‘Tis the season for giving, and in that spirit, Bandai Namco Filmworks has given mecha anime fans an early Christmas gift by revealing the next proper entry in the iconic Mobile Suit Gundam franchise, Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX – and to add some milk to go with those cookies, the new series is set to be written by none other than Neon Genesis Evangelion creator Hideaki Anno.
Announced on December 3rd via the official Gundam website and described by Bandai Namco as a “crossing of dreams” between regular series animation studio Sunrise and Anno’s own Studio Khara, the series will, according to its official synopsis, follow the adventures of one Amate Yuzuriha (CV: Tomoyo Kurosawa – Karla Kure in Kengan Ashura), “a high-school student living peacefully in a space colony floating in outer space”.
“When she meets a war refugee named Nyaan (CV: Yui Ishikawa -Mui in Undead Unluck), Amate is drawn into the illegal mobile suit dueling sport known as Clan Battle,” the synopsis continues. “Under the entry name ‘Machu,’ she throws herself into fierce battle day after day, piloting the GQuuuuuuX.”
“Then an unidentified Gundam mobile suit pursued by both the space force and the police appears before her, along with its pilot, a boy named Shuji (CV: Shimba Tsuchiya – Balgo Ywain Parks in Burn the Witch),” it concludes. “Now their world is about to enter a new era.”
Co-produced by studios Khara and Sunrise, this next entry in the Mobile Suit Gundam franchise features a production team consisting of various Evangelion alumni, with Evangelion Rebuild film series director Kazuya Tsurumaki helming the overall production and both Anno himself and Evangelion Movie 3: Q (ENG: Evangelion: 3.0 You Can (Not) Redo) screenplay writer Yoji Enokido providing its script.
Further, the series’ will feature plot composition from FLCL screenwriter Yoji Enokido, mechanical designs from Neon Genesis Evangelion franchise designer Ikuto Yamashita, and character designs, as seen above, by veteran Pokémon franchise illustrator take.
Alongside this news, Bandai Namco also released a trailer for the series, therein giving fans their first look at not only the designs of Amate, Nyaan, and Shuji, but also the GQuuuuuuX suit and an actual Clan Battle (which itself feels very reminiscent, in the best way, of G Gundam‘s central ‘Gundam Fights’).
At the time of this writing, it is unknown which timeline the events of GQuuuuuuX take place in. However, some fans have theorized that based on various location shots in the trailer, the series will be set on the Side 3 colony
However, based on various location shots in the trailer, some fans have theorized that it takes place on the Side 3 colony, itself the birth place of the Republic of Zeon, thus placing the series firmly within the Universal Century timeline.
And in standard Mobile Suit Gundam fashion, this reveal also brought with it the first images of the series’ soon-to-be-released merch.
Such offerings include a White Haro plush doll, a new GquuuuuuX-themed set for the Mobile Suit Gundam Arsenal Base Arcade-based TCG, and, of course, the very first HG 1/44 GquuuuuuX Gunpla kit.
Prior to the series premiere, a cinematic compilation made up of re-edited episode footage titled Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX -Beginning- will begin screening in Japanese theaters on January 17th.