GUNDAM AIMS FOR MAJOR WORKS EVERY YEAR LEADING UP TO 50th ANNIVERSARY
Interview with Naohiro Ogata, General Manager of Gundam Business Division

The Mobile Suit Gundam series, which began broadcasting its first series in 1979, marks its 45th anniversary this year. The franchise continues to generate buzz with upcoming releases like Mobile Suit Gundam: Requiem for Vengeance on Netflix and the full-length VR work Mobile Suit Gundam: Silver Phantom. We spoke with Naohiro Ogata, General Manager of the Gundam Business Division, about this year’s releases and future prospects.

[Naohiro Ogata] Joined Sunrise (now Bandai Namco Filmworks) in 1997. Started producing Gundam works and numerous other projects as a producer from 2006. Since 2022, he has been spearheading Gundam’s IP-centric strategy as General Manager of the Gundam Business Division in the company’s IP Business Headquarters.

① DIRECTOR TOMINO: A CUT ABOVE THE REST

Reporter: The Mobile Suit Gundam series has reached its 45th anniversary. Could you explain why it has endured for so long and what makes the series so appealing?

Ogata: First and foremost, it’s thanks to the unwavering support of our fans. Moreover, the original Mobile Suit Gundam created by Director Yoshiyuki Tomino, along with Yoshikazu Yasuhiko and Kunio Okawara, possesses an incredibly robust narrative framework. While we’ve produced various series, that initial work serves as a timeless foundation that resonates across generations. Recently, there’s been a significant push in Japanese animation to target global audiences. In this context, it’s remarkable that a work created 45 years ago features characters with diverse roots and avoids depicting specific races, making it inherently suited for today’s global market.

Reporter: While Director Tomino served as the general director for the early works, many productions have been helmed by other creators. What are your thoughts on this?

Ogata: What sets Director Tomino apart is that he allowed other directors to take the reins early on. This openness has been crucial in enabling us to continually reinvent Gundam with each new series, entrusting it to the most talented creators of the time. While the original series provides a strong foundation, Gundam’s essence lies in how each new iteration is updated by contemporary creators to reflect current social issues and the concerns of young people.

Reporter: How popular is Gundam overseas?

Ogata: We’re fortunate to enjoy high popularity and recognition in Japan and Asia. North America and Europe represent our next frontier. During the pandemic, we saw a global surge in Gundam model kit sales due to stay-at-home demand. Personally, I believe we’re at a pivotal moment for Japanese anime and manga IPs to expand internationally. With streaming platforms now allowing TV series to reach viewers worldwide almost simultaneously, Japanese animation techniques and creators are gaining more global acceptance. Considering this, I see significant growth potential in North America and Europe. This is both our biggest challenge and our primary goal moving forward.

② MIDNIGHT ONLINE MEETINGS ACROSS THE GLOBE 

Reporter: In this context, Requiem for Vengeance will be streaming worldwide on Netflix starting October 17th.

Ogata: Netflix approached us with the idea of creating a Gundam animation using the Unreal Engine 5 game engine. Animation technology has evolved significantly since the early days. Like our latest work Mobile Suit Gundam SEED FREEDOM, we’re constantly exploring how to effectively utilize 3DCG while preserving the unique charm of hand-drawn Japanese animation. We’re always looking for ways to enhance quality and support our human resources through 3DCG. This technological aspect, combined with our interest in pushing boundaries, led us to take on this project.

Reporter: It sounds like a challenging project.

Ogata: Indeed, not just technologically. The director is Erasmus Brosdau from Germany, and the writer is Gavin Hignight from the United States. Collaborating with overseas creators is quite rare for us. Japanese animation is gaining global attention, and we’re seeing international animators working on various projects, not just ours. It feels like we’re entering a new era of global production. This transition period made for an incredibly interesting challenge. The pandemic accelerated our use of remote meetings. We held scenario discussions connecting Europe, America, and Japan. While this meant someone was always burning the midnight oil due to time differences, I believe we managed to exchange ideas effectively during script development.

Reporter: Even with foreign creators at the helm, will Gundam’s essential character remain unchanged?

Ogata: We’ve had quite a few productions directed by others besides Tomino. After 45 years, I think our fans have become more accepting of different approaches. This story is told from the perspective of Zeon rather than the Earth Federation during the One Year War. Having foreign creators as the main staff will likely offer a fresh take on this conflict.

Reporter: The protagonist in Requiem for Vengeance pilots a Zaku, which was the enemy mobile suit in the original series.

