The official website for the Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin original video anime project announced the main cast, staff, and premiere date for the second episode on Wednesday. The episode, "Artesia's Sorrow," will open for a limited two-week engagement in 15 Japanese theaters on October 31.

Most of the staff and cast are returning from the first episode, but Nana Harada will replace Ichiro Itano and Kiyoshi Egami as unit director.

Shuuichi Ikeda and Megumi Han are reprising their roles as Edward Mass (later known as Char Aznable, formerly Casval Rem Deikun) and Sayla Mass (formerly Artesia Som Deikun), respectively. New cast members include:

Ayumi Fujimura as Mirai Yashima

Tohru Furuya as Amuro Ray, reprising the role from other Gundam series

Toshihiko Seki as Char Aznable

Sunrise streamed an English-dubbed trailer in March.

The episode's story moves three years ahead to U.C. 0071. The story will follow the tearful separation of the siblings Casval and Artesia (before they became known as Char and Sayla). It will also feature more of the development of the mobile suits, particularly on the Zeon side.

The anime project adapts Yoshikazu Yasuhiko's manga of the same name, which in turn is inspired by the first Mobile Suit Gundam anime's story. The OVA's first episode, titled "Blue-Eyed Casval," premiered in a limited engagement in Japanese theaters on February 28. Anime Consortium Japan began a premium paid streaming of the episode with both the Japanese and English dubs on its Daisuki service on the same date. Right Stuf, in collaboration with Sunrise, offered the first volume in a Blu-ray Disc/DVD combo pack on April 24.

[Via Otakomu]