1 week Ago By Misael Duran
KodanshaGet ready, classic Gundam fans, because Kodansha has unveiled a new edition for the best version of OG Gundam to exist. Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin was an alternate retelling of the original 1979 Gundam anime that kickstarted the entire franchise. The Origin was released between 2001 and 2011, modernizing multiple concepts from the original series and arguably enhancing several moments.
The manga goes into greater detail about specific character backgrounds and gives stronger payoffs in certain arcs. Fans adore The Origin for making the classic Gundam story more contemporary and for author Yoshikazu Yasuhiko’s beautifully painted artwork. The series continues to be viewed as the definitive telling of the classic series, even though several moments in Origin contradict established canon in later shows.
Publishers have assured that The Origin would remain in print in graphic novel form, with Viz Media initially releasing excellent hardcover volumes of the entire series. Kodansha is now in charge of publication for the series in North America and has officially announced a new Deluxe Edition for the first volume, releasing this fall. The company released an official press release for the news and already has a webpage on Penguin Random House for fans to pre-order their copy on multiple websites.
[RELATED – Evangelion Fans Conveniently Forget One of Gundam’s Best Qualities]KodanshaMobile Suit Gundam: The Origin Deluxe Edition Will Be The Best Version of the Manga YetPrevious copies of Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin released in North America were high-quality hardcovers. The format was perfect for the manga, offering readers pristine paper quality and a protective layer to ensure pages don’t get ruined. Kodansha’s new Deluxe Edition will feature a faux leather debossed cover with a 7.
5′′ x 10′′ trim size. The new deluxe edition will feature interior pages with color and black-and-white pages, a hallmark of previous deluxe editions Kodansha has published. Even though the press release states a fall release, Penguin has it scheduled to release in the summer on August 12th, 2025.
SunriseWhy Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin is ImportantOne of the biggest hurdles for franchises like Gundam is that there’s too much content to map out. The series is over 45 years old with dozens of different anime interpretations, plus different continuities and timelines. It becomes hard to recommend the franchise to potential new fans because it can be overwhelming, and deciding on a good starting point is too complicated.
While traditionally you recommend new fans to start at the beginning, the 1979 Gundam can be tough to swallow for some people, given its 70s animation.Gundam: The Origin keeps almost everything from the original 1979 anime intact but with a more contemporary viewpoint. The weird pacing and stiff animation are replaced with more dynamic action and elegant paintings.
The series adds more detailed backstories for the lead characters, giving some characters more complex characterizations.Sunrise Studio produced an animation adaptation of The Origin with Yasuhiko as co-director. The anime primarily covered the backstory of Char Aznable and his sister Sayla.
While Char’s backstory was detailed through dialogue and spin-offs, The Origin was one of the first to go in-depth into the history of the Red Comet, establishing several key moments in the character’s life that led him to become the man he is. However, the backstory established by The Origin is not strictly canon to the rest of the shows, as the manga features scenes that never happened in the original anime.H/T: KodanshaThe post Brace Yourselves, OG Gundam Fans: You’re Getting a Big Release in the Fall appeared first on ComicBook.
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