| Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX | |
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| 機動戦士Gundam GQuuuuuuX | |
| Genre | |
| Created by | |
| Written by | Yoji Enokido |
| Screenplay by |
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| Directed by | Kazuya Tsurumaki |
| Music by |
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| Country of origin | Japan |
| Original language | Japanese |
| No. of episodes | 12 |
| Production | |
| Executive producer | Naohiro Ogata |
| Producers |
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| Animators | |
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| Original release | |
| Network | NNS (Nippon TV),BS11 |
| Release | April 9 (2025-04-09) – June 25, 2025 (2025-06-25) |
| Related | |
| Anime film | |
| Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX: Beginning | |
| Directed by | Kazuya Tsurumaki |
| Written by |
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| Music by |
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| Licensed by | |
| Released | January 17, 2025 (2025-01-17) |
| Runtime | 81 minutes |
Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX (Japanese:機動戦士Gundam GQuuuuuuX,Hepburn:Kidō Senshi Gandamu Jīkuakusu)[a] is a Japaneseanime television series jointly produced byStudio Khara andSunrise. It is the sixteenth mainline installment of theGundam franchise, the first full series to be set in theUniversal Century calendar sinceMobile Suit Victory Gundam (although set in an alternate timeline), the second television series to be aired during Japan'sReiwa era, and the second in a row afterThe Witch from Mercury to feature a female lead.[4][5]
Acompilation film was released byToho andBandai Namco Filmworks in January 2025,[6] while the TV series itself aired shortly thereafter from April to June of the same year. The TV series is the shortest in the franchise's history by episode count (excludingOVAs), having a total of 12 episodes.
The series is set in analternate version of theUniversal Century timeline, which diverges from the originalMobile Suit Gundam series'continuity, asChar Aznable seizes theRX-78-02 White Gundam alongside the Pegasus class shipWhite Base during his assault on Side 7. Char becomes the pilot of the Gundam instead ofAmuro Ray, renaming it the "gMS-α Red Gundam". This drastically changes the outcome of theOne Year War between the Earth Federation and the Principality of Zeon, culminating with Zeon's victory. However, Char and the Red Gundam disappear after this in a phenomenon called Zeknova, prompting a search by Zeon.
Some characters in the series who had died in the original Universal Century timeline, such as Challia Bull and Kycilia Zabi, survive in this divergent timeline.[7]
In UC 0085, five years after the Principality of Zeon won the One Year War, Amate Yuzuriha, a high school student living in the Side 6 space colony Izuma, crosses paths with Nyaan, a war refugee. Her encounter with Nyaan leads her to get involved in an incident when both the Principality of Zeon and the Space Police are pursuing the missing Red Gundam after it suddenly re-emerges. To catch the Red Gundam, Zeon sends out Xavier Olivette in the gMS-Ω GQuuuuuuX, a prototype Gundam meant forNewtype pilots. However, while trying to capture the Red Gundam, Xavier crashes into the space colony and is ejected from the GQuuuuuuX. Amate jumps into the cockpit of the GQuuuuuuX, steals it, and subsequently defeats the Police Force, allowing the Red Gundam to escape. The GQuuuuuuX is taken by the Pomeranians, an underground team of mechanics participating in Clan Battles, a series of illegal and high-stakes mobile suitdueling matches. After meeting the Red Gundam's pilot, Shuji, Amate chooses to join him in Clan Battles with the Pomeranians, fighting alongside him in the GQuuuuuuX.
