Gunota Headlines
Tuesday, December 28, 2004
December Banpresto prize items
Softbank Games has a report on Banpresto's December items:
Super DX Soft Gundam Haro Cushions
SEED DESTINY Figure Keyholders ~Force Impulse Sortie Edition~
MS Gundam Radio Control Mobile Suits
Hobbynet updated with pics of the following:
Cosmic Region #0001 Force Impulse Gundam
DFormations Sword Impulse Gundam (Rakuten page, end of Feb., 1,575 yen)
DFormations Force Impulse Gundam (Rakuten page, end of Feb., 1,575 yen)
DFormations Zaku Warrior (Rakuten page, end of Feb., 1,575 yen)
HCM Pro Hyaku Shiki
The DFormation line are 12cm tall SD DESTINY action figures with joints that have a wide range of poseability and a variety of gimmicks. A Blast Impulse and a Lunamaria-custom Zaku Warrior are scheduled to come out in the line at the end of March.
On MBS' DESTINY Streaming Library site, they have a new promotion video for the show featuring clips set to the 2nd opening song:
RealMedia
Windows Media
Monday, December 27, 2004
This month's Hobby Japan has mentioned that Gundam Evolve featuring SD Musha Gundam is currently under production. Its short film version will air sometime in Feb as one of the commercials during SEED DESTINY's broadcast.
Saturday, December 25, 2004
The official Gundam X site is holding a favorite male & female character poll. People can vote up until January 10th.
Sunrise's official site has announced "SEED DESTINY -EDITED-" will air on Jan 29th at 6pm (the usual time slot for DESTINY). This 30 minute episode will introduce the new MS made by Earth Alliance, ZAFT, and Orb, each factions' strength/power, and analyze the episodes up to the Junius Seven drop.
Mentioned first here over a month ago, this month's magazines have confirmed the new product line separate from MSiA or GFF series. Cosmic Region will feature MS appearing in SEED DESTINY with GFF-like styling. However, it is not confirmed if Hajime Katoki will be producing this series. Its debut product, Force Impulse Gundam, will come with the Force Silhoutte features.
Green Divers
Again mentioned previously here (oddly the same day as Cosmic Region again), Green Divers will be airing at Fujikyu Highland from Dec 23, 2004 to Oct 21, 2005.
New mecha profiles as seen in recent magazines are up on the official site.
Friday, December 24, 2004
From this month's Gundam Ace magazine based on polling by 500,000 fans.
Top 30 Male Characters: (with no surprise at #1)
1) Char Aznable - MSG/The Origin
2) Athrun Zala - SEED DESTINY
3) Kira Yamato - SEED DESTINY
4) Amuro Ray - MSG/The Origin
5) Anavel Gato - 0083
6) Kamille Bidan - Zeta Gundam
7) Ramba Ral - MSG/The Origin
8) Heero Yuy - Wing
9) Mu La Flaga - SEED
10) Yzak Joule - SEED DESTINY
11) Shinn Asuka - SEED DESTINY
12) Rey Za Burrel - SEED DESTINY
13) Garrod Ran - Gundam X
14) Judau Ashta - Gundam ZZ
15) Shiro Amada - 08th MS Team
16) Dearka Elthman - SEED DESTINY
17) Rolan Cehak - Turn A
18) Duo Maxwell - Wing
19) Bernard Wiseman - 0080
20) Kai Shiden - MSG
21) Domon Kasshu - G Gundam
22) Uso Evin - V Gundam
23) Norris Packard - 08th MS Team
24) Paptimus Scirocco - Zeta Gundam
25) Lowe Gyule - SEED ASTRAY
26) Kou Uraki - 0083
27) Gilbert Dullindal - SEED DESTINY
28) Shani Andras - SEED
29) Corrin Nander - Turn A
30) Seabook Arno - Gundam F91
Top 30 Female Characters:
1) Lacus Clyne - SEED DESTINY
2) Sayla Mass - MSG/The Origin
