The second season of "Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch of Mercury" is scheduled to air from April 2023, but I'm sure many people enjoyed watching the first season. The response has been good since the broadcast, and I think fans are waiting for the second season. This time, we will introduce the staff who are producing "Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch of Mercury" and the cast who are playing the characters.
Planning and production: Sunrise
It is no exaggeration to say that Sunrise is the name to go when it comes to original robot anime. They are the ones who started the robot anime boom, and they are a great contributor to the robot anime world, having continued to produce robot anime even during times when the popularity of robot anime declined. Originally a production company that was formerly Mushi Productions, former Mushi Productions staff were involved in the launch. The production style is that the animators are outsourced staff, and it seems that they have learned from the mistakes of Mushi Productions.
Sunrise's Management Policy
One of the characteristics of Sunrise is that they have their own studio, but they stick to the style of outsourcing the actual production work. They adhere to the policy that "creators should not be part of the management team." Therefore, famous animators such as Director Tomino Yoshiyuki, Director Takahashi Ryosuke, and famous animators such as Shioyama Norio, Yasuhiko Yoshikazu, and Kimura Takahiro are all outsourced staff.
It's not just Gundam!
Sunrise is famous for the Gundam series, but they also produce other than robot anime. They have produced popular works in various genres, including "Mr. Ajikko", "City Hunter", "Sergeant Keroro", "Gintama", and more recently "Aikatsu" and "Love Live".
The Gundam series is definitely the best
When you think of Sunrise, the Gundam series is probably the first thing that comes to mind. Gundam's media mix works are huge, with a huge influence in films, books, games, Gunpla, and more, and Gundam has already become one of the most popular anime.
Original Story: Yoshiyuki Tomino and Hajime Yatate
This time, the original story has the names of two people, Yoshiyuki Tomino and Hajime Yatate, but there is no person named "Hajime Yatate." In fact, "Hajime Yatate" is a pen name used by Sunrise planning staff. The original story for Mercury Witch was created by Sunrise's planning department, with Yoshiyuki Tomino at the center.
The creator of Gundam
As you all know, Yoshiyuki Tomino is the creator of Mobile Suit Gundam. He was the general director, original author, scriptwriter, director, storyboard artist, and lyricist, so he is truly the creator. He has brought many Gundam works to the world, including the Gundam Universal Century series, Turn A Gundam, and Reconguista in G.
A work that looks to the future
Yoshiyuki Tomino, who created Gundam in the genre of "real robot anime" from the robot anime genre, has broken the common sense of robot anime. It seems that this "Mercury Witch" was planned with the future Gundam series being accepted by people of future generations. I'm looking forward to seeing what Yoshiyuki Tomino will do in the future as he thinks about his 50th and 60th anniversaries.
Director: Kobayashi Hiroshi
Kobayashi Hiroshi is a director and screenwriter affiliated with Yostar Pictures. This time, producer Okamoto Takuya selected Kobayashi after watching his work and feeling that he was "a talented person who could bring out the core of the work."
What is Director Kobayashi's masterpiece?
Kobayashi began working in the anime industry in earnest in 2010, and his first directorial work was "Kiznaiver" in 2016. He then directed "Hisone Somatotan", the OVA "A Town Where You Live", and the web anime "Spriggan" in 2022. Mercury Witch started in 2018, so it's fair to say this is a big promotion.
Series Composition: Ichiro Okochi
While in college, I worked part-time as an editor at Fujimi Shobo's Dragon Magazine editorial department, which led me to enter the anime industry. While working as a freelance writer, I wrote the novelization of "Revolutionary Girl Utena" and made my debut as a novelist. Then, I was asked to write the script for Turn A Gundam, which marked my debut as an anime scriptwriter.
Which scriptwriters have influenced you?
