Summary
The wait is finally over.Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuXhas arrived, via a TV show and compilation film, and promises to be one of the most striking interpretations of the legendary anime in years. It takes daring creative leaps while also staying true to the DNA of its source material, and there are already strong indications that it could be one of the bestGundamseries ever made, no mean feat in a franchise with a stack of quality entries.
The new series arrives off the back of not just a venerated franchise, but its creators, includingNeon Genesis Evangelioncreator Hideaki Anno, also boast an impressive resume when it comes to dynamic, paradigm-shifting anime. The newest Gundam entry is the product of several influences, some overt but others less so. Here is a list of eight titles whose influence looms large, whether connected to the visuals, the story, or some other aspect.
It may be hard to believe now, but the originalGundamseries was a colossal flop on release. Creator Yoshiyuki Tomino envisageda complex mecha story that was resolutely anti-warand dealt with the warmongering and ambiguity at the heart of human nature. It was too much for audiences, and people tuned out in droves. It was only a merchandising deal, combined with a small but passionate fanbase which helped generate the momentum that led to the franchise becoming an institution.
The show’s key themes revolve around the dehumanizing impact of warfare and the contradiction of advanced technology used for barbaric ends, and this thematic foundation is very much alive inGQuuuuuuX. The newest show introduces characters, old and new, who question their place in a world torn apart by war, keeping the spirit of the original intact. The 1979 show’s visuals also provide plenty of inspiration for the 2025 one, with updated mecha designs and vibrant modern twists on vintage visuals.
As one of the most narratively densemecha animein history,Mobile Suit Gundamhas always been unafraid to switch up the formula. Long before the concept of a multi-verse existed in pop culture,Gundamwas exploring different stories across different timelines, and one such example was the fifth installment of the series on television which turned the concept on its head, with a bold, hugely entertaining spin on the classic formula.
The non-canonical show switches the Universal Century for the Future Century. In this set-up, space colonies representing countries have agreed to hold a fighting tournament every four years to settle their political differences, rather than fight a long, bloody war. The duelling Gundam motif has been carried over toGQuuuuuuX, along with some conflicted youngsters. The newest show manages the two-birds-one-stone trick of switching up the Universal Century timeline while also tying it back to the source material.
There’s a very convincing case forNeon Genesis Evangelionbeing the first truly post-modern anime; it arrived when the fans of classic series likeAstro BoyandGetter Robohad grown up to become creators themselves, bringing their sensibilities and outlook to established story tropes. In the case ofEvangelion,they created something entirely fresh and new, and it brought Studio Gainax to a truly global audience.
Gainax alumni Hideaki Anno is one of the co-creators ofGQuuuuuuX,and his fingerprints are evident even in the show’s first episode; a young, disaffected protagonist, a series of truly spectacular robot battles and a series of nods and loving homages to the works which inspired him.Evangelionwas the franchise which gave him the clout and confidence to put his stamp on future works, including his latest baby,
Another title from Studio Gainax,FLCL(pronouncedFooly-Cooly), was a sleeper hit which enjoys a fiercely loyal fanbase in the present day. It is one of those classic animes which cannot be done justice to via description alone. It must be seen, and just as importantly, heard, thanks to its peerless soundtrack by cult Japanese indie rockers The Pillows. And while it would be unfair to give away too much of the plot to newcomers, anyone with a fondness for aliens, robots and surrealism is in for a treat.
FLCL’sinfluence onGQuuuuuuXcan be felt most notably in the character designs for its new cast, who all boast colourful, angular looks to go with the more punk-rock tone that the new show makes use of. Also, whereas some previousGundamsoundtracks make use of dramatic orchestral scores, the latest show takes its cues from FLCL by using more pop-oriented songs that sound like they belong in the present.
WithoutSpace Battleship Yamato, anime would look and feel very different. Pop culture as we know it owes it a huge debt. It laid the foundations for stories and characters that have inspired countless shows over the years. Its impact is so seismic that its Western dub, known asStarblazers, was a huge influence on Daft Punk when making their iconicInterstellar 5555film, which they co-created withYamatomastermind and anime legend Leiji Matsumoto.
Space Battleship Yamatorepresented a shift to more nuanced storytelling, told on a broader canvas than had been seen in anime up until that point. It told the story of an epic, outer-space conflict where many of the characters had to deal with their own individual struggles, as well as the war they found themselves fighting in. It’s safe to say that without its influence, there would be noGundamand therefore noGQuuuuuuXeither.
Getter Robowas the brainchild of veteran auteur Go Nagai, and is widely regarded as the first populartransforming mecha. He was one of the first with the ability to radically alter his form, as well as the ability to combine forms to make a super-mech. InGetter Robo’scase, he comprises three separate crafts, each of which has its own human pilot. The three can combine to make a supreme unit capable of superiority in battle, depending on the environment.
His influence onGundamis huge but the impact onGQuuuuuuXis via its pilots; each Getter unit has its own pilot who in turn has their own distinct personality. The emphasis on the individual, and what they bring to the machine they fight with, is a key factor in the latestGundamseries, and provides the dynamic interplay which makes the interaction of the human characters just as compelling as the mecha battles playing out on screen.
In the very first episode ofGQuuuuuuX, two Gundam units do battle brandishing giant laser swords, a familiar visual motif for the franchise. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to make the link between the same weapon seen in 1979’sMobile Suit Gundamand the lightsabers which featured so prominently in a certain Hollywood blockbuster released two years previously. The parallels, however, don’t just stop there.
GQuuuuuuX takes many cues from the firstStar Warsfilm: a young protagonist who awakens an inner power as a means of realizing a greater destiny; an intergalactic Empire presiding over a domain it considers conquered; and a persistent, lived-in world of rough edges and characters who don’t always fit neat categorizations of good or evil. Just asGundampersists, so doesStar Wars’ongoing influence.
