On social media, reactions to GQuuuuuuX’s action were a mix of emotion and confusion, with comments such as, “A capable man who hugs the anxious protagonist girl from behind — that’s GQuuuuuuX,” “Wait, GQuuuuuuX can hug now?” “GQuuuuuuX’s hug was so gentle it made my heart skip a beat,” and “It’s a little creepy how GQuuuuuuX just suddenly starts hugging a girl...”

Following this, as GQuuuuuuX continues to plunge straight toward the ocean surface, an alarm sounds inside the cockpit. When Machu begins to panic again, shouting, “Wait! Wait! There’s no parachute!? This is bad! We’re going to crash!” GQuuuuuuX releases Machu from its arms, separates its own Core Fighter, and heads alone toward someone who appears to be Lalah Sune — displaying a behavior that seems as if it “understands its purpose.”

There, one feels not just “programmed actions,” but an eerie sense that some kind of “will” or “judgment” is present. Though previous episodes have also depicted moments where mobile suits seem to display “emotions” or “personality,” the behavior of GQuuuuuuX in episode 9 seems to go beyond mere staging.

At the moment when “a machine shows kindness to a human,” viewers feel both warmth and a profound sense of unease. That “barely understandable imbalance” may be the very root of GQuuuuuuX’s unsettling charm.

"Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX" is the latest entry in the "Mobile Suit Gundam" series that began in 1979. It follows high schooler Amate Yuzuriha (voiced by Tomoyo Kurosawa), who lives peacefully in an orbital space colony until her encounter with the girl Nyaan (voiced by Yui Ishikawa) draws her into the illegal mobile suit dueling competition known as "Clan Battle." The collaboration between Studio Khara, known for "Rebuild of Evangelion," and Sunrise has made headlines, and the advance theatrical version released this January became a massive hit with about 3.4 billion yen in box office earnings. It has also been decided that it will be re-released in 368 theaters nationwide starting June 20.

(C)SOTSU·SUNRISE

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