New Gundam Anime 'XARX-ZERO' Announced for 2027 — Kamiyama Directs a Fresh Timeline
Source: ガンダム新作「RG XARX-ZERO」監督は神山健治、円城塔も参加 主人公役は大塚剛央 — natalie.mu (comic news)
A brand-new entry in the Gundam franchise just dropped, and it's looking like one for the history books. Sunrise has officially announced Mobile Suit Gundam RG XARX-ZERO (Alex Zero), a completely fresh Gundam anime set in a new universe, launching in 2027.
What makes this one especially exciting is the creative team behind it. Kenji Kamiyama — the director behind Ghost in the Shell: SAC, Appleseed, and Eden of the East — is helming the series as both director and series composer. He told Natalie he spent a wild time rethinking everything from Newtypes to Minovsky particles: "When they told me to make a Gundam in the Reiwa era from scratch, I went through some not-fun days thinking about what makes Gundam, Gundam." But he came out the other side thrilled — and the result is this brand-new worldline.
SF worldbuilding is handled by Toshihiro Yoru (known for Blame!), and the protagonist voice role goes to Tsuyoshi Otsuka (Azumanga Daioh, Ranking of Kings). Otsuka plays Azumi Ray, a war orphan whose parents were killed in attacks by the "Apocalypse" — silicon-based lifeforms that split off and multiply from interstellar objects that arrived from beyond the solar system. Humanity had already abandoned Earth due to an ecosystem失控 brought by the Apocalypse, and Azumi awakens on the moon in the year AA 45, where kids born on the moon and colonies have grown up treating Apocalypse encounters as part of daily life.
This anime is part of the broader RG Project, a media mix that also includes the action game GUNDAM ROGUE ORBIT, released last month. The anime takes place roughly 100 years before the game's story, serving as the origin point that the game's events build upon — the game will let players explore the world 100 years later, making their own choices that reshape history.
The project also includes merchandise like model kits, and teaser visuals show the protagonist mecha Gundam ZERO alongside the enemy forces. Animation production is handled by SOLA ANIMATION, with music by Takashi Shiina (Attack on Titan, Vinland Saga).
Kamiyama's comment about getting to rebuild Gundam from scratch in the Reiwa era is the kind of energy you want from a franchise that's been going strong for over 50 years. A fresh timeline with Kamiyama's vision is a genuinely exciting prospect.