TOHO Cinemas hosted their “1/100,000 of a Second Sound Film Festival” in Tokyo and Osaka last fall. Due to the great response from the audience, it has been decided that they will hold the festival in Fukuoka as well. A gorgeous lineup of films, ranging from classics to blockbuster films and live performances, will be screened at the newly opened TOHO Cinemas LaLaport Fukuoka in Fukuoka City, Fukuoka Prefecture.
From April 25 to April 30, film festival’s lineup of screened films include Japanese, foreign, and anime films that have attracted attention for their sound. In conjunction with the opening of Gundam Park Fukuoka and Life-sized RX-93ff Nu Gundam statue, Mobile Suit Gundam: Char’s Counterattack and Mobile Suit Gundam: Hathaway’s Flash will be screened during the film festival at their “Premium Theater” on April 25 and April 30.
Set fourteen years after the One Year War in U.C. 0093, the Yoshiyuki Tomino-directed Mobile Suit Gundam: Char’s Counterattack serves as the final confrontation between legendary rivals Amuro Ray and Char Aznable. Char has risen to power as leader of Neo Zeon and plans an all-out assault to decimate the Earth’s population to revive the planet. Released to theaters in 1988, the film grossed 1.16 billion yen at the box office.
First in a trilogy of anime films helmed by director Shukou Murase, Mobile Suit Gundam: Hathaway’s Flash or Hathaway is the official sequel to the 1988 Mobile Suit Gundam: Char’s Counterattack movie. The project was announced in November 2018 to celebrate the Gundam 40th anniversary, adapting the Yoshiyuki Tomino-penned novel series of the same name. The novels were originally released from 1989 to 1990, as a follow-up to Tomino’s Char’s Counterattack: Beltorchika’s Children novel.
Opening to Japanese theaters June 11, 2021 the Hathaway film has earned record box office sales with 2.2 billion yen in revenue, with over 1.08 million tickets sold, becoming the second highest grossing Gundam film. Hathaway sits behind the 1982 Mobile Suit Gundam III: Encounters in Space, which earned 2.3 billion yen in box office revenue.
Story
The year is U.C. 0105. Twelve years have passed since the end of the second Neo Zeon War (Char’s Rebellion). Even after “the Axis Shock,” which seemed to indicate the future of humanity and the Universal Century, the world is still in a chaotic situation where intermittent military conflicts continue to break out. The Earth Federation government is more corrupt than ever, and its leadership has not only accelerated Earth’s pollution, but also implemented an inhuman “Man Hunting” policy in which civilians are forcibly exiled to outer space.
The anti-Federation government organization “Mafty,” led by someone called “Mafty Navue Erin,” has taken a stand against the corruption of the Earth Sphere. Mafty carries out fierce acts of terrorism, assassinating high officials of the Federation government one after another, but it gains a certain level of support from the populace who are growing more opposed to the Federation government.
The person who calls himself “Mafty” and leads this organization is Hathaway Noa, the son of Bright Noa, an officer of the Earth Federation Forces who once participated in the One Year War. Hathaway himself joined the forces trying to stop Char’s Rebellion. With firsthand knowledge of the ideals and ideologies of Amuro Ray and Char Aznable, he has become a warrior following in their footsteps, and plans to clear a path forward through armed resistance. His destiny, however, is drastically altered as he encounters the Federation Forces officer Kenneth Sleg and a mysterious young beauty named Gigi Andalucia.
Gundam Park Fukuoka was announced September 2021 as a new Gundam-themed entertainment complex developed and managed by Bandai Namco Amusement Inc. and Bandai Spirits, based around the RX-93ff Nu Gundam at Mitsui Shopping Park LaLaport FUKUOKA.
Located on the fourth floor of Mitsui Shopping Park LaLaport FUKUOKA in Hakata-ku, Fukuoka City, Gundam Park Fukuoka is stated to be the birth of a new Gundam entertainment complex where information, merchandise, sports entertainment, and amusement of the Gundam series are gathered in one place. The facility is set to open April 25, 2022.
Two videos will be screened on the wall of the complex: one depicting a new animation of the final battle between Amuro Ray and Char Aznable from Char’s Counterattack with the RX-93ff Nu Gundam, and a re-edited video featuring TM Network’s iconic “Beyond the Time” theme song from the film.
The facility consists of three areas: Gundam Side-F, VS PARK with G, and namco.
Gundam Side-F is an area that provides various Gundam information and goods. The area is designed to look like a space colony, with a 10m x 6m monitor where guests can enjoy various visuals. Near the monitor there is a space for building model kits.
VS PARK with G is collaboration between the Gundamfranchise with the Bandai-Namco-operated VS PARK, a new sports facility where guests experience silly Japanese game show-esque activities. The area will provide more than twenty activities such as “Yokekiru” and “Nigekiru”.
Namco is an area where guests can enjoy arcade and crane games. The area will include games for all ages, capsule toys, prizes, Gundam Park Exclusive Taiko no Tatsujin game, as well as Gundam specific arcade games such as Mobile Suit Gundam Senjo no Kizuna II.
Based on Amuro Ray’s RX-93 Nu Gundam from the Mobile Suit Gundam: Char’s Counterattack film, originally designed by Yutaka Izubuchi, the RX-93ff version sports a new long-range Fin Funnel and tricolor markings designed under the supervision of Gundam creator Yoshiyuki Tomino. The RX-93ff is touted as being the tallest of the four Gundam statues at 24.8m.
Source: TOHO Cinemas
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