Mobile Suit Gundam Narrative garnered attention as a new story in the Universal Century timeline, with its portrayal delving into the essence of Newtypes being a particular topic of discussion. Our magazine has previously published articles about the concept and settings of the work, but this time, we had the opportunity to interview the scriptwriter, Harutoshi Fukui, again after the film’s release. Based on the response after the release and the recent situation, how does Mr. Fukui feel, and how does he intend to connect it to the future? Let’s look back on the settings and depictions in the film while hearing what he has to say.

THE ORIGINALLY VAST FIELD OF THE UNIVERSAL CENTURY

――When I actually saw the film, I got the impression that it delved quite deeply into the handling of Newtypes and psycho-frames. Were there any aspects of the content that were met with resistance?

Fukui: Well, since we declared it “the destination of Newtypes,” we had to dive into that, you know? In reality, the only thing pointed out in the script was some minor wording issues. To be honest, there were parts where I thought to myself, “I really pushed it,” and I had even considered how I would theoretically defend myself if I were to be questioned about it. I went into the script meeting ready for a confrontation, but in the end, we only talked about the schedule, which was a bit of a letdown.

――While building upon the premises of the series so far, I got the impression that you were expanding the field.

Fukui: The field of the Universal Century was always vast. It’s just that we’d been choosing not to look at certain aspects. Take Char’s Counterattack, where the psycho-frame performs the miracle of pushing back Axis. It’s already been proven that the psycho-frame is capable of such incredible things. No matter how much they try to keep it a secret within the Universal Century, someone is bound to eventually bring it out.

――We begin to see hints of this in Gundam Unicorn, right?

Fukui: UC went a bit beyond what I had envisioned in the novel once the animation team brought their own ideas and desires into the mix. The phenomena are the same as in the novel, but the visuals became unusually flashy, and there were even depictions that looked like time warps. It felt a bit like “anything goes,” but I was reminded that the previous depictions of Newtypes were like that, too. Especially after the introduction of the psycommu, there have been more depictions of it being converted into physical power. Thinking about it, it’s rather hard to imagine that the Universal Century will continue for another 100 or 200 years with the psycommu still around. Even if it remained, it would be at a level that no one knew about.

――So, this was an essential exploration for depicting the future of the Universal Century, wasn’t it?

Fukui: Yes, the idea was to sort things out in NT, including explaining “what were those phenomena?” It’s all there in the visuals, so that’s the basic rule. We can’t say “that didn’t happen” or “it was an illusion.” With that premise, we have to depict the blank space in the Universal Century, so there’s no escaping it. However, if we were to truly unravel the Newtype, it would be something that would take 2-3 years to depict in a series. Spending so much time explaining a fictional concept might not keep new fans engaged. So, we thought, why not overlay this with a drama about three ordinary boys and girls in a single movie? That way, it could be more accessible without adding stress.

CONFRONTING NEWTYPES IN THIS DAY AND AGE

――The concept of Newtypes was originally established by adding a science fiction-like setting for a directorial reason, and it was also influenced by the trends of the time. It gives a vague impression, but this time, NT delves into settling the matter in black and white.

Fukui: At first, I thought thought it was all rather vague. But as I worked on UC, and especially after writing a lengthy essay at the end, I realized it wasn’t as vague as I thought. Yoshiyuki Tomino had a solid rationale in his mind, and you can see it reflected in various aspects of the direction.

――We can’t ignore the fact that Director Tomino has a fondness for the occult.

Fukui: He’s a creator from the 70s, so he was definitely influenced by New Age thought. George Lucas is another example. He scientifically justifies occult abilities and portrays them as the driving force that changes people. This approach underpins the essence of things. If you consider that portrayal, the Force in Star Wars and the Newtypes in Gundam are essentially the same. In the end, they come from the same ideology.

――But then that trend seemed to fade away.

Fukui: Director Tomino has always aimed high since those times, constantly keeping an eye on the world. As I’ve mentioned a few times, I think he was concerned that if you pursue this ideology to its logical conclusion, it would define the view of life and death too much. At that time, there was a risk that if it was taken too far, it could become like a cult religion, and young people might go in an extreme direction. I think Tomino probably concluded that he should exercise self-restraint in that regard. And no matter how much he dug into this topic, he probably thought that it wouldn’t resonate with young people.

――It’s thought-provoking how, from then on, the portrayal of Newtypes became more than just a symbol of hope.

Fukui: In Zeta Gundam, the reality of Newtypes not being recognized by society, yet still having to live on, is depicted, which was probably inevitable. In Char’s Counterattack, the final chapter of sorts for Newtype, shows a hint of progress, but doesn’t delve too deep. We need to delve deeper to understand what’s happening, but there was a necessity for self-restraint, creating an ambivalent situation. I think it was difficult to portray Newtypes in the 80s and 90s. Nowadays, with the development of the internet, smartphones, and social media, we’ve come to share a common understanding that going to extremes is “dangerous,” so a kind of safety device is in place. In that sense, we may have finally reached a time when Newtypes can be depicted again.

