Mobile Suit Gundam: Requiem For Vengeance Cast, Director, Teaser Video, Plot And More Details

Whether it's movies, TV shows, manga, novels, or video games, there is no denying that fans have a generous amount of content to enjoy in various forms from the "Gundam" franchise. The innovative IP kicked things off with "Mobile Suit Gundam" in 1979, and ever since then, it has been an ever-present in pop culture. "Mobile Suit Gundam: Requiem of Vengeance" is poised to be another powerful addition to the "Gundam" legacy that takes things up a notch regarding the visual side.

Instead of opting for a 2D animation style, "Mobile Suit Gundam: Requiem of Vengeance" will utilize Unreal Engine 5 to offer viewers a high-quality 3D animation experience. The revolutionary piece of software is responsible for the critically acclaimed open-world video game demo "The Matrix Awakens," released alongside "The Matrix Resurrections," that GameSpot hailed as "an impressive tech demo that does a lot to further blur the lines between games and films, and maybe even reality."

The "Gundam" franchise is taking things to another level with a substantial technological upgrade, but the enhanced animation is only one of many things fans should know about "Mobile Suit Gundam: Requiem for Vengeance" before it's released. To find out where the series is streaming, who is leading the cast, and more details about the show, read on.

The first thing fans are probably wondering is when the 3D animated chapter of the "Gundam" legacy will be available for viewers to enjoy. On July 3, 2023, during their industry panel at Anime Expo 2023 held in Los Angeles, Bandai Namco Filmworks first announced "Mobile Suit Gundam: Requiem for Vengeance" was on the way for a worldwide release. Sunrise Studios (who has extensive experience within the "Gundam" franchise) and SafeHouse will be responsible for the next-level animation.

While many aspects of the ambitious project were revealed, like the fact that this OVA series developed entirely using Unreal Engine 5 will consist of six episodes that will each run 30 minutes in length, certain crucial pieces of intel were not available. The release date for the animated show was not part of the official announcement, but we at least know where fans will be able to watch it. In December 2023, the official "Gundam" website released the following statement: "It has been decided that 'Mobile Suit Gundam: Requiem for Vengeance,' an original animated series, will be streamed worldwide exclusively on Netflix."

The "Gundam" franchise rarely disappoints when it comes to narrative quality, and the plot for the latest "Mobile Suit Gundam" title is probably not what most fans expected. The 3D animated series has been confirmed to be part of the franchise's Universal Century timeline and will tell a fascinating story that takes place during the One Year War (also known as the Zeonic War for Independence in "Gundam" lore), which is the same conflict showcased in the 1979 "Mobile Gundam Wing" animated series. The war is between the Principality of Zeon and the Earth Federation, and, in truth, lasts for just under a year: January 3, 0079 to January 1, 0080.

Viewers will be getting a new look at a familiar point in Gundam's history. "Mobile Suit Gundam: Requiem for Vengeance" will focus on events that go down on the European front, with a focus on those fighting for Zeon. The story begins on November 6, UC0079, when the unit known as the Red Wolves are ordered to join the fight on the ground by their major. The show will have a female protagonist leading the way who goes by the name of Iria Sorari, a Zaku pilot on the side of Zeon. It's gearing up to be a forward-thinking show that will also appeal to old school fans.

As far as the cast is concerned, most of the roster is still a mystery, but it has been revealed who will play the main character in this new addition to the "Gundam" legacy: Portraying the part of Iria Sorari in "Mobile Suit Gundam: Requiem for Vengeance" will be Australian actor Celia Massignham. The role of Iria will be Massingham's biggest to date, and her efforts on the project extend beyond just providing the voice of the lead character. When the show was first announced, it was revealed that Massingham also provided the motion capture performance for the protagonist.

She's still a relative unknown in Hollywood, but Massingham has actually been acting since 2012, debuting with the fishing comedy "Reef n Beef." After that, she landed a part in the TV movie "The Selection," a future-set romantic drama about a girl who becomes the leader of a war-torn country via a lottery. In 2018, she played Lyria in the Australian film "Ladies in Black," based on the 1993 novel "The Women in Black" by Madeleine St John. "When I got the audition I read the book and fell completely in love with it," she told What Now Entertainment at the premiere. "It's such a beautiful story and it's just translated so well to screen. I've seen it once, and I'm very proud of it."