The series was first unveiled during the "Gundam Conference Winter 2024"livestream in December 2024, revealing the series' official trailer. It marked the firstGundam production to be co-produced by Studio Khara,[2] and was largely creatively led by staff who once worked forGainax on several anime such asNeon Genesis Evangelion,FLCL, andDiebuster.[2] Although the degree of the involvement of Khara founder and presidentHideaki Anno, credited asGQuuuuuuX's co-writer, has been debated, mechanical designerIkuto Yamashita clarified thatKazuya Tsurumaki served as the primary director of the project, and Anno's role was limited to providing production support.[35][36]
Planning of the show began in 2018.[37] Khara had previously collaborated with Sunrise on in-between animation and other support, such as on the last episode ofMobile Suit Gundam Unicorn.[37] As part of production, Tsurumaki was given freedom by Sunrise to offer up new approaches.[37]
The show is considered by Sunrise as "a representative work heading into the 45th and 50th anniversaries of Gundam," which prompted the release of a theatrical cut, titledMobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX: Beginning (Japanese:機動戦士Gundam GQuuuuuuX -Beginning-,Hepburn:Kidō Senshi Gandamu Jīkuakusu: Biginingu), to create a "festive element" around the Khara and Sunrise collaboration.[37]
The series was directed byKazuya Tsurumaki with series composition byYoji Enokido, episode scripts by Enokido andHideaki Anno, and features character designs byTake [ja] and mechanical designs byIkuto Yamashita. A theatrical cut by Bandai Namco Filmworks andToho premiered on January 17, 2025,[2] andMX4D and4DX versions were screened in Japanese theaters from February 22 of the same year.[38] The theatrical prologue is licensed byGKIDS, with the North American premiere held on February 20 at theJapan Society in New York City,[39] before being more widely released in North American theaters starting February 28 of the same year.[40]
The TV series aired from April 9 to June 25, 2025, on allNNS affiliate stations, includingNippon TV.[b] The opening theme song is "Plazma", performed byKenshi Yonezu,[42] while the ending theme song is "Mō Dō Natte mo Ii ya" (もうどうなってもいいや;lit. 'I Don't Really Care What Happens Anymore'), performed byHoshimachi Suisei, which premiered in an abridged version as aninsert theme forBeginning;[43][44][45] for the eleventh episode, the ending theme song is "Beyond the Time ~Möbius no Sora wo Koete~" (BEYOND THE TIME (メビウスの宇宙を越えて);lit. 'Beyond the Time ~Beyond the Möbius Universe~'), performed byTM Network, which originally served as the ending theme forMobile Suit Gundam: Char's Counterattack.[46] Hoshimachi and superduoNomelon Nolemon [ja] would also respectively perform the songs "Yoru Ni Saku" (夜に咲く;lit. 'Bloom in the Night'), and "Midnight Reflection" (ミッドナイト・リフレクション), "Kienai" (きえない;lit. 'Afterimage'), and "Halo" as additional insert songs.[47][48]Amazon Prime Video licensed the series for worldwide streaming.[49] A simultaneously released Englishdub of the series was produced byNYAV Post.[8]
| No. | Title [50][51] | Directed by [c] | Written by [c] | Storyboarded by [c] | Character animation directed by [c][d] | Original release date [b] | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | "Beginning" | Kazuya Tsurumaki, Daizen Komatsuda & Tōko Yatabe | Yoji Enokido & Hideaki Anno | Kazuya Tsurumaki, Hideaki Anno, Mahiro Maeda & Tōko Yatabe | Hidenori Matsubara, Mayumi Nakamura &Syūichi Iseki [ja] | January 17, 2025 (2025-01-17) | ||||||
Acompilation film of the first three episodes and the first half of the eighth episode of the series | ||||||||||||
| 1 | "The Red Gundam" Transliteration: "Akai Gandamu" (Japanese:赤いガンダム) | Kazuya Tsurumaki | Yoji Enokido | Kazuya Tsurumaki | Yumi Ikeda & Fumie Kobori | April 9, 2025 (2025-04-09) | ||||||