When he first wrote the script for ∀ Gundam, he learned how to write an anime scenario by reading the scripts of Hiroshi Hoshiyama, who also wrote the script for ∀ Gundam, over 100 times. After that, he worked as an anime scriptwriter and won the Screenplay Award at the Tokyo International Anime Fair in 2003 for "Planetes" and in 2008 for "Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion". And now, he has been selected as the series composer for "Mercury Witch," the first Gundam work since ∀ Gundam.
Sletta Mercury: Ichinose Kana
Ichinose Kana is a promising new voice actress who started her voice acting career in 2016. For the first two years after her debut, she played unnamed roles, but in 2018 she played the main role of Ichigo in "Darling in the Franxx". In 2021, she won the New Actress Award at the 15th Seiyuu Awards, and is a voice actress who is expected to have a bright future.
She successfully got the Mercury Witch!
Ichinose, who successfully won the role of Sletta Mercury, the first female protagonist in the Gundam series, at an audition, said she thought it was a dream when she received the news from her manager. She thinks it's a miracle that she was able to play the role of the first female protagonist in the series in seven years, and she is happy to have met Sletta.
Overflowing with Gundam love!
並べてみました☺️
これからもっと増えますね〜✨#水星の魔女 pic.twitter.com/Cj48tZBCWq— 市ノ瀬加那 (@ichinose_1220) November 15, 2022
After it was decided that Ichinose would be appearing in The Witch of Mercury, she first watched the first production, Mobile Suit Gundam. She said she was very emotionally involved and it made her think again about what war is. Ichinose collects Mercury Witch merchandise and builds her own Gundam models, and she posts photos of them on Twitter. Her love for Gundam is overflowing.
Mioliné Rembrandt: Lynn
As you can see, she is half American and half Japanese, but she was born and raised in Japan and is of Japanese nationality. After graduating from the Japan Narration Acting Institute Basic Course, she joined Arts Vision and began her voice acting career. She started out as a voice actress, doing foreign film dubbing, and her first anime role was in "NARUTO Shippuden."
Someday I'll make it into a Gundam work...
有言実行！
自力でGETできました🍅
#魔女ラジ #水星の魔女
#ヤマザキビスケットエアリアル pic.twitter.com/Sz7DA8wEAR— Ｌｙｎｎ (りん) (@Lynn_0601_) December 12, 2022
When she was a student, she watched Gundam works in real time, and after watching "Mobile Suit Gundam SEED", "Mobile Suit Gundam SEED DESTINY", and "Mobile Suit Gundam 00", she fell in love with Gundam, and since she became a voice actress, she wanted to appear in a Gundam work someday. And when she heard about the production announcement for "The Witch of Mercury", she thought "I wish I had auditioned", and after that, she was told about the audition and was selected for the role of Miorine on her birthday, which she said in an interview, "It was a birthday I will never forget."
Miorine, the complete opposite of herself
According to Lynn, it was very difficult to portray Miorine Rembrandt. There is no similarity between herself and Miorine, and she said that it was a very challenging role for her. However, on the other hand, she also said that it is exactly for this reason that it is so interesting to play the role, and I think she will continue to take on various approaches to the role.
Güell Jetak: Azakami Yohei
A graduate of the 31st class of Aoni Juku Tokyo School, he is affiliated with Aoni Production. He is not only a voice actor but also a narrator, and is currently the narrator of "Let's Meet at Hinatazaka". In 2016, he made his first starring role in "Kuromukuro", but perhaps due to the characteristics of his agency, he has played various mob characters and supporting roles.
Güell's popularity is increasing! ?
#水星の魔女 #G_Witch
『機動戦士ガンダム 水星の魔女』スペシャル特番
ご覧くださった皆様、ありがとうございました！ナレーションを務めさせて頂きました！🙇♂️✨
基本原稿通りですが、アドリブも所々入れさせて頂きました😂
楽しく振り返って頂けていたら幸いです！引き続きよろしくお願いします！！— 阿座上洋平 (@azakami_youhei) November 13, 2022
Azakami-san was in charge of the narration for the digest of the special program that aired after the sixth episode. When the scene where Guell gets spanked by Sletta was aired, he said, "I can't believe it, he spanked me! It's humiliating to have me read this narration!!" and his humorous narration was well received. Words like "Fastest three-game losing streak in Gundam history" and "Guell Papa" became trending topics, and it seems to have been very well received among fans.
