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Warning: Contains spoilers for Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX.One of the biggest draws toMobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuXwas that it was made in collaboration with Studio Khara ofNeon Genesis Evangelionfame, and I was hardly immune to that appeal.Evangelionhas always been one of my favorite anime, and if its staff, including Hideaki Anno himself, would be involved, I knew it would be one to watch.
So far, theEvangelioninfluence onGQuuuuuuXhas been largely superficial, but all of that has changed with the most recent episodes.GQuuuuuuX’s latest episodes have started delving into a signature part ofEvangelion’s writing style, and while it’s one that people have already started taking umbrage with,I’ve been having more fun than ever withMobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuXspecificallybecause it’s been delving into such a controversial part ofNeon Genesis Evangelion’s legacy. It’s slowly made it one of the best anime of 2025, and hopefully, things won’t let up in the slightest.
How Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX Became All About Teen Drama (And Why I Love It)
Why I Love The Direction Of The New Gundam Anime
As famous asEvangelionis for its action and dark storytelling, it’s just as famous for its penchant for teen drama, with many of the conflicts driven by the traumas Shinji and his friends have surrounding their self-worth, even when they’re the only ones making a big deal out of them. That sort of writing has now made its way intoGQuuuuuuX, asthe most recent episodes ofMobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuXtake afterNeon Genesis Evangelionin that they’re driven primarily by the characters acting like irrational teenagers.
From the very start ofGQuuuuuuX, Machu was depicted as something of an angsty teen who was desperate to find some excitement in her life, and she found both of those things with her blossoming Newtype powers and newfound feelings forGQuuuuuuXsupporting protagonist Shuji Ito.All of that falls apart when Nyaan, also implied to have feelings for Shuji, is revealed to be a Newtype with possibly better synergy with Shuji than Machu, and Machu starts fighting with an oblivious Nyaan and even pushing her mother away as she keeps putting no thought into her future career.
GQuuuuuuXwas already fun to watch as a gorgeous action anime, but all of the overdramatic teen angst it’s been throwing in has not only provided great character depth for Machu, but it’s been fun to watch specifically because of how seriously Machu and her friends are taking what should be small problems in the grand scheme of things.Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX’s turn towards teen drama has been as good for the writing as it was forNeon Genesis Evangelion, and that’s especially true as someone who went through plenty of it himself.
Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX’s Story Makes Sense Because Of The Creators' Biggest Past Hit
How FLCL Laid The Groundwork For GQuuuuuuX
If there’s any reason why the drama surrounding the recent episodes ofMobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuXhas been so great, it has to be because of the creators’ past work. The main creatives in charge of the show, Kazuya Tsurumaki and Yoji Enokido, have worked on many quirky anime with coming-of-age narratives, the most famous of which wasthe legendary OVA seriesFLCL. The two of them are clearly the most comfortable with those types of stories, soMobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX’s creators’ history withFLCLis easily the biggest reason the story has progressed the way it is.
Just like withEvangelion, theFLCLinfluence is hardly skin deep.FLCLthrived on having its cast struggle through the awkward and melodramatic woes of puberty, all while being as surreal as possible, and whileGQuuuuuuXis nowhere near as surreal asFLCL, there’s a definite absurdity to its setting and how some of the characters act, all of which emphasizes how weird an experience growing up often is.Much of what madeFLCL’s writing work so well is abundantly present inMobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX, and that’s bound to become even more apparent as the show continues.
Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX Is Satisfying Me In Every Way The Witch From Mercury Failed To Do
Why GQuuuuuuX Is A Step Up From The Witch From Mercury
Above all else, the reason why I’ve been lovingGQuuuuuuXso much is because of how much of an improvement overthe previousGundamanime,The Witch from Mercury. WhileThe Witch from Mercurystarted out strong, it quickly fell off in my eyes as its narrative became increasingly rushed and convoluted and allowed little meaningful development for its story and, most frustratingly, its characters. The show started very strong, but in the end,Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercuryabandoned nearly everything great about its writing by the end of its run.
By comparison, despite reportedly being a shorter series, the writing feels far tighter inGQuuuuuuX, with there being a much clearer purpose and general direction to everything as opposed to howThe Witch from Mercurywent really big with little payoff. Much of that can be attributed to how much more groundedGQuuuuuuXis thanThe Witch from Mercury, but regardless,Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuXis doing a far better job with its character writing and writing, as a whole, thanMobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury, and I sincerely hope it sticks the landing.
GQuuuuuuX’s Formula Is Great, But I’m Worried The Next Arc Will Ruin It
GQuuuuuuX Might Be About To Abandon What I Love About It
I’ve been having a great time withGQuuuuuuX, and that’s why the events of episode #6 have me worried. Amidst all of Machu’s recent drama, the narrative has turned far more serious with Annqi selling Machu and Shuji out to Challia and, surprisingly, the introduction ofGQuuuuuuX’s version of the Titans, the villains ofMobile Suit Zeta Gundam. All of that has the makings of a sudden dramatic shift, and with how poorly that went forThe Witch from Mercury,I’m worried thatMobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuXwill become more serious at the expense of the quality of its storytelling.
Hopefully, those fears of mine won’t be realized. Whether it’s with the teen drama or with the overarching narrative, everything aboutGQuuuuuuXhas been incredibly solid, a true testament to how great the staff behind is, so if anything,the staff behindMobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuXwill know how to make a dramatic shift work without sacrificing what drew me to the show, to begin with.Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuXis the best thing to come out of Studio Khara sinceNeon Genesis Evangelion, and I sincerely hope that I can still say that when it finally ends.