Five years after the One Year War, Challia Bull, the former subordinate of ace pilotChar Aznable, leads a Principality of Zeon task force aboard the warshipSodon pursuing Char's Red Gundam, which has mysteriously reappeared, to the Izuma colony of Side 6. On Izuma, student Amate Yuzuriha has a run in with the smuggler Nyaan and ends up encountering the underground Clan Battle team Pomeranians. During that time, Challia sends Xavier Olivette to capture the Red Gundam in the Gundam GQuuuuuuX, an experimental mobile suit equipped with the Psycommu, abrain-computer interface control system designed for use byNewtypes. Both Gundams end up fighting inside the colony itself, causing the local military police to respond, resulting in much destruction. Xavier, however, has difficulty activating the Psycommu and is forced to abandon it. Angered at the police's abuse of power, Amate commandeers the GQuuuuuuX, with the Psycommu activating in her presence, and disables their mobile suits while the Red Gundam escapes. Challia suspects it is not being piloted by Char, and wonders on the identity of its new pilot. | ||||||||||||
| 2 | "The White Gundam" Transliteration: "Shiroi Gandamu" (Japanese:白いガンダム) | Daizen Komatsuda | Hideaki Anno | Hideaki Anno, Mahiro Maeda & Kazuya Tsurumaki | Hidenori Matsubara | April 16, 2025 (2025-04-16) | ||||||
In the midst of the One Year War, Char leads an assault on Side 7 and steals two of the Earth Federation's secret weapons: the White Gundam mobile suit and the warshipWhite Base, which Zeon renames as the Red Gundam andSodon respectively. Char takes on the Red Gundam as his personal mobile suit, and has an experimental Psycommu control device installed in it upon discovering his Newtype abilities. He also recruits Challia, who is another Newtype, to be his wingman. Despite major losses against the Federation following the theft, Zeon regains the upper hand as the war enters its final weeks. As a last resort, the Federation sends the captured Solomon asteroid base on a collision course with the Zeon-controlled Granada lunar city. Char takes part in a mission to divert Solomon, but the Psycommu malfunctions and swallows Char and part of Solomon in a ball of light, diverting it and leading the phenomenon to be dubbed the "Zeknova". Afterwards, the Federation sues for peace and withdraws from space, while Challia starts his search for Char and the Red Gundam, bringing him to Side 6. | ||||||||||||
| 3 | "Machu in Clan Battle" Transliteration: "Kuranbatoru no Machu" (Japanese:クランバトルのマチュ) | Tōko Yatabe | Yoji Enokido | Kazuya Tsurumaki & Tōko Yatabe | Mayumi Nakamura | April 23, 2025 (2025-04-23) | ||||||
Fascinated by the vision she saw when the Psycommu activated and craving for freedom from a lackluster life in Izuma, Amate agrees to join the Pomeranians as a Clan Battle pilot under the alias "Machu". She later encounters Shuji Ito, the current pilot of the Red Gundam, and they agree to work together as MAVs for the upcoming Clan Battle. Meanwhile, Xavier is apprehended by the Side 6 authorities and harshly interrogated. Challia flies theSodon directly into Izuma as a show of force and intimidates the colony into releasing Xavier. During the Clan Battle, the inexperienced Amate initially has difficulty fighting the opposing team, but her newly manifested Newtype abilities grant her superhuman situational awareness and allow her to telepathically coordinate with Shuji and they secure victory. Challia and Xavier watch the battle as it is being streamed and are shocked to see both Gundams working together, prompting Challia to also become interested in the GQuuuuuuX's pilot. | ||||||||||||
| 4 | "The Witch's War" Transliteration: "Majo no Sensō" (Japanese:魔女の戦争) | Tetsurō Araki | Yoji Enokido | Tetsurō Araki & Kazuya Tsurumaki | Syūichi Iseki | April 30, 2025 (2025-04-30) | ||||||
