The Gundam franchise is celebrating an important anniversary this year, commemorating the occasion with a one-night event. On October 4, 2015, Sunrise Studios and Bandai Namco released the first episode of Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans. The 2015 anime series was vastly different from any other Gundam series, featuring a ragtag group of teenage mercenaries trying to make a name for themselves in a dirty world. The mobile suit designs were so unorthodox at the time, presenting machines with thinner and lankier body proportions than previous entries. Iron-Blooded Orphans hit the anime scene like a torpedo in 2015, cementing itself as one of the most talked-about shows of the mid-2010s.
The series ended its 50-episode run in April 2017, but it remained relevant thanks to spin-offs and model kits. As part of the Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans 10th anniversary project, a public recording of the official Tekkadan radio show will be held at the Shinjuku Piccadilly in Tokyo. There will also be an all-night TV series screening of the entire series at the same location, starting at 11:30 PM on Friday, October 3rd, the tenth year on the dot when the series premiered on Japanese airwaves. The public recording will feature several cast members of the anime. Sunrise and Bandai have also begun re-releasing creditless endings and openings of the show on YouTube.
Happy Tenth Birthday Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans
For the Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans 10th anniversary project, Bandai and Sunrise have released a new promo image featuring the characters Mikazuki Augus and Kudelia Aina Bernstein. Tekkadan is the name of the mercenary organization that the protagonists named after overthrowing their previous owners. The October 3rd Tekkadan Radio Station public recording will feature voice actors Kengo Kawanishi, who portrayed Mikazuki, Yuka Terasaji, who played Kudelia, and Yoshimasa Hosoya, who voiced Orga Itsuka. The public recording will include a 10th-anniversary radio talk segment, sharing the latest news on the 10th anniversary project.
The first nine episodes of the Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans will then be screened for the rest of the night after the public recording. Fans can begin sending in applications for lottery tickets for the event on Tuesday, September 23rd. The official Japanese Gundam YouTube channel has already begun releasing the creditless openings and endings from Iron-Blooded Orphansstarting with a special 10th-anniversary video of the first opening, “Raise your flag.” The rest of the openings and endings will begin rolling out on the channel.
Besides the public radio event, Bandai has released an official Iron-Blooded Orphans tenth anniversary website on Gundam Info. The website features a thank-you message to fans for their support alongside word on Bandai’s plans for the series. Also part of the 10-anniversary project is the Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans – Urðr Hunt Special Edition: Path of the Little Challengera new animated movie that uses video from the Urðr Hunt mobile game. A new short featuring the original cast, called Makuai no Kusabiwill premiere alongside the Urðr Hunt movie. Gundam Wing is also celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, leading to partnerships with Overwatch and the release of a new animated trailer that hints at a new series.
Are you a fan of Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans? Can you believe it’s ten years old? Comment below with your thoughts and feelings!
H/T: Gundam Info
