Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Destiny (機動戦士ガンダムSEED DESTINY Kidō Senshi Gandamu Shīdo Desutinī ) is an anime television series, acting as a sequel of Mobile Suit Gundam SEED by Sunrise. It retains most of the staff from Gundam SEED, including Director Mitsuo Fukuda. Set two years after the original Mobile Suit Gundam SEED, the plot follows the new character Shinn Asuka, a soldier from ZAFT, composed of humans born genetically enhanced labelled as Coordinators. As ZAFT is about to enter into another war against the regular human race, the Naturals, the series focuses on Shinn's as well as various returning characters' involvement in the war. The series spanned 50 episodes, aired in Japan from October 9, 2004 to October 1, 2005 on the Japan News Network television stations Tokyo Broadcasting System and Mainichi Broadcasting System.

In December 2005, Sunrise aired a special episode that remade the events from the series' last episode. A series of four films compilating the series has also been released in Japan. Gundam SEED was adapted into various manga adaptations and light novels published by Kodansha and Kadokawa Shoten. Bandai Entertainment licensed the series for North America release, and has published it in DVD volumes. Some episodes also aired in Canada, while the compilations films were also released in DVDs. The first manga was licensed and published by Del Rey Manga. Various types of merchandising have also been released, including CD soundtracks and video games.

Gundam SEED Destiny became highly popular in Japan, having sold over one million DVD volumes and soundtracks topping charts. The series was also the winner of the Anime Grand Prix in both 2004 and 2005 polls. Critical reception has also been positive with focus on the themes and events occurring throughout the series. However, Gundam SEED Destiny has often been compared with its prequel for sharing similar situations and the use of some new and returning characters.

Plot

Gundam SEED Destiny sets the story two years after the original series and follows pilot Shinn Asuka and the rest of the crew of the ZAFT battleship Minerva's involvement in the Second Bloody Valentine War, as well as some returning characters from the previous series.It starts when three mobile suits are stolen from ZAFT by a group called Phantom Pain, which is controlled by the Blue Cosmos terrorist organization.The Minerva is then ordered to destroy the ruins of a space colony to prevent it from crashing into Earth. Returning character Athrun Zala decides to aid the crew of the Minerva to stop this. They find out that the rogue ZAFT soldiers are controlling the colony in order to crash it into Earth.After failing to completely destroy the colony, a second war starts once news has spread that ZAFT soldiers cause the colony to collide on Earth. The neutral country of Orb allies with the Earth Alliance, with the former having also joined Blue Cosmos. This leads these three faction to confront the ZAFT soldiers several times, with Athrun having returned there.

Later in the war, the Archangel interferes in the fights between ZAFT and the Earth Alliance to reduce the number of human casualties. Athrun becomes disaffected after PLANT Chairman Gilbert Durandal orders the destruction of his friend Kira Yamato and the Archangel, deeming them as enemies. He defects with Meyrin Hawkes when Durandal frames him as a traitor. Cagalli Yula Athha is able to regain leadership from Orb, causing the Blue Cosmos' members to defect to space. The leader of Blue Cosmos, Lord Djibril, orders the weapon Requiem to be fired which destroys many space colonies of PLANT, resulting many deaths. The crew of the Minerva successfully kill Lord Djibril and capture the Requiem. Gilbert Durandal then announces the "Destiny Plan", a plan where a person's job or task will be based on their genetics, and uses the Requiem to destroy anyone who opposes him. This brings Shinn and the crew of the Minerva into direct conflict with the Archangel ship and the ZAFT forces opposing. Kira and Athrun with their new mobile suits ZGMF-X20A Strike Freedom and ZGMF-X19A Infinite Justice respectively and their allies, defeat the ZAFT forces and destroy the Requiem. Durandal is killed by one of his own followers, Rey Za Burrel.

The series' ending was expanded in both the original video animation and the last compilation film. Soon after Durandal's death, the Earth Alliance, ZAFT, and the Orb Union meet to end the war, with Lacus Clyne acting as the negotiator. After fighting between each other various time in their mobile suits, Kira and Shinn meet in person for the first time and promise to join forces for a better future.

Genre   : Action,Drama,Mecha                                        Directed By : Mitsuo Fukuda

Written By : Chiaki Morosawa                                        Character Design : Hisashi Hirai

Studio : Sunrise                                                                Episode : 1 ~ 50

Period   : 19-Oct-2004 ~ 01-Oct-2005                             Subtitle   : English

Language : Japanese                                                        File Format : avi

This DVD is a copy version, downloaded from Japanese website and with subtitle (English).