The Pegasus is the lead ship of the “Pegasus-class Assault Carrier” designed for mobile suit operations, and it was built before the White Base (the second ship in the class). It never appeared in the original TV series and has been referred to in setting materials as a “phantom ship.” As a result, its depiction in this show has attracted significant attention, especially among veteran fans.

Within the story, the Pegasus enters Side 7 but is sunk by a sudden assault from Char’s Zeon forces. The ship, lost along with Captain Paolo, is later repaired by the Zeon military and put back into use under the new name “Sodon.”

Episode 2, “White Gundam,” also serves as an introduction to the series’ overall “distorted history.” The twist that the ship resembling the White Base is actually the “Pegasus” subtly foreshadows the eventual revelation of a “parallel world.”

In fact, while “Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX” was initially received as an “if” scenario, as the story progresses it’s revealed to be a “parallel world.” In episode 11, there is even a scene where Shūji Itō (voiced by Shimba Tsuchiya) says, “I came from the other side,” indicating that the work as a whole is woven with multilayered timelines and structures.

Upon revisiting episode 2, the appearance of the “Trojan Horse” lookalike—the Pegasus—can be seen not just as a setup for setting enthusiasts, but as an initial introduction to the very “discrepancy” of this world’s foundation.

“Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX” is the latest installment in the “Mobile Suit Gundam” series that began in 1979. It tells the story of high school girl Amate Yuzuriha (voiced by Tomoyo Kurosawa), who lives peacefully in a space colony until she meets the mysterious girl Nyaan (voiced by Yui Ishikawa) and gets involved in the illegal mobile suit dueling competition known as “Clan Battle.”

The collaborative production between Studio Khara, known for the “Rebuild of Evangelion” series, and Sunrise has generated much buzz. The theatrical preview version released this January ahead of the TV series was a massive hit, earning approximately 3.4 billion yen at the box office. It is being re-screened in 368 theaters nationwide starting June 20.

(C)SOTSU·SUNRISE

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