THE NEW GENERATION EASILY SURPASSING HURDLES

――This time, I got the impression that the response from young fans was particularly good. Did you consciously consider that aspect in terms of content?

Fukui: In the end, it’s the same as with UC – it’s about deciding which slice of the pie to go after. Until now, ‘Gundam’ has relied on a certain, reliable segment, but as it ages, it’s natural to see a decline. Our generation is not immune to the possibility of dying from illness or unexpected accidents. The premise is that without capturing the interest of the younger generation, there’s no future for Gundam. If we narrow our focus to people in their 40s and 50s, the audience will naturally shrink. I’ve mentioned this elsewhere, but when I heard that there was quite a response from young children to the TV broadcast of Gundam Unicorn RE:0096. It made me realize that the threshold to the Universal Century isn’t as high as we thought. That’s why I decided to tackle NT head-on. In terms of the view of war, it’s exactly the same as in UC. It’s depicted straight-up.

――It seems like you’ve discovered new possibilities with the younger generation.

Fukui: Well, even though I realized the threshold wasn’t high, this is an anime with so many specialized terms, and we didn’t try to break it down at all. Ideally, I wanted them to watch the Gundam movie trilogy and UC, but in reality, they jumped over it with ease, just like with UC. I went to the theater myself and bought a ticket to watch it, and on the way back, I overheard college-aged kids saying, “If it’s like this, maybe we should watch Unicorn?” That’s when I really felt it.

――That’s quite encouraging.

Fukui: It resonates with them. Tomino has always said, “Don’t underestimate children’s understanding.” That was the moment I truly felt that. The most troublesome and least understanding group might actually be our generation (laughs).

――Those are painful words for us first-generation Gundam fans (laughs).

Fukui: What surprised me was that the generation wasn’t as angry as I thought they would be (laughs). They’ve been more accepting than I expected.

THE PRECARIOUS SITUATION WITHIN THE PRINCIPALITY OF ZEON

――I’d like to ask about the setting as well. What kind of situation are Mineva and the others in?

Fukui: I think it will be described in more detail in the future, but Mineva and the others are being sheltered by the Republic of Zeon. When I say “sheltered,” it’s well known that they are there, but they have become politically invisible.

――What kind of stance will the Republic of Zeon and Monaghan take?

Fukui: Monaghan Bakharov is the mastermind behind the Frontal plan and wants to create a “Zeon that can say no.” He is fed up with the response of his father’s generation of politicians (Darcia Bakharov) to the Federation and wants to overturn it. Therefore, he is connected to forces that should have broken away from the Republic of Zeon, and he also harbors the Sleeves. He takes the stance of “moving them when it’s time to act” and provides financial support as well.

――Are the Sleeves still functioning as an organization?

Fukui: The Sleeves are basically in shambles. In NT, they are resorting to borrowing ships from the Republic. However, volunteers from the Republic are involved in their operations. Regarding mobile suits, the Republic of Zeon has an agreement with the Earth Federation that allows them to possess only older generation machines such as Hi-Zacks, and they must also paint them in pure white so as not to give any sense of Zeon’s identity. The mobile suits used by the Sleeves this time were procured from Anaheim Electronics, which has had ties to them since Char’s era.

――It feels like the Republic is also taking on significant risks.

Fukui: You would be correct. If Mineva were to declare, “Spacenoids, now is the time to rise up,” using the Universal Century Charter as a shield, it could spark a second One Year War. Monaghan is probably negotiating to the effect of, “We’ll keep Mineva in check, so turn a blind eye to the fact that we’re sheltering the Sleeves and remnants.” AE and the Federation also have a part in tacitly approving this, as the military-industrial complex cannot be established without a continued state of tension, but there is no trust there. The Phenex went out of control in that situation, so there was certainly a desire to “seize this and control the world” when they made a move to capture it.

――There was a line in the movie with the nuance of “Don’t think we’re Zeonists just because we’re AEUG,” which kind of surprised me.

Fukui: It’s a matter of perspective. Zeonism and Zeonists don’t just refer to people who want to “revive Zeon” but also to those who believe that “humanity should go into space.” With that in mind, it’s not surprising that the AEUG is also a gathering of such people.

――I certainly realized that there are Spacenoids who dislike being misunderstood by the connotation of the word “Zeon.”

Fukui: Well, the core Gundam fans don’t really delve into these parts. The only thing they’re fussy about is the mecha, saying, “This didn’t exist in this era. This weapon didn’t exist either.” I’m not that knowledgeable about mecha, so I just use what’s proposed. For instance, in ‘UC’ episode 4, the appearance of the Byarlant Custom was more about valuing the creators’ desire to include it. Rather, it’s a shift in thinking to let the audience think freely about “why do you think it exists?”.

――The appearance of the Dijeh was also a surprising element.

