Mobile Suit Gundam F91

Mobile Suit Gundam F91 (機動戦士ガンダムF91, Kidō Senshi Gandamu Fōmyura Nainti Wan) is a 1991 Japanese animated film. It was Gundam creator Tomino Yoshiyuki’s attempt to launch a new Gundam saga, set 30 years after Char’s Counterattack. He re-teamed with character designer Yasuhiko Yoshikazu and mechanical designer Okawara Kunio for the occasion.

The film was first released in Japan on 16 March 1991 and was double-billed with Mobile Suit SD Gundam The Movie: Musha Knight Command: SD Gundam Scramble, an OVA based on the SD Gundam franchise.

Synopsis

In Universal Century 0123, 30 years after the events of Char’s Counterattack, the Earth Federation has entered a period of peace and has begun constructing new space colonies to accommodate humanity’s growing population. However, this tranquillity is shattered when the aristocratic Crossbone Vanguard emerges with plans to seize the newly constructed Frontier Side colonies for themselves.

The story follows teenage space colonist Seabook Arno, a student mechanic living in the Frontier IV colony. When the Crossbone Vanguard attacks his home, Seabook discovers that his girlfriend Cecily Fairchild is actually Berah Ronah, heir to the powerful Ronah family that leads the Crossbone Vanguard. Caught in the crossfire of war, Seabook and his friends struggle to escape the conflict.

After their evacuation ship reaches the neighbouring Frontier I colony, which is also under attack, Seabook’s group encounters the Federation training ship Space Ark, carrying the inoperative Gundam F91. With the ship run by an inexperienced skeleton crew and no available pilots, Seabook is pressed into service to repair and pilot the F91. He discovers that the mobile suit was developed in part by his estranged mother, Dr. Monica Arno. As Seabook reluctantly becomes the F91’s pilot, he begins to discover his own Newtype abilities whilst leading the fight against the Crossbone Vanguard and their enigmatic leader, Iron Mask.

Development

Conception

Originally planned as a full-length television series to mark the tenth anniversary of the Gundam franchise, Gundam F91 was intended to run for 52 episodes. However, the project hit significant production problems due to staff disputes, and development was halted after the screenplays for only the first thirteen episodes were completed. The production team then made the decision to condense what had been created into a theatrical feature film.

This marked the first film adaptation in the Gundam franchise since Char’s Counterattack. Gundam F91 was developed with the goal of presenting a new era and new characters during a time when SD Gundam was the primary representative of Gundam in cinemas. Tomino commented that the theme of the film would centre on family matters, making it more accessible to newer fans than the complex political themes of previous entries.

The early development phase began in February 1989, during the first year of the Heisei era, with the project initially titled “Heisei Gundam”. Design work commenced in April 1989, approximately one year after the release of Char’s Counterattack.

Production

Tomino reunited the core creative team from the original Mobile Suit Gundam series. Yasuhiko Yoshikazu returned as character designer, though his involvement was limited to design work only due to his focus on his manga career following the disappointing reception of his Venus Wars film. Okawara Kunio reprised his role as mechanical designer.

One of the most significant design decisions was to reduce the size of mobile suits. While mobile suit sizes had been generally increasing up until Char’s Counterattack—where the Gundam was 18 metres tall and the Nu Gundam was 22 metres—the average size was brought down to approximately 15 metres in F91. Tomino explained that this would make them easier to produce as model kits, allowing for better proportioned figures in dioramas. He originally wanted to decrease the size to 10 metres, but it was set at 15 metres to meet manufacturer requirements.

The animation process began around February 1990 under the supervision of three animation directors: Kobayashi Toshimitsu, Kitahara Takeo, and Murase Shukō. Murase, who would later serve as character designer for New Mobile Report Gundam Wing and director of Mobile Suit Gundam Hathaway, struggled to adapt Yasuhiko’s manga-style character drawings to animation.

The production faced numerous challenges, including the late completion of the Gundam F91 design. The mobile suit design wasn’t finalised until May 1990, several months after animation had begun in February. This delay was partly due to Okawara’s poor health during production.

Music

The film’s musical score has been noted for its similarities to John Williams’ score for The Empire Strikes Back (1980). The opening themes for the Crossbone Vanguard and the Imperial March are nearly identical, as are those between the F91 battle theme and Empire’s escape from Bespin.

The ending theme, “ETERNAL WIND ~~Hohoemi wa Hikaru Kaze no Naka~~” (“Eternal Wind ~Shine in the Smiling Wind”), was performed by Hiroko Moriguchi and became a major hit. Written by Nishiwaki Yui and Orihara Yoko, the single peaked at number 9 on Oricon’s singles charts and reached number 47 on Oricon’s 1991 year-ending chart, making it Moriguchi’s best-selling single. The song’s success led to Moriguchi’s debut on NHK’s Kōhaku Uta Gassen that year.

