Gundam Seed Special 1-3

Mobile Suit Gundam Seed Movie I - The Empty Battlefield:

The feature subtitled "The Empty Battlefield" is comprised of recut episodes of Gundam Seed (2002), with some bits of new animation--a practice that goes back to the original Gundam series (1979) and the first three features. This film includes material from the first 20 Seed episodes, or about one-third of the series.

In the year 71 of the Cosmic Era (rather than the "Gundam Saga" timeframe or the "Alternate Universe"), Kira Yamoto accidentally becomes a mecha pilot when he stumbles onto the top secret Strike Gundam during an attack on his home satellite-colony, Heliopolis. Although the war is technically between the Earth Alliance and ZAFT, it`s really a conflict between the human "Naturals" and the genetically enhanced "Coordinators." The movie and the broadcast series offer the ingredients of a classic Gundam saga: a reluctant warrior, a masked enemy general, and an old friend who tests the hero`s loyalty. Cutting the running time so substantially moves the action along a breakneck pace, but leaves little time for character development. Director Mitsuo Kukada uses CG to choreograph some very snazzy mecha battles, in space, within Heliopolis, and on Earth, often with a fine disregard for the laws of physics. [MAL]


Mobile Suit Gundam Seed Movie II - The Far-Away Dawn:

This is a recap with new footage from episodes 22 to 40.

Much like the Mobile Suit Gundam theatrical movies, the Gundam SEED Special Edition movies are intended to be an override of the story from the TV series.

These episodes are in fact a complete recap of all 50 episodes of the TV series and only shown on television in Japan. The Special Edition episodes feature some new scenes and tweaks to previously animated scenes. The first special, `The Empty Battlefield`, which was episodes 1 to 21 of the series, was aired in two parts on Japanese TV in March 2004, followed by the next special, `The Distant Dawn`, which was episodes 22 to 40, in July. The final special, `The Rumbling Universe`, which was episodes 41 to 50. While the story is overall unchanged, there are a few minor changes. In addition, several scenes are re-animated and re-dubbed.

It is believed that these movies were cut to better transition the story between SEED and Gundam SEED Destiny. Others believe also that the special editions were made to correct or add things that wasn`t in the TV series from time or budget reasons. It`s been mistakly referred to that this is in fact recapped episodes. While that might be the case, they`re still movies in their own right. [Wikipedia]


Mobile Suit Gundam Seed Movie III - The Rumbling Universe:

The Earth Forces has commissioned another Archangel-class ship, the Dominion; its sole mission is to destroy the renegade Archangel. As the battle draws to its ultimate conclusion, it is possible that humanity itself will be the victim. Kira, Athrun, and the others must stop a war that threatens both sides with genocide! [AniDB]

Episodes