Bandai Namco Entertainment recently revealed a promotional video for Gundam Build Metaverse, marking the 10th anniversary of the Gundam Build franchise. The anime will debut on October 6.
The video, though unavailable in Japan, brings exciting information, including the introduction of the main cast, the musical composer Yuki Hayashi, and the theme song artists, BACK-ON for the opening track, Hikari to Kaze (Light and Wind), and LINKL PLANET for the ending song, Days of Birth.
The series, consisting of three episodes, can be streamed on the official Gundam franchise YouTube channel and Gundam.info’s YouTube channel, all starting from that same October 6 date.
The Gundam Conference also spoke of the bigger “Gundam Metaverse” project by Bandai Namco Entertainment. This ambitious venture includes the upcoming “Gunpla Colony” beta test, set to run from October 6 to 17 in the United States and Japan, followed by a full launch in spring 2024.
Users will be guided by the new A.I. character, Mellow, while navigating this virtual space. This project is part of the “Gundam Next Future -Road to 2025-” initiative, commemorating the 45th anniversary of the Gundam franchise.
Stay tuned for the “Gundam Next Future 2023 East/West/Digital” events in Tokyo, Osaka, and online, as well as the debut XR Live event for the Gundam Metaverse. Gundam Navi, the news app, will soon start functionality for the Gundam Metaverse, letting users scan their Gundam models via “Gunpla Scan” and bring them to life within the digital world.
Gundam Build Metaverse: Staff, Cast, Plot
Famous animator Masami Obari directs the anime at the studio Sunrise Beyond. Obari’s impressive portfolio includes roles as a storyboarder, animation director, action director, and key animator for various episodes and opening sequences within the Gundam Build franchise.
Obari also directed the Gundam Build Fighters: Battlogue and Gundam Breaker Battlogue anime. Returning from Gundam Build Divers, Noboru Kimura takes supervises the series scripts. Handling character designs are Hirona Okada, Yoriko Gotō, and Ippei Gyōbu, with Humikane Shimada credited for their “Fumina Design Collaboration.”
Kenichi Ōnuki oversees the character designs. Planning assistance is attributed to Bandai Spirits and Bandai Namco Entertainment.
The mechanical design team includes Kunio Okawara, Kanetake Ebikawa, Takayuki Yanase, Shinya Terashima, Naohiro Washio, and Kōtarō Andō. Yū Yoshima is the chief mecha animator.
The Cast
The newly announced cast includes Chika Anzai voicing Rio Hōjō and Rio Tsuchiya voicing Seria Urutsuki.
The Plot
In the Gundam Build Metaverse anime’s new storyline, the stage is set within an online metaverse. Here, users use avatars, letting them navigate the digital world and engage with fellow users, all while partaking in intense Gunpla battles.
Our protagonist, Rio Hōjō, comes from the picturesque shores of Hawaii. His journey into the world of Gunpla building begins under the guidance of Seria Urutsuki, a seasoned local enthusiast. Rio’s metaverse education takes a turn when he encounters the Mask Lady, who uses the art of Gunpla battle.
Fueled by his determination, Rio, equipped with his custom Lah Gundam, starts a quest for ever-stronger adversaries. His Entry Grade RX-78-2 Gundam model, infused with the essence of “Japan’s spirit,” pays homage to this adventure, with “Lah” symbolizing the Hawaiian term for “sun.”
The Gundam Build spinoff of the Gundam franchise kicked off in 2013 with Gundam Build Fighters, followed by its sequels Gundam Build Fighters Try in 2015 and Gundam Build Divers in 2018.
Following the success is Gundam Build Divers Re:RISE, which made its debut in October 2019, with Season 2 following suit in April 2020. Crunchyroll streamed both seasons during their airing.
Gundam Build Divers Battlogue is the latest anime in the Gundam Build franchise, which premiered in November 2020.
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