The Gundam SEED franchise is actively expanding with a confirmed theatrical prequel film, new merchandise, and continued pachinko licensing, while the 2024 film FREEDOM remains the highest-earning Gundam film in Japan.
Mobile Suit Gundam SEED FREEDOM ZERO, a prequel to the 2024 film Mobile Suit Gundam SEED FREEDOM, was confirmed for a theatrical release during the Gundam Conference Spring 2026 livestream. Bandai Namco Filmworks board director and producer Naohiro Ogata made the announcement. Director Mitsuo Fukuda, producer Hisakazu Naka, and voice actor Sōichirō Hoshi first teased the project in November 2024, when a teaser video played during special edition screenings of FREEDOM. Fukuda stated at that time that the script was completed 20 years ago, that storyboards were nearly half finished, and that dialogue recording was already done. The prequel was originally planned as an original video anime two decades ago. The new theatrical path was not yet decided when the project was first teased. A fresh teaser trailer accompanied the spring 2026 announcement. The film is expected to depict the 'Freedom Hijacking Incident' that was only referenced in dialogue in the previous film. While no specific release date has been set, speculation among fans points to a January 2027 release, following a pattern of recent Gundam theatrical releases.
Merchandise tied to the franchise continues to roll out. MegaHouse opened pre-orders on June 4 for the Lucrea Light Mobile Suit Gundam SEED FREEDOM Athrun Zala Pilot Suit Ver. figure, a 210mm tall figure designed to display alongside the previously announced Kira Yamato Pilot Suit Ver. figure. Bandai and jewelry brand THE KISS released the third collaboration item tied to FREEDOM: a necklace reproducing the Haumea's Protection Stone, a key prop that character Cagalli Yula Athha gives to Athrun Zala in the movie. STRICT-G and STRICT-G JAPAN released Shirakawa Daruma figures of the Freedom Gundam and Justice Gundam, a collaboration bringing a 300-year-old Fukushima traditional craft into the Gundam merchandise lineup. Voice actress Rie Tanaka reported on her participation in filming for the new pachinko machine Gundam SEED Climax, indicating the franchise continues to license its characters for the pachinko market.
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Bandai is releasing Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Series Memorial Collection Wafers, a 20-piece set of confectionery toys with metallic plastic cards. The set includes 29 card types featuring famous scenes and mobile suits from the SEED series, plus original newly drawn illustrations. Reservations open August 20, 2026, on Premium Bandai.
The official X account for the Mobile Suit Gundam SEED series announced on August 20 that a special program revealing the latest information on the theatrical anime Mobile Suit Gundam SEED FREEDOM ZERO will stream on the Gundam Channel YouTube channel starting at 4:45 a.m. JST on October 9. The program will deliver the same content unveiled at the New York Comic Con 2026 panel event held the same day. The panel, titled Gundam Showcase 2026 @ NYC - Feat. SEED FREEDOM ZERO Panel, takes place on October 8 from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. EDT at the convention's Main Stage. A worldwide stream on GUNDAM CHANNEL INTL is scheduled for 3:45 p.m. EDT on October 8, but it will not be a live broadcast or recording of the panel; it will deliver key updates separately. SEED FREEDOM ZERO is a prequel to the 2024 theatrical film Mobile Suit Gundam SEED FREEDOM, based on a scenario written by Chiaki Morosawa, Shigeru Morita, and director Mitsuo Fukuda during that film's planning. The theatrical release was announced at Gundam Conference SPRING 2026 in May 2026.
Seed Sparkle Lab released Star Sand Island on August 18. The life simulation game is now available on PC, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2, and PS5, and it is included with Xbox and PC Game Pass. The full release adds online multiplayer for up to four players, expanded NPC affection systems, and date content for all 14 romanceable characters.
