The special four-week limited theatrical run of Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans Urðr-Hunt -Footprints of a Small Challenger- and the new short film Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans "Intermission" began on Friday, October 31, 2025. The third talk show event following the screening was held on Saturday, November 22 at Shinjuku Piccadilly, featuring Kengo Kawanishi (voice of Mikazuki Augus), Yoshimasa Hosoya (voice of Orga Itsuka), and director Tatsuyuki Nagai. The three guests enthusiastically shared their feelings about the series reaching its 10th anniversary and discussed the new short film "Intermission" with the fans.
This article reports on the event. Please note that since this was a post-screening stage greeting, the talk contained spoilers.
About Barbatos' Sword and Orga's Shemagh Given to Ride
When the guests appeared on stage at the invitation of MC Tenshin Handarou, they each gave a brief greeting. Nagai was then asked about the concept behind the new short film "Intermission."
"Intermission" depicted the story of Tekkadan between the first and second seasons of the TV series. When discussions were held among the staff for the 10th anniversary, Series Composition writer Mari Okada proposed an episode about Orga's suit, while Nagai suggested a story about Barbatos' sword. The two ideas were combined into one, and they decided to take this opportunity to do what couldn't be done during the TV series, which became "Intermission."
When asked for his impressions of "Intermission," Kawanishi commented that regarding the sword Mikazuki said he understood how to use near the end of Season 1, "Intermission" addressed how it was difficult to handle in group battles, personally finding it satisfying as it supplemented the reason why it evolved into the Sword Mace equipped by Gundam Barbatos Lupus in Season 2.
Hosoya said, "While it was certainly about the suit, personally the scene where Orga gives his shemagh to Ride really got to me. I didn't realize he was that happy." He also remarked, "Just as the world of the series has been protected and we've matured over the ten years with a more relaxed feeling, I felt the work itself had gained a bit of that relaxed atmosphere too."
Nagai said he enjoyed creating "Intermission" from the very beginning, simply having fun depicting everyone in Tekkadan again after such a long time. Surprisingly, it was initially supposed to be about a 5-minute episode, but gradually discussions arose about how many minutes they could extend it to, and ultimately they decided to pack in as much as they could.
The discussion then shifted to the voice recording (ADR) for "Makuai no Kusabi" (The Interlude). Nagai shared an anecdote about Taishi Murata, the voice actor for Norba Shino, whose tension and energy were extraordinarily high. Nagai even mentioned that he was concerned about whether Mr. Murata could maintain that level of intensity until the end.
Mr. Kawanishi mentioned a slight initial awkwardness—a feeling of "It's been a while"—but described the overall atmosphere as being like a class reunion. He explained that the actual recording involved taping the interlude episodes, which occur between Season 1 and Season 2, after they had finished recording the full run of the main story. As a result, he was sometimes told that the relationship between the characters was becoming too deeply developed, and he focused on adjusting his performance accordingly during the recording.
Mr. Hosoya (voice actor for Orga Itsuka) commented that the TV series began with the characters staging a coup d'état to win their freedom after being treated like slaves, but that the character Orga was not inherently the type of person suited to be a leader. He further explained that Orga was straining himself to be the leader, trying to adopt a mentality that suited the role.
He recalled that during the original broadcast, since he and Mr. Kawanishi were at the center of the voice recording sessions, they had a strong sense of pride and did not want to be judged as inferior compared to the veteran voice actors, simply because they were young or new. They approached the recording sessions with that mindset.
He stated that because of that high pressure and pride, there were moments where "that mental straining and overreach were happening naturally." In contrast, the recording for "Makuai no Kusabi" (The Interlude) felt like a class reunion atmosphere.
Reflecting on the recording session, he concluded that "The feeling of simply being able to be there naturally was a major difference from the TV series."
Kawanishi and Hosoya's Impressions of the Ending
The topic then turned to the ending sequence by original character designer Yuu Itou. MC Tenshin also expressed gratitude as just another fan, saying "It was so good, thank you!" Hosoya remarked, "The depiction of Ride as an adult painting really struck me, especially since the shemagh story was portrayed in the main story."
Nagai initially ordered fewer illustrations from Itou, but was delighted that Itou expanded them more and more on his own initiative. Since Nagai himself is a fan of Itou's work and that was partly why he asked him to do the original character designs for this series, he revealed his feelings that he was deeply moved to see how much Itou loved the work.
Regarding topics related to Urðr-Hunt, Nagai explained the concept that since the TV series had a heavy story, he wanted to depict this world with a lighter atmosphere. He also said he wanted viewers to enjoy the mobile suits' activities that couldn't be done in the main series.
Kawanishi seemed to focus on how Urðr-Hunt had a different atmosphere from the main story, noting that compared to Mikazuki and others who fought to survive, he felt a brighter atmosphere from Wistario and Urðr-Hunt, with their motivations being about protecting family or building up Venus.
After that, Hosoya spoke about the weekly bonus videos shown over the four weeks of screenings, and after some announcements about the series, it was nearly time for the event to end. Finally, the guests gave their closing messages.