Shuji reveals that he and the Red Gundam desire to head to Earth using the money he earns from Clan Battle, a sentiment Amate agrees with. Amate later wonders on Shuji's intent to visit Earth, during which a sleeping Shuji mentions he is searching for a rose. Shiiko Sugai, a former Federation ace pilot known as "The Witch", meets the Pomeranians after learning of the Red Gundam's appearance in Izuma, and challenges them to a Clan Battle to exact revenge despite having settled down to civilian life. Piloting the Gundam-esque Gelgoog mobile suit with her Clan Battle MAV, she becomes obsessed with defeating the Red Gundam, and begins ruthlessly attacking Shuji with technology and techniques that rival even Newtype reaction speed. Shuji brings Shiiko and Amate into an ethereal plane where Shiiko reveals somebody is communicating to Shuji through the Red Gundam, before she is killed by Shuji when he destroys her cockpit alongside her MAV. Witnessing this, a horrified Amate realizes the lengths Shuji would be willing to go to achieve his dream. | ||||||||||||
| 5 | "Nyaan Doesn't Know About Kira-Kira" Transliteration: "Nyaan wa Kira-Kira o Shiranai" (Japanese:ニャアンはキラキラを知らない) | Kohei Kuratomi | Yoji Enokido | Mahiro Maeda & Kazuya Tsurumaki | Hiroyuki Honda, Hiroyuki Terao, Takayoshi Watanabe,Mebae [ja] & Rie Nakajima | May 7, 2025 (2025-05-07) | ||||||
Gaia and Ortega, two members of theBlack Tri-Stars, plan to enter Clan Battle to earn money and settle their jealousy for the Red Gundam. Xavier decides to search for the GQuuuuuuX himself, though he is warned by a Zeon informant to be wary of Challia's true motives. He comes across Amate and Nyaan as they head for their next Clan Battle, and recognizes Amate. When Nyaan is accosted by a police officer who asks for her identification, Amate assaults the officer and she and Nyaan flee. Xavier corners and detains Amate in order to prove her identity as the pilot, reasoning that the Pomeranians would be forced to forfeit if she does not arrive in time to pilot the GQuuuuuuX. Nyaan decides to secretly take her place. Nyaan and Shuji fight Gaia and Ortega, who quickly gain the upper hand due to Nyaan's inexperience and Shuji being debilitated by a fever. However, Nyaan's frustration causes her Newtype powers to manifest and she and Shuji kill Gaia and Ortega. After the battle ends, Amate escapes Xavier, distraught as her Newtype connection with Shuji is no longer special. She is later shocked to learn that Nyaan was piloting the GQuuuuuuX. | ||||||||||||
| 6 | "The Plot to Assassinate Kycilia" Transliteration: "Kishiria Ansatsu Keikaku" (Japanese:キシリア暗殺計画) | Motoki Nakanishi | Yoji Enokido | Kazuhiro Takamura [ja] & Kazuya Tsurumaki | Aoi Yamaguchi | May 14, 2025 (2025-05-14) | ||||||
Amate begins avoiding Nyaan after the Clan Battle due to her jealousy. After observing the GQuuuuuuX's recent performance, Challia arranges for the delivery of a Kikeroga mobile armor. Xavier is warned by his informant that both Zeon and Side 6 are on edge amid fears of Supreme CommanderGihren Zabi or the Federation interfering in the upcoming arrival of Gihren's sisterKycilia to Izuma for a summit. Since Challia has ties to Gihren, Xavier is reminded to further monitor him as Kycilia's mole. Later, Pomeranians leader Annqi brokers a deal with Challia on returning both Gundams and revealing Shuji's location after spying on Amate in exchange for a large bounty, during which Challia asks about the pilot of the GQuuuuuuX. Amate overhears Annqi's plans and reluctantly works with Nyaan to plan their escape to Earth with Shuji. Meanwhile, Federation agents and Cyber-NewtypesGates Capa and Deux Murasame infiltrate Izuma on orders fromBask Om with the intent to assassinate Kycilia. Side 6 authorities try to murder Xavier as a warning to Zeon, but he is rescued by Challia, leaving Xavier to wonder about his next move as Kycilia arrives at the colony. | ||||||||||||
| 7 | "Machu's Rebellion" Transliteration: "Machu no Riberion" (Japanese:マチュのリベリオン) | Shinnosuke Itō | Yoji Enokido | Mahiro Maeda & Kazuya Tsurumaki | Mamoru Otake & Shūta Osabe | May 21, 2025 (2025-05-21) | ||||||
