THE INNOVATION OF HUMANITY BRINGS INNOVATION TO GUNDAM AS WELL!

Interview with Screenwriter Harutoshi Fukui
Composition and Text by Keisuke Hoshi

Mobile Suit Gundam NT (Narrative) is a completely new film in the Universal Century series, set right after Mobile Suit Gundam UC. Harutoshi Fukui, who was responsible for the story in UC, wrote the screenplay. While it’s based on the novel Phoenix Hunting, there are many differences. What prompted these changes, and what is ‘NT’ aiming to achieve?

HOW THE YOUTHFUL REJUVENATION AND PENETRATION OF UNICORN LAYS THE GROUNDWORK FOR NARRATIVE

Fukui: The biggest factor in this project, first and foremost, was the Unicorn Gundam statue erected at Odaiba. Undertaking such a monumental project came with the order, “We want you to do more with Gundam Unicorn.” That was the starting point. Initially, everything was up in the air, both in terms of how we’d announce it and how we would proceed. There was talk of initially releasing it via streaming. About three years ago, there was a strong sentiment that streaming platforms like Netflix would become central to content distribution, though the climate feels slightly different now. The plan was for a streaming-exclusive series spanning about four episodes.

However, given the changing circumstances, we began to wonder if the traditional movie format, which had not been explored recently, might actually be the best approach. This coincided with the planning for Unicorn’s TV broadcast, which significantly broadened its reach compared to the event screenings in theaters. Announcements like the life-sized Unicorn Gundam project contributed to a sense of momentum, with stakeholders, including Shochiku, fostering an atmosphere that leaned towards, ‘Let’s make this a new movie.’

The perception of the Universal Century Gundam works has changed considerably over the past six or seven years since we started Unicorn. The mood had been “the Universal Century is probably over,” but now we’re rather back to “no, the Universal Century is it,” so to speak. So, there was no particular resistance to creating a new movie, and the prospects were promising. However, one thing we absolutely had to adhere to was setting the story in the “future.”

Lots of movies do prequel stories set in the past, but it’s clear they never surpass the original. We always need to look forward and not rewind time. When initially considering streaming, Sunrise proposed the idea of doing Phoenix Hunting, but I insisted it was out of the question, as it’s essentially a backstory happening parallel to the main narrative. Rewinding time offers no benefit to the audience.

One could argue that with Mobile Suit Gundam F91 existing, even if you set a story a few years after UC in the past, it’s still the past. But ‘F91’ and beyond feels like a new chapter in the Universal Century, so it makes sense to explore the ‘future’ within the timeline leading up to F91. However, the core “melancholic” aspect of Phoenix Hunting was indeed suitable for a standalone movie narrative, making it easier to adapt. Hence, Gundam Narrative was crafted to follow Unicorn.

―――I remember you once said that having a young protagonist like Banagher is quintessential to Gundam. With a young man in his mid-20s as the protagonist this time, I presume there’s an intention behind it?

Fukui: It’s quite straightforward. The broadcast of Unicorn brought a significant rejuvenation to our audience base. There’s a notable peak among those in their 20s and 30s, suggesting a gradient of age demographics. The idea was to direct the narrative towards this younger generation.

―――Did the TV broadcast really change the demographic that much?

Fukui: The clearest indication came from a recent NHK poll on all Gundam series. The support for Unicorn was predominantly from those in their 20s and 30s. I had sensed this trend earlier, but the poll confirmed it. Initially, the age demographic for Unicorn event screenings was quite high, but it progressively got younger with each screening and shifted male-female ratios. There must have been something about the times that resonated with people.

Anecdotally, I’ve heard neighborhood high school and university students mentioning, “That’s the house where the guy who made Unicorn lives,” and such. Maybe my downtown residence plays a role, but that has never happened before. I asked my grade-schooler, and it’s had zero penetration with elementary kids, though.

―――You’d think elementary school kids would be watching it, too, given the timeslot…

Fukui: Well, even for those in their 20s and 30s, it’s not like they’re watching it live in the morning. The information spreads once it’s broadcast on TV, and people start watching it from there. The way young people consume media today is quite different from our generation, so it’s hard to say for sure. But the trend has indeed shifted.

―――Maybe the episodic nature of TV suited their lifestyles better.

Fukui: Timing-wise, it came on TV right before Iron-Blooded Orphans aired, so a Gundam void may have helped Unicorn. The beauty of Unicorn is that if you like it, you can look back at all the related works. If you’re interested in the psycho-frame, you can watch Char’s Counterattack, or if you’re curious about the Bawoo, you could go back to Gundam ZZ. I think it had that cascade effect, expanding the Gundam universe. Separate from that, business-wise Unicorn’s biggest smash was indisputably China. Jokingly, I wonder if the red-and-white color scheme appealed? No idea how they actually watched it, though.

―――With Narrative featuring Luio & Co. and designs that seem to cater to the Asian market, was this with the Chinese market in mind?

Fukui: We were indeed told to consider the Chinese market. When thinking about China within the Universal Century, Luio & Co. came to mind.

―――Were there specific strategies discussed for approaching the Chinese market?

Fukui: No such discussions took place. I’ve worked on live-action and had some awareness of trends, but there were no guidelines for breaking into the Chinese market with Gundam anime. For Narrative, once we decided to feature Luio & Co., we made sure to consult actual Chinese advisors to ensure accuracy. The heroine performing divination, similar to what was seen in The Last Emperor, aimed for authenticity. While not intentional, the Phenex’s golden, phoenix-like appearance seemed likely to appeal to the Chinese market.