Hosoya commented, "While it's a short film, the fact that you've continued supporting us for 10 years has taken shape, and I'm happy that we can show it to everyone like this and that I could participate in it." He concluded, "As we talked today, I saw some people tearing up, and I thought again how fortunate I am as an actor to have been involved in such a work."
Kawanishi addressed the fans, saying, "Thank you so much for running alongside us through these 10 years." He expressed that he believes it was because of everyone's feelings that they were able to bring "Intermission" and Urðr-Hunt into the world, and that he's nothing but grateful. He passionately stated his desire to continue toward the 20th and 30th anniversaries with everyone's continued support. At the end of his comment, when he murmured, "Let's meet next time in a feature-length film," while uncertain whether it would come to fruition, he gave a glimpse of hope for future developments of Iron-Blooded Orphans.
Nagai then expressed that having this 10th anniversary occasion was truly thanks to the love for the work, and the event came to a close.
With the four-week limited run nearing its end, this production offers a glimpse of a moment in the daily lives of Mikazuki, Orga, and Tekkadan between their fierce battles in "Intermission," so if you haven't seen it yet, why not head to the theater!
Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans Work Information
Synopsis
A great war, known as the "Calamity War", once ravaged the world. Approximately 300 years have passed since that war concluded.
The Earth Sphere lost its former governing structure, and a new world was built with a new system of dominance. While a temporary peace had arrived, new sparks of conflict were beginning to ignite in the Martian Sphere, far removed from Earth.
The protagonist, a young boy named Mikazuki Augus, belongs to a private security company called Chryse Guard Security (CGS). CGS accepts a mission to escort a girl named Kudelia Aina Bernstein, who seeks to free the Martian city of Chryse from the governance of an Earth-based power. However, when CGS is attacked by the armed organization Gjallarhorn, which seeks to crush the seeds of rebellion, the adults of CGS begin to retreat, using Mikazuki and the other children as decoys. Seizing this opportunity, the boys' leader, Orga Itsuka, resolves to stage a coup d'état, turning against the adults who have long oppressed them. Entrusted by Orga to repel Gjallarhorn, Mikazuki challenges the enemy using the Mobile Suit Gundam Barbatos—a machine from the Calamity War era that had been used as CGS's power source.
Cast
Mikazuki Augus: Kengo Kawanishi
Orga Itsuka: Yoshimasa Hosoya
Biscuit Griffon: Natsuki Hanae
Eugene Sevenstark: Yuichiro Umehara
Akihiro Altland: Yasuaki Takumi
Norba Shino: Taishi Murata
Takaki Uno: Kohei Amasaki
Ride Mass: Mutsumi Tamura
Yamagi Gilmerton: Souma Saito
Kudelia Aina Bernstein: Yuka Terasaki
Atra Mixta: Hisako Kanemoto
McGillis Fareed: Takahiro Sakurai
Gaelio Bauduin: Masaya Matsukaze
(C)Sotsu・Sunrise・MBS
Special Compilation Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans Urðr-Hunt -Footprints of a Small Challenger- Work Information
Synopsis
—P.D. 323
The political interference by Gjallarhorn into the Arbrau Central Parliament escalated into an armed conflict involving Mobile Suits. The ones who brought the incident to an end were a group of boys from Mars known as Tekkadan (the Iron Flower Brigade).
News of Tekkadan's activities even reached the ears of Wistario Affam, who was born and raised in the Radnitsa Colony floating in Venus's orbit. Having lost the colonization race to Mars, Venus was a frontier planet that even the Four Major Economic Blocs showed no interest in. Its residents didn't even possess IDs, and the planet was now used merely as a penal colony for criminals.
Appearing before Wistario, who wished to change the current state of his birthplace, was a girl who introduced herself as a guide for the "Urðr Hunt."
"Congratulations. You have obtained the qualifications to participate in the 'Urðr Hunt.'"
Guided by his encounter with the girl, Wistario found himself at the entrance of the "Urðr Hunt"—a race offering an immense prize that could easily purchase an entire colony.
Cast
Wistario Afam: Rina Ikoma
Demner Kitaco Jr.: Kenyu Horiuchi
Cornal Cosa: Reina Ueda
Ranger Dablisco: Taro Kiuchi
Katyusha Inocy: Miku Tanaka
598: Yuko Sanpei
Tamami Rakou: Shizuka Ito
Rome Zan: Tetsu Inada
Aiko Zan: Masafumi Yamane
Cyclase Mayer: Kenji Nojima
【Simultaneously screening "Intermission"】
Mikazuki Augus: Kengo Kawanishi
Orga Itsuka: Yoshimasa Hosoya
Eugene Sevenstark: Yuichiro Umehara
Akihiro Altland: Yasuaki Takumi
Norba Shino: Taishi Murata
Ride Mass: Mutsumi Tamura
Nadi Yukinojo Kassapa: Atsushi Ono
Kudelia Aina Bernstein: Yuka Terasaki
Atra Mixta: Hisako Kanemoto
(C)Sotsu・Sunrise
© Animate Times
*Some parts of this text have been translated using machine translation
