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Gundam: Hathaway Anime Film, 2nd Kakegurui Live-Action Film Both Reveal Delays

The Gundam.info portal site revealed on Monday that the Mobile Suit Gundam Hathaway (Kidō Senshi Gundam: Senkō no Hathaway) anime film is delayed from May 7 to May 21 due to the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and the state of emergency declared in four prefectures. The current state of emergency is slated to lift on May 11.

This is the second time the film is delayed. The film was originally slated to open in Japan on July 23, but was delayed due to COVID-19.

The film will play in 214 theaters, a franchise-record high. Some theaters will screen the film in 4D and Dolby Cinema starting on opening day. Dolby Cinemas will also screen the first 15 minutes and 53 seconds of Mobile Suit Gundam: Char's Counterattack before the film.

Shukou Murase (Ergo Proxy, Gangsta., Witch Hunter Robin, Genocidal Organ) is directing the project, and Yasuyuki Mutou (Basilisk, Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn RE:0096, Deadman Wonderland) is writing the script. Pablo Uchida, Naoyuki Onda, and Shigeki Kuhara are adapting Haruhiko Mikimoto's original character designs for animation. Hajime Katoki, Kimitoshi Yamane, Seiichi Nakatani, and Nobuhiko Genba are adapting Yasuhiro Moriki's mechanical designs for animation. Hiroyuki Sawano (Attack on Titan, Mobile Suit Gundam Narrative, Mobile Suit Gundam UC) is composing the music.

Additionally, the staff of Kakegurui: Zettai Zetsumei Russian Roulette (Kakegurui: Last Resort Russian Roulette), the sequel live-action film based on Homura Kawamoto and Tōru Naomura's Kakegurui - Compulsive Gambler manga, announced on Monday that they are delaying the film from its planned release date of April 29 due to COVID-19 and the state of emergency. The staff will reveal the new release date at a later time.

The film will include a returning cast, but will focus on a new antagonist, the shrewd gambler Makuro Shikigami, played by Johnny's West member Ryūsei Fujii. Tsutomu Hanabusa is returning to direct the film, and is also writing the screenplay with Minato Takano.

The manga inspired a 10-episode live-action show that premiered in Japan in January 2018. Netflix is streaming the series outside of Japan. A second season premiered in March 2019. The first live-action film then opened in May 2019. Katsura Saiki's Kakegurui Twins manga spinoff is also inspired a live-action series that debuted on Amazon Prime on March 26.

The main manga inspired a television anime series that ran from July to September 2017 in Japan. The series premiered outside of Japan on Netflix in February 2018. The anime's second season premiered in January 2019, and Netflix began streaming the series in June 2019.

Sources: Gundam.info via Hachima Kikō, Cinema Today (梅山富美子)