INDEX
Interpretation by Kazuya Tsurumaki and Yoshiyuki Enokido from FLCL and Aim for the Top 2!
In the GQuuuuuuX arc, the story is set in a world where Zeon has triumphed, and Char has disappeared. The narrative follows Amate Yuzuriha, who lives in a colony on this altered timeline. Amate’s life changes when she meets the mysterious girl, Nyaan, and gets involved in the mobile suit battles known as Clan Battles. She also has a fateful encounter with Shuji, a boy who hears the voice of Gundam. The adorable character designs by Take, known for his work on the Pokémon series, come to life in the bustling urban environment of a cylindrical colony, which is decorated with designs that resonate with modern Japan. The animation, vibrant and rich, carries a distinct atmosphere compared to traditional Gundam works, leaving a strong impression as a contemporary Mobile Suit Gundam set in the Universal Century.
The directors of this work are Kazuya Tsurumaki and Yoshiyuki Enokido, known for their work on the 2000 OVA FLCL. FLCL, which depicted the unspoken frustrations of adolescence through a hard sci-fi setting and stylish visuals, continues to have a devoted fanbase to this day. When considering the development of GQuuuuuuX, another key work of theirs is Aim for the Top 2!—a popular robot anime sequel. Although it’s a sequel to a beloved series, Aim for the Top 2! boldly reimagines the previous elements of sports anime, robots, and the beautiful girl trope, blending them with Tsurumaki’s vivid emotional expression and Enokido’s sensitive sensibility. Furthermore, Aim for the Top 2! surprises viewers in the latter half by incorporating shocking twists using the previous installment’s settings and connects them to the original’s ending in a daring move.
Given the setting of GQuuuuuuX in UC 0085, we can currently predict that the story will revolve around “a world where Zeon won the One Year War, and Zeta Gundam happens.” However, considering the tone and themes of FLCL and Aim for the Top 2!, it’s easy to imagine that the story won’t simply be a reversal of the two factions in Zeta Gundam—the AEUG and Titans. In fact, recalling the aforementioned two works, or Revolutionary Girl Utena (written by Enokido), it’s likely that the focus will be on the process of losing the sense of invincibility unique to adolescence, which is defined as a special power. This loss might be connected to the concept of Newtypes or the gravity of Earth, which is said to “pull humanity’s soul.” We can anticipate that new interpretations of the unique concepts of the Universal Century will emerge from this.
The Gundam franchise has undergone nearly half a century of unique development. Just as Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX Beginning diverged sharply from the Universal Century history the moment it began, Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX is also expected to significantly shift the course of Gundam’s history, continuing to expand it further.
Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX
Director: Kazuya Tsurumaki
Series Composition: Yoji Enokido
Character Design: Take
Mechanical Design: Ikuto Yamashita
Original Story: Yoshiyuki Tomino / Hajime Yatate
Script: Yoji Enokido / Hideaki Anno
Production: Studio Khara / Sunrise
Production Company: Bandai Namco Filmworks / Nippon Television Network Corporation