Other things like this...
#日5ガンプラコンペ #水星の魔女
作品名「よろしくね、花婿さんセット」 https://t.co/qm2YIrt4n1 pic.twitter.com/IHfWOUN5Tu— 阿座上洋平 (@azakami_youhei) December 18, 2022
He also participated in BANDAI's official Gunpla competition project. He recreated Dilanza (Guell's personal machine) that was defeated by Aerial in the first episode. Just like in the story, he scattered feathers around the torn apart Dilanza, placed Aerial and a ring around it, and participated in the competition as a "nice to meet you, bride set." Azagami-san is full of various services.
Elan Ceres: Natsuki Hanae
Natsuki Hanae plays Elan Ceres, and is a very popular voice actor, so I think many people know him. He became widely known to the general public for playing Kamado Tanjiro in the unprecedentedly popular "Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba", but I think anime fans know that he has appeared in many hit works, from leading roles to supporting roles, in addition to "Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba".
Elan Ceres and Biscuit Griffin
Before "Mercury Witch", Hanae appeared in "Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans". At that time, he played the role of Biscuit Griffin. Biscuit was not a pilot, so he did not ride a mobile suit. Hanae said on the radio, "This time, I was able to ride a mobile suit, and a Gundam, so I'm very happy about that." However, afterwards, he said, "Oh, it's like this again..." as he talked about the end of Elan, the Enhanced Personnel No. 4. This may be a common thing for voice actors who have appeared in multiple Gundam works.
What about Elan Ceres in the second season?
I don't think Elan Ceres, the Enhanced Personnel No. 4, will appear in the second season, but No. 5 has already appeared and the real Elan Ceres has also appeared, so I think we'll be able to see various Elan Ceres from Hanae-san after this. I'm looking forward to seeing how Elan Ceres will affect Sletta in the second season and how Hanae will play him.
Shadik Zeneli: Furukawa Shin
Following Güell Jetak and Elan Ceres, Furukawa Shin will play Shadik Zeneli, the adopted son of the CEO of Grasley, one of the three major companies in the Benerit Group. He became interested in voice acting after admiring Midorikawa Hikaru, who played Heero Yuy in "Mobile Suit Gundam Wing."
Also participating in Iron-Blooded Orphans
改めまして
『機動戦士ガンダム 水星の魔女』
”シャディク・ゼネリ“を務めさせて頂ける事になりました。
こうして関わらせて頂けて大変嬉しいです！！
放送をお楽しみに！！#水星の魔女 https://t.co/bKjpqNJfoI— 古川慎 (@M_Furukawa929) September 4, 2022
Furukawa also participated in "Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans", and although he played a supporting role, he played Zack Lowe, Bito, a Gjallarhorn operator, and McGillis' subordinate. This time, it was decided that he will participate in "The Witch of Mercury", and he announced his joy on Twitter that he was chosen to play the important character Shadik Zeneli.
The most hated character in the first season
In the first season, Shaddiq Zeneli is the person who planned the terrorist attack at the dawn of Fald. In the second season, I wonder how Miorine Rembrand, whose father was targeted, and Güell J'Tahk, who killed his father, will deal with Shaddiq. And how Sletta Mercury will be involved with the dawn of Fald and Shaddiq Zeneli will be the key to the second season.
Summary of the production staff and cast
We have introduced the production staff who created "Mobile Suit Gundam: Mercury Witch" and the voice actors who played the main characters. This is the first TV series in seven years, and I think the production team conveys their desire to create a work that will capture the hearts of a new, young fan base. I think this is reflected in the fact that they have selected young people as the director and leading voice actors. I think there will be new developments and cast members in the second season, so I am looking forward to April with high expectations. Thank you for reading to the end.