3) Cagalli Yula Athha - SEED DESTINY
4) Lunamaria Hawke - SEED DESTINY
5) Stellar Loussier - SEED DESTINY
6) Haman Karn - Zeta Gundam
7) Aina Sahalin - 08th MS Team
8) Emma Sheen - Zeta Gundam
9) Four Murasame - Zeta Gundam
10) Elpeo Ple - Gundam ZZ
11) Christina Mackenzie - 0080
12) Murrue Ramias - SEED DESTINY
13) Miriallia Haw - SEED DESTINY
14) Crowley Hamon - MSG/The Origin
15) Matilda Ajan - MSG/The Origin
16) Tiffa Adill - Gundam X
17) Cima Garahau - 0083
18) Flay Allster - SEED
19) Lalah Sune - MSG
20) Asuna Elmarit - Ecole du Ciel
21) Chan Agi - CCA
22) Fraw Bow - MSG/The Origin
23) Cecily Fairchild - Gundam F91
24) Meyrin Hawke - SEED DESTINY
25) Lila Milla Rira - Zeta Gundam
26) Karen Joshua - 08th MS Team
27) Shakti Kareen - V Gundam
28) Natarle Badgiruel - SEED
29) Sara Zabiarov - Zeta Gundam
30) Kycilia Zabi - MSG/The Origin
Top 30 MS:
1) Freedom Gundam - SEED
2) Zeta Gundam - Zeta Gundam
3) Nu Gundam - CCA
4) Wing Gundam Zero - Wing: Endless Waltz
5) Gundam - MSG/The Origin
6) Justice Gundam - SEED
7) Sazabi - CCA
8) Zaku II - MSG/The Origin
9) Hyaku Shiki - Zeta Gundam
10) Force Impulse Gundam - SEED DESTINY
11) Savior Gundam - SEED DESTINY
12) Dom - MSG/The Origin
13) Zaku Warrior - SEED DESTINY
14) Qubeley - Zeta Gundam
15) Gouf - MSG/The Origin
16) Strike Gundam - SEED
17) Gaia Gundam - SEED DESTINY
18) Gundam Mk-II - Zeta Gundam
19) Kämpfer - 0080
20) Gouf Custom - 08th MS Team
21) Gundam X - Gundam X
22) Zaku Phantom - SEED DESTINY
23) Acguy - MSG/The Origin
24) ZZ Gundam - Gundam ZZ
25) RX-79[G] - 08th MS Team
26) Turn A Gundam - Turn A
27) The O - Zeta Gundam
28) Z'gok - MSG/The Origin
29) Strike Rouge - SEED
30) Providence Gundam - SEED
Breakdown on how each series favored based on the above results:
MSG/The Origin - 16
08th MS Team - 6
0080 - 3
0083 - 3
Zeta - 12
ZZ - 3
CCA - 3
F91 - 2
V - 2
G - 1
Wing - 3
X - 3
Turn A - 3
SEED - 9
SEED DESTINY - 19
ASTRAY - 1
Ecole du Ciel - 1
Magazine scans linked to from Toys Daily:
HCM Pro Zaku Warrior & Hyaku Shiki
Gundam Collection Quin Mantha
MSiA Marasai
MSiA Gundam Mk II vs. EMSiA Gundam Mk II
The official site was completely revamped, including more complete character and mecha profiles.
UPDATED - A special announcement will be made on Jan 8th.
Thursday, December 23, 2004
Zinc Panic has a few pics up of prototypes for the HCM Pro Force Impulse Gundam and Zaku Warrior.
The new anime production board @ Cynthia has screencaps up for Keroro Gunsou episode 38. This particular ep is noteworthy due to the fact that it was storyboarded by none other than Hajime Katoki.
More Gundam Expo 2004 pics UPDATED
myTTF.com Forums
ac520.com (complete version of the gallery that was linked to from HKEPC Hardware Forum)
Fortress Of Testicular Fortitude
Toys Daily @ MSN Groups
Toys Daily @ MSN Groups #2 (much larger)
Tuesday, December 21, 2004
From this month's mags:
UMF/SSO-3 Asshu - Amphibious variable ZAFT MS. Used by the forces attacking Lacus in episode 13. Both hands have combat-use claws and machine guns, missle pods and beam cannons are on both shoulders, and both feet are equipped with combat-use claws.
Zamzazar - Earth Alliance underwater MA. Has a giant body of unique shape. 3 people are used to fly it (one for the main section, one for the claws, and one gunner). The limbs have combat-use claws and cannons and in the head is a positron reflector, which can deflect a battleship's positron cannons.
