Viewing Gundam Seed FREEDOM At New York’s Japan Society

On April 1, I was granted the opportunity to attend the East Coast premiere of Mobile Suit Gundam Seed FREEDOM’s English dub at New York’s Japan Society. The film, which was directed by Gundam Seed TV director Mitsuo Fukuda at Sunrise, continues the story that began more than two decades ago. Much of the original staff and cast returned to work on the project, which feels like a true return to form the classic series.

That said, it does expect viewers to be familiar with the series of events through 2004’s Gundam Seed Destiny. Though Gundam Seed FREEDOM offers some exposition, it’s not nearly enough to get you up to speed with the entire cast. Indeed, the film itself is set roughly a year after the events of the previous series. During that period, Lacus Clyne formed the peacekeeping force known as Compass, which maintains peace between Earth and the PLANT colonies, while eliminating the final gasps of the Blue Cosmos anti-Coordinator group. The endless fighting has weighed heavily on Kira Yamato, who works with Lacus in hopes of finally earning peace. 

Sadly, that doesn’t seem to be in the cards, as he and Lacus find themselves entangled in a plot that could spark yet another deadly, unending war.

While I enjoyed much of the story, I couldn’t help but take issue with a major plot point, in which a major character finds themself losing control in a manner that felt both cynical and cheap in its execution. It was far from an “idiot plot”, but the moment felt unearned and its payoff was generally unsatisfying, as it was impossible to escape the feeling that this plot point existed solely because the story demanded it.

Moreover, it was impossible to escape the feeling that the third act was rushed. Though the entire film moved quickly and covered a lot of ground, it was especially egregious as the story moved toward its climax.

On an audiovisual level, though, Gundam Seed FREEDOM is a stunner. This was one of the first cases I can remember where the computer-generated elements blended almost seamlessly with the hand-drawn animation. Beyond that, I couldn’t help but be charmed by the wide variety of mobile suits on display. This was a clear focus for the production team, as we got a nice blend of history, with many beautiful and unexpected additions. 

That said, I would be remiss if I didn’t comment on the fanservice. If I could give this a “Tomino out of ten,” I would. Gundam Seed FREEDOM was definitely horny throughout and continued to kick things up a notch to the point that there was a scene that would have made Darling in the Franxx blush.

Now, the warning above promises one spoiler. Before the movie, Peter Tatara, Director of Film at Japan Society took a poll of the audience’s favorite characters. I was in a tiny minority of Shinn supporters. So, it is with great pride that I share this:

Shinn redeems himself. And yet, he didn’t have to. He was worthy of our love either way.

That is all.

Mobile Suit Gundam Seed FREEDOM will be in theaters on May 7 and 8, 2024.