Ogata: That was a strong preference of the director and writer. In this story, the Gundam is portrayed almost as the antagonist. They’ve intentionally imbued it with a sense of fear rather than heroism, incorporating elements of horror and thriller genres. It’s about instilling an inexplicable dread around the Gundam.

Reporter: This time, the protagonist is female.

Ogata: While it’s true that our recent TV series Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury also featured a female lead, and the planning periods might have overlapped, we don’t consciously decide to make protagonists female or not. From the very beginning, Director Tomino’s works have prominently featured active female characters. The only difference now is whether they’re in the lead role. It’s not about trying something new or making a statement. For instance, diversity in terms of race and gender roles was already present in the original Gundam created by Director Tomino. It included various perspectives, including religious views. So we don’t particularly focus on emphasizing these aspects now – they’re already integral to Gundam’s DNA.

Reporter: With news of real-world conflicts like the invasion of Ukraine, do you take extra care in how you depict warfare?

Ogata: Our fundamental principle is that Gundam series should be accessible to all ages worldwide. While we often depict war and inevitably show deaths, we carefully consider whether such expressions are dramatically necessary. From the beginning, Gundam, like many Japanese animations, has incorporated contemporary social issues. However, the skill lies in not directly portraying these issues, but in using them as a basis to craft future narratives. Directors are always mindful of this balance.

Reporter: So you’re reflecting modern issues in your storytelling.

Ogata: Absolutely. Especially when creating new TV series like The Witch from Mercury, we’re very conscious of portraying the conflicts and frustrations young people feel towards society and adults. We strive to create something that new teenage audiences can point to and say, “This is our Gundam.” This approach isn’t new – it’s what we’ve been doing since the very first Gundam. We’re simply continuing the legacy that Director Tomino established 45 years ago.

③ A GREAT OPPORTUNITY ON THE HORIZON

Reporter: Let’s talk about the full-length VR work Silver Phantom, released on October 4th for Meta Quest.

Ogata: This project has strong long-term technological development implications. Immersive visual experiences are expanding beyond VR to include events and facilities like the one in Odaiba. We expect this trend to continue growing. When this opportunity came up, we at Bandai Namco Filmworks’ Sunrise Studio saw it as a chance to develop our technological capabilities. It’s quite a challenging project, and it’s interesting to compare it with Requiem for Vengeance. While Requiem uses 3DCG and a game engine to achieve a realistic look, Silver Phantom explores how 2D cel-look characters (3DCG designed to look like 2D animation) appear in a VR space. Although VR is typically 3D, we’re presenting characters with a 2D aesthetic, creating a novel visual experience. I highly recommend trying it out.

Reporter: This year, the 45th anniversary, Mobile Suit Gundam SEED FREEDOM broke box office records for the franchise, earning over 5 billion yen.

Ogata: This achievement is entirely thanks to the fans who waited patiently for 20 years since the TV series ended. It’s also a testament to the persistence of everyone involved in the production over this period, who never gave up despite various challenges.

Reporter: How do you plan to approach the 50th anniversary?

Ogata: To put it simply, this is an incredible opportunity for Japanese content to go global. We’re working on our own Hollywood Gundam project, and what we’ve realized is that Japanese creators possess unique expertise and advanced skills. Animation as a genre is gaining worldwide recognition, and we want Gundam to ride this wave. There are still many people around the world who haven’t experienced Gundam, and we want to change that. It’s not just about the visuals; music is now often released alongside anime. I believe animation can be a vehicle to introduce Japanese culture as a whole to the global stage. Recently, Tetsuya Komuro held a DJ live event in France, featuring visuals from Gundam and City Hunter. I think this is an ideal way to showcase Japanese culture. Movies and animation have great potential in this regard, so our biggest goal leading up to the 50th anniversary is to collaborate with others to introduce Gundam to as many new people as possible. The moving Gundam in Yokohama attracted 1.75 million visitors, with many international tourists after the pandemic restrictions eased. With the Osaka Expo coming next year, we expect more opportunities for foreign visitors to encounter Gundam. We want to keep expanding this audience. We’re still in the early stages globally, so our best strategy is to attract young viewers who will hopefully become lifelong fans.

Reporter: With Requiem for Vengeance and Silver Phantom, you have quite a lineup.

Ogata: We often hear from international fans that there are so many works, they don’t know where to start. But I think this is part of what makes Gundam unique. It’s rare to have a series that continuously produces so many new works. Especially from next year, we plan to release major works annually leading up to the 50th anniversary. There’s a lot to look forward to.