{"rewrite":{"id":"r_96e6b141a672ff28cb07e188","clusterId":"c_8958fc9c83228de6ca27be57","slug":"gundam-seed-freedom-nebuta-floats-to-parade-at-aomori-nebuta-festival","model":"deepseek-v4-flash","headline":"Gundam Seed Freedom Nebuta Floats to Parade at Aomori Nebuta Festival","summary":"Bandai Namco Filmworks announced on July 6 that two mobile suits from the film \"Mobile Suit Gundam SEED FREEDOM\" will appear as giant nebuta floats at the 2026 Aomori Nebuta Festival. The Mighty Strike Freedom Gundam and the Infinite Justice Gundam Type II, crafted by nebuta master Hiroo Fukushi, will serve as the front nebuta leading a parade group. The exhibition is the first installment of the Gundam Festival Project, an initiative that places Gundam IP into locally cherished festivals as a form of regional revitalization. A newly drawn event key visual shows characters Kira Yamato, Lacus Clyne, Athrun Zala, and Cagalli Yula Athha dressed in haneto dancer costumes. The parade will also distribute collaboration fans featuring that visual. The festival runs from August 2 to August 7, with a pre-festival display on August 1. A pop-up shop opens July 18 at the To-O Nippo Shinmachi Building, selling limited goods and tie-up products with local Aomori items like Stamina Gen Tare sauce, Gachirin apple juice, and Nanbu Senbei crackers. Additional collaborations include chocolate banana flavored English Toast bread and Polo Chocolat cake in limited packaging.","whyItMatters":"This is the first time the Gundam Festival Project has adapted a mecha design into a traditional nebuta float, blending a major anime IP with a UNESCO-recognized festival craft.","webCardHtml":"\u003cp\u003eThe two mobile suits were crafted by nebuta master Hiroo Fukushi (also written as Hiroaki Fushimi or Yuro Fushimi in different sources). The floats will operate as the front nebuta of the parade group \u0026#34;Watashitachi no Nebuta Jishu Seisaku Jikko Iinkai.\u0026#34;\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe Gundam Festival Project is an expansion of an initiative that began in 2024, when Gundam was exhibited at festivals including Fukuoka Hakata Gion Yamakasa and the Sapporo Snow Festival. The project aims to \u0026#34;bring out the charm of local regions and create locally loved Gundam,\u0026#34; according to the press release.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe festival sponsors are Seven-Eleven Japan, BANDAI SPIRITS, and Fields Corporation. The pop-up shop is organized by Aomori Broadcasting and runs from July 18 to August 30 at the To-O Nippo Shinmachi Building New\u0026#39;s Hall foyer.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe \u0026#34;Mobile Suit Gundam SEED\u0026#34; TV series aired from 2002 to 2003, directed by Mitsuo Fukuda with character designs by Hisashi Hirai. The film \u0026#34;Mobile Suit Gundam SEED FREEDOM\u0026#34; released in January 2024 surpassed 5 billion yen in box office revenue and 3 million viewers, making it the biggest hit in Gundam series history. A prequel film, \u0026#34;Mobile Suit Gundam SEED FREEDOM ZERO,\u0026#34; based on a scenario by series composer Chiaki Morosawa and Shigeru Morita, has also been announced for theatrical release.