Mobile Suit Gundam Narrative
Mobile Suit Gundam Narrative is a 2018 anime film set in the Universal Century timeline.
Mobile Suit Gundam Narrative (機動戦士ガンダムNT (ナラティブ), Kidō Senshi Gandamu NT (Naratibu)) is a Japanese animated mecha science fiction film produced by Sunrise and distributed by Shochiku. Released as part of the Gundam franchise on 30 November 2018, it is based on the 11th Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn novel, Phoenix Hunting, and serves as both a sequel to the Unicorn series and the inaugural instalment in Sunrise’s “UC NexT 0100” project.
Directed by Toshikazu Yoshizawa (Mobile Suit Gundam Thunderbolt) and written by Harutoshi Fukui, the film features character designs by Kumiko Takahashi, Sejoon Kim, Hajime Katoki, and Eiji Komatsu. The score was composed by Hiroyuki Sawano, returning from his work on Gundam Unicorn.
Set in UC 0097, one year after the events of Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn, the film explores the consequences of the Laplace Incident and the mysterious reappearance of the RX-0 Unicorn Gundam 03 Phenex, sparking a new conflict between various factions seeking to capture the enigmatic mobile suit.
Synopsis
Main article: Mobile Suit Gundam Narrative plot
U.C. 0097, one year after the opening of Laplace’s Box. Despite the revelation of the Universal Century Charter that acknowledges the existence and rights of Newtypes, the framework of the world has not been greatly altered. The conflict dubbed the Laplace Incident is thought to have ended with the downfall of the Neo Zeon remnants known as the Sleeves. In the final battle, two full psycho-frame mobile suits displayed power beyond human understanding. The white unicorn and the black lion were sealed away to remove this danger from people’s consciousness.
However, the RX-0 Unicorn Gundam 03 Phenex, which disappeared two years earlier, has reappeared in the Earth Sphere. This golden phoenix becomes the focus of renewed activity as multiple factions launch Operation “Phoenix Hunt” to capture it. The Earth Federation Forces, the Republic of Zeon through Minister Monaghan Bakharo, and the powerful corporation Luio & Co. all become involved in the struggle for the Phenex.
The story centres on three childhood friends known as the “Miracle Children”: Jona Basta, Michele Luio, and Rita Bernal. These three gained their nickname after predicting the colony drop from Zeon’s Operation British at the opening of the One Year War, saving many lives. Rita, believed to be the true Newtype among them, is thought to be somehow connected to or controlling the Phenex. As Luio & Co. deploys the new RX-9 Narrative Gundam with pilot Jona Basta, the pursuit of the Phenex triggers a new conflict that explores themes of loss, connection, and the nature of Newtype abilities.
Development
Conception
Following the success of Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn, particularly after the 2016 television broadcast of Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn RE:0096 and the 2017 life-sized Unicorn Gundam statue erected in Odaiba, Sunrise began discussing where to take the series next. Producer Naohiro Ogata explained that while a direct sequel seemed natural, creating another drawn-out series would take considerable time. Writer Harutoshi Fukui decided to start by bringing in the Unicorn Gundam 03 Phenex from the Phoenix Hunting novel.
The project was first teased when Sunrise registered the domain name “gundam-nt.net” on 5 April 2018. The film was formally announced during an official live stream at Gundam Base Tokyo on 20 April 2018, which revealed the teaser trailer and introduced the main characters. The announcement also unveiled the titular Narrative Gundam, alongside redesigned versions of the Sinanju Stein and the Unicorn Gundam 03 Phenex.
Production
Gundam Narrative was positioned as the first instalment in Sunrise’s “UC NexT 0100” project, which aims to cover events in the next 100 years of the Universal Century timeline. Alongside Narrative, two additional Gundam projects were revealed: a film trilogy adaptation of Yoshiyuki Tomino’s Mobile Suit Gundam: Hathaway’s Flash novels and an overseas live-action sequel to Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn.
Director Toshikazu Yoshizawa was making his directorial debut with the film, having previously worked as an episode director on various Gundam series including Mobile Suit Gundam Thunderbolt and Gundam Reconguista in G. His primary concern during production was ensuring that familiar faces from Unicorn would not overshadow the new main trio of characters.
Screenwriter Harutoshi Fukui faced the challenge of compressing a complex story into a 90-minute runtime. He employed a brisk pacing strategy with multiple plotlines happening simultaneously, focusing on getting core ideas across while allowing audiences to fill in gaps themselves. Fukui acknowledged that while the film might be difficult to process on first viewing, it would become clearer on subsequent watches.
Design
Character designs were handled by Kumiko Takahashi for main original characters and Sejoon Kim for animation. Mechanical design was overseen by Hajime Katoki and Eiji Komatsu.
The Narrative Gundam was initially envisioned as a “scarecrow Gundam,” but Katoki pushed back against this concept. The team developed the “dress-up Gundam” idea, with the mobile suit designed as the Unicorn Gundam’s younger sibling. Katoki’s solution was to create a mock-up using the psycho-frame from the Master Grade Unicorn Gundam kit as exterior elements, reinforcing the concept of it being “constructed from spare parts.”
Music
Hiroyuki Sawano returned to compose the film’s score, having previously worked on Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn. The soundtrack was released on 28 November 2018 by Sacra Music, featuring orchestral pieces and the vocal track “Vigilante” performed by mpi and Gemie.
The film’s ending theme song “Narrative” was performed by Sawano under his [nZk] project name, featuring vocals by LiSA. Additional tracks included collaborations with Takanori Nishikawa, mizuki, and Tielle.
