Kadokawa has shared a new trailer for Mobile Suit Gundam Eight, the upcoming manga in an alternate universe of the Gundam franchise. The trailer features panels of the upcoming manga, showcasing the main protagonist, an unnamed girl who appears alongside him, unknown creatures attacking, and the main Gundam mobile suit. There’s narration playing over the trailer, going over the premise and the protagonist’s motivation. The narration details a promise, likely a vow between the lead character and the girl in the footage, though that’s only conjecture. Mobile Suit Gundam Eightย is part ofย Gundam Aceโsย 20th Anniversary project and will begin publication inย Gundam Aceย magazine on June 26th, 2025.
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There are plans to release a new High-Grade model kit based on the main Gundam. Gundam Eight will be written by Hajime Kamoshida and drawn by Shuei Takagi. Kamoshida has worked on multiple Gundam projects, most notably Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans and its manga spin-off title, Gekko. He also wrote the popular Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai series. Takagi is an illustrator best known for working on the Mobile Suit Gundam Battle Operation Code Fairy manga series, which is an adaptation of the video game of the same name. Gundam Eight was initially announced in 2021, but Kadokawa wouldn’t release an official image of the main Gundam or a release date until April 24th, 2025.
What Is Mobile Suit Gundam Eight About?
Whereas most of the mainline Gundam shows follow a grounded and militaristic tone, Mobile Suit Gundam Eight goes with a more hardcore sci-fi premise. Gundam Eight takes place in 2030 and stars a young man who pilots the only known Gundam in existence. Humanity has been nearly wiped out, potentially by the strange monsters shown off in the trailer. There are only 258 humans left in the universe. Even though the existence of aliens is only implied in the trailer, it does appear that Gundam Eight‘s main conflict is against non-humans. Fighting against creatures is a stark contrast to the usual themes and narrative of the mainline Gundam shows.
Traditionally, Gundam stories center on human versus human conflicts, featuring the dark side of humanity and the corruption rooted in every military hierarchy. Mobile Suit Gundam 00 the Movie: A Wakening of the Trailblazer is one of the few Gundam media where the protagonists fight against non-humans, which in this case are formless aliens. It’s also possible that the monsters in the Gundam Eight trailer are a misdirect, and the conflict is more human-focused. However, given that only one Gundam exists in the manga, the story is setting up a one-man fight against overwhelming odds to protect the remaining remnants of humanity. Unless there’s a subgroup of humans who seek self-extinction, it’s likely the manga follows one teen boy fighting off an army of aliens or Earthbound monsters with his lone super weapon.
The Gundam franchise has released multiple manga-exclusive titles, most notably the Crossbone Gundam manga. Crossbone was a manga sequel to the Gundam F91 film, continuing storylines set up from the movie. Crossbone Gundam proved so popular that it led to multiple sequels, including Skull Heart, The Steel Seven, Ghost, Dust, X-11, and Love & Piece. Mobile Suit Gundam Thunderbolt is another notable storyline that began exclusively as a manga before being adapted into an anime. The manga has suffered from multiple hiatuses, pausing efforts on the anime adaptation, but the series has finally entered its final arc.
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Image Courtesy of Lionsgate