―――Positioning the Phenex, neither an enemy nor a clearly defined entity, as the main mech must have posed challenges for a Gundam series.

Fukui: PHOENIX HUNTING didn’t feature the Narrative Gundam. But moving beyond Unicorn to create a new Gundam was essential. The Phenex is the target of pursuit. How do you chase something as formidable as what was depicted at the end of Unicorn? Yet, leaving it unattended poses a threat, creating a narrative easily absorbed by viewers of Gundam Unicorn. A new mobile suit designed to capture the Phenex, piloted by the protagonist, should be straightforward for the audience.

EXPLORING THE NEWTYPE MYTHOS AS A FORM OF ENTERTAINMENT

Fukui: We attached the catchphrase “The Destination of the Newtype Myth” to it, and by writing NARRATIVE as “NT,” we’re focusing entirely on the question, “What is a Newtype?” Despite the conclusion reached in Unicorn, it begs the question, what did it all mean? What, fundamentally, is a Newtype? While the concept has always been vaguely described as humans evolved to adapt to space, it’s only been portrayed as a phenomenon. I’m not Yoshiyuki Tomino, so I can’t definitively say, “This is what Newtypes are.” However, gathering the various depictions of Newtypes from Tomino’s extensive work and deducing a theory felt permissible. I applied a certain formula of deduction then, and shockingly, within Tomino’s mind, the concept of Newtypes seemed startlingly fleshed out. I’ve depicted my interpretation in this project.

But this isn’t merely my imagination running wild; it’s an extrapolation based on phenomena depicted in past works. I expect that logic should apply equally to Unicorn’s ending and scenes from Narrative.

POSITIONING AS A NEW FIRST GUNDAM FOR THE UNIVERSAL CENTURY

―――The integration of Unicorn Gundam seemed slightly different in the novel compared to the film.

Fukui: Novels inherently focus on the inner aspects, allowing for depictions of vast inner spaces, but visuals demand a more direct approach to convey the same nuances, hence the intensity. Though, I admit, perhaps we went a bit overboard with the Neo Zeong, a reflection we somewhat share. Yet, history is history, and acknowledging the “phenomenon” of Neo Zeong led us to re-evaluate why it ended up as such, connecting back to Tomino’s portrayal of Newtypes in Narrative.

―――It’s an aspect longtime fans of the Gundam series should pay attention to, isn’t it?

Fukui: I’ve contributed an essay titled “Personal Theories on Newtypes” in KADOKAWA’s “Gundam UC Testimonies,” which could almost be considered another rough draft for Narrative.

While F91 sets a defined future, Narrative is not only a standalone piece but also marks the beginning of the UC NexT 0100 project, aiming to expand further from this point. The focus is to flesh out the decade surrounding the year U.C. 0100, shifting from the previously dominant One Year War era. Currently, I’m working on Moon Gundam, which, in a way, serves as a prelude to the UC NexT 0100 initiative. Though it might seem contradictory to my insistence on depicting the future, I believe a paper medium can play a supportive role.

―――Your position allows for direct publishing and storytelling through manga, making it ideal for expanding projects like Moon Gundam across various media.

Fukui: Sunrise’s strategy involves considering various media beyond anime, including novels and manga, and perhaps even games, especially app-based games for smartphones, as a new frontier for Gundam. The idea of originating Gundam content in games, which could then transition into comics or film, is a possibility.

The distinction between what’s been done in print, like Gundam Ace and Sunrise’s productions, is blurring, aiming for a more integrated approach with the UC NexT 0100 PROJECT initiative.

―――It’s surprising how adults these days, regardless of age or gender, play games on their smartphones. Thinking about it, there might be a considerable number of people who could get into Gundam through smartphone games.

Fukui: Going back to the discussion about novels, it’s clear when you look around on trains that novels are becoming less popular. People who used to carry paperback books are now all using smartphones. And if you wonder if they’re reading e-books on them, they’re mostly playing games, slaying monsters. If that’s the case, then we need to address that instead of lamenting. With Gundam, we can tackle that.

―――While broadening the franchise might upset some hardcore fans…

Fukui: I believe we can adopt a broader perspective on the Gundam universe. Historical wars featured actual tanks and battleships we can reference, but that doesn’t rigidly limit the war films that can be made. I feel we’re past due for such an approach to the setting – take the existing components as a world and explore what creative possibilities they offer.

From a military context at the time, the concept of the Psycommu system might have been the hardest to accept in terms of realism. However, looking at the Gundam universe from today’s perspective, controlling mechs through brainwaves seems more realistic than using levers and pedals. As times change, we must adapt accordingly. My goal within the UC NexT 0100 PROJECT is to create a new First Gundam. Previously, series like Gundam SEED and Gundam 00 introduced Gundam to new audiences in their respective eras, but now, I want to create a Universal Century series that can run alongside and be shared with the new generation of fans.

It should also have elements longstanding UC fans can appreciate though. That’s my aim now. With something like Unicorn, someone who is utterly Gundam-illiterate would struggle to grasp the world. Unlike that, my goal is to create a Gundam series accessible to newcomers without any background knowledge, much like how the original Gundam was.