Two of the animation industry's most senior members praised Doan, played by Shunsuke Takeuchi, to great acclaim! Report on "Mobile Suit Gundam: The Island of Cruz Doan" press conference with special report and visuals!

In honor of "Zaku Day" on March 9, 2022, "Mobile Suit Gundam: The Island of Cruz Doan" Zaku Day Special Press Conference was held.

The 15th episode of "Mobile Suit Gundam: The Island of Cruz Doan," the milestone of Japanese robot animation and the origin of Gundam, was broadcast in 1979. The episode, known as a masterpiece among fans, drew fans' attention with its depiction of the melancholy of war through the interaction between the main character, Amuro Ray, and Doan, a deserter from the Zeon army, who is a hostile enemy.

Directed by Yoshikazu Yasuhiko, character designer and animation director of the "Mobile Suit Gundam" TV series and creator of the hit "Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin," which has sold over 10 million copies. Other famous staff members have also gathered to work on the project.

⇒ " Mobile Suit Gundam: The Island of Cruz Doan" will be released on June 3! Character setting drawings, comments from Toru Furuya, and newly drawn illustrations have arrived!
⇒Click here for the screening schedule of the anime film.

In honor of "Zaku Day" on March 9, 2022, "Mobile Suit Gundam: Cruz Doan's Island" Zaku Day Special Press Conference was held.

Yoshikazu Yasuhiko (director), Toru Furuya (Amuro Ray), and Shunsuke Takeuchi (Cruz Doan) took the stage, and the two senior members of the animation industry spoke highly of Doan, played by Takeuchi.

The official report, which also includes the special feature film and teaser visual, as well as the theater banner featuring the White Base team, has just arrived.

Special Video

Special Report Video
#1

40 years after the 1982 theatrical release of "Mobile Suit Gundam III: Meguriai Uchu", the history of Gundam begins to move once again.

In the beginning of the released video, the RX-78-02 Gundam, with Amuro Rey as the main character, lands on an island. When the Gundam looks around, it is an isolated island surrounded by a vast ocean.

Amuro and his men, who are on their way to a top-secret mission, look anxiously at Seira, who says, "I have a bad feeling about this," but Amuro and his men, who are not worried, embark on a search for the remaining agents, but suddenly, a Zaku appears and a sudden development occurs.
The Zaku is piloted by Cruz Doan, a deserter from the Zeon army, a foe of Amuro's, who is said to be as strong as Char, the Red Comet. Amuro lost his Gundam in the battle, but will he be able to discover the secret of the island, find it again, and escape safely?

In addition, many members of the White Base crew, including Bright, Kai, Seira, and Sleggar, also make appearances.

In the latter half of the film, Doan's line "I don't want to fight with you guys" urges them to leave as Doan's exclusive Zaku stares at the fiercely burning Gan Perry in the background, and Doan's resolve to "settle this..." is captured. Could these words and actions of Doan have something to do with the island's secret?

Also, watch out for the eye-poppingly intense MS action. The Gundam and Zaku engage in a one-on-one battle. The ground battle, which embodies the phrase "Gundam stands on the earth again," is a must-see. Who will win this battle?
The special report is a masterpiece.

Teaser Visual

Gundam, can you defeat this Zaku?

The teaser visual is released!
The RX-78-02 Gundam is seen challenging Doan's Zaku, which is holding a heat hawk, with a beam saber, and the air is breathtaking as both sides leave no stone unturned. The Gundam's shield has been cruelly severed in its hand, conveying the strength of the Doan Zaku. Another attraction of this visual is that the composition of the MS looking up at the viewer makes the viewer feel as if the battle is happening right in front of his or her eyes. The sky is covered in pitch black darkness, and lightning flashes through the clouds, creating a tense atmosphere of impending doom.

