Continued preparation for Gundam 00
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Phyl Good
By Phyl Good
Published on 07/31/2008
Preparations continue, as Bandai prepares to air the new Mobile Suit Gundam 00 series on the U.S. Sci Fi Channel's "Ani-Monday" time slot, beginning in November. The official site has launched, and thus far, seven of the voice actors have been announced, including those portraying the four main Gundam pilots.
Website launched, air date set, some voice actors announced
Ever since Bandai Entertainment announced, in April at New York Comic Con, that they would be bringing the Mobile Suit Gundam 00 series to North America, work has been ongoing, to get it ready for broadcast. Here's what we know so far.
The series is the latest in the long-running and greatly loved Gundam franchise, and the first to be set in the actual timeline of our real world - albeit two hundred years in the future. It portrays a world in the grip of the political machinations of three power blocks: the Union, which is led by the U.S.A., the Human Reform league, whose main powers are China, India, and Russia, and the AEU, with Europe as the dominant force. Because these three political blocs are constantly in conflict and working against each other, a private organization arises, called Celestial Being, which uses Gundam mobile suits to intervene in their acts of war.
The series, directed by Seiji Mizushima (Fullmetal Alchemist), finished the run of its first season in Japan, in April of this year.
Early in July, at their Anime Expo panel, Bandai announced that they had licensed the television rights for Gundam 00 to Starz Media. That company's Manga Entertainment division provides programming for the American Sci Fi Channel's "Ani-Monday" block of time, and it will premiere the first season episodes on Monday nights, starting on November 17, and continuing with two episodes weekly for 16 weeks.
On July 8, Bandai launched the official Mobile Suit Gundam 00 website, and revealed the English voice casting for the for Gundam Meister pilots.
Brad Swaile is just coming off his role as the English voice of Light Yagami in the wildly popular Death Note, but he's also very familiar with the Gundam series, having voiced Quatre in Gundam Wing, and Dearka in Gundam Seed and Gundam Seed Destiny. He will portray Setsuna F. Seiei in the new series.
Alex Zahara, who will voice Lockon Stratos in Gundam 00, appears to be relatively new to anime, although he has provided the voice for bounty hunter Nick Logan in the animated series, The Roswell Conspiracies. But he has mostly acted in film, theater, and television, appearing in such sci fi series as Stargate SG-1, Blood Ties, and Jeremiah.
Richard Ian Cox will be best known to fans as the voice of Inuyasha, on the long-running series of the same name. He also appeared in Gundam Seed as Kira's friend Tolle Koening. In the new series, he will portray Allelujah Haptism.
And Sam Vincent, voicing the fourth pilot, Tieria Erde, will already be familiar to fans of the two Gundam Seed series, having played the role of Athrun Zala.
There have since been three more cast announcements. Gabe Khouth, who played Nicol Amalfi on Gundam Seed, will portray Saji Crossroad on the new series. Kelly Sheridan (Sango on Inuyasha, Hitome in Escaflowne: The Movie) is to be the voice of Louise Halevy. And Anna Cummer (Miriallia Haw on both Gundam Seed series) will play the role of Kinue Crossroad.
So the planning continues, in preparation for November's unveiling. And in the meantime, the Japanese Gundam 00 site has updated all its pages in preparation for season two, which begins its run in Japan in October. So we can be almost certain that the second season will follow hot on the heels of the first, into North America.
There is no news yet about a possible airing of the series in Canada. But Canada's YTV network has aired Gundam Wing and both Gundam Seed Series after they've shown in the United States, so it won't be surprising if Gundam 00 follows the other members of the franchise northward once it's finished its run down south.
The series is the latest in the long-running and greatly loved Gundam franchise, and the first to be set in the actual timeline of our real world - albeit two hundred years in the future. It portrays a world in the grip of the political machinations of three power blocks: the Union, which is led by the U.S.A., the Human Reform league, whose main powers are China, India, and Russia, and the AEU, with Europe as the dominant force. Because these three political blocs are constantly in conflict and working against each other, a private organization arises, called Celestial Being, which uses Gundam mobile suits to intervene in their acts of war.
The series, directed by Seiji Mizushima (Fullmetal Alchemist), finished the run of its first season in Japan, in April of this year.
Early in July, at their Anime Expo panel, Bandai announced that they had licensed the television rights for Gundam 00 to Starz Media. That company's Manga Entertainment division provides programming for the American Sci Fi Channel's "Ani-Monday" block of time, and it will premiere the first season episodes on Monday nights, starting on November 17, and continuing with two episodes weekly for 16 weeks.
On July 8, Bandai launched the official Mobile Suit Gundam 00 website, and revealed the English voice casting for the for Gundam Meister pilots.
Brad Swaile is just coming off his role as the English voice of Light Yagami in the wildly popular Death Note, but he's also very familiar with the Gundam series, having voiced Quatre in Gundam Wing, and Dearka in Gundam Seed and Gundam Seed Destiny. He will portray Setsuna F. Seiei in the new series.
Alex Zahara, who will voice Lockon Stratos in Gundam 00, appears to be relatively new to anime, although he has provided the voice for bounty hunter Nick Logan in the animated series, The Roswell Conspiracies. But he has mostly acted in film, theater, and television, appearing in such sci fi series as Stargate SG-1, Blood Ties, and Jeremiah.
Richard Ian Cox will be best known to fans as the voice of Inuyasha, on the long-running series of the same name. He also appeared in Gundam Seed as Kira's friend Tolle Koening. In the new series, he will portray Allelujah Haptism.
And Sam Vincent, voicing the fourth pilot, Tieria Erde, will already be familiar to fans of the two Gundam Seed series, having played the role of Athrun Zala.
There have since been three more cast announcements. Gabe Khouth, who played Nicol Amalfi on Gundam Seed, will portray Saji Crossroad on the new series. Kelly Sheridan (Sango on Inuyasha, Hitome in Escaflowne: The Movie) is to be the voice of Louise Halevy. And Anna Cummer (Miriallia Haw on both Gundam Seed series) will play the role of Kinue Crossroad.
So the planning continues, in preparation for November's unveiling. And in the meantime, the Japanese Gundam 00 site has updated all its pages in preparation for season two, which begins its run in Japan in October. So we can be almost certain that the second season will follow hot on the heels of the first, into North America.
There is no news yet about a possible airing of the series in Canada. But Canada's YTV network has aired Gundam Wing and both Gundam Seed Series after they've shown in the United States, so it won't be surprising if Gundam 00 follows the other members of the franchise northward once it's finished its run down south.