Kycilia meets with Side 6 representatives to seek funding for the Yomagn'tho Solar Ray project and grows suspicious with the increased military police presence in Izuma. Meanwhile, Nyaan pilots the GQuuuuuuX and joins Shuji to fight Gates and Deux, the latter piloting a smuggled Psycho Gundam mobile armor, as the Cyber-Newtypes cause destruction in their mission to kill Kycilia. Amate tries to steal the Clan Battle prize money, but flees when Annqi calls her out on her recklessness and warns her dangerous predicament. Nyaan abandons the plan and asks Shuji to run away without Amate, as the Red Gundam unleashes another Zeknova and disappears, taking Shuji with it. Xavier defends Kycilia from Gates and Deux, and Challia kills the Cyber-Newtypes with his Kikeroga, proving his loyalty to Kycilia. Amate is branded as a fugitive by Side 6 and attempts to escape in the GQuuuuuuX, which starts responding to her frustrations, until she is subdued by Challia. He takes Amate and the GQuuuuuuX into his custody and begins planning to assassinate both Kycilia and Gihren to prevent a civil war, while Xavier finds Nyaan and invites her to serve under Kycilia. | ||||||||||||
| 8 | "Falling on the Moon" Transliteration: "Tsuki ni Ochiru" (Japanese:月に墜 (堕) ちる[e]) | Daizen Komatsuda (A) | Hideaki Anno (A) | Kazuya Tsurumaki | Hidenori Matsubara (A) | May 28, 2025 (2025-05-28) | ||||||
| Tōko Yatabe (B) | Yoji Enokido (B) | Mayumi Nakamura (B) | ||||||||||
During the divert of Solomon, Char tries killing Kycilia when he is distracted by a Federation mobile suit piloted by his sisterArtesia and becomes trapped in the collapsing asteroid base. Challia overhears Char talking to someone before Solomon is engulfed by the first Zeknova, while Kycilia is notified a test subject held by Granada codenamed the "Rose of Sharon" vanished. In the present, Nyaan is escorted around Granada by Xavier, who introduces her to classmate Miguel Serveto and the Gundam GFreD mobile suit. Nyaan learns its previous pilots were killed prior to testing and is informed by Xavier of the distrust between Kycilia and Gihren. They accuse Miguel of being a spy for Gihren behind the mysterious deaths. Miguel explains it is to prevent the GFreD from turning its pilots into "Diablos", when the GFreD's Psycommu responds to Nyaan's presence and kills him. Kycilia learns of the incident and strives to further train Nyaan in her goal to activate Yomagn'tho and replicate the Zeknova, as Xavier tells Nyaan about the GQuuuuuuX's escape to Earth. Meanwhile, an engineer named Shirouzu converses a researcher on Kycilia's projects and the search for the Rose of Sharon as they travel to Yomagn'tho. | ||||||||||||
| 9 | "The Rose of Sharon" Transliteration: "Sharon no Bara" (Japanese:シャロンの薔薇) | Kohei Kuratomi | Yoji Enokido & Hideaki Anno | Shinpei Sawa & Kazuya Tsurumaki | Rie Nakajima | June 4, 2025 (2025-06-04) | ||||||
Challia interrogates Amate on the whereabouts of the Rose of Sharon based on Shuji's description. Amate receives help from an unknown benefactor and uses it to escape theSodon in the GQuuuuuuX, which Challia notices and orders his crew to monitor and follow her to the Rose of Sharon. She crashes nearMangaluru and is taken to a brothel to recover. Amate learns from the brothel's maids that a woman is expecting her arrival. The woman introduces herself asLalah Sune, and she shares her visions of falling in love with a Zeon officer wearing a red uniform who freed her and seeing him die at the hands of aFederation soldier piloting a white mobile suit, whom she also loved. Amate asks Lalah to escape the brothel with her, but Lalah refuses as she continues to wait for the Zeon officer. Amate flies to the ocean to retrieve the GQuuuuuuX and finds a mobile armor and an unconscious woman resembling Lalah in its cockpit, which Amate realizes is the Rose of Sharon. Challia and theSodon then fly in to recapture her and collect the mobile armor for Kycilia, as Challia remarks it did not come from their world. | ||||||||||||
