Yoshikazu Yasuhiko, legendary animator of Original Mobile Suit Gundam, “wanted people to forget the show”

The legendary animator and original character designer for Mobile suit GundamYoshikazu Yasuhiko holds a special place in the world of anime. A renowned master storyteller and artist, Yasuhiko has had a major influence on Japanese animation. But despite his contributions to one of the most iconic franchises in anime history, Yasuhiko wanted to retire as an animator for good and began focusing on manga artistry.

In the late 1980s, Yasuhiko left the animation industry completely and began his career as a manga artist. While he later returned to the franchise, his comeback was full of conflict and a somewhat bitter relationship with the franchise Gundam franchise; which led to him moving on to other projects because he wanted to forget about work Mobile suit Gundam absolutely.

Yoshikazu Yasuhiko’s complicated relationship with Gundam

Yoshikazu Yasuhiko’s involvement in Mobile suit Gundam dates back to 1979, when the original TV series first aired. Despite its iconic status today, the initial reception of Gundam was far from spectacular. The ratings were mediocre, and in addition the production faced numerous challenges, including tight schedules and a lack of manpower.

Yasuhiko himself had to leave the project before it was completed due to health reasons, which only exacerbated his bittersweet feelings about the disaster. Gundam series. In a 2015 interview via AnimageYasuhiko stated that when contacted again for the manga adaptation of Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin – Blue Eyed Casval in 2000, Yasuhiko initially declined to take the role as he was content with being a mangaka, citing:

This desire to distance himself from the series was not born of disdain, but of a sense of finality. Believing that there was nothing more to do with Gundam, Yasuhiko had moved on to other projects and became a successful manga artist with many new stories he wanted to tell.

Despite his reluctance, Yasuhiko was drawn back into the world of Gundam early 2000s. This return was largely due to the persistence of Takayuki Yoshii, then CEO of Sunrise, the studio behind it Gundam. Yoshii convinced Yasuhiko to create a manga adaptation of the original Mobile suit Gundam story, and thus Yasuhiko returned to the animation industry.

Yoshikazu Yasuhiko’s battle during the first phase Gundam Era

To understand why Yasuhiko initially wanted people to forget Mobile suit Gundamwe must look at the circumstances under which the original series was produced. During its initial run, the series struggled to gain an audience due to rushed production.

In addition, other challenges such as extreme workload, lack of manpower, poor facilities and negative reactions from the public affected the morale of the employees, including Yasuhiko, who began to doubt their potential.

Thus, during his return to the franchise, Yasuhiko was full of skepticism about Gundam’s success. He thought the new adaptation would not resonate with newer audiences.

Despite his initial hesitation, Yasuhiko eventually returned to Mobile suit Gundam in the role of lead director for the OVA adaptation of The origin. The OVA series was well received for its stunning animation and faithful adaptation of the manga, showcasing Yasuhiko’s skills as a director and artist. Despite his struggle through the process, his decision to return Gundam was born not out of nostalgia, but out of a desire to do justice to the story and characters he helped create.

Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin – Blue Eyed Casval is currently available to watch on Hulu.