Bandai Spirits will hold a lottery sale for the METAL ROBOT魂 <SIDE MS> Destiny Gundam SpecII Final Battle Ver. figure on Premium Bandai starting August 24, 2026 at 12:00. The figure commemorates TAMASHII NATION 2026 and is priced at 25,300 yen including tax, with shipping scheduled for November 11, 2026. The coloring is based on the final battle scene from the film Mobile Suit Gundam SEED FREEDOM, with the elbow and knee joints appearing to glow red through plating applied to die-cast parts. The main body's exterior parts have a reddish tint to reflect that glow. The set includes Wings of Light effect parts, a high-energy beam rifle, a prototype 35-type modified railgun, a shield, beam shield effect parts, an Arondight beam sword, beam boomerang effect parts, and a dedicated stand. The figure stands about 140mm tall with a wingspan of about 400mm. Applications are limited to one per person and are open to CLUB TAMASHII MEMBERS Sky Stage or higher. The product is handled via lottery, not first-come, first-served.
Magmix published a retrospective on the most gut-wrenching scenes from Mobile Suit Gundam SEED and its sequel Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Destiny, both of which aired on TV in 2002 and 2004 respectively. The article highlights three moments that remain difficult to watch today. In SEED episode 37 (episode 35 in the HD Remaster), ZAFT soldiers machine-gun surrendering Earth Alliance troops, saying they do not need Natural prisoners. In episode 45 (episode 43 in the HD Remaster), the series depicts parents rejecting a newborn because its eye color differs from what they requested, a scene that illustrates the dark side of genetic modification. In Destiny, the enhanced human Stella Loussier, who bonds with protagonist Shinn Asuka, is returned to the Alliance on the condition she never fight again, but that promise is broken. Her memories are erased, she is placed in the Destroy Gundam, and she dies when Kira Yamato's Freedom Gundam intervenes. The piece calls these unrewarding episodes among the most unforgettable in the SEED series.
BANDAI SPIRITS will release new prize figures of Cagalli Yula Athha and Lacus Clyne from Mobile Suit Gundam SEED starting January 2027. The figures are inspired by the ending song Akatsuki no Kuruma, with Cagalli shown with a melancholic look and Lacus behaving composedly. They will be available at amusement facilities nationwide.
Dengeki Hobby Web ranked its Wonder Festival 2026 Summer breaking news reports by reposts, tallying 43 posts with 50 or more RPs as of July 27, 2026. Colored samples of 'Super Kaguya-hime!' figures led the list, with first reveals of 'Gundam SEED FREEDOM' and 'Patlabor' items drawing attention.
SEEDA's interview media Neet Tokyo announced it will close its first act at the end of August 2026. The project started on November 1, 2017, and has published around 4,700 videos, drawing over 430,000 subscribers and more than 300 million total views. The statement frames the move as the end of the first act, not a permanent termination, with no details on what comes next.
Seed Sparkle Lab will launch Star Sand Island out of early access on August 18. The full release adds PS5 and Nintendo Switch 2 versions alongside the existing PC and Xbox Series X|S editions. New features include four-player online multiplayer, expanded romance content for 14 characters, and the seasonal Pumpkin Carnival event.
Bandai Spirits has opened a third round of orders for the METAL BUILD METEOR from Mobile Suit Gundam SEED, following strong demand for the large-scale mech. The third order is a lottery sale on Premium Bandai, with applications accepted from August 7, 2026 at 11:00 JST through September 27, 2026 at 23:00 JST. Winners will be announced in late September 2026, and the item is scheduled to ship in April 2027. The METEOR was supervised by Shigeta Satoshi, chief mechanical designer for the Gundam SEED series, and was created by the same team behind the METAL BUILD Gundam SEED line. The figure measures approximately 705mm in length, or about 860mm when connected to a mobile suit, and extends to over 1,200mm with the beam sword effect parts attached. It includes gimmicks such as firing mode expansion, engine rotation, and hatch opening mechanisms. As an original feature, it supports connection to the Aile Strike Gundam and Force Impulse Gundam. The set includes the main body, beam sword effect parts, arm cover parts, exchangeable panel parts, joint parts, and a dedicated base. The price is 88,000 yen including tax, with free shipping. The figure itself is not included.