Fukui: If it’s an Earth-based operation involving Karaba with connections to Luio & Co., it would be more readily accepted. Despite the vast performance gap with the Gustav Karl, it was an ambush, and there’s the premise that the Federation Forces of that era are incompetent. Well, the setting is that only the searchlight on that Dijeh is different. It might have its internals extensively upgraded with cutting-edge components.

THE INEVITABILITY OF THE BIRTH OF THE NARRATIVE GUNDAM

――At first glance, the final form of the Narrative Gundam seems to be a Unicorn Gundam that is established by add-on parts.

Fukui: The initial request was to feature the Unicorn Gundam if possible, but since it’s sealed away, we couldn’t simply bring it back. Introducing the Unicorn could potentially lead to the annihilation of the universe. However, it was decided that a machine akin to a ‘younger sibling’ of the Unicorn was acceptable, and that’s where (Hajime) Katoki came in. The important thing was that, at a glance, it resembled something from the Unicorn’s lineage. I think that many light users don’t even know that NT is a work that follows UC, so if they think, “Doesn’t this look similar to the Unicorn Gundam in Odaiba?” it might serve as a hook.

――In terms of setting, it’s said that Luio & Co. obtained it from AE, right?

Fukui: It’s a hastily constructed machine using spare materials that AE had on hand. AE is becoming weaker, and in this era, prototypes like the Neo Zeong are being seized by the Federation Forces.

――The movie portrays its gradual transformation into a psycho-frame machine.

Fukui: To tell you the truth, if they could secure the Phenex with the A and B equipment, there wouldn’t have been a problem. The C equipment is ultimately unpredictable in terms of control, and it’s a loadout that could be absorbed by the Phenex. I don’t think they had thought deeply about what Michele would do after capturing the Phenex. It was simply that she wanted to let Jona and Rita meet, and she wanted to prove that death is not the end. If she could do that, she believes that she herself wouldn’t have had to live such a miserable life.

――Was it more about atonement for Michele?

Fukui: Pretty much. For the sake of atonement, and to prove her own theory that “death is not the end.” So, she thought that it couldn’t be helped if a few people in the colony were sacrificed, and she decisively set up the Side 6 incident. That’s why she was a character who had no redemption except through death.

――When the Narrative Gundam nearly went out of control at Side 6, you used the sound effects from Space Runaway Ideon, right?

Fukui: At first, we weren’t planning to add sound. However, I felt that it was a bit lacking, so I requested a sound that would make it seem like the world was creaking, and I used the sound from “Ideon” as an example. When we actually tried it out, it fit better than I had imagined, and it was used as is.

――It was also impressive that Rita didn’t show her face until halfway through.

Fukui: Rita is a key person. The point of whether she’s in the Phenex’s cockpit or not, and the scene where she first shows her face, was something that I discussed with Director (Toshikazu) Yoshizawa, and it became that scene where she appears. The first thing I proposed was the scene where the Narrative Gundam senses a presence beyond the clouds and moves forward, and she turns around.

――I thought that maybe she wouldn’t show her face until the very end.

Fukui: If that were the case, it would be the end (laughs).

NOT DEVIATING FROM THE ESSENCE OF “GUNDAM”

――I think that through making NT this time, you once again confronted what makes “Gundam” what it is.

Fukui: Director Yoshizawa showed us the directing techniques directly taught by Mr. Tomino, so while it was following UC, he created visuals characteristic of a director from a production background. He took risks with dynamic camera movements and framing, which could have distorted the characters if not handled carefully. The result felt genuinely like Tomino’s work, reminiscent of classic Gundam.

――Director Yoshizawa said he’s a manic fan of Director Tomino.

Fukui: He had asked, “If we cram in so many things, won’t it become chaotic?” But being chaotic is what makes it “Gundam” (laughs). It seems that at first, he thought of it as a film adaptation of the novel Phoenix Hunting, but that’s a story for a bonus feature. It might become a beautiful story, but it would have been unreliable as Gundam content.

――When making Gundam, what do you think are some things that you absolutely must not leave out?

Fukui: Not turning your back on the complexity of the world. That’s something that changes with the times, and the meaning is different from what it was in the 70s when Gundam was created, so you have to constantly look at it in light of reality. On the other hand, there’s also the aspect that human behavior is simple in some ways, so I feel it’s important to balance these two points properly. The other thing is the balance of miracles. If Newtype-like phenomena conveniently occur and save the protagonists, it becomes disappointing, but a miracle occurs at the last point after struggling to the very end. In the Gundam series so far, the power that Kamille used to stop Scirocco is like that, and so is Amuro calling out to everyone to push back Axis. The balance of how to use miracles = Newtype power is important. In that sense, I have the feeling that UC went a step too far at the end, but by coming back from there, I think we were able to maintain the balance. However, the fact that it went too far once cannot be erased in the subsequent history. The responses of individuals and societies to these events will likely shape the narrative of the upcoming “UC2.”