This issue features a conversation between Yasuyasu Moriki, who was in charge of the mecha design for the 1989 novel "Mobile Suit Gundam Hathaway's Flash" written by Tomino Yoshiyuki, and Hajime Katoki, who was in charge of the mechanical design for The Movie that will be released nationwide on May 7, 2021, and produced the "THE ROBOT SPIRITS (Ka signature) <SIDE MS> Penelope (Mobile Suit Gundam Hathaway's Flash Ver.)"!

* This dialogue is a reorganization of the content published in the April 2016 issue of "Monthly Gundam Ace" (KADOKAWA). There are some differences from the animation and the latest settings, but they are the same as when they were posted.

MS of "Flash of Hathaway", which I worked on as an illustration of the novel

Katoki:How did you end up doing the illustrations for the novel Mobile Suit Gundam Hathaway's Flash?

Moriki:At that time, I lived and worked in Ogikubo Studio of AIC (animation studio), and there was an editor of Kadokawa Shoten who often came there, and I think that was the introduction of that person. Regarding Ξ Gundam, the editor in charge of the Sneaker Bunko asked me only two points: "equipped with funnel missiles" and "fly with Minovsky craft". The rest is free (laughs). I drew it as a novel illustration, not as a setting for so-called anime drawing.

Katoki:Did you have a meeting with Mr. Tomino?

Moriki:It was only an exchange with the editor in charge. At first, I was wondering if Mr. Tomino would check it, but it wasn't there at all.

Katoki:I draw 4 types of MS including Ξ Gundam.

Moriki:It's an enemy and ally with two so-called Gundam series and mass-produced MS.

Katoki:Did you have any instructions such as design on your side?

Moriki:I'm not sure if that was the case from the beginning. At that time, mass-produced MS had only the image of the Federation and Zeon, so the Hathaway side was the Zaku system and the Circe unit side was the Jim system.

Katoki:Although the Hathaway side messer is Zeon type, it is relatively removed from Zaku's design.

Moriki:I didn't read and draw the novel in advance, so it's just <Orebushi> MS.

Katoki:Did you ever draw "Flash of Hathaway" without being informed that it was the story after "Char's Counterattack"?

Moriki:I think I knew it.

Katoki:You are aware of the background of the times. I feel the commonality with ν Gundam in the processing of the calf of Ξ Gundam.

Moriki:I've been watching Gundam works for a long time, and I went to the theater to see "Char's Counterattack", so it's no wonder that the design is unknowingly affected. As long as we design "Gundam", we also have "promises".

Katoki:Depending on the design, there is a tendency to focus on removing from the orthodox line and rather on pulling it closer.

Moriki:At that time, I felt like I was doing it comfortably, and I think it's just a "cool" Gundam that I think of myself.

Katoki:At that time, "Gundam" hadn't grown into the huge content it has today, so the awareness of MS design was a little different from what it is now.

Refined with the appearance in the game

Katoki:The gimmick, in which the flight unit is separated from Penelope and becomes a flight form, seems to have a new design date.

Moriki:Ξ Gundam and Penelope will appear in the game "SD Gundam G GENERATION-F" released in 2000, and there was an order from Mr. Sunrise to "separate the flight unit of Penelope". I didn't think about that when I was in the novel (laughs).

Katoki:is that so. I'm surprised at how natural it is (laughs).

Moriki:I'm in a hurry. While reorganizing the design, it also incorporates the separation and combination of the main body Odysseus Gundam and the flight unit. It's pretty bankrupt, though.

Katoki:When you read the novel, there is a description about the flight unit.

Moriki:I didn't know at all.

Katoki:Since the illustrations in the novel do not have gimmicks, fans have long wondered, "What's going on?" Therefore, I think the fact that the separation gimmick was set up later is also very good in terms of adapting the design of Penelope to the work.

Moriki:Thank you.

Katoki:When the arcade game "Mobile Suit Gundam Extreme Versus Full Boost" was released in 2012, the design was further added.

Moriki:The order was "I want you to attach a missile pod to Ξ Gundam." There was no specific instruction for this either. I think that it is normal to equip the back and legs with additional armament of MS, but it can be said that it is commonplace, so when I thought about what to do, I decided to put it on the tail (laugh).

Katoki:After all, that is a place that seems to be Mr. Moriki. In a good way, it looks like a <monster>. I feel that the idea is drawn out in a place different from the standard Gundam MS. The Ξ Gundam released in 2016 was also equipped with a missile pod, but was it too big?

Moriki:It's shaped so that it looks like both the tail and the third leg, so I think it's better to have a larger one.

Katoki:I wanted to make the most of the "monster" that I mentioned earlier. Even if you look at the single Ξ Gundam, it looks like a <monster>, but when you line up with Penelope, it feels like it's okay to have a little more volume as a silhouette.

Moriki:<Monster> is strange to say, especially Penelope, and I think it had the image of a last boss. My acquaintance asked me "What is that Dragon Gundam?" (Laughs). It's a long time ago when "G Gundam" was still broadcast.

Katoki:I was also shocked at that time (laughs). Ξ Gundam and Penelope are by far the most unique to the eye.

(* Recorded on the end of December 2015)

In 2021, reborn as a theatrical animation version with a new arrangement by Mr. Hajime Katoki

In theatrical animation, the gimmick to the flight Form, which has been described in the novel so far, is included in the design for the first time and appears in the play. In this Ka signature version, it is possible to transform from MS form to flight Form form without replacing parts by the deformation mechanism of the new innovation.

Detailed product information will be released soon on TAMASHII WEB Please look forward to it.