Kunio Okawara

"Mobile Suit Gundam" is a science fiction anime about a war-torn future where humanity has colonized outer space. Over the decades Gundam has become one of Japan's most iconic media franchises. But when the original series debuted in 1979, ratings were low, and it was initially deemed a flop. So how did Gundam become beloved by generations of people? What was the making of "Mobile Suit Gundam" - the beginning of this cultural phenomenon - like? This documentary speaks with the people who were there.

Documentary Blu-ray release from the "Mobile Suit Gundam" series commemorating the 30th Anniversary of the anime.

The size of the Japanese animation market was 2,426 billion yen by 2020. More than half of that amount came from overseas sales. The manga market is also expanding, reaching 675.9 billion yen in 2021. Those unique visuals and stories from Japan have struck a chord with fans around the world and are growing into a huge industry. ANIME MANGA EXPLOSION will actively feature major works that are highly recognized by overseas fans and reveal the secrets of Japanese anime and manga creation through the series.