Gundam SEED Gets New Official Side Story After 20 Years With SEED FREEDOM MSV

The Gundam SEED series is getting its first new official side story in 20 years. Mobile Suit Gundam SEED FREEDOM MSV will begin serialization in the December 2026 issue of Monthly Hobby Japan, which goes on sale October 23.

Mobile Suit Gundam SEED MSV was originally serialized in the magazine from 2003 to 2004 as an official side story project tied to the television anime Mobile Suit Gundam SEED, which began airing in 2002.

The project was subsequently expanded through SEED MSV Senki, SEED DESTINY MSV, and SEED DESTINY MSV Senki. Now, for the first time in 20 years, a new official side story in the Gundam SEED series will begin serialization under the title Mobile Suit Gundam SEED FREEDOM MSV.

The new project will be linked to the 2024 film Mobile Suit Gundam SEED FREEDOM and the new production Mobile Suit Gundam SEED FREEDOM ZERO. It will showcase variations of the mobile suits appearing in these works through design illustrations by Kunio Okawara and others, mechanical settings by Shigeru Morita of Studio Nue, and model examples created by the magazine's modelers.

The first mobile suit set to appear in SEED FREEDOM MSV has also been previewed in the November 2026 issue of Monthly Hobby Japan, released today, as well as on Hobby Japan Web.

Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Became a Major Hit

The Mobile Suit Gundam SEED series began airing in October 2002 and ran for 50 episodes. It was the first Gundam television series produced in the 21st century.

The story depicts a war between genetically enhanced humans known as Coordinators and ordinary humans known as Naturals, who are divided between the military organization ZAFT and the Earth Alliance. Through the conflict, the series portrays the struggles and growth of its Coordinator protagonist, Kira Yamato.

In addition to existing Gundam fans, the series attracted a large female audience and reached a peak television rating of 8.0 percent. It also sparked a second Gunpla boom, particularly among elementary school children, and became widely popular as a new generation of Gundam.

Its sequel television series, Mobile Suit Gundam SEED DESTINY, began airing in October 2004 and achieved a higher peak television rating than its predecessor. Combined package sales for the series surpassed four million units, while its popularity expanded beyond television animation into music, events, and other areas across Japan.

Mobile Suit Gundam SEED FREEDOM, released in January 2024, became a major hit, surpassing 5 billion yen in box office revenue and drawing more than 3 million moviegoers. Production of the theatrical project Mobile Suit Gundam SEED FREEDOM ZERO has also been announced.

Source : ORICON NEWS