Release
Theatrical release
Mobile Suit Gundam Narrative premiered in Japanese theatres on 30 November 2018, opening in 91 cinemas across Japan. The film debuted at number 4 at the Japanese box office in both tickets sold and yen earned during its opening weekend, achieving the highest per-screen average over the weekend.
International release
The film received international distribution across Southeast Asia through Odex, with screenings beginning in early 2019. In Malaysia, the film opened on 10 January 2019, whilst Singapore held fan screenings on 5-6 January 2019.
For its North American release, Fathom Events partnered with Sunrise to bring the film to approximately 450 select theatres across the United States for one night only on 19 February 2019 at 7:00 p.m. local time. This marked the first Gundam film to receive a US theatrical release. The screening featured an English dub produced by NYAV Post with Oscar Garcia serving as ADR Director.
In the United Kingdom, Anime Limited licensed the film for release on 30 November 2020.
Home media
The film was released on Blu-ray and DVD in Japan on 24 May 2019. In North America, Nozomi Entertainment released a special edition Blu-ray on 6 October 2020, featuring an exclusive art booklet and extensive special features including premiere events, staff interviews, commercials, trailers, and a preview for Mobile Suit Gundam Hathaway. The North American release included both Japanese and English audio tracks.
Reception
Critical reception
Mobile Suit Gundam Narrative received mixed reviews from critics and audiences. Kim Morrissy of Anime News Network gave the film an overall rating of B, praising its interesting concept and connection to Gundam Unicorn whilst criticising its sparse characterisation and weak character animation.
The film faced criticism for its compressed storytelling, with many reviewers noting that the 90-minute runtime felt insufficient for the complex narrative being presented. Critics frequently mentioned that the film assumed extensive knowledge of previous Universal Century Gundam series, making it inaccessible to newcomers to the franchise.
Positive aspects highlighted by reviewers included the film’s ambitious visual design, interesting mecha designs, and crisp battle sequences. The animation quality, whilst not consistently excellent, featured several spectacular moments, particularly in the mobile suit combat scenes. Many praised Hiroyuki Sawano’s musical score as a standout element.
Audience reception
Audience reactions were similarly divided. Long-time Gundam fans generally appreciated the film as a continuation of the Unicorn storyline and praised its exploration of Newtype themes. However, many felt disappointed by the underdeveloped character relationships and the rushed pacing that left little room for emotional connection with the new protagonists.
The film’s exploration of metaphysical themes, particularly the blurred line between humanity and the afterlife, received both praise and criticism. Some fans appreciated the franchise’s continued evolution of Newtype concepts, whilst others felt the “space magic” elements pushed too far beyond established series conventions.
On review aggregation sites, the film maintained moderate scores, with viewers consistently noting that prior knowledge of the Universal Century timeline, particularly Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn, was essential for understanding and appreciating the story.
Legacy
Franchise impact
Mobile Suit Gundam Narrative successfully launched Sunrise’s “UC NexT 0100” project, establishing a framework for exploring the next century of Universal Century timeline stories. The film’s success paved the way for subsequent UC projects, including Mobile Suit Gundam Hathaway, which began its film trilogy in 2021.
The film’s approach to continuing the Unicorn storyline without directly replicating its formula influenced subsequent Gundam productions. Its focus on psychological and metaphysical elements rather than pure military conflict demonstrated the franchise’s continued willingness to explore complex themes.
Merchandising
The film spawned an extensive line of Gunpla model kits under Bandai’s High Grade Universal Century line. Key releases included the Narrative Gundam, Sinanju Stein, and Unicorn Gundam 03 Phenex, all announced for autumn 2018 release. A special HGUC Xi Gundam vs Penelope funnel missile effect set was also released, featuring the battle between the film’s primary mobile suits.
Cultural significance
As the first Gundam film to receive a US theatrical release, Narrative marked an important milestone for the franchise’s international expansion. The successful one-night-only screening demonstrated continued international interest in Gundam content and helped establish a precedent for future international theatrical releases.
Credits
Cast
Japanese cast
| Character | Voice Actor |
|---|---|
| Jona Basta | Junya Enoki |
| Michele Luio | Tomo Muranaka |
| Rita Bernal | Ayu Matsuura |
| Zoltan Akkanen | Yuichiro Umehara |
| Mineva Lao Zabi | Ayumi Fujimura |
English cast
| Character | Voice Actor |
|---|---|
| Jona Basta | Griffin Puatu |
| Michele Luio | Erika Ishii |
| Rita Bernal | Brianna Knickerbocker |
| Zoltan Akkanen | Stefan Martello |
| Mineva Lao Zabi | Stephanie Sheh |
Crew
- Directed by Toshikazu Yoshizawa
- Written by Harutoshi Fukui
- Music by Hiroyuki Sawano
- Character design by Kumiko Takahashi and Sejoon Kim
- Mechanical design by Hajime Katoki and Eiji Komatsu
- Produced by Naohiro Ogata
Appearances
- Mobile Suit Gundam Narrative – Characters
- Mobile Suit Gundam Narrative – Events
- Mobile Suit Gundam Narrative – Locations
- Mobile Suit Gundam Narrative – Mobile weapons
- Mobile Suit Gundam Narrative – Organisations
- Mobile Suit Gundam Narrative – Vehicles and vessels
- Mobile Suit Gundam Narrative – Weapons and technology
External links
- Official website
- Mobile Suit Gundam Narrative on Wikipedia
- Mobile Suit Gundam Narrative on Anime News Network
- Mobile Suit Gundam Narrative on IMDb