* The first in a trilogy of re-edited specials to the Kidou Senshi Gundam SEED television series, loosely covering episodes 1 to 21.

In the year 71 of the Cosmic Era, Kira Yamato accidentally becomes a mecha pilot when he stumbles onto the top secret Strike Gundam during an attack on his home satellite-colony, Heliopolis. Although the war is technically between the Earth Alliance and ZAFT, it is really a conflict between the human Naturals and the genetically enhanced Coordinators. Left without much choice, Kira, a Coordinator himself, is dragged into this conflict when he tries to protect the colony and his friends on it, subsequently enlisting on the EA prototype battleship Archangel. It is on this empty battlefield between the stars, that he once again meets his best friend Athrun Zala, the son of ZAFT's leader, and the enemy's songstress of hope, Lacus Clyne. Meetings that will change his life forever.

Note: This special was aired in two parts on Japanese TV on March 22, 2004 and March 23, 2004 and received a DVD release on August 27, 2004. It was followed by The Far-Away Dawn. While the story is overall the same, there are some changes to it; it was re-edited, leaving out scenes from the original series but also adding some newly produced cuts, and featuring a new dub.

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Full story: Kidou Senshi Gundam SEED
Sequel: Kidou Senshi Gundam SEED: Harukanaru Akatsuki