AX Cinema Nights is adding a few films from one iconic mecha franchise to its 2024/2025 lineup.

Announced today, Mobile Suit Gundam, Mobile Suit Gundam II: Soldiers of Sorrow, Mobile Suite Gundam III: Encounters in Space, and Mobile Suit Gundam: Char's Counterattack will make their way to 500 theaters across North America. Mobile Suit Gundam, Mobile Suit Gundam II: Soldiers of Sorrow, and Mobile Suit Gundam III: Encounters in Space will be hitting theaters in October while Mobile Suit Gundam: Char’s Counterattack will land in theaters in March.

The Gundam films join a slew of previously announced films for this year’s AX Cinema Nights, including Osamu Tezuka’s Metropolis 2001, BABYMETAL Legend 43 – The Movie, and Cowboy Bebop: The Movie. An updated list of movies coming in the following months can be seen below. More information about AX Cinema Nights can be found here.

Ninja Scroll 30th Anniversary (HIDIVE)

Screens Sept. 11th (sub), Sept. 12th (dub) Sept. 15th (encore of choice)

When Jubei saves a young ninja woman from the unthinkable, he assumes that’s the end of it. To his surprise, it’s only just the beginning. Together, the two investigate the mysterious deaths of an entire village which uncovers a conspiracy of demonic proportions! Getting closer to the truth, the demonic forces will stop at nothing to silence Jubei and his companion for good!

Mobile Suit Gundam (Toho)

Screens Oct. 2nd (sub), Oct. 6th (encore screening)

In Universal Century year 0078, the space colony Side 3 declares itself the Principality of Zeon and launches a war of independence against the Earth Federation. Eight months have passed since the war entered a deadlock. Learning of a secret plot by the Federation Forces, the Zeon Forces launch reconnaissance followed by an attack against Side 7. A young boy by the name of Amuro gets wrapped up in the war, and by coincidence ends up piloting the mobile suit Gundam and defeating the enemy. The Federation’s White Base, having lost its proper crew in the battle, escapes from Side 7 with forces still in training and civilians both.

Mobile Suit Gundam II: Soldiers of Sorrow (Toho)

Screens Oct. 16th (sub), Oct. 20th (encore screening)

With evacuees from Side 7 onboard, the White Base crosses the Pacific Ocean and heads west towards the continent of Eurasia. Amidst that journey filled with battle, Amuro has a fight with Bright and runs away, suffering from the deaths of Matilda, who he had feelings for, and Ryu, who was like a big brother to him. The White Base lands at the Belfast base in Ireland. It’s then that Char appears, having stepped back from the front lines. With that, Amuro and Char end up clashing in the battle surrounding the Earth Federation Headquarters of Jaburo.

Mobile Suit Gundam III: Encounters in Space (Toho)

Screens Oct. 23rd (sub), Oct. 27th (encore screening)

Having officially been inducted into the Federation Forces as the 13th Independent Unit, the White Base enters the neutral colony Side 6 to serve as a decoy. There Amuro reunites with his father Tem, and meets a mysterious girl named Lalah Sune. Lalah turns out to be a pilot for the Zeon Forces’ Newtype unit under Char’s command. The chance encounter between Amuro and Lalah leads the pair to tragedy. As for the war, the battle moves from Zeon’s key strategic position of Solomon to the space fortress A Baoa Qu for the final battle.

Osamu Tezuka’s Metropolis 2001 (Sony Pictures)

Screens Nov. 4th (sub), Nov. 7th (dub), Nov. 10t (encore of choice)
In the late 1940s, long before Astro Boy and Kimba the White Lion established Osamu Tezuka as one of the most influential animators of all time, the legendary illustrator created the classic manga Metropolis. Set in the future, Metropolis is a grand city-state populated by humans and robots, the cohabitants of a strictly segmented society. Detective Shunsaku Ban and his sidekick Ken-ichi search for a rebel scientist, to arrest him and seize his latest creation, Tima, a beautiful young girl. But when they locate him, Shunsaku quickly realizes that the eccentric genius is protected by a powerful man and beyond their reach. A retro-futuristic cautionary tale, Metropolis is spectacularly rendered, combining the best in Japanese cel animation with the latest in digital technology.

BABYMETAL Legend 43 – The Movie (Live Viewing Japan)

Screens Dec. 11th & Dec. 15th

BABYMETAL held their largest scale world tour "BABYMETAL WORLD TOUR 2023 - 2024" from 2023 to 2024. The headline tour, excluding festivals and guest acts, drew a cumulative audience of more than 280,000 people for a total of 98 performances. The final chapter of the world tour, the first Okinawa performance "TOUR FINAL IN JAPAN LEGEND - 43", has been fully filmed. The film is BABYMETAL's first live film that allows viewers to experience all the diverse music, unique worldview, production that only a tour final can offer, and the overwhelming performance of BABYMETAL, which has evolved even further during their world tour.

Paprika 4K 15th Anniversary (Sony Pictures Classics)
Screens Jan. 8th (sub), Jan. 9th (dub), Jan. 12th (encore of choice)
Anime Expo Cinema Nights presents the final film by visionary director Satoshi Kon with his mind-bending thriller, Paprika, which has been restored in 4K for the first time. When a machine that allows therapists to enter their patients’ dreams is stolen, all hell breaks loose. Only a young female therapist, Paprika, can stop it.

Cowboy Bebop: The Movie (Sony Pictures)
Screens Feb. 5th (sub), Feb. 6th (dub), Feb. 9th (encore of choice)
Caught up in a world of dreams, lost in the cruelty of reality. What should have been an easy bounty turns into biological war after a terrorist gets hold of a deadly virus. Drawn in by the pretty price on the mastermind’s head, Spike and the Bebop crew are ready to collect a much-needed reward. Unfortunately, the gang’s about to find themselves in more trouble than money when the terrorist threatens to unleash the virus on Halloween –effectively killing everyone on Mars. With little time and leads that seem more dreamy than helpful, they’ll have to use their own bag of tricks to stop a dangerous plot.

Mobile Suit Gundam: Char’s Counterattack (Toho)
Screens March 12th (sub), March 16th (encore screening)

Universal Century 0093. The previously missing Char Aznable has revived Neo Zeon and declared war against the Earth Federation government. The Londo Bell unit commanded by Bright Noa is forced to fight alone and unaided against the Neo Zeon forces, which have begun dropping asteroids onto the Earth. Among the Londo Bell members is Amuro Ray, Char's longtime rival. But their valiant efforts are in vain as 5th Luna falls onto the planet.

Sensing a further threat behind Char's movements, Amuro heads for the Moon to collect the Nu Gundam, a mobile suit equipped with a psycho-frame. Waiting for him there is its lead developer, Chan Agi. Meanwhile, Bright's son Hathaway Noa meets a girl named Quess Paraya on his way into space and is instantly attracted to her.