【GUNDAM SEED FREEDOM】KUNIO OKAWARA’S SENSE OF CLOSURE IN HIS WORK ON GUNDAM WITH THIS PRODUCTION

Interview by Tsuyoshi Kawabata

── After nearly 20 years, the latest work in the series – Mobile Suit Gundam SEED FREEDOM – has finally been released.

Okawara: If you give it a watch, I reckon you’ll be pulled right back into the world of Gundam SEED in no time. It’s been a long road to release, but those who’ve been supporting us since back in the day will find themselves transported back to that era, and I dare say it might just move them to tears.

── For starters, how did you come to be in charge of the main mobile suit designs for Gundam SEED?

Okawara: At first, the producer just tasked me to design the ZAFT side’s mobile suits while someone else was handling the main units. But, as things unfolded, it turned into, “We need you to take on the whole lot,” so I ended up crafting the final versions of the lead suits, like the Strike Gundam. From DESTINY onwards, I got to flex my design muscles freely.

── When were you approached for FREEDOM?

Okawara: Things really started moving about three years ago, but discussions for a movie were already underway right after DESTINY wrapped up. By that point, I had about half of the basic suit designs done, but then it was all put on hold for a while.

── Do you remember which suit design you started working on first?

Okawara: It was so long ago I don’t remember (laughs). The process involved getting a list of mobile suits appearing in the movie, with a schedule like, “Finish these three by this date, then onto the next,” and focusing solely on that for months on end. But, designing itself can come quite smoothly (laughs). Making sure the robots fit the world without sticking out has become second nature to me.

── Under what guiding principles do you work on the Gundam SEED series?

Okawara: Mecha design isn’t really about putting myself forward. Even for this movie, I didn’t go suggesting, “We should do it this way.” It was more about receiving orders from Director Fukuda like, “This work needs this, we want a design like that,” and trying to match those as closely as possible. So, the design principles for SEED aren’t much different from those of 50 years ago, always keeping in mind “something children can watch without feeling danger or disgust.”

── Many fans were surprised by the Mighty Strike Freedom Gundam appearing in the climax of FREEDOM.

Okawara: Normally, you’d think about designing just one unit, but with the Proud Defender attached, it essentially becomes two (laughs). And since the Proud Defender transforms, incorporating that mechanism into the design was quite a challenge. The finishing touches, especially the wing parts, would have been much easier without them (laughs).

But, I’m just doing what I’m told, so it’s probably the director who had the tougher job, figuring out how to make it look cool so that fans get excited and, ultimately, how it ties into merchandising like model kits. It’s all about striking that balance between design and commercial appeal.

── One of the highlights was the appearance of the mobile suits from the original TV series, with the Z’Gok’s significant role being particularly memorable.

Okawara: At the beginning, there was talk of having the Justice Gundam inside an Acguy, but we ultimately switched to the Z’Gok. We had nearly finished the designs at that time, but then everything was put on hold. When the movie project got moving again three years ago, we rewrote them.

── It was surprising to see it equipped with the Cavalier and even flying into space.

Okawara: That was a new design for the Z’Gok. Originally, my design had it a bit more stout and plump because I thought it needed to be of a certain scale to fit the Justice Gundam inside. But the production team asked if we could slim it down a bit, so I said, “As long as it doesn’t add more work for me,” and the finished product ended up as you see it now (laughs).

── On the other hand, the Foundation’s new mobile suits, the Black Knight Squad, caused quite a bit of trouble for Kira and the others. It turned out to be a mobile suit with quite a strong character.

Okawara: That was also designed based on instructions, but it was a bit of a hassle to work on (laughs). I’m getting old, so dealing with all those lines and details can be quite taxing. Overall, I’d say that mobile suit mechanical design work is pretty grueling (laughs).

── Looking back on Gundam SEED, how do you feel about the series now?

Okawara: Working on Gundam SEED was truly enjoyable. As I mentioned before, DESTINY allowed us to take on various challenges, and updating the designs of the First Gundam’s mobile suits to fit the era was incredibly fun and engaging. I thoroughly enjoyed working on this movie as well… but the schedule was seriously brutal (laughs). I’m at an age now where I feel like I’m about done with Gundam work.

── Wha, really?!

Okawara: Well, this year marks 45 years of working on Gundam! It’s like, if you had a child when you started, they’d be 45 years old now. Don’t you think it’s about time to call it quits? (laughs)

── So, does working on FREEDOM feel like a culmination of your Gundam work?

Okawara: Yes, there’s a sense of finally completing work that was left undone 20 years ago. SEED was a collaboration between myself on mobile suit design and Yamane on mechanical design, and I’d guess he feels much the same.

── Do you have any desires for the kinds of projects you’d like to tackle in the future?

Okawara: I always think it would be fun if I could work on something humorous like Time Bokan, where I get to draw whimsical mecha. I’d be willing to do that kind of work for half the pay (laughs).