Dagger L with AQM/E-A4E1 Jet Striker - MS-use Striker pack developed by the Earth Alliance for atmospheric air battles. Consisting of a dual propulsion apparatus, both wings have beam cannons and missles, rockets and other things can be latched on. A unit for mass-production machines, it's also possible for the Windam to use.
Murasame - Orb's newest mass-production MS. Transforms into a flight form.
MBF-M1 M1 Astray Shrike - The M1 Astray with the EF-24R Flight Rotor Shrike flight unit attached to the back.
DESTINY MSV: AGMF-1000/AAL "Noctiluca Zaku Warrior" Amphibious Assault Landing Type
From Hobby Japan according to 2ch's Mokei board:
1/100 Sword Impulse Gundam (March 12th, 2,415 yen)
1/100 Freedom Gundam (SEED DESTINY edition, February 12th, 2,415 yen)
1/144 HG Gunner Zaku Warrior (Lunamaria custom, February 19th, 1,365 yen)
EX Model Eternal (February, 3,675 yen)
BB Senshi Younen Gunshi Ikazuchimaru (February 26th, 525 yen)
BB Senshi Duel Gundam (February 11th, 525 yen)
In a press release, the Blu-ray Disc Association announced that Bandai Visual has joined their stable of companies supporting Blu-Ray as the next-generation media format.
Monday, December 20, 2004
People wanting to hear High And Mighty Color's "Pride" can go to Sony Music Online Japan's site.
Sunrise's Giant Gorg Web is now back up with an announcement that the classic show will be getting a Region 2 DVD boxset on March 25th. The set comes with all 26 episodes newly mastered plus 2 soundtrack CD's, one reissue and one not made available before.
Originally aired in 1984, the series was the only TV show ever directed by the famed Yoshikazu Yasuhiko, who also did the character designs and served as animation director. It also featured the voice talents of Mayumi Tanaka, Shuuichi Ikeda, and Bin Shimada, mecha designers Gen Satoh and Mamoru Nagano, and music by Record Of Lodoss War's and Gundam 0083's Mitsuo Hagita.
Spoilers for upcoming episodes from TV Magazine:
Orb Escape Epic Battle! 1
Dagger L
"Equipped with the Jet Striker, they attack from the skies."
Windam
"The Earth Alliance's newest mass-production model MS. Excelling in mobility, it nimbly swoops down."
Blaze Zaku Warrior
"Equipped with the high-mobility Blaze Wizard, it confronts the enemy!"
Leg Flyer
"To provide backing for the damaged Impulse, the Leg Flyer is sent out from the Minerva."
Also shown: Blaze Zaku Phantom, Minerva
Orb Escape Epic Battle! 2
"The neutral Orb having become partners with the Earth Alliance, Minerva departs Onogoro Island. But on their way out, the Earth Alliance's MS forces had been waiting with their main unit, the latest model MA Zamzazar!"
Impulse Gundam
"The Impulse facing the huge Zamzazar while its leg is destroyed. But there's still a great number of foes!"
Zamzazar
"It moves over the water swiftly. With huge claws and many powerful cannons it also carries equipment which deflects Minerva's main armaments."
Freedom Gundam Restored!
"Kira and company, realizing that Lacus & Cagalli were in danger, rush out of Orb for the sake of travelling on their own path of righteousness but Orb's army tries to prevent that."
Freedom Gundam
"The machine Kira flew in the war 2 years ago. Possessing nuclear power, it's a high-power MS and can also shoot down enemies in all directions at once."
Murasame
"Orb's new mass-produced MS. It chases the Freedom, which took Cagalli away..."
Archangel
"Murrue, Waltfeld and others fly away on the Archangel, which had been hidden."
Sunday, December 19, 2004
Sunrise announced the release date for Gundam Photography book has been delayed until Dec 24th. The original release date was Dec 20th.
Saturday, December 18, 2004
A while back Japan Media Arts Plaza posted an interview with Tomino. Here, Tomino answers questions about getting into the anime industry, concerns about the anime production staffs, skills anime staffs should possess, digital technology, and his thoughts on Zeta Gundam movie.
