Japanese publisher Hobby Japan released its ultra-high-resolution reprint of the Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam side story "TYRANT SWORD Of NEOFALIA" on September 30. However, a notice in the book’s closing pages reveals that the publisher has been unable to contact the story’s mecha designer, Kazumi Fujita. Hobby Japan is asking Fujita himself—or any family members and friends with information on his current whereabouts—to contact its editorial department.
Originally serialized across five installments in 1987, "TYRANT SWORD Of NEOFALIA" is an original model-based side story set in Universal Century 0087, the same era as Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam. It follows the exploits of the title machine, Tyrant Sword, designed by Fujita. Familiar mobile suits from the Gryps Conflict—including the Messala, Nemo, and GM II—were also reimagined with bold original designs that collectors still discuss today. Readers naturally assumed Fujita had helped supervise the new reprint, making the notice at the end of the book all the more unexpected.
In 1985, at just 21 years old, Kazumi Fujita became one of the principal mecha designers on Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam. He independently designed many of the series’ most iconic mobile suits, including the Messala, Gabthley, Byarlant, and Palace Athene. Fujita also produced the finalized design sheets for the Gundam Mk-II, Hyaku Shiki, Psycho Gundam Mk-II, and several other machines.
Fujita was also known for his candid, freewheeling comments during the serialization of "TYRANT SWORD Of NEOFALIA," at one point remarking that drawing mobile suits had become boring and that he was already tired of it. After leaving the design team early in production on the 1992 OVA Macross II: Lovers Again, he remained largely absent from the anime industry for years. His name finally reappeared in a mecha design credit for the 2000 OVA KING OF THE BRAVES GAOGAIGAR FINAL.
Fujita has rarely participated in new industry design projects in recent years. Fans can only hope this latest loss of contact means he has simply grown "bored" once again—and that he will eventually resurface safe and sound.