Kunio Okawara
The series was first announced in June 2002, while a trailer was available in September on the series' official website. A total of eight writers were in charge of the series. The characters were designed by Hisashi Hirai, while the mechanical designs were made by Kunio Okawara and Kimitoshi Yamane. "Mobile Suit Gundam" planning manager Koichi Inoue stated that the staff making "Gundam SEED" was a new and young team that would continue working with following Gundam series. Inoue, however, would work with anime based on the original Gundam series.