Are you ready to take the dive?
Listen up Gundam fans, because this one is for you. I know you’ve all been bummed ever since Gundam Build Fighters Try had ended back during 2015. Since then, we’ve been wondering if and when Sunrise would introduce a new Gundam series. Well, that wait is over, as they released a new prologue for the next Gundam anime – Gundam Build Divers.
The Gunpla Force Battle Tournament is a big event held in GBN once per year. Competing in the final round are Avalon, led by the champion Kyoya Kujo, and the elite 7th Panzer Division led by the cunning Rommel. Starting with Kyoya’s Gundam AGE II Magnum, a variety of Gunpla take to the field to determine which is the strongest force!
This new series will debut this Spring 2018 and will be a completely new series. This also means that none of the previous characters are returning. But that’s ok because I think from what I’ve seen in this prologue, that we have a new cast to enjoy. Well, mostly, since the cast does appear to be a bit younger than before. Oh, and there’s some sort of ferret on the team as well. Yes, I said ferret.
The team behind this new series:
- Director: Shinya Watada (Build Fighters Try)
- Character Designer: Juri Toida (IBO)
- Mecha: Kunio Okawara, Kanetake Ebikawa, Junya Ishigaki, Ippei Gyoub (Astaroth hype?), Kenji Teraoka, Shinya Terashima, Takayuki Yanase, Naohiro Washio.
- Action director: Masami Obari
- Chief Mecha Animator: Shinya Kusumegi, Sakiko Uda
- Music: Hideaki Kimura
I can’t tell if this takes place in the same universe as Gundam Build and Gundam Build Fighters. But it definitely appears to be based on it. However, there are some major differences. the first being that the battle system isn’t the same. They appear to be using a more conventional VR/AR system. Complete with glasses. The interface also looks different, if not a bit dated. Gone are the control orbs as well, replaced with dual joysticks. Sadly, we haven’t seen more of the cockpits outside of that.
Update: Nope, looks like this isn’t the same universe as the other two shows.
There are also quite a few new suits in this anime. I don’t recognize many of the suits being used in this prologue at all, but some of them appear to be based on Gundam Age. That’s not a bad thing and this isn’t meant to be negative. However, the previous Gundam Build animes were very straightforward and shown widely known mechas in the very opening. Here, I can see a few familiar suits, such as the Gouf and Buster Gundam (Gundam SEED). This only means one thing – there’s going to be a bunch of new Gunpla to buy and build.
Update: So I was right. After doing some digging, Gundam Build Divers uses a system called the Gunpla Battle Nexus Online Network. So this is more of a gaming setup, than what we’re used to.
Alright, I’m officially excited for the new series. Though it stinks that we’re getting this prologue now, but will have to wait until Spring 2018 to see more. Be sure to check out the official website here for more information.
Now, Bandai and Sunrise. Where’s that Mobile Suit Gundam Twilight Axis release you promised us?
