‘Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX’ Director Stands Behind ‘Evangelion’-Style Mech Designs: “Difference Can Be A Feature, And I Like The Result”
While many fans found themselves unsure about the radically different appearances of its titular mech units, Mobile Suit Gundam GquuuuuuX director Kazuya Tsurumaki says that their almost-Neon Genesis Evangelion-esque designs were not only intentional, but also meant to take advantage of the anime medium’s creative potential.
Tsurumaki, whose past directorial credits include the original Neon Genesis Evangelion, FLCL, and the four recent Rebuild of Evangelion films, offered his thoughts on the rocky reception given to Mobile Suit Gundam GquuuuuuX‘s suits by a not-so-insignificant portion of the series’ fanbase during a recent, post-finale interview given to Noisy Pixel‘s Azario Lopez at the recent 2025 Anime Expo convention.
At the top of their time together, the man widely considered to be the protégé of Neon Genesis Evangelion creator Hideaki Anno was asked about his approach to depicting the Cold War-style tensions of GquuuuuuX‘s narrative, to which he explained that the key factor in doing so was the constant focus on the everyday life of citizens aboard the Izuma space colony.
“In the original Gundam, the war never stops, and when the camera stays on the battlefield, it leaves no room for everyday life,” said Tsurumaki. “By framing GQuuuuuuX as a Cold War inside a space colony, we could show city streets, traffic, even the canals that run through the habitat. Those civilian details make the standoff feel real. I wanted the focus on daily life under pressure, not on military hardware, and that perspective is still unusual for Gundam.”
From there, the long-time Studio Khara team member was pressed as to whether or not he expected the series’ mobile suit designs to receive such a negative reaction, and if so, if it influenced his choices.
“At first, a few people, including staff, worried that the look was too different,” recalled Tsurumaki. “Personally, I see that variety as anime’s strength. Animation lets you bend style without losing the core of the work, and no one has ever told me they quit the show because the faces or suits were unique to the series. Difference can be a feature, and I like result.”
(As an aside, should anyone be wondering: While there exists no direct confirmation that GquuuuuuX‘s mobile suits were directly inspired by Neon Genesis Evangelion, said designs were provided by the latter franchise’s long-time mechanical illustrator, Ikuto Yamashita.)
Wrapping up the discussion regarding GquuuuuuX‘s visual production, Lopez ultimately inquired as to how his guest balanced the excitement of the series’ novel Clan Battles “with character growth and narrative weight?”
In turn, Tsurumaki asserted, “Mobile-suit duels are Gundam’s bread and butter, but after decades it’s hard to show anything new. We limited fights to two-on-two matches; the constraint forces unique tactics and pacing. We also treated each bout like an e-sports stream, where characters like Challia Bull narrate the moves in real time, so viewers get the thrill and the analysis without pausing the story.”
All 12 episodes of Mobile Suit Gundam GquuuuuuX‘s first (and thus far only) season are now available to stream exclusively via Amazon Prime.