| 10 | "Yomagn'tho Blockade" Transliteration: "Iomagunu'sso Fūsa" (Japanese:イオマグヌッソ封鎖) | Morihito Abe | Yoji Enokido | Iwao Teraoka & Kazuya Tsurumaki | Kyōko Kotani, Hiroo Nagao, Yumiko Nakamura &Shuichi Shimamura [ja] | June 11, 2025 (2025-06-11) | ||||||
With Yomagn'tho nearing completion, Zeon conducts preparations for its opening. Challia confides in Amate on his disillusionment with Zeon during the One Year War and how Char's ambitions resonated with him, before telling Amate to follow her own desires. Kycilia meets Gihren and his entourage, where she criticizes Gihren's inaction following her assassination attempt. As they call Kycilia out on her cowardice, Gihren and his entourage are poisoned and killed by her. Kycilia takes control of Yomagn'tho and attacks Gihren's forces, with Xavier and Nyaan leading. Nyaan heads inside Yomagn'tho's core on a special mission from Kycilia, during which she remembers her lecture on strength and survival. In the midst of the chaos, Shirouzu escapes. Realizing that he underestimated Kycilia, Challia and Amate deploy to stop Yomagn'tho. Nyaan controls the Rose of Sharon with the GFreD and aims Yomagn'tho at the Zeon base of A Baoa Qu, where it releases a massive Zeknova that pulls the base and destroys it, killing its garrison before vanishing. Amate becomes furious at the Rose of Sharon's use for destruction and confronts the GFreD, demanding to know its pilot. | ||||||||||||
| 11 | "Alphacide" Transliteration: "Arufa Koroshi-tachi" (Japanese:アルファ殺したち) | Shinnosuke Itō | Yoji Enokido | Yutaka Uemura & Kazuya Tsurumaki | Mizuki Itō & Takayuki Nakao | June 18, 2025 (2025-06-18) | ||||||
Nyaan recoils in pain from operating the Rose of Sharon when she is confronted by the GQuuuuuuX. During their duel, Nyaan realizes the GQuuuuuuX is being piloted by Amate. Amate questions Nyaan's decision to join Zeon and declares she will protect Lalah inside the Rose of Sharon. Inside Yomagn'tho, Shirouzu is cornered by Kycilia, who exposes him as being Char and implores him to join her side. Amate and Nyaan interrupt their confrontation after being guided by Shuji, and Char flees with Amate. Char reveals he had given the Red Gundam to Shuji and resolves on making the Rose of Sharon disappear to prevent further chaos using the Red Gundam. Nyaan starts doubting Kycilia's goals when she sees Kycilia preparing to kill Amate, prompting Nyaan to shoot Kycilia and escape in the GFreD. Amate reluctantly fights Char, as Shuji intervenes and a Zeknova forms from the Psycommu of the Rose of Sharon and the Red Gundam resonating with each other. Shuji pulls Amate and Char into an ethereal plane and states his desire to protect Lalah, revealing he comes from a different universe. Shuji announces he must destroy their world asa white mobile suit is summoned from his universe. | ||||||||||||
| 12 | "That's Why I..." Transliteration: "Dakara Boku wa..." (Japanese:だから僕は…) | Kazuya Tsurumaki, Tōko Yatabe & Daizen Komatsuda | Yoji Enokido | Kazuya Tsurumaki | Syūichi Iseki, Mayumi Nakamura & Hidenori Matsubara | June 25, 2025 (2025-06-25) | ||||||
Char activates Yomagn'tho's true function to send the Rose of Sharon back to her own universe just as Shuji's mobile suit enters. Amate demands to know Shuji's motive, prompting a vision: the Rose of Sharon's Lalah, unable to save Char from death, creates alternate universes from despair. Witnessing Char's rejection of Lalah in their world, Shuji resolves to kill her to spare her further suffering. TheSodon identifies Shuji's mobile suit as a Gundam known as the "White Devil". Amate joins forces with Nyaan to protect Lalah, while Char kills Kycilia and is attacked by Challia, who fears Char may doom humanity. Shuji's Gundam proves dominant, nearly destroying the Rose of Sharon, but Amate halts him. She pleads for Lalah's agency, and Shuji relents, moved by Amate's conviction and Newtype strength. He kisses her before Lalah awakens, thanks Amate, and releases a Zeknova that engulfs herself, Shuji, and Yomagn'tho before vanishing. Char escapes as Xavier urges Challia to help reshape Zeon for Newtypes. Later, Artesia assumes leadership of Zeon. Char reunites with his world's Lalah. Amate and Nyaan relax on a beach on Earth, with Amate hopeful that she will be able to see Shuji again. | ||||||||||||