Theater Banner

The theater banner features the White Base Squadron lined up against the backdrop of the island where the film is set. In addition, the TV animation "Shobe! Gundam," the famous scene in the OP of the TV anime "Mobile Suit Gundam" in which Amuro and his friends reach for the heavens. The visual, combined with the catchphrase "40 years since the 'Meguriai Universe' - Welcome back, White Base Squadron," makes us long for the story of the White Base Squadron's return.
The Zaku Day special press conference will be broadcast on the official Gundam Channel.

Gundam Channel: #

Mobile Suit Gundam: The Island of Cruz Doan" Zaku Day Special Press Conference Report

Zaku Day Special Press Conference Summary
Date: Wednesday, March 9, 2022
Place: Ikebukuro harevutai
Speakers (* titles omitted): Director Yoshikazu Yasuhiko, Toru Furuya (Amuro Ray), Shunsuke Takeuchi (Cruz Doan)

March 9 is the special anniversary "Zaku Day,
I'm sure many of you have been wondering about the visual of "Doan Zaku" since this morning, and I'd like to share with you the visual of "Doan Zaku".
The announcement of the cast for the role of Cruz Doan, the other main character in the film, has been met with a great response.
In the midst of all this, a special press conference was held to commemorate Zaku Day.

The speaker was Toru Furuya as Amuro Rey, who plays the role of 15-year-old Amuro in the film version again after 40 years and is expected to play an active role in this film filled with new drama. Shunsuke Takeuchi plays Cruz Doan, a deserter from Zeon who lives on an isolated island with other war orphan children, and whose duel scene with a Gundam piloted by Doan's Zaku is a must-see in this film.
In addition, Yoshikazu Yasuhiko, character designer and animation director for the TV series "Mobile Suit Gundam" and director of the hit "Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin," which has sold more than 10 million copies, returns to direct this film with full responsibility. The three of them talked about a variety of topics along with an announcement befitting Zaku Day.

Toru Furuya (playing Amuro Rey)

In his opening remarks, Furuya said, "I have never been so happy to play Amuro after 40 years! and then he started the event by wowing the audience with Amuro's famous lines.

First of all, how did you feel when you heard that the 15th episode of "Mobile Suit Gundam," which was called a god episode by fans, would be made into a movie?
Furuya: "I was surprised. I was wondering how a story that was only 30 minutes long would be made into a nearly two-hour movie. It was an episode with a great story that became a hot topic among fans when it aired, so I was thrilled that modern technology would be used to make it into a film of even better quality." I was excited that the film would be of a higher quality using modern technology," he said.

When asked why he made a film about the island of Cruz Doan in the first place, Yasuhiko replied, "I could have asked myself,
Director Yasuhiko answered jokingly, "I wish I could ask myself that question (laugh). The two presidents of Sunrise, the old and the new, happened to be in the same place, and I made a direct offer to them, which they accepted on the spot. Production is going well, and we just finished dubbing, so it will be finished soon." He continued, "The production is going well.

Director Yoshikazu Yasuhiko

Here is the first announcement of the day. Two visuals were projected on the screen.
The first was a visual of the White Base crew all together, reminding us of their return home.
Furuya: "It brings back memories. The part where they raise their hands is also from the OP of the TV series... At a glance, I can feel Yasuhiko's character. I feel that Yasuhiko's character was created by him at a glance," he commented.
Director Yasuhiko said, "Chief Animation Director Atsushi Tamura put his heart and soul into the drawing.
Mr. Furuya's voice for Amuro was used in THE ORIGIN, but he was an unknown boy. This time around, we have a lot of voice talent from the renewed voice actors, so it's really a return." He also expressed his joy at the return of the White Base Unit, noting that the voice actors for the White Base Unit have changed.
Takeuchi commented, "Although it is a traditional design, I still think it looks good when I see it again in 2025, and the visuals are filled with all the attractive characters. Yasuhiko, the director of the film, says that the visuals are full of all of the attractive characters.
This wonderful visual depicting a reunion after 40 years will be displayed as a special banner in theaters nationwide from March 11.

