Details on Barbatos's creation! We report from the Gunpla Expo "Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans" panel!

A Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans panel, presented by Kengo Kawanishi (voice of Mikazuki Augus), Yuka Terasaki (Kudelia Aina Bernstein), series mechanical designer Naohiro Takao, Sunrise project lead Keijiro Taniguchi, and Bandai Hobby's Akihiko Yasunaga, was held at Gunpla Expo World Tour Japan 2015 on November 23rd.

First up was a special video prepared for the panel. A condensed version of what's happened so far was shown, set to the opening theme "Raise your flag".
With key scenes fresh in everyone's mind, Mr. Kawanishi spoke of the one which left the deepest impression on him: "No matter how many times I'm asked, I always come back to the introduction of the Barbatos in episode 1." Tears came to his eyes when he first saw it, and and he spoke ardently about how he "still considers it a very special scene." Mr. Takao agreed. "It's like that single blow breathed life into the Barbatos. I was nervous about its main main weapon being a mace, but as it smashed everything out of its path, I realized it made for a perfect first episode."
Ms. Terasaki offered "the need to speak of complex political questions as if they were casual trifles" as the most difficult part of her role. "Meanwhile, Kudelia is remarkably unused to normal living, so having to emote confusion and hesitation for things that are parts of my own daily life is tough."

Next was, as befits Gunpla Expo, a look at current and upcoming Gunpla kits for the series. While we can't reveal all the details yet, new mobile suits were definitely on parade!
Mr. Takao expressed pride that his "designs managed to incorporate ease of building and value", while self-proclaimed Gunpla builder Mr. Kawanishi was "amazed at how much mobility has improved, and impressed by how much you get for the price."

The HG Gundam Barbatos can combine with other kits to recreate its various forms—equipping the shoulder of a Graze was suggested by the director during development.
While more forms and more attachments are planned, Ms. Terasaki's inquiry as to whether "it'll have waist parts that make it look chubby" was, however, given a quick "Absolutely not!" by Mr. Taniguchi. With Mr. Takao concurring, it's likely that the hip frame will remain exposed.

On November 28th, a 1/100 Barbatos, nearly twice the size of the 1/144-scale version, will be released. While it will include a complete and detailed frame, it seems like exactly how detailed it would be was a difficult decision.
The cast also introduced their own color designs for the 1/100 Barbatos. Mr. Kawanishi's is "a green to blend in to forests and other familiar territories, with gaudy highlights to suggest its danger", while Ms. Terasaki prefers "pastels [she] loves, as if she was choosing her own custom colors. Yuichiro Umehara, voice of Eugene Seven Stark, opted for colors based on the curtains used in traditional kabuki theater, and noted that a Bandai staffer considered his "the most difficult set to paint". Yoshimasa Hosoya, voice of Orga Itsuka, chose "darkness with red glimmering like rage".
If you're curious about the final results, click here for more info!

Asked about the upcoming ninth episode on November 29th, intriguing revelations included "Look forward to a lively atmosphere", "Keep an eye on the new outfits. Characters will be wearing things they don't normally." and "A new female character will appear."
With events in the series leading up to a fight to finish off the year, the cast were given a first try of Gundam vs. Gundam to get them into the action.

Finally, Mr. Kawanishi made closing comments: "While the battle scenes are exciting, the human story behind them is intricate as well. Many chatacters have yet to appear; I hope you watch keeping their relationships in mind."

▲ From left: Yuka Terasaki, Kengo Kawanishi, Naohiro Takao.

Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans airs on 28 MBS and TBS affiliates across Japan every Sundayat 5:00 PM. Also on Sundays at 10:30 PM, "Tekkadan Hosokyoku" airs on the internet radio station Onsen as well as Radio Osaka.
The HG Gundam Barbatos is on sale now, and the 1/100 Gundam Barbatos will be available November 28th.