Following are some of the comments by Tomino: (Warning - these are only fractions of his entire comments)
Question: You have been quoted, "Don't watch anime!", to those who are interested about entering this business.
Tomino: There are lots of people saying "I want to do anime", but anime is not really a work. It is one form of the media. The creators are the ones making the work. Creators can make a series without knowing any anime technology. In other words, "creating a work" and "making an anime" are two completely different things. Depending on the circumstances, creators use a media called anime, media called movies, media called theatre, and media called music. The important thing is the "heart" to create a work. I'll flat out say that a person who has only watched anime in his/her life can not create a work. Most of the time an anime created by anime junkie turns out to be boring.
Q: Problems you encounter during production with staffs who have grown up with anime?
T: First, ordinary daily conversations don't happen during meetings anymore. I distinctly became conscience of this when Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam was being made. I did however started seeing a trend during First Gundam. 25 years ago, it perfectly fits the period when the public was recognizing anime as a business. When I entered into this business, I felt like we used more ordinary daily conversations. At that time, the staff had the strong spirit to enter into society and could properly use words. Today, they're completely useless! I really do beg to the anime-grown or visually-grown young generations to learn how to hold a daily conversation.
Q:What are your thoughts on the minimum knowledge people/creator should obtain if they want to enter into the anime business?
T: The basic education taught in elementary, middle, and high school especially the most important ones; moral training and morality. In other words, think about individuality in regard to the public. I want them to fine tune those senses. Releasing a work out in the public is a deed.
Q: Anime productions are quickly becoming digital. What are some things that have been lost during this transition?
T: A lot. The most lost are the texture like feel of pictures. Due to the lack of rough texture, the picture doesn't look realistic even after drawing microscopically using digital technology. Therefore, you have to think how to recreate the rough texture using digital technology. However, we are approaching the limit of technology theory. Unless we use the principles depicted in myths, legends, or aphorisms, you probably won't able to create a production which connects with crowd even if you draw a gun realistically.
Q: Starting next year, Zeta trilogy movie will premiere. How come a movie version of a 20 year old TV series now?
T: Because there was an offer. Unlike George Lucas or Steven Spielberg, I never thought of making my own production company. In order words, I'm a pitiful person who didn't take any action in society. Unless someone makes an offer, I cannot create a work. However, I could have refused. I was offered to make one 10 years ago, but I declined. This time I accepted it in order to close a chapter on a series I felt most dissatisfied of. I believed now was the perfect time. After doing it, I'm glad I took the offer as I found out I had the strength to do it.
Dengeki Online reports that starting from 6 pm on Christmas, a special trailer for Another Century's Episode will be shown on outdoors jumbo vision screens nationwide. The approximately 10-minute-long trailer will be shown at 10 locations in 8 cities throughout Japan, including Shinjuku, Osaka, and Akihabara.
GundamOfficial.com updates
The official site updated with new character & mecha profiles in its SEED section.
Friday, December 17, 2004
Toy News International has a gallery of pics from Gundam Expo 2004 in Hong Kong.
Ninshi Enmachou reports that Super Robot Wars GC sold an estimated 27,000 copies on the day of its release, making it #4. That would be about as well as the Gamecube Gundam did.
Label Mobile put out a press release listing the Top 100 Chaku-uta songs of the year. #6 was nobodyknows+'s "Kokoro Odoru", SD Gundam Force's 2nd ED song. Chaku-uta is a very popular download service that offers snippets of the actual music of various artists for use as ringtones instead of the usual electronic bleeps and bloops.
Media Create lists MS Gundam vs. Z Gundam for the PS2 as the #3 game of the week of Dec. 6 through Dec. 12 with 183,583 copies sold. The Gamecube edition ranked #17.
Kadokawa put a solicitation for the first collected volume of Mobile Suit Gundam SEED DESTINY Astray. Release date is yet to be determined.
Thursday, December 16, 2004
Over on AnimeOnDVD.com's forums, reports are starting to come in from people who say that, in addition to the previously reported complaints, the Zeta boxset is also dubtitled.
