The final episode of Gundam GQuuuuuuX asks its characters, new generations and remixes of familiar faces alike, to imagine new possibilities and futures for themselves free from the established ideas and histories of the Gundam shows that came before them. But while doing so, one nostalgic allowance exposes that GQuuuuuuX itself was unable to let go of […]
The ‘GQuuuuuuX’ Finale Might Be One of the Most Hopeful ‘Gundam’ Endings in Years
So much of Gundam GQuuuuuuX‘s riffing on the legacy of the 1979 original across its 12 episodes has been almost about a yearning sense of inevitability that it could only end in one way—a retread of what came before narratively, and a continuation of the cycle of conflict that has broadly defined the franchise at large […]
The ‘GQuuuuuuX’ Endgame Is About the Messiest Relationship in All of ‘Gundam’
What is Mobile Suit Gundam about? Sometimes, it’s about cool robots. Sometimes, it’s about the horrors of war. Sometimes, it’s about the balance of power, and the exploitation of have-nots by the haves, a cycle of class conflict that is inextricably interwoven through the cycle of military conflict. But really, a lot of the time–especially in […]
Congrats ‘GQuuuuuuX,’ You Just Got Your First Big ‘Gundam’ War Crime
Gundam loves itself a war crime. That is partially the point of it all—it is a series built on acknowledging the horrors of catastrophic, large scale conflict, the cycle of war and the potential for what humanity’s future could look like as it yearns to reach out and better understand its place among the stars […]
‘GQuuuuuuX’ Is Taking Its ‘Gundam’ Remix to a Whole Other Level
Last week, I said that Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX‘s remixing of the original Gundam continuity was letting several of the original series’ biggest characters haunt the narrative, from the absent Amuro Ray, to the slightly less absent Char Aznable, and then the one figure who’s really been skirting around the edges of GQuuuuuuX‘s periphery in earnest, the mysterious Lalah […]
‘Gundam GQuuuuuuX’ Is Ready to Drop Its Biggest Bombshell
Gundam GQuuuuuuX‘s remixing of the story of the 1979 anime classic has had to dance around some pretty major players as it weaves in a cast of a new generation of post-war spacenoids and obscure faves from the original show. The shadow of Amuro Ray, through his absence, and Char Aznable, through his perpetual ability […]
GQuuuuuuX Is a Celebration of Gundam Blorbos
Now that it’s almost halfway through, Gundam GQuuuuuuX is setting the stage for a fascinating story between its young trio of protagonists and the forces at play beyond them in the show’s vision of an alternative version of Gundam‘s beloved original continuity. But something has become clear about the series with every episode: this is a series […]
Gundam GQuuuuuuX’s Big Mystery Just Got Even Bigger
Gundam GQuuuuuuX‘s alternative universe spin on the world of the franchise’s beloved main timeline has already paved the way to some fascinatingly geeky riffs on the original Gundam series. But as the show begins to move on from the immediate interest of the world it spun out of the events of the original show, where […]
Gundam GQuuuuuuX’s End Credits Are Already Fueling the Flames of Sapphic Speculation
The Gundam franchise’s history with queerness is longer in the meta text than it has been in the text of the franchise itself. Shippers have been matching up same-gender characters with each other for generations before Witch From Mercury‘s first episode climaxed with its female deuteragonists getting engaged, kicking off a relationship that even Gundam‘s owners […]
Everything You Need to Know Before Gundam: GQuuuuuuX
A very special time for anime fans is nearly upon us: next week, the next entry in the Gundam franchise, GQuuuuuuX, begins, taking us into a bold and exciting spin on over 45 years of giant robot history. Interested but not sure where to start? We’re here to help. What Is Gundam GQuuuuuuX About? GQuuuuuuX is set in the […]