It’s just been confirmed that legendary Japanese director Yoshiyuki Tomino – the father of Gundam – will attend the New York Anime Festival as a Guest of Honor.

Tomino has overseen numerous series including Aura Battler Dunbine, Brain Powered, Overman King Gainer and The Wings of Rean. His longest-lasting legacy is Mobile Suit Gundam, a genre-breaking series first broadcast in 1979, which defined the current realistic portrayal of robots in Japanese animation. The original series was followed by numerous sequels and spin-offs and the saga continues today with its latest entry – Mobile Suit Gundam UC (Unicorn) – debuting this winter in Japan. The Gundam series turns 30 this year, and the director will be at the event to celebrate the anniversary.

To join in Gundam’s 30th Anniversary celebration, Anime News Network has published an interview with Tomino.

Tickets for the New York Anime Festival are now on sale now at www.newyorkanimefestival.com.