The story, characters, mobile suits, etc., have been revealed from "Mobile Suit Gundam: Mercury Witch," the latest TV animation of the "Gundam" series, which will start airing in October on 28 MBS/TBS networks nationwide. A second teaser visual and the main staff have also been announced. The story takes place in "A.S. (Ad Stella) 122," an era in which numerous corporations have advanced into space and established a huge economic zone. The film depicts the activities of Sletta Mercury, a young girl from the remote land of Mercury who is transferred to Astycasia High School, operated by the Benelit Group. Sretta, a second-year pilot course student with an introverted personality and rather poor communication skills, rides on the lead ship "Gundam Aerial," a mobile suit developed on Mercury. Also featured is Miorine Rembrandt, a good-looking, high-achieving sophomore in Business Strategy who is the daughter of the group's president, who is also the school's board chairperson. Gül Jetak, the sergeant of Jetak, one of the three families in the group, is confident in his piloting skills, and is the pilot of "Diranza Gül's exclusive aircraft"; Eran Keres, a pilot retained by Pale, one of the three families, who does not open up to anyone in the school, is "Gundam Falakt"; and the adopted son of the CEO of Grassley, one of the three families, Shadik Zetak, is the son of the CEO of Grassley. Shaddik Zeneli, the adopted son of the CEO of Grassley, is a handsome man with a cool demeanor, and he boards "Michaelis". They are all third-year pilots and head of their respective company-named dormitories. The second teaser visual depicts Sletta standing in front of a kneeling Gundam Aerial and looking up at the sky. Directed by Hiroshi Kobayashi of "Spriggan," the series is composed and written by Ichirou Okochi of "Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion" fame, with original character design by illustrator Mogumo, character design by Marie Tagashira, Tamari Toida, and Hirotoshi Takaya, mechanical design by JNTHED, Kanetake Ebikawa, Inada Wataru, Ippei Katabe, Kenji Teraoka, and Takayuki Yanase will be in charge of mechanical design. It has also been decided that "PROLOGUE," a prequel to the main story of "The Witch of Mercury," will be shown for the first time at the "GUNDAM NEXT FUTURE -LINK THE UNIVERSE-" event to be held on July 14 and 15 at the GUNDAM FACTORY YOKOHAMA in Kanagawa and other locations. PROLOGUE" will also be available at some of the "GUNDAM NEXT FUTURE" related events that will be held sequentially throughout Japan. For details, please refer to the special website (https://bandai-hobby.net/site/gnf/ ). From July 1, "PARCO x GUNDAM" CAMPAIGN, a collaboration project between the "Gundam" series and PARCO stores nationwide, will begin, with brands opening stores in PARCO from September 16, selling collaboration items. In addition to the "COLLABORATION ITEM FAIR," in which brands that open PARCO stores will sell collaborative items, various events will be held, including original novelty gifts at the "PARCO Grand Bazar". Each PARCO is also the venue for the aforementioned "GUNDAM NEXT FUTURE" related events. (C) Sotsu, Sunrise, MBS
【Background】
・Graduated from Kyoto University with a major in Japanese Culture Studies, Faculty of Letters
・After graduation, worked 4 years as editor and proofreader for a print magazine specializing in traditional performing arts and culture
・Became a freelance journalist in 2021 and launched japanculturean.com in 2022
【Expertise】
・Pop-Culture Fusion Analysis
Analytical commentary on how modern pop-culture media (anime, film, fashion) incorporates and reinterprets traditional Japanese motifs.
