Gundam Is Ending Its Most Controversial Manga Adaptation

Gundam Ace has finally published the last chapter of one of its most divisive Gundam adaptations. Mobile Suit Gundam Narrative was advertised as the exciting follow-up to Gundam Unicorn, the next major installment in Gundam’s Universal Century timeline. The Gundam Narrative film was based on the Phoenix Hunting novel and opened in 2018. Toshikazu Yoshizawa, who is best known for working on several episodes of the Gundam Thunderbolt animation, directed Gundam Narrative. While critics and journalists praised certain aspects of the movie, specifically the Gundam designs and action, many fans found the movie to be an unworthy follow-up to the ongoing storytelling set-up by Gundam Unicorn.

The Kadokawa-owned Gundam Ace magazine began publishing a manga adaptation of Gundam Narrative by Kozo Omori around the same time the film opened in Japanese cinemas. The manga ran for six years, with it approaching its “last battle” in July 2023. The final chapter of the manga was published last Tuesday in Gundam Ace’s October issue. The Gundam Narrative manga currently has fifteen volumes in circulation, but none of them have been officially translated overseas to the United States. Only a few Gundam manga have official translations for international release, most notably Gundam Origins.

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Everything to Know About Mobile Suit Gundam Narrative

Mobile Suit Gundam Narrative takes place a year after the events of Gundam Unicorn. A powerful corporation is on the hunt for the mysterious Gundam Phenex, the third sibling of the trio of Gundams with extraordinary power, alongside the Unicorn and Banshee. The company conflicts with an offshoot faction of the Republic of Zeon, which also aims to capture the Phenex for its nefarious ambition. At the center of the conflict is the trio of three lifelong friends, whose lives were permanently changed by previous wars and the Gundam Phenex. The original Phoenix Hunting novel was a direct continuation of the Gundam Unicorn books, focusing on themes of loss of innocence and nostalgia.

Although some fans question the need for a Gundam Narrative manga adaptation, the franchise often releases manga versions of its shows. The Gundam Ace magazine began publishing the Mobile Suit Gundam 0080: War in the Pocket manga adaptation in 2021. The War of the Pocket manga was forced into hiatus due to the author’s ongoing health issues, but he still attempts to publish new chapters when he can. The Gundam brand is also currently publishing a spin-off title of the popular Witch from Mercury anime, which recontextualizes the setting and characters in a more normal high school environment.

Gundam Ace is also currently publishing the latest original Gundam manga called Mobile Suit Gundam Eight, a dystopian sci-fi story about the last remnants of humanity protected by a single Gundam. Gundam Crossbone is a classic Gundam manga that served as a sequel to the Gundam F91 film, continuing storylines set up in 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

Are you a fan of Gundam Narrative, or do you dislike it? Were you aware that a Gundam Narrative manga has been running for six years? Comment below with your answers!