This change in structure is what defines the meaning of the Last Shooting. It represents the withdrawal of the Gundam, which was a symbol of war, after completing its role, and the story thereafter shifts to a stage depicting "human emotions," a quiet passing of the baton.

In the end, whether the battle between the two reached a conclusion remains ambiguous. Amuro, after his fight with Char, attempts to escape from the crumbling A Baoa Qu. It was undoubtedly the Gundam that ultimately saved him. The "white machine" that ran through battlefields, protected comrades, and defeated countless enemies, protected Amuro until the very end, sinking along with A Baoa Qu.

The disappearance of the TV anime's eyecatch, where the Gundam wielded its beam saber from the beginning, in this final episode was also striking. The screen was replaced not by the Gundam, but only with the anime's title, making the Gundam’s absence even clearer.

The Gundam was not just a mere weapon. It walked alongside Amuro's battles and became a special presence for many viewers, as "another protagonist." Its ending, where it lies without saying a word, strangely lingers quietly in the heart.

The anime "Mobile Suit Gundam" was produced by Sunrise and aired from April 1979 to January 1980, directed by Yoshiyuki Tomino. It pioneered a new genre of "real robot anime" and had a tremendous influence on later robot anime. Despite low ratings at the time of its airing, its popularity surged with reruns and the release of the film version, sparking a "Gunpla" boom. Numerous sequels and spin-offs were produced thereafter, maintaining high popularity to this day. A new anime "Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX" is airing from April 2025.

(C)SOTSU·SUNRISE

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