The Chiikawa Bakery Kyoto Pop Up Shop will run from August 13 to September 9, 2026, at the JR Kyoto Station West Gate ticket gate special venue, operated by LTR, a subsidiary of CL Holdings. The shop will sell bakery original goods and Kyoto- items, including a collaboration with Kyoto confectionery maker Miseju on a limited 'Chiikawa Bakery Fuwafuwa Otabe Caramel' priced at 1,460 yen with a random sticker. The shop will also offer original breads such as Chiikawa, Hachiware, and Usagi shokupan at 950 yen each, plus mascots, flake stickers, eco bags, cookies, and trays. A purchase bonus gives a Kyoto-limited shopper tag for purchases over 2,200 yen. The bakery's permanent locations include Omokado at Tokyu Plaza Omotesando, opened in October 2024, and KITTE Osaka, opened in June 2026. The pop-up is free entry with possible crowd control. The Chiikawa manga by Nagano has eight volumes published by Kodansha, and the TV anime airs within Mezamashi TV on Fuji TV since April 2022.
Bandai Spirits has opened reservations for a new S.H.Figuarts action figure of Kira Yamato in his Orb Union Chief State Pilot Suit, based on his appearance in Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Destiny. The figure uses a new sculpt and improves the range of motion compared to the earlier Compass Pilot Suit Ver., allowing for a wider variety of poses. It includes interchangeable face parts and accessories to reproduce the Durandal battle scene from the final episode of Gundam SEED Destiny, a feature not present in previous releases. The set contents include the main body, three types of interchangeable wrist parts for each hand, three interchangeable facial expression parts, a facial expression part for the helmet, the helmet itself, a neck part for the helmet, and a handgun. Reservations began on August 3 at general retail stores. The figure is priced at 9,900 yen including tax, with a scheduled release in January 2026. The product page is available on the Tamashii Web site for further details.
Bandai Spirits announced three new Figuarts mini figures from Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Destiny on July 28, 2026. Shin Asuka, Lunamaria Hawke, and Cagalli Yula Athha join the palm-sized deformed figure line. Pre-orders open at general retail stores on August 3, 2026. Each figure stands approximately 90mm tall and costs 3,850 yen including tax. Shin Asuka appears in his ZAFT pilot suit with an interchangeable right wrist part. Lunamaria Hawke also wears a ZAFT pilot suit and can hold a helmet with swappable arms. Cagalli Yula Athha is sculpted in her suit as Orb's chief representative, with interchangeable left and right arm parts. Alongside the three new releases, Bandai Spirits is re-releasing three earlier Figuarts mini figures from the same series: Kira Yamato, Athrun Zala, and Lacus Clyne. The new figures ship in January 2027, while the re-releases arrive in December 2026. The announcement follows a wave of Gundam SEED merchandise news on the same day, including a new S.H.Figuarts Kira Yamato action figure and a METAL BUILD METEOR that sold out instantly.
Bandai announced seven new figures from the Mobile Suit Gundam SEED series during the GUNDAM FIGURE SEED PROJECT SPECIAL LIVESTREAM on July 27. The centerpiece is the METAL BUILD METEOR, a super-large figure measuring approximately 705mm long on its own and up to 860mm when connected to a compatible mobile suit, with beam sword effect parts extending the total length beyond 1,200mm. Supervised by Satoshi Shigeta, chief mechanical animation director for the Gundam SEED series, the figure includes deployment gimmicks for bombardment, rotating engine sections, and hatch openings. It also supports connection to the Aile Strike Gundam and Force Impulse Gundam as original gimmicks. Preorders opened on Premium Bandai at 21:00 JST on July 27 at a price of 88,000 yen (tax included), with shipping planned for February 2027. As of the time of reporting, the item was already listed as out of stock. The livestream also revealed METAL ROBOT魂 figures including Z'Gok (SEED FREEDOM Ver.), Cavalier Aifrid, and Destiny Gundam SpecII Final Battle Ver., plus S.H.Figuarts Kira Yamato (Orb Union Pilot Suit Ver.) and Figuarts mini figures of Shinn Asuka, Lunamaria Hawke, and Cagalli Yula Athha. A new Gundam figure brand called ABSOLUTE ACT was also announced, specializing in action poses at approximately 18cm tall, with a Strike Freedom Gundam image revealed and further details promised for August.