Then, on the other hand, look at the visual of the Gundam facing off against the oddly shaped Zaku, which stands out in this film,
Takeuchi: "I feel that the fact that the Zaku dares to come to the front sends a message. I felt that the visuals show the unique design of Doan Zaku and the changes that have been made to it, and that it hasn't changed, yet it is still the same. I think the backgrounds are well done, and I think it makes for a more enjoyable worldview." He commented. Furuya then commented, "The thunderclap symbolizes the fierce battle. Just by looking at it, you can't help but think that Doan is very strong. The presence of Zaku was overwhelming.

Shunsuke Takeuchi (playing the role of Cruz Doan)

The response to his announcement on March 9, Zaku Day, has been tremendous, and Takeuchi said, "This is a role that only the movie version can do, so I made it a prerequisite that I would not destroy the image of Doan that has been created up until now, so I could play my own version of Doan. I was very particular about the role. When I was offered the role, I was told that I would be one of the main actors, so I thought I would be riding a Gundam, but I was surprised to find out that I would be riding a Zaku.
On the other hand, it is a rare opportunity to be able to talk about my title as a Zaku rider, so I was very happy. Yasuhiko also wrote about his joy.

When Director Yasuhiko was asked about his thoughts on this film, he replied, "I felt like I was making an original film without limit. The previous film was an adaptation of THE ORIGIN comic, but I didn't feel like I was making a new film, because I had confidence in ORIGIN, so I adapted it as is. So this time, I felt like I was making a new work, and it was a very fresh and pleasant experience. The director, who actually saw the video with his voice in it, said, "It was a very fresh and pleasant experience,
Director Yasuhiko: "(In terms of the production status), my role is almost over, and now the staff is working hard to finish the film. Takeuchi-san's voice is great, and we all loved listening to it. Mr. Furuya is even younger now... In terms of the picture, Amuro is a naive boy, but he really got into it. Furuya responded, "Director Yasuhiko carefully drew Amuro's movements, facial expressions, and every move he made, so it was easy for me to get into the role. They praised each other and raised expectations for the film.

The last announcement after the barrage of information was a special news clip.
Furuya, who had never seen this special trailer before, said, "I want to watch it ten times. I want to see it ten times. Takeuchi said, "I got goosebumps! Basically, the mecha are CG, but there is a hand-drawn Gundam in one cut, which is the impression created by the presence of both CG and hand-drawn elements.
Hearing this comment, Director Yasuhiko said, "Mr. Takeuchi, you understood very well. From the beginning, I asked for CG for the mechas, but as Mr. Takeuchi just said, there is also hand-drawing. Mr. Tamura, the chief animation director, wrote them, and the love of the staff is evident everywhere." He commented, "I can feel that this is the result of the efforts of the talented staff members of this film.

Takeuchi added, "The images that show the facial expressions, or rather, I felt again the definition of MS. I think you can sense the human emotions clashing with each other."

Furuya: "I hate to say it, but (Zaku) looks cool. The movement of the MS is super realistic. The movement of the MS is super realistic. It has a sense of weight, or rather, it moves in a way that I have never seen before in a Gundam work. I think that's the highlight."

Director: "As for realism, I like the catchphrase, "Standing on the Earth. Since Gundam is a space movie to begin with, the battle scenes have an image of being in space, but I created it with the image of something different from that. I feel nostalgic about it, and I think you can expect that. It is a drama with its feet on the ground. In many ways. I hope you enjoy it."

Furuya: "They face each other slowly and slowly, and when they see a gap between each other, they quickly and sharply. It's cool to see the slow and steady movements here."
Director "I think it was the result of the efforts of various staff members, and the CG work was interesting. I thought the CG was surprisingly playful. I thought he worked flexibly. I thought the flexible movements were hand-drawn by the animators... but that wasn't the case. It's amazing."