Alongside other merchandise releases, the series is also part of the long-runningGunpla line of plastic model kits byBandai Spirits. Kits based on the Mobile Suits in the series were released in1/144 scale, with the first model being released in January 2025.[52]
The compilation film cut,Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX: Beginning, was generally praised by critics for its visual style, characters, writing, and its narrative remixing of the originalMobile Suit Gundam.[f]
The introduction featuring Char Aznable and showing the divergence in the Universal Century timeline central toGQuuuuuuX's narrative was appreciated for its audiovisual and tonal fidelity to the original series. James Whitbrook ofGizmodo praised the reuse of the original's soundtrack and audio cues alongside the faithful recreation of its scenes and set pieces, saying it recontextualized these elements "in fascinating ways to fit its alternative rendition of events where Char is suddenly the protagonist of this familiar narrative."[55] Richard Eisenbeis ofAnime News Network felt similarly, positively comparing the conceit toalternate universe fan fiction and saying it was a fresh direction forGundam, calling it "a blast on its own". Eisenbeis additionally praised the original story and new characters, saying that the combination of the "pure fanservice" of the introduction and the new story madeBeginning a cathartic experience for fans of the original series while remaining accessible to first-timeGundam viewers.[53] In contrast, Kambole Campbell ofPolygon felt that the dependence on the original series madeGQuuuuuuX "probably not the best Gundam to start with", but nonetheless appreciated the film's prologue, calling it a "delightful throwback".[7]Aftermath's Isaiah Colbert also enjoyed the divergent premise, describing it as "watching Studio Khara and Sunrise play with their toys".[56] Juan Barquin ofIGN said the prologue functioned as "a loose history lesson that preps the uninitiated viewer" forGQuuuuuuX's new story.[54]
The visual style ofGQuuuuuuX was noted for its combination of the audiovisual elements of the original series and its new characters and setting, described by Eisenbeis as "shifting naturally from one generation to the next".[53] Campbell also liked the mix of the two, praising the "brightly colored and more cartoonish" approach to familiar elements of the UC continuity.[7] Barquin felt similarly, comparing the visuals to character designer Take's past work on thePokémon franchise, as well as previous works produced byGainax, and said that the marriage of the two styles "not once" was jarring, "instead emphasizing the way life and culture has progressed in the years since the war ended".[54] Colbert also liked the style, saying the aesthetics switching from the "grainy, retro look" of0079 to "the sleek, vibrant, and bouncy mix of 3D and 2D animation of today's anime" was engaging.[56] While Campbell praised Yamashita's mechanical designs, he felt that the CG animated mech battles were "more of an intrusion", preferring the 2D-animated fights ofThe Witch from Mercury.[7] In contrast, Barquin considered the mech action to possess "a real fluidity", though also acknowledged that the CG use made them "a stark contrast" toWitch from Mercury.[54] Whitbrook praised the visual style as "a boldly colorful, poppy sci-fi aesthetic".[55]