Premium Bandai is holding a lottery sale for the HG 1/144 Gouf Ignited (Heine Westenfluss Custom) Gunpla, which released at general retail on July 11. The application period runs until July 21, with winners announced July 23. The kit features a fully renewed HGCE mold with the SEED Action System, beam sword gimmicks, and Slayer Whip parts. Price is 2,860 yen, shipping in August 2026.
Bandai Spirits is offering the HG 1/144 Gouf Ignited (Heine Westenfluss Custom) from Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Destiny via a Premium Bandai lottery. The kit uses the SEED Action System for articulation, includes the Slayer Whip in two states, and recreates the red-hot blade with molded colors. The lottery runs until July 21, with winners announced July 23. The kit is not a Premium Bandai exclusive.
Bandai Spirits will release the HGCE 1/144 scale Gouf Ignited (Heine Westenfluss Custom) on July 11, 2026. The kit, from Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Destiny, reproduces the character's orange personal color with molded plastic. It includes a slayer whip in two forms, a beam sword, a shield, and a right open hand. The SEED Action System allows dynamic posing. The kit costs 2,860 yen including tax.
Masamune Shirow's manga are on sale at the Kindle Store with a 44% discount plus a 50% point reward, making the effective discount 75%. The lineup includes Appleseed, its guidebook, Dominion F, ORION, and his debut work Black Magic. The sale coincides with the start of the new Ghost in the Shell anime.
Rapper SEEDA's hip-hop media YouTube channel NEET Tokyo was restored on July 7 after being temporarily deleted on June 28 due to unauthorized third-party access. The channel, which has 433,000 subscribers, posted a new interview video with artist ksr:3 on the same day as the restoration.
Bandai Namco Filmworks announced on July 6 that two mobile suits from the film "Mobile Suit Gundam SEED FREEDOM" will appear as giant nebuta floats at the 2026 Aomori Nebuta Festival. The Mighty Strike Freedom Gundam and the Infinite Justice Gundam Type II, crafted by nebuta master Hiroo Fukushi, will serve as the front nebuta leading a parade group. The exhibition is the first installment of the Gundam Festival Project, an initiative that places Gundam IP into locally cherished festivals as a form of regional revitalization. A newly drawn event key visual shows characters Kira Yamato, Lacus Clyne, Athrun Zala, and Cagalli Yula Athha dressed in haneto dancer costumes. The parade will also distribute collaboration fans featuring that visual. The festival runs from August 2 to August 7, with a pre-festival display on August 1. A pop-up shop opens July 18 at the To-O Nippo Shinmachi Building, selling limited goods and tie-up products with local Aomori items like Stamina Gen Tare sauce, Gachirin apple juice, and Nanbu Senbei crackers. Additional collaborations include chocolate banana flavored English Toast bread and Polo Chocolat cake in limited packaging.
Bandai Spirits will release three clear color Gunpla kits at The Gundam Base in July 2026. The HG 1/144 Z'Gok (SEED FREEDOM Ver.) [Clear Color] arrives on July 11, priced at 3,630 yen. The kit uses clear outer armor parts that reveal the inner frame modeled after the Infinite Justice Gundam Type II, with metallic molding on joints and backpack. It can reproduce a damaged head armor state and includes red-hot claw parts. On July 18, two more kits launch: the FULL MECHANICS 1/100 Gundam Base Limited Gundam Aerial [Clear Color] for 4,730 yen, featuring clear blue and white armor with metallic joints and a slide mechanism in the legs for kneeling poses; and the MGSD Gundam Base Limited Wing Gundam Zero EW [Clear Color] for 5,280 yen, with clear armor over a metallic inner frame and the ability to reproduce Neo Bird Mode in two forms. The MGSD kit uses a "reflection cut" on internal silver parts visible through the clear outer shell. All three are Gundam Base limited items.