\u003c/p\u003e","blueskyPost":"Bandai Namco Filmworks' Gundam Festival Project deploys Mobile Suit Gundam Seed Freedom mecha as nebuta floats, weaving IP into regional festival infrastructure rather than standalone events.","twitterPost":"Gundam Seed Freedom nebuta floats merge franchise IP with Aomori's festival tradition, not as a tie-in but as the parade's lead attraction.","threadsPost":"Bandai Namco Filmworks turns Gundam Seed Freedom mecha into nebuta floats for the Aomori Nebuta Festival. The Gundam Festival Project embeds IP into existing local celebrations rather than creating standalone events. This is distribution through cultural infrastructure, not marketing.","newsletterBlurb":"Bandai Namco Filmworks is bringing two Gundam SEED FREEDOM mobile suits to the Aomori Nebuta Festival as giant nebuta floats. The floats, built by master craftsman Hiroo Fukushi, will lead a parade group from August 2 to 7. A pop-up shop and local food collaborations accompany the event.","attributionJson":"[{\"source\":\"Cinema Today\",\"url\":\"https://www.cinematoday.jp/news/N0155709\",\"title\":\"Gundam SEED Appears at Aomori Nebuta Festival! Mighty Strike Freedom \\u0026 Infinite Justice Type II Become Nebuta Floats\"},{\"source\":\"Denfaminicogamer\",\"url\":\"https://news.denfaminicogamer.jp/news/2607062f\",\"title\":\"'Mobile Suit Gundam SEED FREEDOM' to be Exhibited at Aomori Nebuta Festival. 'Mighty Strike Freedom Gundam' and 'Infinite Justice Gundam Type II' Front Nebuta to Appear\"},{\"source\":\"Anime Anime\",\"url\":\"https://animeanime.jp/article/2026/07/06/100764.html\",\"title\":\"Mighty Strike Freedom and Infinite Justice Gundam Type II Become Giant Nebuta!? \\\"Mobile Suit Gundam SEED FREEDOM\\\" to Be Exhibited at Aomori Nebuta Matsuri! Visuals of Kira, Lacus, Athrun, and Cagalli in Haneto Costumes Released\"}]","lintFlagsJson":null,"lintHits":0,"costUsd":0,"inputTokens":16321,"outputTokens":1674,"status":"published","repairAttempts":0,"nextRepairAt":null,"factsAttemptedAt":1783331074,"createdAt":"2026-07-06T09:41:06.000Z","publishedAt":"2026-07-06T09:43:32.000Z","updatedAt":"2026-07-06T09:41:06.000Z"},"cluster":{"id":"c_8958fc9c83228de6ca27be57","canonicalTitle":"ガンダムSEEDが青森ねぶた祭に登場！マイティーストライクフリーダム＆インフィニットジャスティス弐式がねぶたに","representativeArticleId":"a_9574b6b49a4588186fe95ed5","sourceCount":3,"writtenSourceCount":3,"writeAttempts":0,"isSolo":false,"entitiesJson":"{\"anime_titles\":[\"Mobile Suit Gundam SEED FREEDOM\"],\"manga_titles\":[],\"work_titles\":[],\"studios\":[\"Bandai Namco Filmworks\"],\"people\":[],\"type\":\"event\",\"domain\":\"anime\",\"is_roundup\":false}","contentType":"news","status":"published","firstSeenAt":"2026-07-06T09:00:00.000Z","lastSeenAt":"2026-07-06T09:10:03.000Z","updatedAt":"2026-07-06T09:43:32.000Z"},"attribution":[{"source":"Denfaminicogamer","url":"https://news.denfaminicogamer.jp/news/2607062f","title":"『機動戦士ガンダム SEED FREEDOM』が⻘森ねぶた祭へ出展。「マイティーストライクフリーダムガンダム」「インフィニットジャスティスガンダム弐式」の前ねぶたが登場"},{"source":"Cinema Today","url":"https://www.cinematoday.jp/news/N0155709","title":"ガンダムSEEDが青森ねぶた祭に登場！マイティーストライクフリーダム＆インフィニットジャスティス弐式がねぶたに"},{"source":"Anime Anime","url":"https://animeanime.jp/article/2026/07/06/100764.html","title":"マイフリ\u0026インジャが巨大ねぶたに!? 「機動戦士ガンダムSEED FREEDOM」青森ねぶた祭へ出展決定！ キラ、ラクス、アスラン、カガリが跳人（ハネト）衣装に身を包んだビジュアル公開"}],"entities":{"anime_titles":["Mobile Suit Gundam SEED FREEDOM"],"manga_titles":[],"work_titles":[],"studios":["Bandai Namco Filmworks"],"people":[],"type":"event","domain":"anime","is_roundup":false},"keyFacts":["The Mighty Strike Freedom Gundam and Infinite Justice Gundam Type II will appear as front nebuta floats at the Aomori Nebuta Festival from August 2 to August 7, 2026.","Nebuta master Hiroo Fukushi is crafting the floats for the Gundam Festival Project, which places Gundam IP into local festivals for regional revitalization.","A pop-up shop runs July 18 to August 30, 2026, at the To-O Nippo Shinmachi Building in Aomori, selling limited goods and local tie-up products.","Collaboration products include chocolate banana flavored English Toast bread (178 yen, July 27 to September 30) and Polo Chocolat cake (702 yen, from August 1).","The event key visual depicts Kira Yamato, Lacus Clyne, Athrun Zala, and Cagalli Yula Athha in haneto costumes."]}