Among the many speculations, the meaning behind the name "Shirouz" became a particular focal point. Many suspected that "Shirouz"—combining "Shi (4)" and "Rose"—was a nod to "Quattro (4) Bajeena," Char's alias in Zeta Gundam, and wondered if this was an "alternate" comeback for Char himself.

Some also commented, "Recklessly showing up right in front of the enemy is actually very Char-like," or "Char always seems to be in hiding, but he never really is." Because Shirouz was "so much like him," some even wondered, "But could this actually be a deliberate mislead?"

Whether he's the real Char, a clone, or a completely different person, the mysterious young man "Shirouz" managed to set off a whirlwind of theories, predictions, and confusion with just a few minutes of screen time. But really, with that hairstyle, those blue eyes, and his distinctive way of speaking, it's hard to believe anyone could convincingly say, "He's someone else."

"Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX" is the latest addition to the "Mobile Suit Gundam" series, which began back in 1979. The story follows high school girl Amate Yuzuriha (voiced by Tomoyo Kurosawa), who lives peacefully in a space colony, until she meets the girl Nyaan (voiced by Yui Ishikawa) and gets drawn into the illegal mobile suit dueling sport known as "Clan Battle." The series, co-produced by Studio Khara of "Rebuild of Evangelion" fame and Sunrise, made waves even before the TV broadcast, with its theatrical advance release in January this year becoming a massive box office hit with earnings of approximately 3.4 billion yen. The film began nationwide re-screenings in 368 theaters from June 20.

(C)SOTSU·SUNRISE

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