At this point, we went to the Q&A section, which was solicited from fans on Twitter.
In response to the question, "Was it difficult or easy to play a character whose age is different from your own?
Furuya: "No, it was not difficult at all, because I never forget. The drawings also depicted Amuro vividly, so I was able to return to the 15-year-old Amuro naturally." Takeuchi responded, "The difference between my real age and my age is very big.
Takeuchi answered, "How did we make up the difference between Amuro's age and his real age?
It's not so much the difficulty of the dialogue as it is the fact that Amuro was more sophisticated in his blueness and craftsmanship than he was back then,
I worked on it with a positive attitude so as not to destroy the atmosphere created by the rest of the cast.
I wanted to be the same way over a long period of time.
I felt that it would be disrespectful to the work if I let the pressure get to me, so I took on the challenge with a professional awareness. He spoke passionately about his feelings toward the role.

Unfortunately, it was time to end.

In his closing remarks, Mr. Furuya said, "It's been 40 years since I've played the RX,
Furuya: "After 40 years, the RX-78-02 Gundam, the immature and pure Amuro Rei, returns to the screen. This may be the last time I play the 15-year-old Amuro in the theater. I hope that everyone will remember the vibrant Amuro and my voice in this film. If you have seen the first movie, you may have thought, "Ah! If you have seen the first film, I think you will enjoy it because there are points scattered throughout the film that will make you think, "Ah! I would like everyone to see this film in the theater and think about what Cruz Doan is trying to appeal to. Thank you very much." And a message.

Takeuchi: "I think you will enjoy it even if you have no prior knowledge of Gundam. I hope you will come to the screen with an open mind." He appealed that even those who have no prior knowledge of Gundam can enjoy the film.

Director Yasuhiko said, "Mr. Furuya may be the last, and likewise, the only Gundam for me is the first "Mobile Suit Gundam. I have no regrets, so I think this will be the last time I make a Gundam on film. There is one thing that made me happy. Mr. Furuya was the first one to do the postrecording. After the recording, Mr. Furuya told me, "I cried when I was practicing at home," and that one comment gave me confidence. I think you can count on me."
The event ended with a message to the fans waiting for the release of the film.

(*Original text only)

Film Information
Mobile Suit Gundam: The Island of Cruz Doan
Roadshow: June 3, 2022 (Friday) throughout Japan
Distributor: Shochiku ODS Business Office

＜Main Staff
Planning/Production: Sunrise
Original Story: YATATE Hajime TOMINO Yoshiyuki
Director : Yoshikazu Yasuhiko
Assistant Director : Im Ga-hee
Screenplay : Toshizo Nemoto
Character Design : Yoshikazu Yasuhiko, Atsushi Tamura, Tsukasa Kotobuki
Mechanical Design : Kunio Okawara Katoki-Hajime Kimitoshi Yamane
Chief Animation Director : Atsushi Tamura
Art Director : Yuji Kaneko
Color Designer : Nagisa Abe
Director of Photography : Takeshi Kuzuyama, Ryo Iijima
CGI Director : Shuhei Morita
CGI Director : Yasuhito Abe
Editing: Kazuhiro Arai
Sound Director: Sadayoshi Fujino
Music: Takayuki Hattori

＜Cast
Amuro Ray: Toru Furuya
Cruz Doan: Shunsuke Takeuchi
Bright Noah: Ken Narita
Kai Siden: Toshio Furukawa
Seira Mas: Ban Megumi
Hayato Kobayashi: Hideki Nakanishi
Slegger Lowe: Tomofumi Ikezoe
Mirai Yashima: Satomi Arai
Frau Bow: Misato Fukuen

<Story
The Earth Federation Forces, having withstood the defensive battle at Jaburo, launched a major counterinsurgency operation to capture Odessa, the home base of the Zeon Earth Advance Force. Amuro and his White Base sailed to Belfast to receive the last supply of supplies before the operation. Amidst this situation, the White Base is handed a mission. It is a mission to sweep up the remaining enemies on an uninhabited island, commonly known as the "Island of No Return. Amuro and his men embark on a search for the remaining agents, but what they see there are children who should not be there and a single Zaku. Amuro, who lost his Gundam in the battle, meets a man who calls himself Cruz Doan. Can Amuro uncover the secret of the island, find the Gundam again, and escape safely...?

(C) Sotsu, Sunrise