Moreover, this scene included a little “playfulness” from the production team. After the broadcast, the official X account of Khara, Inc. shared an anecdote from President Hideaki Anno, stating: “Since traces of underwater work on the screen would add something, and since they’re just floating among the waves with only their upper bodies visible, there was no need to design anything below the shoulders. It also reduced the studio’s workload, so I asked Director Tsurumaki to include them.”

According to Anno, it was a bold idea that “anything below the shoulders wasn’t necessary” for this cut. Although their appearance was brief, the Zeon Aquatic Corps played the unexpected and significant role of recovering the Elmeth from the ocean floor.

Comments like “For the Aquatic Corps to have such a big role is electrifying,” “Will there be any future battles?” and “I want to see the Aquatic Corps in action!” showed the high hopes for their future exploits. Despite their short appearance, they left a lasting impression.

“Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX” is the latest installment in the “Mobile Suit Gundam” series that began in 1979. The story follows Amate Yuzuriha (voiced by Tomoyo Kurosawa), a high school girl living peacefully in a space colony, who, after meeting a girl named Nyaan (voiced by Yui Ishikawa), gets caught up in the illegal mobile suit dueling competitions known as “Clan Battles.”

The joint production by Studio Khara, famous for the “Rebuild of Evangelion” series, and Sunrise has become a hot topic. The theatrical version, which premiered in January ahead of the TV series, was a major hit with approximately 3.4 billion yen in box office revenue. It is currently being re-released at 368 theaters nationwide from June 20.

(C)SOTSU·SUNRISE

English