The Ayase/ YOASOBI YouTube channel has uploaded an English version of the music video for Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury‘s opening song, titled “The Blessing.” The video’s release date was previously announced on November 3.
The English video’s launch date coincides with the release of the YOASOBI song’s CD. In addition to the Japanese version of the song, titled “Shukufuku,” it includes the English version, anime edit version, and instrumental version. Billboard Japan’s Hot Animation Chart has “Shukufuku,” which was written by Ayase and performed by Ikura, in third place as of November 2. The song also placed third on Oricon’s weekly digital singles chart for the October 31 to November 6 period.
An English version of the Cradle Planet short story, which details protagonist Suletta Mercury’s younger days from the perspective of her Gundam Aerial, was released as well. The show’s series composer and scriptwriter Ichiro Okouchi penned the story while Eriko Sugita handled the English translation.
The original music video was uploaded on October 2 and has over 11 million views so far. 10GAUGE’s Nobutaka Yoda (Bubble opening animation director) directed and storyboarded the video with Yutaro Kubota (The Girl from the Other Side co-director et al.) as animation director and one of the photography staff (among other roles). Koshian and Harune Satou (“Tomoshibi Serenade” animator) served as background artists while 10GAUGE’s Matsuki Daisuke (“Makafushigi” music video photography director) and 10GAUGE’s Atsushi Kobayashi (“Makafushigi” music video) were the photography staff. Sunrise and CALF are listed as the animation production companies.
Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury premiered on October 2 and is streaming on the Gundaminfo YouTube channel, Crunchyroll, Bilibili, and the Ani-One Asia YouTube channel. The new alternate universe Gundam show will have split cours, with the second cour beginning in April 2023. The premise is described as:
A.S. (Ad Stella) 122―
An era when a multitude of corporations have entered space and built a huge economic system.
A lone girl from the remote planet Mercury transfers to the Asticassia School of Technology,
run by the Beneritt Group which dominates the mobile suit industry.
Her name is Suletta Mercury.
With a scarlet light burning in her pure heart,
this girl walks step by step through a new world.
Hiroshi Kobayashi (Dragon Pilot: Hisone and Masotan, Kiznaiver) is directing the anime with Ryou Andou (Interviews with Monster Girls director) assisting and Ichirou Ohkouchi (Code Geass) as series composer. Illustrator Mogumo is the original character designer, while Marie Tagashira (Mobile Suit Gundam: Hathaway’s Flash character animation director), Juri Toida (Gundam Build Divers Battlogue), and Hirotoshi Takaya (Mobile Suit Gundam Thunderbolt animation character designer) are the character designers. Bandai Namco Filmworks is the animation production company.
Meanwhile, the cast includes Kana Ichinose as Suletta, Lynn as Miorine Rembran, Youhei Azakami as Gel Jeturk, Natsuki Hanae as Elan Ceres, Makoto Furukawa as Shaddiq Zenelli, Yume Miyamoto as Nika Nanaura, and Miyu Tomita as Chuatury Panlunch.
Update: Added that an English translation of the Cradle Planet short story was also released.
Source: Ayase/YOASOBI YouTube channel