Bandai Spirits announced a collaboration between the online shooter Apex Legends and three Real Grade Gunpla kits, which will be sold exclusively at Gundam Base stores and GUNDAM SIDE-F starting July 25. The lineup includes the RG 1/144 Freedom Gundam -Apex Legends Crypto Ver.-, priced at 4,400 yen; the RG 1/144 Wing Gundam Zero EW -Apex Legends Valkyrie Ver.-, also 4,400 yen; and the RG 1/144 Gundam Epion -Apex Legends Alter Ver.-, priced at 5,500 yen. Each kit features a color scheme inspired by an Apex Legends character: the Freedom Gundam uses white, yellow-green, and black for Crypto; the Wing Gundam Zero uses black and orange for Valkyrie; and the Gundam Epion uses light blue and black for Alter. All three kits include original Apex Legends marking stickers and come in full-color packaging. The collaboration was announced on July 1 and the kits will be available at physical Gundam Base locations and GUNDAM SIDE-F.
PixelCount Studios announced that the sandbox life simulation RPG Kynseed will release on PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch starting August 4. The PC version, which left early access in 2022, has a 'Very Positive' rating on Steam. The console launch follows years of post-release updates including a recent Tavern update.
Bandai will release the second wave of its capsule deformed figure series Nokkarun desu ♪ on June 25, 2026, featuring characters from Mobile Suit Gundam SEED FREEDOM. The lineup includes four types: Kira Yamato, Lacus Clyne, Athrun Zala, and Cagalli Yula Athha. Each figure stands approximately 4 cm tall and comes with a base that has a Gundam head design on the back. The figures are priced at 500 yen each (tax included) and will be sold on Gashapon Online from June 25 at 11:00 AM to July 23, 2026 at 11:59 PM. Delivery is expected around late November 2026. The series may also appear in capsule vending machines nationwide before delivery. Orders close when the planned quantity is reached.
Bandai Spirits will release two special color Gunpla kits at Gundam Base on June 26, 2026: the HG 1/144 Mighty Strike Freedom Gundam in a ReCirculation Color variant and the HG 1/144 Xi Gundam in a clear color theater release commemorative package. The Mighty Strike Freedom kit uses the SEED Action System and costs 3,300 yen. The Xi Gundam kit, priced at 6,930 yen, comes in a special package featuring the key visual from Mobile Suit Gundam: Hathaway's Flash - The Witch of Kirke.
Bandai will release the METAL BUILD Strike Freedom Gundam <Revival Version> on June 27, 2026, for 38,500 yen. The figure is a repackaged version of the 2015 release with added auxiliary supports, supervised by mechanical animation director Satoshi Shigeta. The eight DRAGOONs are detachable and can be displayed radially on dedicated base parts.
Developer Seedborne announced Caution Wet Paint, a comedy game where players watch a freshly painted brick wall dry in real time over 2 to 5 hours, then touch it when they think it is dry. Touching too early means restarting. The game releases on PC via Steam on July 15 (July 16 in Japan).
Premium Bandai opens orders June 11 for the MG 1/100 Blaze Zaku Phantom (Heine Westenfluss Custom) from Gundam SEED Destiny. The kit reproduces the orange color scheme in molded colors, includes the Blaze Wizard backpack with opening hatches and deploying missile pods, and comes with water-slide decals for Heine's personal mark and the Hawkins team mark. Shipping is set for September 2026 at 5,390 yen.
