They built a story with two sides — and asked you to play both.
You begin as Kira Yamato, fighting for the Earth Alliance. Then you start again as Athrun Zala — a friend who became an enemy, now on the other side of the same war. The same battles appear twice, but you see different reasons, different fears. The anime this game was built from had a question at its centre: what happens when genetically enhanced people and unmodified people stop seeing each other as human? Kira and Athrun stand on opposite sides, neither wanting to fight the other, both forced to by the people around them. The game doesn't answer the question. It just hands you both perspectives and lets you see how different — and how similar — they look. Play it twice, and you might notice that 'the enemy' stops being a category. It starts being a person with a name.
About this game
Released in October 2004 for PlayStation 2, Never Ending Tomorrow is a third-person action shooter that lets players experience the Gundam SEED story through both Kira Yamato and Athrun Zala's perspectives. Developed by Bec and published by Bandai after the anime's conclusion, the game features over 50 playable mobile suits from the series across Story Mode, Mission Mode, and two-player Versus Mode.
The Story Behind
Never Ending Tomorrow was developed by Bec using the game system from their previous title, Mobile Suit Gundam: Encounters in Space. Released after the anime series concluded, it allowed fans to relive the complete SEED storyline from two opposing perspectives — Kira Yamato of the Earth Alliance and Athrun Zala of ZAFT. The dual-narrative structure reflected the show's central theme of conflict between genetically enhanced Coordinators and unmodified Naturals. The game was released on October 7, 2004, shortly after the original SEED anime concluded. Unlike Bandai's previous 2003 SEED title which covered only part of the story, Never Ending Tomorrow spanned the complete anime narrative. The game also introduced Mission Mode, featuring supporting characters and figures from the ASTRAY and MSV manga spin-offs.
Tricks & Tales
The game includes over 50 mobile suits from the GUNDAM SEED anime series. An SP Gauge functions as an energy meter — firing beam weapons depletes it slightly, while Special Attacks consume it heavily. When the gauge runs low, Special Attacks become unavailable, though beam weapons can still fire. Monthly magazine Newtype subscribers received bonus discs granting access to Impulse Gundam variants and MSV mobile suits, including content from the then-upcoming SEED DESTINY series. The game featured an extensive gallery mode with movies, music, voice work, and cut-in animations, plus costume-change mechanics using accumulated points.
Collector's Guide
Region & Compatibility
The PS2 is region-locked. A machine and a disc must belong to the same region to work together: NTSC-J (Japan and parts of Asia), NTSC-U/C (North America), or PAL (Europe, Australia). A Japanese console plays Japanese games. It is also Japanese 100-volt hardware — a fat model used in North America's 120 volts or Europe's 220–240 needs a step-down transformer; the slim models use an external adapter that can be swapped for the right one. DVD films carry their own separate region code, fixed to the console as well.
Maintenance Tips
The PS2's most vulnerable part is its optical drive. The laser pickup weakens with age, producing the famous Disc Read Error — discs that load slowly, read intermittently, or read games but not DVDs (or the reverse). Keeping the vents and internal fan free of dust matters, especially on the larger 'fat' models, which run warmer. Replacement laser units are still made, but match the part number to your exact model before buying, as several incompatible types exist. DualShock 2 controllers commonly develop sticky or drifting analog sticks with age; the rubber and contacts wear, and both are repairable.
What to Watch Out For
Before buying, these are the points worth knowing — from someone who handles original Japanese Mobile Suit GUNDAM SEED: Never Ending Tomorrow copies regularly.
Does this PS2 game use a save battery like older cartridge games?
No. PlayStation 2 games save to the console's Memory Card (8MB card, sold separately), not to a battery inside the disc. The disc itself never wears out from saving — only scratches on the playing surface affect it. If you're buying this game used, check that the disc has no deep scratches, and make sure you have a PS2 Memory Card with at least one free block.
Will a Japanese copy of this game work on a North American PS2?
Not without modification. PlayStation 2 discs are region-locked: NTSC-J (Japan) discs won't boot on NTSC-U/C (North America) consoles, and vice versa. The game was released in both regions, so if you want to play it on a North American console, look for the USA release specifically.
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