As of this writing, her main claim to fame is appearing in the Arrowverse show "Legends of Tomorrow" as actor and inventor Hedy Lamarr. With "Requiem for Vengeance" now on her resume, Massingham can add providing the voice work and motion capture duties for a giant robot pilot to her list of accomplishments.

Putting together a "Mobile Suit Gundam" title on this scale will not only take a skilled auteur but also one that has a passion for the franchise. And it seems they picked the right candidate. The individual chosen to sit in the director's chair for "Mobile Suit Gundam: Requiem for Vengeance" is Erasmus Brosdau. His credits include the 2017 short film "The Lord Inquisitor: Seed of Ambition" and the 2018 TV mini-series "Origin Zero." He also served as Art Director on the animated Netflix original "Altered Carbon: Resleeved" in 2020. 

While he may not have the longest list of credits, he is certainly very passionate about bringing fans a new chapter of "Gundam" to enjoy. "I'm very excited to finally be able to talk about this animated series which will shed some more light on the One Year War by focusing almost entirely on the Zeon side," the director said in a message posted on Gundam's YouTube channel. "We want to show you the world of Gundam in a new and realistic look so that you can feel like you're sitting inside the cockpit. But we are also trying to push the technical aspects by creating this entire series using Unreal Engine 5, a software that allows us to create content much faster." By his account, fans are in for a worthwhile experience when "Requiem for Vengeance" releases.

When the series was first brought to the attention of fans, a teaser was also released, offering a glimpse of what "Mobile Suit Gundam: Requiem for Vengeance" has in store for fans. The first promo contains a series of shots showcasing ships firing on enemies, armies marching into battle, and plenty of mecha action. The video also reveals that the show takes place eleven years after the Revolutionary War, giving excited viewers more intel on what will go on in "Requiem for Vengeance" while still keeping many of the plot details under wraps.

We learned a bit more about what to expect from this upcoming "Gundam" installment when the second teaser trailer dropped in December 2023. "The second teaser revealed today depicts scenes of war-torn European cityscapes and vast natural landscapes, the protagonist Iria Sorari and the ZAKU II Mobile Suit, as well as many characters and mechs that have never been revealed up to this point," the "Gundam" website confirmed in a statement. We're introduced to a character called Charlie, who appears to be a rookie. "Don't worry about me," he barks when a comrade enquires about his wellbeing.

The final shot of the second teaser, which shows a Gundam emerging from a wall of fire to the sheer shock of the Zeon soldiers, has fans pumped for the show. "Reminds me of Shin Godzilla," said Redditoru/xtinction14, while u/Olliebeani added, "While there are evil Gundams it's not common for a show to portray a federation Gundam as some evil monster." Fellow fan u/Pathogen188 pointed out that it's uncommon "for a Gundam to be presented wholly in a villainous light with no opposing heroic Gundam."

Anticipation is high for "Mobile Suit Gundam: Requiem for Vengeance," as a quick glance at "Gundam" social media reveals. "Damn, that look goood," said Redditor u/MechaMat91 after the second teaser trailer dropped, while YouTube user @advkow said, "Hell yes, a show that's going to look at how terrifying a Gundam can be!" If you can't wait for the new series and want to watch some old "Gundam" in the meantime, here's where you need to go.

The original "Mobile Suit Gundam" series is probably your best bet as a prep show, considering it takes place during the same conflict — the One Year War, aka the Zeonic War for Independence. It came out way back in 1979 and was condensed into a feature film a few years later. This seminal anime is available to stream on both Crunchyroll and Funimation at the time of this writing, with both streamers offering an English dub. Crunchyroll has the condensed movie, while Funimation has the original episodes.

You'll need to be a subscriber to watch "Mobile Suit Gundam," regardless of which streamer you go for, though both of them offer free trials. When the trial ends, Funimation comes in at $9.99 a month. Crunchyroll offers three different tiers: Fan, Mega Fan, and Ultimate Fan, which will set you back $7.99, $9.99, and $14.99 a month, respectively. The latter package comes with a bevy of perks, including an annual swag bag.