets are outdated, yet we can’t seem to find new methodologies. Even cutting-edge experts are exhausted, trapped in a commercial system where success is measured solely by efficiency and sales figures. So, what’s the solution? It’s fine to find momentary joy in Gundam manga, articles, or model kits. But it’s time to dig deeper. Part of why I created ∀ Gundam was to encourage this kind of reflection.

I want you to really ponder why ∀ leaps through time. Measuring the world by today’s science, technology, and thinking is just chasing trends. Looking ahead centuries, there’s a growing unease that what we’ve learned over the past 2000 years might not carry us through the next millennium. Sure, some might retreat into Gundam fandom, but it’s time we start considering the next hundred years. We can’t solve this within the confines of a giant robot anime, like Gundam, which is why we jumped ahead 5000 or 10000 years – deliberately keeping the exact timeframe vague. We’re beyond the point where digital calculations can solve everything. I want you to understand that we’re in an age where hiding in a capsule means you’ll be incinerated, capsule and all.

I get it – the generation that enjoys anime and comics is tired. But the core of ∀ is this: if we stay exhausted, we might all perish. Instead of dwelling on the misery like other works do, we chose to offer a breath of fresh air through entertainment, showcasing “individual faces.” Seeing those faces alone has merit. Take a year or two to catch your breath, then we can move forward. So, ironically, my fundamental message is: maybe ease up on reading Gundam Ace (laughs).

―――(laughs) But we at Gundam Ace pride ourselves on carrying on the Gundam spirit.

Tomino: With the sheer volume of publications out there, it’s fine that it exists. But don’t drown in it. It’s not a bad hobby, and I want people to enjoy it. However, it shouldn’t be your entire identity – keep it as a background passion. Many engineers and educators do just that. Gundam fans are everywhere – in astronomy, teaching in regular schools. I hope these folks can work towards real-world solutions through their professions. I want them to expand on what Gundam couldn’t do, fill in where I fell short, and bridge us to what’s next.

―――We’ll strive to make a magazine that lives up to your aspirations. And we’re rooting for the movie’s success. Thank you for your time.

(Interviewers: Takafumi Watanabe, Editor-in-Chief of Newtype; Hideaki Kobayashi, Editor-in-Chief of Gundam Ace; Composition by Ryusuke Hikawa)