The characters and apparent themes ofGQuuuuuuX were also generally liked, with critics generally eager to see more of the narrative and character development in the series proper.[55][53][56] Campbell, Barquin, and Whitbrook all expressed an interest in the narrative premise of following the cast living under the rule of the Principality of Zeon, which was described as "fascistic"[7][54] and a "police state".[55] Whitbrook compared the premise ofGQuuuuuuX toZeta Gundam, describing it as "imagining what life looks like in a post-war world for the generation that came of age after its conclusion" and described Amate, Nyaan and Shuji as believable young people attempting to navigate the setting.[55]
The television broadcast received broadly positive coverage for its remix ofUniversal Century canon and its willingness to juxtapose retro audiovisual cues with contemporary pacing.Polygon called the show "an explosive collision of the franchise’s past and present," while noting that prior UC familiarity made its callbacks land more strongly and that the CG-heavy mobile suit battles divided opinion compared withThe Witch from Mercury.[57] Weekly episode coverage fromGizmodo highlighted a midseason turning point that "complicated" the series' alternate-timeline remix and praised how character stakes escalated alongside lore reveals, while the site's finale analysis described the ending as a "poignantly hopeful" statement that Gundam can move beyond cyclical war while still feeling likeGundam.[58][59]Aftermath likewise praised the climax while arguing that its metatext and emotional payoffs land best if viewers "do their anime homework," reflecting ongoing debate over the series' approachability for newcomers.[60] Mainstream press and fans also tracked weekly momentum throughPrime Video's global release, with commentary emphasizing the show's high-contrast visual style, Yamashita's mechanical designs, and strong voice performances, even as opinions split on the CG presentation of large-scale battles.[57][58][59]
In Japan, week-to-week coverage of the TV broadcast was generally positive, though some debate centered on how heavily it assumed prior knowledge of the Universal Century.GAME Watch's finale review described the series as a "what-if war chronicle packed with fan favorites," while also providing supplemental explanations for viewers less familiar withZeta Gundam-era context.[61] Differences between the terrestrial TV broadcast and the Amazon Prime Video streaming version also became a point of discussion. For example, Episode 8 included altered dialogue in the streaming edition, and the finale (Episode 12) was released on Prime Video in an extended 29-minute cut—around four minutes longer than the TV broadcast.[62][63] Coverage in mainstream entertainment outlets highlighted the show's social-media traction, noting that the casting of prominent voice actors from the originalMobile Suit Gundam became a trending topic immediately after the finale aired.[64]
Outside Japan, English-language outlets leaned more positive on the TV run's thematic "remix" and its finale's tone, while still flagging the same onboarding hurdles and CG/2D debate.Polygon andGizmodo emphasized the show's bold interplay of nostalgia and reinvention and repeatedly noted that the experience is richer for long-time UC viewers;Aftermath argued the finale "lands" best with prior series knowledge, capturing the international consensus that the series is rewarding but not the easiest entry point.[57][58][59][60]
At the 2025Newtype Anime Awards,Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX and its compilation filmBeginning were ranked second for Best Work in the TV/Streaming and Theatrical categories while winning four other awards: Best Mascot Character (Haro), Best Director (Kazuya Tsurumaki), Best Scripts (Yoji Enokido andHideaki Anno), and Best Mechanical and Prop Design (Ikuto Yamashita and Se Jun Kim).[65] The series won the Japan Anime Trend Award at theAbema Anime Trend Awards in the same year.[66] It also received the award for Animation of the Year at the 2026Tokyo Anime Award Festival.[67]
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