Hey, my anime love dolls. Anyway, we’re here again talking about another anime show I love. Gundam Thunderbolt, have you seen any of it or heard about it? No? Well, when I first heard about it I thought, “Oh, another Gundam Anime!” Each one has its own storyline, unique Gundam, and characters. I happen to love Gundam from the animes to the video games. So, I caught a few episodes of Gundam Thunderbolt.
My first impression was the rich old-school art with the new school animation. Then when the action scenes came up, boom a rush of nice fast paced Jazz to go with the speed of the Gundam itself. I was floored and jumped off my couch like yes, go Gundam kick some arse!! It had the same feel as Cowboy Bebop gave me back in the day. Go check it out and if you’re in New York around Nov. here’s an idea.
July 18th LeftField Media and SUNRISE Inc. announced the inaugural Anime NYC festival will play host to the US premiere of Mobile Suit Gundam Thunderbolt: Bandit Flower, the second film in the Gundam Thunderbolt series, and that this premiere will be accompanied by a live concert featuring the music of Gundam Thunderbolt led by composer Naruyoshi Kikuchi.
Anime NYC powered by Crunchyroll is a new Japanese pop culture convention launching November 17-19, 2017 in New York’s Javits Center, and it will bring fans together with creators and companies from across America and Japan. SUNRISE’s Gundam Thunderbolt premiere and concert will take place within Anime NYC on Sunday, November 19th.
Gundam Thunderbolt: Bandit Flower is a sci-fi story grounded in the warfare of today and uniquely brought to life by the music of Naruyoshi Kikuchi. One of Japan’s greatest jazz composers and musicians, Mr. Kikuchi is acclaimed at home in Japan and around the world, and no stranger to anime, he’s also the composer of the Lupin the Third: The Woman Called Fujiko Mine soundtrack and his saxophone can be heard in the music of Cowboy Bebop.
Mr. Kikuchi will appear at Anime NYC as an Official Guest, leading and performing in the Gundam Thunderbolt series concert, as well as speaking on panels and signing autographs.
“We’re deeply honored to welcome our friends at SUNRISE and Mr. Kikuchi to Anime NYC,” said Peter Tatara, LeftField Media’s VP of Anime Events. “Gundam is one of the most iconic sagas in the history of anime, and we’re excited to launch its newest chapter together with its fans in New York!”
“When you think jazz, you think New York,” said Thunderbolt series Producer Naohiro Ogata at SUNRISE. “Jazz is crucial to the Gundam Thunderbolt story, and there’s no better place for us to debut the new Gundam Thunderbolt film than in the heart of New York City!”
The Gundam Thunderbolt: Bandit Flower premiere and concert will be free for all Anime NYC attendees, with no additional ticket required to attend, but for loyal Gundam fans, a limited Premium Package is available now for $75, offering reserved premiere and concert seats, a private autograph session, exclusive print, and original Japanese Gundam Thunderbolt soundtrack CD.
The Mobile Suit Gundam saga from SUNRISE is one of the most prolific titles in the history of Japanese animation. It spans over 35 years and more than 50 television series and movies, and Gundam Thunderbolt: Bandit Flower is the latest entry into this universe. Based on the Gundam Thunderbolt comic by Yasuo Ohtagaki, Gundam Thunderbolt: Bandit Flower continues the story of rival pilots Daryl Lorenz and Io Fleming. With their battlefield now on Earth, they each face a new enemy.
The Gundam Thunderbolt comic is published in the US by VIZ Media, and the first Gundam Thunderbolt film, December Sky, is available now on Blu-ray from Right Stuf. Bluefin, the official American distributor of many anime and pop culture brands including Bandai’s Gundam collectibles and model kits, will also be appearing at Anime NYC with a number of Gundam Thunderbolt model kits for sale.
Anime NYC powered by Crunchyroll will continue to announce guests, premieres, and special events throughout the summer and fall, and fans can expect to three days and nights of anime, manga, and cosplay featuring SUNRISE, Crunchyroll, VIZ Media, Funimation, Kinokuniya, Kodansha Comics, Sentai Filmworks, Tokyo Otaku Mode, Vertical, Yen Press, and more. Tickets to Anime NYC are available now at animenyc.com, and fans wanting to learn the latest news can follow Anime NYC on Facebook and Twitter.