Victor Entertainment Animation Network has listings for the December-January edition of the Gundam Evolve Montly Theme Song. The tracks for this one are "Konnamon Janai!" by Shoichiro Hirata, as heard in the commercial for Gundam Evolve 10, and "Time Is On My Side" by lisa. Release date is January 7th.
Wednesday, December 15, 2004
Game Watch and GPara.com have new articles covering the appearance of the MS Gundam Battle Operating Simulator at the Banpresto Machine Private Show. Differences from previous public exhibitions include a general speeding-up of the MS in the game, the formal introduction of the IC Card system (with which you can save your battle record), "MS points" gathered for clearing stages that can be used to customize your suit's basic abilities (offense, defense, mobility) and gain access to new suits & equipment, and a 2-player Versus mode where each player leads a squad with 2 computer-controlled wingmen. The game still contains 6 stages in all (colony, ruins, town, Jaburo, Solomon, space battle) and lots of friendly & enemy warships appear as well as the Big Zam. G-BOS will be available for the general public starting in March.
Bandai updated their GBA SEED DESTINY site by adding Dearka, Yzak, Athrun, Crot, Orga, Shani, Mwu, Cagalli along with their MS in the Character/MS section.
A random magazine scan of DESTINY character profiles. Shown are the names of a couple of characters in what I suppose could be assumed to be their official English renditions for the first time. Though "Utona Roma Seiran" contains clear misspellings in both the kana and English when compared to his name as written on the official site and in the show's end credits.
Once again, imageboard pics from Famitsu. These mainly show off intermission screens dealing with "ace points" and "rendezvous points" you can use to do things like enhance your mecha or increase your battleship's mech-carrying capacity with. But they also give small glimpses of a few new mechs like the Virunvee (Dunbine), Wryneck (Dunbine), The O (Zeta Gundam), Ashura Temple (L-Gaim), Nanga Brain (Brain Powerd), and Russ Brain (Brain Powerd): 1, 2
Tuesday, December 14, 2004
Various news outlets like Yomiuri Online and Asahi.com are just now reporting that singer/songwriter Miki Matsubara passed away on October 7th at the age of 44. She had been fighting uterine cervix cancer for 3 years.
Matsubara debuted in Japan with the song "Mayonaka No Doa ~Stay With Me" ("Midnight Door ~Stay With Me") in 1979, which went on to sell over 300,000 copies. She later sang most of the themes for the 1987 Dirty Pair movie (aka "Project Eden"). She was best known to Gundam fans as the singer of Gundam 0083's first opening theme, "The Winner" (and its English version, "Back To Paradise"), as well as the composer of the second opening, "Men Of Destiny", and Last Blitz Of Zeon's "True Shining".
These can be seen at Gundamer.com.
The official Gundam X Web has a second, 30-second commercial up advertising the Region 2 boxset.
Monday, December 13, 2004
Through Bandai's online shopping site, LalaBit Market, fans can reserve Zeon-themed backpacks/bags aka "Gundam Makes Life Style". Reservations end on Dec 27th.
Sunday, December 12, 2004
MSiA Blaze Zaku Phantom (Rey Za Burrel custom)
MSiA Slash Zaku Phantom (Yzak Joule custom)
MSiA Freedom Gundam
EMSiA Gouf
EMSiA Gundam Mk II (Titans colors, #3)
The track list for "Best Of MIQ -MIQUEST- Souls Beyond Time" from Sony Music Shop:
1) Dunbine Tobu (Aura Battle Dunbine OP)
2) Ikari No Juushin (Beast God Ryger OP1)
3) 21st Century Boy (Getta Robo Go OP1)
4) Jikan No Yuuwaku (God Mazinger ED)
5) Sayaka No Theme (Mazinger Z)
6) Z - Toki O Koete (Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam OP1)
7) L-Gaim ~Time For L-Gaim~ (Heavy Metal L-Gaim OP1)
8) Kaze No No Reply (Heavy Metal L-Gaim OP2)
9) Mizu No Hoshi E Ai O Komete (Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam OP2)
10) Ice Man (Super Robot Wars Alpha)
11) Get It! (Xabungle Graffiti image song) Live
12) Kanashimi No Destiny (Area 88 ED) Live
13) Dreamy My Love (God Mazinger OP)
14) Lion Reine (King Of Braves Gaogaigar Final ED) Live
15) Mieru Darou Byston Well (Aura Battler Dunbine ED) Live
16) Men Of Destiny (Mobile Suit Gundam 0083 OP2) Live
17) Dunbine Tobu (Aura Battler Dunbine OP) Live
Saturday, December 11, 2004
Hi Nu, who is currenty visiting Hong Kong, was kind enough to pass information for this year's Gundam Expo 2004 event in Hong Kong. The event is at Hollywood Plaza from Dec 16th to 28th with free admission.
