The anime "Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin" will be distributed for a fee both in Japan and overseas/BD will be released at the same time!　Distribution is worldwide except mainland China.

The first chapter of the OVA "Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin" will be screened on February 28, and paid distribution and BD release will take place simultaneously in Japan and abroad.

This is the first anime chapter of "Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin," a manga work by Yoshikazu Yasuhiko, the character designer and animation director of the first Gundam that began broadcasting in 1979, which sold a total of 10 million copies. Mr. Yasuhiko is back in the animation industry after a 25-year absence, and is in charge of general direction, character design, and storyboarding. The film depicts the story from the past of Char and Seira, to the beginning of the Zeon War of Independence, to which he is most attached. The film is directed by Takashi Imanishi ("Mobile Suit Gundam 0083 STARDUST MEMORY"), with mechanical design by Hajime Katoki ("Mobile Suit Gundam UC") and chief animation director Hiroyuki Nishimura ("Danboard Senki"). The cast includes Mayumi Tanaka as the young Char, Megumi Ban as the young Seira, Akino Watanabe as Xillia Zabi, Miyuki Sawashiro as Claure Hamon, Chafu Rin as Zimba Ral, and Akio Otsuka as the narrator.

Details of the overseas development have now been revealed. It has been decided that paid distribution will begin on February 28 at the same time as in Japan, and BD sales will start on April 24, the same date as in Japan. Overseas paid distribution will be conducted by Anime Consortium Japan Inc. This will be the first work to be distributed overseas for a fee through this company. The distribution sites are DAISUKI (Anime Consortium Japan) and distribution companies for game consoles/smartphones (details to be announced at http://www.animeconsortium.jp/). Prices will vary depending on the region and distribution method. The international BD will be the same as the "Collector's Edition" that will be sold in Japan, and will include seven different subtitles (Japanese/English/French/Korean/Chinese [Traditional Chinese (Taiwan/Simplified)]) and Japanese/English audio. Sales will be made through EC sites operated by Anime Consortium Japan, as well as through local distributors in the US, Canada, UK, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Korea, and Taiwan.

*Anime Consortium Japan Inc. (Address: Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo; President: Shin Unozawa)
A new company established on November 7, 2014 by NAMCO BANDAI Holdings, ASATSU-DK, and Aniplex to distribute authorized Japanese anime content to overseas video distribution and to develop EC sites handling anime-related products, NAMCO BANDAI Holdings Inc., Overseas Demand Support Organization, ASATSU-DK Inc.