The Mobile Suit Gundam series has had many iconic entries, with each anime having a major impact on the entire franchise. Now, as the legendary series turns 30, an official voice actor recalls how things have changed dramatically for the Real Robot property.
Mobile Fighter G Gundam was a big change of pace for Gundam, notably being more of a Super Robot series that had more in common with Street Fighter or Dragon Ball Z than a space opera with warring colonies. However, its format and the way the cast was handled was a major selling point according to one voice actor. This change of pace was also reflected in the follow-up series, which was even more successful.
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Mobile Fighter G Gundam's Domon Kasshu Voice Actor Reflects on the Anime
In an interview with Febri, Seki Tomokazu, the Japanese voice actor for G Gundam's protagonist Domon Kasshu, discussed the series' place in the franchise's history. The voice actor previously worked on the previous series Mobile Suit Victory Gundam, but surprisingly, he didn't grow up as a fan of the mecha anime series.
“I wasn’t really into Gundam when I was a kid. I was more into super robot series, so I thought Gundam was a bit difficult. So when I auditioned for G Gundam, I was like, ‘I got it!’ because it was like a super robot. ‘They’re talking about special moves!’ I remember being so excited and thinking, ‘This is definitely the perfect show for me!’”
Comparing the series to a tokusatsu property like Super Sentai (adapted in the West as Power Rangers), the combination of voice actors sounds right because of the over-the-top attacks and emotions seen in the show. Tomokazu also notes how G Gundam changed the game in terms of how the series' characters and pilots were perceived. Up until that point, all Gundam anime had been set in the “Universal Century” timeline, which had been running since the original Mobile Suit Gundam in 1979. As a result, Amuro Ray remained the most popular pilot, with few others achieving similar status.
“When I said, ‘I’m the main character in Gundam,’ the answer I got was, ‘Amuro?’ Anime wasn’t as popular as it is now, and everyone knew Amuro, but there weren’t many other Gundam main characters that were known at the time. I think G Gundam was a turning point in that era. Many Gundams appeared, and the pilots became like Super Sentai, becoming a bit of idol-like popularity among fans of the work. This form became one of the standards for the series that followed.”
Tomokazu went on to comment on how New Mobile Report Gundam Wing, which was released after G Gundam, took things in the same direction. The show's cast was all handsome young men, with a major plot point being the relationship between Heero Yuy and Relena Peacecraft. This light romance and the design of the male characters were known to attract more female viewers than previous shows in the series, with the previous show kickstarting this “superstar” status for the Gundam mecha pilots.
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G Gundam remains one of the most controversial anime in the series
Seki Tomokazu's interview comes as part of the 30th anniversary celebrations for Mobile Fighter G Gundam, with the series now getting a special side story in 2024. G Gundam is only the second Gundam anime to be released in the United States, following Gundam Wing (which actually aired later in Japan). Created as a 15th anniversary project for the series, it's styled after the over-the-top Super Robot anime that Gundam was created to be the antithesis of. The story is essentially a martial arts tournament between Gundam mecha that decides the fate of the world, and this difference from the space colonies and war politics of other entries has made the series quite controversial.
However, G Gundam also has its fans, especially those in the West who consider this their first introduction to the franchise. On the other hand, Gundam Wing is probably the biggest Gundam series outside of Japan, building on elements introduced in the previous series. This includes the pilot cast, as well as the fact that it takes place in an alternate universe. While it is more of a “normal” Gundam anime in terms of plot, it certainly follows similar trends to those established by the success of G Gundam.
Mobile Fighter G Gundam
In the year Future Century 60, most of humanity has migrated to orbital space colonies, leaving behind a polluted Earth. To prevent war, the colonies have launched a tournament called the Gundam Fight. Each country builds a Gundam and sends it to Earth.
Release date April 22, 1994
Cast Tomokazu Seki, Matt Embry
Seasons 1 Season
Creator Yoshiyuki Tomino, Hajime Yatate
Producer Yoshiaki Koizumi, Masahiko Minami, Masao Ueda
Production company nime R, FAI, Donguri Group, MI, Nakamura Production, Seoul Dub, Seoul Kids, Studio Boomerang, Studio DEEN, Sunrise, TV Asahi
Number of episodes 49 Episodes
Extend
Source: February