Gundam III: Encounters in Space is no longer the number 1 film from the Mobile Suit Gundam series at the Japanese box office. The 2024 film Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Freedom has claimed the title of becoming the franchise’s number 1 film of all time.
Since its release, the film has had a good reception from the audiences at the Japanese box office. According to a recent update, the film sold 1.63 million tickets in Japan. This amounts to $17.95 million (¥2.68 billion). Thus, the title has now surpassed every other film from the Gundam universe as the highest-earning film at the Japanese box office.
The movie that now comes at number two in this context, Gundam III: Encounters in Space, is a 1982 film that earned ¥2.3 billion at the Japanese box office.
Gundam SEED Freedom beats Gundam III: Encounters in Space in Japan
Following its grand opening in Japan on January 26, 2024, the film managed to sell 635,182 tickets, earning about $7.20 million within three days. Hence, Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Freedom surpassed all other films in the franchise as the highest-grossing film opening at the Japanese box office. Reportedly, Mitsuo Fukuda’s film has been slated to release in 56 countries and territories.
Providing a synopsis for the film, its official website writes, “In C.E.75, the fighting still continues. There are independence movements, and aggression by Blue Cosmos… In order to calm the situation, a global peace monitoring agency called COMPASS is established, with Lacus as its first president.”
The website continues, “As members of COMPASS, Kira and his comrades intervene into various regional battles. Then a newly established nation called Foundation proposes a joint operation against a Blue Cosmos stronghold.”
Fukuda directed the film at Bandai Namco Filmworks. He also worked on its script with his wife, Chiaki Morosawa. Along with the couple, Liu Goto also engaged in the film’s scriptwriting.
