Ask John: Will There Be More Gundam Seed?

Question:
I just finished watching Gundam Seed Destiny and it was awesome. But the way it ended looked like there was hint of a 3rd season. So do you think that there could possibly be another Seed story along the way anytime soon. Any word from our friends overseas?

Answer:
Since Gundam Seed Destiny ended less than a week ago from the time I compose this, it’s still quite early for discussion of a sequel. For reference, Gundam Seed Destiny wasn’t officially announced in Japan until ten months after the broadcast of the final episode of the first Gundam Seed series. The Gundam Seed Destiny series premiered on Japanese television almost exactly a year after the first TV series ended. So based on precedent, a third Gundam Seed series could reasonably be expected at least until this time next year. But by the standards of the Japanese anime industry, if new Gundam Seed animation isn’t at least announced by this time next year, there probably won’t ever be new Gundam Seed anime.

There is precedent for a third Gundam Seed series. The original Gundam storyline had four consecutive installments: the 1979 Mobile Suit Gundam TV series, the 1985 Mobile Suit Z-Gundam TV series, the 1986 Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ TV series, and the 1988 Char’s Counterattack motion picture. So if Gundam Seed does get a third series, it won’t be the first time that a Gundam storyline has had three television series.

I honestly can’t predict whether or not there will be more Gundam Seed anime. The Gundam franchise has taught us that there’s always room for more Gundam anime, particularly as a prequel, side-story, or spin-off. On one hand, after a hundred episodes, Gundam Seed may be complete. Sunrise may choose to end the series at its height, rather than continue to try milking it for additional profits. But the series also seems to be still quite popular among Japanese viewers, which may encourage Sunrise to produce a third series. I really can’t predict which route Sunrise Studios will take because I think the odds of either possibility are evenly split. We’ll just have to wait and see.