Spoiler Alert
Now playing at select cinemas near you.
Mobile Suit Gundam is back with GQuuuuuuX -Beginning-! Not only does it reimagine the events from the original television series but also explores a huge what if scenario. Here, Char Aznable (Yuuki Shin) is the antihero who claims the RX-78-2. He’s the ultimate Mr. Bad Guy, and after he steals that said mech and christens it as the “Red Gundam” to win the One Year War, both he and his mech disappear! As for when that happens, before or after Char’s Counterattack, I’m not sure. The first act moves very fast, and I’d have to rewatch.
Consequently, I have to ask will he return? Instead of getting to the answer, the movie presentation jumps ahead by a few years, and introduces Amate Yuzuriha (Tomoyo Kurosawa). This teen finds life in a colony space habitat frustrating. Life in high school isn’t all that good either, and this leads to the usual tropes involved in many an anime.
But when she falls in with a Mobile Suit Fight Club, the tale gets interesting! After others observe how she has the Right Stuff, everyone is impressed. Also, when she shows the signs of being a Newtype, that’s when everyone is taking notice! These folks possess psychic abilities, letting them connect with the world at a higher level. It’s not just about bonding with the robot. And when the past has a way to blast its way to turn up in the present, and the pilot of the Red Gundam is not the person I expected, that’s when I’m on the edge of your seat!
I’d have to rewatch the movie cut or the episodes to find where the “divergence” happens. This is most likely not important here, but I’m still curious. This update from the creative team of Kazuya Tsurumaki, Yôji Enokido and Hideaki Anno is not meant to connect to anything, but I’m sure there’s a moment where this splinter universe began.
As a result, I want to call this series Shin Gundam. The reason is not because of the new mecha. Although the design differs from the classical designs, I rather like it when I study the way it moves. Throughout Gundam’s franchise history, from televised series to films, and updates to its canonical material, known as the UC (Universal Century), some series have presented some fantastic looking robot designs. Some are very militaristic and others are not. And when the art department gets creative, I want the GQuuuuuuX Gunpla kit too! Its sexy demonic design speaks to me.
After last year’s anniversary, I’m sure everyone was asking, so what’s next? Will there be a continuation or another one-off? Sunrise’s response is to produce “a representative work heading into the 45th and 50th anniversaries of Gundam.”
And this series delivers on every note! Not only has this series rekindled my interest in this IP much like how Star Wars: Ashoka brought Ezra (from Rebels) to the live-action front but also, I love Char! He’s more iconic than that RX. As for whether this character will surface later in the series, I can’t even predict with certainty if he will. I have a theory where maybe the character de-aged, but even I’m not sure. Anyone wanting to see the series will have to wait until April when it broadcasts.
4 Stars out of 5
Mobile Suit Gundam: GQuuuuuuX Trailer (GKIDS)