Release

Mobile Suit Gundam F91 premiered in Japanese cinemas on 16 March 1991. The film grossed ¥520 million at the Japanese box office. Following its theatrical release, several revisions were made to the film. The first six of eight film reels were smoothed out with certain scenes improved, and approximately five minutes of footage was added to the final two reels. The voice actors re-dubbed portions of the film, and this version was released on VHS as “Mobile Suit Gundam F91: The Complete Version”.

International release

The film remained unreleased in English-speaking markets for over a decade. Bandai Entertainment eventually licensed the film for North American distribution, releasing it on DVD on 28 September 2004. The release included both English and Japanese audio tracks with English subtitles. Bandai also arranged limited theatrical screenings, including a premiere at Otakon convention.

The film was made available on the official Gundam.Info YouTube channel on 7 November 2020 as part of Tamashii Nation 2020.

Following Bandai Entertainment’s closure in 2012, the series went out of print. In 2016, as part of Sunrise’s partnership with Right Stuf Inc. to re-release the Gundam franchise in North America, Gundam F91 was re-released on both DVD and Blu-ray on 7 February 2017. This marked the film’s first high-definition release in North America.

Home media

The original Japanese home video releases contained both the theatrical version and the complete version on DVD. However, the first six reels of the so-called “film version” actually used footage from the revised complete version, meaning the original theatrical cut has never been released on home video.

Reception

Critical reception

Gundam F91 received mixed reviews from critics and fans. Many praised the film’s animation quality, which was considered exceptional for 1991, and the professional voice acting in both Japanese and English versions. The mobile suit battle sequences were particularly commended for their fluid animation and attention to detail.

However, the film’s pacing was frequently criticised. The condensation of what was originally planned as a 52-episode television series into a 115-minute film resulted in a rushed narrative that left many plot points underdeveloped. Critics noted that whilst the first half of the film presented a clear, understandable story, the second half became increasingly chaotic with situations explained only through brief dialogue.

According to Tomino, the film was designed to be easier to understand than the somewhat confusing Char’s Counterattack. The main character was intended to be a more easily understood hero, and the story ended on a happier note. The theme shifted from Char’s Counterattack’s focus on Newtypes to the more relatable concept of “family problems”.

Commercial performance

Despite the production difficulties, Gundam F91 was commercially successful. The film grossed ¥520 million at the Japanese box office. “ETERNAL WIND” became a chart hit and was certified Gold by the RIAJ, contributing to the film’s cultural impact.

In a 2023 NHK survey, respondents rated F91 as the 18th most popular Gundam property. In 2018, “ETERNAL WIND” was ranked number 3 on NHK’s “Announcement! All Gundam Big Vote”.

Legacy

The Gundam F91 story was expanded in Tomino Yoshiyuki’s two-part novelisation, which provided much greater detail than the film could accommodate. The novel trilogy allowed Tomino to explore the story and characters more thoroughly.

Most significantly, Tomino created Mobile Suit Crossbone Gundam, a direct sequel manga set ten years after the events of the film. This series, illustrated by Hasegawa Yuichi, expanded the F91 universe and became highly regarded among fans.

The film also spawned several related manga series, including Mobile Suit Gundam F90 (a prequel), Mobile Suit Gundam Silhouette Formula 91 (a spinoff), and adaptations of the film itself.

Influence on the franchise

Gundam F91 marked an important transition point in the Gundam franchise. The reduction in mobile suit size established in this film continued through Mobile Suit Victory Gundam, though later series gradually returned to larger sizes. The film’s focus on family themes and more accessible storytelling influenced subsequent Gundam productions.

The film’s production difficulties also led to changes in how Sunrise approached Gundam projects, with future television series receiving more stable production schedules and clearer creative direction.

Credits

Cast

Character	Japanese	English
Seabook Arno	Tsujitani Kōji	Steve Cannon
Cecily Fairchild / Berah Ronah	Tōma Yumi	Mari Devon
Carozzo “Iron Mask” Ronah	Maeda Masaaki	Paul St. Peter
Zabine Chareux	Yanada Kiyoyuki	Tony Oliver
Dorel Ronah	Kusao Takeshi	Kirk Thornton
Jessica Nguro	Amano Yuri	Dorothy Elias-Fahn
Leahlee Edaberry	Chihara Eriko	Sandy Fox

Crew

Directed by Tomino Yoshiyuki
Written by Tomino Yoshiyuki, Itō Tsunehisa, and Yatate Hajime
Character design by Yasuhiko Yoshikazu
Mechanical design by Okawara Kunio
Music by Satoshi Kadokura
Animation directors: Kobayashi Toshimitsu, Kitahara Takeo, Murase Shukō

Appearances

Mobile Suit Gundam F91 – Characters
Mobile Suit Gundam F91 – Events
Mobile Suit Gundam F91 – Locations
Mobile Suit Gundam F91 – Mobile weapons
Mobile Suit Gundam F91 – Organisations
Mobile Suit Gundam F91 – Vehicles and vessels

External links

Official website
Mobile Suit Gundam F91 on Wikipedia
Mobile Suit Gundam F91 on Anime News Network
Mobile Suit Gundam F91 on IMDb