News
'OBSOLETE' Spinoff Manga Reaches Climax
posted on by Rafael Antonio Pineda
The November issue of Kadokawa's Gundam Ace magazine revealed on Saturday that OBSOLETE: Hanabusa Report, Yoshihiro Sono's manga spinoff of YouTube and Bandai Namco Arts' 3D CG anime OBSOLETE, is entering its climax.
Sono (Tokyo Ghoul, Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress art design, Hello World manga) launched the manga on Kadokawa's Comic Newtype web comic site in September 2020. The manga centers on the reports of investigative journalist Shoichi Hanabusa, and shows aspects of the OBSOLETE world not shown in the anime, including the societal impact of Exoframes.
The first six episodes premiered on YouTube in December 2019 for paid users, and the first episode simultaneously premiered for free. The episodes then streamed for free once a week afterward. Each episode is 12-13 minutes in length.
"Part II" of the anime containing episodes 7-12 debuted in December 2020. As with the first six episodes, the second part became available all at once for YouTube Premium users, or a new episode weekly for free users.
Hiroki Yamada (Kaze no Matasaburo) and Seiichi Shirato (research for Jormungand, Joker Game, Princess Principal) directed the anime at the CG animation studio Buemon. Gen Urobuchi (Fate/Zero, Puella Magi Madoka Magica, Psycho-Pass) is credited for the original work and also supervised the series' scripts. Skrillex and Nik Roos wrote and produced the anime's opening theme "obsolete," while TECHNOBOYS PULCRAFT GREEN-FUND performed the ending theme "ORB-SOLUTION."
The "real robot" anime is set on Earth in an alternate timeline with 2.55-meter-tall (about 8.4-foot-tall) neurally operated mecha known as Exoframes (Enhanced Xenobiological Organic FRAMEs). The Exoframe technology originated from aliens who made contact with humanity in 2014, and asked to trade one ton of limestone in exchange for one Exoframe. Cheaper than aircraft, tanks, or firearms, and usable by anyone, Exoframe usage easily spread throughout the world.
Source: Gundam Ace November issue
Disclosure: Bandai Namco Arts Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Bandai Namco Holdings Inc. Bandai Namco Rights Marketing Inc., another wholly owned subsidiary of Bandai Namco Holdings Inc., is a non-controlling, minority shareholder in Anime News Network Inc.