10 Main attractions are:
1) Diorama showcasing 25 years of Gundam.
2) 1:1 scale Gundam (upper torso) where people can take pictures. (similar to the one in Banda Museum?)
3) 2 meter tall Force Impulse Gundam and Blue Frame 2nd L
4) Gundam War card game tournament.
5) Bandai Plastic Model Kits Asia Cup
6) 18 meter tall (1:1 scale) Gundam posters
7) Showcase of Gundam products (from Gunpla, Gachaphon, candy, games)
8) Gunpla Tutorial (for 6-15 year olds) along with video game zone
9) Gunpla contest
10) Taking pics with cosplay girls
According to Ninshi Enmachou, MSG vs. Z Gundam for the PS2 was the #1 selling game on the day of its release with estimates of 117,000 copies sold. More than SEED's Owaranai Asu E but a fair amount less than other PS2 Gundam games, including the original AEUG vs Titans.
The Gamecube edition sold 10,000 copies, making it #7, but that also wasn't nearly as much as the last GC Gundam game.
Friday, December 10, 2004
The first of their Zeta Gundam reviews is up.
According to the monthly Magazine Z, Kodansha will be releasing two Gundam comic called "Gundam Red" and "Gundam Blue". Both books will contain old and new manga like SEED DESTINY, Char's Counterattack, Zeta Gundam, Blue Destiny, Johnny Ridden manga, GundamX, and Wing. Total of 840 pages priced at 550 yen each. It is scheduled to come out Dec 18th.
Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam Historica - Total of 10 issues coming out in April. Same concept as Gundam Historica.
Mobile Suit Gundam SEED DESTINY Official File - Total of 10 issues coming out in Feb.
Courtesy of this month's Newtype Magazine, ratings for DESTINY were:
Ep 1 : 8.2%
Ep 2 : 4.6%
Ep 3 (The Earthquake one) : 4.9%
Ep 3 (Rebroadcast) : 7.8%
Ep 4 : 5.8%
From our previous post on all about SEED ratings, SEED's first 4 ep ratings were:
Ep 1: 6.6%
Ep 2: 6.7%
Ep 3: 5.9%
Ep 4: 6.9%
The official site updated their Character and Story pages up to episode 8. Sunrise's site also has a pic of the Neo Lorrnoke ID card that comes with the High And Mighty Color single.
Thursday, December 09, 2004
According to reports on Anime Nation's Gundam forums from Derekwc, who received the Zeta box set early, the version of "Z Toki O Koete" (the first OP song) used on both the English & Japanese language episodes on the DVD's is an instrumental version. More on this as more details roll in.
Edit: Reliable sources tell us that both OP themes and the ED theme are all replaced with background music from the show.
By dropping this link into your media player, you can catch the commercial for Gundam Evolve 10. The surprise is that it's the ZZ Gundam vs. the Qubeley. Stranger still is the onscreen text:
"600 million kilometers on the other side of space,
Universal Century 0090, the most powerful MS
ZZ Gundam x Qubeley
Once more!"
Looks like it's the post-ZZ adventures of Judau Ashta around Jupiter. The music is credited to Shoichiro Hirata.
Also, as corrected below, this is the commercial airing with DESTINY's broadcast this weekend. Like with the other new Evolves, this'll be shown in full in stores.
Pam's Homepage reports the following from the latest issue of Dengeki Hobby:
1/144 Blaze Zaku Phantom (Jan.)
1/144 Saviour Gundam (transformable, Feb.)
HCM-Pro Force Impulse Gundam (w/ Core Sprender that might transform & Silhouette Flyer as well as expanding shield, Mar.)
HCM-Pro Zaku Warrior (Mar.)
HCM-Pro Hyaku Shiki (Mar.)
