New Prequel Announced: Gundam SEED Freedom Zero Set to Rewrite the Saga!

During a special screening of the Mobile Suit Gundam SEED FREEDOM film, Sunrise made a big announcement: a new project called Mobile Suit Gundam SEED FREEDOM ZERO is in the works. This prequel, shortened to SEED FREEDOM ZERO, dives into the backstory leading up to the events in Gundam SEED FREEDOM. At the event, key figures from the project—director Mitsuo Fukuda, producer Hisakazu Naka, and voice actor Sōichirō Hoshi, who plays protagonist Kira Yamato—shared insights into the project.

Interestingly, the script for SEED FREEDOM ZERO was actually completed 20 years ago by screenwriters Chiaki Morosawa and Shigeru Morita. According to Fukuda, the storyboards were nearly halfway done two decades ago, with the earliest sketches predating even those for Gundam SEED FREEDOM. Originally, the team intended for this prequel to be an Original Video Animation (OVA), but they haven’t decided on its final format yet, leaving fans to speculate whether it will be a film, a series, or perhaps an OVA as initially planned.

This announcement was made during the screening of two updated editions of Gundam SEED FREEDOM. The first special edition, shown from September 20 to October 3, included additional epilogue scenes. A second version, with different added scenes, runs from November 1 to November 14. Fukuda explained that when the film first premiered in theaters on January 26, the team couldn’t polish every scene as they wanted due to time constraints. These special editions give fans a “complete edition” of the story, with improved scenes and refined cuts that enhance the overall experience.

Mobile Suit Gundam SEED FREEDOM has made waves since its January release, where it opened as Japan's #1 box office hit, earning 1.06 billion yen (about $7.2 million USD) within the first three days. This success marked the highest three-day opening for a Gundam film ever in Japan. Since then, it has become the highest-grossing Gundam movie in the country’s history.

The film’s popularity even extended internationally, with screenings in the United States and Canada in May, hosted by Bandai Namco Filmworks and Fathom Events. Subtitled versions played on May 7, followed by an English-dubbed version on May 8. For those who missed it, Mobile Suit Gundam SEED FREEDOM is currently available to stream on Netflix.

With SEED FREEDOM ZERO finally moving forward, longtime Gundam fans have much to look forward to as they prepare for this deeper exploration of the SEED universe.