Klang Games showed a hands-off demo of Seed at Summer Game Fest 2026, revealing a persistent online planet called Avesta where autonomous AI residents, called Seedlings, live 24/7 and interact with players. Players act as cultivators who guide the Seedlings rather than control them directly. The demo included an unscripted incident where a player buying all the bread caused prices to spike, leading to a government tax revolt.
MegaHouse began accepting pre-orders on June 4 for the Lucrea Light Mobile Suit Gundam SEED FREEDOM Athrun Zala Pilot Suit Ver. figure. The 210mm tall figure shows Athrun in his pilot suit holding a helmet, designed to display alongside the previously announced Kira Yamato Pilot Suit Ver. figure. It costs 8,800 yen and ships in January 2027.
At a recent Gundam Conference, Sunrise announced that a new theatrical anime, Mobile Suit Gundam SEED FREEDOM ZERO, will be released. The film is a prequel to the 2024 movie Mobile Suit Gundam SEED FREEDOM, and is expected to depict the 'Freedom Hijacking Incident' that was only referenced in dialogue in the previous film. The project was first teased in November 2024 during a stage greeting for FREEDOM, with a teaser video released at that time. After roughly a year and a half of silence, the theatrical release was confirmed. While no specific release date has been set, speculation among fans points to a January 2027 release, following a pattern of recent Gundam theatrical releases: FREEDOM in January 2024, GQuuuuuuX -Beginning- in January 2025, and Hathaway's Flash - The Witch of Kirke in January 2026. The announcement footage also included a glimpse of an unfamiliar character, which is expected to be a key element of the story. The film is described as a prequel that will fill in details of the hijacking incident, and production appears to be progressing smoothly.
STRICT-G and STRICT-G JAPAN are releasing Shirakawa Daruma figures of the Freedom Gundam and Justice Gundam from Mobile Suit Gundam SEED. The traditional Fukushima craft items come in 15cm and 8.5cm sizes, with a Premium Bandai exclusive set that includes a limited wooden box. Pre-orders open May 22, 2026, with general sales starting August 1.
Rie Tanaka, the voice actress for Lacus Clyne in Mobile Suit Gundam SEED, has reported on her participation in filming for the new pachinko machine Gundam SEED Climax. The size and presence of the cabinet have become a topic among fans.
Bandai and jewelry brand THE KISS have released the third collaboration item tied to the anime film Mobile Suit Gundam SEED FREEDOM: a necklace that reproduces the Haumea's Protection Stone, a key prop that character Cagalli Yula Athha gives to Athrun Zala in the movie. The pendant features a glass top, a silver end charm, and a slide ball with the letter "S" for SEED FREEDOM. It comes with an original box and a scene photo postcard. The necklace costs 16,500 yen including tax and will be sold at STRICT-G stores starting October 24, 2026. Pre-orders opened on May 18, 2026, via Premium Bandai, and will open on THE KISS-operated shop FANFUNMARKET on May 25. Alongside the necklace, the previously sold Cagalli silver ring is being re-released online exclusively, with pre-orders running from May 18 to June 29 and shipment planned for October 2026.
Bandai Namco Filmworks board director and producer Naohiro Ogata announced on Friday that Mobile Suit Gundam Seed Freedom Zero will screen in theaters. The announcement came during the Gundam Conference Spring 2026 livestream. Freedom Zero is a prequel to the 2024 film Mobile Suit Gundam Seed Freedom. Director Mitsuo Fukuda, producer Hisakazu Naka, and voice actor Sōichirō Hoshi first revealed the project at a stage greeting in November 2024, when a teaser video played during special edition screenings of the main film. Fukuda stated at that time that the script was completed 20 years ago, that storyboards were nearly half finished, and that dialogue recording was already done. The prequel was originally planned as an original video anime two decades ago. The new theatrical path was not yet decided when the project was first teased. A fresh teaser trailer accompanied the Friday announcement. The 2024 Freedom film opened at number one in Japan, sold over 634,000 tickets in its first three days, and became the highest-earning Gundam film in the country.